Now you that are righteous with this inherent Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.2 hold on your way and prosper the Lord be with ye The Angel of his presence save ye The Spirit of Jesus guide ye to the Hill of holiness and help you to perfect holiness in the fear of God You are under the vertue of sure and sweet promises for your great encouragement in Heavens way The Righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean bands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 The Lord strengthen your hearts See these Texts Isa 40. 2 last verses Phil. 1.6 Heb. 12.2 Ezek. 36.27 and quicken your speed by these powerful and precious Promises and give ye a prosperous arrival at the fair Havens of rest and peace Amen We come now to close the whole with these two uses 1. By way of Conviction 2. By way of Caution Though I know the Rules of Method and the exigence of the Subject Command me yet I shall not proceed directly by way of Examination because that hath been already done from that Text Rom. 1.7 To all that be at Rome beloved of God called to be Saints from whence the doctrine of calling hath been discussed the nature of Saintship and the signs and tryals of Sanctification have been largely shewn We shall therefore God willing proceed to the next in order viz. the Use of Conviction Use 8. This Doctrine of Sanctification we have so long insisted on serveth for Conviction If those that are Gods and Christs are sanctified in Christ Jesus if God the Father hath given them Christ his Son for their sanctification to make them holy Then this Point brings doleful news sad tidings in the mouth of it to three sorts of Persons To the Prophane To the Persecutors To the Scorners 1. The profane who mock at sin and slight holiness 1. The prophane are hereby convicted and condemned God hath no Birthright for such profane Esaus The people who are the Lords portion are an holy Nation washed from their filthinesse If ye are converted ye are washed and sanctified in the name and by the spirit of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6.11 but prophane ones have a spot upon them which is not the spot of Gods Children Deut. 32.5 see what St. John speaketh of such kinde of persons as wallow in their filthiness 1 John 3.8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning he that tradeth in sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui operam dat peccato So Beza and maketh sin his constant businesse work or practise as a workman doth his calling and followeth the same daily and deliberately A godly man may slip into sin through humane frailty and in the hurry of temptation may be overtaken with a fault But it is the profane man that is a trader in sin and a constant worker of iniquity Though such men may presume that they belong to God yet our Saviour expresly speaks they are the Devils Children John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil for his works ye do c. These men have not the least pretence of a claim to Heaven they come exceeding short of Hypocrites who pretend to holiness and seem to be so but the prophane are neither civil nor moral Such gross sinners are called Dogs and Swine They are weltring in the gall of bitterness and bound fast with the bond of iniquity as Peter told Simon Magus Acts 8.23 All that such kinde of sinners have to say for the most part for themselves is this 1. That God is merciful 2. That their hearts are better than their lives To the first I answer that God is holy and just as well as mercifull and gracious The Lamb will turn a Lion the Saviour of the world will come as a terrible Judge in flaming fire to render vengeance to the ignorant and disobedient 2 Thes 1.8 And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4.18 They shall appear indeed but like as chaffe before the Whirl-wind and as stubble before the flames All the Attributes of God as justice mercy c. do run in the channel of his Holiness Sinners do little think that Gods mercy is an holy mercy which in a saving manner he will dispence to none out of Christ Sinners do err exceedingly to think that God is prodigal either of his own mercy or of his Sons Blood 't is only the sanctified in Christ Jesus exclusively who shall be the objects of his saving mercy the mercy of God and the merit of Christ are most sacred and precious things 1 Pet. 1.18 The former is bestowed on none the latter is spilt for none but an holy and a peculiar people Justice must be satisfied 1 Pet. 2.9 else mercy can be never dispensed if the merit of Christ be thine then the mercy of the Father is thine otherwise though the Ocean of Gods pardoning mercy be boundless and bottomless thou shalt not taste one drop of it Well then wouldst thou know that God will be mercifull to thy soul at the last day it highly concerns thee to know Christ in the power of his Resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings in this thy Day Phil. 3.10 2. To the other Plea That their hearts are better than their lives I answer This is to appeal to a witness that cannot be found to a witness that is as to us invisible 't is as if a man should lay claim to another mans Land and pretend he hath lost the evidences the guilt of the prophane is written in Capital legible letters upon the frontispiece of his Conversation every eye may see it Vita est index animi index futuri index aterni See Mat. 12. from 34 to v. 37. Cor instar Promptuarit est bonorum malorum Pareus As a good tree brings forth good fruit so a bad tree brings forth bad fruit Men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles As a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things so an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things A good man speaks good words and doth good works and the Apostle tels us Rom. 2.6 God will reward every man according to his deeds Your hearts can never be good when your tongues and lives be bad Your Lord Christ speaks expresly out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The doom of the prophane is dreadful to instance but in two particulars 1. The unclean shall not enter into or pass over the way of holiness Isa 35.8 And an high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness See the Dutch Annotat on the place the unclean shall not pass over it c. The meaning of that place is this The true Church shall be no barren Wildernesse or untrodden Desart but in it
we see as in a glass darkly Now the dust is in our eyes much blindness and darkness in the eyes of the most enlightned our understandings are partly light and partly darkness our wills are partly flesh and partly spirit we find do we not a contrary Principle working a contrary Law rebelling that when we would do good evil is present with us Rom. 7.21 There is a Law in the members Rom. 7.23 and a Law of the mind There is a double Enemy carrying on a double interest in one soul there is a Jacob and an Esau strugling and striving for Mastery in one heart there remains the being of sin concupiscence evil lusting and motions many sins of ignorance negligence and of invincible infirmity in the Saints for whilest they abide in earthly they abide in sinful Tabernacles The bitter moans groans complaints tears together with the sad lapses of the Saints do sadly evidence the truth of this 1 Kin. 8.46 Jam. 3.2 1 Ioh. 1.8 Eccl. 7.20 As a child as soon as born is a true man though not a perfect man he hath all the parts of a man not the strength and stature besides the ample testification of many Scriptures The Saints that are sanctified in Christ Jesus are in a sense perfect and in a sense imperfect they are perfect as to perfection of parts every part and faculty of soul and body is sanctified and yet they are in a sense imperfect i. e. as to perfection of degrees thus the word perfect is differently to be understood Phil. 3.12.15 In the 12th ver it notes the fullest measure or highest Achme of perfection attainable by a Christian In the 15th ver it notes sincerity o◠integrity which is a Christians Evangelical perfection God according to the tenour of the New Covenant accepting his person in Christ as perfect viz. in and through Christs perfect righteousness and intercession and thereupon a believers gracious desires and endeavours for performances his will for the deed and his sincerity for perfection Perfection of degrees being too great a priviledge for a Militant estate is reserved as one of the peculiar Flowers or Jewels of the Triumphant Crown for the Saints to wear in their Fathers Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A precious jewel which nothing can defile or dull its shining so is the state above wherefore among the singular distinguishing Epithetes given by the Spirit of God to our inheritance this is one an inheritance undefiled 1 Pet. 1.4 By our Justification now we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 all our sins past and present are actually pardoned and this favour received is a pledge of assurance that for the future by applying our selves to Christ we shall receive remission of daily sins and that at the last day we shall be for ever free from all accusations and condemnation Our Justification is perfect now though the most solemn pronunciation of it in a magnificent manner is the work of the great day but our Sanctification is inchoate imperfect and progressive here by the supplies of the Spirit of Grace there must be a going on from faith to faith from strength to strength but it shall be most compleat and perfect at Christs appearing the Picture of Christ will be gloriously drawn even to the life then We know Phil. 1.6 that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 2. The righteousness of justification is equally perfect and equally imputed to all believers my meaning is all believers are alike justified one as well and as much as another the weak as much as the strong the new-born Babes so much as the old Fathers the feeblest Lambs as much as the Hee-goats of the Flock he that hath the least as well as he that hath the greatest measure of the Spirit Gemmam amplectitur Gigas puerulus licet Gigas fortiùs eam amplectitur quà m puerulus tamen manet gemma aequè preciosa Luther A Giant holdeth a jewel and so doth a Child the jewel is the same though the Giant holdeth it with a stronger hand So here the righteousness of justification is the same though the faith of believers is not the same some being weak and others strong in faith As to inherent righteousness there is much difference but as to imputed righteousness all the Saints are equal none have purer linnen than the rest A believer of the lowest form in Christs School of the meanest stature or growth in Christ of the weakest and dullest capacity in the mysteries of the Kingdome of Christ So M. Burroughs on the Beatitudes Matth. 5. is in point of justification equal with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Moses Samuel and David equal with all the most glorious Patriarchs Prophets Martyrs and eminent Saints that are Thou if a believer art as much acquitted from sin and as much accepted as righteous in the sight of God and as undoubted an Heir of and hast as true a title to the Inheritance of heaven as the most famous Saints that are But there is a great deal of difference among the Sain s themselves as to sanctification some Saints are children some are strong men 1 Cor. 15.41 some are fathers one star excelleth another star in glory There are stellae primae secundae magnitudinis c. Some Saints are more sluggish and dull of hearing more dull and dark in understanding others are more acute and quick some are younglings weaklings and have need of milk viz. the principles of the Oracles of God others are strong men and have need of meat can dive into and digest the deepest mysteries revealed in the Gospel Heb. 5.12 13 14. God having given them senses exercised to discern both good and evil Some are more dead to duty and in duty others are more vigorous more fervent in spirit and lively some walk more humbly with God more holily before God more exactly and venerably before the world than others do Some do much fully and stain their garments others comparatively walk in white and keep their garments clean and also keep themselves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. ult Thus great is the difference between Saint and Saint in sanctification Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy white in the glory of his Deity ruddy in the preciousness of his Humanity and white in the beauty of his purity and ruddy in the blood of his Oblation Owens Communion p. 52 53. as great is the difference between man and man in growth and stature but in justification the infant of daies and man of grey hairs the shrub and the Cedar the smaller and greater stars the Saints of all dimensions and denominations of all ages and statures are equally perfect and shine equally bright and glorious because the glory of that righteousness is not inherent in them as the light is inherent in the body of the Sun but this robe of righteousness so 't is called Isai
when and where Christ dwels in the heart by faith that soul being rooted and grounded in love comprehends with all Saints secundum quid what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth of the love of Christ Ephes 3.17 18 19. Which love like a fire in his bones like a flame in his bowels enflames his soul with love to God and Christ opens and enlargeth his heart to duties of obedience to serve the Lord with a most free and Princely spirit The soul of an affectionate Believer runs swiftly chearfully nobly in the wayes of God like the Chariots of Aminnadib Cant. 6.12 Faith thus argues Amminadib i. e. my voluntary free bounteous or noble people Ainsworth in Cant. 6.12 Psal 103.3 4. Ephe. 1.3 Hath God loved me in his Son from everlasting and will hee love me to everlasting Hath God in Christ forgiven such a wretch as I all mine iniquities redeemed my life from destruction and crowned me even me with loving-kindness and tender mercies yea with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Then what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits Nothing I can do nothing I can suffer too much for him I am and will be his for ever at his Command and for his service Thus the faith of a sanctified Person reasons 7. Faith Corroborates it strengthens the weak it revives the faint it supports the desponding and sinking spirit The Psalmist in great tryals and troubles had great experience of the supports of faith Psalm 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living Love keeps you from dissembling Hope keeps you from desponding Patience keeps you from tyring but 't is Faith that keeps you from fainting When a * 2 Chron. 2.20 Psal 57.7 My heart is fixed in some translations ' tâ—s suffultum est cor meum my heart is underpropt great multitude from beyond the Sea on this side Syria came up against Judah and the people were in sore distress Jehosaphat their good King encouraged the people saying believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper 2 Chron. 20.20 Faith in God is the souls establishment wherefore a Believer shall not be affraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord his heart is established he shall not be affraid until he see his desire upon his enemies Thus the Psalmist sweeâ—ly sings Psalm 112.7 8. The fixation of the soul by faith on God on Christ on his Attributes on his Promises yields the surest strength the speediest and sweetest relief and succour in the Crisis of any Exigence When David for fear of Saul was got into a Wood Jonathan leaves his Father 1 Sam. 23.16 and privately came to David into the Wood and strengthened his hand in God So when a Believer is in a wood of fears and dangers he strengthens his hand the hand of his faith in God and the more his faith is up the more his fâ—ars are down Divines use to compare the base fears of mâ—n and the embondaging fears of Death to the Lead that weighs the Net under water and faith to the Cork that keeps up the Net from sinking Hope the eldest daughter of Faith is an Anchor sure and stedfast Heb. 6.19 but Faith is the Roâ—k which this Anchor rests on according to the Proverb were it not for Hope heart would break and the Scripture tels us Faith is both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argumentum Heb. 11.1 Rom. 8.24 We are saved by hope but Hope receives all its subsistence strength from Faith Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 8. Faith exhilarates comforts cheers the soul fils it with joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 The God of hope fils the soul with joy and peace in believing Faith is as a twinkling star in a dark Night as a shining Sun in a cloudy Day as Rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land The Apostle Peter elegantly expresseth the soul exulting operation of saving faith 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom that is Christ having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory Faith opens a crevis of light and springs a Mine of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exaâ—tatis gaudio ineffabili gloriosa Beza exulting joy in the most insulting danger When once a Believer is justified by faith and hath peace with God hee then rejoiceth in the most glorious Hope viz. in the hope of the glory of God and not only so but he glories also in tribulations hee glories in them and he glories over them because the love of God is shed abroad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effusa est is poured forth into his heart by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.1 2 and 5. verses by faith in Christ and by communion with Christ in his Conquests hee knows he shal be more than a Conqueror over all his Enemies Rom. 8.37 * Neque enim simpliciter dirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idest ut vertit Cyprianus Epist 26. supervincimus Amplius quam victores sumus Beza 't is not only said Conquerours but more than Conquerors as Cyprian and Beza on the place Thus I have endeavoured to present you with some of the precious properties and vital operations of precious Faith which every one that is born of God or sanctified doth enjoy to his inestimable benefit Faith is an inseparable Concomitant with and an infallible evidence of our Sanctification for whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God 1 John 5.1 This is the third Adjunct and evidence of our Regeneration 4th Effect and evidence of our sanctification is love to God and to the Brethren As Christ dwels in the heart by faith Ephes 3.17 so the soul sweetly reposeth it self in the bosome of God by love 1 John 4 7 8. Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love You see love to God and to the Brethren is both a sure sign and a genuine effect of Regeneration which is synomminous with Sanctification This grace of Love is the very soul of all Religion the very life of the new Creature the closure of the soul with God in the sweetest manner he that hath most of this grace hath most of all graces This is one of the precious things promised in the new Covenant Deut. 30.6 viz. An heart to love the Lord the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul This is made a
doth upon right Principles 1 John 2.20 Omat bonum fit ex integraÌ„ Causa by a right Rule and to a right End Civil men live plausibly but know not the ground nor end of their Actions Faith in God through Jesus Christ is not the Principle the word of God is not the Rule the Glory of God is not the End of their Actings They neither live to God nor for God not according to his Will revealed in his VVord nor for the honour and glory of his Name Ephes 1.17 18. The Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation hath not enlightned their understanding to see into the mysterie of his Will they do not act out of faith in Christ and pure love to God in what they do 2. Jesus Christ is little prized by civil men Note 2 they are satisfied with their own but do not hunger and thirst after Christs Righteousness The Law is more natural to men than the Gospel men naturally are more for doing than than for believing Therefore legal straines and moral M xims suit more with them than Gospel Doctrines and promises that breed Faith Men naturally desire to be under a Covenant of works because ignorant of the glory of the Covenant of Grace Meer civil men see not the merit of Christs blood they apprehend not the sweetness of his fellowship nor the efficacy of his Spirit but go on smoothly without rub and difficulty whereas to a true Christian Jesus Christ is All in All the Author Heb. 12.2 and maintainer of his life the Alpha and Omega of his happinesse the man doth not live so much as Christ lives in him and every day Gal. 2.20 he seeth an indispensible need of Christ and what abundant cause he hath to bless God for Christ who is made to him wisdome righteousness sanctification and redemption 3. Usually some reigning lust keeps company Note 3 with Civility Civility is but a freer slavery one way or other Satan holds them captive by one fetter of sin or other they are entangled I have observed commonly this sin is Covetousness The young man in the Gospel was a civil honest man a fair Dealer in the world and had kept all those sayings from his youth as to the letter of them but his possessions were a snare unto him at the narrow Bridge of self-denial Matth. 19.22 Christ and his soul parted There is some sweet morsel rolled under the Tongue some delicate Dalilah lying in the Bosome some reigning sin kept with greater allowance from Conscience Commonly this Viper is worldly-mindedness Note 4 4. Civil men take more care about their actions than about their lusts wrath pride concupiscence vain worldly unclean thoughts and affections are digested because the conversation seems to be smooth and fair these crawling Vermine swarm without controul Civilility is all for an outward carriage it minds not the frame of the heart nor the right tempering of the affections But holy Paul complaines of the law in his members and of the motions of lust within him which fall not under the cognizance of the light of Nature Rom. 7.7 23 24 25. the first risings of sin the least rebellion of Nature forbidden in the Tenth Commandment a true Saint is sensible of and deeply humbled for 1 King 6.8 But the affairs of the inward man the workings of the heart are not minded by meer civil men but the eyes of sound Christians like the windows of the Temple are broad inwards they look much within they mourn over the sins of their hearts as well as over the sins of their lives 2. Formality or pretended grace The Apostle speaks of true holiness Ephes 4.24 in opposition to that which is feigned and counterfeit Ye may discover it also by these four Marks 1. False grace is acted from forreign considerations Mark 1 The Hypocrites principles of motion are without him as popular applause carnal respects by-ends just as Puppets that want the natural motion of life within them and are artificially moved by an outward force He may be forma assistens to him but not forma informans in him The Spirit of God may assist an hypocrite in some duties but he is not in him as an informing quickning renewing principle But true Grace in the heart of the sanctified is like a living Fountain naturally bubling up and working towards God and heaven out of his belly shall flow forth Joh. 7.37.38 Rivers of living Waters True Grace hath an inward propensity a natural tendency to comply with the will of God The Law of God is written in his heart he delighteth in the Law in the inner-man Rom. 7.22 This is the peculiar Character of a Saint which no Formalist or hypocrite in the world can do 2. False grace is shy of Gods sight and Mark 2 presence Hypocrites neither can Hypocrita cupit videri justus Hypocrita in verbis sanctus in corde vanus intus Nero foris Cato c. nor do appeal to God for their sincerity nor do they live as in the eye of his Omniscience and Omnipresence but their chiefest care is to blind the world to seem and not to be just he converseth more with men than with God Yet the godly can appeal to God for their sincerity though they tremble at their defects and impurity like Peter John 20.17 He appeals to Christs Omnisciency Lord thou knowest all things and thou knowest that I love thee So holy Job expostulates the case thus Let me be weighed in an even ballance that God may know mine integrity Job 31.6 He could appeal to God the un-erring Rule of Righteousness in this matter he knew his integrity would hold weight And at another time he hath this self-abasing expression Mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes Job 42.5.6 As he could hold fast his integrity so he could also loath and abhor himself in dust and ashes at the sight of Gods glorious Majesty and purity and in the sense of his own defects and failings Mark 3 3. False grace grows not better and better but rather worse and worse pretences wither rather than thrive an hypocrite goes backward rather than forward every day Jer. 7.24 The Lord by the Prophet complains thâ—re that his people hearkned not nor enclined their ear but walked in the counsels and in the imaginations of their evil hearts and went backward and not forward False grace like bad salt grows worse and worse til it be cast out into the Dunghil but true grace from a grain groweth unto a Tree from a morning glympse to a perfect Noon Prov. 4.18 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect Day from smoaking flaxe it is blown up to fragrant flame Nicodemus that came to Christ at first by night for fear of the Jews afterwards openly declareth for him and bestowed much cost upon the dead body of our Lord. John 19.39 Grace gets