he had confidence of abiding with them for the furtherance and joy of their faith where you see the more growth and encrease in grace the more joy and it is called the joy of faith because by beleeving we come to partake of this joy Let not then any people nourish prejudices in their hearts against the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel as if they endeavoured only to discourage men to fill the hearts of people with despair to drive them into meâ—ancholy and turn them out of their wits as prophane persons calumniate for our great work is to provide comfort for such as are fit Subjects to receive it That must alwaies be remembred oyl is for the wounded in soul this wine is not for such who are transported with feaverish lusts of their sinnes but if thy sinnes be a burthen to thee and thou hast cast them off then manna is prepared for thee in this wildernesse then a year of Jubilee is to be proclaimed to thee who didst mourn under thy spirituall debts But let us explicate this Truth And first There is a twofold joy a carnall and worldly joy whereby men delight in the pleasures of â—in and the jolly pastimes and customes that are in the world and there is a spiritual joy arising from Gods love in Christ whereby we are quickened to all holinesse with great delight now God forbid that any Ministers should be helpers of the former joy There have indeed been such unsavoury salt prophane Ministers of the Gospel whose work hath been to strengthen the hands of wicked men to preach peace and mercy to them while wallowing in their sinnes but wo to such Pastors and such a people These are sharply reproved in the Scripture for there alwaies will be such men-pleasers such daubers with untempered mortar as Jer. 6. 14. They heal the hurt of my daughter slightly saying Peace Peace when there is no peace Would you have such a Physician that should flatter you about the wounds of your body saying it will heal it will heal when thou feelest it to putrifie more and more Such spirituall Mountebanks the Prophet Ezechiel complaineth of also cap. 13. 10. They have seduced my people saying peace peace especially at 22. verse these wicked Prophets are said to make sad the hearts of such whom God would not have made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked by promising them life Thus you see what an unfaithful Minister will do all that he can and dare he will uphold and encourage a prophane person and all that he can and dare he will uphold and discourage vex and grieve such who fear God and whom God would have comforted but such men in time meet with an overflowing storm and great hailstones fallling upon them as v. 11. which shall destroy them and rend the wall down they have daubed up Do not then think this is the joy we should help you in in your prophane pleasures in your superstitious and vain customes to encourage you no this were to deprive both our selves and you of true solid joy Hence in the second place We are to help the joy of those whose grace we have helped before Joy cannot be the first stone in Gods building grace and holinesse is first and then consolation The spirit of God is first a sanctifier and then a comforter So that many people take a preposterous method if they be sick they look the Minister should presently give them comfort there must not a word be said of their sinnes of the necessity of repentance this will make them despair Fond and foolish people why would ye be tickled into hell why would ye be pleased into damnation oh it cannot be that thou shouldst have comfort before godlinesse this would be to falsifie the covenant of God to abuse the seal of pardon applying it to him whom God doth still hold guilty Understand then Gods method and submit thereunto saying I do not expect comfort I would not have the promises of grace applied to me while thus obstinate and impenitent in my sinful waies but if thou art found godly then we are to comfort and to comfort as Isa 40. 1. again and again not giving over till that evil spirit of unbeleef be cast out And this spirituall comfort is seen in two particulars 1. Comfort under the guilt of sinne and truly herein we do a most acceptable work Then it is indeed the tongue of the learned when we speak a word in season to such afflicted spirits how ready and willing are the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel to bring the balm of Gilead to such persons how pittifull and compassionate because they know the terrour of the Lord God hath commanded us to be Messengers of peace and like Noahs dove to come with an Olive-branch assuring them that the waters are abated and oh that God would provide such comforting work for us It is very seldome to meet with such we have work enough to reprove the prophane to instruct the erroneous but how few do need comfort because their sinnes are a heavy burthen upon them In the 2. place we are to help the comfort of the godly in respect of their outward afflictions For they are more chastened than other men there is no godly man but God hath appointed a crosse for him yea sometimes many crosses together Now how necessary is it to have a faithful and wise comforter in such cases for alas our own hearts are full of discouragements and every thing is ready to appear more terrible than it is and the devil he is very ready to make the waters overflow more than they would do So that to administer comfort to such disconsolate persons is the best act of love and the most suitable alms that can be desired Seeing then that grace must be laid as a foundation for comfort Hence in the third place Before the Ministers of the Gospel can administer comfort to unregenerate persons they must necessarily use sharp and bitter means as preparatory there unto Neither are we then to be blamed or judged too cruell and austere but sinne is to be condemned as the cause of it It is your sinne that maketh all bitter things necessary When the Physician administreth bitter Physick which maketh thee exceeding sick is he to be blamed and not rather those peccant humours within us The ground must be plowed up and have its bowels as it were moved ere the good seed can be sown into it The wool must be carded and torn as it were in peeces ere it be made for a garment The stone must come under the hammer and saw ere it be prepared for the building And thus ere the heart of man be fit to receive Gospel-comfort it must be humbled and broken by the Law of God So that we are making way for your comfort even while we denounce the curses of the Law To preach of hell and damnation though it be grievous to you yet
the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the few things or briefly as added for Modesty sake and indeed if it were related to Sylvanus it would not commend his fidelity but rather give occasion to doubt of it But if we attribute it to Sylvanus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a firm and undoubted judgment upon good consideration therefore our English word suppose doth not so well answer it Therefore in the third place That distinction of a Saint by external profession or dedication to God thereby and by internal and spiritual renovation is the most genuine to answer this doubt Some were Saints by inward regeneration Others were Saints by external profession and outward submission so that they had not as yet renounced their Christianity and this sense the Apostle plainly makes when he gives that opposition between Heathens and Saints as 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you go to law before the unjust that is the Heathens and not before Saints where Saint is opposed to an Heathen So vers 6. a brother which is all one with a Saint is opposed to an unbeliever All that came out of the world to profess Christ are called Saints and believers though even amongst them all were not godly Now you must know that there are degrees of godliness 1. There is that which is supream and infinite and thus God is holy holy holy 2. There is created boliness and that either perfect such as the humane Nature of Christ the Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven have or else imperfect subject to many imperfections and weaknesses Hence saith Salmeron We dare not call any man a Saint while be liveth on this earth till he be consummated but that is absurd for to be a Saint is no more than to be holy so that if we may call any holy we may also call them Saints as our Translators do for the most part render the word The Papists indeed they call only those that are canonized Saints who are already in Heaven therefore those that lived in the Old Testament because of their opinion of their being in Limbo Patrum they are never in the Roman Church called Saints they never say Saint David or Saint Isaiah Salmeron also observeth from this title of Saints given to all believers That in the Infancy of the Church saith he all were called Saints in the Adolescentiâ only the Bishops and Officers in the Church but in Senectute only those that are translated into Heaven But we must conform to Scripture not humane speculations The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering the Hebrew Kodesh for the Septuagint seldom translate it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but generally by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by some said to be as much as sine terrâ without earth or any worldly pollution But the best Grammarians derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reverence and respect as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire because all holy things are with much reverence to be regarded Whereas then to be holy hath a two-fold principal signification 1. To be dedicate and set apart to God 2. To be inherently sanctified and both these applicable in the Text. We may observe That all those who are of Gods Church are Saints by profession and dedication and ought to be Saints by their lives and conversations Hence Rom. 1. 7. we have that expression called Saints that is either called to be Saints holiness being the term to which of their vocation or Saints by calling as Paul was by his calling an Apostle Both these tend to the same thing and all oblige to holiness First Let us consider how much this Church-Saintship doth comprehend what degrees and steps it hath And 1. It doth imply Their being under the external dispensation of Gods Covenant of Grace All that are under the Covenant administration are thereby Saints and holy though all are not regenerated Upon this account it is that the children of one or more believing Parents are called holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. where to be under the Covenant is enough to give this denomination of holy And hence it is that all the people of the Jews among whom there were many prophane and unholy persons in respect of inward Sanctity are yet called all of them Saints because the Covenant-dispensation was towards them Psal 77. 2. The Psalmist complaineth That the enemies had given the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth where the Nation of the Jews destroyed by their enemies are all called Saints So Psal 89. 5 7. the assembly of the Israelites wherein also David did meet to praise God is called the Assembly of the Saints Now we cannot think that every Israelite who came to sacrifice and serve God was truly holy Yea Psal 50. God complaineth of such Who came and took his name into their mouth and yet hated to be reformed Therefore they are called Saints because they are all under the Covenant of Grace 2. Church-Saintship consists in a dedication and consecrating our selves unto God For our Baptism is the initial Sacrament and by it we are externally sanctified and set apart to God from the Devil sinne and the world For as in the Old Testament there were by certain ceremonial Rites dedicating of persons and things to God which thereby had a relative holiness and so were called holy because dedicated Thus though with some dissimilitude by the Sacrament of Baptism we are baptized into the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which amongst other things signifieth this also that we are given up to God from the world and the Devil to be no more theirs not to live according to their course and way And for this reason it is that those who are not of the Church are said to be without 1 Cor. 5. and the world is distinct to the Church when therefore of the Church we are not of the world we are not without under the kingdom of Satan but we are of the body of Christ of his house and our Baptism doth sacramentally denote our communion with Christ Now although all that are baptized do not in deed and in truth put on Jesus Christ yet as long as they do not renounce their Baptism so long by that there is an outward dedication of them to God And thus that Apostate spoken of Heb. 10. 29. who never had true grace yet is said to be sanctified by the bloud of the Covenant whereof the Sacraments are seals So that our sacramental relation doth give an outward denomination of a Saint or an holy person though if there be no inward holiness the condemnation of such will be farre more dreadfull and intollerable than of the vilest and worst of Heathens 3. This Church-Saintship goeth a further step and that is An external profession of our faith
did all was new their service new their Doctrine new but the iniquity and the corruption of the times made it appear to be so And indeed Popery is properly the great Novellisme for the Popish Doctrines the Popish Worship began to creep in when the Churches of Christ began to degenerate from their Primitive Institution The change then that is many times in the face of Religion which doth so offend many is not indeed so but in appearance Those truths of God were formerly professed in the Church only an Eclipse did arise which obscured the light of the Sun As then the Sun is not changed after an Eclipse we do not see a new Sun thus it is also with the truths of Christ the Reformers do not bring new truths only the darkness is dispelled and we see them which were long before It is with us as with men whose heads are distempered we think such and such things run round whereas indeed it is a distemper upon us and it is a signe that we have been corrupted when old truths seem new to us 4. We may therefore truly conclude that antiquity and consent are inseparable properties of a true Church That Church which retaineth Doctrines of the greatest Antiquity and which doth agree with the Primitive Apostolical Churches that must needs be a true Church for truth is alwayes alike That cannot be true Doctrine in one age which is not in another though men are apt to be changed by the times they live in yet Gods truth cannot be When therefore the Papists bring antiquity and consent as notes of a true Church we deny they can or are to be called notes because it is not Antiquity barely but antiqvity in the true Doctrine nor Consent meerly so but consent with the Primitive Churches Doctrine So that True Doctrine is properly the note of the Church only we add that Antiquity and Consent with the Primitive times do inseparably follow the true Doctrine Now the ground of this certainty and equality of the truths of Christ is because they are Gods truths Christs truths if they were the truths of mens making then they might alter and change as they please then it might be formed reformed and transformed into all the shapes that mens Interests could put them upon then truth might alter according to the climates customes and advantages of men then truth might be one thing at Rome and another thing at Constantinople then we might say such things were truth in one age and ye the contrary truth in another Popery was truth in Queen Maries dayes and Protestantisme in Queen Elizabeths And truly some men are so Atheistical or self-seeking that they account truth as the Apostle said some did godliness even outward gain and therefore when such an opinion is gainfull then it is truth but when not so then it is Heresie Use of Instruction How odious Instability and Inconstancy is in matter of Religion whether it be in private Christians or publick Officers It plainly discovereth that not the truth of Christ but some other uncertain motive prevaileth with thee either thy profit or thy applause or the times or customes or the Lawes of the Land or some other mutable respect doth work upon thee and if so then thou canst not but be a reed shaken with every winde of Doctrine Thou art then but as an Instrument of musick making no other sound nor no longer then thou art breathed into Profit will make thee a Papist profit will make thee a protestant profit will make thee an Heretick How contrary is such a fickle temper to the nature of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Use 2d of Instruction How false that position is of some Papists That the Church may make Articles of Faith and that the Authority of the Church maketh the Authority of the Scripture at least towards us So that the Scriptures would have no more authority then Titus Livius or Aesops fables in respect of our duty to believe were it not for the Churches Authority No less blasphemous is that other comparison of another Papist resembling the Scripture to a nose of wax If so then no wonder if they make what truths and what religions they please then we may call it the Popes truth the Churches truth and not the truth of God It is a ridiculous passage of a Papist Ford against Taylor saying that it is probable the Church will make that Opinion about the immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary to be an Article of Faith As if the Church could make that necessary to be believed if we would be saved that was not alwayes so Why may she not as well make a new Bible set up a new Christ as they establish a new Article of Faith SERM. CXXIV Of Gods Promises to man 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us THis Verse is a further confirmation of the constancy and immutability of the Lord Christ and so by consequence of Pauls doctrine For that Christ is unchangeable he proveth in that all the promises which God hath made they receive their fullnesse and complement in him and so are therefore true because fullfilled both in him and by him This is the Apostles sence in this assertion which Calvin doth well call memorabilis sententia c. a memorable sentence and one of the chiefest Articles of our Religion for herein is all our faith and confidence seated that in Christ God maketh his gracious promises to us by whose efficacy and impetration they be accomplished so that a promise is fullfilled not because of any worth or dignity in us but because of of the fulnesse and worth that is in Christ 1. The words may be taken as an entire Proposition wherein we have the subject and predicate with the amplification of it from the finall cause The subject is described from the nature of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promises 2. From the universality and extent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all promises as many as are made 3. From the efficient cause the promises of God 4. The predicate are yea and are amen in him Of which in their order Let us begin with the Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promises many times in the plurall number at other times in the singular for indeed the covenant of grace is but one large promise or an ocean emptying it self into many streams yet sometimes called promises because of the many things both spirituall and temporall that are particularly promised by God the summe whereof is contained in that great promise or Magna Charta of the Church I will be their God and they shall be my people or else it may be promises in the plurall number because of the frequent repetition and reiteration of the grand promise of Christ to the Church Now the word promise is sometimes used for the
then Say Lord though I am noworthy to be helped yet thy promise is worthy to be made good O Lord though I have sinned yet thy promise hath not sinned But more of this in the next particular which is the Predicate in the Proposition SERM. CXXVI How all the Promises are confirmed in Christ 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us HAving dispatched the Subject in this Proposition we proceed to the Predicate that which is affirmed of the promises of God and that is their stability and immutability they are Yea and Amen with the meritorious or fundamental cause In him that is Christ Some indeed take the latter clause viz. in him they are Amen with relation to the final cause and so explain it of our duty that we are to set our Amen to the truth of Gods promises In the former expression is denoted the certainty and firmnesse of the promises when they are said to be Yea. In the latter our duty and what obligation lieth upon us in reference to them viz. that we should set to our seal of Amen giving our assent of confirmation and this will greatly redound to Gods glory Calvin goeth in this latter explication as being most congruous and adapted to the Apostles meaning Though he confesseth he will not be contentious if the common path be trodden in I shall therefore follow our Translators which seem to go the genuine way It is affirmed of Gods promises that they are Yea by that you heard the Apostle meaneth a constant affirmation and verity Hath God promised any good thing to an humbled soule This will alwayes be Yea God will alwayes grant it he will say Yea yea How comfortable would this meditation be to a gracious heart How often doth thy trembling desponding soul go into his presence fearing that God will give a Nay to thee Because thou art apt to change and to be mutable therefore thou fearest God will be so also Now the Apostle for the greater certainty sake doth double his expression to the same sense In him they are Amen In him they are Yea In him they are Amen The one is a Greek word the other Hebrew and it is to shew that both to Jew and Greeke the promises are confirmed in Christ For whereas the Jewes perswasion was That the Messias should come onely to their Nation therefore the Apostles dared not to preach Christ to the Gentiles till Peter was confirmed by a vision from above By Christ this partition wall is broken down so that the promises of grace are made to the believing Gentile as well as the believing Jew To the Gentile the promises are Yea to the Jewes they are Amen To this purpose the Apostle also Galat. 4. 6. speaking of the Spirit of Adoption which is sent into the hearts of believers addeth That thereby we are enabled to call him Abba Father Father for the Gentile Abba for the Jew So that whereas the believing Gentile might have doubted whether he being as a dog the childrens bread should belong to him Hereby is certified that Christ is a Christ to them the promises are promises to them as well as to the Jewes The word Amen is used sometimes nominally Thus Christ is called the Amen Revel 3. 14. These things saith the Amen well then may the promises be Amen in Christ seeing Christ is the Amen Sometimes it is used adverbially and so is to be understood by way of desire and wish Let it be so or by way of attestation and confirmation It is so Hence translated by the Interpreters of the Old Testament sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When it beginneth a speech it is a note of affirmation as often our Saviour Amen Amen I say unto you c. When it concludeth then it is a note of confirmation and in this sense Calvin and others take it as our duty by way of consent confirming the promise as you heard The Rabbines speak of a two-fold Amen a perfect Amen and an imperfect The imperfect Amen they make three-fold Amen Pupillum when one saith Amen to the prayer he doth not understand Amen subreptitium when a man saith it before the end of a prayer Amen sectile when a man saith Amen but distracted and divided in his thoughts so that he doth not attend to what he saith Amen And certainly this latter Amen most are guilty of that use to say it The words being thus explained the Observation is That in Christ alone all the promises of God are confirmed and made good Thus you have also at another time asserted by the Apostle Rom. 15. 8. I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy This is a notable place which the Apostle affirmeth with much vehemency This I say and the matter is this that by Christ all promises both to Jewes and Gentiles are confirmed The Jewes they were apt to thinke that by their own workes the promises were confirmed Yea how secretly doth this Pharisaical sinne lodge in our breasts as if the promises were performed not for Christs sake but our own sake This is that Ivy-sinne which adhering so close to our natures doth secretly consume and devour all Insomuch that we may say the whole Gospel consisteth in this truth and that the whole treasure of Christian consolation is bound up in this And therefore that we may both understand and be affected with it consider these things First By the promises of God we mean the promises of grace onely There is no grace to a sinner but through Christ and hereby we exclude the promises by works or the Covenant of works of which we spake the last day Although the Law doth continue still in its force to us Christians as it is a Rule to order our conversation by yet as it is a Covenant so it is abolished No man being able to plead eternal life by a Doe this but by believing and therefore the Law as a Covenant is so farre from being established or made good by Christ that it is directly opposite to him So that the Law and the promise are made by the Apostle two contra-distinct wayes of justification He that seeketh to be justified by the Law falleth off from Christ and maketh him to be of none effect Thus the promise by workes is contrary to the promise of grace through Christ yet there have been some alwayes in the Church who have endeavoured to joyn those things which God hath put so farre asunder and that is the Law and the Gospel the promise of works and the promise of grace by which confusion they have made void the grace of God For if Gods promise be not solely of the grace of God and every way of grace then it is not
art one of Gods sealed people Fourthly Sealing is for the differencing and discriminating of persons Thus the Shepherd setteth a proper mark to know his own sheep by The Souldier he hath his proper badge and colours to discern what Generall he belongeth unto And in this sense though not principally the Sacraments are seals hereby we are acknowledged to be the Lords people and so differenced from all that are enemies and strangers to him but this is more remarkably seen in this spirituall sealing for thereby we are not only distinguished from the heathenish world but from every hypocrite in the Church of God Though many may go sar in profession in parts in gifts so as to be admirable in the eyesof others yet none have this sealing but the truly godly man Every gifted man is not this sealed beleever None hath this but the true childe of God The spirit of God doth not seal but where it hath sanctified Therefore Fifthly This sealing doth suppose the work of grace truly wrought in a man Sealing doth not make him godly properly but supposeth him so Thus Eph. 1. 13. after ye beleeved ye were sealed there was first the work of sanctification and then of obsignation It is true Zanchy upon that place maketh sealing to be the impression of grace upon the heart even as in sealing the print of the seal is stamped upon the wax and so farre we may yeeld that the encrease of grace and confirmation therein is a sealing of the spirit but yet to speak exactly this sealing is after the work of grace in the soul Even as it is in the Sacraments The externall signe or seal doth not make the promise but supposeth it so in this inward sealing grace is not thereby wrought in us unlesse it be in the further degrees thereof but doth confirm that which is in us and thus seals are to confirm contracts not make them as is to be shewed yet though it be not the divine impression of grace yet this seal is alwaies supposed God doth not set to his seal to a blank and hereby this sealing is distinguished from all carnal presumption and the delusions of Satan for the devil hath as it were his sealing he confirmeth and establisheth men in hereticall doctrines and they are ready to take this for the obsignation of Gods own spirit when heretiques give their bodies to be burnt professing they have much peace and joy of conscience Here the Kings Seal is conterfeited as it were They make a diabolicall delusion to be the holy sealing of Gods Spirit Thus as in sanctification there is the true work of Gods grace and a counterfeit that which doth resemble and is like it so in the witnessing and sealing of Gods Spirit there also may be a resemblance of it which yet is not that glorious priviledge indeed only as a man that is awake doth certainly know he is so and not in a dream though men in a dream imagine themselves to be awake when they are deceived Thus where the sealing of Gods Spirit is there the authority and light of it doth powerfully discover it self to be of God even as the Sun by its own light doth discover it self to be the Sun though they that think they have it may be deceived yet those that have it are sure they do enjoy it Hence Sixthly This sealing doth imply secrecy and privacy That which is closely reserved as Deut. 32. 34. Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed up among my treasures saith God Thus also Iob saith cap. 14. 17. his transgression was sealed up in a bag God did take speciall notice of it in time to punish it Now in this sense also we may apply this sealing of Gods Spirit It is very secret hidden and unknown and that in a twofold respect 1. The nature of it is a mystery and hardly unfolded Insomuch that as the lamb in the Revelation was found only worthy to open the seals Thus onely men enlightned by the Spirit of God and experimentally taught of him can savourily explain this Come to the Learned and most eminent men devoid of spirituall discerning and whose senses are not exercised evangelically who have not the Spirit of Adoption effectually working in them and they can no more speak with understanding to this point then Nicodemus did to the doctrine of regeneration He will say with those in the Prophet Isay cap. 29. 11. I cannnot reade this book for it is sealed But then 2. The secrecy of it is discovered because none know what it is but he that hath it As none knoweth what Parents affections are but parents none knoweth what love is but he that loveth So none know what this sealing of Gods Spirit is but he that doth partake of it Therefore this sealing is compared to other things Rev. 2. 17. to the hidden manna There was the manna that did fall from heaven of which all did eat promiscuously and then there was the manna hidden in the ark The godly man is said to eat of this It is likewise called the white stone which is a note of absolution and justification when accused and that with a new name upon it which none knoweth save he that receiveth it By this expression it is clear that the nature and efficacy of of this Sealing is understood only by those who enjoy it and therefore no unregenerate man is able to conceive rightly about it no more than a blinde man can about the Sunne yea the godly man himself though he feel it yet he cannot expresse it to another Even as we cannot expresse the life we live unto another we feel it but cannot describe it Lastly Which is the chiefest of all and most principally intended in this expression Sealing was to confirm and secure all contracts and bargains made amongst men Thus Ieremiah cap. 32. 10. when he purchased some land he had the evidence sealed In which respect some understand that place 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understand not the foundation of an house because that doth not use to be sealed but a contract or bargain to which a seal is annexed but that is not so probable only in the generall seals are chiefly to secure and confirm and for this end it is that we have the Spirit of God sealing for the sense of our unworthinesse and guilt doth make us very propense to diffidence to distrust to continuall fears about Gods love to us and therefore as we need the Spirit of God to sanctifie us so also to witnesse and seal unto us which is more largely to be treated of SERM. CXXXIV Of Gods Spirit Sealing his People 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us WHat is comprehended in the expression of sealing hath been already declared I shall therefore in the next place consider of and compare some equivalent Texts of Scripture with
speak to this sealing of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of beleevers though in other terms This I have mentioned is pregnant for having said that he who keepeth Gods Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him Whereas it might be said how shall we know that he dwelleth in us May we not be deluded and deceived No saith he hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and lest any man though living loosely and carnally should pretend to this spirit he saith They that have it keep his Commandements Thus doubtings and sinnefull diffidence is excluded on one hand and all carnal presumption on the other hand The last Text to bring in assistance to this truth shall be 1 John 5. 8 9 10. where the Apostle speaketh of three Witnesses on earth as he had before in heaven viz. water and the bloud and the spirit Now although there be many perplexed controversies about this passage yet I shall pitch upon that which is most probable without further disquieting of you It seemeth to be without doubt that the Apostle alludeth to the legall administrations wherein there was bloud for expiation and water for cleansing by which is represented justification and sanctification and these being wrought in us do evidently witnesse that Jesus is the Christ and Sonne of God We finding these glorious effects upon our souls cannot but acknowledge that Doctrine but because these are not enough of themselves seeing that sanctified and justified persons may be under great discouragements therefore he addeth the Spirit also It is true the same spirit is said to be a witnesse in heaven but that was because of the extraordinary and visible Testimony that it gave to Christ but here it speaketh of the witnesse it giveth on earth and that must be the sealing spoken off in other places for he saith verse 6. It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth having there also mentioned water and bloud Verse 10. he seith He that beleeveth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himself Thus you see that as God hath abundantly provided for the holinesse of his people by his spirit to quicken them up therein so also for the assurance and consolation of his children to establish them therein Oh how greatly are we indebted unto the Lord Jesus Christ who giveth us his Spirit not only to leade us into the truth and mortifie the deeds of the flesh but also to fill us with comfort and to assure us that we are the children of God So that it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel not only to improve the former truth but this also and to presse you upon the sealing work of Gods Spirit as well as the sanctifying Hath not the Spirit of God this Name given it to be called the Comforter John 14. and shall we divide the operations of Gods Spirit minding him as he is an holy spirit but not a comforting Spirit Having thus informed you what the Scripture declareth in this matter I shall give you a large and popular description of the nature of this sealing and the opening of the several parts touched therein will much conduce to the knowledge thereof The sealing of Gods Spirit may be described after this manner It is a supernaturall and gracious work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of sanctified persons in a secret and unspeakable manner whereby they are confirmed and established in the Covenant of grace as belonging to them in particular by such means which God hath appointed thereunto that through the sence thereof they may daily walk more and more boldly joyfully and thankefully notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary till they be made compleatly happy in heaven I have made this description the larger because I would take in every particular considerable about it as much as may be And First I give two Qualifications or Adjuncts to this work of Gods Spirit It is supernatural and gracious Supernatural and that if we respect either rectified nature or corrupted nature Rectified nature for Adam in the state of integrity though he was made perfectly holy yet he had not this Gospel-sealing no more then he was in Christ as a Mediatour for had he been thus sealed he would certainly have persevered and although Adam was partaker of the holy Ghost yet it was as he is the third person not as the spirit of Christ viz. purchased by his death for those that are his so that in this respect we may say this sealing is a priviledge above the nature of Adam while considered before his apostacy but then I call it supernaturall chiefly in respect of corrupted nature for as man naturally of himself hath no power to that which is gracious so neither to that which is comfortable and joyfull All the world all Ministers and Angels cannot powr one drop of this assurance and joy into thy soul unlesse the Spirit of God inable thee thereunto As it is supernaturall so it is gracious for this floweth from the former There is nothing in thee to deserve this establishing as Gods grace sanctifying found thee dead in thy sinnes so his sealing and comforting findeth thee in a guilty despairing way and therefore as God might leave every prophane man to wallow in his lusts and so let him perish thus also might he forsake every guilty conscience under the burthen of thy sinnes and suffer thee to be a Cain to be a Judas even to fall from an hell here into an hell hereafter So that not only by grace we are sanctified but by grace we are healed Blesse God for any establishment of soul against fears and doubts as well as for victory against any lusts It is meerly of Free-grace that we are thus sealed In the next place Secondly we have the generall nature of it with the efficient cause The work of Gods Spirit It is true in the Text it is said That God doth seal us and so whatsoever works there are ad extra from God to the creature they are all common to the three Persons yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation which the Scripture taketh notice of So that it is made the work of the Father to send his Sonne into the world It is made the work of the Sonne to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes And it is made the proper work of Gods Spirit to apply the benefits of Christs death to our souls therefore sanctification is attributed to the Spirit so also consolation and sealing thereunto Thus the Texts we mentioned formerly give all this work to the Spirit of God as in an appropriated manner doing this for us It is not then of our selves or of our own power that we can obtain this priviledge but it is wrought alone by Gods Spirit As we have no free-will to the grace of God so neither to the comforts God as he is called a God of all
God to have a dogmatical faith to be kept from heresie it 's no lesse to have this fiducial application with the sense thereof upon our souls Wonder not then if we make it the Spirits worke to have this assurance 4. We need the Spirit to confirm us because the flesh within us is full of objections and bringeth many plausible arguments against it Insomuch that what Bellarmine and other subtil Papists bring as Engines to demolish this foundation are very sutable to the corrupt heart For they think the heart is very deceitfull there is much hypocrisie I may think I do that for God which I do for vain-glory that I am humbled for sinne when worldly motives only afflict me Again flesh doth doth suggest there may be much unknown evil in thee thy heart may be worse than thou takest it to be Though the Sea seeme calme sometimes yet there are dangerous Rocks under the water and thus though outwardly there may appear much tendernesse yet there may be a rock in the bottome Furthermore the flesh may suggest Wilt thou be perswaded of Gods favour to thee in particular Is not this to enter into Gods secrets Is not this to climb up into Heaven in an arrogant manner Yea is not this the way to nourish security in thee and make thee presume of Gods favour though thy iniquities be never so many and grosse Lastly The flesh telleth thee of former sins thou didst once wallow in as also the present failings that thy own soul doth frequently condemn thee for Now are not these very plausible Do they not importune to diffidence And certainly these would overwhelme thee did not the Spirit of God overcome all and support thee against them Yea 5. We need the Spirit of God to seal us because the Devil is very busie and active in destroying this perswasion He knoweth that those who enjoy this priviledge walk with joy peace thankfulnesse with strength and activity in the wayes of God therefore to weaken them herein that their graces may wither he tempteth about their comforts that they may wither thus the Devil as he opposeth the Spirit of God in its holinesse called therefore the unclean spirit so he doth also in its comforting effects and therefore is called the tempter Yea 2 Cor. 2. we reade how active he was to have the incestuous person humbled for his sinnes even swallowed up with too much sorrow And do not many of Gods people feel this experimentally Doe they not see they should sink and fall into all horrour and despair did not the Spirit of God support Little doe the natural men of the world apprehend what the agonies and spiritual conflicts are which a tempted soul endureth in this case Lastly The Spirit of God must seal us because this assurance is not obtained in a natural way as if we had perfectly obeyed the will of God and therefore we merited pardon but it is by the gracious promises of God made to a believer though accompanied with infirmities Indeed if it were thus that we could purge out all sinne from our selves and be perfect in every good work then assurance would naturally follow as the Saints in Heaven because cleansed from all sinne cannot doubt of Gods favour but our establishment is more upon the promises of grace without us than any thing that is within us while we behold our own unworthinesse and are deeply humbled under it yet even then are we inabled to assure our selves of the grace of God towards us SERM. CXXXVI Of the Object Manner and End of the Spirits sealing 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe next particular considerable in this Description of the Spirits sealing is the Object about which it is conversant and that is said to be the Promises of Grace as belonging to a sanctified person in particular and herein doth the most expresse and efficacious effect of this sealing appear that it particularizeth the Promises of grace what is spoken generally that it doth bring home in a peculiar manner to our own breast What is it to hear of health if it be not thy health What of wealth if not thy wealth So what comfort is it to hear of a Christ if not thy Christ To know there are blessed and precious promises if they doe not belong to thee Doe not the Devils know in the general that Christ is a Saviour that there are excellent promises declared in the Word But they are miserable and wretched howsoever because not applicable unto them We may therefore divide Faith according to the object thereof First Into a general Faith whereby we are carried out to believe the whole word of God upon a divine motive whether it be the historical or comminatory part as well as the promissory Thus whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture though it be but an appendix to any History as that Sauls father had asses though we cannot call it an Article of the faith yet when sufficiently propounded to us then not to believe argueth a wicked and an obstinate spirit because we despise the authority of God and his testimony in that particular though but little Secondly There is a special Faith and that I call The worke of Gods grace for all faith is the gift of God whereby a man is enabled to believe the promissory part in the Scripture whereby he believeth this truth that Jesus Christ is a Saviour to those that believe in him And this the Papists yea and others too make all the faith that is required of us that this is it which doth justifie us but very absurdly Thirdly There is a particular Faith and that is When the Spirit of God doth enable us to receive Christ as our Christ to apply the promises as belonging to us in particular To say with Thomas My Lord my God And with Paul Galat. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me Such a particular faith is not onely possible but a duty of which much excellent and profitable Discourse might be made but I forbear because I am to treat of it God assisting upon another account Therefore for the present you are to know that this worke of Gods Spirit in confirming and sealing of us is especially manifested in this particular and appropriating way of the promises of grace as our portion Therefore it is said to cause us to call God Father which implieth our peculiar interest and propriety in him Doe not then be discouraged from this Canaan because of the Anakims that are in the way Fear not to call God thy Father though thou findest many discouragements within thee The Devil would not have thee taste of this honey But I proceed and the next particular in the Description is the Manner how the Spirit of God cometh thus to witnesse unto us how we come to be sealed and that is said to be First By the meanes God hath appointed thereunto This is very observable
damned Jesus is the Christ the anointed of God Where Ministerial labours are great there needeth the more help from others Where there is any fault in one Minister the people are apt to charge it upon all The grounds of it 1. The policy and enmity of false Teachers 2. The indiscretion of the people 3. The natural enmity in man against the Ministry 'T is an happy thing when all the Ministers of God agree to advance Christ The effects of this Agreement 1. The greater confirmation of the truth 2. The greater defence of the truth 3. The greater conviction of the impenitent and unbelieving Gods truth and so the true Preachers of it are alwayes the same 1. We must distinguish between the external formes of Gods worship and doctrinals 2. Between the growth and the change of truth 3. Between a seeming and a real yea and nay 4. Antiquity and consent are properties of a true Church God hath made many promises in Christ to us 1. God might have dealt with man by absolute soveraignty 2. The promises of God are properly promises 3. Gods promises do not adde to his simple affirmation but only are to confirm our faith 4. The rise of all Gods promises is his free mercy 5. Therefore the fullfilling of his promises is only of grace 6. The promises of God are absolute or conditional 7. There may be reasons given why God made such promises As 1. To exercise our faith 2. To teach us humility 1. Of the several sorts of promises 1. The promises of God are either Legal or Evang elical 2. Promises are either spiritual or temporal 2. Gods promises are the executions of his Decrees 3. No wicked men have any promises belong to them 4. Gods promises to us suppose faith in us 5. God hath sealed his promises to us 6. 'T is great skill to make use of promises In Christ alone are all the promises of God confirmed and made good 1. By the promises of God here are meant only tis promises of grace 2. Promises are fulfilled either in Christ or by him 3. There could have been no promises without Christ 4. And therefore is the covenant of grace called a testament Ans 1. It is hard to sail between the Arminian and Antinomian rock * Saltmarsh 2. A Christian in making use of a promise must not oppose it to Christ nor Christ to it What a Christian ought to do in his doubtings of his interest in the promises 1. He is not to ascend into the high points of predestination and universal redemption 2. He should make Gods command and invitation his ground of drawing nigh to a promise The promises being â—ounded upon will never be altered or changed The promises of God are made and are to be beleeved to his glory Wherein the glory of God is manifested in his promises 1. Hereby his goodnesse is known 2. His love 3. The freenesse of his grace How faith in Gods promises gives glory to him 1. Hereby we acknowledge our dependance upon him 2 Hereby we manifest him to be the truth it self 3. Hereby we exalt Gods way of justification Our establishing in the faith of the promise is the gracious work of God alone 1. God may be said to establish us either in the grace it self or in our apprehension of it 2. We are not able of our selves to do any thing towards the work of grace 3. Wherein lieth the establishing work of Gods grace 1. In preparing the understanding to it How God prepares the understanding 1. By discovering our own infirmity 2. The acceptablenesse of the work of saith 3. The evangelicall way of Gods vouchsafing mercy to the soul 2. In setling the and removing the impediments 1. Presumption 2. Despair Wherein Gods confirmation of us upon the promises consisteth 1. In working principles of grace 1. Faith 2. Love 3. Heavenly courage and spiritual fortitude 4. Divine â—opâ— 5. Spiritual joy 2. By actual motions of his Spirit upon us Arguments that all our establishment is from God It appears 1. From that unevenness that is in the godly themselves 2. In that weak Christians have gone through great temptations when strong ones have failed 3. It appears from the prayers of Gods people The strongest Christians need Gods establishing grace as well as the weakest 1. It appears from the falls the strongest have had 2 From Gods dispensations towards them 3. From the Devils malice against them more than others 4. From Gods leaving them oft to themselves that they may see their strength to be only in him 5. From the nature of the grace within us In Christ alone we are established 1. By grace are Christians united to Christ 2. From this union followeth our establishment 3 Our establishment comes from Christ 1. By meritorious impetration 2. By effectual application All true believers have a spiritual anointing from God 1. Who is the fountain of this ointment even God and Christ 2. The comparison betwixt material and this spiritual oyl They are like 1. As oyl was used in the consecration of things to God 2. As it comforts the heart and beautifies the countenance 3. As it refreshed the weary 4. As it healeth wounds 5. In that it is delightsom to the nostrils 6. As it mollifies 7. As it strengthens and comforts the limbs The people of God are his sealed ones 1. There is an active and a passive sealing 2. Gods sealing of his people is either vifible or invifible What the sealing of tee godly implys 1. The great esteem with God 2. Their safety 3. Security 4. Their difference from others 6. Secrecy and privacy 7. Confirmation Scriptures equivalent to the text Rom. 8. 18. Gal. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Joh 3. 24. 1 Ioh. 5. 8 9 10. The description of the sealing of Gods spirit The description of the sealing of Gods spirit 1. It is a supernatural and gracious work 2. Of Gods spirit Reasons why it is the spirit alone that thus sealeth 〈◊〉 This sealing of Gods spirit is in the hearts of the sanctified 4. It confirms and establisheth the heart Reasons why we cannot confirm our selves 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The Spirit seals the promises of grace to a believer The division of faith as to the object it is 1. General 2. Special 3. Particular How the Spirit seals even by the means that God hath appointed Which means are either external as 1. The Sacraments 2. By the marks of such to whom the promises belong Or else internal The signes whereby we may know the spirit witnesses our interest in the promises 1. The sanctified improvement of afflictions 2. The experience of Gods gracious presence with us 3. The antecedent works of sanctification Of the end of the spirits sealing even that we might live godly and thankfully Whether all Gods people be his sealed ones 1. It belongs to all the godly 2. Primitive Christians did more partake of it then Christians do uow 3. It is not so necessary to
from Christ and that having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh We might instance also in several other Churches But as the Father said elegantly We need not drink up the whole Sea to know whether the water be saltish a drop or two will suffice Secondly This may be demonstrated from the relation and comparison the Church is adorned with in reference to Christ It 's often compared to Christs wife now the wife continueth a true wife and is not to be deserted unless for Adultery which breaketh the conjugal knot otherwise though she have many sad infirmities which may make the relation bitter and uncomfortable yet it doth not unwise her The Church is also Christs body now a body is not forsaken by the soul though it be a sore body a leprous body a leper is a man though a leper It 's Christs â—arden now this may have many weeds in it and many things defile it yet it is not presently made a waste wilderness Thus it is with the Church of God she may have many failings in Doctrine and manners yet not be quite unchurched Thirdly From a godly man A true child of God may have sad falls as we see in Peter and David yet for all this not be quite excluded out of the Covenant of grace they did not lose their sonship even in those sad transgressions and will God be more severe to a whole Church than to one person Use of Instruction what a deal of prudence and wisdome is required in every godly man under Church-pollutions To know what to do to understand how to deport himself for this he must be guided by the Word and the advise of those that are faithfull on the one hand not to be stupid or careless much less complying and communicating with the Church defilements and on the other side not to be so transported with misguided zeal and impatiency against evil as there by to rend the Church causlesly and to sin our selves because others sin SERM XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THis clause hath been fruitfull for much spiritual and edifying matter I shall conclude it at this time There are three things more which are to be deduced from this subject And First Whereas you see that the Epistle is not directed to the Magiâ—â—â— or Civil Governours of the City neither is the least notice taken of their wealth oâ— external pomp We may observe That the Church of God as it is a Church doth farre surpass all Civil Societies and temporal Dignities The Apostle owneth nothing in this famous City but their faith their profession of Christ and subjection to him A Church is a supernatural Society for supernatural and spiritual ends where God is in a more special manner present and therefore though the civil Magistrate be also of God and civil Societies they are of him yet not in that peculiar relation as a Church is Thus the Psalmist saith Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the 〈◊〉 of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jerusalem that is the Assemblies of his people met together in holy Ordinances above all other their civil meetings though never so pompouâ— and magnificent Therefore it 's good to consider that in all the inscriptions which the Apostle 〈◊〉 to any Churches he doth not at all speak of any civil or temporal Dignities that the places where the Churches were had but only â—…on of their spiritual titles as a Church Saints Believers Beloved of God And certainly if we do truly consider things these Titles do as farre transâ—â—nd all civil glory as the Heavens do the Earth The Apostle writing to the 〈◊〉 in all that Epistle takes no notice of the glory of that City which was the Orbis Domina and which they usually called aeterna Urbs he mentioneth their faith which was known to the whole world Rom. 1. 8. not the Roman and warlike power whereby they were so terrible to all Nations It is good to consider this for how few Churches do esteem of or judge themselves by their Church consideration but by their civil respects As they are such a City such a Corporation glorying in their Liberties and Charters whereas the consideration of themselves as a Church should far more possess their hearts Briefly to understand this consider First That the Church and Commonwealth or any civil Society are two distinct things the Church is one thing and the State another thing In the times of Heathen Magistrates and while there was outward persecution by the civil Powers which then ruled it 's plain for the City of Rome and the Church of Rome in Paul's time were wholly different So at Corinth the civil Magistracy of the Town did not seem to be Christians the Corporation of the Town was not as I may say made a Church The Christian Religion was not at this time established in Corinth by the City-Laws and Government only many in Corinth were become believers So that it 's plain The same Corinthians as they were a Church lived by other Laws and by different principles then as members of the City of Corinth As he was a Citizen so he met in their civil Judicatories so he acted according to the Laws of the City provided nothing was against Gods command but as a member of the Church there so they meet with others in spiritual communion for holy and spiritual ends Thus it is in a State while they are generally Heathenish But some have doubted Whether if a Commonwealth become Christian then there is any difference there between the Church and such a Christian State Whether then they are not all one But certainly by the first Institution and plantation of Churches by Christ and the Apostles Churches were founded and imbodied their Officers imploiment and the end of their Society appointed without any relation to the civil State and Government where they lived And therefore a Christian State doth not civilly govern nor bear the Sword punishing with death neither are there supream Governours Lords or Noblemen in it as a Church for then these should be Church-officers and instituted by Christ a Justice of Peace is not of Christ as a Pastor in the Church Neither on the other side are the preaching of the Word the administration of Sacraments the exercising of Church-censures the effects of a Christian State but as a Church So that it 's necessary by Scripture to acknowledge these two a Church and the State as two distinct Societies though the same men may be members of the same Secondly It 's a most blessed thing when the civil State and Church are
happily united together so that both in their several stations do promote the Kingdom of Christ There are extremities on both sides some exclude all civil Government from the matters of the Church or Religion as if the Magistrate and the civil power had nothing to do to appoint any thing in reference to these spiritual matters which if so then Kings and Queens could not be nursing Fathers and Mothers in the Church Then the Magistrate should not be the Custos utriusque tabulae then holy Magistrates should sinne in reforming abuses and corruptions which are crept into the Church of God which yet Hezekiah and Josiah did and so likewise Constantine did to his great praise saying to the Officers of the Church he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had an external Episcopacie and Superintendency Then in the second place there is another extream errour which is to confound the State and the Church as if Christ had appointed no distinct Officers or work but that any man authorized by a commission from the civil power was hereby inabled to do any Office in the Church and that Christ had not set Pastors or Teachers in his Church but civil Governours Now how blessed and happy hath it been when these Societies have been friendly complying and furthering one another The Commonwealth helping and furthering defending and protecting the Church The Church also performing all Church-Ordinances in such a manner that God may bless that state and make it to be as Obed-Edoms house while he entertained the Ark Quamdiu respublicae manent hospitia Ecclesiae tamdiu suns duraturae Hence in the third place The Devil and his instruments have alwayes laboured the ruine of godliness by making divisions and using several stratagems to overthrow the harmonious Unity that ought to be in the Church of God and civil State In Popery we see abominable mischief came to Religion by the usurping of the name of the Church for they excluded the Magistrates and supream Governours from any Government therein and at last pleading exemption from all Obedience and Subjection to the chief powers though so expresly contrary to Paul Rom. 13. Thus they make a few only yea but one the Pope at last to be the Church and then attribute to him a power to dispose of Kingdoms and States where and to whom he pleaseth directly and immediately say some and those who do most mince it say indirectè and in ordine ad spiritualia On the other side sometimes the civil State hath been jealous yea and violently perscuting the Church of God as if that of Julian were true A Church and a civil Society could not stand together as if Christ had commanded such things of his Church that were inconsistent with and would utterly overthrow all civil Government Thus Pilate he was jealous because he heard of Christs Kingdom and although it be known that his Kingdom is not of this world that Church power is wholly spiritual in order to mens souls yet how often are the Governours suspicious about it But these particulars are of large consideration and handled by learned Authours I come therefore to shew That a peoples consideration of themselves as a Church should be preferred above all their civil Glory and Dignity It ought to be more as one Emperour said to be a Member of the Church then an Emperour of the whole world The Church of Rome in Pauls time while pure in the faith was more admirable then the City of Rome which was Queen over the whole world The Grounds why we are to give this preheminence to a Church-consideration are First Because a Church-constitution is supernatural all is of God in a more special manner then in civil Societies For although all civil Powers be of God and the making of civil Societies of making Nations and Kingdoms be in an extraordinary manner attributed to him in the Scripture yet still this is in the course of Nature but a Church is planted by the grace of God and it 's above the work of Nature either ordinary or extraordinary to be made such a Society Secondly As we are a Church we have the nearest relation and reference to God not as a City or a Corporation are but as a Church are we his House his Body his Vinyard Neither can we expect such presence of God in our civil Assemblies and Judicatories as in Church-meetings The power and grace of God is in a more powerfull and special manner discovering it self there Thirdly Hereby we have greater Titles and more noble Dignity Although it 's true in the account of the world nothing is more contemptible The Church is called the Kingdom of God we are hereby the children of God the Covenant of Grace is made with us So that all who are not of the Church be they never such glorious victorious and wise Nations yet they are without God and they are under the Kingdom of Satan whereas Gods Church is the Object of his love there he is said to delight to dwell Use of Instruction to Believers who are the Church of God to consider that title and relation they are in as such Though great though rich though honourable yet let it not be accounted equal to the being one of Gods Church If the Devil should shew thee the glory of all the world promising to bestow it on thee upon condition thou renouncest thy Church interest and Church membership with great indignation refuse it What high esteem was put upon the being a Roman Citizen Paul stood upon his Roman freedom in a particular case but this is nothing to be of that free City which is Jerusalem from above even in this Earth By meditating on this thou wilt be more thankfull to God that he hath made thee one of his Church than if he had given all the Turkish Empire to thee for that is but as Luther said Mica cani a crum to the dog in respect of the childrens bread Again The consideration of a Church-priviledge and interest will make thee most to attend to that in disposing and setling thy self when at liberty Most people look to live where the best trading is the greatest priviledges or best earthly accommodation But if thou art one free to settle thy self where thou mayest thou that fearest God will look upon Church advantages as the greatest glory and profit of all Lastly This will take off all those general thoughts which do almost reign every where to consider of men by their Cities and Townes not by their Churches It 's the Town at such a place the Corporation at such a place but no attending to that place as it is a Church of God Hence it is that we are wholly drowned in the thoughts of our selves as a Town as a Parish in civil respects but never considering the relation of a Church and what duties we are obliged unto thereby The two other Observations are to be dispatched in a little room as
God ruleth in our heart The fire doth not more easily dissolve the frost and ice then this peace of God in our souls doth chase away all slothfulness and negligence if this grace and peace of God were shed abroad in thy heart thou wouldst like a Gyant runne thy race of Christianity whereas now thou art but a Dwarf feeble hands and weak knees will not go through much work especially if difficult and laborious Now the way of Christianity is compared to a race to fighting and combating there are thousands of discouragements and oppositions in the way it behoveth thee therefore to have this peace within that so the work of grace begun in thee may go on more prosperously But you will say This indeed is a mercy like that Pearl in the Parable we may well fell all to have it But how may we be directed to obtain it Take notice of these things briefly First Distinguish between carnal presumption and this peace from God Many have been deluded by taking one for the other The Jews and Pharisees did confidently boast in God as their Father and that they were Abrahams seed the Covenants of Grace did belong to them yet who were further off from it than they were When the Pharisees said Lord I thank thee I am not like other men he might have boldness and confidence upon his soul but yet here was no true peace And thus there are many hundreds who have quiet still and it may be feared stupified consciences Now these find no trouble no aches or pains of heart because of sinne but thank their good God all is well with them when yet alas they are miserable being upon the very borders of Hell in which they may fall every moment Secondly Take heed of living in sinne or omitting of those Duties God requireth of thee For although these be not the cause of this peace in thee yet without these no peace can either be obtained or preserved This is to be throwing water upon the fire till it quite go out Thirdly Perswade thy self of those Doctrinal Truths against the contrary Errours which help to establish this peace Such as the Nature of Justifying Faith in the particular application of it as also not only the possibility but the duty of Assurance the certain and unchangeable love of God to all those who are his as also the acceptablenesse of such a quiet and joyfull spirit unto God himself Fourthly Regard Gods promises as well as precepts Look upon the Gospel as well as the Law let not one destroy the other but make them to be subservient in thy whole life Lastly Pray much for the Spirit of Adoption For it is not thy own power or meditation upon all the Rules that Ministers may give which will give this peace of God till the Spirit of Adoption doe reigne in thee SERM. XXVII Of the Names of God 't is he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People He is a Father to all Believers even the weakest as well as the strongest 2 COR. 1. 2. From God our Father VVE have dispatched the choice and special mercies here prayed for we now come to the Original and Spring of them The Efficient Cause who alone can vouchsafe this to us and that is two-sold God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Let us consider the first and there we have a description of him 1. Absolutely God 2. Relatively a Father 3. The Community of this to all Believers or the Extension of it Our Father We shall dispatch all these particulars briefly The first head is the absolute consideration of God expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether that word come from fear or to runne or to behold is doubted of In the Hebrew there are several Names given to God insomuch that the Rabbins call him Hashem the Name Whether God himself revealed his Name to Adam or Adam imposed a name upon him it is hard to determine This is certain that the Scripture names do very emphatically represent the Nature of God especially those two Jehovah and Elohim The word Jehovah is commonly rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in the New Testament Christ is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when named together as is to be shewed in the verses following Now of these two mentioned words one in the singular the other is in the plural which doth denote especially having light from other places of Scripture that there is One Divine Nature and Three Persons Hence sometimes Jehovah Elohim is put together although also the former word signifieth the fulness of Gods being and giving being to other things For which reason say some he is not named Jehovah till the second Chapter in Genesis when all things were compleated and in another place God is said Not to be known by the Name Jehovah Exod. 6. 3. because they had not seen the great things promised accomplished and Elohim denoteth God as governing and ruling the world in which sense the fool is said to affirm There is no God no Elohim Psal 14. 1. Yet having light from other places of Scripture especially from the New Testament we ought not to reject this consideration that therefore Jehovah is in the singular number and Elohim in the plural to signifie the One Nature and Three Persons For though from the plural number meerly we cannot pitch upon the number three more than four yet from other places joyned to this we may So then as God in making of man spake in the plural number so we shall find in the Scripture in other places speaking of God as Makers in the plural number Isa 54. 5. Psal 149. 2. Job 35. 9. for this reason Though some Divines dare not say Tres Jehovae Three Jehovahs yet they say Three Elohims as Zanchy nameth a piece of his works Indeed there are others who do wholly reject and dislike that expression The word God is applied sometimes properly sometimes improperly Improperly so it is given to Angels and Magistrates The Apostle saith They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Gods in Heaven and Earth Though a learned man observes That never any Angel or Magistrate is called a god in the singular number but they are said to be gods in the plural number now the Apostle sometimes layeth an argument even upon the number Improperly also it is given to Magistrates Moses is said to be made a god to Pharaoh here is the singular number but the respective limitation is added because of his dominion God gave him over Pharaoh to bring judgements upon him Yea the Devil is called the god of this world who is said to blind the minds of disobedient persons Although some expound that of the true and eternal God who doth in just judgement harden the hearts of wicked men Non impertiendo malitiam sed denegando gratiam But properly and truly it is
attributed to the true God only and he alone is here said with Christ to be the Author of that Grace and Peace we have From whence observe That God alone can vouchsafe this grace and peace to his people This is part of Gods Regalia There are many things that the creatures can do as second causes but here God is the alone efficient We remain as it were in so many tormenting Hels till God cause his face to shine upon us Hence you heard God is called the God of peace and as it followeth in the next verse The God of all consolation As therefore God is the fountain of holiness so that there cannot be the least degree of holiness wrought in thee without it come from above thou hast no free-will or power of thy own to procure it So it is in matter of consolation and peace There is not the least drop of comfort can fall into thy heart to refresh it till God pour it into thee I shall briefly mention some grounds of this because it will be more largely handled in the next verse First God alone can give this grace and peace Because he was at first the maker of the heart he is the Father of all flesh and of all spirits Having therefore such an immediate dominion over the heart of man to put into it what he pleaseth to raise up what affections he will no wonder if he alone giveth comfort Elihu speaketh fully to this Job 35. 10. None saith where is God my maker that giveth songs in the night In the night when the soul may be most possessed with sad and dejected thoughts even then he can give songs and that because he is a maker That as he who maketh an instrument of Art the Clock or Watch he can make it strike when and how he pleaseth if there be any hinderance in the motions of it he can presently rectifie it because he made it thus it is with God he knoweth all the workings and turnings of thy heart he made every power and ability of thy soul and so he alone can fill it with joy or bitterness as he pleaseth Though our hearts be not in our power yet they are in Gods power and what he bids it think it thinketh whereas we have not our own thoughts and motions in our own power It is God therefore that made the heart who can make it peaceable and joyfull Secondly God alone must be the fountain of all grace and peace Because he alone is the person offended When we sin it is he that is provoked it 's his honour and his Law that is despised and therefore seeing not the creatures but God himself is chiefly offended till he be reconciled we cannot have any true and certain peace That as it is with a Subject who hath offended the Prince it lieth in the Prince his power only to be gracious and to give a pardon though all men in the Nation should give it him yet if not ratified and confirmed by the Prince whom he hath offended he looketh upon his condition as helpless Thus the foul troubled for sin though all the world give him peace yet that will not satisfie him his thoughts are daily What doth the Lord say Besides these as you see in David though he greatly offended and injured man being guilty of bloud yet he cryeth out to God Against thee thee only have I sinned and earnestly prayeth God would not hide his face from him Psal 51. Use of Direction To all contrite broken hearts who like that woman troubled with the bloudy flux have spent all they had upon Physicians that could do no good Thou hast thus many years been bowed down a stranger to all joy and peace look up to God more know he alone can give thee true joy For this reason we see David and others still making their addresses to God That he would make the bones that were broken to rejoyce that he would make the parched wildernesse to be like a pleasant spring for otherwise they are undone and miserable till he looks upon them Now then if God be the only cause of thy peace take heed how thou provokest him better offend all the world than God For the world though it rage and persecute thee yet cannot deprive thee of this peace but God hideth his face in a moment and then thou must needs be troubled Therefore do not think to get this grace and peace from thy own works and doings but imitate David who said He would hear what the Lord will speak Psal 85. 8. for he will speak peace to his people Thus we are to be attending more to the voice of God in his Word by his promises speaking to our comfort then to our own hearts thou wilt hear what thy own perplexed heart speaks or what the Devil speaks which alwayes suggest matter of terrour and diffidence and doest not hearken to what God by his Spirit through his Word speaketh to thee Only take the caution along with thee the Psalmist giveth If God have spoken peace take heed of returning to folly Sin may in that particular be well called folly for thereby we unsettle our souls we that had the quiet enjoyments of God and his imbracements of grace for some sin that pleaseth or tickleth but for a moment do cast our selves into darkness and misery So that then sin is especially folly when we have once experimentally tasted the good grace of God and then afterwards voluntarily chase it away by our own carelesness Oh how long mayest thou with tears and cries pray for light and comfort again ere thou canst enjoy it In the next place God is here described relatively a Father The word Father is sometimes taken absolutely as it denoteth God the Creatour and Governour of all things sometimes relatively as denoting the first Person in the Trinity Although the Socinian flight this distinction denying the Sonne to be called the Father unless once Isa 9. which they would wrest to another sense and that the holy Ghost is never called Father yea that the Father is never called Father in respect of the first creation of all things but because of his fatherly love and care to the things created yet these things might be cleared against them were it in our way so much Here indeed God the Father is named relatively and not so much from the first creation and making of all things as from the Covenant of grace whereby through Christ we are made his sonnes and what Christ hath by nature we have by grace So that the paternal relation here mentioned is more peculiar and sweet than that general one to all the creatures even wicked men who yet are preserved by him and like Ishmael have many gifts though they have not with Isaac the inheritance Observe That God is a Father in a more peculiar and special manner to those that do truly believe The Poet said We were Gods offspring who knew not
Though a bruised reed breaketh him more though but a smoaking flax yet ready to quench it this I say is adjudged by those who labour under it worse then death more bitter then death We have a remarkable instance for this in Heman Psalme 88. where Verse 14 15 16. he maketh bitter complaint under soul-terrours Why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted and Verse 3. he saith He was free from amongst the dead as the slain that lye in the grave whom God remembreth no more Yea his temptation doth so overcloud him that he seemeth to question the truth of our Doctrine v. 10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead arise and praise thee This good man must needs be greatly dejected when he doubteth of this for nothing is more ordinary with God then to shew wonders to the dead and therefore had he but possessed his heart with this truth he had been able to walk on those waters whereas now he is ready to sink had he concluded saying Oh my soul why art thou cast down within thee what though thou art dead yet it is God that raiseth the dead the dead have cause to praise him this would have revived him Yea God for the most part will not come in to help till we look upon our selves as dead even as Christ did delay till Lazarus was dead and putrifying in the grave that so his glorious power might be the more discovered in restoring of him to life Indeed the Psalmist might have argued that if God should â—uite forsake him suffering him to be swallowed up in despaire Do those that despaire do they praise thee Do the damned in Hell blesse and glorifie thy name If then in these sad and bitter temptations upon thy soul thou wouldst have some worke to get into then remember this truth God raiseth the dead Thus we have heard in what particulars this Doctrine is true let us now consider what is implyed in this expression God raiseth the dead And 1. It supposeth That Gods own Children may be brought into an helplesse and hopelesse estate They may be in a Wildernesse so that if God doth not extraordinarily provide Manna for them they will perish for you must know that this is attributed to God chiefly for the godly mans sake For though the wicked may sometimes be delivered from imminent dangers yet that is by the generall providence of God who doth in Heaven and Earth what he pleaseth but the godly are delivered from the speciall love of God and his peculiar promise to them of being their God So that it is in this case as it is in the Resurrection all men shall be raised from the dead even the wicked as well as the just only the wicked shall be raised by the power of God as a just judge but the godly as Members of Christ and from that speciall Covenant of grace God made with them and upon this foundation Luke 20. 37. doth Christ prove the Resurrection because he is the God of Abraham the God of Isaack and the God of Jacob. These are mentioned rather then Noah or Enoch when yet God was also their God because to those the promise of grace was either at first made or afterwards repeated As therefore because God is a God in Covenant he will raise up their dead bodies so from this relation he will raise thee up from thy extreame necessities yet this supposeth that God though he loveth us so as to deliver from evill yet he will not alwayes prevent the evill 2. Here is implyed That God hath an immediate soveraignty and dominiâ—â— over all conditions and estates be they never so bitter and hopelesse We cannot say of the true God that he is the God of the Vallies but not of the Hils also When that Lord would not believe God could on a suddaine provide such incredible plenty he was severely punished for it The Israelites also are taken notice of for limiting God Psal 78 9. Though God had given them water yet say they Can he furnish a Table in the Wilderness Oh how often are we guilty of such distrust though God hath done thus and thus yet can he do this also But he raiseth the dead he hath a command over all things Hence God is said 1 Cor. 1. 28. To choose things that are not thereby to confound things that are So that there is no tentation no affliction but God can command it and work what he pleaseth out of it for thy good he can raise up Children to Abraham out of stones he can make Grapes to grow of Thornes and Figs of Thistles 3. There is implyed That our extremities are Gods opportunities They are the proper time to work in and not before Why doth he not say God that healeth the sick that comforteth the sorrowfull but instanceth in the utmost of all that raiseth the dead but to shew that it is commonly Gods way to delay his help till it be at the very outmost Christ would not turne water into Wine till all was spent When the poor creeple that lay so long by the Poole side said I have no man to help me then Christ healed him It became a Proverbe in the Church of old In the Mount the Lord will be seen God lets Abraham alone till he was lifting up his hand to give a mortall blow and then God appeareth providing also a Ram in Isaacs stead Thus it was also with Abraham God provideth him a Son out of a dead Wombe that so his glory may be more exalted commonly a godly mans Isaacs his joyes and comforts are brought out of the dead Wombe of the Creatures What more is to be said herein will come in seasonably in the next Verse Let us from the premisses make this Use Doth God raise even the dead and may such put trust in God Then shame and reprove thy saying oh me slow to believe oh me dull and heavy about Heavenly duties for though my afflictions are but weak and ordinary there is nothing above measure or strength in them yet I am ready to faint how can this be forgiven to me As the Apostle said in another case you have not yet resisted to blood So it may be thy exercises have never been so grievous and extreame so as thou art to be accounted as a dry bone as a dead man and yet I have much ado to trust in God in these inferior tryals Cry out unto the Lord to help thee in these weak graces be ashamed when any little trouble is apt to disquiet thee to discompose thee Oh say if it were the worst condition that could come upon me if it were the heaviest tryall that could fall on me yet I was to trust in him who raiseth the dead SERM. LXXIV We are not to consider Gods Mercies in general onely but their several Aggravations also 2 COR. 1. 10. Who delivered
into nothing Thus it is with the promises recorded in the Scripture they all move and act as it were in him They all live and worke in him were it nor for his merit and his Spirit they would be but as empty words or as a tinkling cymball Therefore In the fourth place The Covenant of Grace which is virtually all the promises of God it is not onely called a Covenant and a Promise but a Testament likewise And that for this end because it doth necessarily relate to the death of the Testatour So that Gods promise is not to be conceived as when one man maketh a promise to another absolutely and without any thing intervening For here we have God indeed promising from his meer absolute goodnesse and mercy but then the execution of this cannot be without the blood of Christ so that all the force of the promise ariseth from the death of Christ The Apostle therefore argueth the validity of this Covenant from that which is amongst men Galat. 3. 15. A mans testament when it is confirmed cannot be disanulled or added unto how much rather then must the testament of Christ be confirmed for ever The Apostle doth excellently consider this Heb. 9. 15. For this cause Christ is a Mediatour of the New Testament that by meanes of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a testament is there also must of necessity be the death of the testatour By which it appeareth that the promises of God are established upon a sure and unchangeable foundation even the blood of Christ and therefore as sure as Christ died so sure will those promises of God be made effectual to thee Indeed if Gods promises were Yea and Amen according to thy workes to thy worth and dignity woe would be unto thee Yea though God doth require faith and repentance yet the promises are not setled upon these as a foundation but on Christ and therefore it is that our hopes our comforts can never be shaken The promises then of God have two Pillars to bear them up though one be enough The first is The immutability and verity of Gods Nature he cannot change he cannot lie The other is From the Merit and Efficacy of Christs death whereby the things promised are deserved and that at a dear rate even Christs blood Now then can any godly soule give way to unbeliefe to sinfull dejections seeing that God cannot lie and the blood of Christ cannot but obtaine God cannot deny himselfe neither can he deny his onely Sonne Therefore let the godly soule remember this Gods promise is not onely a bare promise but Christs Testament also Insomuch that all spirituall benefits are the fruit of his death and shall we thinke that blood will be shed in vain Shall we give no more to Christs Testament then we will to a mans But this Doctrine deserveth further enlarging SERM. CXXVII Of the usefulnesse and unchangeablenesse of the Promises of God 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen ALl the promises of grace you have heard are established upon two immovable pillars Gods unchangablenesse and the bloud of Christ To proceed from this followeth First That Deus absolutus as Luther was wont to say or Deus in praedicamento substantiae is a consuming fire and we are nothing but stubble before him it must be God as in praedicamento relationis as he is a God promising mercy unto us in Christ that is the ground of all our commerce and fellowship with him We are not to appear before God in confidence of our obedience to his commands but by faith in his promises insomuch that the only foundation we have to build upon in all our approaches unto him is Gods promise alone in Christ The godly soul is to look with as much or more chearfulnesse on that than Rahab could do on the scarlet thread held out as a commemorative signe to preserve her life were it not for this promise in Christ who could who might who dare draw nigh to God the Father So that it is through Christ that the way is opened for us to come unto God We may see this notably prefigured as it were in Gods dispensation with the people of Israel Exo. 33. 2 3. for when they had by their sinnes greatly provoked God the Lord denied his presence to go along with them I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee in the way this sheweth that such was Gods anger against their iniquity that he could not bear it It 's a speech taken from the humour of men otherwise the anger of the Lord is subject to his own power only this is spoken to shew what distastefull objects they were to him But though his anger be thus against them yet see what he promiseth ver 2. I will send my Angel before thee Here God would not go but his Angel now this Angel is Christ as appeareth Exod. 22. 20 21 22. where he is described as one in whose power it is to pardon iniquities with this addition for my Name is in him Observe then here a sweet Oeconomy or dispensation of Gods dealing with the people of Israel as a President to inform us about all mankinde God would not look upon mankinde neither would he behold as it were if he did he should immediatly destroy them all but he sends an Angel he sendeth Christ into the world and so in and through him he becomes propitious to us Now how little is this understood by Christians who do go to the promises upon their own obedience they think they beleeve they repent and in the mean while Christ is not all in all as if in our graces in our performances The promises of God were yea and Amen and not in God himself It is a long while ere the ministery of the Law hath any efficacy upon mens hearts ere they are sensible of the weight and the heavinesse of sinne ere they go bowed down because of this burden and when that hath broken them it is many times longer ere they are directed to an Evangelicall life ere they can tell how to make use of the proper remedy which is the promise of God in Christ for all their disputes and doubts arise from this as if the fullfilling of the promises were established upon themselves and not upon Christs bloud Truly if the humbled sinner were well instructed in this principle it would be like the rising of the Sunne to dispell all darknesse for either the promises are made good because of thy faith and of thy repentance or because of Christs bloud and atonement through that if because of the former then no wonder thou art no more quieted in thy minde no wonder thy heart is so full of fears for how weak is thy faith how strong and heavy is thy heart if thou must be justified by their worth thou art undone But then if Christ be
God may forsake gradually that thereby he may not forsake totally and finally Such desertions that are for a season are sometimes mercies and very usefull being a substraction of grace in order to fill us with more grace And the end of such providential administrations is to convince us fully of this truth that we do not settle our selves but it is God that doth it for us Lastly This truth may be demonstrated from the nature of that grace which is habitual and permanent in us For though that there be in us as a principle qualifying of us to work holy things with delight joy and content yet it cannot put us upon working without a further actual efficacious work of grace upon our souls which you heard the Apostle calleth Working in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. So that although there be never so much grace planted in us yet that lieth asleep as it were and worketh not till this efficacious grace actuate it and put it into motion neither ought this to be any wonder to us For we see in natural causes it is not enough to have a principle of life unless God also enable us to move For in him we live and move and have our being much more then must this be in supernatural things where the Actus primus and secundus is of God Not but that in the progresse of grace we act and move but Acti agimus moti movemus It is the grace of God that doth efficaciously incline the sanctified will to spiritual operation then the North-wind and the South doe as it were blow upon the spiccs that they may send forth their fragrant smell It is true at the first work of grace there we are meerly passive but God doth not then force our will he only changeth it as water which naturally descends when made air doth naturally ascend upwards Thus the will of a man which was depressed to earthly things by sinne when sanctified and made heavenly ascendeth up towards God and heavenly objects By these discoveries it is manifest that the best Saint in this world is setled by the grace of God alone Those corruptions within him are treacherous and would betray him into the hands of Satan did not Christ corroborate him And is this any wonder of man fallen seeing Adam fell for want of this confirming grace and the elect Angels do therefore not leave their habitation as the Apostate have because the grace of God doth confirm them So that the good use we are to make of this Doctrine is to be exceeding watchfull and tender about all sinne lest thereby we provoke God to leave us How terrible do such desertions many times prove To whom are woes to whom are wounds and gripes of conscience but many times to those who being left of God have thereby ingaged in sinfull wayes and so having lost an holy frame of heart have thereby deprived themselves likewise of an Evangelical comfortable one Take heed through thy lazinesse negligence pride or some other sinne God forsake thee and thou become worse than Nebuchadnezzar of a godly man made like a beast This will be bitternesse in the latter end As for the second Doctrine I shall not say much to that because it hath been in part already spoken unto it is That in Christ alone we are established That as in the building other stones are strengthened because of the corner stone or the foundation stone or as the branch in the Vine doth therefore live and flourish because in the Vine so it is with us because in Christ we are setled with Christ in Christ we are confirmed with Christ which made Austin say In Christo sumtis Christus extra Christum nihil In Christ we are even like Christ out of Christ we are nothing at all To consider this we are to know First That all the godly through the efficacy of Gods Spirit are united to Christ and so become his mystical and spiritual body By reason of this it is that Christ dwelleth in them and they in Christ Christ actively communicating of his goodnesse and virtue to them and they passively receiving influences of grace from his fulnesse This union is represented in Scripture by many similitudes of a building of a vine and branches of an husband and wife but none so expresly as that in the Sacrament of bread and wine denoting us those elements are naturally turned into our nourishment and made one with us so we are in a spiritual and mystical manner made one with Christ This being laid as a foundation then Secondly From this our establishment and settlement followeth whereby we are sure to persevere and nothing shall be able to dissolve this union whence once made a true member of Christ there cannot be any separation made so as ever such a person should at last be damned in hell for that would redound to the highest dishonour of Christ the Head as could be imagined The reason why Adam fell though without any inherent corruption in him was partly because he was not united to Christ in that manner as the weakest believer is now under the Covenant of Grace And although these things are derided by the Arminian yet this Doctrine of spiritual union with Christ may compell every one to believe the truth thereof so that if we now fall Christ must fall with us we are not to be considered as single persons standing upon our own bottome but as united to Christ Therefore Thirdly Being thus in Christ our stablishment ariseth two wayes from Christ 1. By meritorious impetration Christ as our Mediatour hath deserved this through his propitiatory death that we should alwayes be kept his and therefore when we have a thousand times over deserved that God should leave us yet because Christ hath deserved that God should alwayes love us therefore it is that we stand faster than Mount Zion which yet is said not to be moved The second way is by efficient application for he doth communicate of his power and strength to us whereby when we are ready of our selves to fall yet he doth prevent it So that our being in Christ is the foundation of all strength and all comfort and therefore this discovereth the wretched estate of such who can claim no interest in Christ these are tossed up and down from one lust to another they roll from one iniquity to another the Devil doth what he pleaseth with them he throweth them sometimes in the fire and sometimes in the water and all this is because not in Christ If at any time through the common graces of Gods Spirit they are got up to the pinacle of the Temple they are eminent for gifts and place in the Church of God all the godly have admired them for a while yet at last you find them blasted and cursed in this way you find them like swine wallowing in the mire that were judged to be the sheep of
grace so a God of all consolation and Gal. 5. Joy is the fruit of Gods Spirit as well as Faith Love and Repentance are in other places attributed to God But you will say It may easily be granted that a man being dead in sinne he needeth the mighty work of Gods Spirit to raise him up and to give spiritual life but doth it follow that he needeth the same spirit to establish and assure him of Gods love Yes no doubt but that the same Spirit of God which bringeth thee out of the gulf of thy lusts must also out of the gulf of thy doubts and fears It 's as impossible for thee to have comfort of thy self as grace of thy self And therefore you see the Scripture speaking of this twofold operation of Gods Spirit as being necessary to antidote against our twofold corruption and the grounds of this necessity of Gods Spirit are these First The heart of a man is naturally opposite to any thing that is spirituall Whatsoever is of God though never so desirable in it self yet meeting with our corrupt natures it findeth opposition therefore we cannot of our selves any more receive the promises though infinitely needing of them then we can obey the commands We cannot endure honey any more then gall The way of Gospel-joy is contrary to a troubled heart as well as Gospel-obedience to a secure carnal heart Secondly We need the Spirit of God to this sealing because that which doth oppose this is indeed nothing but the fruit of sinne running down another channel He that once lived in divers pleasures did continually grieve the holy Spirit of God Let this man finde the guilt of sinne Let the Law wound and sting him then he grieveth the comforting spirit of God by fears and doubts No wonder then if it must be Gods Spirit only that sealeth because that alone can remove the guilt within thee that only can take off these objections these discouragements that are upon the soul As God raised an East-winde that suddenly delivered Pharaoh from those Locusts that molested him this was miraculous none could do it but God so it is the Spirit of God that alone can take off the heavy burthen of sinne upon thee It is Gods Spirit alone that can overrule thy conscience that can pacifie it that can comfort it It is the Spirit of Adoption that maketh us cry Abba Father but more of this may come in afterwards SERM. CXXXV A further Discovery of the Spirits sealing the People of God 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe third particular in the Description of the Spirits sealing cometh to be considered and that is the subject thereof which is two-fold 1. Of Inhesion And 2. Of Predication First Of Inhesion so it is said to be the work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of the godly For after this manner the Scripture speaketh He hath sent his Spirit into our hearts Gal. 4. 6. And in this Text He hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts By this expression is denoted that deep radicated and full possession which the Spirit of God hath upon the hearts of true believers So that hereby is excluded that vanishing and superficial perswasion which may be in a temporary believer of his interest in Christ As a temporary believer hath something like true faith like true joy and like true grace upon the soul so he hath also something like this sealing and like this assured perswasion upon his heart Therefore as the former is much disputed and it doth greatly exercise tender hearts viz. How they may know when they are carried on in the work of sanctification beyond those inchoate and imperfect workings which an hypocrite may have So this latter also doth cause great sollicitude and care of spirit in many gracious souls How shall they know their assurance is not a delusion is not a false perswasion arising out of an inordinate love to their own selves For the Devil doth not only transform himself into an Angel of light as light is taken for holinesse but also as it is taken for comfort Now amongst other characteristical differences this is one the perswasion of a godly man is more full plenary and powerfull Even as sanctifying grace entereth efficaciously into the heart so also doth this sealing grace whereas what hypocrites feel is in a confused general and flashy way neither is it drawn out upon permanent and enduring motives Although doctrinal characters given by the most able Ministers of the Gospel are not enough to make us find out this difference in our selves without a rectified constitution of the powers of the soul within unlesse we attain to that qualification spoken of by the Apostle Heb. 5. 14. who by reason of use or habit or perfection as the word may be rendred have their senses exercised to discerne between good and evil This Text is much to be pressed upon you For it is not every godly man at first that can separate the precious from the vile in his soul but there must be an habitual use of the senses this way Where mark also the Apostle attributeth to the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a metaphorical manner That as the taste when well constituted is able to discern between bitter and sweet the eye between white and black the ear between what is melodious and what is harsh and displeasing Thus the soul of a godly man being used to heavenly and spiritual things can know what is of God and what is of Satan or of nature in him For you must know there may be four principles of operations in us 1. Nature and that when polished with education and moral principles may appear very glorious 2. Satan insinuating himself as a subtil Serpent as an Angel of light imitating the works of God though he cannot efficaciously work the heart to any thing all that he doth is by suggestion and moving the imaginative and sensitive part of a man 3. There is the Spirit of God and that worketh in us either in a common way by gifts and assistance or by a sanctifying way Now is there not required much spiritual skill and experience to discern which is which of all these So that it is no wonder if he require these senses to be exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word from those who did exercise themselves in the Heathenish games and that naked thereby to fit and prepare themselves to be more agile and expedite for that service In this dispute therefore enquire not onely for doctrinal symptomes and signes of this sealing of Gods Spirit but heartily pray for these exercised senses in spiritual things The other subject is the subject of predication of whom it is affirmed that they have this sealing of Gods Spirit and that is sanctified persons We speak of adult persons for it is plain that infants though they may be sanctified yet because not having actual faith they neither have this sealing And
in his heart in somuch that an Angel was sent to comfort him This might make us wonder that God should not spare his own Sonne but it was necessary for our redemption for as he could not have wrought our reconciliation for us unlesse he had a passible body that could suffer death so neither unlesse he had a suffering soul by fears and grief though all without sinne It was Jobs case likewise to be without sealing for he could have no comfort in his heart while he complained the Arrows of the Almighty did stick fast in him while he was terrified with dreams and visions in the night Thus the Lord still doth exercise his soveraignty therein he withdraweth the light of his favour from many choice sanctified ones They wander in a wildernesse their lives are a burthen to them they cannot meet God in any ordinance as if they were become like so many rejected Sauls when yet the favour of the Lord is exceeding great to them only they perceive it not But then secondly On our part many times yea too often when the cause is that we have not this sealing We may thank our selves for bloaching the Paper so that no comfortable thing can be written upon it I shall instance in one or two waies how we come to keep off this sealing And the first is by falling into some grievous and grosse sinnes if such do drive away the naturall peace of a meer natural conscience as is plain in heathens how much more the supernaturall peace of a tender enlightned conscience Davids penitentiall Psalm 51. doth fully speak to this he there complaineth of his broken bones he prayeth to have joy restored to him all which argueth that by sinne he had lost all comfortable enjoyment of God That he was in a chaos and dark confusion and truly if there were no hell no damnation to threaten the people of God with to keep them from grosse sinnes This of Gods iron turnace to be cast into is enough to make our hearts tremble Oh the wofull condition that godly manis in who in stead of the spirit of Adoption he once enjoyed is now delivered up to Satan to be under his fears his black temptations No outward comfort in the world can then give him a drop of case Oh then come not near any grosse sinnes fly from the appearance of it for this sealing cannot consist with that Secondly Any carelesse and remisse walking though we do not fall into grosse sins is enough to put this Sunne into an Eclipse Any angry and bitter words to another will do it Any loose and wanton discourse may bring thee into this deep dungeon For so you may see Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the spirit by which yeare sealed But how is that done for so you may see the verse before by corrupt communications by unsavoury gracelesse words and then see the subsequent Verse Let all bitternesse all wrath and anger be put away Dost thou then complain thou hast not this sealing how can it be otherwise How many frothy foolish speeches hast thou How many angry bitter words come from thee If you hereby grieve Gods spirit no wonder that he leave thee to thy grief Thirdly By any inward security and secret self-confidence we may deprive our selves of this sealing For seeing this is a Gospel-privi edge a ray from the Sunne of righteousnesse it is only conveighed in an Evangelicall method Now all Gospel-dispensations are to the broken in heart to the poor in spirit to the humbled sinner renouncing all righteousnesse and worth of our own so that as it is in the work of sanctification no sooner hath a man any secret confidence in his own power but sanctifying grace in some measure leaveth him As we see in Peter when he said Though all men should for sake Christ yet he would not Thus it is also in the way of consolation no sooner doth a man begin to be lifted up within because he hath these comfortable refreshments but presently they are substrated from us Thus David did but say his mountain was established that he should not be moved and immediately God hid his face and he was troubled Psa 30. 6 7. Therefore that man who would enjoy this desirable priviledge must walk with a tender humble and yet an Evangelicall fiducial frame of heart Fourthly When we speak of Gods sealing you must rightly understand the meaning of it It is not as if thereby such a certainty were wrought in the soul that it doth exclude all fears and doubts No that is a proper priviledge to heaven as the flesh lusteth against the spirit in matter of sanctification so it doth also in consolation As therefore when the spirit of God sanctifieth on the spirits part grace is pure and perfect but on the subjects part which doth receive it so it hath much drosse and imperfection cleaving to it Thus it is also in this sealing though the testimony and witnesse on the spirits part be infaliible and undoubted yet as we receive it so there is much unbeleef and doubting adhering to us This sealing therefore and many fears and doubts may consist together because it is not absolutely predominant and prevalent only here is a conflict we are to strive against these doubts we are to pray against these fears till the Lord cause light to arise out of this darkness Therefore the godly may have this sealing and yet not attend to it nor perceive it because the corruptions of our heart are most perceived by us and we are so exercised by them that we do not consider what the spirit of God doth witnesse at that time This then maketh the godly think they have not this sealing at all because they have it not with that dominion as they desire to exclude all conflicts and troubles within and so as in respect of sanctification there is some grace under much corruption so there is also this certainty under many fears And if you say that it is a contradiction that a man should be assured and doubt also I answer No no more than that a man should be sanctified and yet have some corruption in him for they do not respect the same thing Certainty ariseth from the Promises of God set home by his spirit upon us ahd fears arise from the sence and feeling of our own weaknesses So that what the holy Apostle speaketh concerning the work of grace in him with the oppositian thereunto the good he would do he doth not and he findes evil present with him Thus it is here the sealing the assurance the comfort he would have he cannot obtain but the doubts and slavish fears which he hateth they carry him away captive Lastly Suppose a godly man hath not this sealing yet let him not limit God to the times and seasons he would but leave all to the merciful dispensation of a wise and righteous God Thou hast not assurance yet no more thou hast
under some temptation surely when he wrote that Pelagian History for in that he hath this passage where speaking of some Ancients who from the metaphor of an anchor and earnest conclude the certainty of eternal life glosseth after this manner Histor Pelag. lib. 6. Thes 13. Certos nos dicunt quamdiu habemus arrhabonem spiritus sancti sed arrhabonem hunc siquis abjiciat hinc certitudinem simul salutis amittere We are certain of eternal life as long as we have this anchor this earnest but if we lose it we lose our certainty also of salvation How inexcusable is this though some learned men great friends to that excellent Authour say that he promised to review that History of Pelagian heresie in time For therefore is this earnest given us to take away our fears about the future Whereas in their sense we must needs be as uncertain as before and besides this earnest would need another earnest and so in infinitum The Scripture then by calling it an earnest would hereby inform us of Gods will that he who hath given us the first-fruits will in time also give us the lump or harvest it self he will so preserve us that not only any thing without as the devil and the world but also any thing within us our own hearts our own lusts shall not betray us and become our destruction and certanily that reason of Chrysostowe which is also grounded upon the Scripture is among others very remarkable If God of his free-grace did while enemies convert us and bestow his spirit as an earnest upon us will he not much rather do it for us since he hath received us into his friendship To this purpose the Apostle also argueth very strongly Rom. 5. 9 10. While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more then being now justified by his bloud shall we be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled by death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his lise If then God hath done the greater will he not do the lesse when we wallowed in our lusts when we tumbled in our filth even then the grace of God did speak unto us to live even then it did put comelinesse and beauty upon us and shall he not much more do it since he hath made us his own So that the same grace of God which received us though unworthy will preserve us though unworthy and as our rebellious heart did not finally withstand converting grace but was overcome by it so will the grace of perseverance watch over us that this earnest shall not be totally lost For this end we have many glorious promises to encourage us in this particular we must not then look upon our own dead womb but the power and promise of God concluding by this Lord I know thy will is that I shall be saved by this I am perswaded that nothing no not I my self shall separate my self from thy love for thy grace will alwaies prevent my will Secondly In that it is called an earnest there is implyed that grace here and glory hereafter are of the same nature that they differ only gradually Even as in an earnest amongst men that is part of the full payment and of the same nature with it Thus grace is nothing but glory begun and glory grace perfected for which cause it is called glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the same image from glory to glory that is from grace to grace till we come to inhabit glory For which cause also the Apostle compareth our state of grace here to the state of a childe and that of glory hereafter to a virile estate 1 Cor. 13. Now as a childe differeth from himself when made a man but gradually he is the same individuall person still Thus it is here thy grace will not be abolished thou hast here but perfected We do but think and understand in heavenly things as children only comparatively to what shall be done in heaven Even as these individual bodies shall put on immortality and incorruptibility They shall not be new bodies but changed bodies It is true there are some graces which suppose an imperfection in the subject while he is here in the way at least in their actings and so farre as there is imperfection it shall be abolished as 1 Cor 13. Thus saith as it justifieth as it is opposed to vision and hope as opposed to enjoying repentance likewise as it is sorrow for sin and patience which supposeth afflictions These things cannot be put forth in heaven but probably the habits of these graces may continue there as being an ornament and perfection of the soul it being extrinsecal only and by accident that the occasion of the exercise of those graces is removed Hence some say but not probably that the Spirit of God is a pledge in respect of faith and hope because they shall cease but an earnest in respect of charity which abideth for ever Salmeron in loc No wonder then if grace be an earnest of glory seeing they are the same thing in nature and differ only as perfect and imperfect yet when we say that grace is only glory begun that must be understood in a sound sense for some of the Papists make an inward condignity between grace and glory we are not then to think that grace of it self would in a naturall and necessary way spring up into glory as an Acorn would in a physicall manner breed up into an Oak being seminally and causally contained in it No but in a moral sense by the gracious appointment and order of God grace is glory begun otherwise such is the imperfection and drosse that is in our graces while in this life that when we have arrived to the highest pitch we might justly be deprived of glory Grace in the Apostate Angels formerly was not glory seminally and radically for then they had not missed it But if we do now regard the covenant of Gods grace he hath so appointed it that whosoever hath grace here that shall be preserved and kept so faithfully that it shall be perfected into glory hereafter And thus the earnest is of the same nature with the full payment it self Thirdly and lastly This similitude doth not only declare Gods purpose and effectuall will concerning us but it is also to assure and perswade us of heaven as if we were already in it and this is indeed one of the main ends of this similitude God will by this inform us of the transcendant excellency of the covenant of grace above that of works which he made with Adam Thus our Saviour saith Joh. 5. 24. He that beleeveth is passed from death to life he is already and therefore is sure of everlasting happinesse so that in this similitude there is not only the perseverance of the Saints denoted but also their assurance and certain perswasion of it And the truth is great is the