37 makes them to enquire what thâ—y shall do to be saved Acts 2. 37. brings them into such a condition that as the Apostle speaks in another case they have the â—entence of death in themselves that they may fly out of themselves and trust in his mercy power and goodness alone who raiseth the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. persecutes them with his storms as the Mariners and brings them to their wits end that they may cry to the Lord Pâ—alm 〈…〉 â—ollows them with the hot beams of his scorching wrath and vexeth them in his hot displeasure that they may fly to the shelter the shadow of the rock which he shews them in the promises of the Gospel But when Satan sets home any horrors it is for destruction when he sees that the sense of a sinners disease makes him look out after a Physician he labours if possible to sharpen it so as to destroy him before he can come at him As Pharaoh when God would bring Israel out of Aegypt in spight of him pursues them to drive them into the Sea and Jaylors when a prisoner contrives an escape lay more irons upon him Thus therefore you must understand the point All the cramps and convulsions and palsies of conscience in a man unconverted as farre as they lead not to despair or may further conversion are the work of the Spirit of God It is true indeed that these in whom soever they are do not always end in conversion sometimes rebells break these bands and cast these cords from them but this is not because the Spirit useth them not for that end but because they harden their hearts and make their face brasse and resist and do despite to the Spirit of Grace These are media ad conversionem destinata as physick to the body yet as that always works not because the patients disorder themselves and so hinder its operation so this physick is often turned into poison by the malignity or negligence of those whom it is administred unto CHAP. III. Wherein this proposition is proved by some Scriptures and evidences of Reason THat this proposition is true these places of Scripture will evince It is the office of the Spirit to convince of sin Jo. 16. 9. In sinne there be two things to be convinced of the guilt and filth of it By the discovery of the former the soul is brought under this bondage and stirred up to seek release by justification by the later it is brought to loathing of it selfe and self abhoring and perswaded to come to Christ for sanctification In this sense is the Spirit of God said to strive with sinners Gen. 6. 3. striving is for conquest and when God strives for conquest he shoots such arrows as these these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arrows of the Almighty the anger whereof drinks up the Spirits Job 6. 4. Thence the Ministers of the Gospel are made binders as well as loosers of the conscience Mat. 16. 19. 18. 18. Jo. 20. 23. And indeed they can in Reason commonly have no other Author For the Devil as was before said will not if he can help it trouble such men And when he doth 't is to carry them from God A man 's own heart is so altogether stony in it selfe that nothing will affect it it is so dead in trespasses and sins that except the Spirit of God set Law and wrath home and bestow a spiritual sense on a man to feel it all the thunder of mount Sinai will not pierce his ears all the lightenings of Hell it selfe will not affect his eyes all the whippings pinchings lancings rackings of the severest anatomists of conscience will not affect his heart He will sleep on the top of a mast Prov. 23. 34. he will gallop on in sinfull courses on the brink of hell play with the sting of the Old Serpent and the pawes of the roaring Lyon nay send a challenge to heaven and laugh at God himself and call him coward if he will not accept it and all this while flatter himself in his own eyes and say I shall have peace Deut. 29. 19. CHAP. IV. Wherein the premises are improved by way of support to troubled sinners THat which hath been said may yeeld some suppoâ—t to troubled spirits You who are undeâ— this bâ—ndage whiâ—es it tends only to drive you ouâ— of your selves to Christ O kâ—ssâ— those chains and thank God that he hath spread that net over your souls Many a man blesseth God for being cast in prison and brought to the gallowes when a pardon meets him there such a pardon not only sâ—ves his body but his soul he had been hanged damned but that he was so near it You may truly say periissemus nisi periissemus you had been undone but for that undâ—ing you had been dissolutely loose but for those fetâ—ers nay you had been the Devils eternal gally-slaves had not God changed your prison O! the Spirits prison is a Palace to the Devils Dungeon Say Lord these sorrowes might have been sorrowes of hell and these chaines chaines of eternal darknesse had either the Devil or I had our wills hadst thou not hedged up my way with these thornes and put these locks upon my feete I had irrecoverably ruined my self in the error of my ways I had been in hell hadst thou given me my desire or deservings long ago whereas now I am but in the suburbs of it I had been in that eternal dungeon where I had fallen lower and lower for ever and found no bottom in a dungeon whence there is no way to return in a cave of horror in which there is not one gleame of light not one cranny of hope to let in the least glimpse of comfort but I am yet in the Land of the living where I find some footing for hope some possibility of recovery It is the blessed Spirit that hath led me into this valley of the shadow of death he hath shut me up under this bondage and he can when he pleaseth set open a door of faith let me out again Acknowledge as Joh. 10. 12. that this visitation of Gods hath preserved thy spirit Obj. Yea but my bondage of spirit is hellish desperate sometimes I am apt to blaspheme the mercy of God as not able to pardon me and out of desperate horour of my spirit to choose strangling or any thing that I might be but out of my present terrors and know the worst of my condition and is there or can there be any thing of Gods Spirit in such a dismal bondage Ans I answer No doubt these fearful suggestions injections proceed from the Prince of darknesse emanativè they are minted in hell for they bear his image and superscription But the Spirit of God hath an hand in them divers times dispositivè by way of disposal and management and that thou mayst clearly see in that he hath not utterly left thee to thy self hath preserved thee many times from executing
The longer you go without the Spirits testimony the more difficultly will you obtaine it the more will your hearts be instructed in Satans Sophistry to elude Arguments of comfort if you be such as look towards God the more experience wil you have of your own hearts deceitfulnesse so-that you will deal with them as we ordinarily do with common lyars hardly be perswaded to believe their Testimony when they speak the truth concerning you If you be such as neglect both grace and assurance know that the more difficultly will you bring your selves to accept of grace the longer you delay it the heart will be hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. The Spirit grived c. And if you get grace a thousand to one if you get the witnesse of the Spirit to testifie that you have it Though God give such men grace as put it off to the last yet it were too great an encouragement to others to delay in like manner if he should ordinarily let them know it 'T is no easie matter at any time to get it much more difficult when delayed Many souls for many years together eat no pleasant bread and when they drink mingle their drink with weeping their sleep departeth from them and all the comforts of their lives are overcast with a sad cloud of darkness they go from sea to sea to wait on the Ordinances rise many a night to pray when others sleep chasten their souls with fasting and go heavily all the day long and this as I said for divers years together and this in the flower of their years and strength and yet with much ado can get little more then some flashes of comfort now and then some gleams of light as I told you before to save them at a desperate pinch and after long exercise in a doubtful medly of hope and fear a sad twilight of sorrowes and supports at last recover this testimony in and to their hearts that they are the children of God And therefore 't is not to be thought that persons who out of wilfulnesse or spiritual sloath put off the procuring this blessed certainty to themselves till old age or the approaches of death should suddenly leap out of a certain damnable estate into an assured certainty of salvation Sure the stream of Promises in the Word is least favourable to such persons and it is a thing most righteous in the eyes of reason it self that God should be as slow in giving as they are in seeking this assuring testimony CHAP. XI Certain Hindrances of getting Assurance of our Adoption removed Quest BUt how shall I get the testimony of the Spirit and thereby be assured of my Justification and Adoption Answ 1. There are divers Hindrances to be temoved and then divers Directions to be followed Hinderances are 1 A secret murmuring frame of spirit against Gods present dispensations towards thee as if God dealt very hardly and contrary to his wonted course with thee As if God had set thee up as the only mark of his displeasure which discontent is secretly augmented by the enjoyments and attainments of others Such and such have attained such and such comforts and walk cheerfully but God keeps me in the dark like them that art dead long ago And then as the children of Israel in the wilderness the soul many times quarrels at God for doing what he hath done and wishes any change even to what it was or the worst that can be Would God say they we had dyed in Egypt nay would God we were out of the world any way rather then to be thus tossed up and down in these tempests of spirit to be made Satans Tennis-bals the gazing stocks of the world and a terrour to our selves c. Friend who ever thou art that art in this frame of spirit know the Holy Spirit wil not be wrought to smile on thy heart by these means Such a dogged sullen frame of spirit will but procure thee the more lashes and continue thee the longer in the wilderness Israels murmurings kept them forty years in the wildernesse hereby they vexed Gods holy Spirit Isai 63. 10 and so dost thou and thou maist expect a proportionable dealing at Gods hands 2 A kind of delight in complaining against thy self and taking Satans part many times in bearing false witness against thy own soul Sometimes a kind of sinful humility sometimes an apprehension of ease in venting the causes of their trouble and sometimes a designe of provoking others to humor them in applying those corrasives and terrors to them which they think are their portion makes many persons liberal in charging themselves in this sort And somtimes Satan helping them they are apt to lay more load upon themselves then indeed belongs to them aggravating their sins beyond measure and condemning themselves for the vilest creatures upon the face of the earth And by constant use I know not what kind of pleasure grows out of such libelling themselves and they are never so well as when they are in that tune I grant a serious moderate and discreet complaining of our sins and wants to such from whose advice and prayers we may expect good and for this reason that we may get their advice and prayers they knowing our condition particularly and being thereby enabled to help us by such a through knowledge of our case is not onely lawfull and expedient but necessary But to be always in season and out of season urging these indictments against ones selfe and meerly for this reason that we may put from our selves those comfortable truths which are indeavoured to be fastened upon us doth but more indispose us to peace and satisfaction of spirit and teach Satan an art of troubling us everlastingly with our own liking and approbation Take this for a certain rule That soul that will not open to the Spirit of Adoption till he can find no matter of complaint against himselfe may go mourning all his days and thank himself for it 3. An unthankful denyal of the works of Gods sanctifying spirit in the heart Which are the material ground of all regular assurance from the Spirit of Adoption or at least mitigating qualifying and extenuating them This ordinarily accompanies the former A soul that delights it self in picking quarrels against its own peace will not bee easily brought to own any good concerning it self Tell a man in this frame Sir you are one of Gods called ones for you have had experience of a gracious change upon your heart You now hate sin count it your greatest burthen which once you loved and judged it your greatest comfort you have an unsatisfiable longing after Christ not only in his merits but in his graces and the communication of his holinesse and all the World will not satisfy you without him you have an heart perfectly broken off from all your old company and all your delight is in the Saints that are upon earth and them that excell in vertue
are yea amen sure and firm in Christ by vertue of his purchase propter pretium solutum as a bargâ—n is to the purchaser upon consideration of the price whether any man think them so or no but 't is the Spirit that makes them sure to the parties for whom they are purchased per possessionem inchoatam by an inchoated possession as the Jewes were put in possession of the lard of Canaan by a few clusters of grapes and a man enters upon a great estate by the cutting of a turfe upon the land Assurance is a turfe of the land of promise and this is put into our hands by the Spirit I could adde many more places I will name at present onely one more and that is Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost that is given to us And what is the fruit of that abundant sheding abroad of the Spirit Hence it comes to passe ver 4. that our hope makes not ashamed If one man build upon the Testimony of another in businesses of concernment and when he comes to produce him in open Court his Testimony come not up to the businesse in hand or his Testimony appear suspicious a man doth not only lose his Cause but his Hope also and is publickly shamed for his confidence in such a Testimony But saith the Apostle if the Holy Ghost shed abroad the love of God in our hearts i. e. plentifully assure us of it the hope that is grounded thereupon will never make us ashamed His Testimony will bear a man and his cause up before the Judgement Seat of Christ or his Deputy Conscience whenever it shall bee called in question whether here or hereafter at the great day 2. Reason And herein consider two things I. The matter of the Assurance which the Spirit gives regularly is a Demonstration A Demonstration say Logicians is Syllogismus Scientificus an Argument that produceth a certain knowledg of the thing concluded Demonstration is of two sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That and Why. 1 That a thing is I can certainly prove that the tree lives because it growes and brings forth leaves and fruit that a man is in a present good temper of body because he hath a good pulse and this is called Demonstratio ab effectu or Demonstratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus the Spirit certainly proves that I am a child of God by the Effects of Adoption thus He that is led by the Spirit of God is a Son of God But this man is led by the Spirit of God Therefore he is the Son of God Here is a certain Testimony The Major of this Argument He that is led by the Spirit of God is the Son of God is plain Scripture and sets forth the proper effect of being the Son of God to be led by the Spirit or to endeavor to be holy in all manner of conversation The Minor or second Proposition is true by experience which I see by the spiritual sense which the Spirit gives me and therefore the conclusion is demonstratively true Such a man is a Son of God 2 Why it is And this also hath place here I can certainly and demonstratively prove that 't is day because the Sun shines that makes day So if the Spirit conclude thus He that is begotten of God is the Son of God But such a man is begotten of God Therefore c. The Argument is Demonstrative and producing where the Spirit sets it home a certain assent This is Demonstratio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that concludes the Effect from the Cause Quest But here is a Question Whether a man may be assured of his good estate by an Argument à priori that is by that which constitutes him in such an estate as suppose Whether a man may know that he is a child of God from the very act of his conversion which constitutes him such or rather Whether his only evidence that he is a child of God be not from the effects of his relation to God and that converting grace that made him so because grace in its first generation is dark Answ Hereunto I answer in a word 1. If the Spirit may and doth sometimes immediately testifie or mediately but not by Argument as hath been declared heretofore then he can assure a man without the present use of either of these means to prove it so that he can if hee please work an immediate consent to this Proposition at first conversion I am at this instant begotten of God which is the Minor Proposition in the Syllogisme which is an implicite assurance that such an one is a child of God 2. The Spirit testifying as he ordinarily doth i. e. by Arguments is at liberty to use his own Arguments to satisfie the conscience and the evidence or in-evidence of the Propositions shall not hinder the assent of the soul to the conclusion if the Spirit give light to them If the Spirit will tell a soul under his own vis plastica in the very womb of renewing grace in the act of Regeneration This work I am now working is a regenerating work God is now begetting true grace in thy heart therefore thou art a child of God I know not why it should not be a demonstrative evidence because the truth of this Conclusion Thou regenerated person art a child of God depends on the truth of this Proposition Every one whom God begets to a life of grace is a child of God And so certainly from Scripture The Assumption But thou art one whom God at this instant hath begotten to a life of grace is true by the evidence of the Spirit testifying to a mans own spirit who by spiritual sense is enabled to feel that work upon himself And therefore this evidence may be a sure evidence though it be à priori Yet would I be understood warily in what Cautions I say herein 1. I only affirm a possibility of receiving Assurance this way not an usual or ordinary course of the Spirit towards all or any that I know in particular because it is that which I hear oftentimes pleaded for by some of Gods precious ones whose experience in this secret work of the Spirit may be more then mine I cannot say less then this Yet for the sake of others of an Antinomian spirit that reject all trial by the effects of Regeneration which I stil affirm to be the usual rode way of the Spirit in giving Assurance I dare not say more 2 Remember that before I told you that habitual and fixed settled permanent actual Assurance is collected from the fruits of the Spirit that follow the first act of uniting grace though a present temporary actual Assurance may possibly be given in the very moment of actual union between Christ and the soul And therefore it concernes every one that hath been so assured at first not to rest there but to endeavour to ratifie and habituate that assurance
go meditate on such or such a subject and methodically discusse with my self such doubts and objections and labour to answer them and as he expects satisfaction from so doing so in the close he finds it God lets him alone to hammer himself out a peace upon the anvil of his owne thoughts 6 Lastly Meer rational Assurance though it may be from true yet oftentimes is drawn from mistaken Scriptures And this ariseth from the willingnesse before spoken of to receive Quod volumus facilè credimus satisfaction which makes a man easie to believe that which he would have so As in the maintaining of an opinion it many times falls out when a man takes up an opinion first and then seeks for Scripture to maintain it 't is wonderful to think how plain he presently is perswaded to think the whole Scripture speaks for it so here when this is laid down before I must have peace and hereupon a man searcheth the Word of God many times dark Scriptures that another man can see no such thing in shall serve the turne Prophetical Scriptures and Historical and it may be Doctrinal but grosly mistaken Now spirtual Assurance is usually grounded upon Scripture rightly understood and if habitual is certainly so and the clearer the Scripture is and the more plain the deductions from it the better it is For the Spirit of God understands Scripture perfectly as being the Enditer of it and so it cannot be supposed he will ground his Testimony on a Mistake Yet we must not think that it is every mistake of Scripture that is sufficient to annul a Testimony such as is circumstantial and not of moment to cast the conclusion this way or that way will not weaken the Testimony but only that which hath a material influence upon the deductions which I build upon it So a smal circumstantial mistake in a witnesse in Court is often overlooked by the Judge and Jury and the Spirit himself often quotes the sense of Scripture and omits inconsiderable circumstances As in many instances it were easie to make appear Micah 5. 2. Matth. 2. 6. Understand what hath been said with these Cautions 1 Think not I condemn the matter of such Cautions an Assurance as either hath all or most reason in it for false so that a man who hath reasoned himself into this perswasion must now question the perswasion it selfe as false For a true conclusion may be drawn from false and incongruous premisses and it may be as to form in the deduction there may be no error and a conclusion that a man receives only in a way of opinion may be certain in it self All that is in this case to be done is to hold the same conclusion by the strength of the Spirit drawn in by Faith in Prayer for the Spirit may testifie to that singly as I have before shewne and immediately and having so done to improve it to all intents and purposes as if it were never so unquestionable So a man may hold his land by a true Title but his evidences for it may not be as clear as he could wish now in this case he will not presently cashier himself out of the possession as soon as he discovers it but keeping that will labor by Act of Parliament or some other way to strengthen his evidences So when thou hast examined thy Assurance by the Marks of distinction between false and true before mentioned and findest it true though but rational keep thy hold and apply thy self to the Spirit to super-add his Testimony to the confirmation and improvement of it 2 Think not that I utterly exclude the help of the Spirit in drawing a rational evidence from the Scriptures I am so far from that that I rather judge that he helps in an ordinary way when the deduction is proper and the Scripture that grounds it is not in any material point mistaken as he doth in other works of common illumination as it was before hinted in the beginning of this last Discourse To add only a few words to the farther illustration of what was there affirmed A man may be said to preach or pray by the Spirit in a general sense when he doth those duties by the strength of common illumination and so sometimes even godly men do and the Doctrine he preacheth is the Doctrine of the Spirit and the prayers he puts up they are inspired by the Spirit in a way of common assistance But there is another kind of praying and preaching by the Spirit which the Scripture so often speaks of and calls the Spirit of Supplication and the demonstration of the Spirit performed by a special and peculiar assistance Zech. 12. 10. 1 Cor. 2. 4. of the Spirit Of which more hereafter in the handling of the last point And the like twofold influence of the Spirit is there in putting forth acts of Assurance in the heart even of a godly and sound Christian The very same man may act Assurance sometimes rationally and sometimes he may be acted to act it spiritually And yet in the former the Spirit acts too in a common way the latter only is that which because of special assistance is peculiarly said to be the Witness of the Spirit For denominatio sequitur partem potiorem though sometimes the denomination follow the best part in a thing composed of divers parts as a godly man is called a spiritual man though he have a carnal part and that may be possibly most prevalent yet most commonly the name is given from that which is most in the mixture or composition as we say an heap of barly though there may be many grains of other grain in it and in this sense the Apostle Paul calls Babes in Christ carnal 1 Cor. 3 1. So when the Assurance in the specialties of it is rational though there be some common work of the Spirit accompanying it I call it justly by way of distinction a rational Assurance Thus have I both answered the cases before emerging concerning a rational Assurance and withal let you know what use may and may not be made of it I add for a close that it is well for the standing peace of the Saints when their spiritual evidences are rational because Assurance that is praeternatural to a man is so far violent and so cannot be perpetual and therefore the Saints will do well to endeavour to make even the Spirits evidence rational and on the other side it is well for the certainty and security of their evidences that they labour to elevate the Evidence of reason into a Testimony of the Spirit CHAP. XXV The Duty of keeping the Evidences of the Spirit pressed with several Motives THis also affords us an useful Exhortation in several branches I. Labour to keep and maintain this evidence when you have it For 1 It is the surest evidence of the best inheritance in the world If a man lose all his evidences for an unconsiderable part of his
loves thee Did he ever crush any soul under his feet that he did not kick into hel at last And no wonder if Satan when hee hath the command of all the Ports and Advenues of the soul wil let it receive no intelligence but what he pleaseth and use it to such daily objects as augment its Terrors if he raise such mists as hinder it from discerning any thing distinctly 4 Partly by taking the work out of the Spirits hand as sometimes he doth the Lord permitting it also for secret Reasons of his own And hereof I shal shew you some instances by which you may judg of his dealing in other the like cases 1 Many times the Spirit stirrs up the soul to examine its growth in and improvement of grace possibly upon occasion of some late notable delays and to endeavour a recovery of lost strength a quickning of what is ready to dye This motion being from the Spirit thus far now Satan takes it up and from felt barrennesse and deadnesse stirs up the soul farther to enquire afresh whether ever that were true grace that is now so barren whether such a tree had ever any life that manifests so little growth 2 Many times the Spirit sets home the consideration of some affliction and puts the soul upon enquiry why the Lord thus contends with it Now comes in Satan and alters the Question and puts the soul upon the enquiry Whether such afflictions may stand with Gods love or no 3 Many times the Spirit stirs up to repentance and recovery from grievous falls Satan takes up this work and puts the soul upon questioning whether ever it had any grace seeing there is yet in the heart a liableness to such great corruptions This I touched before Thus you see whence the terrors that surprize Saints after conversion and Assurance do arise and so the Thesis cleared from mistakes Proceed we now to the Application of it CHAP. XXXVI Saints convinced of folly in giving way to troubling thoughts after conversion and Assurance I. THerefore for Application 1 Hence the Saints of God may see how little Reason or Warrant they have to justifie themselves in admission of sâ—ulfetters after conversion but especially after Assurance 1 Will a man think it were a discreet act in himself to be afraid of every leaf that stirs and startle at every reed that shakes A wise man when he is in quiet possession of what he enjoyes will see good Authority ere he will be dispossessed upon any pretence whatsoever The Divel never brings a true Authority for the disturbance of any Saints peace I am bound to take notice of no Authority in matter of inward trouble and peace but that of Gods Spirit My Conscience is his Throne and I cannot answer it unto God if I permit Satan to usurp it I ought to be able to discover that counterfeit and oppose him though he come as an Angel of light how much more when he comes like a Prince of darknesse 2 What account can I give to the Spirit of God the Comforter for resigning so slightly the Garrisons of strength the grounds of gracious Assurance which he hath put into my hands Saints must make as much conscience of parting with their comforts without sufficient cause as of embezelling any thing else with which God intrusts them Friends we are accountable for our Comforts and therefore it will concern us not to be easily cheated of them They are precious things The joy of the Lord is our strength Nehem. 8. 10. If we betray our strength by losing our comforts how shall we answer the robbing God of so much service as he may lose from us thereby 3 How shall we answer the mischief that may accrew to others who used in troubles and distempers of mind to have recourse to our counsels and experiences See Job 4. 2 3 4 5 6. If I must not prodigally throw away my estate nay if I must labour with my hands that I may have to give the bodily food to him that needeth Certainly I must even in meer charity to others endeavour to maintain that spiritual joy which is their refreshment CHAP. XXXVII The way how to discard them THis also gives a standing Rule to us concerning the entertainment of soul-terrours after Conversion and Assurance If they have no warrant from the Spirit of God then why wilt thou entertain so much as a conference with them I think uncomfortable thoughts ought to be cast out without dispute as blasphemous and atheistical suggestions in some cases Q. But how far and in what cases may it be be lawful to reject such thoughts as tend to the questioning of Assurance formerly received without dispute For it seems the case of blasphemous and atheistical suggestions and these we are now speaking of differs very much Those being at first blush by any soul competently enlightned to be discerned to be contrary to the expresse word of God and so matters out of all dispute these it may be pretending ground from the Word and being in their own nature such as I am allowed to dispute A. It is true there is some difference between the matter of the suggestions themselves but yet as to mee and my case they may be in effect the same For I may by a preceding Assurance from the Spirit of God be as much ascertained that I am a child of God as I am that there is a God or concerning any other fundamentall point of Faith So that I may be very well allowed the same way of proceeding in the one case which I am prescribed in the other And I conceive I may doe so in these cases 1. When the present Doubts or Disputes concerning my condition are not handed to me in the way and method of divine motions Gods usuall way of putting the soul upon enquiry concerning its own condition to such as enjoy Ordinances being under the administration of them If therefore without any such ground whether from the private working of my own thoughts or from such injections as I can give no account of I begin after assurance to fall a questioning mine own condition I may wel fear the hand of Satan is in this and I may silence them for the present as coming to trouble my peace without a warrant As if an Arrest should be laid upon me out of the ordinary way of Law I may defend my self by force or escape by sleight and the Law will judg me in so doing to have done no more then what I might lawfully do 2 When the present Dispute concerning my state and condition is imposed upon me under such circumstances as render it unlikely to be managed candidly cleerly and impartially so that there is no likelyhood but it should rather end in confusion and further disturbance then peace and solid satisfaction If I should be provoked to dispute with an adversary concerning such or such a point at a time when I am not furnished with such helps
penitents to rest Matth. 8. 28. But to those other advantages which are offered to sinners in Christ no sinner is called as a sinner but to some as an humbled contrite sinner to others as a renewed converted sinner Those whom God calls them he justifies and whom he justifies them he glorifies Rom 8. 30 He calls sinners justifies when called glorifies when justified For the application of the Merit of Christ and Justification thereby presupposeth the condemnation of the Law to have passed upon every person to whom it is due and that not only in the sentence of the Law and Court of God but in the sentence of the heart and Court of Conscience also Thence the difference between the Pharisee and the Publican in point of divine Justification is in Scripture attributed to the self-justification of the one and self condemation of the other not to the procuring causes but the disposing qualifications Luke 18. 14. And the Apostle Paul tells us that whiles the Jewes went about to make their own righteousnesse by the Law to stand they failed of Justification because that kept them from submitting to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 3. And as for Comfort and Reward they presuppose Justification and by consequence self-condemnation and a spirit of bondage For peace with God and joy and comfort in the hope of the glory of God follow Justification Rom. 5. 1 2. Thus then to apply althat hath been said If what hath been before said seem too severely to knock any of those upon the fingers who lay hold on Christ know it is only the presumptuous sinner who is thus handled because he layes not hold on that in Christ which he regularly ought to come to him for and fastens upon that which in the condition wherein he stands and under the disposition and frame of spirit which at present possesseth him belongs not to him And herein Ministers are no way blameable As if a great Prince proclaim a free grant of some especial bounty or favour to all that will receive it suppose pardon and liberty to a thousand Malefactors and that without any consideration of any thing to be given or performed by them only because he will have them sensible of his goodnesse therein and warned from such courses for the future he resolves they shal al be brought to the trial of the Law and abide its sentence and receive their pardon upon the Gallowes at the very in ment in which the ladder is turning or the cart driving away and then also not without acceptance of it upon such termes and conditions to be mutually signed If now a rabble of Theeves or Murtherers that fear the Law will one day overtake them and therefore are willing to secure themselves for time past and to fortifie themselves against Justice in the practice of the same villaines for time to come shall rudely intrude and challenge the benefit of the Princes free Pardon without any such formalities as are before mentioned are they to be blamed who are but the instruments for the distributing of these pardons if they bid them stand off yea and knock off their fingers if they shall lay hold upon them in such a disorderly way This is the case of the Ministers of Jesus Christ now adayes A company of brazen-faced presumptuous Intruders make a tumult and arrogate to themselves and their complices the name of Saints and challenge an interest in Christs pardons priviledges and comforts in a way quite inconsistent with the standing rule of the Word and the constant experiences of all that are Saints indeed And because the Ministers of the Gospel will not betray their trust and let go the pardons and priviledges which Christ hath put in their keeping upon such termes and contend earnestly against their irregular wayes of demanding them and advise them to be contented to take them in the way and order prescribed by Christ to seek of him in the use of meanes a new heart sensible of the burthen of their sinnes and the wrath due unto them and in that way to come to Christ for pardon and peace and it shall then be as freely theirs as any one 's in the World these impudent slanderers reproach the Ministers of the Gospel as unfaithful to their trust as streightening the free grace of their Master Christ for their own ends and with these clamors get into corners and forge counterfeit writings and seals themselves and invite others to come in and take the like from them at the same rate on which they came by theirs And thus becomes this deluded generation to be so pestered with a rabble of drunken lying Sabboth breaking unclean heretical blasphemous pretenders to Saintship and salvation which are the reproach and burthen of this and will be except God be infinitely gracious unto this Land beyond expectation the bane as to Religion and godlinesse of succeeding generations CHAP. XV. Encouraging early converts and vindicating the preaching of the Law from the exceptions of touchy hearers FRom the Thesis so cleared and vindicated Learn 1. What a thrifty course it is to be an early convert If a man must come under the Spirits bonds the sooner the better so much the longer true peace and liberty we attain by how much the earlier we have gotten through this Aprenticeship How rich do such grow if not neglecting their time and opportunities who get early out of their service Whereas if one be a man before he becomes an Apprentice besides that the service will be more tedious and irkesome at such an age how much of the prime of his days doth he lose wherein he might get a great estate were he his own man O how much joy and peace and assurance of Gods Love how much comfortable communion with him how many rich experiences how great an accession of grace how many opportunities of service and if there be degrees of glory how much of the weight of their crown do they lose that passe the pangs and throws of the new birth when they are even ready to go out of the World O friends how good is it for a man to bear this yoke in his youth seeing it must be born at one time or other Lam. 3. 27. The strength of the bearer is then greatest the burthen of sin at that age not being greatned by the many aggravations of a riper and more experienced familiarity with it will be lighter the workings and flowings of heavenly affections under it will be sweeter more ingenuous and unmixed with self-ends and hypocriticall collusions the removal of it in likelihood will be the sooner at least the surer God having engaged himself that they that seek him early shall finde him whosoever misse him they shall not Prov. 8. 17. This is much set forth by what was before said concerning the measures of conviction which the Spirit works by The longer wee continue in an unregenerate condition the more do we multiply the sorrows and throwes of
saving conversion of the soul to God that they are perfectly delivered from it for ever after 'T is a business that is to bee gone through but oâ—câ— and when it is once over there is no fear of its returning upon a man again I mean not that the soul may not come under bondage and fear and terrour again if I should the experiences of most of the Saints of God would confute me in this particular But here lyes the comfort No after shakings to such a soul are the Spirit of Bondage as Ishal shew more hereafter in the third Thesis or Proposition of the second part concerning the Spirit of Adoption And so they come not upon a man with Authority from God but arrest a man barely upon a counterfeit warrant and a man is not bound to submit to them Those cavils which arise afterward in such a soul are not the definitive sentence of a Judg concerning a man but the importune and vexing and litigious allegations of an Adversary Satan is a common Barreter and he makes it his trade to find out flaws in the evidences of Gods Saints and when he hath found or pretends to have found any he makes a great cry of a little wool as we say and like a clamorous and malicious accuser heightens every molehil to a mountain and concludes heavily against a man But what is all this to a mans quiet and peaceable possession if the spirit of God have discharged him the Court And such a one after his Gaol delivery from the spirit of bondage is for ever so discharged CHAP. XX Advice in seven particulars to such persons as are under this Spirit HEnce also properly grows this Caution to convinced sinners Take heed if this be the Spirits way and method of conversion how you render these works ineffectual and fruitlesse to your souls and so obstruct the Spirits saving design upon your selves This may be done many wayes I have instanced in some of them upon the former point which I shall not repeat To those add 1. A man may obstruct his own conversion in this work by a carelesse and sloathful intermission of those meanes which may keep his convictions fresh and lively and his conscience tender Souls under this work should strike as we say whiles the iron is hot And if the edg be dull he must lay on the more strength Eccles 10. 10. must improve publick Ordinances by private meditation prayer conference Fire will as well be put out by neglecting to supply it with fewel as by casting on water The Spirit may be starved as well as quenched The sluggard that after ploughing doth not follow it with the mattock and harrow will have as bad an harvest as he that sowes and never plowes at all The sluggaâ—d when he is called will divers times answer faire and make promises to rise and sometimes offers fair to perform them but when you cease calling his endeavors cease he finds his bed sweet and for want of throwing off the cloaths or starting out of bed by and by sinks into his rest again and takes the other nap Prov. 6. 10. So is it oftentimes with a sinner the Spirit cals and conscience calls and he ever and anon cryes I rise and sometimes starts up as if he would get out indeed but through sloath he is loath to be at the paines to pursue his good resolutions doth not follow them by constant and fervent prayer holy conference strict search into his heart and wayes and so loseth his beginnings by degrees insensibly and becomes as secure a sinner as ever God when he gives grace will be sought to Ezek. 36. 37. Yet will I be inquired of for this and Prov. 2. 3 4. If thou list up thy voice for understanding 2. He may do it by keeping needlesse society with wicked erroneous or vain and unprofitable company The former sorts scoff out and the latter toy out the seriousnesse of spirit that attends a convinced conscience Thence is the Apostles caution to them who upon that prick in the heart advise with him for the cure of that dangerous wound Save your selves saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from this crooked generation Acts 2. 49. and this he did very earnestly the Spirit sets it out by two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did charge or adjure and intreat and that with many words as knowing it to be a businesse of very great importance in what company such young beginners lighted Think you hear that Question put to you which the Angels put to the women Luke 24. 5. Why seek ye the living among the dead Truly beloved the unhappy lot of many a coming soul falls among profane friends and they as I shewed before by all means possible endeavour to drowne those little sparks others longing after ease and comfort and not daring to turn the stream of soul troubles in such a way among those friends to whom they chuse to bemoan themselves oftentimes light upon some of unsound Principles and they draw them from publick Ordinances and private duties the only ordinary means of effectual conversion it may be prejudice them against those Truths that affected them and thereby they not being plyed with those softning meanes quickly return to their former hardnesse and impenitency onely they colour it under a new name and profession of Saintship Now for prevention of this â—vil there is no greater caution in any thing to be observed by persons in that condition then to avoyd the company of hereticks as the most pernicious generation that they can converse withall And as for vain and frothy and unprofitable company though they be not in the same way hurtfull with those before mentioned yet are they great hinderances to this worke and hinder the real conversion of many a convinced sinner whiles they dispose the soul to a vain sleight and frothy temper a temper which is so far from being disposed aright for a businesse of such spiritual importance that it is not fit to manage a serious temporal imployment And good reason for there is in all such laughter a kind of madnesse Eccles 2. 2. For as the conceptions of fools and madmen are fickle and fleeting one fancy putting out the other as one wave another in water whence comes the rambling and incoherent discourse which ordinarily discovers distractednesse of mind so doth joy and lightnesse of heart especially if it be occasioned by vain and impertinent objects dilate and spread the spirit so as makes it incapable of being confined to any one thing though never so serious but the soul in such a condition dissolves and evaporates into smoak and as is said of the Heathens in another sense Rom. 1. 21. becomes vain in its imaginations How often doth the Apostle caution us aginst vain janglings and vain bablings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discourses in which there is nothing but flash and vapour 1
If thou object But Sir these remedies are in vain prescribed to me who if I could do these things should have no need to complain of the disease seeing the very cure consists in being able to apply such means to effect it If I could be sensible of this sin and be humbled deeply for it and wait upon means as I ought my heart would be no longer such as you speak of I complain of an hard heart and an impenitent heart and you seem to bid me get a penitent heart that I may get a penitent heart And this seems absurd Answ 1. It may be this very case seriously taken into consideration will affect the heart when no other thing will And we find it by the experience of Gods called ones that they find nothing more usual then to be most sensible of their own hardnesse and insensiblenesse And 't is so because hardnesse of heart is not only a sin but a judgment Now sense of judgment may bring sense of sin I advise thee therefore to be sensible of it as a judgment that thou maist be made sensible of it in time as a sin 2 To one in thy condition this is the great and master sin and by consequence the most dangerous wound of thy soul and therefore 't is most sutable and likely to be successeful to begin the work of sorrow and humiliation at that sin As in a complication of many Diseases in a Patient the Physician thinks it most proper to apply himself to the Master-Distemper primarily and principally and the rest will abate with it they being but Symptomatical 3. When I bid thee labour for a spirit deeply affected with this sinne and to endeavor to reduce thy selfe to thy former convictions thereby I purposely prescribe this course Because I know if thou canst attaine an heart sensible of its own resistance to the Spirit of grace c. thou art so farre recovered And this advantage is peculiar to this condition that to be affected with it is to be recovered out of it And this is a great encouragement to labour for this frame of spirit As one sin begets another so humiliation for one will beget humiliation for all for the same tendernesse which renders the heart capable of the impression of godly sorrow for one sin renders it as penetrable by others 4. When I bid thee labour to recover thy former tendernesse I mean not as if I would have thee reduce thy selfe thereunto by a power in thy selfe but by addressing thy selfe to God by importunate prayer to take away that resistance hardness and impenitency of thy heart which so frequently repulseth the Spirit of God and rejecteth its own salvation Go to God and say Lord I have an hard heart an heart that cannot repent according to promise give me an heart of flesh c. Obj. But I have a great deal of joy and peace and the course you advise to will put all out of order again Ans 1. I have told thee before that t is better to break an unsound peace of conscience here then to continue it all our lives till Death and Hell breake it whether wee will or no. Especially seeing 2. The breaking of this false peace is a way to recover a true and sound peace Then wee are towards a peace with God when we fall out with our selves and our sins When we combine against his enemies in that work he is engaged to assist us and if we be once absolutely broken from them and engaged to the destruction of them ipso facto we become his confederates Obj. But I have had a great name for Religion and have borne my selfe high upon my comfortable attainements and enjoyments and I cannot bring my selfe to be willing to take the shame of a confession that I have beene beguiled my selfe and deluded others Answ Therefore t is likely thy acknowledgements will do thee more good as on the other side thy example in going on in so delusive a way will do far more hurt Peters dissimulation drew many to dissemble also Gal. 2. When eminent professors professe glorious discoveryes in a way of defiance to Ministery and Ordinances no wonder if divers minorum Gentium ambition being natural to men will either affirm the same things that they may not seeme inferiour to them or else be apt to believe such things attainable Thus I remember in Erasmus there is a story of a Popish Apparition which when one had confidently affirmed that he saw divers others in the company would needs professe to see it too So do deluded souls strengthen one another til the juggle of Satan be discovered 2. Here is thy glory and Gods put in the balance and it is a great trial of thy sincerity to see which thou wilt take My sonne give glory to God saith Joshua to Achan and so I to thee Friend give glory to God Let the pride of thy heart be abased and thy high looks be brought low that the Lord alone may be exalted Isa 2. 17. 3. This is the way to thy own greater esteem Humble thy selfe and the Lord will exalt thee in due time Hereby wilt thou give to those that are truly godly a firme proofe of thy sincerity and such a return to them will speak more then thy stay among them possibly would have done 4. If God do not bring thee thus low now he will hereafter What is temporary shame and contempt to everlasting shame and contempt Obj. But God may save mee without this way and I may be converted without the return of the spirit of Bondage Answ 1. No question by his royal prerogative he may do that which no earthly Prince may act above and contrary to his owne prescribed rules when he pleaseth But 2. T is unlikely that he will and t is unusually that he doth renew any man that is an Apostate from former convictions without deeep humiliations And indeed if he should this would encourage convinced sinners to cast off their cords and break the bonds of the spirit at their pleasure These are grievous affronts to God himselfe and t is reason that he should have reparations from us at our return to him Now the only reparation in this kinde is deep sense and humble selfe-condemning acknowledgment of our sin CHAP. XXIV Objections of another nature answered Object YEa But if this be so possibly it may be as much for Gods honor to reject me if I do really submit my self to my old Master and reduce my soul under the Spirits Bondage again so that here is a greater discouragement I fear God wil not receive so desperate an Apostate as I have been though I could be humbled never so much Answ 1. True it may be much for Caution to others to take heed of affronting resisting quenching the Spirit of grace that hee should let thy Conscience loose upon thee in damning terrours here and send thee to hel with them upon thy spirit to be thy companions
Prayer that God will make the waters of the sanctuary healing waters to you that he will give your souls a special and particular visit in an ordinance that he will not suffer your fleece to be dry when others round about you are wet that he will open your eyes that you may see wonders out of his Law Psal 119 18. and open your hearts that you may feel them too that you may not be dead hearers or bare hearers that the Law may not be a meer representing glasse to shew you the black-moors skin and leopards spots but an operating glasse working your very hearts and soules to loath and abhor them and fly to the fountaine opened in the Gospel for sin and uncleannesse to wash them out The reason why the word wounds so few is this People seldome or never lift up such a prayer as this before they come and therefore t is no wonder if they come and goe stones and blocks and a convert even when the Gospel is abundantly dispensed bee as rare as a black Swan that Gods Ministers and those of the richest annointings every where complaine that they have laboured in vaine and spent their strength for nought Isa 49. 4. in comparison to what successe there hath beene formerly to the labours of others 3. Thou canst set thy selfe in a grave reverend and attentive positure of body in the Congregation stir thy selfe up when thou art sleepy and dull with the thoughts of the greatnesse glory and Majestie of him with whom thou hast to doe For this is but the same moral preparation that you would bring to the hearing of an earthly great man Thus had Cornelius and all his family set themselves in a readinesse for Peters Sermon Act. 10. 24 25 33. And we see how effectual it was upon them ver 44. whiles Peter yet spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard True the Spirit of God can and doth often times meet with such as come on purpose to scoff at a Minister and his Doctrine and such as have come to catch a Minister in malice God hath caught them ere their departure in mercy And therfore even from this ground I wish with my soul that I could but prevaile with people to heare the word even the bitterest enemies for who knows but God may spread nets for them at that very time Saul was a spreading his nets to take the Saints at Damascus and at the same time God caught him True Paul was not at an ordinance but that so much more aggravates the miraculousnesse of Gods mercy in his conversion But sundry examples God hath made in ordinances of this kind A more especial example we have John 7. 32 45 46. yet lest God should hereby give encouragement to men in such insolent acts of rebellion God hath not made any promise to any such hearers nay hee expresly threatens them Ezek. 33. 30 31. Son of man saith he the people are speaking against thee still by the wall and in the doors of the houses c. Come say they and let us hear the word of the Lord i. e. in a scoff come let us go hear a preachment to day c. for my part I am not so skilled in their language as to be able to repeat it at large They sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they wil not do them Now the next words are read very variously as you may see in the Margin of your Bibles with their mouth they shew much love but the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so shir gnagabim afterward a song of loves They make loves or jests their mouths are full of scurrilous laughter as at a filthy song c. These were more modest then divers of ours for it seemes they did this but in corners ut supra but wee meete with those that can scarce refraine such carriage in a Congregation But what saith God to them see v. 33. When these things come to passe i. e. the truths they set so light by then they shal know i. e. by sad experience that there was a Prophet among them and see what things those are in the preceding part of the Chapter God doth usually prepare people to receive a preacher before he doth them good by the word see Gal 4. 14. Reverend attendance upon the Word is certainly a great meanes to fit the heart for serious impressions from it As in any affaires of weight there is nothing that is more apt to impresse serious thoughts then the reverence which we beare to the managers of them Thence all affaires of justice are dispensed in such a way of solemnity as may stir up reverend thoughts in those present this is the use of scarlet Robes and Halberts and Trumpets and standing uncovered in civill Courts 4. 'T is in thy power to call in such stragling thoughts as carry thy heart away from the businesse in hand For certainly I have power of mine owne thoughts and I can command them if I have many businesses off from one to the attendance of another and if I have one of more serious importance then all the rest I can fix them upon that And when the heart is fixed on a businesse it is most likely to be affected Transient objects are quickly forgotten but objects that are long in our eye which we take a through view of remain longer Now I shal easily grant here that a natural man cannot by his longest dwelling upon such a subject affect his owne heart but I say still that hee may thereby put himselfe into a positure of soule as is most likely to be affected The very reason why he T people but now spoken of Ezek. 33 32 did not make benefit of the word was because their hearts were after their covetousness whilst they sate before the Lord. Gather in your stragling thoughts at such a time with considerations of this nature that t is God speakes that the things he speakes are of nearest concernment to you that you heare them now and perhaps may heare them no more this opportunity may be the last or it may bee however this the last time that you may heare such a Sermon so close so particular that if man thy equal much more thy better spake to thee a thing that concerned thee far lesse nay not at all thou wouldst in good manners hear and mind what he said 5 Minding what is thus preached it is very hard if thy memory without much adoe with it will not carry away somthing of what thou hast heard if not I am sure to most it is an easie thing to helpe memory with their pens And truly friends let mee tell you this if you were now at the barre to be tryed for your lives you would if you distrusted your memories have your note book by you and write down all material passages and if you could not your selfe you would desire some friend to helpe you and
should you not take like care when the word of God is passing judgment upon your souls I confesse that if wee watch not over our hearts much of the life and power of a Sermon may be lost at present to a man but that evil is not necessary here a man neede not take every word but only what most conconcerns or affects him and hee may be affected in hearing without being prejudiced in writing what he hears Friends I feare few families among us for want of putting themselves to this paine hear as they â—hould for afterwards Now a truth laid â—p in memory may perhaps worke afterâ—ard when a man is minded of it againe although a man go away at present and follow his sinful courses As pills may be taken over-night and a man may sleepe well upon them and all night think nothing of them but when hee awakes in the morning they then will worke Yea Sermons â—penned if they be not as ordinarily written only to serve the turne for a formal repetâ—tion at home and never looked on afterward may many years after they are preached do thee good 6. T is in thy power before thou comest when thou art there and when thou departest thence to lift up a Petition to God that hee will handle his owne hammer with his owne hand make the word mighty through God to break down strong holds and overthrow whatever within thy heart opposeth his own glory and thy salvation T is no hard matter when a word is spoken that suites thee to lift up an Ejaculation Lord set home this word Lord thine own word needs thine own blessing and special application to make it effectuall Lord fasten this nayle and clinch it firmely in my heart 7. 'T is in thy power when â—hou comest home to sit downe and meditate seriously upon what thou hast heard to repeat this word in thy family and confer of it with others and to apply it occasionally to others the word that thou dost another good by may do thee good too For all these acts are constantly performed by rational men in worldly affaires and certainly the change of the object doth not take from mee the power of my owne act upon it so long as both act and object are still suitable each to other now although the spiritual nature of the word be not sutable to a carnal and unsanctified apprehension yet the sound of it and its Grammatical and common sense is and I require no more of thee in these acts then may make use of these as far as they may be improved in a serious way as thou wouldest confer and discourse with a Lawyer about thy estate or a Physician about thy health 8. 'T is in thy power to endeavour to improve this word in a rational way As suppose it speaks conviction of sinne to exercise such an act of application as this this is my sin if of judgment to exercise such an act as this this is my case if direction or motive to apply it thus why should not I doe thus and thus as I am directed and exhorted Heart what have you to say why I should not follow this counsel that is given me This is called communing with a mans owne heart Ps 4. 4. and enquiring what have I done Jer. 8. 6. 9. You can desire and importune the prayers of others in the condition you are in God may heare such as are his own people for you when hee will not hear your selves You wil doe so in temporal plagues So Pharaoh Exod. 8. 8. And in special Simon Magus Acts 8. 23. 10. It is in my power to check my heart for those unreasonable prejudices which it hath against the word and to labour the removal of them Imean to endeavor to reason my self out of them 'T is true no total removal of prejudice against the word can be wrought but by grace it is grace only that kills the enmity of the heart against God but reason may silence and suppresse them for the time as a Judge in the Court may command silence at present but cannot except hee can cut out the tongues of men force them to â—ee totally silent and perpetually So reason can It cannot dig up the roots of prejudice but it may consider the word praescinded and abstracted 1. From all prejudicate fancies and conceits If I have prejudice against the preacher that hee sayes what hee doth out of spleene c. why cannot I put my heart upon this issue But let the mans intentions be what they will what is it that hee sayes c. So Eliah though certainly he had a legal prejudice against the raven if at least I may call that a prejudice that judged him an unclean bird according to the Law that brought him food yet saith Eliah here is food God and I have no other lawfull way of supply if the meat be wholsome I will eat it 1 Kings 17. 4. 6. A man is beholding to a watchfull enemy 2. If against his meannesse and contemptiblenesse of person want of parts and learning plainnesse of preaching c. Why cannot I in reason consider The richest mines are in the most barren and mountainous grounds That 't is the ordinary garbe of Princes to go clad in bare cloth which is often more worth then many a gallant Courtiers cloth and trimming That when God does good upon men and takes them most his greatest Art is to hide Art and there is reason for it because even humane skill loves not to be seen in the outside of every work and the Artificer loves to shew most of his skill where you would least expect it c. 3. If that he is not of thy own way or opinion Reason may plead for him For either thy way and opinion is good or bad if good thou wilt hear what can be said against it know thy adversaries weapons and play and so wilt be the better able to guard thy selfe If bad 't is a great mercy to be convinced of it c. Yet would I not in all these be misunderstood For 1. In all these I so affirm these acts to be in the power of the creature as not to exclude the common and sometimes especial influence of the Spirit upon them to produce them It is in these actions as in those other rational acts of ours concerning the affairs of this World which are in the power of nature to perform but yet the Spirit of God always in a common but sometimes in an especial way draws out those acts so as may be most for Gods glory and our good so though it be in the power of Nature to go to Church and sit reverently and hearken out a Sermon yet that I go at such a time and that possibly much against the grain of mine own inclination that I observe such and such truths and lay them up and meditate on them when I come home c. more then others this is the Spirits
said Cornelius do this or that as to say Send for Peter and he shall tell thee what to do Acts 10. 6. But God sends him to Peter and Peter must come and direct him in a set Sermon that God might keep up the credit of his Messengers and his standing Ordinances There are special promises to this purpose to be fulfilled to the people of God in publick Assemblies of the Church Isai 56. 7. I wil make them joyful saith God but where in my House of Prayer which was among the Jews the Temple and among the Gentiles any place of publick Worship Isai 60. 7. I will glorifie the House of my glory And 't is remarkable that in both places the Promises are made to the Gentiles when they should be converted as appears by the Context God would have an house of Prayer places of publick Assemblies in the Gentile Church and in them God hath promised to make his people joyful Come forth here all ye old Disciples experienced Christians and give in evidence from your experience Cannot you say that the banner of love which God hath spread over your souls was lifted up in these Banquetting Houses Hath he not here stayed your souls with flagons and comforted you with apples Cant. 2. 2 Prayer There is an holy Conference and Dialogue between God and the soul in holy Duties This of Prayer is the Duty in which we speak and the Word and Seals are the wayes in which God speaks Wee ask Counsel in Prayer God answers in them We ask strength and peace in this God returnes answers of peace in them and we reply in thanksgiving again God in the Word tells us what he is offended at in us we confesse it in Prayer he assures us we are pardoned in the Word c. We returne thanks in prayer again And indeed this is the way how to know Gods mind as we know mans mind by desiring a conference and proposing our doubts or dissatisfactions and receiving his answers when he gives them or pressing for them when he denyes or estrangeth himself Thus David used to enquire of the Lord. Psal 27. 4. And when he had enquired in prayer then he holds his peace and waits to hear what God will say Psalm 85 8. 1 Neglect not this way of conference with God Especially in the set seasons thereof They have a fancy among the Philosophers of two needles touched with the same Loadstone which being set in two Compasses written round with the letters of the Alphabet will conveigh intelligence from one friend to another at the greatest distance Thus each friend having recourse to his own Compass at fixed times shall find that as his friend at distance moves his needle to any letter his own without any touch of his will turne to the same so that by putting together those letters he may read his friends mind I have not faith enough to believe the conceit but I can make a good use of it in Spirituals wherein I am sure it is true Gods heart and thine are touched with the same Loadstone of love and if thou at seasons of conference shalt have recourse to the needle 1 John 4. 19 of thy heart and by the experience of holy affections in prayer shalt point out to God thy wants and burthens the heart of God by a sacred sympathy will work the same way and copy out thy case in his own bosome and then it cannot be long ere his fatherly compassions set the needle of his affections a turning towards thee again to produce a reciprocal assurance in thy heart by a like secret sympathy This the Scripture holdeth forth clearly See Jer 31 18 19 20. There Ephraims needle first turnes in confession Thou hast chastised me c. Then Gods needle falls to work presently to give him intelligence of Ephraims complaint Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself And when Ephraims story is done then God falls to turning his needle by way of answer to Ephraim My bowels are troubled for him Is Ephraim my dear son Yes that he is and he shall know it too For since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still Then comes the answer to Ephraims heart I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Thence in the Text the Spirit that is the witnesse from God to us is the Sollicitour within us to God The same Messenger that carries our Letters brings our Answer ver 16. Oh Friends you know not what mischief Satan doth to you by cooling your hearts in prayer nay by prevailing with you onely to neglect a set time of prayer publick or private If you appoint a friend a set time of meeting and conference so often every day and you fail him twice or thrice together especially when he knowes you have none but trifling businesses to hinder you how can you expect but that he should serve you in the same kind True a man may lay bonds upon himself in appointment of times of duty which as he may order the matter that is if he lay them so upon himself as to pronounce it absolutely unlawful upon any occasion to over-slip that very time may prove but snares to entangle his conscience but yet on the other side to set apart appointed hours for this duty as a convenient means to keep our heart from framing petty occasions from hour to hour to put off the duty and that with resolution not to fail at the appointed time but upon very weighty occasions and upon such failing at any time to resolve to make up that defect doubly as soon as the occasion is over sure is a very profitable way for the getting and keeping acquaintance with God And no question if God find as he knowes that very slight occasions divert us from meeting him at fit or set times but he will be out of the way at other times when our leasure will serve us to seek him But this by the way concerning set times of prayer 2. 2. A soul that wants the witnesse of Gods Spirit though he neglect not those yet he will not content himself with them but he must now and then visit the Throne of Grace in extraordinary wayes of duty adding fasting to prayer and spending whole dayes in following hard after God Certainly this duty is much neglected among Christians in these dayes to what it hath been formerly both in private and publick Surely when Gods Saints were more acquainted with it there was far more acquaintance with God then I fear if I may ghess at others condition by mine owne there now is There be some Divels saith our Saviour that wil not be cast out without prayer and fasting Mar. 9. 29. so may I say in this case there be some doubts that will not be cast out of the soul till a man try this way Not that fasting adds any thing to prayer in it selfe or by any proper efficiency of its own but it disposeth a man to
comprehends every grace in kind and it concerns him to come to the Sacrament to promote it Caution Yet let me add lastly that I speak not this to encourage a lazy credulousness by which we are apt to be easily perswaded without any sufficient enquiry to take it for granted that we have grace because we have now and then some good wishes when as our own hearts if they were well searched would witness to us the faintness coldness inconstancy laziness of our affections towards heavenly things especially in comparison with those large measures of earnestness importunity and diligence with which they are attended in the things that concerne this present life which might be a sufficient confutation of all our good conceits that wee have of our selves Friends take heed that you do not make such truths as these a protection for your supine negligence to examine your selves more throughly and exactly The truth is the persons to whom this cordial is intended are only those who after earnest enquiry after their own estate from other evidences are driven to this Sanctuary as their last refuge not to those who because they wil spare their pains to enquire more at large and particularly fly to this as the most compendious way and that wherein least pains is required to satisfie themselves concerning their condition Yet I fear such truths by Gods just judgment accidentally stumble many souls and no wonder the Doctrine of free grace I dare say accidentally damnes millions CHAP. XVIII Three other Directions And a Case of Conscience concerning the discerning the Motions of the Holy Spirit from tentations and the inclination of our owne hearts 3 TAke notice of the least approaches Direct III. of the Spirit of God to the soul in a witnessing way and follow them by Meditation and Prayer Sometimes the witnesse of the Spirit is not full and through to the satisfaction of all our doubts yet it speaks something tending that way it speaks many things severally and by parcels which laid together would amount to a ful Testimony Now in such cases a soul must be very watchful to take and improve the least hints of the Spirit As in an humane Testimony the witnesses that witnesse in a case before a Judge do not all speak point-blank to the case in question but sometimes very faintly brokenly and imperfectly Now a good Judg in such a case doth not slight such Testimonies as come not full up to a businesse but observes and retaines in memory every thing that is deposed though very defective as to a full proof and at last what one testimony did not sufficiently clear in terminis many testimonyes will make up a full proof of if laid together by a skilful and judicious Lawyer This Art we find the Church using in desertion Cant. 29. There she discovers Christ first at a distance leaping upon the Mountains removing the great impediments to the manifestation of himself suppose conquering mountainous corruptions and mountainous temptations suppose deadnesse and flatnesse of heart in duty c. which looks like a mountain of separation betweene Christ and the soul ver 8. she finds her self unexpectedly enlarged and opened in her addresses to him Thence she concludes he is a coming he prepares his way as 't is said in another case of John he makes every mountain and hill low Isai 40. 4. and every valley he exalts that he may make his way smoother then she espies him behind the wall looking in through the lattess neerer then he was but yet he stands much undiscovered the wall and the lattess here it may be are the obstacles of prejudice and doubting and distrust in our own hearts which keep us from seeing Christ clearly when he comes to us but yet something of Christ shines through them and the Church takes notice of these dark approaches puts a Behold upon them all Behold he cometh behold he standeth behind our wall And at last he calls her forth into a pleasant converse and walk with him v. 10. 11. and there fully manifesteth himselfe to her If God write thee a love-letter though the hand in which it is written be but uneven and it be not to be read but by spelling every word wilt thou not take that pains that thou mayst understand it The spirits testimony when it comes under Gods hand and seal to the heart is oftentimes so obscurely written that a man is fain to spell and put together many words experiences providences to make it up However the evidence may be sufficient that is pick'd out of them altogether Think then such a time I was refresht at a sermon enlarged extraordinarily in such a Prayer my heart was affected with an extraordinary measure of tendernesse in such a Sacrament I was even ready to despaire and God stayed me by a promise even ready at another time to make away with my selfe and God stayed me with an unexpected providence c. All these put together may perhaps make up as much as this Fear not I am thy Salvation c. Thy sins are forgiven thee God answers sometimes Psalm 85. 8 in a soft voyce in a whisper and it concerns us to observe narrowly as Benhadads servants 1 Kings 20 33 4. Labour aftâ—r more of the Spirit of sanctification and that is the way to get the Direct IV. witnesse of the Spirit of Adoption The spirit that seals us up to an holy assurance is an holy Spirit Ephes 1. 13. This is certain the more holinesse the more assurance The promise runs so Isai 32. 17. The work of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietness and assurance for ever I conceive the place intends inherent righteousnesse comparing it with the former verses where it is attributed to the Spirit as his work in barren hearts The like promise we have from our Saviour Jo. 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him I am confident the reason why many persons do not recover an evidence of the Spirit assuring their consciences of their good condition is either that in their judgments they preferre peace before grace ease before holinesse and powre out many more prayers and tears for those then for these or else that they content themselves with finding in themselves some generalities of good desires and sincerity in the main and so sit down in a forme of godlinesse contented to stand at that stay Beloved it will concerne us to press hard after the Lord to follow after reach forward and press on they are the phrases of the Apostle Ph. 3 12 13 14. that we may apprehend that for which we are apprehended 1. If an evidence be never so faire yet if we be carelesse of it and let it gather dust or dirt or filth we may not be able to read it And certainly
from sin How do thy old garments fit thee Dost thou more and more grow out of love with sin and more and more put it off at least in the love of it This growth the Apostle saw when he could see none else Rom 7. 20. This is most discernable in the combats between the heart and Original sin when a man clubs it down in its first motions 't is a good token of growth A moral man may forbeare those sins in act which a godly man may fall into but a Saint labours more at the root of sin when moral men pare off the branches 3 A growth of heavenly mindednesse These toyes and trifles of the world how do they take with thee That which the Apostle saith of childish knowledg c. I may say of childish desires 1 Cor. 13. 11. A Saint then growes a man when he throwes away childish things Dost thou grow more liberal and open hearted The more a mans heart is loosed from the earth the nearer it growes to heaven Grace here is glory in the cradle and it daily growes heavenward 4. A growth of aimes and desires What dost thou purpose to thy selfe Will not small things content thee then thy appetite is growne The more manly we grow the more manly our aimes are See how the Apostle calls this growth of aimes perfection Phil. 3. 15. So that thy trouble that thou growest not and thy aimes at farther improvement discover that thou art improving Vse 3. This Thesis also is three waies for Consolation to Saints For 1. This confirms us in the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints For if a true Saint might fall away from grace the Spirit might justly again become a Spirit of Bondage to him For he that falls from grace falls under the Law and he that falls under the Law is liable to all its terrors as his proper portion For all that the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law Rom. 3. 19. If a child of God to day might prove a child of the Divel to morrow surely the Spirit might safely tell him so 2 This scatters and dispells the greatest venom that imbitters Saints second troubles When a man looks on God as leading him into temptation it is far more bitter then when a man falls into it by his own neglect or Satans malice When a man apprehends the Spirit of God whom he expects as a Comforter to become his Tormentor this is a double torment Now against this the Lord gives us this cordial assurance once for all that to a Saint no such thing ever can be the work of the Spirit 3 This shewes Saints a ground upon which if it be not their own fault they may live in constant peace to wit by maintaining continual correspondence and un-interrupted amity with the Spirit of Adoption Surely he that never speaks Bondage after he hath spoken peace may be heard speaking peace alwayes were it not our own fault Did wee heed what hee sayes and acquaint our selves more with his voice we should find him a Comforter still But we are apt to give more eare to our owne carnal reason and Satans tentations then to his gracious and comfortable tidings Few Saints should they put their souls to Davids question Psalm 42. were able to answer it satisfactorily except there be reason why men should trouble and distract their owne spirits whether God will or no. And thus much shall suffice for this third point CHAP. XLV A fourth Thesis with its explication NOw come we to the last Thesis from the Text which is the fourth in this Treatise Doct. That one principal work of the Spirit of Adoption in the soul that hath received it is to enliven and embolden it in prayer That we may not mistake in the sense of the Proposition observe with mee first a few things tending to the Explication of it When I say a principal work I mean not to compare the assistance he gives to prayer with his work of uniting the soul to Christ in justification of quickning the soul with habitual grace in Sanctification or the work of Assurance it self For no stream can rationally be admitted into comparison with its fountain Now the Spirit of prayer is but an emanation of grace and Adoption first a Spirit of grace and then a Spirit of supplication Zech. 12. 10. And therefore this must be understood of those operations which flow from habitual grace and Assurance that of them there is no nobler act of the Spirit of Grace and Adoption enabling us to and in them then this Qu. 1. What act of the Spirit of Adoption thus works Answ When I speak of this particular boldnesse as the work of the Spirit of Adoption I would be understood of the Spirit of Adoption chiefly in his witnessing Act of which we have hitherto principall treated though I shall not here more then in the former point exclude him in his other acts only I shall shew from which work of the Spirit of Adoption this which wee treat of doth more immediatly arise For whereas I before told you twice of four works of the Spirit of Adoption to unite to witnesse to intercede to direct whereof the uniting act is the most noble and the fountain of all the rest union with Christ being the source of all communion you must farther know that the rest of these Acts do not alike primarily flow from the first but by the meditation and interposition of one another The spirit intercedes in us but by the help of his assuring work he produceth its most fervent and confident petitions And the last work his guiding work he performes by both the former viz. perswading the soul upon assurance of successe to fetch direction and assistance from God in all its wayes by faith in the promises and prayer Q. 2. Doth the Spirit work thus in all Saints Answ 1. When I say it is the work of the Spirit of Adoption I must not be understood to affirme a constant and perpetual assistance of the witnessing Spirit in all the Saints to the performance of this Duty in a like high spiritfull and confident way For the dearest Saints of God whiles they enjoy the Spirit of Adoption may be under strange deadnesse distraction and indosposednesse in Duty and under no lesse doubting suspiciousnesse and jealousie of God and his affectons to them which must needs hinder their boldness in calling him Father 2 Thus accordingly as we must distinguish times so we must distinguish between degrees of livelinesse and boldnesse in praying Between praying to God as to a Father and calling him Father aloud in Prayer or as in the words of the Text crying Abba Father For the Spirit as He unites the soul to Christ is a Spirit of Supplication helps us to pray and that with life and boldnesse But because he may possibly not alwayes act in his witnessing way although even then the soul is enabled to pray acceptably
as Mal. 1. 8. and that of David 2 Sam. 24. 24. So on the other side if childish bashfulnesse come in in stead of childlike reverence or servile fear in stead of filial awfulnesse he considers Gods mercy bounty truth Christs merits and mediation his own relations through him c. And so balanceth that scale when it weighs too low Such counter considerations as these the soul hath at hand to balast it selfe even in all the parts of Duty And this shall suffice for the clearing of these cases CHAP. LVI Some comfortable informations from this Thesis and for an upshot a Case how I shall know whether my actual fervency and boldnesse bee from Gods Spirit or Satan or any natural principle c. THis affords matter of abundant comfort to all who have this boldnesse and fervency from the operation of this witnessing Spirit in prayer 1. In the work it self Certainly it is a sweet thing to be able in all things to make a mans requests known to God with confidence How incomparable an ease is it to a man to have a bosome-friend and him such a one as is able not only to hear but hear and help to make of ones counsell in the weightiest and most important businesses in the greatest and most unsupportable burthens especially to a child to have such a father This is the happinesse ascribed to the Jews above all other nations meerly upon the account of an outward propriety a visible Church propriety and liberty of approach Deut. 4. 7. to have God so nigh to them in all that they called upon him for 2. In the rise of it This is a main work of the Spirit of Adoption You are arrived as high in point of communion with God as you can possibly in this state of distance The witnesse of the Spirit is our most comfortable enjoyment and the prayers and prayses that proceed from it our most comfortable employment that we are capable of here below And the comfort of it lies in this that it is an act of influence from the Spirit of the most noble and heavenly nature of any other 't is an evidence of a large and abundant measure of the Spirit 3. In the Issue of it what may not such an one do with God But that the cause of miraculous works is ceased and so 't is a tempting God to put him needlessely to extraordinary expences surely I may say such an one might as our Saviour saith say to this or that mountain be thou plucked up by the roots and cast into the depth of the Sea and that with assurance of successe Mat. 17. 20. 21. 22. Now if this be true of the least degree and measure of faith though but reliance as it is much more undoubtedly of acts of assurance and such an one is this spiritual boldnesse and confidence in prayer Qu. But how shall I know whether my fervency and boldnesse of spirit in prayer come from Gods Spirit of Adoption or mine own spirit or possibly Satans spirit of delusion Answ This question is weighty and I must answer distinctly to both parts 1. For fervency it is true 1. Sometime 't is but natural Great wants produce earnest intreaties Beggers ready to starve begge in earnest Terrours of God and frights of conscience many times make fervent 2. Sometimes it may also be the work of a deluding and prestigious spirit who I know not why he may not counterfeit the Spirit of prayer in this operation as well as the Spirit of grace in many others But 3. The discovery of the difference lies in these particulars 1. In the nature of this fervency and that consists in these things 1. In the lively actings of all our graces in prayer This I have shewed you before is the course of Gods Saints to stirre up all within them to the performance of the duty The bow that is serviceable must bee bent in all parts alike else it will faile the expectation of the Archer A counterfeit fervency or a meer natural fervency is partial Desire may seem to be fervent in prayer but humility and sorrow for sinne and thankfulnesse are cold Many a man askes what he wants with great earnestnesse but confesseth sinne and gives thanks for mercies received superficially This puts a great suspicion upon the Duty 2. In a zealous watchfulness over a mans heart against all those things that may coole deaden or distract it And thus a gracious soul is not only then fervent when it may be a landfloud of affections drownes for the present the actings of formality wandring thoughts c. but even when these are most stirring it shews its fervency by labouring and wrestling against them Another may be fervent now and then upon such or such a particular impression of spirit as suppose in the sense of some imminent danger some extraordinary conviction but hee doth not keep his watch or stand so upon his guard as to preserve himselfe in that temper but suffers himself to decline into formality and deadness again as soon as that impression is a little layd by the vent it finds in a Duty 2. In the matter wherein one is fervent A man may be fervent in such things as concern his own present necessity Isai 26. 16. They powred out a prayer when thy chastening 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was upon them effuderunt or liquefecerunt orationem they seemed to be meltingly fluent as mettal when it runs by the force of fire but that is a fervency that holds no longer then the fire lasts In those things that concerne the glory of God and are more remote from a mans private concernment there is more coldnesse and indifferency In petitions for pardon of sin much heat little in petitions for grace c. 3 In the concomitants of this fervency It doth beget a sutable frame of spirit 1. In all places Many an one is very appearingly fervent when hee prayes before others But is there the same heat in private or rather are our private closet prayers cold and formal Satans spirit a spirit of vain-glory c. may make a man fervent before others but the Spirit of God only supplies a private fervency to wrestle with God in private as Jacob did by night and alone is likely to be gracious fervency 2. In all duties A man that hath a kindly heat of affections in prayer will not bee without some impressions of it in other duties In the hearing of the word a mans heart will burne Luke 24. 32. In his place and calling there will be a zealous endeavour to do good a zealous anger against sinne a zealous grief for sin This is seen in David Ps 119. 32. 139. 102 Ps throughout a zealous and fervent love to all the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 22. 4. In the rise of it 1. It is gotten in the Saints by industry kindled by meditation and most commonly they know how they come by it how much ado it costs them
good reason for the joy of the Lord is their strength Nehem. 8. 10. Though God bear somtimes with their weakness as well as darkness 3 Thankfulnesse Indeed there is a thankfulnesse arising from temporal and common mercies and there is a thankfulness for general and comprehensive Promises and free offers of Christ and Ordinances c. before Assurance But thankfulnesse is never so large so liberal as upon assurance then a man can give thanks in all things and for all things 2 Thess 5. 18. then he cryes out What shall I render unto the Lord Psal 116. 2 12. and then his language is full Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1 2 4 Sometimes to deny all and suffer for him 'T is also true a man that sees not the love of God to him may go very far upon conscience of duty and upon a meer faith of relyance upon general Promises and upon secret supports of the Spirit by which he keeps up hope in himself that such Promises may be his upon the necessity of that choice which he is put upon taking that as the safer way which carries him out to adventure himselfe that way rather then certainly ruine himself by Apostasie So was that holy man carryed to the stake before he cryed out He is come he Glover in Acts and Monum is come But it is very seldom that a soul will go so far meerly upon a faith of relyance and therefore God ordinarily gives such persons special Assurances the Spirit fils their hearts with comfort joy and peace and this will make them far more Heroical in suffering Acts 7. 55 56. 2 Cor. 1. 4. Guilt of sin saddens a suffering to a man So doth uncertainty of his estate for the future for who will adventure soul and body at once if he judg his condition in a rational account but a desperate man And if Saints in darknesse suffer much it is by extraordinary support But on the other side when a man can look within the vail by assurance and challenge glory The sufferings are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed Rom. 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. ult Arg. 4 the experiences of Gods people constantly manifest this One while we have David complaining of broken bones and a watered couch c. another while he is all joy and praises Those Acts 2 whose hearts were pricked so deeply what is the issue of it see v. 46. They did break bread from house to house and eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart See what became of the Jailor after his trembling fit Acts 16. 34 He rejoiced believing with all his house And certainly although God may save a soul and bring him to heaven hood-winked yet it is very seldom that he doth so but that at one time or another carrying on his people in constant acts of reliance he gives them a witnessing and assuring spirit at the last CHAP. V. Reasons of Gods working in this way by his Spirit COme we now to the Reasons of this Proposition Quest Why will God bestow the Spirit of Adoption upon his Elect after the Spirit of Bondage Answ For these Reasons principally Reas 1 Because Religion else would be an uncomfortable profession and would have little alluring in it to the eyes of those that are without Men are apt to receive prejudices against Religion as that which will put a period to all their comforts And this mistake is much occasioned in them by the sad and drooping lives of those that profess it So that were it not that usually God brings joy out of sorrow and puts on his Saints the garment of joy for the spirit of heavinesse no man would chuse the wayes of God that are strewed with so many thornes and difficulties but rather chuse to wallow in sinful and worldly pleasures As the afflictions of the godly and the prosperity of the wicked in outward things are great stumbling blocks so much more would burthens of spirit if they should be constantly and unremoveably laid on the spirits of the Saints Surely God that will have us tender of the credit of Religion in our carriages will not prostitute it by any carriage of his own Reas 2 The Lord doth it that he may keep up the spirits of his people from fainting under a spirit of bondage Soul troubles are tedious troubles spending troubles Those Diseases that affect the spirits are so in the body and therefore they had need of strong Cordials to keep up their hearts who are under such Diseases Soul troubles overwhâ—lm the spirits Psal 142. 3. and 143. 4 Soul troubles sink and drown the spirits and if God should not now and then support his people with a Cordial they would faint away quite Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2. 5. Psal 119. 91. My soul fainteth for thy salvation Now the strongest Cordial God gives his people at such a time is this that they shall have an expected end that he will not contend for ever and this is the reason why he gives them this assurance Lest the Spirit should fail before me Isai 57. 16. or as others ne spiritus obruatur lest the spirit should be overwhelmed This supports the Church in a waiting frame Lam. 3. 26 31 32. Reas 3 That he may thereby in their own judgments and consciences confute the hard thoughts they usually have of him in times of darkness Mans heart under soul troubles is a forge of all misapprehensions and unjust censures concerning God Sometimes he is an enemy a cruel one sometimes he hath forsaken them and forgotten them their hope is Lam 3 Isai 49. 14 40. 27. perished from the Lord and their judgment from their God sometimes he is unfaithful and his Promise failes for evermore Now Psalm 77 God is concerned in point of honour to cause the light of his countenance to shine on such that they may be convinced of the vanity and folly of such thoughts and to make them confesse that they have injured God in such mis-judgments of his proceedings Then they will confesse such thoughts were their infirmity as Psal 77. 10. the Psalmist doth and that his wayes are neither like their wayes nor his thoughts like their thoughts Isai 55. 8. as David confesseth by experience Psal 103. 11. Reas 4 God will hereby shew that it is not in vain to serve the Lord and abundantly recompence to his people all the pains care and trouble that they are and have been at to follow after him in a dark condition Beloved assurance of Gods love and joy in the Holy Ghost arising there from is part of our wages and God of his goodnesse to his people gives them part of their money in hand to encourage them in the service he puts them upon As he gave the Israelites a taste of the Grapes of Canaan to encourage them to
fight for it Satan and Numb 13. 23 a mans corrupt heart are apt to discourage a soul under Bondage from hence What profit Job 21. 14 Lam. 3. 8. is there in serving God c. Thou prayest and he casteth out thy prayer thou hearest and art in trouble still Now God props up his people against such temptations by such Promises to all and performances to most of his Saints Reas 5 God doth it to wean his people from this world Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation sayes Simeon when he had seen Christ in the flesh Luke 2. 29. And when a soul after long troubles of spirit recovers the assurance of Gods love O what poor things are all the treasures of the world to him Lord saith David lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and then take corn and wine and oyl who will Psal 4. 6. And then let the eyes of wicked men be even ready to strut out with sat and let them have all that they can wish yet saith he in another place I will not change portion with them for the Lord is the strength of my heart c. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and bring me to glory Psal 73. 25 26 27 28 A man that is called to be a Favourite to a King will quickly grow into a dis-esteem of his shop and retaile Trade his sheepfold or cow-stal Take no care for your stuff saith Joseph for all the fat of the Land of Egypt is yours Gen. 45. 20. So saith God to an assured soul Take no care for these earthly things thou hast in heaven a richer and more enduring substance Reas 6. Because God delights to hear from his Saints often Not only as a Master from a Servant nor as a rich man from a beggar nor as a Conqueror from a Captive but as a Father from a child as a husband from a Spouse Cant. 2. 14. The voyce of a Spouse of Christ in the cleft of the Rock i. e. relying on him upon assurance of his love is sweet Joseph could not abide long under the mis-apprehensions his brethren had of him My Lord and Thy servants Joseph thought were strange Titles to that of Brother hee longed to hear them call him by a name of relation so saith God Hosea 2. 16. to an afflicted Church CHAP. VI. A Question concerning the mediate and immediate Testimony of the Spirit HOw doth the Spirit testifie our Adoption For although divers godly Divines are of a different judgement in the point of immediate evidence yet I cannot be perswaded but that there is something in the work of the Spirits testimony which may deserve to be so expressed Ans Two wayes 1 Immediately 2 Mediately I. Immediately wherein the Spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us by his secret influence upon the heart quieting and calming all those waves of distrust and diffidence concerning its condition by his own immediate power without the present application of any Scripture grounds to convince a mans reason that his testimony is true I shall parallel it with the motions of the Spirit thus As the Spirit many times excites a man to such or such a duty by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and therewithal a kind of secret force and power inclining the heart to obey those motions and as it many times opens the heart to such and such spiritual impressions by a physical injection of holy motions into it and warming the heart to receive them so in this case when a poor soul sits in darknesse and sees no light sometimes upon a sudden a light from heaven compasseth it about and it is it knowes not how in a moment as it were taken up into the third heaven its fears are banished by a soft whisper from the Spirit of God in the heart Thy sins are forgiven thee and this is in such a way that though the spirit of a man really believes it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it comes to passe And so it is sometimes in overcoming temptations a soule some other times is enabled to knock them to the ground by a scriptum est as Christ did Matth. 4. but sometimes it is stirred up to decline them and abhorre them by a secret rising of the spirit against them and to club them downe by meere force setting the bent of the will and affections against them without any present direct recourse of the soule to the written word And of this kinde is that worke of the Spirit stirring up in us sighes and groans in prayer that cannot bee uttered whereas at other times it furnisheth us with abundant matter of prayer from the promises and other straines of Scripture useful thereunto And thus as I said in conveying the evidences of Gods love the Spirit can and surely oftentimes doth alter the whole frame of a mans Spirit by a secret irradiation of comfort a man cannot tell how for as there is a kind of spiritual instinct in the soul by which it doth the things that are pleasing to God after conversion though many times it knowes not the principles upon which it acts so is there a secret and spiritual faculty in the divine nature that is infused unto us by which when the Spirit speakes peace to the soule it closeth with it without any reasoning or recourse to evidences as at other times As saith a learned man there is in the eye lumen innatum Rutherf on Jo. 12. p. 100. and in the eare aer internus a certaine imbred light to make the eye see lights and colours without and a sound and air in the eare within to make it discerne the sounds that are without so is there grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven to discerne the consolation of Gods spirit immediately testifying that wee are the sons of God There are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knowes and ownes it But for the understanding of this you must observe with mee these few particulars for explication of this secret of experimentall godlinesse 1. That although the Spirit may testifie this immediately without any expresse and formall application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the word i. e. to subjects capable thereof and in such wayes as they are discovered to be capable by the word so that the Lords speaking peace to the soul being in the Scripture bound up to persons under certain qualifications the Spirit never speaks peace but where those qualities are real though not alwaies visible in the soule As for example if a man that feels not sin a burden heavyer then all the world that throwes away all duties of religion never prayes reads heares meditates nay goes on in some sinful way without remorse be filled with joy and peace and assurance