David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplications But Sixthly The Lord frequently commands his people to repent and to turn from their evil wayes Hos 14.1 Ezek. 14.6 Chap. 18.30 Acts 17.30 Acts 26.20 And he has promised and engaged himself that they shall repent and turn from their evil wayes Acts 5.30 Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 Isa 30.22 Jer. 24.7 But Seventhly The Lord has commanded his people to obey him and to walk in his Statutes Jer. 24.7 And he has promised and engaged himself that his people shall obey him and walk in his Statutes Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them So Ezek. 11.19 20. Chap 37.23 24. But Eightly The Lord commands his people to mourn for their sins Isa 22.12 Joel 2.12 Jam. 4.10 And he has promised and engaged himself to give them a mourning frame Zech. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for an only son Ezek. 7.16 They shall be on the mountains as the Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity But Ninthly The Lord commands his people to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 c. And he has promised and engaged himself that they shall grow in grace Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree which is alwayes green and flourishing he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon The Cedar of all Trees is most durable and shoots up highest Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing See Hos 14.5 6 7. Mal. 4.2 c. But Tenthly The Lord commands his people not to suffer sin to reign in them Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal body And he has promised and engaged himself that sin shall not reign in them Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you Jer. 33.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you Mich. 7.19 He will subdue our iniquities But Eleventhly He has commanded his people to loath their sins and to loath themselves for their sins Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil And the Lord has promised and engaged himself to give them such a frame of spirit Ezek. 36.13 Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Ezek. 6.9 And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carried captives because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me and with their eyes which go a whoring after their Idols and they shall loath themselves for the evils which they have commited in all their abominations Ezek. 20.43 And there shall ye remember your wayes and all your doings wherein you have been defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed But Twelfthly and lastly for enough is as good as a feast God has commanded us to hold out to persevere to the end 1 Cor. 15.58 Rev. 2.10 Luke 18.1 And the Lord has promised and engaged himself that they shall persevere Job 17.9 The righteous shall hold on his way 2 Sam. 3.1 and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Isa 40.31 They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint Thus you see by an induction of twelve particulars that what ever God requires of his people he stands engaged by the Covenant of grace to give to his people to do for his people Now mark the Covenant of grace 〈◊〉 â—onfirmed to us in the surest and most glorious waâ—â—â—at can be imagined Gen. 17.7 Heb. 13.20 Psal 89.28 2 Sam. 23.5 The Covenant of grace is so â—â—â—ongly ratified that there can be no nulling of it â—oâ— First 'T is confirmed to us by his Word I will be your God and you shall be my people Now Jer. 33.38 2 Cor. 1.20 all the promises of God in htm are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us that is they are stable and firm as the Hebrew word signifies They will eat their way over all Alps of opposition In the new Covenant God neither makes nor fulfils any promises of salvation but in Christ and by Christ Secondly God hath ratified the Covenant of grace by his oath his promise is enough Gen. 22.16 Heb. 6.19 but surely his oath must put all out of question there 's no room for unbelief now God hath sworn to it had there been a greater God he would have sworn by him But Thirdly God hath ratified it by the death of his Son A mans last Will and Testament as soon as he is dead Gal. 3.15 Heb. 9.15 26. is in force and cannot then be disannulled The Covenant of grace is a Testamentary Covenant which by the death of the Testator is so setled that there is no altering of it But Fourthly and lastly The Covenant of grace is ratified by the seals which God hath annexed to it What was sealed by the Kings Ring could not be altered Esth 8. God hath set his seals to the Covenant of grace his broad seal in the Sacraments and his privy seal in the witness of his Spirit and therefore 't is sure and can't be reverst c. Now when ever you look upon your graces or gracious evidences with one eye be sure you look upon the Covenant of grace your last royal Fort with the other eye The whole hing of a mans comfort and happiness hangs upon the Coveâ— of grace The Covenant of grace is the Saints original title to 〈◊〉 't is a Saints best and brightest evidence for life and salvation â—â—re was an eternal design an eternal plot if I may so speak beâ—â—â— God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ a bargain a Covenant â—â—de between the Father and the Son for the salvation of his chosen 〈◊〉 and by this patient and tenure of grace all Saints have title to heaven c. Dear Christians many times your gracious evidences are so blotted and blur'd that you can't read them O then turn to the Covenant of grace when other evidences fail you the Covenant of grace will be a glorious standing evidence to you 't is upon the score of the Covenant that you must challenge an interest in all the glory of another world The Covenant of grace
wanting to relieve a people so that must needs be a well ordered Covenant where there is nothing wanting to govern poor souls or to relieve poor souls or to save poor souls and such a Covenant is the Covenant of grace And sure the Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant Jer. 31.31 33 35 36 37. Psal 19.7 Rev. 3.14 Isa 54.10 Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God or the God of Amen which keepeth Covenant with them that love him Psal 89.33 My Covenant will I not break Hebrew I will not prophane nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips All God's precepts all God's predictions all God's menaces and all God's promises are the issue of a most just faithful and righteous will God can neither dye nor lye Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began There are three things that God can't do 1. He can't dye Nor 2. He can't lye Nor 3. He can't deny himself Josh 23.14 And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed thereof O Sirs the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love John 13.1 upon Gods unchangable love upon God's free love whom God loves once he loves for ever Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love God can as well cease to be as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into Covenant with himself And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon God's everlasting love so 't is bottomed upon Gods immutable counsel Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the immutable counsel of God so it is bottomed upon the free purpose of God 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure that is the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure Now the purpose of God's election is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and bottomed and because as a foundation it abides firm and sure And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the free purpose of God so 't is bottomed upon the glorious power of God The power of God is an infinite power Isa 33.11 Isa 41.2 Mal. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.25 it is a supream power a power that overtops the power of all mortals What 's the stubble to the flames the chaff to the whirlwind no more is all created power to the power of God The weakness of God is stronger than men and did not Pharaoh find it so and Haman find it so and Sennacherib find it so and Nebuchadnezzar find it so and Belshazzar find it so and Herod find it so In all the ages of the world the power of God hath bore down all before it the power of God is an independant power a matchless power an incomparable power an enduring power an eternal power And as the Covenant of grace is bottomed upon the power of God Heb. 6.17 18 Psal 89.34 35. so it is bottomed upon the oath of God Luke 1.72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Ver. 73. The oath which he sware to our father Abraham To think that God will break his oath or be perjured is an intollerable blasphemy Once more give me leave to say the Covenant of grace is bottomed not only upon the oath of God but also upon the precious blood of Christ The blood of Christ is called the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the fiâ—st Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is called a Covenant and a Testament 1. A Covenant in respect of God and a Testament in respect of Christ 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of agreement and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming Jesus Christ died as a Testator and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of Life and Salvation Now the Covenant of grace being thus gloriously bottomed as you seâ— it must roundly and undeniably follow that thâ— Covenant of grace is a sure Covenant For this is all my salvation and all my desire i. e. This is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world This everlasting Covenant this sure Covenant is the great Charter of Charters that I have to shew for eternal bliss David was drawing neer to his eternal home and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heavens happiness were bright and shining or blotted and clouded I shall not at this time stand to enquire it is enough that he stayes his soul upon the Covenant of grace and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the Covenant of grace And O that all Christians when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted or else sparkling and shining that they would frequently eye these three royal Forts viz. 1. The free-grace and favour of God 2. The Mediatory righteousness of Christ 3. The Covenant of grace Now that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal Forts and to delight in these royal Forts and to prize these royal Forts and to improve these royal Forts Give me leave to offer these three things briefly to your consideration First Our best graces and performances are not commensurate and square payment in the eyes of pure justice all of them as inherent in us and acted by us are but imperfect excellencies No man hath so much grace and holiness as is required nor doth he so much as he is obliged to do Every particular grace though it be of an heavenly and divine original yet it is like the Stars twinkling though placed in the heavens so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person even the righteousness that is in him Psal 143.2 Job 14.3 4. Rom. 3.20 would not be safety and defence unto him for what a deal of pride have we mixt with a little humility and what a deal of passion have we mixt with a little meekness and what a deal of hypocrisie have we mixt with a little sincerity and what a deal of earthly-mindedness have we
A CABINET OF CHOICE JEVVELS OR A Box of precious Ointment Being a plain Discovery of or what men are worth for Eternity and how 't is like to go with them in another World Here is also a clear and large Discovery of the several rounds in Jacob's Ladder that no Hypocrite under Heaven can climb up to Here are also such closs piercing distinguishing and discovering evidences as will reach and suit those Christians who are highest in Grace and spiritual Enjoyments and here are many Evidences which are suited to the Capacities and Experiences of the weakest Christians in Christ's School And here Christians may see as in a Glass what a sober Use and Improvement they ought to make of their evidences for Heaven and how in the use of their gracious evidences they ought to live First upon the free grace of God Secondly upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Thirdly upon the Covenant of Grace With several other Points of grand Importance c. By Thomas Brooks formerly Preacher of the Gospel at St. Margarets New-Fishstreet Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved or rejected Omnis anima est aut sponsa Christi aut adultera Diaboli Austin London Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley in Cornhil at the sign of the three Bibles or at his Shop in Bishops-Gate-Street near great St. Hellins 1669. To the Right Worshipful Sir John Frederick Knight and the Lady Mary Frederick his pious Consort To Mr. Nathaniel Herne and Mrs. Judith his vertuous Wife All confluence of blessings both for this Life and for that which is to come from the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations Honoured and Beloved in our Lord Jesus THough I croud your Names together yet I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but the Loâ—d having made you near and dear one to another more wayes than one I take the boldness to present this Treatise to you jointly Here is nothing in this Book that relates to the Government of Church or State The design of this Treatise is to shew what men are worth for Eternity and how it is like to go with them in another World Granctensis tells of a woman that was so affected with souls miscarryings that she besought God to stop up the passage into hell with her soul and body that none might have entrance O anima Dei insignita imagine desponsata fide donata spiritu c. Bern. O divine soul invested with the image of God espoused to him by faith c. There are none of the sons of men but bear about with them precious and immortal souls that are more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds if the soul be safe all is safe if that be well all is well if that be lost all is lost The first great work that men are to attend in this World is the eternal safety and security of their souls the next great work is to know to be assured that it shall go well with their souls for ever And these are the main things that are aimed at in this Discourse The soul is the better and more noble part of man upon the soul the Image of God is most fairly stampt the soul is first converted and the soul shall be first and most glorified the soul is that spiritual and immortal substance that is capable of union with God and of communion with God and of an eternal fruition of God Plato though a Heathen could say That he thought the soul to be made all of eternity and that the putting the soul into the body was a sign of great wrath from God Each living corps must yield at last to death Pindarus And every life must leese his vital breath The soul of man that only lives on high And is an image of Eternity The Romans when their Emperors and great Ones died and their bodies were buried they caused an Eagle to mount on high thereby to signifie the souls immortality and ascent He gave good counsel who said Play not the Courtier with your soul the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and sups late and repents late A Scythian Captain having for a draught of water delivered up his City cryed out Quid perdidi quid prodidi What have I lost what have I betrayed So many at last will cry out What have I lost what have I betrayed I have lost God and Christ and Heaven and have betrayed my precious and immortal soul into the hands of divine Justice and into the hands of Satan Who these men are that will at last thus cry out this Treatise does discover I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear jewels on their shoes Most men in this day do worse for they trample that matchless jewel of their souls under feet and who these are this Treatise does discover One well observes Chrysost That whereas God hath given many other things double two eyes to see with two ears to hear with two hands to work with and two feet to walk with to the intent that the failing of the one might be supplied by the other but he hath given us but one soul and if that be lost hast thou saith he another soul to give in recompence for it Now who those are whose souls are in a safe estate and who those are whose souls are in danger of being lost for ever this Treatise does plainly and fully discover Psal 15. Psal 144.15 To describe to the life who that man is that is truly happy in this world and that shall be blest for ever in the other world is the work of this ensuing Treatise The grace of the Covâ—nant in us is a sure evidence of Gods entring into the Covenant of grace with us To be in a gracious state is true happiness but to know our selves to be in such a state is the top of our happiness in this world A man may have grace and yet for a time not know it 1. Joh. 5.13 The child lives in the womb but does not know it A man may be in a gracious state and yet not see it Psal 77. Psal 88. he may have a saving work of God upon his soul and yet not discern it he may have the root of the matter in him and yet not be able to evidence it Now to help such poor hearts to a right understanding of their spiritual condition and that they may see and know what they are worth for another world and so go to their graves in joy and peace I have sent this Treatise abroad into the world Will you give me leave to say First Some men of name
in their day have laid down such things for evidences or characters of grace which being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary will be found too light But here a mantle of love may be of more use than a lamp and therefore Secondly Many yea very many there are whose graces are very weak and much buried under the earth and ashes of many fears doubts scruples strong passions prevailing corruptions and diabolical suggestions who would give as many worlds as there be men in the world had they so many in their hands to give to know that they have grace and that their spiritual estate is good and that they shall be happy for ever Now this Treatise is fitted up for the service of these poor hearts for the weakest Christians may turn to many clear and well-bottomed evidences in this Treatise and throw the Gantlet to Satan and bid him prove if he can that ever any prophane person or cunning hypocrite under heaven had such evidences or such fair certificates to shew for heaven which he has to shew The generality of Christians are weak they are rather Dwarfs than Gyants 1 Pet. 2.2 3. 1 John 2.12 13 14. Isa 40.11 they are rather bruised Reeds than tall Cedars they are rather Babes than men Lambs than sheep c. Now for the service of their souls I have been willing to send this Treatise into the world for this Treatise may speak to them when I may not yea when I cannot yea which is more when I am not Famous Mr. Dod would frequently say He cared not where he was if he could but answer these two Questions 1. Who am I And 2. What do I hear am I a child of God and am I in my way But Thirdly Some there are who are so excessively and immoderately taken up with their Signs Marks and Evidences of grace and of their gracious state c. that Christ is too much neglected Where Christ was born they were all so taken up with their guests that he was not minded nor regarded when others lay in stately rooms he must be laid in a manger Luke 2.7 and more rarely minded by them their hearts don't run out so freely so fully so strongly so frequently so delightfully towards Christ as they should do nor as they would do if they were not too inordinately taken up with their Marks and Signs Now for the rectifying of these mistakes and the cure of these spiritual maladies this Treatise is sent into the world we may and ought to make a sober use of characters and evidences of our gracious estates to support comfort and encourage us in our way to heaven but still in subordination to Christ and to the fresh and frequent exercises of faith upon the person blood and righteousness of Jesus But O! how few Christians are there that are skil'd in this Work of Works this Art of Arts this Mystery of Mysteries But Fourthly Some there are who in these dayes are given up to Enthusiastical Fancies strange Raptures Revelations and to the sad delusions of their own hearts crying down with all their might all discoveries of Believers spiritual estates by Scripture Characters 2 Thes 2.9 10 11. Marks and Signs of Sanctification as carnal and low and all this under fair pretences of exalting Christ and maintaining the honour of his Righteousness and Free-grace and of denying our selves and our own righteousness Though sanctification be a branch of the Covenant of grace as well as Justification Jer. 33.8 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. yet there are a sort of men in the world that would not have Christians to rejoyce in their sanctification under a pretence of reflecting dishonour upon their free justification by Christ. There are many who place all their Religion in opinions in brain-sick notions in airy speculations in quaint disputations in immediate Revelations and in their warm zeal for this or that form of worship Now that these may be recovered and healed and prevented from doing further mischief in the world I have at this time put to a helping hand But Fifthly No man can tell what is in the breasts in the womb of divine Providence The Brathmanni had their graves before their doors The Sybarites at Banquets had a deaths head delivered from hand to hand by every guest at the Table The Egyptians in the midst of their Feasts used to have the Anatomy of a dead man set before them as a memorandum to the guests of their mortality The poor Heathen could say that the whole life of man should be meditatio mortis a meditation of death Dwell upon that Deut. 32.29 Prov. 27 1. no man can tell what a a day a night an hour may bring forth Who can sum up the many possible deaths that are still lurking in his own bowels or the innumerable hosts of external dangers which beleaguer him on every side or how many invisible arrows flie about his ears continually and how soon he may have his mortal wound given him by one of them who can tell Now how sad would it be for a man to have a summons to appear before God in that other world before his heart and life is changed and his evidences for heaven cleared up to him The life of man is but a shadow a post a span a vapour a flower c. Though there is but one way to come into the world yet there are many thousand wayes to be sent out of the world and this should bespeak every Christian to have his evidences for heaven alwayes ready and at hand yea in his hand as well as in his heart and then he will find it an easie thing to die The King of terrors will then be the King of desires to him and he will then travel to glory under a spirit of joy and triumph We carry about in our bodies the matter of a thousand deaths and may die a thousand several wayes several hours As many senses as many members nay as many pores as there are in the body so many windows there are for death to enter in at Death needs not spend all his arrows upon us a Worm a Gnat a Fly a Hair a stone of a Raisin a kernel of a Grape the fall of a Horse the stumble of a Foot the prick of a Pin the pairing of a Nail the cutting one of a Corn all these have been to others and any of them may be to us the means of our death within the space of a few dayes nay of a few hours Don't it therefore highly concern us to have our evidences for heaven cleared sealed shining and at hand Naturalists tell us That if a man sees a Cockatrice first the Cockatrice dieth but if the Cockatrice sees a man first the man dies Certainly if we so see death first as to prepare for it as to get our evidences for heaven ready we shall kill it but if death sees us first and arrests us first before we are prepared
right hand doth Chap. 6.3 and therefore I shall not provoke you by sounding a Trumpet Ezek. 1.8 10.8 The Angels have their hands under their wings they do much good and yet make no noise There are some in the world that are like to them the Violet grows low and covers it self with its own leaves and yet of all flowers yields the most fragrant smell to others There are some charitable Christians that resemble this sweet flower Gentlemen and Ladies your respects and undeserved favours that have been many wayes manifested unto me hath emboldned me to Dedicate and present to you this Treatise as a real Testimony of my unfeigned love service gratitude and desires to promote the internal and eternal welfare of all your precious and immortal souls And wherein could I or any body else be more truly serviceable to you than in endeavouring to promote your assurance of eternal salvation which is the grand Design and Project of this Book 1 Pet. 5 1â— Now the God of all grace fill all your hearts with all the fruits of righteousness and holiness Gal. 5.22 23. unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding Heb. 10.22 and of faith and hope in this Life and at last crown you all and all yours with ineffable glory in the life to come To the everlasting arms of his protection and to the perpetual influences of his grace and mercy in Christ he commends you all who is to you all Your much obliged and affectionate friend and souls servant in our dear Lord Jesus THO. BROOKS The CONTENTS A Of the appearance of sin EIght Arguments to arm us against the appearances of sin 114 to Page 126 Of Assurance The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 That Christians may more easily attain to a comfortable assurance of their gracious estate than many I than mâ—st do apprehend or believe This is strongly and fully made good Page 25 to Page 57 There is a threefold Assurance Page 27 Perfection of Assurance in respect of degrees not attainable in this life Page 57 58 Assurance is not to be expected by any extraordinary way of Revelation Page 58 59 60 Assurance excludes not all fears doubts conflicts c. Page 351 352 B About Babes in grace The generality of Christians are but Babes in grace Page 339 340 C About changing a mans condition A godly man won't change his condition with men of this world for ten thousand worlds Page 200 201 About chusing Mo man can chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness as their chiefest good but such who are really good Page 202 203 Of the commands of God He that hath a respect to all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Page 27 28 See O of Obedience About heart-condemning He whose heart does not condemn him in six things may have confidence towards God Page 29 30 About confession of sin The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin Page 234 235 236 There are eight properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Page 236 to 255 Of the Covenant of grace When a Christian casts his eye upon his gracious evidences he must remember that he has to do with God in a Covenant of grace Page 83 84 85 86 87 The Covenant of grace is a Christians Fort Royal Page 363 364 In the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give what ever he requires which is evidenced by an induction of twelve particulars Page 364 to 369 The Covenant is everlasting in two respects Page 370 373 374 The Covenant is a sure Covenant Page 370 371 372 About delighting in God Five Arguments to prove that no Hypocrite can delight himself in God Page 322 323 D Of desires That true desires of grace is grace proved by six Arguments Page 170 to 178 No man can sincerely desire grace for grace sake but he that has true grace Page 178 179 180 181 No man can sincerely desire every grace but he that has grace Page 181 182 No man can sincerely and graciously desire grace for gracious ends and purposes but he that has true grace in his soul Page 182 183 No man can sincerely desire and earnestly endeavour after the highest pitches of grace but he that has grace Page 183 to 186 No man can alwayes desire grace but he that has true grace Page 186 187 No man can sincerely desire to abound to abound and excel most in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular sins which his natural temper constitution complexion c. does most expose him and incline him to Page 187 188 189 About the dominion of sin He over whom presumptious sins have no dominion is upright Page 29 Eight wayes for a man to know whether he be under the dominion of sin or no. Page 39 to 48 Against trusting in our own duties Three Arguments against trusting in our own duties Page 374 375 376 377 c. E Of Evidences Sound â—â—id Evidences are the best way to prevent delusions Page 4 5 Two special Rules are still to be seriously minded in propounding of Evidences for men to try their spiritual and eternal estates by Page 6 7. Seven Reasons why many men cry down Marks and Signs and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification Page 337 338 339 340 341 342 'T is lawful and useful to make use of gracious evidences Page 342 343 Such Saints as are now triumphing in glory have made use of their gracious evidences c. Page 343 344 345 346 He that can find but one gracious evidence in his soul he may safely conclude that all the rest are there Page 347 What a Christian should do when his evidences are so clouded and blotted that he cannot read them Page 352 353 354 355 356 When a Christians evidences shine brightest his heart and the eye of his faith is to be most firmly fixed upon three Royal Forts Page 356 357 358 374 375 376 377 c. F Of Christians folly Eight Arguments to shew the folly of such sincere Christians who make their condition worse than ' t is Page 51 to 57 Of forsaking of sin There is a fourfold forsaking of sin Page 28 Of Free-grace When a Christians evidences are either clear or blotted it highly concern him to be still a living upon free-grace Page 356 357 358 359 G Of Grace and Graces Where there is any one grace in truth there is every grace in truth Page 7 8 9 The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 Probabilities of grace may be a great stay support and comfort to poor Christians that want assurance probabilities of grace are mercies more worth than ten thousand worlds
and repentance is a conversion to God Page 284 285 286 W Of walking There is no condemnation to such who walk after the Spirit Page 47 48 Of the witness of the Spirit Their mistake pointed at who have made the witness of the Spirit the only marks or evidence of our interest in Christ Page 1 2 3 4. There is at the end of this Book a Catalogue of all Mr. Brooks's Books ERRATA PAge 4. line 14. fleshly for flashy p. 16. in the Margent r. dance p. 17. Margent pat for part p. 18. l. 32. for gradually r. perfectly p. 19. l. 2. r. it l. 25. for Marcol r. Murcot p. 30. l. 2. hat for that p. 35. l. 8. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 39. l. 31. r. Asa's p. 63. l. 17. for wateâ— r. children p. 106. l. 15. r. gerandum p. 110. l. 28. r. Antiperistasis p. 142. l. 30. add only p. 239. l. 2. for heels r. feels p. 258. l. 19. outging for outing p. 292. Margent r. vitiums for vitium p. 117. l. 16. for were r. where p. 311. Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 326. l. 22. r. word for world p. 333. l. ult add the p. 347. l. ult add as p. 356. l. 21. for five r. three l. 26. for five r. three l. 34. for five r. three p. 357. l. 8. springs for spring in the Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 368. l. 13. r. patent p. 376. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 383. l. 16. to for in in the fourth leaf of the Epistle in l. 9. blot out one in the same leaf l. 32. conclusions for confusions CHAP. I. Containing eighteen special Maxims Considerations Rules and Directions that are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up of a mans interest in Christ the saving work of God upon his own soul and his title to all the glory of another world The first Maxim or Consideration FIrst Some have made the witness of the Spirit to be the only mark or evidence of our interest in Christ But this opinion being well laid asleep in these dayes I shall not put my self to the trouble of awakening of it afresh but leave it to sleep with the Authors who are now in their graves and deny all signs from the fruit of the Spirit but this is to deny the fruit growing upon the Tree to be a sign that the Tree is alive whereas our Saviour expresly tells us That the Tree is known by his fruit Mat. 12.33 Certainly 't is one thing to judge by our graces and another thing to rest on our graces or to put our trust in our graces or to make a Saviour of our graces there is a great deal of difference between declaring and deserving Doubtless Christians may look to their graces as evidences of their interest in Christ justification and salvation though not as causes of their interest in Christ justification and salvation O Sirs we must alwayes carefully distinguish 'twixt the root and ground of our comfort and between the testimonies or evidences of our interest in the root of our comfort Now it must be readily granted that Jesus Christ is the only root and ground of a Christians comfort and triumph and therefore saith Paul Gal. 6 14. God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the Cross of Christ And so in that 2 Cor. 2.14 New thanks be unto God which alwayes causes us to triumph in Christ So that if at any time we behold this or that saving grace or this or that part of holiness shining in our hearts or lives we take comfort in it not as the cause or root or ground of our comfort or triumph but as in a testimony or evidence because it doth manifest our interest in him who is our comfort Luke 2 25. Col. 3 11. Gen. 9 13 14 16. v. our peace our joy our salvation our all in all Look as the Rain-bow is not a cause why God will not drown the world but a sign that God will not drown the world and as it is a sign that God will not drown the world we may and ought to rejoyce in it and to take comfort from it So here c. 'T is agreed on all hands that sanctification is a precious benefit of the Covenant of grace Jer. 33.8 9. Ezek. 36.25 26. Heb. 8.10 12. c. as well as justification and what crime can it then be to evidence one benefit of the Covenant of grace by another benefit of the same Covenant That he that is justified is also sanctified and that he that is sanctified is also justified is so clear so bright so sparkling and so full a truth contained in the Covenant of grace that no man or devil can deny Now what evil or error can it be for a man to assert That he that is certainly sanctified is certainly justified it being the very language of the Covenant of grace and that therefore he that knows himself to be sanctified may also know thereby that he is justified Certainly those persons that shall deny sanctification to be a most sure sweet and comfortable evidence of a mans justification they must not only blot out and abolish the Epistles of James and John but must also race out and abolish all those Evangelical promises of grace and mercy of happiness and blessedness that are made to such persons as are invested enriched and bespangled with the several graces of the holy Spirit this might be made evident by many hundred Scriptures but take that one for all Mat. 5. where our Saviour himself who was the most Evangelical Preacher that ever was in the world makes eight or nine promises of mercy and blessedness to those very persons that had the graces of the Spirit inherent in them as poverty of spirit mourning meekness hungering and thirsting after righteousness c. O Sirs why should we be so frequently and earnestly call'd â—pon to try and examine our selves 2 Cor. 12.5 ver whether we be in the faith or no if we were not to come to the knowledge of our faith in a discoursive way arguing from the effect to the cause Have not the Saints of old come to assurance and the knowledge of the goodness of their estates this way Ponder seriously on that 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world Mark their joy was founded on the testimony of their conscience and their conscience gave in this testimony from the sincerity of their conversation in this world So Paul in that 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certamen illud praeclarum certavi Beza I have fought that excellent fight By wrestling the Apostle useth the same Metaphor also in that 1 Cor. 9.25 v. I have kept the faith henceforth
that Wine that is sharp and harsh A little grace will make a very glorious shew in such men and women whose very natural tempers are sweet soft gentle meek affable courteous when a great deal of Grace is hardly discernable in those men and women whose very natural tempers are cross crooked cholerick fierce passionate ruff and unhewen As a good man said of an eminent light now in Heaven That he had Grace enough for ten men but scarce enough for himself his natural temper was so bad which he would himself often lament and bewail saying to his friends That he had such a cross crooked nature that if God had not given him grace none would have been able to have lived one day quietly with him A sincere Christian may have more roughness of nature and more sturdiness of passions than is in many a moral man he that hath more Christianity may have less Morality as there is more perfection of animal and sensitive faculties in some bruits than in some men T is an old experienced truth that those sins are with the greatest pains labour travel and difficulty subdued and mortified which our natural tempers complexions and constitutions do most strongly incline and dispose us to and were but those lusts subdued and brought under it would be no difficult thing to bring all other sins to an under when Goliah was slain the Philistims fled when a General in an Army falls 1 Sam. 17.51 52. the common Souldiers are quickly routed So t is here get but the sins of your natural tempers complexions and constitutions under your feet and you will quickly ride in a holy triumph over the rest When Justice is effectually done upon your constitution sins 2 Sam. 18.14 ult other sins will not be long lived thrust but a dart through the heart of Absolom and a compleat conquest will follow Now before I close up this particular let me advise you frequently to consider that you can never make a true a right a serious judgment of your selves or of your spiritual estates and conditions without a prudent eye upon your natural tempers complexions and constitutions granting to your selves such indulgence and grains of allowance upon the account of your natural tempers as will stand with sincerity and the Covenant of Grace But The Sixteenth Maxim or Consideration SIxteenthly Consider If you cannot if you dare not say that you have grace Mark 4.26 27 28. yet do not say that you have no Grace for the being of Grace in the soul is one thing and the seeing of Grace in the Soul is another thing A man may have Grace and yet not know that he has Grace he may have a seed of God in him and yet not see it 1 Joh. 5.13 he may believe and yet not believe that he does believe the child lives before it knows that it lives If you cannot say that your Graces are true yet do not say they are counterfeit lest you bear false witness against the real work of the Spirit in you There are none so apt to question the truth of their Grace as those are that are truly gracious though Satan cannot hinder the holy Spirit from working true grace in the Soul 1 John 4.4 Psal 77. yet he will do all he can to fill the Soul with fears and doubts and jealousies about the truth of that grace that the holy Spirit has wrought in it When did you ever know the Devil to tempt an Hypocrite to believe that his Graces were not true and that certainly he had not the root of the matter in him if you cannot say that you have an interest in Christ yet do not say that you have no interest in Christ for a man may have an interest in Christ and yet not see his interest in Christ not know his interest in Christ there are many precious Christians that walk in darkness who yet have an interest in that Jesus that is all Light Life Isa 50.10 and love if you cannot say that your pardon is sealed in the Court of your own Conscience yet do not say that t is not sealed in the Court of Heaven for many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the Court of Heaven Psal 51. before t is sealed in the Court of his own Conscience A Pardon sealed in the Court of Conscience Rev. 2.17 is that new name and white stone which God does not give to every one at first Conversion God will take his own time to Seal up every Christians Pardon in his bosome If you cannot say that your name is written in the Book of life yet do not say that t is not written in the Book of life the Disciples names were first written in Heaven before Christ bid them rejoyce Luke 10.20 because their names were written in Heaven A man may have his name written in Heaven and yet it may be a long while before God may tell him that his name is written in Heaven I you cannot say that the precious Promises are yours yet do not say that they are childrens Bread and such dainties that your Soul shall never tast of t is not every precious Christian that has an interest in the Promises Psal 77. Psal 88. 1 Pet. 1.4 that can run and read his interest in the Promises If you cannot say that the heavenly inheritance is yours yet do not say that t is not yours do not say it shall never be yours A Christian may have a good title to the heavenly inheritance and yet not be able to make good his title to clear up his title as a child in the arms or in the Cradle may be heir to a Crown a Kingdom and yet he is not able to make good his title If you cannot say that you have Assurance yet do not say that you shall never have Assurance for a man may want Assurance one year and have it the next one Moneth and have it another Luke 19 1-10 Acts 16 29-35 Rom. 11.33 one week and have it another one day and have it another yea one hour and have it another If you cannot say that you shall certainly go to Heaven yet do not say that you shall undoubtedly go to Hell for who made you one of the Privy Counsellors of Heaven who acquainted you with the secret decrees of God c. Now were this Rule but throughly minded and conscientiously practised O how well would it go with many tempted troubled bewildered and clouded Christians O how would Satan be disappointed and poor souls quieted composed and refreshed But The seventeenth Maxim or Consideration SEventeenthly When ever you cast your eye upon your gracious evidences it highly concerns you seriously to remember that you have to deal with God in a Covenant of Grace and not in a Covenant of Works Every breach of peace with God is not a breach of Covenant with God Though the Wife hath many weaknesses and infirmities hanging upon
her and though she may often grieve provoke and displease her Husband yet as long as she remains faithful and truly loving and in the main obedient to him though he may alter his carriage towards her Jer. 3.12 14 22. Hos 14.4 Isa 43.22 to 26. ch 57.16 17 18 19. Every thing which is a ground of grief or sorrow to the people of God is not a sufficient ground of questioning their integrity or the goodness and happiness of their spiritual estates and conditions If upon every slip failing and infirmity a Christian should question all that ever was wrought in him and done by God upon him his life will certainly be made up of fears and doubts and he will never attain to any setled peace comfort or assurance or be able to live that life of joy praise and thankfulness that the Gospel calls for yet he will not withdraw his love from her or deny his relation to her No more will God towards his weak miscarrying ones as you may evidently see by comparing the Scriptures in the Margent together Doubtless there are many dear Christians whose troubles of Conscience about their spiritual and eternal estates arises from their looking upon God and dealing with God in a Covenant of Works Are there not many precious Christians who when they fall before temptations and are worsted by their corruptions that are ready to question all and throw up all as lost and peremptorily to conclude against their own Souls that all is naught very naught stark naught and that they are Hypocrites and that God will never own such as they are nor never accept of such as they are nor never delight in such as they are nor never have any thing to do with such as they are and all this because they do not a right understand the Covenant of Grace and think that they have to deal with God in a Covenant of Works Though many Christians do freely and readily acknowledg that there is a Covenant of Grace yet upon the least stirring of any corruption or the least conquest that is made upon them by the violence of any temptation they are so full of fears faintings reasonings diffidences and despondencies c. And they carry it so weakly and unworthily towards the Lord as if there were no Covenant of Grace at all or as if they had wholly and only to deal with God in a Covenant of works Now what a high dishonour is this to the free rich infinite sovereign and glorious Grace of God which so sparkles and shines in the Covenant of Grace and which tells us that our eternal estates shall never be judged by a Covenant of Works and that the want of an absolute perfection shall never damn a believing Soul and that the obedience that God requires at our hands is not a Legal but Evangelical O that all those dear Christians who are so apt to be dejected and overwhelmed upon the account of the prevalency of such and such corruptions and because they fail in keeping Covenant with God and in walking in a Covenant-relation with God I say O that all these would frequently and seriously consider of these three things First That so long as a Christian doth not renounce his Covenant with God so long as he doth not wilfully and wickedly break the bond of the Covenant the substance of the Covenant is not yet broken though some Articles of the Covenant may be violated Psal 89.30 to 35. 2 Sam. 23.5 while Christ lyes at the bottom of the Covenant it cannot be utterly broken As among men there be some trespasses against some particular clauses in Covenants which though they be violated yet the whole Covenant is not forfeited t is so here every jar every miscarriage doth not break the marriage-Marriage-Covenant no more doth every sin every miscarriage break the Covenant between God and the Soul Bâ—t Secondly Seriously consider that many weak Christians are much mistaken about the terms and condition of the Covenant of Grace they think that the condition of the Covenant is perfect and unsinning obedience whereas t is only sincere obedience Isa 54. Isa 7.8 9 10. Jer. 31.33 34 35 36 37. Mark that man sincerely obeyes and sincerely walks in Covenant with God who sincerely who heartily who ordinarily desires labours and endeavours to obey the Law of God the will of God and to walk in Covenant with God Mark particular actions do not denominate any estate it is the course of actions which doth denominate a mans walking in Covenant with God or his not walking in Covenant with God if his course of actions be sinful he walks not in Covenant with God but if his course of actions be holy and gracious he walks in Covenant with God Though the needle of the Seamans Compass may jog this way and that way yet the bent of the needle will still be Northward so though a Christian in Covenant with God may have his particular sinful joggings this way or that way yet the bent of his heart will still be to walk in Covenant with God But Thirdly Consider that infirmities aberrations of weakness do not nullify or evacuate our Covenant with God nor hinder our walking in Covenant with God for if they should then no man could possibly keep Covenant with God or walk in Covenant with God Infirmities God passes by and pardons in course and will never put them into the account and therefore they cannot hinder our walking in Covenant with God Breaches made in the first Covenant were irreparable but breaches made in the Covenant of Grace are not so because this Covenant is established in Christ who is still a making up all breaches Mark there are five things which shew that the deviations of Gods people are only infirmities and not enormities weaknesses and not wickednesses and the first is this viz. That they do frequently and principally arise from the subtilty and sudden power of Satans temptations 2. 1 Chron. 21.1 Rom. 7.15 16 19 23 24. That the frame of their spirits is against the evil that they do 3. Their daily cries tears and complaints speaks it out to be an infirmity they are in this particular like a lost sheep or a lost child or a lost friend 4. Though they do fall yet they rise again though they do step or wander out of the way yet they do return into the right way again 5. When they do fall there is a vast difference a mighty difference between their falls and the falls of wicked men that are not in Covenant with God and that first in respect of willingness 2. In respect of choice 3. In respect of affection 4. In respect of course 5. In respect of quietness 6. In respect of continuance Mark When wicked men fall when men out of Covenant with God fall then they fall willingly they fall out of choice they fall out of affection to fall they fall in a course they fall and they are quiet under
their falls they fall and continue to fall Isa 55.12 to morrow shall be as to day But persons in Covenant with God though they do fall yet they do not fall nor cannot fall as they do that are out of Covenant with God For first There is in all such persons an habitual purpose to keep Covenant with God 2. An habitual desire to keep Covenant with God 3. An habitual resolution to keep Covenant with God 4. An habitual endeavour to keep Covenant with God Now where t is thus there that man is certainly in Covenant with God and that man walks in Covenant with God he is under a Covenant of Grace his sins are pardoned and therefore they shall never be his ruine Isa 63.17 Doubtless many precious Christians have charged and condemned themselves for those things that the great God will never charge them with nor condemn them for Blessed Bradford wrote himself an Hypocrite a painted Sepulcher but doubtless God will never bring in such a charge against him O Sirs the stirrings of sin and the workings of sin and the prevalency of sin for particular acts will stand with the Covenant of Grace though not with the Covenant of Works You may not by any means conclude that you are not in a Covenant of Grace because such and such corruptions stirs in you or because such or such weaknesses now and then breaks forth and discovers themselves either in your lips or lives Did Christians but study the Covenant of grace more and understand better than they do the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works how would their fears and doubts about their spiritual and eternal estates vanish as the clouds before the Sun when it shines in its greatest strength and glory c. 'T was the saying of an eminent Minister on his death-bed That he had much peace and quietness not so much from a greater measure of grace than other Christians had or from any immediate witness of the spirit but because he had a more clear understanding of the Covenant of grace than many others having studyed it and Preached it so many years as he had done Doubtless had Christians a more clear and a more full understanding of the Covenant of grace they would live more holily serviceably humbly fruâ—tfully comfortably and sweetly than they do and they would dye more willingly readily and cheerfully than many may I not say than most Christians use to do But The Eighteenth Maxim or Consideration EIghteenthly and lastly That trouble grief and sorrow for sin that drives a man from God is sinful and must one day be repented of and wept over All true trouble Hos 5.14 15. chap. 6.1 2 3. Jer. 31.18 19 20. Psal 51. Hos 14.1 2. Psal 25.11 grief and sorrow drives to God as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent Suppose thou hast so and so sinned yet t is a false inference that therefore thou shouldest be discouraged and let thy hopes sink and thy heart faint as if there were no help no hope no comfort for thee in thy God Quest But when is a mans trouble or sorrow for sin sinfull Answ 1. When it keeps Christ and the Soul asunder 2. When it keeps the Soul and the Promises asunder 3. When it unfits a man for the duties of his place and calling wherein the providence of God has stated him 4. When it unfits a man for the duties of Religion either private or publick 5. When it takes off the sweet and comfort of all outward comforts and enjoyments and renders all our mercies like the white of an Egg that has no tast or savour in it 6. When it weakens wasts or destroyes the outward man all godly sorrow is a friend to the Soul and no enemy to the body And thus much for those divine Maxims Considerations and Rules that are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up a mans Interest in Christ and his title to all the glory of another world Certainly these Eighteen Maxims Considerations or Rules if God shall please powerfully to set in with them are of singular use for the clearing up of the saving work of God upon poor souls And therefore it highly concerns Christians seriously to ponder upon them as Mary did upon the sayings of the Angel in her heart Now these things being premised I shall come in the next Chapter to lay down some infallible evidences of saving Grace Luke 2.19 CHAP. II. Containing many choice precious and infallible Evidences of true saving grace upon which a Christian may safely and securely comfortably and confidently rest and adventure the weight of his precious and immortal Soul and by which he may certainly know that it shall go well with him for ever and that he has a reall saving interest in Christ and shall be everlastingly happy when he shall be here no more c. FIrst There are some things in regard of sin and a Christians actings about it that speaks out a gracious estate and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul I shall instance in these Eleven particulars First A universal willingness to be rid of all sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in a mans Soul Isa 28.15 18. Isa 30.22 Hos 14.8 Rom. 7.22 23 24. the first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul is the dividing between sin and the soul t is a making an utter breacl betwixt sin and the soul t is a dissolving of that old League that has been between the sinner and his sin The first work of the Spirit is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy to hate it as an enemy to loath it as an enemy to fear it as an enemy and to arm against it as an enemy When the holy spirit takes possession of the Soul from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit was upon him O saith Saul that I were but once well rid of this David and O saith the gracious Soul that I were but once well rid of this proud heart this hard heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this froward heart this earthly heart of mine c. Gen. 26.35 Look as the daughters of Heth even made Rebeccah weary of her life so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life Many a day have I sought death with tears said blessed Cowper not out of impatience distrust or perturbation Restraining grace doth only suppress and abate the acts of sin it doth never alter the disposition and will of a man as to sin You may chain up a Lyon but you cannot change the nature of a Lyon but because I am weary of sin and fearful to fall into it Look as when Christ hath won the will he hath
general Rule So here as no man can safely and groundedly conclude from no better Promises than from some few particular actions though in themselves materially and substantially good that his heart is therefore sincere 'T is not a pang of the Soul nor a mood nor a fit of an Ague nor a flash of Lightning nor a mans being as the morning dew but his habitual purpose resolution and inclination to good that evidences the man to be really good Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy Judgments at all times c. A sheep may slip into a slow as soon as a Swine and an Apple-tree may have a fit of barrenness as well as a Crab-tree But the sheep loves not to wallow in the Mire as the swine does And though the Apple-tree be barren one year yet it brings forth fruit the next so on the contrary no man ought to conclude because of some gross particular sinful actions and extravagant motions that his heart is unfound O Sirs we are not to make a Judgment of our states and conditions by some particular actions whether they are good or evil but we are to make a Judgment of our states and conditions by the general frame bent and disposition of our hearts and by the constant tenour of our lives 'T is certain that God accounts every wicked man guilty of all those sins wickednesses and vanities which the setled purpose desire bent bias and frame of his Soul inclined him to though he doth not actually commit them Matth. 5.28 He that looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his heart A man may commit Adultery and yet not touch a Woman There are many thousands that dye of the wound in the eye So 1 John 3.15 Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer A man may commit Murther and yet not kill a man yea he may commit Murther and yet not touch a man Prov. 23.7 For as he thinketh in his heart so is he The man is as his mind is God esteems of wicked men according to their hearts and not according to their words So 't is as certain that the Lord accounts every godly man to do all that good that the setled purpose frame bent biass and unfeigned desires of his Soul inclines him to 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind 't is accepted So Heb. 11.17 By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the Promises offered up his only Son that is in disposition and full purpose of heart and willingness of mind which God accepted for the deed a true intent is in Gods account as a real act So David had a purpose a mind a will to build God a house and for this God commends him 1 Kings 8.18 And the Lord said unto David my Father whereas it was in thy heart to build a house unto my Name thou didst well that it was in thy heart yea God rewards him for it as if he had actually done it and tells him in his ear that he would build him an house 2 Sam. 7.27 So when that servant that ow'd his Lord ten thousand Talents had shew'd his readiness and willingness and resolvedness to pay all Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all Matth. 18.26 a thing as impossible for him to do as 't is for us to keep the whole Law and not to fail in one point but his desires his mind his will his purposes was to do it well and what does his Lord do why his Lord had compassion on him and loosed him and forgave him the debt v. 27. his Lord took this for full and current payment he accepted of the will for the deed So when Zacheus had unfeignedly professed his purpose and willingness to make restitution Christ presently replies This day is Salvation come to thy house Luke 19.9 Certainly the Lord accounts that Soul a true Believer and a blessed Soul that unfeignedly desires to believe witness that Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled And 't is as certain that the Lord accounts that sinner a true penitent that doth unfeignedly desire purpose and resolve to repent to break off his sins and to turn to the Lord as you may see in that great instance of the Prodigal Luke 15.18 19 20. I will arise and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants And he arose and came to his Father But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Assoon as ever the Prodigal did but purpose and resolve to repent and return to his Father the compassions of his Father are kindled and turned towards him and he does not go but runs and falls on his neck and in stead of kicking and killing there is nothing but kissing and embracing a returning Prodigal God alwayes sets a higher value upon our dispositions than upon our actions 2 Cor. 8.10 1 Cor. 9.17 1 Pet. 5.2 Exod. 25.2 Philemon 14 and in our best services he esteems more of our wills than he does of our deeds as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent Every good man is as good in the eye and account of God as the ordinary frame and bent of his Spirit speaks him to be Every man is as holy as humble as heavenly as spiritual as gracious as serious as sincere as fruitful as faithful as watchful c. as the setled purposes desires resolutions and endeavours of his Soul speaks him to be Hence Noah is said to be a just man and perfect or upright in his Generation Gen. 6.9 And hence Job is said to be a perfect and an upright man one that feared God and eschewed evil Job 1.1.8 And hence David is said to be a man after Gods own heart 1 Sam. 13 14. And to fulfill all his wills Acts 13.22 here the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is wills to note the universality and sincerity of his obedience And hence Zacharias and Elizabeth are said to be both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God blameless Luke 1.5 6. Hence the Church is said to be all fair Cant. 4.7 Thou art all fair my love and there is no spot in thee And hence those hundred forty and four thousand Saints that had their Fathers Name written in their Foreheads Rev. 14.1 are said to be without fault v. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile for they are without fault before the Throne of God God in the Covenant of Grace and upon the credit of his Sons blood and for the glory of his Free Grace and favour is graciously pleased to accept of his
people and to approve of his people and to delight in his people and to interpret his people according to the common bent frame disposition resolution unfeigned desires and constant endeavours of their Souls But c. Thirdly If your obedience be the obedience of Faith then your estate is good then you have assuredly an infallible work of God upon your souls Quest But how shall we know whether our obedience be the obedience of Faith or no how may a man discern when his obedience springs from Faith Answ You may certainly know whether your obedience be the obedience of Faith or no by these following particulars First That obedience that springs from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience David did look upon his universal obedience as a special testimony of his uprightness Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Mark the Psalmist doth not say When I obey all thy Commandments then shall I not be ashamed but When I have a respect to all thy Commandments then shall I not be ashamed Now a respect to all Gods Commandments notes an inward awe and reverential eye towards every duty that God requires The rule is good and true Quicquid propter deum fit equaliter fit he who doth serve and obey God for Gods sake will equally obey all that God commands him No one Command is unjust or unreasonable to himâ— whose heart is upright in obedience c. Seneca describing a vertuous man Epist 120. saith of him that he is Idem semper et in omni actu par sibi Bacharti from â—achar the word notes a careful and diligent choice upon good tryal and proof The words according to the Hebrew may be read thus Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy Commandments Now you know the Traveller hath his eye towards the place whither he is going and though he be short of it yet he is still a putting on and pressing forwards all he can to reach it So when the eye of a Saint is to all the Commands of God and he is still a pressing forwards towards full obedience such a Soul shall never be put to the blush such a Soul shall never be ashamed in the great day of our Lord Jesus So Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all my wills to note the sincerity and universality of his obedience So Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men So Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly That obedience that springs from Faith doth neither dispute Divine Commands nor divide Divine Commands one from another Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1.5 6. That obedience that springs from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience It is universal in respect of the subject the whole man and 't is universal in respect of the object the whole Law Mark he who obeyes sincerely obeyes universally though not in regard of practice which is impossible yet 1. In regard of his will and desires his will and desire is to obey all Rom. 7.18 For to will is present with me Psal 119.5 O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes 2. In respect of election or choice he chooses to obey all Psal 119.173 Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy Precepts The word here rendred chosen signifies to choose upon tryal and examination I have chosen thy Precepts before all and above all other things I have chosen thy Precepts for my chiefest good and for my only treasure I have chosen thy Precepts to own them to follow them and to obey them 3. In respect of approbation he approves of all the Commands of God as holy just and good he highly approves of those Royal Commands that he cannot perfectly obey Rom. 7.12 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good And Verse 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good He assents to the Commands of God as holy and he consents to them as good 4. In respect of affection he loves all the Commands of God he dearly loves those very Commands that he cannot obey Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law Such a pang of love he felt as could not otherwise be vented but by this pathetical exclamation O how love I thy Law Verse 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Verse 163. I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love Verse 119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies Verse 127. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Verse 159. Consider how I love thy Precepts Verse 167. My Soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly 5. In respect of valuation or esteem he highly values all the Commands of God he highly prizes all the Commands of God as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 119.72 127 128. Psal 19.8 9 10 11. Job 23.12 6. In respect of his purpose and resolution he purposes and resolves by divine assistance to obey all to keep all Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments Psal 17.3 I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress 7. In respect of his inclination he has an habitual inclination in him to keep all the Commands of God 1 Kings 8.57 58. 2 Chron. 30.17 18 19 20. Psal 119.112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes alwayes even to the end 8. In respect of endeavours they endeavour to keep all Psal 119.59 I turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is no man that obeyes God truly who doth not endeavour to obey God fully and thus you see in what respects that obedience that flows from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience A child of God obeyes all the commands of God in respect of his sincere desires purposes resolutions and endeavours and this God accepts in Christ for perfect and compleat obedience This is the glory of the Covenant of Grace that God accepts and esteems of sincere obedience as perfect obedience Such who sincerely endeavour to keep the whole Law of God they do keep the whole Law of God in an evangelical sense though not in a legal sense In the work of Conversion Ezek. 11.19 20. God infuseth all Grace together and writes not one particular Law in the hearts of his children but the whole Law which is a universal Principle inclining the Soul impartially to all The gracious Soul sincerely falls in with every command of God so far as he knows it without prejudice or partiality he dares not
and diligent guard about them that nothing may pass in or out that may be either displeasing provoking or grieving to them But Fourthly The word signifies to keep as a man keeps his life Job 10.12 Thy visitation hath preserved here is Shamar my life Now with what care with what diligence with what labour with what watchfulness do men labour to preserve their natural lives what a guard what a watch do men daily set about their lives the same they should set about their hearts But Fifthly Men should keep their hearts as they keep a rich treasure of money or jewels or plate Now to preserve a rich treasure what locks what bolts what bars All our spiritual riches are in our hearts A good man may say with Bias omnia mea mecum parto all my goods I carry about with me what chains are made use of Our hearts are jewels more worth than all the Kingdoms Crowns and Scepters of this world There are few men that know how to value a God a Christ a Gospel a Covenant of grace a Heaven or their own hearts as they should What are mountains of gold and rocks of pearl to the heart the soul of man The heart is that pearl of price for which a man should venture his all and lay down his all O then what a guard what a watch should a man continually keep upon his heart The heart is Camera omnipotentis Regis the presence chamber of the King of heaven and upon this account it becomes a Christian alwayes to keep a guard upon his heart he keeps his heart best who keeps it as his choisest treasure c. But Sixthly Men should keep their hearts as a fond father keeps his only child the fond father will still keep his child within doors he will still have him under his eye and in his presence that so no hurt no harm may befal him day or night Our eye should be still upon our hearts or else they will give us the slip and play the wantons with us But Seventhly Men should keep their hearts as Lovers keep the love-tokens that are mutually sent one to another they love to be often a looking upon them and a thinking of them and a talking of them and will be sure to keep the strictest and the strongest guard upon them So a Christian should still be a looking upon his heart and a thinking upon his heart and a speaking of his heart either of the badness of it or of the wants of it and a keeping of the strictest and strongest guard upon his heart But Eighthly A man should keep his heart as a man keeps his house when he is afraid and in danger of being robbed by thieves in the night O! how wakeful and watchful and active will a man now be but what 's a man's house to his heart A mans heart is in ten thousand times more danger than his house and accordingly his guard should be most about his heart But Ninthly A man should keep his heart as men keep their gardens that are full of choice rich rare ripe fruits and dowers Now what care cost and pains men are at to keep such gardens you well know And O that you did but every day more and more experimentally know what it is to spend your greatest care and pains about your hearts which are Christ's garden his bed of spices where all graces flourish Cant. 4. ult Tenthly and last A man should keep his heart as spruce men and women do their fine cloaths O they won't endure a speck a spot upon them 'T is your wisdom and O that you would more and more make it your work to keep your hearts from all sinful specks and spots Let not others be more careful to keep their outsides clean than you are to keep your insides clean for what are clean cloaths to a clean heart 'T is better to go to heaven in ragged cloaths with a clean heart than to go to hell in fine cloaths with an unclean heart Doubtless that man that makes it his business to keep his heart as men keep dangerous Fellons or Traitors or as soldiers keep their Garrisons or Castles when closly besieged or as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God or as a man keeps his natural life or as a man keeps a rich treasure or as a fond father keeps an only child or as Lovers keep their love-tokens or as a man keeps his house when he is in danger to be robbed or as a man keeps his pleasant garden or as spruce men and women keep their fine cloaths that man is doubtless a true Nathaniel a man that has a work of God past in power upon his soul yea that man whose sincere desires and whose gracious purposes and fixed resolutions and faithful endeavours is to guard and watch his heart according to the particulars we have now hinted that man without a peradventure is a gracious man and one that has the root of the matter in him and shall be happy to all eternity Look as no man can hear as he would and should nor pray as he would and should nor believe as he would and should nor repent as he would and should nor walk as he would and should so no man can keep his heart as he would and should but if a man makes it his great business and work to keep his heart to watch his heart to reform his heart to better his heart he is accepted of God and shall be blessed for-ever 'T is one of the greatest and cleerest evidences of grace for a man to make it his greatest business work and concernment in this world to keep his heart alwayes in a gracious frame Cant. 5.2 2 Kings 22.19 2 Chron. 32.26 James 5.11 Eccles 5.1 2. Col. 3.1 2. 2 Cor. 7.11 to keep his heart alwayes in a wakeful frame in a watchful frame in a tender frame in a believing frame in a repenting frame in an humble frame in a patient frame in a serious frame in a heavenly frame and in a jealous frame for the more gracious the heart is the more suspicious it will be Satan has a strong party a numerous party an old party a subtil party in all our hearts and therefore it highly concerns us to watch our hearts with a holy jealousie O Sirs God hath never said Above all keepings keep your Shops or above all keepings keep your Estates or above all keepings keep your Flocks or above all keepings keep your Bags or above all keepings keep your Friends or above all keepings keep your Bodies or above all keepings keep your Names or above all keepings keep your Conversations but he hath said above all keepings keep your hearts Look Fron. lib. 2. as the heart is the fountain of natural life and if it fail life fails and therefore it is strongly secured with ribs about it it is guarded in a castle of flesh and bones so is the soul the fountain
ever before him Godly sorrow will every day follow sin hard at hells Look as a wicked man in respect of his desire and will to sin would sin for ever if he should live for ever so I may say if a godly man should live for ever he would sorrow for ever After Paul had been converted many years some think fourteen you shall find him a mourning and lamenting over his sins Rom. 7. An ingenious child will never cease mourning till he ceases from offending an indulgent father Though sin and godly sorrow were never born together yet whilst a believer lives in this world they must live together And indeed holy joy and godly sorrow are no wayes inconsistent Psal 2.11 yea a godly man's eyes are alwayes fullest of tears when his heart is fullest of holy joy c. A man may go joying and mourning to his grave yea to heaven at the same time But now the sorrow the grief of wicked men for sin 't is like a morning cloud or the early dew or the crackling of thorns under a pot or a Post that quickly passeth by or a dream that soon vanisheth or like a tale that is told c. their sorrowful hearts and mournful eyes soon dry up together As you may see in Esau Ahab Pharaoh and Judas but the streams of godly sorrow will last and run as long as sin hangs upon us and dwells in us 1 Cor. 15.9 I am the least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God Psal 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions David prayeth to the Lord not only to forgive but also to forget both the sins of his youth and the sins of his age David remembred all his faults both of former and of later times David was well in years when he defiled himself with Bathsheba and this he remembers and mourns over Psal 51. And 't is very observable that God charged his people for to remember old sins Deut. 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness Repentance is a grace and must have its daily operation as well as other graces witness the very covenant of grace it self Ezek. 16.62 63. I will establish my covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done Certainly a true penitent can no more satisfie himself with one act of repentance than he can satisfie himself with one act of faith or or with one act of hope or with one act of love or with one act of humility or with one act of patience or with one act of self-denial Godly sorrow is a Gospel-grace that will live and last as well and as long as other graces 't is a spring that in this life can never be drawn dry Sixthly Godly sorrow is a divorcing sorrow it divorces the heart from sin it breaks that ancient league that has been between the heart and sin It is an excellent saying of Austin He doth truly bewail the sins he hath committed who never commits the sins he hath bewailed there is a strong firm league between every sinner and his sin Isa 28.15 18. but when godly sorrow enters it dissolves that league it separates between a sinner and his sin it sets the soul at an everlasting distance from sin The union between the root and the branches the foundation and the building the head and the members the father and the child the husband and the wife the body and the soul are all neer very neer unions yet that between a sinner and his sin seems to be a neerer union Observable is the story of Phaltiel 2 Sam. 3.14 15 16. You know when David had married Michol Saul injuriously gave her to another but when David came to the crown and sent forth his Royal commands that his wife should be brought to him her husband dares not but obey brings her on her journey and then not without great reluctancy of spirit takes his leave of her But what was Phaltiel weary of his wife that he now forsakes her O no he was enforced and though she was gone yet he had many a sad thought about parting with her and he never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Baharim weeping and bemoaning her absence Just thus stands the heart of every unregenerate man towards his sins as Phaltiel's heart stood towards his wife But when the springs of godly sorrow rise in the soul the league the friendship the union that was between the sinner and his sins comes to be dissolved and broken in pieces Hosea 14.8 All godly sorrow sets the heart against sin he that divinely mourns over sin can't live in a course of sin when of all bitters God makes sin to be the greatest bitter to the soul then the soul bids an everlasting farewel to sin now the soul in good earnest bids adieu to sin for ever O Sirs ☜ this is a most certain Maxim to live and die with that either a mans sins will make an end of his mourning or else his mourning will make an end of his sin for he that holds on sinning will certainly leave off mourning no man can make a trade of sin and yet keep his heart in a mourning frame but he that holds on mourning for sin will certainly leave off the trade of sin holy grief for sin will sooner or later break off all leagues and friendships with sin Isa 59.1 2. As sin makes a separation between God and a man's soul so godly sorrow makes a separation between a man's soul and his sin All holy mournings over sin will by degrees issue in the wasting and weakning of the strength and power of sin nothing below the death and destruction of sin will satisfie that soul that truly mourns over sin But now though you may find an unsound heart sometimes a lamenting over his sins yet you shall never find him a leaving off his sins Pharaoh lamented over his sin crying out I have sinned Exod. 9.27 10.16 the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked And again Then Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron in haste and he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you But though you find him here lamenting and complaining over his sin yet you never find him leaving or forsaking of his sin So Saul could cry out he had sinned but yet he still continued in his sin he acknowledged that he did evil in persecuting of David and yet he still held on persecuting of him An unsound heart mourns over sin and yet he holds on in a course of sin he sins and mourns and mourns and sins and commonly all his mourning for sin does but the more imbolden him
world the flesh and the devil Well remember this for ever There are three things an hypocrite can never do 1. He can never mourn for sin as sin 2. He can never mourn for the sins of others as well as his own Moses Lot David Jeremiah Paul and those in that Ezek. 9.4 6. mourned for others sins as well as their own but Pharoah Ahab Judas Demas Simon Magus never did 3. He can never hate sin as sin But Eighthly No hypocrite is habitually low or little in his own eyes no hypocrite has ordinarily mean thoughts of himself 1 Cor. 8.1 2. John 7.49 9.34 or a poor esteem of himself no hypocrite loves to lessen himself to greaten Christ to debase himself to exalt Christ no hypocrite loves to be out-shin'd all hypocrites love to write an I not a Christ upon what they do The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself Luke 18.11 12 Munday and Thursday were the Pharisees fasting dayes because Moses went up to the Mount on a Thursday and came down on a Munday saith Drusius God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tythes of all that I possess All hypocrites stand not only upon their comparisons but also upon the disparisons I am not as this Publican All hypocrites stand much upon their negative righteousness and their comparative goodness There is no hypocrite in the world but sets down his penny for a pound and alwayes prizes himself above the Market 2 Kings 10.15 16. And when he was departed thence he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him and he saluted him and said to him Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart and Jehonadab answered it is if it be give me thine hand and be gave him his hand and he took him up to him into his chariot and he said come with me and see my zeal for the Lord. Comets make a greater blaze than fixed Stars Come see my zeal for the Lord. Jehu his words were for the Lord but his project was for the kingdom The Actor in the Comedy said with his mouth O coelum O heaven but with his finger he pointed to the earth Lapidaries tell us of a stone called the Chelydonian stone that it will retain its vertue no longer than it is enclosed in gold a fit emblem of an hypocrite of a Jehu John 12.43 Jehu made a great blaze but he was but a Comet An hypocrite alwayes loves the praise of men more than the praise of God he loves more to be honoured by men than to be honoured by God John 5.44 How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour which cometh from God only Nothing below that power which raised Christ from the grave can make an hypocrite purely nothing in his own eyes An hypocrite is alwayes a great thing in his own eyes Accius the Poet though he were a Dwarf yet would be pictured tall of stature The application to the hypocrite is easie and when he is nothing a great nothing in others eyes he can't bear it An hypocrite can't endure to be out-shin'd in gifts in graces in experiences in duties in communion with God in spiritual enjoyments An hypocrites heart is full of pride when his deportment is most humble he alwayes thinks best of himself and worst of others he looks upon his own vices as graces and he looks upon other mens graces as vices or at least as no true currant coyn A proud spirit will cast disgrace upon that excellency that himself wants Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 13. as Licinius who was joyned with Galerius in the Empire he was so ignorant that he was not able to write his own name he was a bitter enemy to learning and as Eusebius reports of him he called the liberal Arts a publick poyson and pestilence The emptiest barrels makes the loudest sound the worst metal the greatest noise and the lightest ears of corn hold their heads highest An hypocrite may well lay his hand upon his heart and say is it not so with me is it not just so with me But now sincere Châ—istians they are men of another spirit of another temper of another mettle of another mind their hearts lye low when their gifts and graces and spiritual enjoyments are high Abraham is but dust and ashes in his own eyes Gen. 18.27 The higher any man is in his communion with God the more low that man will be in his own eyes Dust and ashes are poor base vile worthless things and such a thing as these was Abraham in his own eyes So Jacob was a plain man Gen. 32.10 an upright man and lo what a low esteem had he of himself I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy servant c. In the Hebrew it is I am little before thy mercies for the Hebrews have no comparative Gen. 31. from ver 38. to 41. The least mercy saith Jacob is more worth than I more weighty than I and therefore they are wont to express this by a positive and a preposition When Jacob had to do with Laban he pleads his merits but when he has to do with God he pleads nothing but grace setting a very low esteem upon himself he looks upon himself as less than the least of mercies and as worse than the worst of creatures the least of my mercies are greater than I deserve and the greatest of my troubles are less than I deserve saith Jacob. The language of a plain hearted Jacob is this O Lord I might with Job have been stript of all my comforts and enjoyments at a clap and set upon a dunghil I might with Lazarus have been begging my bread from door to door Lam. 5.9 or I might have been getting my bread with the peril of my life because of the sword of the wilderness or I might have been with Dives in hell a crying out for a drop of water to cool my tongue A sincere Christian cannot tell how to speak good enough of God Luk. 16.24 nor ill enough of himself Agur was one of the wisest and holiest men on earth and see how greatly he debases himself Prov. 30.1 2. Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man Agur had seen Ithiel God with me and Ucal God almighty and this made him so vile and base in his own eyes this made him villifie yea nullifie himself to the utmost Job was a non-such in regard of those perfections and â—grees of grace of integrity of sanctity that he had attained to beyond any other Saints in the World in his time and day You know no man ever received a fairer or a more valuable certificate under the hand of God or the broad Seal of
happiness of a Christians condition There were some in James his time who cryed up faith James 2.18 and union and communion with Christ but were destitute of good works Well what saith the Apostle Shew me thy faith without thy works Ver. 26. and I will shew thee my faith by my works for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead Look as the body without the spirit or without breath as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primarily signifies is dead so that faith that is without works which are as it were the breathings of a lively faith is a dead faith Though it be faith that justifieth the man yet it is works that justifies a mans faith to be right and real saving and justifying So there were some in Johns time viz. the Gnosticks who talkt high of fellowship and communion with Christ and yet walkt in darkness they lived in all impurity and yet would make the world believe that they were the only people who knew God and had fellowship with God but John tells us they were lyars 2 Cor. 6.14 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth What fellowship hath light with darkness Such walk in darkness who promise to themselves the future vision of God's face whilst they go on in the wilful breach of God's royal Laws Such who say they know him and are swallowed up in the enjoyments of him and yet in the course of their liveâ— walk contrary to him such are lyars He that saith I know him 1 John 2.4 and keeps not his commandements is a lyar Sanctification and justification are both of them benefits of the Covenant of grace and therefore to evidence the one by the other Jer. 33.8 9. Heb. 8.10 12. can be no turning aside to the covenant of works You may run and read in the Covenant of grace that he that is justified is also sanctified and that he that is sanctified is also justified and therefore why may not he that knows himself to be really sanctified upon that very ground safely and boldly conclude that he is certainly justified O Sirs the same spiriâ— that witâ—esses to a Christian his justification can shine upon his graces 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Joh. 4.13 14. and witness to him his sanctification as well as his justification and without all controversie 't is as much the office of the Spirit to witness to a man his sanctification as 't is to witness to him his justification But you will say Sir pray what should be the reasons why many men have and why some do still cry down marks and signs and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification c. and speak disgracefully of this practice that is now under consideration I conjecture the Reasons may be such as follow First Many Professors take up in a great name and in a great profession and in great parts and gifts though they have never found a through change 1 Thes 5.23 John 3.3 5. 2 Cor. 5.17 Acts 26.28 though they have never past the pangs of the new birth though they have never experienced what it is to be a new creature a throughout Christian And hence it comes to pass that they make head against this way of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans condition by inward gracious qualifications Of all men these are most apt to out-run the truth and to run from one extream to another and to be only constant in inconstancy But Secondly Many professors are given up to spiritual judgments which are the sorest of all judgments viz. luke-warmness dead-heartedness formality indifferency Apostacy blindness hardness and to strong delusions that they should believe a lye 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Now is it any wonder to see such men quarrel and wrangle and rail against the way and method of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans spiritual condition by inherent gracious qualifications But Thirdly In some this ariseth from their lusts which they indulge and connive at and which they have a mind to live quietly in they are desirous to keep their peace and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts and hence they exclude this witness of water or sanctification to testifie in the Court of Conscience whether they are beloved of God or whether they are sincere hearted or no or whether they have the root of the matter in them or no for the want of this witness water or sanctification is a clear and full witness against them that they are yet in their sins under wrath and in the way to eternal ruin and that they have nothing to do with peace Isa 57. ult Psal 50.16 or comfort or the promises or Christ or heaven to take God's name into their lips seeing they secretly hate to be reformed There are many fair Professors that are foul sinners and that have much of God and Christ and heaven and holiness in their lips when they have nothing but sin and hell in their hearts and lives These mens conversions shame their profession and therefore they cry out against sanctification as a sure and blessed evidence of a mans justification Such sinners as live in a course of sin that make a Trade of sin 1 Thes 2.12 that indulge their sins that take up arms in defence of sin that make provision for sin that make a sport of sin that take pleasure in sin and that have set their hearts upon their sins such sinners can't but look upon the witness of sanctification as the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. But Fourthly There are many who are great strangers to their own hearts and the blessed Scriptures and are ignorant of what may be said from the blessed Word 'T is sad to be a stranger at home and to be least acquainted with a mans own heart Aristotle to evidence the lawfulness of this practice that is under our present consideration And hence it comes to pass that they cry down marks and signs and deny sanctification to be a sure and blessed evidence of mens justification Ignorat sane improbâ—â— omnis ignorance is the source of all sin the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue 'T is said of knowledge non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem Ignorance inslaves a soul to Satan it lets in sin by Troops locks them up in the heart shuts out the means of recovery and so plaisters up a mans eyes that he can't see the things that belongs to his own or to others internal or eternal peace The Scripture sets ignorant persons below the Ox and the Ass Did men either see the deformity of sin Isa 1.3 or the beauty and excellency of holiness they would never delight in the one nor cry down the other Peter 2 Pet. 2.12
You know in time of War there are the outworks and there are the royal Forts Now when the Soldiers are beaten out of their out-works they retire to the royal Forts and there they are safe and then they cast up their caps and bid defiance to their proudest enemies Now our graces and our gracious evidences they are our out-works and from these we may be beaten in a day of desertion and temptation c. Now if we make our retreat to the five following royal Forts we may in a holy sence cast up our caps and bid defiance to an host of Devils yea to all the powers of darkness Qu. But Sir Pray let us know which are these Royal Forts Ans They are these three that follow The first is the free rich infinite soveraign and glorious grace of God Gen. 6.8 Exod. 19.5 Eph 1.5 6 7. 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15 16. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant The original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was over full redundant more than enough more than might serve the turn for him who was the greatest of sinners By free-grace you are to understand the gracious good will or favour of God whereby he is pleased of his own free love to chuse and accept of some in Christ for his own This we call first grace because it is the fountain of all other grace and the springs from whence they flow and it 's therefore called grace because it makes a man gracious with God Now mark there have been many Christians who have had no assurance of the love of God no sight of their interest in Christ no sealing of the spirit nor no one clear evidence of grace that they durst rest the weight of their souls upon nor no one promise in the whole Book of God that they durst apply or rest upon who yet daily casting or rowling themselves their souls and their everlasting concernments upon the infinite free rich and soveraign grace of God in Christ have found some tolerable peace comfort and refreshment in such a practise all their dayes A Christian may lose the sight of his graces and the evidences of his gracious estate he may be so much in the dark he may be so much benighted and bewildered in his spirit that there may be no way under heaven left to him to enjoy peace comfort rest quiet settlement or contentment but by casting or rowling of his soul upon the free rich infinite and soveraign grace of God in Christ and here casting anchor the poor bewildered deserted tempted Isa 50.10 tossed soul may be safe and at rest The free love and favour of God will be a lamp to the soul in the darkest night Psal 4.6 Socrates prized the Kings countenance above his coyn What is then the countenance of a God to a gracious soul it will be a sweet lump that will sweeten the bitterest cup it will be a singular cordial against all faintings it will be armour of proof against all temptations it will be an everlasting arm to you under all afflictions it will be a Sun and a shield to you in every condition Psal 80.3 Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved Divine favour is that pearl of price that is most desirable Dan. 9.17 The Lord make his face to shine upon his sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake Numb 6.24 The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you Psal 67.1 God be merciful to you and bless you and cause his face to shine upon you Job 2.4 Life is a very desirable thing skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life and yet the loving kindness of God is better than life Psal 63. Thy loving kindness is better than life The Hebrew word is Chajim lives to note that the loving kindness of God is better than many lives yea than all lives and the revenues of life put many lives together put all lives together and yet there is more excellency in the least discovery of divine love than in them all Many a man has been weary of his life but who have ever been weary of divine love Dear Christians are your graces or gracious evidences shining and sparkling O then solace your selves mostly in the free love and favour of God for in his free favour lyes the life of your souls the life of your graces the life of your comforts yea in his free favour your all is bound up If your graces or evidences are so clouded and darkned that you are in a stormy day beat out of your out-works O now run to the free grace and favour of God as to your Royal Fort as to your strong Tower as to your City of Refuge where you may be safe and happy for ever In such a day ponder much upon these Scriptures Hos 14.4 I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely God's love is a free love having no motive or foundation but within it self all the links of the golden chain of salvation are made up of free-grace The people of God are freely loved Deut. 7.6 7 8. and freely chosen John 15.16 19. Eph. 1.4 and freely accepted Eph. 1.6 and freely adopted Eph. 1.5 Gal. 4.5 6. and freely reconciled 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. and freely justified Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace and freely saved Eph. 2.5 By grace ye are saved Ver. 8. For by grace are ye saved Tit. 3.5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us Thus you see that all the golden rounds in Jacob's Ladder that reaches from heaven to earth are all made up of free-grace Free-grace is the foundation of all spiritual and eternal mercies free-grace is the solid bottom and foundation of all a Christians comfort in this world Were we to measure the love of God to us by our fruitfulness holiness humbleness spiritualness heavenly-mindedness or gracious carriages towards him how would our hope our confidence every hour Rom. 4.16 yea every moment in every hour be staggered if not vanquished Bâ—t all is of grace of free-grace that the promise might be sure and that our salvation might be safe O Sirs it is free-grace that will strengthen you in all your duties and that will sweeten all your mercieâ— Rom. 8.33 34 35 36. and that will support you under all your changes and that will arm you against all temptations answer all objections and take off all Satans accusations that may be cast in to disturb the peace and quiet of your souls and therefore whether your graces or gracious evidences do shine or are clouded yet still have your recourse to the free-grace of God as to your first Royal Fort your first City of Refuge and still cry out Grace grace When your gracious evidences are clearest and fullest it then concerns you to look upon free grace as your choicest and safest City
with those who say it is an Hebraism the plural righteousnesses noting that most perfect compleat absolute righteousness which Christ is pleased to put upon his people Upon the account of this righteousness of Christ the Church is said to be without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.27 and to be all fair Thou art all fair my love Cant. 4.7 Col. 2.10 there is no spot in thee And to be compleat And ye are compleat in him which is the head of all principality â—nd power Rev. 14.5 And to be without fault They are without fault before the throne of God And so Col. 1.21 And to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable in the sight of God But Fourthly This righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears doubts and objections of your souls How shall I look up to God the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I find acceptance with God the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I dye the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ How shall I stand before a Judgment-seat the Answer is in the righteousness of Christ Your sure and only way under all temptations fears conflicts doubts and disputes is by faith to remember Christ That was a rare speech of Luther Ipsâ— videret ubi anima mea mansura sit qui pro ea sic solicitus fuit ut vitam pro ea posuerit let him see to it where my soul shall rest who took so much care for it as that he laid down his life for it and the sufferings of Christ as your Mediator and Surety and say O Christ thou art my sin in being made sin for me and thou art my curse in being made a curse for me or rather I am thy sin and thou art my righteousness I am thy curse and thou art my blessing I am thy death and thou art my life I am the wrath of God to thee and thou art the love of God to me I am thy hell and thou art my heaven O Sirs if you think of your sins and of God's wrath if you think of your guiltiness and of God's justice your hearts will fail you and sink into despair if you don't think of Christ if you don't rest and stay your souls upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ But Fifthly and lastly The righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to shew for a Kingdom that shakes not Heb. 12.28 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5.1 2 3 4. for riches that corrupt not for an inheritance that fadeth not away and for an house not made with hands but one eternal in the heavens The righteousness of Christ is your life your joy your comfort your crown your confidence your heaven your all and therefore whether your graces or gracious evidences do sparkle and shine or are clouded or blotted yet still keep a fixed eye and an awakned heart upon the Mediatory righteousness of Jesus Christ for that 's the righteousness by which you may happily live comfortably die and boldly appear before a Judgment-seat But The third Royal Fort that Christians should have their eyes their hearts fixed upon whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine or are obscured and clouded is the Covenant of grace The Covenant of grace is a new compact or agreement which God hath made with sinful man out of his own meer mercy and grace Deut. 4.23 Isa 55.3 54.7 8 9 10. Jer. 31.31 Psal 50.5 c. Hos 14.4 Tit. 3.6 Eph. 1.5 6 7. Chap. 2.5 7 8. Rom. 9.18 23. Jer. 32.38 39 40 41. Ezek. 36.25 26 27. wherein he undertakes both for himself and for faln man wherein he engages himself to make faln man everlastingly happy All mankind had been eternally lost and God had lost all the glory of his mercy for ever had he not of his own free-grace and mercy made such an agreement with sinful man This Covenant is called a Covenant of grace because it flows from the meer grace and mercy of God There was nothing out of God nor nothing in God but his meer mercy and grace that moved him to enter into Covenant with poor sinners In the Covenant of grace there are two things considerable First the Covenant that God makes for himself to us which consists of these Branches 1. That he will be our God 2. That he will give us a new heart a new spirit 3. That he will not turn away his face from us from doing of us good 4. That he will put his fear into our hearts 5. That he will cleanse us from all our filthiness and from all our Idols 6. That he will rejoyce over us to do us good Secondly here is the Covenant which God doth make for us to himself which consists in these things 1. That we shall be his people 2. That we shall fear him for ever 3. That we shall walk in his Statutes keep his Judgments and do them 4. That we shall not depart from him Upon many accounts I may not enlarge on these things but by these short hints 't is evident that the Covenant of grace is an entire Covenant made by God both for himself and for us O Sirs in the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give whatsoever he requires 1 Chron. 28.9 First He requires us to know him and he has engaged himself that we shall know him Jer. 24.7 I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord. And Jer. 31.34 They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them Heb. 8.11 But Secondly The Lord frequently requires his people to trust in him Psal 62.8 Isa 26.4 2 Chron. 20.20 And he has engaged himself that his people shall trust in him Zeph. 3.12 I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. But Thirdly The Lord frequently commands his people to fear him Deut. 6.13 Chap. 8.6 And he has engaged himself that they shall fear him Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Hos 3.5 They shall fear the Lord and his goodness But Fourthly The Lord frequently commands his people to love him Deut. 11.1 Psal 31.23 O love the Lord all ye his Saints And he has promised and engaged himself that his people shall love him Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul But Fifthly The Lord frequently commands his people to call upon him and to pray unto him Psal 50.15 1 Thes 5.17 c. And he has promised and engaged himself to pour upon them a spirit of prayer Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of
is the great Charter the Magna Charta of all your spiritual priviledges and immunities Now in this great Charter the Lord declares That sincerity shall go for perfection Luke 1.5 6. Acts 13.22 2 Chron 3â— â—8 19 20. In this great Charter the Lord hath declared That he judges his people by the standing bent and frame of their hearts and not by what they are under some pangs of passion or in an hour of temptation In this great Charter the Lord declares That his eye is more upon his peoples inward disposition than 't is upon their outward actions and that his eye is more upon their will 2 Cor. 8.12 Phil. 2.13 than 't is upon their work In this great Charter the Covenant of grace the Lord hath declared That he will not forsake his people nor cast off his people Ponder much upon Jer. 31.31 to 38. because of those failings and weaknesses that may and do attend them 1 Sam. 12.22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people He chose you for his love and he still loveth you for his choice God will rather pity his people under their weakness than he will reject them for their weakness The Covenant of grace that God hath made with his people is as the Covenant that a man makes with his Wife I will betroth thee unto me for ever saith the Lord. Hos 2.19 20. Jer. 3.13 Turn O back-sâ—iding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you Now a man will never reject his Wife he will never cast off his Wife for those common weaknesses and infirmities that daily attends her no more will the Lord cast off his people because of the infirmities that daily hang upon them In this great Charter the Covenant of grace the Lord declares that he will require no more than he gives and that he will give what he requires and that he will accept what he gives and what can a God say more and what can a gracious soul desire more O Sirs when all is cloudy over head and all dark within doors when a Christians graces are not transparent when his evidences for heaven are soiled and blotted and when neither heart nor house are as they should be 't is good then to turn to the Covenant grace and to dwell upon the Covenant of grace Thus David did 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow Let me give a little light into the words Although my house be not so with God Though David in the main had a good heart yet he had but a wicked house Absalom had slain his Brother rebelled against his Father and lay with his Fathers Concubines And Amnon had defloured his Sister c. Now David under a deep sense of all this wickedness and of his own personal unworthiness sadly sighs it out Although my house be not so with God c. though I have not walked so exactly and perfectly as I shold have done though neither I nor my house have walked answerable to those great mercies and singular kindnesses of God that have been extended to us Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The word everlasting hath two acceptations it doth denote 1. Sometimes a long duration Vide Isa 55.3 Gen. 17.7 Psal 105.9 10 Isa 61.8 Heb. 13.20 in which respect the old Covenant clâ—athed with figures and ceremonies is called everlasting because it was to endure and did endure a long time â— Sometimes it denotes a perpetual duration a duration which shall last for ever In this respect the Covenant of grace is everlasting it shall never cease never be broken nor never be alteâ—ed Now the Covenant of grace is an everlasting Covenant in a twofold respect First Ex parte soederantis in respect of God who will never break Covenant with his people but is their God and will be their God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death I and after death too for this is not to be taken exclusive he will never leave his people nor forsake his people Heb. 13.5 6. Secondly Ex parte confoederatorum in respect of the people of God who are brought into Covenant and shall continue in Covenant for ever and ever You have both these expressed in that excellent Scripture Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Seriously dwell upon the place it shews that the Covenant is everlasting on God's part and also on our part On God's part I will never turn away from them to do them good and on our part They shall never depart from me How so I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me even that fear spoken of in ver 39. That they may fear me for ever Ordered in all things O! what head can conceive or what tongue can express that infinite counsel wisdom love care and tenderness that the blessed God has exprest in ordering the Covenant of grace so as it may most and best suit to all the wants and straits and necessities and miseries and desires and longings of poor sinners souls The Covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God that you may find in it remedies to cure all your diseases and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings Isa 40.28 Psal 147.5 and a spiritual armoury to arm you against all your enemies viz. the world the flesh and the devil Dost thou O distressed sinner want a loving God a compassionate God a reconciled God a sin pardoning God here thou mayest find him in the Covenant of grace Dost thou want a Christ to counsel thee by his wisdom and to cloath thee with his righteousness and to adorn thee with his grace here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace Dost thou want the Spirit to enlighten thee to teach thee to convince thee to awaken thee to lead thee to cleanse thee to cheer thee and to seal thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 1.13 here thou mayest find him in a Covenant of grace Dost thou want grace or peace or rest or quiet or content or comfort or satisfaction here thou mayest find it in a Covenant of grace God has laid into the Covenant of grace as into a common store all those things that sinners or Saints can either beg or need Look as that is a well ordered Commonwealth where there are no wholsom Laws wanting to govern a people and where there are no wholsom remedies
mixt with a little heavenly-mindedness and what a deal of unbelief have we mixt with a little faith O Sirs in the great business of your access to God and of your acceptance with God Rom. 3.20 to ver 27. Phil. 3.8 9 10. and of your reconciliation to God and of your justification before God 'T is best safest and noblest to bottom your faith hope and expectation infinitely rather upon imputed righteousness than inherent righteousness upon what Christ has done for you than upon what he has done in you Inherent righteousness is stained imperfect impure but imputed righteousness is pure and perfect if there were any stain or any imperfection in that it could not justifie us it could not save us it could not secure us from wrath to come Such evidences as are not fetcht from any thing in us nor from any things done by us but are fetcht by faith from our free justification and from Christ's full satisfaction which he hath wrought for us will be found the most full the most sweet the most refreshing the most comforting and the most satisfying evidences Christ is all fair all perfect all pure and therefore let him be most in your eye and most upon your hearts but here take heed that you don't look upon your graces or your gracious evidences as poor low weak contemptible things as too many do for the least of them is more worth than heaven and earth and they may yield you much comfort much support much refreshing and much satisfaction though they can't yield you that full comfort nor that full satisfaction as Christ himself can yield as Christ's satisfaction can yield as free justification can yield Though children and friends can't yield to a Wife that full comfort content delight and satisfaction as her Husband does yet they may yield her much comfort much content much delight much satisfaction The application is easie But Secondly Consider That Christian that hath free-grace that hath free justification that hath the Mediatory righteousness of Christ that hath the satisfaction of Christ that hath the Covenant of grace most constantly in his sight and most frequently warm upon his heart that Christian of all Christians in the world is most free from a world of fears and doubts and scruples which do sad sink perplex and press down a world of other Christians who affect a life of sense and who daily eye more what Christ is a doing in them and what they are a doing for Christ than they do eye either his active or passive obedience Christ hath done great things for his people and he has suffered great things for his people and he has purchased great things for his people and he has prepared great things for his people and yet many of his own dear people are so taken up with their own hearts and with their own duties and graces that Christ is little eyed by them or minded by them and what is this but to be more taken with the streams than with the Fountain with the leaves blossoms and fruit than with the Tree it self with the bracelets ear-rings and gold chains than with the Husband himself with the Nobles that wait than with the King that is waited on And this is the great Reason why so many Christians who will certainly go to heaven do walk in darkness and lye down in sorrow But Thirdly Trusting in our own duties and resting on our own righteousness and not on Christ's solely is a close secret spiritual Isa 58.1 2 3. Zech. 7.5 6. dangerous and unperceivable sin which the nature of man is exceedingly prone unto The Pharisees were mightily given up to trust in their own righteousness to rest on their own righteousness Mat. 6. chap. 23 Luke 18. and to boast and glory in their own righteousness and this prov'd their mortal disease their damning sin trusting in their own righteousness had so besotted and benummed them that they had no mind no heart to open the gates of their souls that the King of glory might enter in And this was that which undid the Jews Rom. 10.3 For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God And 't is observable the Apostle useth an emphatical word of a Jew Rom. 2.17 Thou restest in the Law Look as there is nothing more pleasing to Christ than the renouncing of all confidence in our own duties and righteousness so there is nothing more provoking to Christ than the setting up of our own duties and righteousness This is a secret Imposthume that kills thousands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art secure in the Law as in some admirable priviledge and signal testimony of Gods love This was Bernards temptation when being assisted in duty he could stroak his own head with bene fecisti Bernarde O Bernard this was gallantly done now chear up thy self It was the saying of a precious Saint That he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins for the one made him often proud and the other made him alwayes humble It was good counsel Luther gave Cavendum est non solum à peccatis sed à bonis operibus We must take heed not only of our sins but of our good works Duties can never have too much diligence used about them nor too little confidence placed in them they are good helps but bad Saviours it is necessary we do them but it is dangerous to rely upon them If the devil cannot disswade us from performing Religious duties then his next work will be to perswade us all he can to rely upon them to make Saviours of them because this will as much gratifie Satan and as certainly ruin our souls as if we had wholly neglected them O man thine own righteousness rested in will as certainly and eternally undo thee as the greatest and foulest enormities This soul-sickness is that spiritual Idolatry that will undo thee for thou makest thy self a Saviour and thy duties a Saviour and sayest of thy duties as they did of the golden Calf These are the gods that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Open wickedness open idolatry slayes her thousands but secret idolatry a secret resting upon duties slayes her ten thousands multitudes bleed inward by this disease and die for ever Open prophaness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell but Religious duties rested in is as sure a way though a cleaner way to hell prophane persons and formal Professors shall meet at last in one hell Ah Christians don 't make Religious duties your money lest you and your money perish together The Phenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together and then blows them with her wings and burns with them So do many shining Professors burn themselves with their own duties and services You know in Noahs floud all that were not in the Ark though they climb up the tallest Trees and the
highest Mountains and Hills yet were drowned So let men climb up to the highest duties yet if they be not housed in Christ in his righteousness they will be as certainly damned as the men in the old world were certainly drowned Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing Do this and live And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing but if salvation were to be had by doing what need of a Saviour Well remember this once for all such as rest on duties such as rest on their own righteousness or on any thing on this side Christ such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian or as Jareb they cannot heal them they cannot cure them of their wounds Hos 5.13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could they not heal him nor cure him of his wound Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties and to rest on their duties then he has his design then he claps his hands for joy then he cryes out Ah ah so would I have it There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ and reject Christ and provoke Christ as this of resting upon self-righteousness and therefore above all pray against this and watch against this and weep over this There is no man in his wits that hath a precious lading that will dare to adventure it in a crackt and broken vessel so there is no Christian in his wits that will dare to adventure the everlasting safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels and bottoms of his own holiness or services O Sirs your duties cannot satisfie the Justice of God they cannot satisfie the Law of God your present duties cannot satisfie for your former sins and rents that be behind A man that payes his Rent honestly every year does not thereby satisfie for the old Rent not paid in ten or twenty years before Thy new obedience O Christian is too weak to satisfie for old debts and therefore roll thy self on Christ and Christ alone for life and for salvation Bellarmine could say after all his disputes for relying on works on Saints and Angels Tutius est c. The safest way is to rely on Jesus Christ Now let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness and to take sanctuary alone in the pure perfect and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ and in the free-grace of God Austin Paul is called by one the best child of grace in the world Eph. 3.8 for whatsoever he was or had or did he ascribeth all to free-grace he was the chiefest of the Apostles and yet less than the least of all Saints he was very eminent in grace and yet what he was he was by grace By the grace of God I am what I am He lived yet not he but Christ lived in him 1 Cor. 15.10 Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 15.10 Phil. 4.13 He laboured more abundantly than they all yet not he but the grace of God which was with him He was able to do all things but still through Christ that strengthned him O that these three last things might work you to be more in love with free-grace than ever and to be more in love with the righteousness of Christ than ever and to be more in love with the Covenant of grace than ever But The fourteenth Proposition is this The more grace the more holiness the more any man has of the Spirit of Sanctification the more clear the more fair the more full the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven for salvation and the more comfort and the more assurance and the more settlement and the more of the witness of the spirit of Adoption such a person will certainly attain unto That Spirit which is the earnest of our inheritance and which seals us up to an holy assurance is an holy Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. he is frequently called the holy Spirit Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 Isa 63.10 Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 4.8 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Hâ— therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit To make a man holy is more than to create a world 't is a work too high and too hard for Angels or men it becomes none and it can be done by none but by the holy Spirit Sanctification is the Spirits personal operation 't is the great work of the Spirit to shape 2 Thes 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 form and fashion the new-creature holiness in all the vessels of glory The Spirit is the root of all holiness and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the Spirit Holiness is the very picture of God Gal. 5.22 and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the Spirit of God Holiness is the Divine nature and none can impart that to man but the Spirit the Spirit is the great principle of holiness Now the more grace the more holiness any man hath the more he is the delight of the Spirit and the more the Spirit will delight to witness his Sonship his Saintship and his Heirship unto him Scripture and experience will tell you that commonly men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest assurance This is certain the more holiness the more assurance for so the precious promises runs Isa 32.17 The work of righteousness shall be peace to wit peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Inherent righteousness for of that he speaks as is evident by the 15. and 16. verses of the same Chapter is the high-way to assurance and peace So Psal 50. ult To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God that is declare my self to be his Saviour say some say others I will give him a prospect of heaven here and a full fruition of heaven hereafter say others I will cause him to see and know that he shall be saved So John 14.21 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Ver. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Holy Christians shall have most of the spiritual presence of