vpon the tree but that they themselues brought him thither and were the procurers of that his bitter passion Christ Ioh. 10. 11. layd downe his life but for whom euen for his sheepe He was cursed that they might be blessed he was wounded that they might be healed he Isa 53. suffered disgrace that they might be brought to glory and endured in a sort the torments of hell that they might partake of the ioyes of heauen the sound meditation thereof cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab though he had formerly bene a rebell and was now newly reconciled vnto him yet he mourned for him till the euening because hee was a worthy man albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus who was not a worthy man but infinitely more worthy then all both men and Angels and not murdered by the treachery of another but killed by the sinnes of their soules the sins of their lips and the sinnes of their hands and if he had not bene so killed they had bene euerlastingly damned Put case that a man had one onely sonne which was to be the heire of the family and he of a sudden should find him starke dead would it not inwardly touch him and strike cold vnto his heart especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly bene the cause thereof yes certainly it would go through his heart euen like a sword and such will bee the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour as this very text witnesseth when they by the eye of faith do see him heauy vnto the death crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe being full of torment in his body and fuller of anguish in his soule that for their sakes euen for their sins they cannot but bee excedingly moued hereat And a little to presse the other comparison vsed in this text if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah who yet died vnwillingly not without any intent to benefite them thereby how much more bitterly should we lament the death of our blessed redeemer who was a farre greater and excellenter king then Iosiah was and yet willingly and freely laid downe his life for our sakes that hee might free vs from eternall death and destruction both of our bodies and soules Questionlesse if we haue any spirituall life and sense in vs this will make vs loath our sinnes that brought our deare Sauiour so much woe and misery and cause vs heartily to mourne for the same euen as a man would doe at the sight of a knife or sword or some such like instrument whereby at vnawares he hath slaine his child or wife or any that was neare and deare vnto him Especially if we consider that God out of his meere loue gaue his onely Sonne vnto vs when Ioh. 3. 14. we deserued nothing at his hands but his heauy curse and vengeance to be executed vpon vs and that the Sonne of God was content from the aboundance of his loue to be so abased and vilified so afflicted and tormented for our offences this must needs worke vpon our soules if we haue but the least drop of goodnesse in vs. Obiect But here some man may obiect and say Indeed if all this had bene done for me alone you say wel if my heart were not altogether flinty and vtterly hardened I could not but relent at the consideration hereof but al Gods elect were the cause hereof as well as I. Ans This doth nothing diminish the loue of God and of Christ toward you and therefore it should no whit lessen your good affection towards him for your Sauiour suffered as much for your iniquities as if he had suffered for no mans else for your sinnes alone required an infinite satisfaction Obiect Againe it may be asked how the consideration of Christ his death can make vs mourne sith it is the happiest thing that euer fell out since the foundations of the world were laid and therefore may seeme to bring with it greater matter of ioy then of sorrow Ans The answere hereunto is easie because ioy and sorrow may very well stand together as may plainly appeare in this similitude If any of vs had committed some notable offence and were therevpon apprehended and condemned and now going to the place of execution there to endure whatsoeuer torture the wit or malice of men could inflict vpon vs and at this instant some deare friend of ours in singular compassion toward vs should intreate that the execution might be stayed that we might be set at liberty and he come in our steed to suffer whatsoeuer our ill deeds haue deserued we could not but be glad that we speede so well in being freed from so much miserie and yet withall if we had but naturall kindnesse and common humanity in vs it could not but grieue our soules that so good a friend of ours should be put to such exquisite torments for our sakes Or if a suerty should be content to sell his lands and goods for the discharge of our debts we had iust cause to reioyce thereat and yet reason requires that we should be touched with inward griefe for that we had bene such bankroutes and prouided so ill for the estate of our suerty Euen so the case standeth betwixt Christ and vs he did vndergo those punishments which were to be inflicted vpon vs and discharged those debts which otherwise should haue bene charged vpon vs in regard of our freedome we ought to take comfort and in regard of that which our Sauiour did and suffered for vs wee must bee humbled and grieued Vse 1 Which serueth for the great terrour of sundry gracelesse persons who being rebuked for their sinnes will confesse that indeede they haue their faultes and infirmities but did not the Sonne of God die say they to redeeme vs from the same He did so indeed if you belong vnto him and will you crucifie him againe by your wretched and sinfull behauiour Did Christ weepe and cry and sweate droppes of bloud for sinne and will you make no better vse thereof then to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and to take your swinge in sinning because Christ hath made himselfe an offering for the same You proclaime vnto all the world that you are not ledde by the Spirit of grace and that you haue not a liuely faith in the merites of the Sonne of God for if you were a true beleeuer you would be so farre from continuing in sinne because Christ hath redeemed you by his bloud that you would therefore abhorre it and eschue it because it cost him so deere Euen as one that hath any sparkle of ciuilitie in him if his friend haue endured great tortures to free him from the imputation of
mercy vnto his Church He will seeke to destroy all nations that come against Ierusalem that is all the enimies that doe oppose themselues vnto his people and endeauour to hinder his good worke in them and for them Now when it is said that he will seeke to destroy them the meaning is that as he hath a resolution to ouerthrow them so he will prouide meanes whereby it shall be effected Then further in the tenth verse he setteth downe the meanes how his people should bee brought to such excellencie I wil powre vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should finde a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace powred downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruantes By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vppon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes and betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly bee saide that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate lambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances two wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7. 11. Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly and worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho king of Aegipt they lamented for him very 2. Chron. 35. bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernement of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall bee the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sence of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocriticall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words we see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospel and here is shewed 1 First what gift he
wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2 The soundnesse thereof both which are more fully laid open in that which goes before Thus much concerning the meaning and order of the words now let vs consider of such instructions as may thence arise for our learning Vers 11. And I will powre vpon the house of Dauid c. the Spirit of grace c. In that the Lord hauing promised that his Church shall be brought to wonderfull excellencie doth set downe this as the meanes whereby he will effect it that they shall haue the Spirit in great plenty powred downe vpon them this shall be the doctrine That the way to all happinesse and blessednesse is to haue the Doct. 1 The Spirit of God is the author of all happinesse Spirit of grace bestowed vpon vs. Whosoeuer hath not this though he be neuer so great in the world he is altogether wretched and miserable subiect to the curse of God and to continuall vexations and discontentments and on the other side whosoeuer hath this holy Spirit dwelling in his heart is an happy and blessed man though hee be neuer so much deiected and cast downe through outward afflictions and tribulations This point is euident in the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 32. 13. 14. c. where it is shewed that so long as the Spirit of God is withheld from men they haue grieuous ruines and desperate decaies among them and they still go from ill to worse being ill without and ill within but how long doth this continue Vntill the Spirit be powred vpon them from aboue And what then The wildernesse shall become a fruitfull field That is those men and woemen that were like a wildernesse before bringing foorth nothing but brambles and bryars nothing but pride and worldlinesse and such like fruites of the flesh euen those men and women shall be as a fruitfull field being beautified and adorned with the vertues of Christ and with the graces of his Spirit and not onely so but likewise enriched with all good prosperity which the Lord seeth needefull for them Reasons Now the reasons why the Spirit maketh men so happy are these Reason 1 First because it doth mortifie and crucifie the flesh that is originall corruption with all the lusts Rom. 8. 13. and fruites thereof It doth not lye still where it is suffering the soule of the party to be vnder the dominion of sinne but it abateth and consumeth it by little and little till at length his soule and body be as cleare from sinne as Adams was before his fall So that looke how the Israelites did by degrees weare and wast the Canaanites out of the land till it was wholly brought in subiection vnto them so doth the holy Ghost destroy and root out the enemies of our soules not making them tributarie as Ioshua did some of the cursed Canaanites but spoyling them of their strength by little and little and at length vtterly consuming them so that they shall haue no place at all within vs. And as it killeth Eph. 2. 1. sinne so it quickeneth the dead soule and maketh the whole man apt and fit for euery good worke Rom. 8. 11. That Spirit which raised vp Christ Iesus from a naturall death doeth also raise vs vp from the death of sinne to the life of grace and putteth more 1 Ioh. 4. 4. spirituall strength into vs then the flesh the world and the diuell can bring against vs. Reason 2 Furthermore in the third Chapter of the second to the Corinthians there are three speciall reasons to shew the happinesse of him that is endued with Gods Spirit the first whereof is this That whereas all men naturally are like the Iewes who as it is there said when they come to the meanes of saluation haue a veile vpon their mindes so that 2. Cor. they can see nothing to saue their soules to further 3. 14. their repentance to cause them to beleeue in Christ Iesus and to place their hope and happinesse in him as soone as euer the Spirit of grace entreth into them this blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart is remoued and then they are enabled soundly to vnderstand and truely to apply the word preached vnto their owne soules Verse 16. Againe it is said in the selfe same place That where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Vers 17. Till such time as that doth set men free they are held fast in the cordes and chaines of inquity and are miserable slaues vnto the vilest slaue that is euen vnto Satan himselfe who is an Apostata and a reprobate and in the most wretched slauerie that can be imagined viz. to serue sinne in the lusts thereof and which is the most grieuous of all the rest they shall haue the worst wages that may be euen the curse and vengeance of God while they liue and eternall damnation of body and soule after they are dead Now when the Spirit of Christ taketh possession of vs it causeth vs to disclaime the seruice of Satan and to become seruants vnto the liuing God it filleth vs full of Rom. 6. good meditations of holy desires and spirituall affections it furnisheth vs with ability to performe the duties of religion and of our callings and in a word it maketh vs willing and able both to doe all manner of good and to resist all manner of euill So that after we haue receiued the holy Ghost into our heartes wee shall not say This is my nature and I cannot doe otherwise but with the Apostle Paul I can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee I will neuer be in bondage vnto my corruptions any more for grace shall haue the vpper hand of nature and the Spirit shall maister the flesh and get the better of it Lastly it is added in the same place that by vertue of the Spirit wee see the glory of Christ in the Gospell and are changed into his image from glory to glory that is from one measure of knowledge and holinesse into another verse 16. Wee would thinke no price too great to be giuen for such a looking-glasse as would make one that is deformed to become beautifull by the very beholding thereof how much then should we esteeme the holy word of God which through the operation of the Spirit is made effectuall not to change the naturall visage which is a smaller matter but to alter the forme and shape of the soule to make it very beautifull
the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Therefore marke what came of it after that he had ouercome the Edomites his heart was lifted vp and he contrary to common sense fell to worship their Idols whom he had vanquished in battle he would not bee so precise any longer nor be at the command of euery Prophet but would take his liberty and so being an hypocrite in the beginning he manifested himselfe to be a miserable hypocrite in the end So Ioash all the while the good Priest 2 Chron. 24. Iehoiadah liued that would not suffer him to take ill courses was very forward yea in some things more forward then Iehoiadah himselfe but as 2 Kings 12. 7. soone as Iehoiadah was dead his religion was dead with him and of a professour he became a persecutour and nothing could stay him from his wicked courses vntill he was taken away by a violent death But that the point may be yet more cleare we wil giue instance in some particular things wherein men iudge themselues to be very strong when as the truth is they are exceeding weake Many will thanke God that though in other things they come short yet they are endued with patience but what doe they when wrongs are offered them why then they take on as bad as the worst Such neede not brag of the aboundance of their patience for they haue neuer a iot more then they finde when iniures are offered them So others there are that hope they loue the truth but let one of the Family of loue or of the Brownists set vpon them and what will they doe presently beginne to thinke and speake hardly of the seruantes and seruices of God and of the truth of God This plainely argueth that there was in the heart but little loue of the truth but much pronenesse aptnesse vnto errours and heresies He is the truely couragious souldier that wil stand to it when the skirmish is at hottest as for those that will bragge much before and betake them to their heeles or ioyne for feare with the aduersarie when the battle beginnes they are meere cowards vtterly vnworthy of the name of souldiers Againe others are conceited that they haue merciful hearts but hereby they manifest the quite contrary that they giue so little of their superfluity to those that are in necessity whose hearts might be gladded and whose soules might be stirred vp to offer praises and prayers vnto the Lord for them in regard of their liberality Others againe will not be perswaded but they make conscience of the Sabboth but if there be occasion of trauell offered on that day will they not rather God should lose his glory than they their commodity Yes surely and thereby they shew themselues to be but prophane persons that did neuer conscionably sanctify the Sabboth for if they had done so euery sleight temptation would neuer carry them so farre wide Vse 1 This serueth for comfort vnto those that haue laid a sure foundation it is impossible that they should fall away for temptations doe not make those that are good to become ill but onely try what euery one is Gold is as good when it comes out of the fire as when it is cast in nay better many times whereas copper that was before glistering in shew appeares to be that indeed which formerly it was though men discerned it not so wel til it had gone through the fire This comfort the Apostle Iohn giueth vs saying VVhosoeuer is borne of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. sinneth not and why for his seed remaineth in him c. that is he can neuer be brought vnder the dominion of sin any more because the immortal seed of the word sowne in his heart can neuer die It is as possible to pull the Sunne out of heauen as to pul grace out of such an ones heart because all such are kept by the power of God himselfe Adam at first Pet. 1. 5. stood by his owne strength but euery Christian now standeth by Gods strength VVho is greater then Ioh. 10. 29. all so that none can take them out of his hand Obiect This then serues to answere the obiections of diuers that are troubled with doubts and feares What if the pestilence should take hold of mee and I should be shut vp and all my friends forsake me Why now examine what foundation Ans you haue laid before this storme assaile you if your heart be vpright with God all the powers of hell can doe you no hurt Obiect But what if the pangs of death should be very bitter Ans If they be Christ can sweeten and sanctify them Obiect But what if religion should change how should I doe then Ans As well as any time before for God neuer changeth and therefore if you be a branch of the true vine once you shall neuer be cut off but remaine in the vine for euer Therefore we should be so farre from being afraid of any fiery tryals that we should reioyce when we fall into diuers Iam. 1. 2. 3. temptations And the Apostle yeeldeth 2. good reasons First because thereby our faith is refined Other weapons the more they are vsed the worse they are but it is otherwise with this shield of faith the more blowes it receiues the better it is Secondly these tryals do work patience as is plaine Rom. 5. 3. in Iob who by his weaknesse and humble submission vnto God vnder his grieuous crosses did much honour the Lord so that sathan is the lesser in all such conflicts Vse 2 Secondly this is for terrour to them that haue not a sound inside when afflictions come as come they will sooner or later they that are vnsound will shew themselues to be vnsound and they that are false-hearted in the sight of God will appeare to be so in the sight of men Therefore let euery one looke vnto his heart or else his fall will be fearefull and shamefull Neither let men dreame that it will be alwaies Summer nay the Lord hath said that those that peruert their waies shall be Pro. 10. 9. knowne hypocrites shall be sifted first or last and then their filthy nakednesse will appeare In the Acts of the Apostles we reade of many that made Acts 26. 1â— profession of Christ who when Paul brought amongst them the fire of persecution to try what mettall they were they in steed of standing for Christ fell to blaspheming of his name Pauls cruelty was but the occasion of this the cause was in themselues for if they had bene faithfull Christians they would rather haue denyed their life than the Lord of life and haue endured a temporall death than an eternall Indeed Gods deare children may be somewhat frighted and terrified at first but they quickly recouer themselues againe being therein like a pure spring which being trodde in by beasts or any other way stirred will be somewhat muddy for a while but come within an houre
thus farre then doth it begin to open vnto vs a doore vnto the grace and fauour of God It doth put into our mindes that there is mercie with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercie at his hands afterward it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the world that in the righteousnes of Christ wee may looke to bee iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see only but doth effectuallie worke a sure perswasion of it in our hearts and confirmeth the same by two notable Effects of iustification effects The first is a ioy most vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Ioy. 1. Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 5. 2. wherewith our hearts must needs be wholly taken vp and rauished when we see our selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free mercy and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed from the fearefull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience which 2. Peace Rom. 5. 1. Philip. 4. 6. indeed passeth all vnderstanding While sin and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrors without and troubles on euery side but when once sinne is nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt thereof is taken out of our consciences and the punishment thereof far remoued then must needs ensue great peace because God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimonie of the spirit for flesh and blood cannot worke in vs this holy and heauenly assurance And hereof doth arise a fourth note to wit the 4. Readinesse to doe good life and nimblenes that is in vs to doe good for when a man doth finde fauour from God for the forgiuenes of his sins then the loue of God constraineth him and that ioy which hee conceiueth inforceth him and putteth life into him for the performance of those things which are pleasing vnto God Then he beginneth to finde himself not only reclaimed from euill but also framed to that which is good Then is his vnderstanding inlightened to see into the mysteries of godlines then is his iudgement reformed so that he is able to discerne betwixt truth and falsehood betwixt that which is good and that which is euill Then are his affections in some good measure altered 1. Thess 5. 23. his desire is set not vpon earthly but vpon heauenlie things his ioyes are not in earth but in heauen his anger is wasted and spent not vpon his owne priuate cause and quarrels but his owne sinnes and vpon whatsoeuer hindreth the glorie of his God This is the life of God in him thus Ephes 4. 18. Rom 8 2. he liueth that hath receiued the spirit and thus he leadeth his life continually for they that haue receiued the spirit are led by the spirit and doe liue accordingly bringing foorth the fruits of the Galath 5. 22. spirit But this hath frailtie ioyned with it and men through weakenesse may soone fall therefore if notwithstanding that we will know whether we still retaine the spirit wee must trie our selues by these rules First if through infirmitie wee haue fallen as who doth not and will know whether thereby Iames 3. 1. Notes of the spirit after slips 1. Hatred of sinne we haue lost the spirit of God or no let vs examine what liking or misliking we haue of sinne for if we still hold our former hatred of that and the oftner we fall the more thorough and deadly hatred we conceiue against it vndoubtedly that frailtie hath not as yet depriued vs of the spirit for this holy detestatiō of sin is a fruit of the spirit Secondly consider how it standeth with thy 2. Sorrow for sinne 2. Cor. 7. sorrow for so long as thy sorrow for sin increaseth it cannot bee that the spirit should bee quenched in thee Thirdly trie thy care and if thou finde thy self 3 Care to auoid it more carefull both to fight against sinne and to preuent it by auoiding the occasions of it then know that not it but grace hath dominion in thy Rom. 7. heart But the last is most certaine and that is this 4. Greater zeale in well doing 2. Cor. 7. 11. Ephes 4. when thou art carefull to redeeme that which by thy fall thou hast lost and hast a care to runne so much faster forward by how much more thou hast been letted by thy fall then it doth appeare that the spirit is in thee yea it is liuely and mightie in operation and such as shall neuer bee taken from thee vntill the day of Christ Now further when the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit hee implieth that the spirit is in some respects like vnto fire therefore if wee doe but a little consider of the nature of fire we shall a great deale better iudge of the spirit First of all it will consume things that are combustible 1. The properties of the Spirit whereby it resembleth fire Rom. 8. 13. and therefore lighting vpon straw stubble c. it bringeth all to ashes so doth the spirit in our soules wast and at length bring to nothing all noisome lusts whatsoeuer Secondly fire doth purge and purifie things and so doth the spirit purge vs from the drosse of Ioh. 15. 2. Acts 15. 9. sinne daily more and more that we may be holie temples for him to dwell in Thirdly fire giueth light euen in the darkest places and so is the spirit a shining lampe euer 1. Ioh. 1. 5. 6. giuing light vnto vs in the midst of the darknes of this world And last of all fire giueth heate and withall doth as it were put life into those things which are capable of life for whilest a man is frozen and starued he is numbde and as it were without life but being brought to the fire hee is reuiued and cheered and thē becommeth actiue and nimble euen so doth the Spirit set vs on heate and inflameth Coloss 2 13. Ephes 2. 1. vs with a zeale of Gods glorie with a care of our dutie and with a loue of all mankinde yea withall it putteth life into vs to walk in that good way which leadeth vnto life Thus we see what likelihood there is between the spirit and fire for which cause it is sometimes called fire as Matth. 3. 11. Therefore as truly and certainly as we may say there is fire where we see straw or stickes consumed gold or siluer purged great light in dark places or great heate and liuelines in bodies that were benummed before so truly may wee say and so certainly may wee perswade our selues that the spirit of God is in vs when wee see our corruptions consumed our soules purged our hearts inlightened and made hot in walking and working according to that light The second question to be considered is whether that man which hath once truly tasted of the spirit may lose
and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him They haue powred and infused 2. Pet. 1. 2. 3. 4. into them a godly nature so that they doe freelie loue God their father and though he afflict thē or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill Iob 13. me yet will I trust in him And this is the third mark or rule whereby to proue and trie ourselues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein doe the wicked shew their wickednes two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God doe puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great securitie which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankful they doe also murmure grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore we shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may be supplied and their graces increased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may be pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do waite and look for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants so doe they Psal 119. 10. also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to bee thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of trial These forenamed properties whosoeuer can finde in himself he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer be vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleere vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seem to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might bee quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so Galath 4. 19. that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case that he praied God to create in him Psal 51. a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he praieth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all wee must know that though the spirit be not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burdēs to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reprochfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterlie from his children yet hee will visite their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decaied they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to minde our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though wee may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe Of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet herein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsitie in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For doe not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankfull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them had been driuen to confesse