hell have much spirituall life for they feele their misery with a witnesse As for the preaching of the Gospel before the Law to shew our misery it is true that the Gospel is to be looked at as the maine end yet you must use the means before you can come to the end by the preaching of the Law or misery in despising the Gospell End Means have been ever good friends you may joyn them well together you cannot sever them without danger I doe observe that the Apostles ever used this method Paul first proves Iewes and Gentiles to be under sinne in almost the three first Chapters of the Romanes before he opens the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ. I do not observe that ever there was so cleere and manifest opening of Mans misery as by Christ and his Apostles who brought in the clearest revelations of the Remedy I doe not read in Moses or in all the Prophets such full and plaine expressions of our misery as in the New Testament The worme that never dyes The fire that never goes out The wrath to come c. and therefore assuredly they thought this no back-doore but faith the doore to Christ and this the way to faith To say that a man must first have Christ and life before he feele any spirituall misery is to say that a Christian must first be healed that he may be sick cured that he may be wounded receive the spirit of adoption before he receive and that he may receive the spirit of bondage to feare againe If Ministers shall preach the remedy before they shew misery woe to this age that shall be deprived of those blessings which the former gloried in and blessed the Lord for Mark those men that deny the use of the Law to lead unto Christ if they doe not fall in time to oppose some maine point of the Gospel For it is a righteous thing but a heavy plague for the Lord to suffer such men to obscure the Gospel that in their judgements zealously dislike this use of the Law You must preach the remedy that is true but you must also first preach the woe and misery of men or rather so mix them together as the hearts of hearers may be deeply affected with both but first with their misery It argues a great consumption of the Spirit of grace when Christians lives are preserved onely by Alchermys and choice Cordials notions about Christ nay choyce ones too or else the old and ordinary food of the countrey will not downe I tell you the maine wound of Christians is want of deep humiliations and castings downe and if you beleeve it not now it may be pestilence sword and famine shall teach you this doctrine when the Lord shall make these things wound you to the very heart and put you to your wits end that were not that would not in season be wounded at the heart with sin Are we troubled with too many wounded consciences in these times that we are so solicitous of coyning new principles of peace what is every man by nature but a kind of an infinite evill all the sins that fill earth and hell are in every one mans heart for sinne in man is endlesse and canst not thou endure to be cast downe Nothing is so vile as Christ to a man unhumbled and can you so easily prize him and taste him without any casting downe 2. Such as think there is a necessity of sense of misery by the work of the Law before Christ can be received but they think there is no such feeling of misery as hath been mentioned but that it is common to the reprobate as to the elect and consequently that in sense of sinne there is no such speciall worke of the Spirit as separates the soule from sinne before it comes unto Christ but that this is done after the soule is in Christ by faith viz. in Sanctification being first justified by faith This is the judgement of many holy and learned and therefore so long as there is no disagreement in the substance of this doctrine it should not trouble us onely let it be considered whether what is said is not the truth of Christ and if it be let us not cast it aside The Jewish Rabbins have a speech at this day very frequent in their writings Non est in lege unica literula à qua non magni suspensi sunt montes It is much more true of every truth and if I much mistake not much depends upon the right understanding of this point That therefore 1. there must be some sense of misery before the application of the remedy 2. That this compunction or sense of misery is wrought by the Spirit of Christ not the power of man to prepare himself thereby for further grace 3. That these terrours and sorrows in the elect doe virtually differ from those in the reprobate the one driving the soul to Christ the other not these are agreed on all hands The question onely is Whether there is this farther stroke of severing the soule from sin conjoyned with the terrours and sorrowes in the elect before their closing with Christ which is not in the reprobate or in one word whether there is not a speciall work of the Spirit turning at least in order of nature the soule from sin before the soule returns by faith unto Christ. For the affirmative I leave these severall Considerations That there is gratia actualis or actuall grace as well as habitualis or habituall grace Learned Ferrius makes a vast difference between them and therefore to think that there can be no power of sin removed but by habituall or sanctifying grace is unsound for actuall grace may doe it the Spirit may take away sinne mediately by habituall grace and yet it can doe it immediately also by an omnipotent act by that which is called actuall actuating or moving grace Christ can and must first bind the strong man and cast him out by this working or actuall grace before he dwells in the house of mans heart by habituall and sanctifying grace The Gardners knife may immediately cut-off a cyen from a tree thereby taking away all its power to grow there any more before it hath a power to bring forth any fruit which is wrought only by implanting it into another stock New creation which is at first conversion may well be without habituall graces that are but creatures Whether any man since the fall is a subject immediately capable of sanctifying or habituall grace or whether any unregenerate man is in a next disposition to receive such grace as the ayre is immediately of light out of which the darknesse is expelled by light and so the habits of grace doe expell the habits and power of sinne say some I suppose the affirmative is most false and in neere affinity with some grosse points of Arminianisme Adam in his pure naturals and considered meerly as a living soule was such
a subject like a white paper fitted immediately to take the impression of Gods image but since by his fall Sinne is falne like a mighty blot upon the soule whereby a man not onely wants grace as the darke ayre doth light but also resists grace Iohn 14.17 Hence this resistance must be first taken away before the Lord introduce his image againe To say that a man can of himselfe dispose himselfe unto grace was Pelagianisme in Aquinas his time yet some disposition is necessary saith Ferrius not unto actuall grace or that which is wrought upon a man per modum actus as he saith but unto the reception of habituall or sanctifying grace it being in the soule per modum formae no forme being introduced but into materiam dispositam i. matter fitted or prepared or into such a vessell which is immediately capable of it There is in man a double resistance against grace 1. Of a holy frame of grace by originall corruption which is opposite to originall and renewed holinesse or to this holy frame 2. Of the God of grace himselfe when he comes to work it Iob 21.14 Ezek. 24.13 The first is taken away in that which we call the spirit of sanctification after faith the second is taken away not onely in the act of it as by terrours it may be in reprobates Psal. 66.2 but in some measure in the inward â—oot and disposition of it onely in the elect there being as hath been said no more separation from sinne at this time required then so much as may make the soule come to the Lord to take it away or at least not unwilling nor resisting the Lord when he comes to doe it himselfe Whether doth not the work of union unto Christ goe before our communion with Christ I suppose t is undenyable that union must be before communion and that union to Christ is a work of grace as peculiar to the elect as communion with him Now justification and sanctification are two parts of our communion with him and follow our union Rom. 8.1 Our union therefore must be before these of which there are two parts or rather two things on our part necessarily required to it 1. Cutting off from the wild olive tree the old Adam 2. Implanting into the good olive tree the second Adam The first must goe before the second for where there is perfect resistance there can be no perfect union But take a man growing upon his old root of nature there is nothing but perfect resistance Rom. 8.7 and therefore that resistance must first be taken away before the Lord draw the soule to Christ and by faith implant it into Christ. In a word I see not how a man can wholly resist God and Christ and yet be united unto him at the same instant and therefore the one in order of nature at least goes before the other and therefore let any man living prove his union to Christ and to his lust also if he can You will beleeve in Christ many of you and yet you will have your whores and cups and lusts and pride and world too and oppose all the meanes that would have you from these also I tell you you shall find one day how miserably deceived you have been herein You cannot serve God and Mammon How can ye beleeve saith Christ Iohn 5.44 that seek honour one of another If you can have Christ and be ambitious too take him but how can you beleeve till the Lord hath broken you off from thence Whether vocation as peculiar to the elect as sanctification doth not goe before justification and glorification Rom. 8.30 Whether also there are not two things in effectuall vocation 1. Is not Christ that good the tearme to which the soule is firstly called 2. Is not sin and world that evill the tâ— arme from which the soule is called I suppose t is evident that the soule is effectually called and therefore actually and firstly turned from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God First from darknesse then unto light first from the power of Satan then unto God as is evident by the Apostles owne words Act. 26.18 where he methodically sets down the wonderfull works of Christs grace by his ministery the first is to turne them from darknes to light and from Satans power unto God which are the two parts of vocation that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes in justification vocation being a meanes to this end that they may receive an inheritance in glorification among such as being justified are sanctified also by faith in his name The Apostle doth not say that he was to returne men to light and unto God and so turn them from darknes from the power 〈◊〉 Satan though this is true in some sense but he was first to turne from darknesse and Satan and so to returne them unto light and God in Christ. For how is it possible to be turned unto Christ and yet then also to be turned to sinne and Satan Doth it not imply a contradiction to be turned toward sinne which is ever from Christ and yet to be turned toward Christ together All Divines affirme generally that in the working of â—aith the Lord makes the soule willing to have Christ Psal. 110.2 3. but withall they affirme that of unwilling he makes willing and therefore it followes that the Lord must first remove that unwillingnesse before it can be willing it being impossible to be both willing and unwilling together Whether the cause of all that counterfeit coyne and hypocrisie in this professing age doth not arise from this root viz. not having this wound at first but onely some trouble for sinne without separation from it sore throwes without deliverance from sinne is not this the death of most if not all wicked men living how many are there that claspe about Christ and yet prove enemies to the crosse of Christ fall from Christ scandalously or secretly afterward what is the reason of it Certainly if the Lord had cut them off from their sin they had never falne to everlasting bondage in sinne againe but there the Spirit of God forsook them the Lord not owing so much love to them Consider seriously why the stony and thorny-ground-hearers Mat. 13. came to nothing in their growth of seeming faith and sanctification was the fault in the seed No verily but onely in the ground the one was broken but not deep enough the other was broken deep but not through enough the roots of thorns choked them the lusts and cares of the world were not destroyed first therefore they destroyed that ground I conclude therefore with that of Ieremy Break up your fallow grounds seek to the Lord to break them for you and sow not among thornes take heed of such brokennesse which removes not the thornes of sinfull secret stubbornnesse lest the wrath of the Lord break out against you and burne that none can quench it Doe not cut
off Iohn Baptists head you that can be content to heare him gladly and doe many things but he must not touch your Herodias and make a divorce there but suffer him to come in the spirit and power of Eliah nay of Christ Iesus to beat downe your mountaines fill up your vallies make your crooked rough waies smooth that you may see the glory of the Lord Jesus without which he shall be ever hid from you Cry you faithfull servants of the Lord that All flesh is grasse and all the glory of man of sin of world is a withering flower that the Lord Jesus may be revealed ever fresh and sweet and precious in the eyes of the Saints The evidence of this truth in the generall put blessed and learned Pemble upon another way for when he perceived as himselfe confesseth that it is the generall doctrine of all Orthodox Divines viz. that actuall faith is never wrought in the soule till beside the supernaturall illumination of the mind the will be also first freed in part from its naturall perversenesse God making all men of unwilling willing hereupon he concludes that this is done by the spirit of Sanctification and one supernaturall quality of holines universally infused in all the powers of the soul at once so that the Spirit instantly first sanctifies us puts life in us then it acts in sorrow for and detestation of sin and so we come actually to beleeve And because he fore-saw the blow viz. that in this way Christians are sanctified before they be justified he answers Yes we are justified declaratively after this Others who follow him answer more roundly viz. that we are sanctified before we are really and actually justified herein differ from him Now when it is objected against this viz. that our vocation is that which goes before our justification sanctification being part of glorification following after Rom. 8.30 Hereupon some others treading in his steps affirme that vocation is the same with sanctification and not comprehended under glorification Others perceiving the evill of this errour viz. to place sanctification before justification good fruits before a good tree they doe therefore deny any saving worke whether of vocation or sanctification before justification And hence on the other extream they doe place a Christians justification before his faith in vocation or holinesse in his sanctification so that by this last opinion a Christian is not justified by faith which was Pauls phrase but rather as he said wittily and wisely faithed by his justification Before I come to cleare the truth in these spirituall mysteries let this onely be remembred viz. That Sanctification which Pemble calls out spirituall life may be taken two wayes 1. Largely 2. Strictly 1. Largely for any awakenings of conscience or acts of the Spirit of life and so t is true we are quickned by these acts and so in a large sense sanctified first 2. Strictly for those habits of the life of holinesse which are opposite to the body of death in us and that we are not first sanctified before we are justified in this sense we shall manifest by and by Onely let me begin to shew the errour of the last opinion first viz. 1. That a Christian is not first justified before faith or vocation may appeare thus 1. It is professedly crosse to the whole current of Scripture which saith We are justified by faith and therefore not before faith and to say that the meaning of such phrases is that we are justifyed declaratively by faith or to our sense and feeling in foro conscientiae is a meere device for our justification is opposed to the state of unrighteousnesse condemnation going before which condemnation is not onely declarative and in the court of Conscience but reall and in the court of Heaven For so saith the Scripture expresly Iohn 3.18 He that beleeveth not is condemned already and verse 36. The wrath of God abideth on him and Gal. 3.22 The Scripture which is the sentence in Gods Court hath concluded all under sinne Hence a second Argument ariseth 2. If a man be justified before faith then an actuall unbeleever is subject to no condemnation but this is expresly crosse to the letter of the Text He that beleeves not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 and the wrath of God doth lye upon him The subjects of non-condemnation are those that be in Christ by faith Rom. 8.1 not out of Christ by unbelief Rom. 11.20 There is indeed a merited justification by Christs death and a virtuall or exemplary justification in Christs resurrection as in our Head and Surety and both these were before not onely our faith but our very being but to say that we are therefore actually justified before faith because our justification was merited before we had faith gives as just a ground of affirming that wee are actually sanctified whiles we are in the state of nature unsanctified Eph. 2.1 because our sanctification was merited by Christ before we had any being in him We must indeed be first made good trees by faith in Christs righteousnesse before we can bring forth any good fruits of holinesse God makes us not good trees without being in Christ by faith no more then we are bad trees in contracting Adams guilt without our being first in him God gives us first his Sonne offered in the Gospel and received by faith and then gives us all other things with him he doth not justifie us without giving us his Son but having first given him gives us this also 2. That sanctification doth not goe before justification may appeare thus 1. If guilt of Adams sinne goe before originall pollution Rom. 5.12 then imputation of Christs righteousnesse before renewed sanctification 2. To place sanctification before justification is quite crosse to the Apostles practise which is our patterne who first sought to be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 in the work of union not having his owne righteousnesse in the work of justification which in order followes that that he may then know him in the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification here comes in sanctification if by any meanes he might attain to the resurrection of the dead in glorification the last of all 3. This is quite crosse to the Apostles doctrine which makes justification the cause of sanctification and therefore must needs goe before it Rom. 5. as sin goes before spirituall and eternall death so righteousnesse goes before spirituall life in sanctification and eternall life in glory the Lord holds forth Christ in the Gospel first as our propitiation Rom. 3.24 and then it comes dying to sinne and living to God in sanctification chap. 6.1 Holinesse is the end of our actuall reconciliation Col. 1.21 22. 4. If sanctification goe before justification by faith then a Christians communion with Christ goes before his union to him by faith but our union is the foundation of communion and it is impossible there should be communion without some precedent
other reason but because it is commanded and called to accept of it this puts an end unto all doubts all feares all discouragements and the soule answers as those Ier. 3.22 Behold we come for thou art the Lord our God As a man in great want of bread one comes and freely offers him bread to preserve his life the man takes it if you aske him Why doe you take it you are a poore fellow unworthy of it never did yet one houres work for it he answers T is true I am unworthy but yet because it is offered to me to preserve life I gladly take it the man doth not promise absolutely to me that this bread is mine and shall feed me but he tels me if I doe receive it it shall certainly be mine to feed me and this is the main ground of his receiving of it Just so it is in Faith Aske an humbled sinner Why doe you beleeve Why doe you take Christ as your owne Hath the Lord said absolutely that he is yours No saith the soule but the Lord freely offers himselfe unto me who am undone without him and saith if I doe receive him he shall be for ever mine to give life to me and therefore I thankfully accept of him this is the ground of Faith The Scripture sets out this in a lively similitude of a great Supper to which many were invited what was the ground of their comming to it Behold all things are ready if you come and eate they are not yours if you doe not come but if you come at my call and invitation then all things shall be yours And hence it is that they that came not were excluded they that came were received with welcome I know t is a question of some difficulty among some viz. Whether an absolute testimony of actuall favour and justification be not the first ground of Faith They that make Faith to be an absolute assurance of Gods favour must of necessity maintain this assertion and then these things will follow 1. That a Christian must be justified before he beleeve for the cause of Faith must goe before Faith This proposition Thou art justified reconciled is according to this assertion the cause of faith for no proposition can therefore be true because we are perswaded that it is true but it must be first true before I am perswaded of it the wall is not white because my eye sees it so but it must first be white and then I see it so Now to make actuall justification before faith is crosse to the whole current of Scripture We beleeve that we might be justified Gal. 2.16 we are not justified that we might beleeve We passe from death to life by faith Iohn 5.24 we are not in a state of life before faith When the Lord Iesus saw their faith Mat. 9.2 he then said Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee The Word saith He that beleeveth not is condemned already Iohn 3.18 and therefore unlesse the Spirits witnesse be crosse to the Word it doth not say to one that beleeveth not that he is absolved already To be justified by faith and to be justified by Christs righteousnesse is all one in the Scriptures phrase and meaning Gal. 2.16 17. Add therefore we may as well say that we are justified before and without Christ as before and without faith And indeed this doctrine of being justified by faith and by this meanes to have remission of sinnes the Apostle Peter affirms to be the doctrine of all the Prophets Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes not that they had remission of sinnes before they did beleeve I know not any one Protestant Writer that maintaines our justification before and without faith except learned Chamier who not knowing how to avoid the blow of Bellarmines horned argument that if Faith be an assurance of our actuall justification then we are first justified before we beleeve he affirmes we are justified before faith and therefore that when the Scripture saith we are justified by faith the reason of that saith he is not because our faith doth efficere justificationem i. e. is a cause meaning instrumentall of our justification but because efficitur in justificato i. e. is wrought in a justified person but if that be the reason of the phrase we may affirme our justification to be as well by love and sanctification and holy obedience as by faith because these are wrought in a justified person also Then no mans ministry nor the doctrine delivered by the faithful Ministers of Christ froÌ„ out of the Scriptures can be any ground of faith for before faith no Minister of Christ can say to any man in particular or any men in generall that they are already justified and reconciled and therefore beleeve it but to deny that doctrine which is opened out of the Scriptures by the Ministers of Christ to be the ground of Faith is expresly crosse to the testimony of Scriptures and the end of the Ministery and of the messengers of Christ who have the keyes of office given to them that what they bind on earth is bound in heaven what they loose on earth is loosed in heaven whose sins they remit they are forgiven whose sins they retain they are retained Mat. 16.16 Ioh. 20.23 Most excellent for this purpose is the Apostles dispute Rom. 10. You need not go up to heaven nor down to hell to fetch Christ himselfe to tell you whether you shall be justified and saved ver 6 7. For the word is nigh them verse 8. that opens Christs heart unto thy heart But what word might some say is this Is it not the internall word of the Spirit onely The Apostle answers It is that word which we preach hereby you shall know whether you shall live or no but what is that word Paul preached is it not an absolute testimony that all your sins are already pardoned by Christ and therefore beleeve it No but If thou beleevest with thine heart that God raised up Christ from the dead thou shalt be saved vers 9.11 12. What can be more full yet consider tâ—at one place more Iohn 17.20 I pray for all them that shall beleeve on me through their word What is the ground or meanes of beleeving in Christ It is said here expresly Their word Is it not the word of Christ rather then the word of the Apostles and of their successors in the doctrine they delivered is it their word Truly that which thâ—y delivered was the word of Christ and that which is opened from their doctrine in the Scriptures is the word of Christ yet as they open it and apply it so t is their word and this Word is the ground by which all that Christ prayes for doe beleeve in Christ the bare Word I grant cannot perswade without the Spirit yet the Spirit will not give ground to Faith without the Word but as
by it so upon it will build the souls of all the elect who are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2.20 How can they beleeve without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 3. Then when wicked men and reprobates are commanded to beleeve as they are commanded Iohn 3.19 Luk. 14.17 Iohn 6.38 Heb. 4.2 they are commanded to beleeve a lye viz. that their sinnes are pardoned and they actually justified for if this testimony be the ground of faith then when they are commanded to beleeve they are commanded to be perswaded of this testimony But the sinnes of wicked men especially Reprobates are not nor never shall be forgiven and therefore this cannot be the ground of Faith 4. Then the Spirit of adoption which witnesseth that God is our Father and that we are his sonnes reconciled to him goes before faith but the Apostle expresly denyes this Ye are the children of God by faith Gal. 3.26 And because ye are sonnes he hath sent unto you the spirit of sonnes crying Abba Father Gal. 4.6 5. If such a testimony should be the first ground of faith then no man should beleeve but he that hath such a testimony antecedent to his faith but this is crosse to the Scripture Esay 50.10 He that sits in darknesse and sees no light let him stay himselfe upon his God When Ionah is cast out of Gods sight to his owne feeling yet he is bound to look againe unto the Temple 6. This absolute testimony is either the testimony of the Word or of the Spirit Not of the Word as is proved If of the Spirit then let it be considered whether that can be the testimony of the Spirit which is not according to the Word nay contâ—ary to the Word for the Word to say none are justified before faith for the Spirit to testifie some are justified before faith If it be said that the Spirit doth not witnesse these to any man before and without faith but yet it is without respect unto or shewing a man his faith for those that exclude Sanctification from being any evidence they meane Faith as well as any other renewed work of holines and so exclude that also then I say the testimony of the Spirit which of it selfe is exceeding cleare is an obscure and dark testimony because it cleares up the praedicate of this Proposition thou beleever art justified it witnesseth to a man thou art justified but cleares not up the subject of it viz. thou beleever it makes a man beleeve a testimony without understanding the full meaning of it for the Spirit testifying to any man thou art justified his meaning is thou beleever art justified and I doe beseech the God and Father of all lights that his poore people may be led into the truth in this particular for want of establishment here you little think how many delusions you may fall into about your spirituall condition I remember that when Satan came to overthrow the Faith of Christ in his second temptation Mat. 4.6 he brought a promise out of the Scriptures to him because he saw hee held close to them verse 4. and by this promise sought to lead him into temptation how so observe the text and see if it was not by hiding part of the meaning of the promise from him and in speciall that very condition required in the person to whom the promise is made for he tells him that if he cast himselfe downe headlong the Lord hath not only said it but writ it He shall give his Angells charge over him to keep him from dashing his foot against a stone whereas if you consult with the place whence it is cited viz. Psalme 91.11 The condition is set downe in all thy wayes which hee purposely hides from our Saviour as much as in him lay Oh take heed therefore of receiving any testimony from Word or Spirit without the meaning of it without knowing the person thus and thus qualified to whom it belongs otherwise Satan will hurry you headlong to a world of delusions and you shall find the word of God appointed to direct you through your mis-application of it the word of Satan to deceive and damne you doe not think that this is building faith upon works but to beleeve that they that believe in Christ are justified reconciled and saved is building faith upon Gods promise yea and his free promise too for saith the Apostle It is of faith that it might be of grace Rom. 4.16 It is believing to have the end by the meanes not the end without the mean of Faith It is true we may see Gods favour and love to us in the cause as well as in the effects of sanctification but what is that cause the meritorious cause is Christs righteousnesse and the instrumentall cause of applying this is our Faith so that as we are justified by faith so seeing this we may say assuredly with Paul Being justified by faith wee have peace with God Rom. 5.1 It is true we cannot see our justification by saith nor the work of Faith without the shining of the Spirit into our hearts but the question is not whether the Spirit helps us to see our justified estate but by what meanes by what Proposition in the word wee come to see it which we say is not by any such absolute testimony thou art justified already and therefore believe but if thou believe and come to Christ here is then pardon of sinne peace with God yea all the blessings of Christ ready for thee which God intends to give and never to take away if thou thankfully receive what God freely offers and as it were layes downe at thy feet The call of Christ therefore is the ground by which wee first believe and that you may be confirmed farther herein doe but consider the glory and excellency of this ground It is a constant ground of faith for if you come to Christ because you have assurance or because you feel such and such graces and heavenly impressions of Gods Spirit in you you may then many a day and yeare keep at a distance from Christ and live without Christ for the feeling of graces and assurance of favour are not constant but this call is alway sounding in thine yeares oh come not only because thou feelest holinesse in thee but come because poore hungry empty naked lost blind cursed forsaken full of sin there is not one moment of the day of grace but the Lord beseecheth thee to receive his grace 2 Cor. 6.1 2 3. this is an open door to Christ at all times an open harbour to put in at in all storms a heart-breaking word oh thou tossed with tempests and not comforted come unto me and thou shalt find rest to thy soule Many aske how should I come to Christ seeing that I have no promise belonging to me what have dogges to doe with childrens bread be it so yet Gods call command beseechings to come in
that he came out of hâ—s Fathers bosome for thee wept for thee bled for thee powred out his life nay his soule to death for thee is now risen for thee gone to heaven for thee sits at Gods right hand and rules all the world for thee makes intercession continually for thee and at the end of the world will come againe for thee who hast loved him here that thou mightest live for ever with him then But is this our life in these evill and luke-warme times How many bee there that beleeve in Christ that they may live as they list If to drink and whore and scoffe and blaspheme if to shake a lock and follow every fond fashion if to crosse and cringe before a piece of wood if to be weary of the Word and outwardly zealous for long prayers if to seek for purity of ordinances in Churches and to maintain impurity in hearts in shops in families if to set our hearts upon Farmes and Merchandizes and so to bee covetous if to set up our owne selves and parts and gifts with a secret disdaine of Gods Ministers if to cry downe learning and set up ignorance if to set up Christ and destroy sanctification and obedience if to be a sect-master of some odde opinions if to cracke the nut of some superlunary and Monkish notions and high-flown speculations if to heare much and do little if to have a name to 〈◊〉 and yet dead at the heart if this be to liâ—e the life of love we have many that live this life the Lord Jesus wants not love if this be to love But oh woe unto you if you thus requite the Lord foolish people and unwise The Lord knowes we may complaine as Paul did Every man minds his owne things and none the things of Iesus Christ none in comparison of that huge number that thinke they are religious enough if they be baptized and say that they beleeve in Jesus Christ verily the time drawes neere wherein the Lord will come for fruits from his Vineyard and if he findes it not assuredly he will not be beholding to us for obedience he can raise his glory out of other people and there carry his Gospel to them who shall bring forth the fruits of it the Lord will shortly lay his axe unto the root of our tree and if wee will not serve the Lord in this good Land in the abundance of peace and mercy we shall serve our enemies in hunger cold and nakednesse if we will not serve him in love we must serve our enemies in feare doe not think that the Lord will bee put off with venerable names and titles shadowes and pictures what is most mens profession at this day but a meer paint which may serve to colour them while they live but will never comfort them unlesse conscience bee asleep when they come to dye Oh â—yâ—e heed of such formality I can never think enough of Davids expression Psal. 119.167 I have kept thy Commandements and I love them exceedingly should he not have said first I have loved thy Commandements and so have kept them Doubtlesse hee did so but he ran here in a holy and most heavenly circle I have kept them and loved them and loved them and kept them if we love Christ we also shall live such a life of love in our measure and his Commandements will be most deare when himselfe is most precious FINIS A TABLE OF the principall Contents A. ADoption what it is pag. 280 The manner thereof 282 B. Beleevers in a blessed condition 251 C. Conviction of sinne wrought in every Beleever 6 What that sin is which the Lord first convinceth of 9 How the Lord doth convince the soule of sinne 23 What measure and degree of conviction God workes in all his 32 Conviction of sin to be first preached 34 96 A sad thing to stand out against conviction 36 Meanes of conviction 39 Compunction immediately followes conviction 45 The Necessity thereof 48 Rules observable about compunction 49 Wherein it doth consist 65 What measure of compunction God workes in the Elect. 84 How and where the Soule should come to Christ. 177 Meanes of enabling the Soule to come to Christ. 239 In what manner we should come to him 248 E. What evill in sinne God most affects the heart withall 89 A three-fold evill of sinne 91 F. Feare of Gods displeasure necessary to conversion and wherein it consists 66 The nature of Faith 156 The efficient cause thereof 163 The subject matter of Faith 173 The Forme thereof 178 The end of Faith 198 The ground and meanes of Faith 215 How to discern Faith from presumption 169 Whether an absolute testimony of actuall favor and justification be not the first ground of Faith 227 G. Glorification what it is 313 Greatnesse of mens sinne in not comming to Christ. 246 H. Humiliation for sinne what it is 125 What need there is of it 126 What meanes the Lord useth to worke this 129 What measure of Humiliation is necessary 138 Wherein to expresse Humiliation 150 I. A Christian is not justified before faith is sought 107 Sanctification does not goe before justification 109 What true justification is 253 Who is it that justifieth and why 256 The meanes whereby the Father justifieth 257 Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie 261 L. Loosening from sinne how wrought in the soule 88 A life of Love requisite in beleevers 328 The life of Love appears in 5. things 338 The Law not to be slighted 334 P. How Christ doth save by his Power 4 Audience of Prayers a speciall priviledge 305 What are those Prayers that Christ will hear 306 Why God heareth Prayers 311 R. A double Resistance of grace in men 100 Regenerate and unregenerate how differenced 194 Reconciliation with God wherein it consists 274 S. What is it to see sinne 43 Sense of Mercy cannot turn a soule to Christ without the Sight of sinne 59 Sorrow for sinne accompanies Conversion wherein it consists 73 Separation from sin wrought in Beleevers 82 What true Sanctification is 289 The benefits thereof 294 V. Union unto Christ goes before Communion with him 101 Whether Vocation doth not goe before Iustification 102 Vocation is not all one with Sanctification 113 The nature of true Vocation 217 The necessity thereof 224 How it is a ground of Faith 225 W. The Whole soul goes to Christ in conversion 183 How to know when the Whole soule comes to Christ. 190 FINIS See the Sincere Convert Quest. Answ. Quest. Ans. Con. 1. Rom. 3. Quest. Answ. What those particular sinnes are which the Lord convinces men of in theiâ— conversioâ—â— â—on 2. â— Con. 3. Answ. Luk. 19 4â— Esay 6.9 How God gives a reall sight of sinnes Hâ—s 4.4 Psal. 51.3 Lam. 3.51 Job 33.16 17. Vse 1. Lam. 2.14 Prov. 1.23 Vse 2. Psal. 36.2 Vse 3. 1. Help 2. Help 3. Help 2 Cor. 5.10 Vse 4. 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Joh. 16.7 Levit. 19.17 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. 3. â—onah 3.5 Answ. 1. Rule 2. Rule 3. Rule 4. Rule 5. Rule 6. Rule 7. Rule 8. Rule Joh. 16.20 Hos. 6.1 2 3. Reas. 1. 2 Cor. 7.10 1 Cor. 5.2 1 Cor. 15.17 Pro. 28.13 Obj. Ans. 1. 2. Cor. 7.1 2. Reas. 2. Mat. 9.21 Jer. 2.31 Luke 14. Luke 15.17 Ram. 5.6 7 8. Col. 3.7 2 Cor. 5.14 Reas. 3. Mat. 9.13 Luk. 4.18 Luk. 15 7. Reas. 4. Quest. Answ. Acts 9.6 Acts 16. Psal. 10.5 Acts 16. Psal. 9.20 Rom. 8.15 Amos 3.8 Luk. 23.40 Judg. 2.1 Jer. 31.18 Hos. 6.1 2. Zach. 12.11 Cap. 13.1 Eccles. 7.26 Psal. 38.1 â— Prov. 18.14 Psal. 32.2 3. Psal. 40.12 Jer. 31.19 Daâ— 9.12 Jer. 3. ult Matth. 10.37 Hos. 6.1 2. Psal. 51.8 2 Chron. 53.11 12. Lam. 3.44 Psal. 39.10 11. Esay 5.8.5 Esay 58.5 Prov. 28.13 Jâ—b 33.15 16 17. Answ. Hos 6.1 Joh. 5.40 Quest. Answ. Jer. 8.11 Quest. Answ. Mat. 10.37 Acts 3.26 Quest. Answ. Luk. 15.7 Esay 33.6 Heb 7.25 Esay 56.8 Vse 1. 1. Cons. Scho. orth Spec. cap. 30 31 32. 2. Cons. 3. Cons. 4. Cons. 5. Cons. Jer. 4.3 4. Vind. grat p. 7 11 13 John 14.3 4 5. Gal. 2.20 Vse 2. Vse 3. Esa. 43.4 Vse 4 Jer. 30.15 Esay 57.16 Answ. Answ. Phil. 3.7 Gal. 2.19 Answ. Rom. 7.9 10 11. Lam 1.16 1 Cor. 11.31 Levit. 10.3 Answ. Vse 1 Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. Vse 3. Deut. 6.19 4. Answ. Rom. 10.9 10. Rom. 8.28 Ps. 36.7 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 1.8 John 6.64.65 Heb. 4.18 19 20. Object Answ. Heb. 11.11 Esay 55.1 2. Mat. 21.28 Psal. 62.5 Psal. 81.12 13. Quest. Answ. Heb. 4.1 Object Answ. Ps. 116.7 Eph. 3.14 18. Object Answ. Ps. 25.11 31.9 Psal. 40.11 12. Hos. 6.1 2 Obj. 1. Answ. Hos. 6.2 3. Rom. 1.17 Rom 8.30 1 Pet. 2.9 2 Thes. 2.14 Joh. 20.31 1 Cor. 1.21 with 26 Joh. 5.29 2 Thess. 2.12 13. Isay 55.1 2. 2 Cor. 5.19 20. Mark 16.15 Luc. 14 17 Vse Joh. 1â— 22 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Act. 2.39 13.47 4. 5. Quest. Answ. Quest. 1 Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Answ. Esay 43.25 4. Answ. 2 Cor. 5.20 5. Answ. 6. Answ. Rom. 4.5 Esa. 4.1 2. Isa. 54.10 1 Cor. 3.22 Isa. 56.5 Mat. 6.31 32. Rom. 8.14 Tit. 3.5 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 2.28 2. 1 Pet. 1.14.15.16 Act. 9.31 Mic. 4.5 Deut. 18.18 19. Col. 3.3 Rev. 4.10 11. Prov. 3.17 Quest. Answ.
union 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made righteousnesse and sanctification unto whom read the beginning of the verse and you shall see it is onely to those that be in Christ which is by faith Let none say here as some doe that we have union to Christ first by the Spirit without faith in order going before faith For understanding of which let us a little consider of our union unto Christ Our union to Christ is not by the essentiall presence of the Spirit for that is in every man as the God-head is every where in whom we live and move This is common to the most wicked man nay to the vilest creature in the world Hence it followes that our union is by some act of the Spirit peculiar to the elect who onely shall have communion with Christ working some reall change in the soul for of reall not relative union I now speak this act cannot be those first acts of the spirit of bondage for they are common unto reprobates they are therefore such acts as are essentiall unto the nature of union Now look as disunion is the disjunction or separation of divers things one from another so union is the conjunction or joyning of them together that were before severed Hence that act of the Spirit in uniting us to Christ can be nothing else but the bringing back the soule unto Christ or the conjunction of the soule unto Christ and into Christ by bringing it back to him that before this lay like a dry bone in the valley separated from him Thus 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned or as the word signifies glewed to the Lord is one spirit with him The Spirit therefore brings us to the Lord Christ and so we are in him Now the comming of the soule to Christ what is it but faith Iohn 6.35 Our union therefore is by faith not without it for by it onely we that were once separated from him by sinne and especially by unbeliefe Heb. 3.12 are now come not onely unto him as iron unto the load-stone Iohn 6.37 out which is most neare into him as branches into the vine so grow one with him and hence those phrases in Scripture to beleeve in Christ or into Christ. I speak not this as if we were united to Christ without the Spirit on his part for the conjunction of things severed must be mutuall if it be firme I onely shew that we are not united before faith by the Spirit unto Christ but that we are by faith wrought by the Spirit whereby on our part we are first conjoyned unto him and then on his part he by the person of the Spirit is most wonderfully united unto us The Spirit puts forth variety of acts in the soule as it acts us to good works t is the spirit of obedience as it infuseth habits of grace so t is the spirit of sanctification as it assists us continually and guides us to our end and witnesseth favour t is the spirit of adoption as it works feares of death and hell t is the spirit of bondage but as it drawes us from sinne to Christ so t is the spirit of union and therefore to imagine union before and without faith by the Spirit is but a spirit indeed which when you come to feele it you shall finde it a nothing without flesh or bones or sinewes As our marriage union to Christ must have consent of faith on our part wrought by the Spirit or else the Lord Jesus is a vaine sutor to us so now the Spirit on Christs part must apprehend our faith and dwell in us who otherwise shall suddenly goe a whoring from him 1 Pet. 1.5 Eph. 3.17 3. That Vocation is not all one with Sanctification may appeare thus 1. Vocation is before Justification Rom. 8.30 But Sanctification is not before Justification as we have proved and therefore they are not the same 2. Sanctification is the end of Vocation 1 Thess. 4.7 therefore it is not the same with it 3. Faith is the principall thing in Vocation The first part of it being Gods call the second part being our answer to that call or in comming at that call Ier. 3.22 Now faith is no part of Sanctification strictly taken because it is the meanes and instrument of our Justification and Sanctification Acts 26.18 Our hearts are said to be purified by faith Acts 15.9 not our lives onely in the acts of holinesse and purity but our hearts in the habituall frame of them I live by the faith of the Sonne of God saith Paul We passe from death to life by faith Iohn 5.24 therefore it is no part of our spirituall life You will not come to me which is faith that you may have life Iohn 5.40 Iohn 6.50.51 therefore faith is the instrumentall means of life and therefore no part of our life as faith comes by hearing and therefore hearing is no part of faith so Justification comes by faith and therefore is no part of Sanctification all our life both of Justification and Sanctification is laid up in Christ our head this life according to Gods great plot shall never be had but by coming to Christ for it Heb. 7.25 else grace and Christ should not bee so much honoured Rom. 4.16 it is of Faith that it might be of Grace Sanctification therefore is the grace applyed by faith faith the grace applying by coming to Christ for it we have it and therefore have it not when first we come I am sorry to be thus large in lesse practicall matters yet I have thought it not unusefull but very comfortable to a poore passenger not only to know his journies end and the way in generall to it but also the severall Stadia or Townes he is orderly to passe through there is much wisdome of God to be seen not only in his work but in his manner and order of working for want of which I see many Christians in these dayes fall very foulely into erroneous apprehensions in their judgments the immediate ground of many errours in practise the objections made against what hath been delivered are for the principall of them answered the maine end my beloved of propounding these things is that you would look narrowly to your union oh take heed you misse not there if you close with Christ beleeve in Christ and yet not cut off from your sin viz. that spirit of resistance of Christ you are utterly and eternally undone this is the condemnation of the world not that men love darknesse wholly and hate light but that they love darkenesse more then light not that the uncleane spirit is not gone out but that he is not so cast out as never to returne againe the wound of all men yea the best of men that professe Christ and yet indeed out of Christ lyes in this they were never severed from their sinne by all their prayers teares feares sorrowes and hence they never truly come to Christ and hence perish in their sin Trouble
blessed and happy estate John 5.24 Psal. 2. ult IF the Question be What is that happy condition they are made partakers of I answer this appeares in these six priviledges or benefits principally 1. Iustification all their sinnes are pardoned 2. Reconciliation peace with God 3. Adoption they are made the Sonnes of God 4. Sanctification they are restored to the Image of God 5. Audience of all their prayers to God 6. Glorification in the Kingdome of heaven in eternall Communion with God SECT I. First Iustification THis is the first benefit which immediately followes our union unto Christ by Faith that look as we are no sooner children of Adam branches of that root by naturall generation but we immediately contract the guilt of his sin and so originall pollution so we are no sooner made branches of the second Adam by vocation and so united unto Christ by Faith but immediately wee have the imputation of his righteousnesse to our justification after which we receive in order of nature not time our sanctification There is no truth more necessary to bee knowne then this it being the principall thing contained in the Gospell Rom. 1.17 the Law shewing how a man may bee just and live but it hath not the least word how a sinfull man may be just and not dye this is proper to the revelation of the Gospell let me therefore give you a tast of the nature of it Our Justification is wrought by a double act 1. on God the Fathers part he by a gracious sentence absolves and acquits a sinner accepts of him as righteous 2. on God the Sons part procuring the passing of this sentence by his satisfaction imputed and applyed the Father being the person principally wronged hath chiefe power to forgive yet in justice he cannot acquit nor in truth account a man unrighteous as righteous unlesse the Son step in and satisfie for whose sake he forgives as the Apostle expressely saith Eph. 4. ult so that our Justification is wholly out of our selves and we are meerly passive in it Justification is not to make us inwardly just as the Papists dreame but it is a Law-tearme and is opposed against condemnation Rom. 8.33 now look as condemnation is the sentence of the Judge condemning a man to dye for his offence or sin so Iustification is the sentence of God the Father absolving a man from the guilt and punishment of sin for the sake of the righteousnesse of Christ That you may more particularly understand me take this description of it Iustification is the gracious Sentence of God the Father whereby for the satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith and imputed to the faithfull he absolves them from the guilt and condemnation of all sin and accepts them as perfectly righteous to eternall life Let me open the particulars herein briefly in severall queries What it is in generall to justifie T is to passe sentence of absolution to pronounce a sinner righteous t is Gods pardon remission of sinnes this appeares from the opposition mentioned it stands in unto condemnation as a Iudge pardons a man when he saith he shall live or as a man manifestly forgives another when he gives him a promise or a bill of discharge so that note this by the way that our Iustification is not Gods eternall purpose to forgive but it is Gods sentence published a sinner is justified intentionally in election but not actually till this sentence be past and published The difficulty only here is where this sentence is pronounced for answer where of note that there is but a double Court wherein t is passed 1. Publikely in the Court of Heaven or in the Court-rolls of the Word for there is no other Court of Heaven where God speaks but this 2. Privately in the Court of Conscience By the first we are justified indeed from personall guilt by the second we feele our selves justified by the removall of conscience guilt The first is expresly mentioned Act. 10.43 and Rom. 1.17 the second is expresly set downe also Psal. 32.4 The first is the cause and foundation of this second the second ariseth from the first otherwise peace of conscience is a meere delusion the first is sometimes long before the second Psal. 88.15 as the sentence of condemnation in the Word is sometimes long before a man feeles that sentence in his own conscience the second comes in a long time after in some Christians The first is constant and unchangeable the second very changeable he that hath peace in his conscience to day may lost it by to morrow So that you are not in seeking the testimony of your justification to look for a sentence from heaven immediately pronounced of God but look for it in the Court of his Word the Court of Heaven which though we heare not sometime yet it rings and fills heaven and earth with the sound of it viz. There is no condemnation to them that beleeve for hereby the Lord mercifully provideth for the peace of his people more abundantly As when a poore Creditor is acquited or a malefactor pardoned I beseech you saith he let me have an acquitance a discharge a pardon under your owne hand and this quiets him against all accusers so t is here the Lord gives us an Acquitance in his VVord under his owne hand and seale and so gives us peace Heb. 6.18 VVho is it that justifieth T is God the Father Rom. 8.34 Father forgive them saith Christ. And hence Christ is an Advocate with the Father 1 Iohn 2.2 All the three Persons were wronged by sin yet the wrong was chiefly against the Father because his manner of working appeared chiefly in creation from the righteousnes of which man fell by sinne The Father forgives primarily by Soveraign authority the Sonne of Man Christ Jesus forgives by immediate dispensation and commission from the Father Iohn 5.22 Mat. 9.6 the Apostles and their successors forgive ministerially Iohn 21.23 The Father forgives by granting pardon the Sonne by procuring the Ministers where the Spirit also is by publishing or applying pardon so that this is great consolation that God the Father the party chiefly incensed t is he that justifieth t is he that passeth this gracious sentence and then who can condemne Why doth the Father thus justifie T is meerly his grace and out of grace And hence I call it his gracious sentence Rom. 3.24 justified freely by his grace What is his grace The Prophet Esay expounds it to be not our grace or works of grace although wrought by grace but his owne name sake In some respect indeed it is just for God to forgive viz. in regard of Christs satisfaction 1 Ioh. 1.7 Rom. 3.20 The Mercy-seat and the Tables of the Law in the Ark may well stand together but that Christ was sent to satisfie justice and that thy sinnes were satisfied for and not anothers thus it s wholly of grace If therefore you
think the Lord pardons your sinnes because you have been lesse sinners then others or if you think the Lord will not pardon your sinnes because you are greater sinners then any else you sin exceedingly against the riches of Gods grace in this point What is the meane by which the Father doth thus justifie T is for the satisfaction or by the price of the redemption of Christ Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.10 Eph. 1.7 for Mercy would but Justice could not forgive without satisfaction for the wrong done Hence Christ satisfies that Grace and mercy might have their full scope of forgiving So that neither works before conversion which are but glistering sins Rom. 1.18 nor works of grace in us after conversion can be causes of our Justification for Abraham when he was justified and sanctified yet had not whereof to boast but beleeved in him that justified the ungodly Rom. 4.5 And the Apostle Paul saith expresly We that believe have beleeved that we might be justified Gal. 2.16 t is therefore the price of Christs redemption which doth procure our justification But understand this aright for this price is not applyed to each particular man as the common price redeeming all for then every Beleever should be accounted a saviour and redeemer of all but as the price of those soules in particular to whom it is specially intended and particularly applyed Christs righteousnesse is sufficient to justifie all to whom it is imputed but it is no further imputed then to the attaining the end of imputation viz. to justifie and save me in particular not to make me a head of the Church or a common Saviour it argues a man weakly principled that denies the necessity of Christs satisfaction to our Justification because forsooth every Beleever should then be a Redeemer By Satisfaction I understand the whole obedience of Christ unto the very death which is both active and passive by which we are justified Heb. 10.10 Phil. 2.8 that righteousnesse of Christ wrought in his satisfaction is imputed which satisfies the Law and divine Justice Gal. 4.1 2 3 4. which is both active and passive the very reason why the Law requires perfect obedience of us which we cannot possibly bring before God is that wee might seek for it in Christ that fulfilled all righteousnesse and therefore he is called the end of the Law for righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 4. And it is strange that any should deny Justification by Christs active obedience upon this ground viz. because that by the works of the Law which satisfy the Law shall no sinner be justified and yet withall say that we are justified by that which satisfies the Law This righteousnesse of Christ is not that of the God-head for then what need was there for Christ to doe or suffer but that which was wrought in the Man-hood And hence it is finite in it selfe though infinite in value in that it was the righteousnesse of such a person This righteousnesse of God-man may be considered two wayes First absolutely in it selfe Secondly respectively as done for us 1. Christs absolute righteousnesse is not imputed to us viz. as he is Mediatour Head of the Church having the Spirit without measure which is next to infinite c. for though these things are applyed for our good yet they are not imputed as our righteousnesse and therefore the objection vanisheth which saith we cannot be justified by Christs righteousnesse because it is of such infinite perfection 2. The respective or dispensative righteousnesse which some call justitia fidejussoria is that whereby Christ is just for us in fulfilling the Law in bearing Gods Image we once had and have now lost by sin and thus we are truly said to be as righteous as Christ by imputation because hee kept the Law for us and here observe that the question is not whether all that Christ did and had is imputed to us as our righteousnesse but whether all that he did pro nobis for us as a surety in fulfilling the Law be not for substance our righteousnesse and therefore to think that we are not justifyed by Christs righteousnesse because then we are justifyed by his working of miracles preaching of Sermons which women are not regularly capable of is but to cast blocks before the blind so that though Christ doth not bestow his personall wisdome and justice upon another yet what hinders but that that which Christ doth by his wisdome and righteousnesse for another the same should stand good for him for whom it is done for thus it is in sundry cases among men Christs essentiall righteousnesse infinite wisdome fulnesse of spirit without measure c. is not imputed to us yet these have conspired together to doe that for us and suffer that for us by which we come to bee accounted righteous before God hee shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse Ier. 23.6 This righteousnesse therefore imputed to us justifies us Rom. 5.18 we are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him not the righteousnesse of God whereby he is just but whereby we are just opposed to the righteousnesse of man which is called our owne righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 Rom. 1.17 Not righteousnesse from him as the Papists dreame but righteousnesse in him nor remission by Christ only but righteousnesse in Christ this imputed justifies as sin imputed condemnes Who are the persons the Lord doth justifie They are beleevers we are justifyed by faith Rom. 5. or for Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith Phil. 3.9 it is by faith not as a work of grace but as by an instrument appointed of God for this end Christ did not dye that our sins should be actually and immediately pardoned but mediately by Faith Iohn 3.16 Iohn 17.20 and the Lord in wisdome hath appointed this as the only means of applying righteousnes because this above all other graces cast down all the righteousnesse of man in point of justification and so all cause of boasting and advanceth grace and mercy only Rom. 3.27 Rom. 4.16 Rom. 4.5 Rom. 9.30 31 32. the faithfull account themselves ungodly in the businesse of justification and thence it is said that Abraham though a godly man in himselfe yet beleeved in him that justifies the ungodly he only is righteous whom God pronounceth and saith is righteous Now Faith above all other graces beleeves the word and a Beleever saith I beleeve I am righteous before God not because I feele it so in my selfe but because God saith I am so in his Son so that you are not justified before you beleeve nor then only when you have performed many holy duties but at the first instant of your closing with Christ you are then to see it and by Faith to admire Gods rich grace for it What is the extent of this sentencâ— The description saith that Christs satisfaction thus applyed the Father doth two things 1. He absolves them from all guilt and condemnation of sin so that in this sense
eternall righteousnesse that never can be lost if the Lord should make thee as perfectly righteous as once Adam was or Angells in heaven are and put on thy royall apparell againe thou wast in danger of losing this and of being stript naked againe but now the Lord hath put your righteousnesse into a safer hand which never shall be lost Heb. 9.12 Dan. 9.24 By this you please God and are more amiable before him then if you had it in your selfe doe not say this is a poore righteousnesse which is thus out of my selfe in another why doe you think righteousnesse in your selfe would be best is it not because hereby you think you shall please God Suppose thou hadst it yet thy righteousnesse should be at the best but mans righteousnes but this is called the righteousnesse of God which cannot but be more pleasing to him then that in thy selfe 2 Cor. 5.20 what is Angelicall righteousnesse to the righteous-of God t is but a glow-worm before the Sunne the smell of Esaus garments the robes of this righteousnesse of the Sonne of God are of sweeter odour then thine can be or ever shall be Eph. 5.1 2. tis said By faith Abel Enoch c. pleased God their persons were sinfull their owne duties were weak yet by faith in this they pleased God thou thinkest when thou goest to Prayer if I had no sinne but perfect holinesse in me surely God would heare me I tell you when you bring this offering of Christs righteousnesse the Lord had rather have that then all you can doe you bring that which pleaseth him more then if you brought your owne For aske thy owne conscience if it be possible for the righteousnesse which is done by thy self to be more pleasing to God then the righteousnesse of the Sonne of God the Lord of Glory himselfe done and perfected for thee 7. By this you glorifie God exceedingly as Abraham beleeved Rom. 4. and gave glory unto God In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Esay 45.25 For 1. By this you glorifie him perfectly in an instant for you continue to doe all that the Law requires that instant you beleeve The Apostle propounds the Question Rom. 3.21 whether a Christian by faith doth make void the Law No saith the Apostle but we establish the Law How is that Paraeus shews three wayes One is this because that perfect righteousnesse which the Law requires of us we performe it in Christ by faith So that in one instant thou continuest to doe all that the Law requires and hence ariseth the impossibility of a true Beleevers apostacie as from one principall cause They that deny satisfaction by Christs doing of the Law because by our own works and doings we cannot be justified before God may as well deny satisfaction by Christs sufferings because by our owne sufferings we cannot be justified our obedience to the Law in way of suffering is as truly the works of the Law as our obedience in way of doing 2. By this you glorifie Gods justice what ever Justice requires to be done or suffered you give it unto God by faith in Christ. 3. By this you glorifie grace and mercy Ephes. 1.7 for by this meanes mercy may over-abound toward you and you may triumph in it as sure and certaine to you What a blessed mysterie is this Doth it not grieve you that you cannot glorifie God in your times and places Behold the way if thou canst not doe it by obedience thou maist by faith and thereby make restitution of all Gods glory lost and stolne from him by thy disobedience to him By this you have peace in your consciences by this Christs blood is sprinkled upon them and that cooles the burning torments of them Rom. 5.1 The commers unto the Leviticall sacrifices and washings types of this offering of Christ could not thereby be perfected and bee without the guilty conscience of sinne none of your duties can pacifie conscience but as they carry you hither to this righteousnesse but the commers to this have no more terrours of conscience for sinne I meane they have no just cause to have any this Rain-bow appearing over your heads is a certaine signe of fair weather and that there shall be no more deluge of wrath to overwhelme thee By this all miseries are removed when thy sinnes are pardoned there is something like death and shame and sicknesse but they are not it 's said Isay 33. ult There shall be none sicke among them why so because they shall be forgiven their iniquities T is no sicknessse in a manner no sorrow no affliction if the venome sting and curse be taken away by pardon of sinne thy sicknesse sorrow losses death it selfe is better now then health joy abundance life you may here see death hell grave swallowed up in victory and now tread upon the necks of them 1 Cor. 15. You may see life in death heaven in the deepest hell glory in shame when thou seest all thy sinnes done away in the blood of Christ Jesus This is the blessednesse of all you poore beleevers and commers to the Lord Jesus what should you doe but beleeve it and rejoyce in it If the wicked that apply this righteousnesse presumptuously say Let us sinne that grace may abound and make no other use of forgivenesse but to run in debt and sinne with a license Why should not you say on the other side Let me beleeve and owne my portion in this righteousnesse that as my sinnes have abounded so my love may abound as my sinnes have been exceeding great so the Lord may be exceeding sweet as my sinnes continue and increase so my thankfulnesse glory in God triumph over death grave sinne through Christ may also increase as you see righteousnesse in Christ for ever yours so you may from thence expect from him such a righteousnesse as may make you righteous also as hee is righteous Tremble thou hard-hearted impenitent wretch that didst never yet come to Christ nor feele thy need of him or prize his blood this is none of thy portion all thy sinnes are yet upon thee and shall one day meet thee in the day of the Lords fierce wrath when he shall appeare as an everlasting burning before thine eyes and thou stand guilty before him as chaffe and stubble SECT 2. Secondly Reconciliation This is the second benefit which in order of nature followes our Justification although sometime in a large sense it is taken for the whole work of Justification strictly taken it followes it Rom. 5.1 Being justified by faith we have peace with God i. e. not onely peace from God in our consciences but peace with God in our reconcilement to him and his favour toward us Being justified we shall be saved from wrath i. e. not onely the outward fruits of wrath but wrath from whence those come Christ is first King of Righteousnesse then King of Peace Heb. 7.2 for is not finne the cause of
a blotted evidence you may have it to day and lose it to morrow and then where is your peace and I doe beleeve the LORD deprives many of his precious SAINTS from the comfort of this evidence either because they looke onely to this and not unto Christ and their Justification by faith Rom. 5.1 or else because there is some secret lust or guile of spirit Psal. 32.1 2. which the Lord by sore and long shakings about their calling and sanctification would first winnow out or because there is a perverse frowardnesse of spirit whereby because they feele not that measure of sanctification which they would do therefore vilifie and so come to deny what indeed they have because they feele a law of sinne in their members leading them away captive will not with Paul take notice of the Law of their mindes whereby that inner man delights in the Law of God and mournes bitterly under the body of death by which they might see with Paul that there is no condemnation to such Rom. 8.1 To conclude what ever is the cause of this crookednesse of judgement I doe beleeve that the generall cause is want of attendance and standing unto the judgement of the Scriptures in this controversie for if this was stood unto men would not produce their own experience viz. that they could never finde any evidence from sanctification but they have met with it in another way by the immediate witnesse of the spirit onely nor would men cry it down because grace being mixt with so much corruption it can hardly be discerned and so will be alway lest in doubts and that the heart is deceitfull and many that have evidenced their estates hereby have been deceived I confesse thus the Popish Doctors argue against assurance of faith from the Scriptures without speciall and extraordinary revâ—lation but what is all this to the purpose if the Scriptures make it an evidence away then with thy corrupt experience shall this be judge or the Scriptures rather what though many judging of themselves by markes and signes have been deceived yet if the Scripture make it an evidence as we have proved then though men thorow their owne weaknesse or wickednesse have been deceived in misapplying promises yet the Scriptures cannot deceive you What though it be difficult to discerne Christs grace in us yet if the Scriptures will have us try our estates by that rule which in it selfe in easie but to our blindnesse and weaknesse difficult many times to see who shall who dares condemn the holy Scriptures which as they shall judge us at last day should judge us now Suppose that divers bookes and many Ministers sometimes give false signes of grace and Gods favour yet doth the Scriptures give any I shall propose one thing to conscience as the conclusion of this discourse Suppose thou wert now lying on thy death-bed comforting thy self in thy elected and justified estate suppose the Spirit of God should now grapple with thy conscience and tell thee if thou art justified then thou art called sanctified 2 Thes. 2.13 14. Is it thus with thee what wilt thou answer if thou sayst thou art not sanctified the word and spirit will beare witnesse then against thee and say then thou art not elected nor justified if thou saist thou knowest not thou lookest not to sanctification or fruits of the spirit they will then reply how then canst thou say that thou art elected or justified for it is a truth as cleare as the Sun and as immovable as heaven and earth None are elected and justified but they are also sanctified and they that are not sanctified are not justified Rom. 8.1 13. And now tell me how can you have peace unlesse you make your faces like slint before the face of Gods eternall truth or heale your consciences by such a plaister as will not stick If therefore the Lord ever made sinne bitter to thee let holinesse be sweet if continuance in sinne hath been an evidence unto thee of thy condemnation Oh let the riches of the grace of Christ in redeeming thee from the lamentable bondage and power of sinne be an evidence to thee of thy salvation Oh blesse God for any little measure of sanctification doe not scorne or secretly despise this spirit of grace as many in this degenerate age begin to doe saying You looke to graces and fruits and marks and signes and a holy frame of heart and sanctification what is your sanctification Oh let it be the more precious to thee mourning that thou hast so little and blessing the God and Father of all grace for what little thou hast wearing it as a bracelet of gold about thy necke knowing hereby that thou art borne of God and that the whole world lyeth in wickednesse and shall perish without this 1 Ioh. 5.18 19. 2. This is your glory beauty this is glorification begun what greater glory then to be like unto God to be like unto God is to be next to God and therefore this is called glory 2 Cor. 3.18 we are changed into the same image from glory to glory Every degree of grace is glory and the perfection of glory in heaven consists chiefly in the perfection of grace what is the worke of some men at this day but to cast reproach upon sanctification our glory 3. This will give you abundance of sweet peace and therefore Heb. 12.11 it is called the quiet fruit of righteousnesse for from whence comes the sore troubles and continuall doubts of Gods favour in many mens consciences Is it not some decay or guile here Psal. 32.1 2. Is it not some boldnesse to sinne that they walke not in feare and therefore not in the consolation of the Holy Ghost Is it not their secret dalliance with some known sinne continued in with secret impenitencie Is it not because they labouâ— with some strong unmortified corruption pride or passions that they are in daily pangs and throwes of conscience for Psal. 32.1 2 3 4. what was the rejoycing of Paul was it not that in all sincerity and simplicity he had his conversation among men 2 Cor. 1.12 What was Hezekiahs peace when dying as he thought was it not this Lord remember I have walked before thee uprightly Isa. 38.2 3. not that this was the ground of their peace for that onely is free grace in Christ but this is the meanes of your peace Ioh. 14.22 23. its a cursed peace which is kept by looking to Christ yet loving thy lust 4. This is that which will make you sit for Gods use 2 Tim. 2.20 21. a filthy uncleane cleane vessell is good for nothing till cleansed God will not delight to glorifie himselfe much by an unsanctified person what is thy wife children friends family the better for thee if thy heart remaine unsanctified 5. A little holinesse is eminently all springing up to eternall life this little spring shall never cease running but it shall fill Heaven it selfe and thy soule in
me no more therefore in asking Whether a Christian is in a state of happinesse or misery in this condition I answer he is preparatively happy he is now passing from death to life though not as yet wholly passed Nor yet whether there is any saving work before union I answer No for what is said is one necessary ingredient to the working up of our union as cutting off the branch from the old stock is necessary to the ingrafting it into the new indeed without faith it is impossible to please God nor doe I say that this work doth please i. e. it doth not pacify God for that is proper to Christs perfect righteousnesse received by Faith yet as it is a work of his owne Spirit upon us it is pleasing to him as the after-worke of Sanctification is though it neither doth pacify him nor doe I see how this doctrine is any way opposite to the free offer of grace and Christ because it requires no more separation from sin then that which drives them unto Christ nay which is lesse that makes them by the power of the Spirit not resist but yeeld to Christ that he may come unto them and draw them you cannot repent nor convert your selves Be converted therefore saith Peter Acts 3.19 that you may receive remission of sins and in this offer the Spirit works and verily hee that can truly receive Christ without that sense of misery as separates him from his sin as explained to you let him beleeve notwithstanding all that which is said and the God of heaven speakes peace to him his Faith shall not trouble me if hee bee sure it shall not one day deceive himselfe Of lamentation for the hardnesse of mens hearts in these times as it is said the Lord Jesus mourned when he saw the hardnesse of the peoples hearts Mark 3.5 are there not some so farre from this as that they take pleasure in their sins they are sugar under their tongues as sweet as sleep nay as their lives and you come to pul away their limbs when you come to pluck away their sinnes though they have broke Sabbaths neglected prayer despised the word hated and mocked at the Saints been stubborne to their parents curst and swore which made Peter goe out and weep bitterly though lustfull and wanton which broke Davids bones though guilty of more sinnes then there bee moates in the Sunne or Starres in heaven though their sins be crimson and fill heaven with their cry and all the earth with their burthen yet they mourne not never did it one houre together nay they cannot doe it because they will not if you are weary and loaden where are your unutterable groanes if wounded and bruised where are your dolorous complaints if sick where is your enquiry for a Physitian if sad where are your teares in the day in the night morning and evening alone by your selves and in company with others Oh how great is the wrath of God hardning so many thousands at this day whence comes it that Christ is not prized but from this senselesnesse name any reason why the blessed Gospell of peace and all the sweet promises of life are undervalued but from hence and what doe you hereby poore creatures but onely aggravate your sins and make those that are little exceeding great in the eyes of God whence it is that you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.2 3 4 5. This hardnesse is that which blunts the edge of all Gods ordinances whence Gods poore Ministers sit sorrowfull in their closets seeing all Gods seed lost upon bare rocks oh this is the condition of many a man and which is most fearfull the meanes which should make the heart sensible make it more proud and unsensible Tyre and Sydon and Sodom are more fit to mourne then Chorasin and Capernaum that have enjoyed humbling means long Nay how many be there that mourne out their mournings confesse out their confessions and by their owne humiliations grow more senselesse afterward did wee ever live in a more impenitent secure age wee shall seldome meet with one broken with sin but how few are broken from sinne also and hence it is many a tall Cedar that were set downe in the Table-Book for converted men once much humbled and now comforted stay but a few yeares you shall see more dangerous sins of a second growth one turnes drunkard another covetous another proud another a Sectary another a very dry leafe a very formalist another full of humerous opinions another laden with scandalous lusts woe to you that lament not now for you shall mourne Dost thou think that Christ should ever wipe off thy teares that sheddest none at all dost thou think to reap in joy that sowest not with these showers verily God will make his word good Prov. 29.1 Hee that hardens his owne heart shall perish suddenly heare this you secure sorrowlesse sinners if ever Gods hand bee stretcht out suddenly against thee in blasting thy estate snatching away thy children the wife of thy bosome the husband of thy delight in staining thy name vexing thee with debts and crosses short and sore or lingring sicknesses know that all this comes upon thee for a hard heart but oh mourne for it now you parents children servants the tokens of death are upon you desire the Lord to breake your hearts for you lye under Gods hammer be not above the word and suffer the Lord to take away that which grieves him most even thy stony heart because it grieves thee least meditate much of thy wofull condition chew that bitter pill remember death and rotting in the grave that many are now in hell for thy sins that Christ must dye or thou dye for the least sin remember how patient and long suffering the Lord hath bin to thee and how long he hath groaned under thy burthen that it may be though hee would yet hee cannot beare thy load long let these things be mused on that thy heart may bee at last sorrowfull before it bee too late But oh the sad estate of many with us that can mourne for any evill except it bee for the greatest sinne and death and wrath that lye upon them Of exhortation Labour for this sense of misery this spirit of compunction how can you beleeve in Christ that feel not your misery without him a broken Christ cannot doe thee good without a broken heart bee afflicted and mourne yee sinners turne your laughter into mourning tremble to think of that wrath which burnes downe to the bottome of hell and under which the eternall Sonne of God sweat drops of blood great sins which thou knowest thou art guilty of cause great guilt and great hardnesse of heart and therefore are seldome forgiven or subdued without great affliction of spirit they have loaded the Lord long they must load thee Little sinnes are usually slighted and extenuated and therefore the Lord accounts them great and therefore thy soule must
and so all his benefits with him 3. Can any man have eternall life that not only hath not the benefits flowing from the Sonne but that wants the Son himselfe I am sure the Apostle expressely affirmes it 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life Faith therefore must come for Christ himselfe as in marriage the woman consents first to have the man and so to have all other benefits that will necessarily follow upon this 4. The happinesse of all the Saints consists in two things First union to Christ Secondly communion with Christ. Faith therefore pitcheth first upon Christ himself that it may have sure and certaine union to him for our union is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ we are not united unto forgivenesse of sinnes nor peace of conscience nor holinesse c. but unto the person of the Son of God himselfe and then secondly commeth for the communication of all the benefits arising onely from union as Paul Phil. 3.9 10. esteems all things dung and losse first to be found in him that so he might have his righteousnesse in justification and feele the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification c. in one word Faith first buyes the pearle it self and then seeks to be inriched by it it finds the treasure of grace glory peace mercy favour reconciliation in Christ but then buyes the field it selfe that it may have the treasure also Mat. 13.44 the Lord Christs great desire is that all his might be with him to see his glory Iohn 17.24 and Faith desires first to have him and be for ever with him and so to partake of that glory the Lords great plot is first to perfect the Saints in Christ Col. 2.10 yee are compleat in him then to make them like to Christ by communicating life grace peace glory from him Col. 3.3 4. 1 Iohn 3.1 2. Faith therefore first quiets it selfe in him then seeks for life from him it comes first for Christ and then for all the benefits of Christ. Oh that this truth were well considered how would it discover abundance of rotten counterfâ—it faith in the world some seeking for peace and comfort and caâ—ching at promises without seeking first to have the person of Christ himselfe in whom only all the promises are Yea and Amen Others despising the benefits of Christ especially grace holinesse and life from him because say they Christ is all in all to them Ask them Have you any grace change of heart c. tush what doe you tell them of repentance and faith and holinesse they have Christ and that is sufficient they have the substance what should they doe now with shadowes of Ordinances Ministeries or Sacraments they have all graces in Christ why should they look either for being of or evidence from any grace inherent in themselves they have a living holy head but Christs body they say is a dry Skeleton a dead carcase and they are but dry bones is it so indeed then look that God should shortly bury thee out of his sight assuredly you that want and dâ—spise the bâ—nâ—fits comming from him shall never have part nor portion in him at the great day of Account Christ is a Saviour to save men from their sins not to save men and their sins Christ is King and Priest of his Church holy and separated from sinners Heb. 7.26 and if you have any part or portion in him he hath made you Kings and Priests also to God and his Father and hath not left you in your pollution but washt you from it in his owne blood Rev. 1.5 6. The law of God is written on the heart of Christ Psal. 40.8 with Heb. 10.5 6 7. and if ever hee wraps you up in the covenant of grace he will write his law in your hearts also Heb. 8.10 Let all deluded Familists tremble at this that in advancing Christ himselfe and free grace abolish and despise those heavenly benefits which flow from him unto all the elect Let others also mourne over themselves that have with much affection been seeking after Christs benefits peace of conscience holinesse of heart and life promises to assure them of eternall glory but have not sought first to embrace and have the person of the Lord Jesus himselfe Oh come come therefore unto the Lord Jesus for Christ himselfe and for all his benefits I say for All his benefits This is that which the Apostle prayes for with bended knees for the Ephesians that they might not take in a little but comprehend the height depth length bredth of Christs love that so they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God This is that which our Saviour expresly with much vehemency calls for Iohn 7.37 Let all that thirst come unto me and drinke not sip and taste a little as Reprobates and Apostates doe Heb. 6.4 5. but drinke and drinke abundantly as it is Cant. 5.1 And observe it that upon these very termes the Lord tenders grace and mercy Rom. 5.17 the Apostle doth not say They that receive alittle but abundance of grace shall reign by righteousnesse unto eternall life Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal. 81.11 12. And most certainely this is one principall difference between the faith of the Elect and Reprobates and if I mistake not the principall the elect close with Christ for that end for which the Father offers him which is that they might possesse his Sonne and all his benefits and therefore come poore and empty for all the reprobate come not for all but for so much and no more then will serve their owne turne in misery they would have Christ to deliver them but what care they for spirituall mercies in trouble of conscience or after their foule falls into filthy lusts and sins they come to Christ to forgive them and comfort them but what care they for holinesse and a new nature some sinnes they would have Christ save them from but they regard not redemption from all they cannot come to Christ that all the powers of darknesse may be perfectly subdued that their owne sinnes and selves conceits and wills may be led away captive by this mighty Conquerour that Christ in all his authority grace peace life glory might be for ever advanced in them and by them It was Austins complaint in his time of many of his hearers that Christum assequi to have Christ was pleasing to them but sequi Christum to follow Christ this was heavy To close with Christs person is sweet to many but to close with his will and to come to him that he would give them a heart to lye under it this benefit they desire not All Christ is uselesse and needlesse but something from Christ is precious to them for the Lord Iesus sake beloved take heed of this delusion if any thing hath been bought for us at a deare rate and cost much if
soone as he was made but wee need Vocation unto Christ before we can be sanctified by Christ we need this call to make us come to Christ to put us into Christ and therefore much more before we can receive any holinesse from Christ the ground of our coming by faith is Gods call 2 Thes. 2.13 14. chosen to salvation through sanctification the remote end of Vocation and beleefe of the truth the next end of it whereunto he hath called you there is the ground of it The explication of this call is a point full of many spirituall difficulties but of singular use and comfort to them that are faithfull and called I shall omit many things and explicate only those things which serve our purpose here in these three particulars 1. I shall shew you what this call is or the nature of it 2. The necessity of it 3. How it is a ground of coming and what kind of ground for Faith 1. The nature of this Call I shall open for your more distinct understanding in severall Propositions or Theses Our Vocation or Calling is ever by some word or voyce either outward or inward or both either ordinary or extraordinary by the ministery of men or by immediate visions and inspirations of God I speak not now of extraordinary call by dreames and visions and immediate inspirations as in Abraham and others before the Scriptures were penned and published nor of extraordinary call by the immediate voyce of Christ as in Paul and some other of the Apostles for these are ceased now Heb. 1.1 unlesse it be among people that want ordinary meanes and elect infants c. whose call must be more then by ordinary meanes because they want such means we speak now of ordinary call by the ministery of men 2. This voyce in ordinary calling home of the elect to Christ is not by the voyce of the Law for the proper end of that is to reveale sinne and death and to cast down a sinner but by the voyce of the Gospell bringing glad tidings written by the Apostles and preached to the world He hath called you by our Gospell These things are written that you might beleeve By the foolishnesse of preaching the Lord saves them that beleeve I meane preaching at the first or second rebound by lively voyce or printed Sermons at the time of hearing or in the time of deep meditation concerning things heard the Spirit indeed inwardly accompanies the voyce of the Gospell but no mans call is by the immediate voyce of the Spirit without the Gospell or the immediate testimony of the Spirit breathed out of free grace without the word Eph. 1.12 13. And therefore that a Christian should be immediately called without the Scripture and the Scripture only given to confirme Gods immediate promise as a Prince gives his letter to confirme his promise made to a man before as Valdesso would have it is both a false and dangerous assertion This voyce of the Gospell is the voyce of God in Christ or the voyce of Jesus Christ although dispensed by men who are but weak instruments for this mighty work sent set in Christs stead but the call the voice is Christs it s the Lords call Rom. 1.6 it is certaine some of the messengers of Christ called the Romans by the Gospell yet Paul saith they were called of Christ Iesus the dead heare his voyce and arise and live and when the time of calling comes they listen to it as his call and hence it is styled Heb. 3.1 because the Lord Christ from heaven speakes takes the written word into his owne lips as it were Cant. 1.1 2. and thereby piâ—rcâ—th through the eares to the heart through all the noyse of feares sorrowes objections against beleeving and makes it to be heard as his voyce the bowels of Christ now yerne toward an humbled lost sinner bleeding at his feet therefore can contain no longer but speaks and calls and makes the soule understand his voyce so that this call is not a mean businesse because the Lord Jesus himselfe now speaks whose voyce is glorious The substance of this call or the thing the Lord calls unto is to come unto him for there is a more common calling or as some tearme it a particular calling of men as some to be Masters or Servants 1 Cor. 7.24.20 21. or to office in Church or Common-wealth as Aaron Heb 5.4 and the voyce there is to attend unto their work to which they are called There is also a remote end of vocation which is to holinesse 1 Thes. 4.7 and unto glory also 2 Thess. 2.14 Phil. 3.14 but we now speak of more speciall calling the next end of which is to come unto Christ the soule hath lived many yeares without him the Lord Jesus will now have the lost prodigall to come home to come to him the soule is weary and heavy laden and the Lord Jesus could easily ease it without its comming to him but this is his will he must come to him for it Mat. 11.27 Ier. 3.7.22 I said after shee had done these things turne unto me come unto me ye backsliding children I le heale your back-slidings Jer. 4.1 If thou returnest returne unto me This voice Come unto me is one of the sweetest words that Christ can speak or man can heare full of Majesty mercy grace and peace a poor sinner thinks Will the Lord ever put up such wrongs I have offered him heale such a nature take such a viper into his bosome doe any thing for me if there be but one in the world to be forsaken is it not I the Lord therefore comes and calls Come unto mee and I will pardon all thy sins I will heale all thy back-slidings I will be angry no more Jer. 3.12.13 Though thou hast committed whoredome with many lovers yet returne unto me saith the Lord. Ier. 3.1 Though thou hast resisted my Spirit refused my grace wearied me with thine iniquities yet come unto me and this will make me amends I require nothing of thee else but to come for Gods call is out of free grace Gal. 1.6 and therefore calls for no more but only to come up and possesse the Lords fulnesse Luke 14.17 1 Cor. 1.9 This call to come is for substance all one with the offer of Christ which consists in three things 1. Commandement to receive Christ as present and ready to be given to it as when we offer any thing to another it is by commanding them to take it 1 Iohn 4.23 and this binds conscience to beleeve as you will answer for the contempt of this rich grace at the great day of account 2. Perswasion and intreaty to come and receive what we offer for in such an offer wherein the person is unwilling to receive and we are exceedingly desirous to give we then perswade so doth Christ with us 3. Promise to offer a thing without a promise of having it if we receive it is but a
Gods anger must not sinne therefore bee first removed in our justification before wee can have Gods anger allayed in our reconciliation so that as in our justification the Lord accounts us just so in our reconciliation himselfe being at peace with us hee accounts us friends indeed our meritorious reconciliation is by Christs death as the Kings son who procures his fathers favour toward a Malefactor who yet lyes in cold irons and knowes it not and this is before our justification or being Rom. 5.9 but actuall and efficacious reconciliation whereby we come to the fruition and possession of it is after our justification Rom. 3.24 25. Christ is a propitiation by faith and here the Malefactor hath tidings of favour if he will accept of it Ephes. 2.15 17. and of this I now speake God and man were once friends but by finne a great breach is made the Lord onely bearing the wrong is justly provoked Isa. 65.2 3. man that onely doth the wrong is notwithstanding at enmity with him and will not bee intreated to accept of favour much lesse to repent of his wrong Ier. 8.4 5 6 7 8. the Lord Jesus therefore heales this breach by being mediator between both he takes up the quarrell and first reconciles God to man and man to God in himselfe in redemption and after this reconciles God and man by himselfe in or immediately upon our justification This Reconciliation consists in two things chiefly 1. In our peace with God whereby the Lord layes by all acts of hostility against us Rom. 5.1 2. In love and favour of God I doe not meane Gods love of good will for this is in election but his love of complacencie and delight for till we are justified the Lord behaves himselfe as an enemy and stranger to us who are polluted before him but then he begins thus to lâ—ve us 1 Ioh. 4.10 16. Col. 1.21 22. A Gardiner may intend to turne a Crab-tree stock into an an Apple-tree his intention doth not alter the nature of it untill it actually be ingraffed upon so we are by nature the children of wrath Ephes. 1.3 The inâ—ention of God the Father or his love of good will doth not make us children of favour and sonnes of peace untill the Lord actually call us to and ingraffe us into Christ and then as Christ is the delight of God so we in him are loved with the same love of delight Peace with God and love of God are different degrees of our reconciliation A Prince is at peace or ceaseth warre against a rebell yet he may not bring the Rebell before him into his bosome of speciall favour delight and love but the Lord doth both towards us enemies strangers Rebels devils in our reconciliation with him Oh consider what a blessed estate this is to be at peace with God It was the title of honour the Lord put upon Abraham to bee the friend of God Isa. 41.8 I am not able to expresse what a priviledge this is t is better felt then spoken of as Moses said Psal. 90. Who knowes the greatnesse of his wrath So I may say who knowes the greatnesse of this favour and love 1. That God should be pacified with thee after anger this is exceeding glorious Isa. 12.1 2. What is man that the Lord should visit him or looke upon him though he never had sinned but to look upon thee nay to love thee after provocation by sinne after such wrath which like fire hath consumed thousand thousands and burnt downe to the bottome of hell and is now and ever shall be burning upon them Oh blessed are they that finde this favour 2. That the Lord should bee pacified wholly and thorowly that there should be no anger left â—or you to feele The poore afflicted Church might object against those sweet promises made her Isa. 27.1 2 3. that she felt no love You are mistaken saith the Lord Fury is not in me vers 4. Indeed against bryars and thornes and obstinate sinners that prick and cut me to the very heart by their impenitencie I have but none against you Out of Christ God is a consuming fire but in Christ he is nothing else but love 1 Joh. 4.16 and though there may bee fatherly frownes chastisements reproofes and rods though hee may for a time hide his face shut out thy prayers deferre to fulfill promises c. yet all thâ—se are out of pure love to thee and thou shalt see it and feele it so in thy latter end Heb. 12.8 9. Never did David love Ionathan whose love exceeded as the Lord loves thee from his very heart Now thou art in Christ by faith 3. That the Lord should be pacified eternally never to cast thee off againe for any sinnes or miseries thou fallest into this is wonderfull Those whom men love they forsake if their love be aâ—used or if their friends be in affliction they then bid them good night but the Lords love and favour is everlasting Isa. 9.7 The mountaines may depart out of their places and the hills cast downe to valleys but the Lords kindnesse never shall never can He hath hid his face a little moment whiles thou didst live in thy sinne and unbeleefe but now with everlasting mercy he will imbrace thee nay which is more the abounding of thy sinne is now the occasion of the abounding of his grace Rom. 5.20 thy very wants and miseries are the very causes of his bowels and tender mercies Heb. 4.15 16. Oh what a priviledge is this Did the Lord ever shew mercy or favour to the Angels that sinned Did not one sinne cast them out of favour utterly Oh infinite grace that so many thousand thousands every day gushing out of thy heart against kindnesse and love nay the greatest dearest love of God should not incense his sorest displeasure against thee I the Lord that powred out all his anger upon his own Son for thee and for all thy sinnes cannot now poure out nay he hath not one drop left though he would to poure out upon thee for any one sinne 4. That the Lord should be thus pacified with enemies a man may be easily pacified with one that offends him a little but with an enemy that strikes at his life as by every sinne you doe this is wonderfull yet this is the case here Rom. 5.7 8. 5. That the Lord should be pacified even with enemies by such a wonderfull way as the blood of Jesus Christ Rom. 5.7 8. this is such love as one would think the infinite wisdome of a blessed God could have devised no greater by this v. 6. he commanded and set out his love which though now it grow a stale and common thing in our dayes yet this is that which is enough to burst the heart with astonishment and amazement to thinke that the party offended who therefore had no cause to seeke peace with us againe should finde out such a way of peace as this is woe to the world
that despise this peace 6. That being thus pacified you may come into Gods presence with boldnesse at any time and aske what you will I wonder what he can deny you if he loves you Rom. 5.2 and which is yet more that now all creatures are at peace with you Iob 5.23 as when the Captaine of the Army is pacified none of his souldiers must hurt or strike that man nay that hereby all your enemies should be forced to doe good to you Oh death where is now thy sting I have oft wondred if Christ hath borne all our miseries and suffered death for us why then should we feel any miseries or see death any more and I could never satisfie my owne heart by many answers given better then by this viz. that if the Lord should abolish the very being of our miseries they should indeed then doe us no hurt but neither could they then doe us any good for if they were not at all how could they doe us good now the Lord Jesus hath made such a peace for us as that our enemies shall not only not hurt us but they shall be forced himselfe ordering of them to doe much good unto us all your wants shall but make you pray the more all you sorrowes shall but humble you the more all your temptations shall but exercise your graces the more all your spirituall desertions shall but make you long for heaven and to bee with Christ the more it is now part of your portion not only to have Paul and Apollos and world but death it selfâ— to doe you good Oh Lord what a blessed estate is this which though thousands living under the Gospel of peace heare of yet they regard not they can strain their consciences in a restlesse pursuit of the favour of men and in seeking worldly yet peace to this day though born enemies to God never spent one day it may be not one houre in mourning after the Lord for favour from him nor care not for it unlesse it be upon their owne tearmes viz. that God would be at peace with them but they may still remain quietly in their sins and war against God and thence it is that the Lord will shortly take away peace from the whole earth and plague the world with war and blood-shed and as it is in Zach. 11.6 deliver every man into the hand of his neighbour and into the hand of his King and they shall smite the Land even for this very cause for despising the peace and reconciliation with God you might and should have accepted in the Gospell of peace SECT III. Thirdly Adoption This is the third benefit which in order of nature followes our reconciliation whereby the Lord accounts us Sons and gives us the Spirit and priviledges of Sons for in order we must be first beloved before we can be loved so as to be accounted Sons 1 Iohn 3.1 2. for the Lord of unjust to account us just in our justification is much but for the Lord to account us hereby as friends this is more but to account us Sons also this is a higher degree and a farther priviledge and hence our Adoption followes our Faith Iohn 1.12 Gal. 3.26 and if Adoption then the Spirit of Adoption much lesse doth not precede Faith By Christs active obedience our Divines say we have right unto life by Adoption wee have a farther right the one destroyes not the other for a man may have right unto the same thing upon sundry grounds we know there are 2 sorts of Sons 1. Some by nature borne of our own bodies and thus wee are not Sonnes of God but children of wrath 2. Some by Adoption which are taken out of another family and accounted freely of us as our Sons and thus Moses was for a time the sonne of Pharaoâ—s daughter and of this Son-ship by Adoption I now speak the Lord taking us out of the family of hell to be his adopted Sons Christ is Gods Son by eternall generation Adam by creation all believers are Sons by Adoption Now Adoption is two-fold 1. Externall whereby the Lord takes a people by outward covenant and dispensation to be his Sons and thus all the Jewes were Gods first-borne Exod. 4.22 and unto them did belong the Adoption Rom. 9.4 5. And hence their children were accounted Sons as well as Saints and holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Ezech. 16.20 21. but many fall from this Adoption as the Jewes did 2. Internall whereby the Lord out of everlasting love to particular persons in speciall he takes them out of the family of Satan and by internall love and speciall account reckons them in the number of Sons makes them indeed Sonnes as well as calls them so Isaac by speciall promise was accounted for the seed Rom. 9.8 and of this we now speak Now this is double 1. Adoption begun 1 Iohn 3.1 2. â—OW we are the Sons of God To some of which though Sons indeed yet the Lord behaves himselfe toward them for some time and for speciall reasons as unto servants exercising them with many feares Gal. 4.1 2. some spirits will not bee the better for the love of their father but worse and therefore the Lord keeps a hard hand over them to others the Lord behaves himself with more speciall respect in making them cry with more boldnesse Abba Father Rom. 8.15 16 who will be more easily overcome and bent to his will by love 2. Adoption perfected when we shall receive all the priviledges of sons not one excepted Rom. 8.23 where we are said to wait for our Adoption the Redemption of our bodies By the first we are sons but not seen nor known such 1 Iohn 3.1 2. By the second we shall be knowne before all the world to be such we now speak principally of Adoption begun whereby we are sons in Gods account and by reall reception of the Spirit of Sons the manner of this Adoption is thus 1. God loves Jesus Christ with an unspeakable love as his only Son and as our elder brother 2. Hence when we are in Christ his Son he loves us with the same love as he doth his own Son 3. Hence the Lord accounts us sonnes Eph. 1.5 6. Gods love is not now toward us as to Adam his son by creation viz. immediately diffused upon us but in loving his owne Son immediately hence he loves us and hence adopts us and accounts us children Oh that the Lord would open our eyes to see this priviledge Behold it saith Iohn 1 Iohn 3.1 stand amazed at it that children of wrath should become the Sonnes of the most high God for a begger on the dunghill a vagabond runnagate from God a prodigall a stranger to God whom the Lord had no cause to think on to be made a Son of God Almighty If Sons then the Lord doth prize and esteem you as Sonnes if a man hath twenty sonnes he esteems the poorâ—st least sick child he hath more then all his goods and servants
our heavenly Father in Sanctification because we are under grace Hence it comes to passe that we are freed from the raigning power of sin Rom. 6.14 so that our Sanctification followes our Justification and Adoption goes not before it In justification we have the love and righteousnesse of the Son in reconciliation the love of the Father in Adoption the love of a Father and presence of the Spirit assisting witnessing in Sanctification the image of our Father by the same spirit and this I conceive with submission is the seale of the Spirit mentioned Eph. 1.13 the seale sealing is the Spirit it selfe the seale sealed consists first in the expression of it in Adoption Secondly in the impression of it in Sanctification and that hee only shall passe as currant coyne that hath both these I know the most full and cleare expression and testimony of the Spirit is after all Gods work is finished in glorification but the beginning of it is here in Adoption a fuller measure of it in Sanctification Gods seale is ever set to some promise as mens seales to some bond not to blanks the Lords promise of actuall justification and reconciliation pertaines onely to men sanctified or called in Adoption therefore we receive the Spirit which lookes both wayes testifying either thou sanctified art justified or thou called art justified and reconciled I speak not now of externall sanctification by outward shew and profession and common illumination and operation of the Spirit upon men from which many fall away Heb. 10.29 but of internall and speciall the nature of which you may best conceive in these three degrees 1. It is the renewing of a man So that by it a man is morally made a new man another man All things are become new he hath new thoughts new opinions of things new desires new prayers and praises new dispositions regeneration not differing from it 2. It is a renewing of the whole man 1 Thess. 5.23 for as every part and faculty of man is corrupt by the first Adam so they are renewed by the second Adam not that we are perfectly renewed in this life by Christ as we are corrupt by Adam but in part in every faculty Rom. 6.19 and from hence ariseth our spirituall combat and warfare with sin yea with all sin it is not because of our sanctification simply for if it were perfect we should warre and wrastle no more but from the imperfection of it And this renewall in part is in every part even in the whole man and as the first Adam propagates sin chiefly and radically in the soule especially into the heart of man and from thence it diffuseth it self like leven into the whole lump of our lives so the Lord Jesus chiefly communicates this renewall into our hearts and thence it sweetens our lives and hence it is called the inner man Rom. 7.22 Eph. 3.16 You see a little holinesse in a Christian I tell you if he be of the right make there is a kind of infinite endlesse holinesse within him from whence it springs as there is a kind of infinite endlesse wickednesse in a wicked man from whence his sins spring if a man bee outwardly holy but not within he is not sanctified no more then the painted Sepulchres of the proud Pharisees if any man say his heart is good though he makes no shew in his life he speaks not the truth if the Apostle may bee beleeved 1 Iohn 1.6 for sanctification is a renewall of the whole man within and without it is not for a man to have his teeth white and his tongue tipt and his nayles pared No no the Lord makes all new where he comes 3. It is a renewall unto the Image of God or of God in Christ an unsanctified man may bee after a sort renewed in the whole man his outward conversation may be faire his mind may bee enlightened his heart may tast of the heavenly gift c Heb. 6.4 5. he may have a forme of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3.5 he may have strong resolutions within him unto godlinesse Deut. 5.29 and hence with the five foolish Vâ—rgins may be received into the fellowship of the wise and not discerned of them neither till the gate is shut but they are never renewed in their whole man after the Image of God i. they doe not know things and judge of them as God doth they doe not love and will holinesse and the meanes thereto as God doth they hate not sin as God doth they doe not delight in the whole Law of God it is not writ in their hearts and hence they love it not as God doth and this is the cut of the threed between a sanctified and unsanctified Spirit by sanctification a man is renewed unto Gods Image once lost but here again restored Eph. 4.24 Iohn 1.16 we receive from Christ grace for grace as the seale on the wax hath tittle for tittle to that in the seale it selfe we are changed into the same Image of Christ by beholding him in the glosse of the Gospell by Faith 2 Cor. 3.18 I delight in the Law of God in my inward man Rom. 7.23 and hence a Christian by the life of sanctification lives like unto God at least hath a holy disposition and inclination the habits of holinesse so to doe Gal. 2.19 I live unto God he calleth us from darknesse into his marvellous light that we might shew forth his vertues and that this is true sanctification may thus appeare because our sanctification is opposed to our originall corruption as our justification to our originall and contracted guilt of sin now as originall corruption is the defacing of Gods Image by contrary dispositions to sinfulnesse so our sanctification can be nothing else but the removall of this pollution by the contrary habits and dispositions to be like unto God againe our sanctification is to be holy Levit. 20.7 our holinesse hath no other primary pattern but Gods holinesse so that our sanctification is not the righteousnesse and holinesse in as it is inherent in Christ for that is the matter of our justification and therefore sanctification must be that holinesse which is derived unto us from Christ whereby we are made like unto him and thus Christ is made sanctification unto us 1 Cor. 1.30 There should be no difference betweene Christ our righteousnesse and sanctification if that holinesse which is in Christ should be both unto us Hence also Sanctification is not the immediate operation of the Spirit upon us without created habits of grace abiding in us as the spirit that came upon Balaam and mightily affected him for a time but left him as destitute of any grace or change of his nature as the Asse he rode on No no it renewes you unto the image of God himselfe if you be truly sanctified And therefore let all those dreames of the Familists denying all inherent graces but onely those which are in Christ to be in the Saints let them
vanish and perish from under the sunne and the good Lord reduce all such who in simplicity are mis-led from this blessed truth of God I will not now enter into that depth concerning the means of our sanctification in mortification by Christs death and vivification by the resurrection of Christ this may suffice for explication of the nature of it Onely see and for ever prize this priviledge all you blessed soules whom the Lord hath justified thou hast many sad complaints what is it to me if I be justified in Christ and be saved at last by Christ and my heart remaine all this while unholy and unsubdued unto the will of Christ that hee should comfort me and my holy heart be alway grieving of him what though the Lord save me from misery but saves me not from my sinne oh consider this benefit It is true thou findest a wofull sinfull nature within thee crosse and contrary unto holinesse and leading thee daily in captivity yet remember the Lord hath given thee another nature a new nature there is something else within thee which makes thee wrastle against sinne and shall in time prevaile over all sinne Mat. 12.20 this is the Lords grace sanctifying of thee Oh be thankfull that the Lord hath not left thee wholly corrupt but hath begun to glorifie himselfe in thee and to blesse thee in turning thee from thine iniquities 1. By this thou hast a most sweet and comfortable evidence of thy justification favour with God he that denyes this must what ever distinctions he hath abolish many places of Scripture especially the epistles of Iames and Iohn who had to doe with some spirits that pretended faith and union to Christ and communion with him and so long as it was thus this was evidence sufficient to them of their justified estates What faith Iames Thou sayst thou hast faith shew it me then prove it for my part saith he I le prove by the blessed fruits and works which flow from it as Abraham manifested his Iam. 2.18 22. What saith Iohn You talk saith he of fellowship and communion with Christ and yet what holinesse is there in your hearts or lives If you say you have fellowship with him and walk in darknesse we lye and doe not the truth but if you walk in the light then although your holinesse and confession and daily repentance for sinne doth not wash away sinne yet the blood of Christ doth wash us 1 Iohn 1.6 7. Againe you say you know Christ and the love and good will of Christ toward you and that he is the propitiation for your sinnes how doe you know this saith he He that saith I know him and keeps not his commandements is a lyar 1 Iohn 2.4 True might some reply he that keeps not the commands of Christ hath hereby a sure evidence that he knowes him not and that he is not united unto him but is this any evidence that we doe know him and that we are united to him if we doe keep his commandements yes verily saith the Apostle hereby we doe know that we know him if we keep his commandements verse 3. and againe verse 5. Hereby know we that we are in him What can be more plain What a vanity is this to say that this is running upon a covenant of workes Is not sanctification the writing of the Law in our hearts a speciall benefit of the covenant of grace as well as justification Heb. 8.10.12 and can the evidencing then of one benefit of such a covenant by another be a running upon the covenant of workes is it a truth contained in the couenant of grace viz. that he that is justified is also sanctified and he that is sanctified is also justified And is an errour against grace to see this truth that he that is sanctified is certainly justified and that therefore he that knowes himselfe sanctified may also know thereby that he is justified Tell me how will you know that you are justified You will say by the testimony of the spirit and cannot the same spirit shine upon your graces and witnesse that you are sanctified as well 1 Ioh 4.13 24. 1 Cor. 2.12 Can the Spirit make the one cleare to you and not the other Oh beloved its a sad thing to heare such questions and such cold answers also that sanctification possibly may be an evidence may be is it not certaine Assuredly to deny it is as bad as to affirme that Gods owne promises of favour are true evidences thereof and consequently that they are lyes and untruths for search the Scripture and consider sadly how many Evangelicall promises are made unto severall graces i. e. unto such persons as are invested with them you may only take a taste from Mat. 5.3 4 c. where our Saviour who was no legall Preacher pronounceth and consequently evidenceth blessednesse by eight or nine promises expresly made to such persons as had inherent graces of poverty mourning meeknesse c. there mentioned the Lord Jesus leaving those precious Legacies of his promises unto his children that are called by those names of Mourners poore in spirit pure in heart c. that so every one may take and bee assured of his portion manifested particularly therein That I many times wonder how it comes to passe that this so plaine and ancient principle of Catechisme for so it was among the Waldenses many 100 yeeres since grounded on so many pregnant Scriptures should come to be so much as questioned in our dayes sometimes I thinke it ariseth from some wretched lusts men have a minde to live quietly in desirous to keepe their peace and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts and hence they exclude this witnesse of water the witnesse of sanctification to testifie in the Court of conscience whether they are beloved of God and sincere hearted or no because this is a full witnesse against them and tells them to their faces that there is no peace to the wicked Isa. 57. ult Deut. 29.19 20. and that they have nothing to doe to take Gods name into their lips that secretly hate to bee reformed Psal. 50.16 In others I think it doth not arise from want of grace but because the Spirit of grace and sanctification runs very low in them t is so little that they can scarce see it by the help of spectacles or if they doe they doubt continually of the truth of it and hence because it can speake little and that little very darkly and obscurely for them they have no great mind that it should bee brought in as any witnesse for them Others I thinke may have much grace and holinesse yet for a time cast it by as an evidence unto them because they have experience how difficult and troublesome it is to finde this evidence and when t is found how troublesome to read it and keep it fair and thereby have constant peace and quietnesse and hence arise those speeches why doe you looke to your sanctification
man-slavers of the 6. for whoremongers and defilers of mankinde of the 7. for men-stealers of the 8. for Lyars of the 9. and for those that in any thing walke contrary to sound doctrine the purity of the Law and will of God of the 10. So that this place is farre from favouring any of those that run in this channell of abolishing the Law as our rule No beloved the love of Christ will constrain you to embrace it as a most precious treasure It is the observation of some that in the Preface to the Morall Law Exod. 20.1 2. the Lord reveales himselfe to bee the Lord their God that brought them out of the Land of Egypt the very scope of which words is to perswade to a reverend receiving keeping of that good Law this Law all nations are bound to observe because he is Iehovah the Lord but to be thy God in speciall Covenant and that redeemed thee from Egypt and from that which was typified by it this belongs to none but unto them especially that are already the people of God and therefore of all other people in the world they are bound to receive it as their rule for obedience doth not make us Gods people or God our God but hee is first our God which is only by the Covenant of grace and thence it is that being ours and we his we of all others are most bound to obey To conclude they that stick in these bryers therefore cry downe the law as a Christians rule because by this means a Christian shall find no peace because he is continually sinning against this Law the Law therefore say they will be alway troubling of him I answer first a corrupt heart and putrid conscience can have no peace by the Law Isa. 57.21 there is no peace to the wicked and it is good it should be so 2. A watchfull Christian may Psal. 119.15 Great peace have they that keepe thy Law Hezekiah had it when he desired the Lord to remember how he had walked before him with a perfect heart Isa. 58.1 2 3. Paul found it the testimony of his conscience bearing him witnesse was his rejoycing herein 2 Cor. 1.12 3. If a Christian ignorant of maintaining his peace with God by faith in his justification notwithstanding all the errors in his obedience and sanctification if I say hee wants his peace shall wee therefore break the Law in pieces if a secure Christian that walkes loosely want peace by the accusations of the Law t is Gods mercy to him to give him no peace in himselfe while he is at truce with his lust 4. That peace will end in dismall sorrow which is got by kicking against the Law it is but dawbing for a man to keep his peace by shutting his eyes against the way of peace a servant may have peace in his idlenesse by thinking that his Master requires no work from him and by hiding his talent yet what will his Lord say to him when his day is ended and he comes to reckon with him at Sun-set bring the Law into thy conscience in point of justification it will trouble conscience for there only Christs righteousnesse Gods grace and the promise are to be looked on and our own obedience holines laid by in the dust but bring it before thee as a rule of thy sanctification and as thy copy to write after and to imitate and aspire after that perfection it requires it will then trouble thee no more then it doth a child who having a faire copy set him to write after and knowing that he is a sonne is not therefore troubled because he cannot write as faire as his copy hee knows if he imitates it his scribling shall be accepted howsoever though his Father may chastise him with rods if he be carelesse to imitate yet he will never cast him therefore off from being his sonne The truth is this it argues a most gracelesse carnall wretched heart for a man to cast by Gods rules because attendance to them is his trouble and torment which unto a gracious heart are life and peace and sweetnesse All the wayes of wisdome to him are wayes of pleasantnesse and her paths peace And it is Gods common curse upon them that love not the truth in these dayes that because sin is not their sorrow nor breach of rules their trouble that therefore the observance of the Law and attendance unto rules shall bee their burden and trouble they feele not the plague in their owne hearts and therefore reproofes plague them and commands are a plague and a torment to them crooked feet and crooked wills make men tread awry in such corrupt opinions All the called ones of God are therefore to live this life of obedience and that out of love which I call the life of love Gal. 5.6 for else circumcision availes nothing nor uncircumcision no nor faith it selfe unlesse it be of this nature as that it works by love there is much obedience and externall conformity to the Law in many men but the principall difference between these formalities and the obedience of the Saints is love the obedience of the one ariseth from selfe-love because it pleaseth themselves and suits with their owne ends the other from the love of Christ because it pleaseth him and suits with his ends 1 Cor. 13.4 c. 1 Iohn 5.3 Wherein doth and should this life of love appear In these five particulars In thinking and musing much on Christ and upon his love and on what you shall doe for him he that saith he loves another and yet seldome thinks on him or will seldome give him a good look when he meets him certainly deceives himselfe the least degree of love appeares in thinking on what we love because the loving kindnesse of God was better then life unto David hence hee did remember him upon his bed and meditate on him in the very night Psal. 63.3.6 they that feare the Lord i. with a sonne-like feare where love is chiefly predominant are such as think upon his name Mal. 3.16 We have thought of thy loving kindesse oh Lord in thy Temple Psal. 48.9 Thou that canst spend dayes nights weeks months yeares and hast thy head all this time swarming with vain thoughts and scarce one living thought of Christ and his love that didst never beat thy head nor trouble thy selfe in musing oh what shall I doe for him nor in condemning thy selfe because thou dost so little verily thou hast not the least degree of this life of love In speaking and commending of him is it possible that any man should love another and not commend him not speak of him if thou hast but a Hawk or a Hoâ—â—d that thou lovest thou wilt commend it and can it stand with love to Christ yet seldome or never to speak of him nor of his love never to commend him unto others that they may fall in love with him also you shall see the Spouse Cant