that many times the Sin that mostly takes up the thoughts of such a Soul at first is some sin that has less of malignity against God in it than many other which the Party has been guilty of as Lying Sabbath-breaking Disobedience to Parents or some external act of Sin in which he has been more carried by his sensual inclination than maliciously wicked 2. He considers the severe Judgment of God denounced against Sinners and his own concernment in it The Word says The soul that sins shall dye and makes Eternal death the wages of every sin Rom. 6. Yea the Word declares all men by Nature dead in trespasses and sins and children of wrath and hereupon the Sinner reasons thus with himself Is there not a reality in these Threatning words And do they not take effect upon Sinners according to the plain sense and import of them What may I think then of my self Am I liable to all this danger or have I any fence against it If I should now dye as I know not how soon I may what were like to come of me If I be under the force of these Threatnings wo unto me And what have I to plead against them If I was by Nature a Child of wrath how got I out of that condition or am I yet in the gall of bitterness and bands of iniquity Thus the Soul studies and examines his own estate And this is the First step towards Conversion Consideration The Second step or degree of this work is a strong Conviction of a miserable and perishing Estate But before we come directly to consider that work we must take notice of some hindrances or diversions by reason of which many men are taken off even at the first step and never come to a sound Conviction at all and others are long e're they come at it 1. Some grow weary of the unpleasant work of Self-Consideration and let it fall before ever they have brought it to any Convincing issue This is very ordinary with Persons a little shaken under a Sermon or griped by Conscience under an Affliction or scared with the thoughts of Death to ask the Question What estate they are in But the Subject being very ungrateful to Nature they never stay their Studies upon it to bring it to any determinate conclusion As Pilate asked What is truth But would not stay to hear the Answer They translate their thoughts to other matters as being loath to endure the pains of a thorough Examination of themselves 2. From the Consideration of themselves some turn aside to the survey of others whom they think to be as great or greater Sinners and so content themselves in hope to speed as well as they They observe many as bad as they or worse who yet are confident of a safe estate yea they are knowing Persons and likely to understand their own condition as well as any they are Learned men it may be Ministers that of all others should see if there be any danger in their way and besides they are well thought of generally by their Neighbours and few or none seem to question their estate Why then says the a-little-startled Sinner should I further disquiet my self with sad and doubtful apprehensions of my condition I see no probability but I may speed as well as thousands that are round about me I 'll even take up and run the common hazard of my Neighbours and of Mankind in general Thus Consideration is many times obstructed and falls short of a sound Conviction But where God goes on with the design of Saving a Soul he holds the Mind close and keeps it from the vain study of other things and Persons till he has made the Sinner plainly see himself Wretched Miserable and Perishing and that is the second degree of this work which comes now to be considered This Conviction is the proper effect of a well prosecuted Self-consideration and the conclusion naturally issuing from these two premises well attended 1. The demands of the Law from every man 2. The Judgment of God against every Offender of which before He that well considers these and duly applies to himself as his own concernment must needs understand himself to be in a perishing estate without the use of some proper and sufficient Remedy Thus the Prodigal was kept pondering his condition till he perceived himself perishing for hunger Luke 15.17 When he came to himself he had been ranging abroad from himself as well as from his Father's house and unmindful of his greatest concernments where he was which way he was going and what was like to come of him was none of his study all this while But now at length he returned home to himself and took his own estate into a sober consideration upon which he found plainly that he was like to dye for want of Bread I perish for hunger So the Jews Acts 2. were held under the sad thoughts of what they had done and deserved till they were pierced at the heart that is they found themselves dead men as a man that is stabb d to the heart for whom there is as we use to say but one way This account also the Apostle gives of himself Rom. 7.4 That when the commandment came sin revived and he died he perceived that vigor and Soul-destroying power of sin in himself which he was not aware of before and plainly saw himself a dying man Spiritually undone and perishing The like work we also see in the Jailor Acts 16. What must I do to be saved That word to be Saved plainly implies a sense and deep Conviction of a lost estate that he was at present an undone man Thus the poor Sinner hangs as it were over the mouth of Hell in his own apprehension and sees nothing more likely than that he should presently fall into it he plainly hears the Law threatning him with Death Eternal sees God frowning upon him and destruction ready to swallow him up he that a few days ago thought himself as safe and as much in favour with God as any in the world and it may be was secure of Soul-concernments never troubled himself with thoughts of Eternity and took it for a point of folly and a beginning of madness in other men to disturb their minds with fear of Hell and Condemnation is now become a miserable and perishing man in his own Judgment and of all men alive the most likely to be Damned Eternally The Third step or degree of this work is a Soul-Afflicting Humiliation a work made up of terror and sorrow under the apprehension of the wrath of God and the sense of a perishing estate A deep sorrow and anguish of Spirit seizing upon the Sinner under the Conviction before spoken of This work is commonly called Legal Repentance because it is a deep sorrow and trouble about sin depending upon that sense which a man has of his condemnation under the Law But though it be not that sorrow which is called Godly
to the means is called Faith As we are saved by faith Eph. 2.8 or as Rom. 8.24 We are saved by hope I shall therefore for plainness treat of fiducial Faith and Hope as one Act not as affecting to follow the Schoolmen or others who go that way but as intending the best advantage of the Understanding which is usually disturbed by an unnecessary multiplication of things And if Scripture commonly speaks of both as one Act which is confessed why may they not be so handled Obj. If any object that in 1 Cor. 13.13 Where Faith Hope and Charity are enumerated as three distinct Graces Ans I answer If we take Faith for Assenting Faith which is primarily and most properly Faith the number is made good and indeed it is most probable that the Apostle intends that Faith whereby we believe those thing now which we shall hereafter see as by Hope he means the confident expectation of that Good which we shall hereafter enjoy These things premised I proceed to the Description of fiducial Faith Viz. A Resting or trusting in the mercy of God in Christ in hope of his Salvation tendered to Sinners in the Gospel Here we are distinctly to consider 1. The end of Faith the Salvation of God 2. The tendency of Faith to that end and that is in Hope 3. The foundation of that Hope the mercy of God in Christ First The End of Faith i. e. that which it looks to attain is the Salvation of Christ propounded in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.9 What this Salvation is was shewed before Viz. Pardon of Sin and an holy union and conjunction with God John 3.16 not to perish i. e. to be condemned for Sin but to have everlasting life i. e. he united to God and enjoy him which is the Soul's life Sin separates from God meritoriously and legally by virtue of the Curse binding the Sinner over to an everlasting Separation from his glorious presence and to everlasting Destruction And it separates from him naturally and formally though there were no punishment by Law assigned to the Sinner for what fellowship has light with darkness Now separation from God is man's spiritual Death even as the separation of the Body and Soul is his natural Death So men are by nature dead in Trespasses and Sins as well as liable to death for them Death is the work of Sin as well as its wages And the Salvation of Christ consists as well in delivering men from Sin it self as from the punishment of it Matth. 1.21 And if he did not this as well as the other he could never make them happy Sin would keep them miserable still though they were redeemed from the pain of sense Then a man is saved when he is brought to God 1 Pet. 3.18 i. e. into an union and conjunction with him And indeed pardon of Sin is but in order to this part as the principle of mans Salvation The Law subjecting the Sinner to his Sin and giving him up to Satan as the most signal part of his punishment it is impossible that he should be delivered from Sin unless the bond of the Law the Curse I mean which holds him under Sin be loosed 1 Cor. 15.56 This then is the End of Faith Salvation from Hell and Sin Pardon and an holy Conjunction with God Secondly The tendency or motion of fiducial Faith to this end i. e. toward Salvation is in a way of Hope Faith rests on Christ in hope of everlasting Life All fiducial Reliance or trusting in any thing or person in reference to any good to be attained is in hope of that good When a Man trusts in a Physician for his Health 't is in hope of obtaining it When a rich Man trusts in his Riches 't is in hope of safety and favour among Men c. When the Jews trusted or were said to trust on the broken Reed Egypt it was in hope of aid from thence So to trust in Christ for Salvation is to hope for his Salvation Tit. 1.2 The faith of God's elect is in hope of everlasting life Now Hope as was said before is the Intention or Desire of the Soul to some good thing which is looked upon as attainable Some put in difficulty but that is not always competent to the object of hope Hope therefore implies First 1. An earnest desire of the thing hoped for Secondly 2. A Perswasion in the mind that it may be attained Where-ever these two meet there is Hope and no where else No man hopes but as the word is sometimes used Catachrestically for that which he desires not A Man may desire that which he has no hope of As Men totally despairing under sense of God's Wrath have a desire of Pardon else they could not be grieved as they are for want of it but they have no hope of Pardon A Man may wish himself an Eagle or a Swallow as David but can have no hope to be so For besides desire Hope always implies a Perswasion that the good desired may be attained or which is more that it shall be attained Devils may have a desire to be out of Torment and 't is certain they have so but no hope of it because they cannot believe it attainable The lame man Acts 5. hoped to receive Money of the Apostles as desiring it and thinking they had it to give him But as for a Cure he desired that also but hoped not for it because he did not believe at first that they had such an healing-power about them He that hopes for any thing looks on it as attainable and the more likely he apprehends it to be attained the more confident he is in his hope And if he looks upon it not only as probable but as certain then 't is full Assurance of hope as Heb. 6.11 Now to apply this to the case in hand When God has brought the humble Soul to an hearty believing of the Gospel he thereby works him up to an hearty desire of the Salvation therein propounded and withal perswades him that he may for his own part attain it and so the Soul begins to hope for everlasting Life The Soul understanding already and believing the Gospel sees such an excellency in the Salvation of God as makes him vehemently desire it he now accounts it the greatest happiness in the World to be delivered from Sin and Hell and joined unto God though he made never so light of it before and earnestly crys out Oh that I might have peace with God Union with God and God to be my God for ever Oh that I might eat Bread in my Father's house Luke 15. Thus the Merchant having seen the Pearl like Achan presently fell in love with it and so importunately desired it that he stuck not at selling all he had to buy it This is that Hunger and Thirst to which the promise is made Matth. 5.6 Isaiah 55.1 and elsewhere This is that willingness which makes a Soul capable of the Water of
the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God THE last and greatest step to or into a Christian's perfection is the Soul's resignation in death Death as 't is alike certain and inevitable to all men so 't is equally profitable and advantagious to all Believers But it must be noted it 's easy and comfortable to some more to others less in a great variety as Job said concerning men so we may say of Christians One dies in his full strength another in the bitterness of his soul Job 21.23 that is one dies mourning and dejected another joyous and triumphant which was Paul's ambition in these words That I may finish my course with joy The Life of man is a Race and so is his Work First His Life is a Race Every man runs from the womb to the grave a Stage far shorter to some indeed than 't is to others but it 's a Race to all 2dly His Work in his Life-time is a Race Man is a busy Creature and doth much Work such as it is in a little time and therefore his action in this World is not only called in Scripture his walking as Job 9.25 My days are swifter than a post they flee away they see no good But it 's called his running and running his course as in the Text and in Jer. 8.6 Every man turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel that is to his own way and actions John's work in the Ministry is called his course Acts 13.25 As John fulfilled his course he said c. And so Paul speaking of Christian practice tells the Galatians Ye did run well Gal. 5.7 And thus the Apostle's own work was his course in which he proceeded with an extraordinary swiftness I laboured more abundantly than they all 1 Cor. 15.10 But the course which he here speaks of finishing is that of his life the other of his Ministerial work being presently subjoined And the ministry which I have received Both these Races had the same period in Paul's intention at least and probably in performance though not the same speech it was the Apostle's intention not to leave off the work of his Ministry during the term of his life and his great desire was that when he should finish the one and so be taken off from the other he might finish both with joy the course of his life and the course of his work That I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received Of the former I may finish There is nothing wherein according to nature a man is more passive than his death and yet even death it self is sometimes attributed to men as their own act All men are active to their own death in sinning which is the meritorious and procuring cause of it the wages of sin is death Godly men are active in their own death in a willing resignation of themselves and delivering up of their Souls into the hand of God as 't is said of Jacob Gen. 49. ult He yielded up the spirit So for a man to finish his course is to die and depart this life which Paul earnestly desires to do with joy And hence we may observe Doctr. That it is a Christian 's great concernment that he may depart this life with spiritual joy and comfort or while he lives to consult and provide for a comfortable dying Because first Reas 1. A Christian is subject to many Troubles in his life-time In the world says St. John ye shall have tribulation John 16. It 's a sad thing after a wearisom day to lie down in sorrow A servant says Job waits earnestly for the shadow of the evening Job 7.2 that is of his going to his rest after his days-work whether you live regularly or loosely if you stick to rule men will be upon you if you sin God will rebuke you 2dly Reas 2. A Christian has great need of spiritual joy to support him against the sorrows with which death is naturally accompanied Death is so sorrowful a thing that it would be too much misery to a godly man to endure it without spiritual comfort and therefore as God in kindness to him will not leave him altogether destitute of it in so needful a time so he himself is highly concerned to make the best and most effectual provision for it There are three sorts of sorrows of death that make spiritual comfort highly needful to a dying Christian First The sorrow of the parting between Soul and Body This is the most proper and immediate sorrow of death the union between Soul and Body is such as makes division grievous to the person Death of it self is an enemy to Nature and therefore it must needs be a very sorrowful thing to come under its hands even Christ himself that had no sin in him was afraid of it and prayed against it Hebr. 5.7 When he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared The Scripture sets forth this by many significant expressions as the pains of death Acts 2.24 Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death And again the terrors of death and the king of terrors as Job 18.14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle and it shall bring him to the king of terrors Again it 's called the bitterness of death 1 Sam. 15.32 And Agag said Surely the bitterness of death is past And then it 's called the sorrows of death as David says in Psal 18.4 The sorrows of death compassed me Now seeing death is unavoidable and has in it self so much grievousness men have great need of comfort to make it easier and more tolerable Secondly The sorrow of parting with present mercies and comforts that we have had the use of if a man has not hopes of better this also is very grievous though he gets better yet 't is hard to leave the comforts which we have been used to and in which God has been kind to us It 's said of Hezekiah that when the message of death came to him he wept sore 2 Kings 20.3 though he knew his passage from hence was into a far better place therefore God is usually pleased to mortify men to the World by Age and Sickness before Death comes to make it easier parting with present comforts Thirdly The sorrow of God's Rebukes and Reproofs for Sin Death commonly brings Sin to remembrance and awakens Conscience to inveigh against the Soul for it So Conscience will tell us at such a time when Death's approaching it will mind us of our Sins of Omission the undue expence of precious time the loss of opportunities for spiritual benefit It will mind us of the careless use of the means of Grace Sins of Commission in which a man has dishonoured God or been injurious to man These things usually come to remembrance at such a time and
Conscience falls fiercely on the Soul for them and this is plainly the Reproofs of the Almighty within a man Conscience being his Deputy and Remembrancer yea Death it self is a Rebuke for Sin God would never put us to the pains of Death were it not that we have sinned As when God pardoned the sin of David yet he appointed him the sword to dwell in his house as a sorrowful memorial of his sin 2 Sam. 12.10 so he appoints all his people many afflictions in this life though he forgives their sin and Death at last as an unavoidable Rebuke for sin As if he should say I take away your sin and free you from the curse of my Law but yet not a man of you shall get to Heaven but through the pains of death through the dark valley of the shadow of death Yea many times Christians have Reproofs given them in their Death for some particular Sins which God gives them notice of as Moses and Aaron died in the Wilderness for a Reproof of their Unbelief And many of the Corinthians were judged of God in their Death for their Sin about the Holy Supper 1 Cor. 11. that is as the Apostle there expounds it They were chastened of God that they might not be condemned And this is a very sorrowful thing to be smitten with Death in a Rebuke for Sin as Moses complains of it Deutr. 4.22 The Lord sware against me that I shall not go into the land of Canaan Thus Death is so sorrowful a thing as would be too much for a Christian to endure without spiritual comfort to take off the bitterness of it Reas 3. It is highly due to the Honour of Christianity that a Christian should die comfortably in the exercise of spiritual joy Christianity propounds life and glory to be enjoyed after Death and teaches men to accept of Death as a passage to such happiness as eye hath not seen c. Blessed are the dead dying in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Now if they that hold up this Profession among men should be as sadly surprized with Death and as much affrighted and appaled at it as other men this would bring a shame upon their Profession and lay it open to the reproach of those who will be ready to say I thought you had been going home to your Father to your beloved Jesus Christ to your blessed Inheritance c. and can you die sorrowfully Thus Christians are exercised with great Afflictions and no appearing help Adversaries are presently ready to ask Where now is your God and there is no sufficicnt Answer but to acknowledge his comforting and supporting presence where is He why here he is in our hearts and souls strengthning and upholding us So 't is in the case of Death no maintaining the credit of Religion against Reproach but by rejoicing in the Lord when we are going out of the world and therefore our great care should be that we may die in peace with God Reas 4. It 's a necessary part of a Christian's love to those whom he leaves behind him to die chearfully A Christian's chearful Death eases the sorrow of surviving Friends and we should 1. Endeavour so to go out of the world as to leave them as little trouble as may be that stay behind us Especially to provide what we can that if they mourn they may not mourn as those without hope concerning us 2. But besides this A Christian's chearful and comfortable dying is an encouragement to others to follow him in the way of Christianity Balaam himself desired to die the death of the righteous but where grace is the death of the righteous will encourage a man to live the life of the righteous considering as the Apostle says the end of their conversation Hebr. 13.7 Now for the Uses Use 1. Hence we learn That the work and care of a Christian is as lasting as his life When he is converted to God and believes in Christ he must take care to live well and when he has walked with God and demeaned himself like a Christian in his conversation he must have a care also to die well that he may depart in peace and in the joy of the Lord. They greatly mistake that think a Christian once justified and adopted has no more to do but stay the time when he shall go to Heaven He must take heed how he lives and have a care how he dies so that living and dying he has peculiar Duties to attend Use 2. It shews the happiness of a Christian in his death He dies such a death as will not only bear joy and comfort but requires it He has not only cause to rejoice when he goes out of this world but ought to do it Blessed are the dead dying in the Lord Rev. 14.13 Men of this world please themselves in the present delights of their life but that 's a happy life indeed which tends to a pleasurable and truly joyous end Use 3. The third Use teaches and exhorts Christians to be always providing not only for a safe but a comfortable death And to this end take these few Directions following Direct 1. Be diligent to assure your selves that you are reconciled to God in Jesus Christ and at peace with him The great terror of death is that it brings men to the Bar of God's great judgment But when we are once sure of Pardon we may safely expect a justifying Sentence and an Adjudication to Glory And there is no danger in appearing before that Judge by whom we shall certainly be acquitted when a man can say I am going to my God my Father my Redeemer c. This will make it comfortable dying as our Saviour said I go to my Father and your Father This assurance made Paul triumph over death as in Rom. 8.38 Neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so in 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Direct 2. Be much in meditation of heaven according to the report that Scripture gives of it that which is more and better than Eye has seen or Ear heard yea a fulness of joy Or as as Eliphaz said to Job of hearing Job 5.27 Hear this and know it for thy self Think of these things for your selves How happy shall I be if once I may behold the face of God in Righteousness be like him and see him as he is When the Prodigal thought what was in his Father's House it made him glad to return and that 's the Argument that our Saviour gives his Disciples against trouble in this World the consideration of what is provided for them in his Father's House John 14.2 In my father's house are many mansions And in Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ We look at things not seen Direct 3. Be always labouring to discharge your selves of earthly hopes We are looking for some contentment in things of this World and that makes Death more unacceptable But you have no certainty of any Earthly comfort that you can propound to your selves and be it what it will there is better to your satisfaction to be had in Heaven Remember what Leah and Rachel said to Jacob Is there any portion or inheritance yet for us c. Gen. 31.14 That made them willing to go into Canaan They had no expectation left in Padan-Aram Direct 4. Endeavour always to maintain uprightness and sincerity of heart That 's the comfort of Christians while living and dying that 's comfort while we live 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience And when we dye Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace And so Prov. 14.32 The righteous has hope in his death Direct 5. Diligently apply your selves to all duties of righteousness and goodness toward men It conduces much to the comfort of our death to live as in the exercise of holiness toward God so in practice of honesty and goodness to men It helps to make a man wait with confidence for the coming of Christ Tit. 2.12 13. Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ See how Paul takes his dying leave of the Ephesians though he was not presently to die Acts 20.33 I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel Sixthly and Lastly Direct 6. Live in a continual exercise of faith in Jesus Christ for remission of sin and everlasting life Be always trusting and renewing your confidence in Christ There is no preserving our assurance of peace with God no maintaining of our hope of glory without continual recourse had to the great Advocate for the saving benefits of his Mediation He can never dye comfortably that doth not always live by faith 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith The continual exercise of judgment and holy discretion in our Actions is a keeping of Judgment Psal 106.3 Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times So the continual exercise of Faith is a keeping of Faith which confirms the Soul against the fear of Death and Judgment 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Thus now have I endeavoured to shew you what is necessary to a Christian's comfortable passage through this World and that 's the last thing of a Christian's motion towards his Perfection To go well out of this World And now this work of a Christian's motion towards his Perfection I shall conclude with this I have finished my course FINIS
seasonably found me out I thought I had been armed sufficiently and could have endured the force of a Sermon as easily as any man in the Congregation and have born up my face undauntedly against all Rebukes and Threatnings but the Word was too strong for me and brought me down upon my Knees and blessed be God that it did so blessed be God that prepared it so sharpened it so timed it and so followed it with powerful motions of his Spirit that I could never acquit my self of it till I was perswaded to return and yield my self up to God Secondly 2dly Their thankful acknowledgement of the goodness of God to them in that they died not in their former Estate As Hezekiah when he was recovered of his Sickness and found himself well again wrote a Memorial of the goodness of God to him in his Restitution wherein he recorded the danger he had been in and how near he was to Death and what a narrow escape he had Isaiah 38.9 So Christians when once they apprehend themselves passed from Death to Life are even afraid to think what an Estate they were in before and mightily taken with the Mercy of God that suffered them not to perish in that Condition I was in love with my own perverse way when I was running headlong to Destruction I thought my self safe enough when I was even in the midst of all Evil I trusted to my own Works when I was working out my Damnation Prov. 5.14 I was almost in all evil I despised reproof and hearkned not to the voice of my Teachers and if the Lord had then taken me off by Death I had certainly perished O! blessed be God that had pity on me when I had no care of my self and awakened me when I was sleeping the Sleep of Death Thus Paul I was a persecutor a blasphemer and injurious but I obtained mercy c. Now to the King eternal the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever 1 Tim. 1.13 So all the followers of the Lamb the Lord Jesus are said to sing the Song of Moses Rev. 15.3 Blessing God that suffered them not to dye under Egyptian Bondage or perish in the Red-Sea 3dly Their readiness to tell others what God has done for their Souls Christians are hardly ever so communicative of their experiences as about this Age. As Children when first they get use of their Tongues are most apt to talk Thus Christians when they have newly got the sense of saving love are often saying with David Come and hear ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul Psalm 66.16 I was perishing unawares and he shewed me my danger and then I thought I must needs perish without remedy I walked up and down trembling like Cain and could neither eat nor drink lye down nor rise in peace All was black and dark about me Every word of God seemed to be against me and the Wrath of God was always ready as I thought to swallow me up till such a Word came and such a Promise was set home to my heart And them my Fears vanished and my Soul was quieted my Mourning turned into Joy c. Never was a poor fainting Soul so revived O taste and see that the Lord is grocious he belivered my soul from death my eyes from tears my feet from falling Psalm 116.8 4thly Their great contentedness under outward Troubles because God has spoken peace to their Souls Though they be poor it may be and low in the World and meet with many Enemies though they are reproached by their Neighbours and their old Companions and suffer the displeasure of their Friends for betaking themselves to a new course of Life yea though they are watcht and kept in and are fain to make hard shift to get out to Ordinances and into Christian Communion yet all is easy to them and they bear it patiently because God has manifested himself to their Souls and given them good hopes through Grace of everlasting Glory Now let Friends reject them Father and Mother forsake them since God has taken them up Their acquaintance disown them but God owns them the World frowns upon them but Heaven smiles They are in danger to suffer loss of all but they have found Christ and won Christ and 't is enough they rejoyce in their Portion Fifthly 5thly The sweet Savour which they find in the Gospel and the word of promise Joy sweetens our Meat and Drink to us and makes us relish what is set before us So Christians in this Estate are strangely taken with spiritual Promises and find a sweetness in them which they never perceived before so that they wonder at themselves to think how many times they have read and heard such a Portion of the Word and never understood it never found any relish in it But now they cry out O what a good Word is this Oh delicacies of our Father's House What Nourishment what Cordials are in his Evangelical Provisions This is bread from Heaven Angels food indeed What a Table is here spread What a Cup is here filled The Word of God is quite another thing to such a Soul from what it was before Sixthly 6thly Their affectionate Thoughts of God and Christ as David expresses himself in Psalm 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications So Christians raised up out of their Sorrows Terrors and Despairs highly admire and love Jesus Christ in whom they have now believed as the Apostle Peter speaks in his first Epistle Chap. 2. Verse 7. To you that believe he is precious Though they were yet but as new-born Babes Now let me give you a few Reasons First Reas 1. No marvel that Christians are so much rejoiced upon the first receit of such Assurance because it is usually the fruit of much studious Pains and Labour many Prayers much waiting and many strict Examinations of themselves That is naturally pleasant which is hardly attained They that sow in tears reap in joy Psalm 126.5 Secondly Reas 2. It has in it the beginning of Heaven 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls Believers now receive the beginning of that Salvation which is the end of their Faith Salvation is the intended end of Faith that which Faith is always seeking and aiming at that which Faith seeks and waits for and it is the end of the Faith of Christians as that in which it ceases as believing and is turned into Vision So Faith of Assurance is a very joyous thing Thirdly Reas 3. They commonly think their doubts and fears now gone for all they think they shall despair no more distrust God no more As David Psalm 30.6 said I shall not be moved But this third Reason has a mistake in it as it ordinarily proves of which I shall speak afterward Fourthly Reas 4. God gives this comfort to facilitate his Peoples way to Heaven If
of the Religion they have profest and of the Ordinances on which they have attended and the People of God with whom they have conversed and this fear is a great Affliction to them though it be a good sign of sincerity 6thly Sometimes they tremble in the fear of some dreadful Judgment or sore Rebuke from God to fall upon them They think God will not long bear with such sinful Wretches Persons so proud so sensual so hypocritical but some way or other providentially manifest his displeasure against them if they be graceless they know God is angry with the wicked every day And if he intends good to them they look he should take some severe Course with them therefore David prays Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath c. Psalm 38.1 They find their hearts so lazy and themselves so formal and hypocritical they think sure God will deal severely with them in their Persons and Families c. 7thly They are often afflicted with the fear of perishing eternally That this fear was rising in the heart of the Apostle himself when he spoke these words may very probably be collected from what follows Chap. 8.1 where he seems to encourage himself against the danger of its Death and the means which he professes himself to use for prevention of that danger There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit And in 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Which shews that he was not altogether above the fear of it And indeed this must needs be a sore trouble to them that have tasted of the Wrath of God in their former Convictions and have had the sense of his Love shed abroad in their hearts and have been comforted in the hope of Glory Neither Judas nor Cain ever felt such horror and astonishment under their despairs as a sincere Christian in this case of fears would fall into if he were not upheld by a secret power of Grace For alas they never knew so much of the Love and Goodness of God as the weakest of sincere Christians knows nor ever had such desires and hopes to enjoy him I come now to some Causes of these great Troubles in sincere Christians about Sin within 1. The first Cause is The awakened activity of Sin and Satan being effectually disturbed by the Spirit of Mortification When the strong Man keeps the House all things are at peace Luke 11.21 i. e. till the stronger the Lord Jesus enters and begins to take away his Goods and his Harness Then Satan bestirs himself and raises all the force of sordid Lusts and Corruptions which lay much more still before if Sin had been so active before the Sinner would have proceeded to the very acting of the Sin which now it doth but reach at being checked and held back by Grace which makes him say in himself how shall I do this great wickedness But now as things are ordered by the blessed Work of God there is a principle of Grace that forbids and hinders the acting of those Sins to which corrupted Nature is disposed And that conflict makes a great unquietness in the Soul and so gives a Christian much more notice of the wickedness of his heart than ever he had and hence arise those Troubles Distresses and Fears which I have spoken of there being so much ado to hold in the wickedness that would be breaking out and to repress the inward Motions of it As when Physick is admitted into the Stomach ill Humours are rouzed and that causes hard Gripes sick Qualms and sad Complaints These are ultimi conatus moribundi peccati the last Struglings of dying Sin First Cause 1. It 's the subtilty of Satan 1. To sollicite some Men less to outward Acts of Sin while unconverted because he sees and observes 't is usual with God to make their great and gross wickedness occasional to their Conviction and Conversion according to that in Matth. 21.31 Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you And therefore having hold on Men in a natural Estate he is not so zealous to excite them to Sin lest he should over-do and suffer loss Therefore I say he solicites some less for there are whom he drives on to much outragious Wickedness as the Publicans and Harlots 2dly To stir up Men converted as much as he can to Sin that he may make Apostates of them If they be not sincere which he knows not or make them shame their Profession by gross Acts of Wickedness or at least cause them to go on with the more trouble and discomfort 3dly It is the nature of contraries to be excited by the Opposition of their contraries as we see in Nature it self Water thrown upon the Smith's Coals makes them burn the more fiercely and so in Meteors Philosophers tell us That the cold Cloud gathering about an hot Vapour makes the Heat gather it self together and so it fires and thence comes the Lightning and the Thunder Thus Grace in the Soul pressing hard upon Corruption makes it more vehement in its strugling to preserve it self Thus 't is no wonder though Christians striving against Sin think it grows upon them because it is indeed more active and stirring than ever though not more in the Habit or Principle They have more evil desires and reachings and wishings toward Sin and thinkings and ruminations upon it than ever Sin that was always in them is more sinning in them Lust is more drawing aside and enticing and in conceiving as James 1.14 15. than ever it was Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed When Lust hath conceived it brings forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death though the body of Sin it self was as much and more in the Soul And hence come all the forementioned Troubles the former Apprehensions which the Soul had of its peace with God being for a time eclipsed by these sad appearances Cause 2. They see Sin more clearly than they did before The Spirit of Grace is a Spirit of Light in the understanding by which they see the evil and sinfulness of all those within-door workings of Corruption which they scarce found any fault withal before and take notice of those stirrings of Sin which they did not mind before and so Sin being indeed more active than it was and they having better Eyes to see it no marvel that these think it much grown and be otherwise much troubled at it as Paul says I see another law rebelling and warring c. 3dly They have a greater dislike of Sin As understanding more of the evil nature of it and the worse apprehension they have of it the more they are troubled and disheartened at the sight of it If you see a company of Men coming
to persuade Christians troubled about their inability for holy actions to yield themselves to the Counsel of God's conduct of Experience as it leads to a reliance and waiting on God for strength of his Grace That which the Word requires Isa 40. last To wait on the Lord that they may renew their strength You find your selves weak c. And do you not sometimes find God relieving you against your weakness and that when you are most pressed down under the sense of it especially when you look up most earnestly to him for help What can be more plainly spoken than this speaks the Language of the Prophet Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord for ever For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength 1 JOHN I. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ THE Eighth degree of a Christian's Motion toward Perfection is a spiritual Communion or Conversation with God When God has brought a Believer to a setled dependance on his gracious Power for the practice of Godliness He gradually draws him into a converse and intimacy with himself which is at least comprehended in these words Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ The word Fellowship signifies Communion or Communication when two or more Persons partake of the same thing as they that feed on the same Diet and Table together are called Commoners So they whose Cattle partake of the same Pasture are said to Common together and so they are called partakers of the Altar who eat together or alike of the Sacrifices as in 1 Cor. 10.18 This is an ordinary Signification of the word Fellowship Communion or Conversation But when 't is referred to God and Christ in Scripture it has a more free Signification 1st Sometimes it imports Assimilation and Conformity of Christians to God the Father and Christ the Mediator So in as much as Saints are like God in holiness They are called partakers of his divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Holiness in Christians is not the same that is in God for that 's Essential but somewhat Analogous So Christians conformed to Christ in Sufferings are said to partake of his Sufferings 1 Pet. 4.13 Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that is He suffered and they suffer likewise as Verse 1. 2dly It is used to signify the virtual Interest that Christians had and have in the Death and Mediatory Performances of Christ The benefit whereof is derived to them as if themselves had died and done as he did for them Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Fellowship of his Sufferings that is what it is to partake with the Saints of the benefit of his Sufferings as if I had suffered with him in which respect Christians are said to have died risen ascended with Christ and to sit in Heaven with him as Col. 3.1 and Eph. 2.6 He has raised us up together and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ And Col. 3.1 If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above 3dly It notes Converse and Society between God and Man 2 Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness that is They cannot joyn or abide together God who is Light can have no Conversation with Unbelievers who are Darkness Christ with Belial Ver. 15. therefore you should have none Hence the word Companions Heb. 10.33 Ye became companions of them which were so used that is suffer like them And this I understand to be especially intended in this place Our fellowship is with the Father Christians are at first Conversion conformed to God in some degree of Holiness and made partakers of the benefits of the Death and Resurrection of Christ in their Justification and Adoption But acquaintance and converse with God they attain to by degrees when they have had experience of him and his ways Now 't is evident the Apostle is here directing Christians to something higher than they had yet attained to They were now the Children of God Chap. 3.2 And had the Unction of the Spirit Chap. 2.20 But he directs to something in which they might be Copartners with himself and others whose Fellowship he could truly say was with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ To have fellowship with the Son is to have fellowship with the Father as to see the Son is to see the Father John 14.19 Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me God transacts all things with his Church in the Person of his Son the Mediator He is doer of all since his Ascension and is always with his to the end of the World Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world So Communion with the Father is Communion with the Son Again Christ being now ascended manages all in a Divine way and invisibly therefore they that have fellowship with him are said to have fellowship with the Father So the Apostle having attained this fellowship with God the Father and Son and directing others to it We may gather this Observation Doct. That Christians as they proceed in Godliness they grow into an intimate acquaintance and fellowship with God That your fellowship may be with us And truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ There is much proof I might easily give of this Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Our Conversation is in Heaven that is with God So Asaph in Psalm 73.23 says I am continually with thee So Enoch and Noah walked with God So in John 14.23 our Saviour says If any man love me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So in Psalm 139.18 saies David I am continually with thee And so in several other places we find the Intimacy and Communion with them that walk with God And this comes to the point in hand That Christians as they proceed in Godliness they grow into an intimate Acquaintance and Fellowship with God Take some instances of the Converse and Fellowship which Christians have with God 1. They confer much with God in Holy Meditation Meditation is a secret Conference and close Discourse between God and the Soul Good thoughts as they come into the mind are the very whisperings of God and as they are the act of the Mind upon God they are the proper Language of the Soul speaking to him as Psalm 27.8 Thou saidst Seek ye
't is rather than to go out of it and that is not heartily afraid of death Answ 1. I answer Among sincere Christians many are weak and of little growth Though a man have not attained such a willingness to entertain death as some have he may be sincerely godly and growing to it Answ 2. You must take these conjunctly A desire to depart and be with Christ. So Christians can ordinarily subscribe and say I desire to depart and be with Christ. Looking on the one as enough to sweeten the other and make it desirable else it were better for a Christian to be with Christ as he is than die and not be with him This Paul intimates in the next words which is far better As a dinner of herbs where love is Prov. 15.17 is better than a stalled ox with hatred A Wilderness with Manna is better than the Flesh-pots in Egypt So to be gone out of this world and be with Christ is far better than to be in this world Answ 3. The one part must be understood as absolutely desired the other but relatively to that in its relation to the other To be with Christ a Christian desires absolutely he aims at it in all his faith and holiness but die he desires not at all save only as it serves to bring him to Christ as Christ laid down his life to take it up Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again So earnest willingness excludes not real unwillingness as a man desires to have his Leg or Arm cut off to preserve his Body yet is really unwilling to have the one or the other cut off 4thly The best of Christians are not always actually assured of this conjunction and relation of death and being with Christ and then they cannot desire death at all Death cannot be desired but as it 's a passage to Jesus Christ tâ—ke away that order which it has to a Christians being with Christ and 't is undesirable and a Christian is not always sure that when he dies he shall be with Christ 5thly Though a Christian do heartily desire to depart and be with Christ yet he cannot fix his desire upon any particular point of time for them as to say Now I desire to depart and be with Christ. For 1. Christians usually desire somewhat between them and death which they apprehend conducing to their better dying as David requests of the Lord Spare me a little that I may recover my strength before I go hence and as Moses Lord let me go over Jordan c. But now it 's not the case of every Christian that he can fix upon the time and say as Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Every Christian cannot say so though he has a desire to depart and be with Christ. 2. They must be determined by the Will of God however for the time and not by their own assignment as Simeon Now dismissest thou thy servant in peace Luke 2.29 So Paul I know not which to chuse Philip. 1.22 And so much for the proof of this Point That well-setled and established Christians do live in an earnest desire to leave this world and be with Christ in Heaven I come now to the Uses And first 1 Use By this we may judge of our Attainments in Christianity If our hearts stick fast to the world and we have no mind to leave it If our desires after Heaven be loose and cool 't is a sign we have made little progress in Christianity If we be Christians at all natural motion is stronger toward the end as a Stone falling to the earth the nearer it comes to the ground the swifter 't is in motion So the further we grow in Christianity the more heavenly-natur'd we grow and so the more desirous to be there every thing tends to its natural place The more we grow in Grace the more sight we have of the excellency of Heaven and so are more willing to leave the world Heaven is the Christian's Centre and the nearer he comes to it the faster he moves toward it Time and experience of the world may make us less esteem earthly things but Grace only makes us willing to leave them because it only raises our desires to Heaven for till we know and hope for better we are never content to leave what we have though it be never so sorry and undesirable Secondly Use 2. This serves to humble us for our unwillingness to leave the world and weak desire to be with Christ. 'T is an evidence of our little proficiency or improficiency under means of Grace when 't is little in our minds and unpleasing we hardly leave the world and join with Christ a little while a Sabbath an hour when it 's grievous to us to part with any thing in the world for Christ when we take little care to get and keep that communion with him which we might have in this world Thirdly Use 3. This serves to perswade Christians to set their affections on things above Coloss 3.1 That they may be loose from these earthly things and live in a desire to depart and be with Christ. For 1. This will assure you of your attainment of your desire Earnest desire to depart and be with Christ is a certain evidence that when you depart you shall be with Christ in Heaven as the Apostle speaks in 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing that is his coming to receive them to himself c. that long to see the very first glimpse that is to be had of him as when a man looks for a Friend coming by Sea he longs to see the top of the Sails of the Ship that brings him so the Soul that loves the appearance of Jesus Christ if there be any sign of his coming to receive them to himself they rejoice to see the very tops of the Sails of that Ship that brings Jesus Christ to them The Lord will never frustrate such a desire open thy mouth thus wide and it shall be filled if Heaven be enough to fill it 2. It will make all easy that is to be suffered by the way If once you attain to this that you can desire to die and be with Christ you will not stick at sufferings on this side death that being the King of Terrors all other Fears are but its Subjects and terrible only as they serve under its Banner to subdue men to it and bring them under its power as Paul argued Acts 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus If to die no doubt to be bound ACTS XX. 24. That I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of