that God will not call you before you dye It were a farre wiser and better course for you that will bee thus hasty in judging your selves to be Reprobates to busie your selves first with other things Acquaint your selves with Gods revealed will in his Word Learne to know what God hath commanded you to doe and do that also what he hath threatned and feare that and what hee hath promised and beleeve and rest on that After you haue done this you may looke into your selves and you shall reade your Election written in golden and great Letters For God never intended that the first lesson which a Christian should learne should be the hardest and highest lesson that can be learned taken out of the book of his eternall counsell decree and so to descend to the A. B. C. of Christianity Which were a course most perplexed and preposterous But his wil is that his schollers children should learn out of his written Word here on earth first that God made all things and that hee made man good and how that man hearkening to Sathan they found out evill devices and so fell from grace and from God and so both they and the whole world that came of their loynes became guilty of eternal dānation Next God would have you to learne that hee in is infinite wisdome goodnesse and mercy thought of and concluded a new covenant of Grace for the effecting whereof hee found out and appointed a way and meanes to pacifie his wrath by satisfying his justice punishing sin in mans nature by which he opened away unto his mercie to shew it to whom he would namely Hee gave his onely Sonne very God to become very man and being made a common person and surety in mans stead dyed and endured the punishment due to the sinne of man and rose againe and was exalted to sit at Gods right hand to raigne having all authority committed vnto him Thus he made the new covenant of grace established in his Sonne Iesus Christ the tenour and condition whereof required on mans part is that man accept of enter into this covenant beleeving in Christ in whom it is established then whosoever beleeveth in him shall not dye but have everlasting life This God did in his wisedome justice mercy and love to man that hee himselfe might be inst and yet a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus And hath therefore given his Word and Sacraments and hath called and hath given gifts to his Ministers thereby to beget and increase faith in men by publishing this good newes and by commanding them as in Christs stead in Gods name to beleeve and to be reconciled to God and to live no longer according to the will of their old Masters the Divell the World and the Flesh under whom they were in cursed bondage but according to the will of him that redeemed them in holinesse and righteousnesse whose service is a perfect blessed freedome Now when you have learned these lessons first and by looking into your selves can finde faith and new obedience then by this your effectuall calling you may as by safe stayres ascend to that high point of your Predestination which will give you comfort through assurance that you shall never fall away When you observe this order in learning your Election to life it will not minister vnto you matter of curious and dangerous dispute either with God or man thereabout but of high admiration thankesgiving and unspeakeable comfort causing you to cry out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. And Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in love having Predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his well-beloved c. There are yet some who having heard that there is a sinne against the holy Ghost and that it is unpardonable are full of feares that they have committed that sinne thence conclude that they are Reprobates for they say that they have sinned willingly against knowledge conscience since they received the knowledge of the truth and tasted of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of God If you who thus object have sinned against knowledge and conscience you have much cause of griefe complaint against your selfe and have much cause of humbling your selfe before God confessing it to him asking pardon of him and grace to beleeve and repent both which you must endevour by all means Yet I see no cause why you should conclude so desperately that you have sinned against the holy Ghost and are a Reprobate For as few in comparison though too many commit this sinne so few know what it is All sinne against knowledge and conscience is not this sinne Nor yet all wilfull sinning It is not any one sinne against the law nor yet the direct breach of the whole law nor every malicious opposing of the Gospell if it be of ignorance neither is it every blasphemie or persecution of the Gospell and of those that professe the truth if these be done out of ignorance or passion Nor yet is it every Apostacie and falling into grosse sinnes of diverssorts though done against knowledge and conscience yet this sinne against the holy Ghost containeth all these and more It is a sinne against the Gospell and free offer and dispensation of grace and salvation by CHRIST through the Spirit Yet it is not any particular sinne against the Gospell nor yet a rejecting of the whole Gospell if in ignorance nor yet every denying of Christ or sudden revolting from the outward profession of the Gospell when it is of infirmitie through feare such like temptation Neither is it called the sinne against the holy Ghost and is unpardonable because it is committed against the Essence or Person of the holy Ghost for the essence of the three persons in Trinitie is all one And the person of the holy Ghost is not more excellent than the person of the Father and the Sonne but it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost and becommeth unpardonable because it is against the Office of the holy Ghost and against the gracious operations of the holy Ghost and therein against the whole blessed Trinitie all whose works out of themselves are consummate and perfected in the worke of the holy Ghost Moreover know that it is unpardonable not in respect of GODS power but in respect of his will Hee having in his holy wisedome determined never to pardon it And good reason why he should will not to pardon it in respect of the
goodnesse and shal continue in your sinne thereby provoking the eyes of his glory is a terrible and revengefull God who if you still erre in heart and will not walke in his waies hath sworne in his wrath that you shall not enter into his Rest who in his wrath is a consuming fire and is ready and able to destroy body and soule in the eternall vengeance of Hell fire Fistly Consider sinne in the evill effects of it namely it brought a curse upon the whole Creation for mans sake whereby the â—…reatures are become defective â—nd unserviceable nay hurtfull 〈…〉 you from your sinnes come 〈…〉 manner of diseases and crosses â—â—at ever befell you This your â—…ne untill it be repented and â—…rdoned maketh you hatefull 〈…〉 God separateth between you â—…d God causing him to withâ—â—ld good things from you and 〈…〉 inflict evill upon you even in â—is life It defileth the whole â—…an and every renewed act of â—…ne doth strengthen the body 〈…〉 sinne and worketh a decay of â—…ace in you though you be reâ—â—nerate And if it be grosse if it 〈…〉 not benumme and feare your â—â—nscience yet it will wound it â—â—d break the peace thereof if it â—…ender vexing it as motes do â—…ur eye or thornes your feet â—…sing terrors and doubtings of â—…vation God withdrawing his â—our and loving countenance â—…m you And if you be nor in Christ it will in the end bring upon you everlasting damnation Sixtly Consider the ransome 〈…〉 sinne who paid it and what waâ— paid consider Christ Iesus who he was and what he did and suffered to take away your sinne He the onely sonne of God very God did lay downe and veile 〈…〉 glory for â—rime yea came dowâ— and left heaven to dwell in the Tabernacle of humane flesh taking upon him the estate of servant was poore despised 〈…〉 men persecuted from the cratâ— to the crosse made to shed teaâ— abundantly yea so tormenteâ— with the sense of Gods wrath foâ— your sinne that for very anguiâ— he did sweat as it were dropâ— bloud He was accused condemned spit upon mockt buffetteâ— and scourged by wicked meâ— made to beare his owne crosse till oh oppressed and afflicted soule for very faintnes he could beaâ— it no longer Then he was hanged amongst theeves dying the most accursed death And which to him was more then all the rest hee in his humane apprehension was forsaken of God crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Now you may be assured that if the iustice of God could have beene satisfied and your sinne expiated and done away by a lesser price Iesus Christ his onely Son should never have beene caused â—o poure out his soule a sacrifice for your sinne This looking by the eyes of your faith upon Christ whom you have pierced will at once shew you the greatnes and hatefulnes of your sin which required such â—n infinite ransome and the infinite love of God and Christ to you-ward euen when you were his enemie in providing for you a sure remedie which will free you from both guilt and power of this sinne The thoughts hereof will if any thing will even melt the heart into godly sorrow for sinne and withall give hope in the use of the means of mercy and forgiuenesse That the former Aggravations may bee more pressing observe these directions You must consider sinne in the particulars one after another for generalls leave no impressions Therefore David cryeth out of his bloudy sinne in particular You must iudge the least sinne to be damnable untill it bee pardoned and repented in particular if knowne unto you at least in generall if not knowne The greater any sinne is the greater you must judge the guilt and punishment to be Sinnes committed long since unrepented and the punishments deserved but deferred are to bee judged to bee as neare lying at the doore dogging you at the heeles as if committed at the present so that you may looke for Gods hand to be upon you this present moment they like the bloud of Abell or sinnes of Sodom cry as loud to God for vengeance now as the first day they were committed nay louder because they are aggravated by * impenitencie and by the abuse of Gods long suffering Your humiliation must in your endevour proportion your guilt of sinne the greater guilt the greater humiliation Know therefore that sinnes against God of the first Table considered in equal comparison are greater than those of the second The more grace hath beene offered by the Gospell and the more meanes any have had to know God and his will the greater is their sinne if they be ignorant and disobedient The number of sinnes according as they are multiplied doe increase the guilt and punishment The more bonds are broken in sinning as committing it against the Law of God of Nature and Nations against Conscience promises and vowes the greater the sinne and punishment All these things knowne and considered now iudge your selfe passe a condemnatorie sentence against your selfe whence will through the grace of God follow affliction of soule Now you will see that you are base and vile and that you may justly feare Gods iudgements Now you will see cause to be grieved ashamed yea even confounded in your selfe and to conceive an holy indignation against your selfe You will now thinke thus Ah that I should be so foolish so brutish so mad to coÌ„mit this to commit these sinnes think of particulars to breake so holy a Law to offend grieve and provoke so good and so great a Maiestie so ill to requite him so little to feare him vile wretch that I am that I should commit not onely sinnes of common frailty but grosse sinnes many and oft against knowledge conscience c. but still minde particulars Iesus Christ my Sauiour shed his precious bloud for me to redeeme mee from my vaine conversation and doe I yet againe and againe transgresse oh miserable man that I am What am I in my selfe at best but a lumpe of sinne and durt not worthy to be loved worthy to be destroyed one that may justly look to have mine heart hardned or my coÌ„science terrified and that if God be not infinitely merciful he should powre upon me all his plagues Wherfore remembring my doings that they are not good but abhominably evill I doe loath my selfe for mine abhominations and doe abhorre my selfe and repent as in sackcloth and ashes Now set upon the worke of Reformation and of Reconciliation Generall if you finde there be neede Particular as you finde there is neede It is not enough to search out and consider your wayes nor yet to lament them if withall you doe not turne againe unto the Lord and turne your feet unto his Testimonies and withall seeke grace and forgivenesse The Gospell openeth a
finite his sinne being the erring act of a creature cannot every way be infinite Wherefore such an act or transgression cannot in it selfe be unpardonable by a Creator a God who is every way infinite SecoÌ„ndly Consider that the price to satisfie GODS justice namely the death of CHRIST even the precious bloud of God the onely begotten Sonne of God doth exceed all sinne in infinitenesse of satisfaction of GODS justice and wrath due for sinne For if Christs death be a sufficient ransome for the sinnes of all Gods Elect in generall then much more of thine in particular whosoever thou be and how great and how many sins soever thou hast committed Thirdly Know that the mercy of God the forgiver of sinnes is absolutely and every way infinite For mercy in God is not a qualitie but is his very nature as is cleare by the description of his Name proclaimed Exod. 34. Which rightly understood and beleeved taketh away all the objections which a fearefull heart can make against himselfe from the consideration of his sinnes First He is mercifull that is he is compassionate and to speake after the manner of man is one that hath bowels of pittie which yerne within him at the beholding of thy miseries not willing to punish and put thee to paine but ready to succor and doe thee good But I am so vile and so ill deserving that there is nothing in mee to move him to pittie mee and doe me good 2. Hee is Gracious whom he loveth hee loveth freely of his owne gracious disposition who saith I even I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And when God saith hee would sprinkle cleare water upon sinners and that hee would give them a new heart c. hee saith not for your sakes doe I this saith the Lord God That you should be sensible of your owne misery and then in the sense thereof that God may be enquired after and sought unto for mercy is al which he looketh for in you to move him to pitty and mercy and such is his graciousnes that he will worke this sense and this desire in you that he may have mercy But I have a long time prouoked him 3. He is long-suffering to you-wards nÌ„ot willing that you should perish but that you should come to repentance but waiteth still for your repentance and reformation that you may be saved Yea But I am destitute of all goodnesse and grace to turne unto him or doe any thing that may please him 4. He is abundant in goodnesse and kindnesse he that hath beene abundant towards others heretofore in giving them grace and making them good his store is no whit diminished but he hath all grace and goodnesse to communicate to you also to make you good Yea but I feare though God can yet God will not forgive me and give me grace 5. Hee is abundant in truth not onely the goodnesse of his gracious disposition maketh him willing but the abundance of his truth bindeth him to bee willing and doth give proofe unto you that he is willing He hath made sure promises to take away your sinne and to forgive it and not yours onely but reserveth mercie for thousands Beleeve therefore that God both can and will forgive you Yea but my sinnes are such and such and such bred at the bone â—â—numerable hainous and most â—â—ominable I am guilty of sins 〈…〉 all sorts 6. He forgiveth iniquity transâ—ession and sinne He is the God â—hat will subdue all your iniâ—uities and cast all your sinnes â—â—to the bottome of the Sea Yea but I renew my sins daily 7. I answer out of the Psalm His mercy is an everlasting mercie his mercy endureth for ever He biddeth you to aske forgivenesse of sinne daily therefore hâ— can and will forgive sinne daily yea if you sinne Seventie time seven in a day and shall confess it to God with a penitent heart he will forgive for he that biddeth you be so mercifull to you brother will himselfe forgive much more when you seeke unto him I But I have not onely committed open and grosse sinnes both before since I had knowledge of GOD but I have been a very Hypocrite making profession of GOD and yet daily commit grievous sinnes against him 8. What then Will you say your sinnes are unpardonable God forbid But say I will follow the Counsell which GOD gave to such abominable Hypocrites I will wash mee and make me cleane I will by Gods grace wash my heart from iniquitie and my hands from wickednesse by washing my selfe in the Laver of regeneration bathing myselfe in Christs bloud and in the pure water of the Word of truth applying my selfe to them and them to me by faith Say in this case I will heare what God will speake And know that if you will follow his counsell Isa 1 18. If you wil hearken to his reasoning and embrace his gracious offer made to you in Christ Iesus the issue will be this though your sins have beene most grosse reiterated double dyed even as crimson and sear let they shall be as wooll even as white as snow God will then speak peace unto you as unto other his Saints onely he will forbid you to returne to folly For not onely those which committed grosse sins through ignorance before their conversion as did Abraham in Idolatry and S. Paul in persecuting noâ— yet onely those which committed grosse sinnes through infirmitie after their conversion as did Noah by drunkennesse and Lot by incest also and Peter by denying and forswearing his Master Christ Iesus obtained mercy because they sinned ignorantly and of infirmity But also those that sinned against Knowledge and Conscience both before after conversion sinning with an high hand as Manasses before and in the matter of Vriah David after conversion they obtained like mercy and had all their sinnes forgiven Why are these examples recorded in Scripture but for patterns to sinners yea to most notorious sinners of all sorts Which should in after times beleeve in Christ Iesus unto eternall life Be willing therfore to be beholholding to God for forgivenes beleeve in Christ for forgivenes which when you doe you may be assured that you never yet committed any sin which is not and which shal not be forgiven For was it not the end why Christ came into the world that he might save sinners yea chiefe of sinners as well as others Was he not wounded for transgressions viz. of all sorts Is it not the end of his comming in his Gospell to call sinners to repentance What sinners doth hee meane there but such as you are who are laden and burdened with your sinne Doth hee not say if any man sinne marke if any man we have an advocate
kinde of the sinne if you wel observe it it being a wilfull and malicious refusing of pardon upon such tearmes as the Gospell doth offer it scorning to be beholding unto God for it You may perceive what it is by this description The sinne against the holy Ghost is an utter wilfull and spitefull reiecting of the Gospell of Salvation by Christ together with an advised and absolute falling away from the profession of it so farre that against former knowledge and conscience a man doth maliciously oppose and blaspheme the Spirit of Christ in the Word and Ordinances of the Gospel and motions of the Spirit in them having resisted reiected and utterly quenched all those common and more inward gifts and motions wrought upon their hearts and affections which sometimes were intertained by them in so much that out of hatred of the Spirit of life in Christ they crucifie to themselves a-fresh the Sonne of God and doe put him both in his Ordinances of Religion and in his members to open shame â—reading underfoot the Sonne of God counting the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing doing despight to the spirit of grace If you shall heedfu'ly looke into these places of the Scripture which speake of this sinne and withall doe observe the opposition which the Apostle maketh betweene sinning against the Law and sinning against the Gospell you shall clearely finde out the nature of this sinne But to resolve you of this doubt if you be not overcome with Melancholy for then you will answer you know not what which is to be pittied rather than regarded I would aske you that thinke you have committed the sinne against the holy Ghost these Questions Doth it grieve you that you have committed it Could you wish that you had not committed it If it were to be committed would you not forbeare if you could choose Would you take your selfe beholding to God if hee would make you partakers of the bloud and Spirit of his Sonne thereby to pardon and purge your sinne and to give you grace to repent Nay are you troubled that you cannot bring your heart unto a sense of desire of pardon and grace If you can say yea then albeit the sinne or sinnes which trouble you may be some fearefull sinne of which you must be exhorted speedily to repent yet certainly it is not the sinne against the holy Ghost It is not that unpardonable sinne it is not that sinne unto death For he that committeth this sinne cannot relent neither will he be beholding to GOD for pardon and grace by Christs bloud and spirit he cannot desire to repent But he is given over in Gods just judgement unto such a reprobacy of minde pollution and deadnesse of conscience perversnesse and rebellion of will and to such an height of hatred and malice that he is so blasphemously despitâ—fully bent against the Spirit of holinesse that â—t much pleaseth him rather than any way troubles him that hee hath so maliciously and blasphemously rejected or fallen from persecuted and spoken blasphemously against the good way of Salvation by Christ and against â—he gracious operations of the Spirit and against the members â—f Christ although he was once convinced clearly that this is the â—nely way of Salvation and that those graces and gifts were from God that they were the deare children of God whom he doth â—â—w despight Others if not the same object â—â—us God will certainely conâ—â—mne them because S. Iohn â—â—th said if their hearts condemne â—em God is greater than their â—arts hence they in ferre God will condemn them much more For they say their hearts doe condemne them There is a double judgement by the heart and conscience It â—â—â—gâ—â—h a mans state or person â—â—â—theâ—â—e be in state of grace â—â—â—â—â—â—o Also it judgeth a mans â—…lar actions whether they be good oâ— no. I take it that thâ—i place of Iohn is not to be understood of judging or condemning the person For God in his finall judgement doth not judge according to what a mans weaâ— and erroneous conscience judgeth for so it cannot choose buâ— be more or lesse in this life making it the square of his judgement to condemne or absolve any For many a man in his presumption iustifieth himselfe iâ— this life when yet God will condemne him in the world to comâ— and many a distressed soule liâ—â— the Prodigall and humble Puâ—â— liâ—an coÌ„demneth himselfe wheâ— yet God will absolve him For a man may have peace with God yet God for reasons best known to his wisedome doth not presently speake peace to his conscience as it was with David in which case man doth judge otherwise of his estate than God doth This place is to be understood of iudging of particular actions namely whether a man love his brother not in word and tongue onely but in deed and truth according to the exhortation ver 18. Which if his Conscience could testifie for him then it might assure his heart before God and give it boldnesse to pray unto him in confidence to receive whatsoever hee did aske according to his will But if his owne conscience could condemne him of not loving his brother in deed and truth then God who is greater thaÌ„ his hart but wherein greater greater in knowing mans heart and the truth of his love knowing all things must needs condemn him therein much more Even as Peter in the question whether hee loveth Christ or no he appeales to Christs omniscience whereby he proveth his love towards him saying Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee This is the full scope of the place Yet this I must needs say that the holy Ghost hath instanced in such an act namely of hearty loving the brethren which is an infallible signe of being in state of grace whereby except in case of extreame melancholy or phrensie and in the brunt of a violent temptation a man may judge whether at that present he be translated from death to life yea or â—o If any shall think the place to be understood of judging the person he must distinguish between that judgement which the heart doth give rightly and de iure and that which it giveth erroneously But suppose that you trying your selves by this your hearts doe condemne you of not loving the brethren can you conclude hence that you shall be finally damned God forbid All that you can inferre is this you cannot have boldnesse to pray unto him untill you love them nor can you assure your selves that you shal have your petitioÌ„s granted And the worst you can conclude is that now for the present you are not in state of grace or at the least you want proofe of being in state of grace You must then use all Gods meanes of being ingrafted into Christ and must love the children of GOD that you may have proofe thereof Did Paul love
questioning the truth of his being and of his Word denying his Providence Power or some other of his Divine Attributes Have I not been ignorant of God and of his will and erroneous and mis-beleeving if not hereticall in my conceits concerning God the Father Sonne or holy Ghost Have I not beene over-curious in prying into the nature and secret counsels of God beyond the rule of the revealed wil of God Have I not set up false Deities or put my selfe or any other creature in the place of God through pride preferring and resting upon mine owne way and will before Gods or by making my selfe mine utmost end professing God and his Religion onely to serve mine owne ends or by seeking to the creature as to Angell Saint Devill or Witch instead of the Creator Have I not beene forgetfull of God and of his will Is not my Conscience impure blinde deluded or seared and my will perverse obstinate impatient and murmuring against God and ful of dissimulation Have I not set mine affections upon the World rather than upon God loving that which is evill hating that which is good yea God himselfe if not directly yet in his Holines shining in his Ordinances and in his children or as hee is a severe inflicter of punishment Fearing man more than God trusting in the Creature making something besides God my chiefe joy Have I not presumed when I had cause to despaire and despaired after that I had cause to hope Have I not â—empted God many wayes And have I not in the matters of God beene either cold lukewarme or blindely or preposterously zealous Hath there not beene a pronenesse in my whole outward man to rebell against God The second Commandement concerneth all such lawfull worships of God which he onely hath appointed whereby he communicateth himselfe to man and man againe maketh profession of him forbidding under one kinde all such as are not by him ordained Thinke thus Have I worshipped God in spirit and truth in all the kindes and parts of his Worship publike or private ordinary or extraordinary as by hearing reading and meditating of his Word by praying praising and giving thankes to him by a right use of his Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and by Religious Fasting Religious Feasting and making of vowes according as I have had speciall occasion And have I done what did belong to me for the setting forth and maintaining of Gods true Worship and have I according to my place executed aright or submitted unto the government and discipline of the Church Or besides the omission of the former duties Am I not guilty some way or other of Idoll-worship conceiving of GOD in my mind or representing him to my sense in the likenes of any creture Have I not added to or detracted from any part of Gods Worship Have I not run into the appearances and occasions of Idolatry as by presence at Idoll-service by marriage and needlesse â—amiliarity with Idolatrous persons by reserving undefaced monuments of Idolatry At least is â—ot my heart guilty of not hating but rather lingering after Idolatrous worship Have I not been guilty of superstition or Will-worship c. The third Commandement concerneth the glory of Gods holy Name shining forth in his Titles Attributes Religion Word Ordinances People or any thing that hath in it any print of his holinesse or excellency forbidding the taking of it in vaine and that in all actions religious or common Have I glorified God by answering my holy profession with an holy and unblameable conversation by performing all holy duties with due preparation knowledge and devotion also by thinking and speaking of the Names and holy things of God with holy reverence and in particular by fearing an Oath Or have I not caused the Name Religion and People of God to be ill thought of and dishonoured by my evill course of living or at least by committing some grosse sinâ— Am I not guilty of rash unprepared heedlesse forgetfull and fruitlesse reading hearing receiving the Sacraments or performance of any other the worships of God Have I not thought or spoken blasphemously or contempiuously of God or of any the things of God Have I not used the Name of God needlesly rashly wickedly or falsly in swearing or lightly in my Salutations Admirations or otherwise in my ordinary communication Have I not abused the Name of God his Scriptures his Ordinances and Creatures using them for other purposes then hee alloweth as for sports spels charms or any sorcery luxury or the like Have I not passed by the great workes of Gods power mercy and judgements without due observation and acknowledgement of God therein The fourth Commandement concerneth the ordinary solemne time of the service and worship of God requiring that the seventh day now our Lords day be kept with an holy rest Have I upon the six dayes Remembred the Lords day that I might dispatch all my worldly businesse and prepare my heart that when it came I might keep an holy Sabbath to the Lord according to the Commandement Did I according as my health would permit rise early on that day Have I performed my daily both morning and evening exercises of Religion alone and with my family that day in private Have I caused all under my authority according to my power to rest from all manner of workes and worldly sports also my selfe not onely from the labour of my body but of my mind in all worldly businesse except about the things that concerne common honestie and comelinesse workes of mercy and such workes of necessitie as could not be done before or stay to be done afterwards Have I alwayes prepared my heart before I went into the house and presence of God by meditation of Gods Word and Workes and in particular by examination and reformation of my wayes also by prayer thankesgiving and holy resolution to carry my selfe as in Gods presence and to heare and obey whatsoever I should bee taught out of the Word of God Have I caused my family to goe with me to the Church And did I with them come in due time and being there did stay the whole time of prayer reading and preaching of the Word singing of Psalmes receiving and administring the Sacraments even that of Baptisme when others are Baptised and did attend diligently and joyne with the Minister and the rest of the Congregation in all those holy exercises Did I spend the day after the Morning and Evening Prayers Sermons or Catechisings in meditation and as I had opportunitie in conference and repetition of what I had heard also in visiting the sicke and other workes of mercy and so from the beginning to the end of the day have beene imployed in holy thoughts words and deeds and all this with spirituall delight Or Am I not guiltie of forgetting it before it came and of neglecting and prophaning it when it came as by meere idlenesse or by taking opportunity of leisure from busines of my calling to be
forme of your life and conversation according to which you must walke with God The inward truth and life of all this which is doing all in uprightnesse remaineth to bee spoken unto which followeth CHAP. XII Of uprightnesse SECTION 1. ALL which I shall write concerning uprightnesse will meet in this point In your whole walking with GOD you must be upright Both these to walke with God and to be upright are joyned in this precept Walke with mee and bee perfect or upright Hee speaketh not of an absolute perfection of degrees in the fulnesse of al graces which is only aimed at in this life towards which a man by watchfulnesse and diligence may come nearer and nearer but is never attained untill we come to Heaven amongst the spirits of iâ—st men made perfect He speaketh here of the perfection of parts and of truth of grace in every part expressing it selfe in unfainednesse of will and endevour which is uprightnesse That you should bee sincere and upright Reade Ioshâ—a 24. 14. 1 Chro. 28. 9. And the Apostle telleth you that sith Christ Iesus your Passeover is slaine you must keepe the seven dayes feast of unleavened bread which shadoweth forth the whole time of our life here with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth The examples of Noah Iob Nathaniel with many others in the Scripture are therefore written that of them you may learne to be upright There is speciall reason why you should be upright First Your God with whom you walke is perfect and upright hee is truth Hee loueth truth in the inward parts all his workes are done in truth and there was no guile ever found to be either in the mouth hand or heart of your Head Christ Iesus Now you should please GOD and be like your Father and like your head CHRIST IESVS following his steps Secondly it is to no purpose to doe that which is right in Gods sight in respect of the matter of your actions if in the truth and disposition of your soule you bee not upright therein For the best action voyd of uprightnesse is but like a well-proportioned body without life and essential forme And that is counted as not done at all to God which is not done in uprightnesse This exception is taken against Amaziahs good actions It is said Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but hee did it not in uprightnesse he did it not with a perfect heart Thirdly the best actions without uprightnesse doe not onely lose their goodnesse but in Gods account are held to be abominable evils Such were the Prayers and Sacrifices of the hypocriticall Iewes For GOD holdeth such actions and such services to be meere flatterie lying and mocking him to his face Now because there is none so ready to presume and say he is upright as is the hypocrite So Ephraim In all my labours they shall finde no iniquitte in mee that were sinne And because there are none so ready to doubt whether they be upright as are the tender-hearted and sincere So it was with David when he prayed to have a right spirit renewed in him It will be needfull and useful that I shew you what uprightnesse is and by what infallible marks you may know whether you be upright or no. Christian uprightnesse for of that I meane is a saving grace of the holy Ghost wrought in the heart of a man rightly informed in the knowledge of God in Christ whereby his heart standeth so intirely and sincerely right to God-ward that in the true disposition bent and firme determination of his will hee would in every facultie and power of soule and body approue himselfe to be such a one as God would have him to be and would doe whatsoever God would have him to doe and all as God would have him and that for and unto God The Author of this uprightnesse is Gods sanctifying Spirit The common nature of it wherein it agreeth with other graces is it is a saving grace It is peculiar to them that shall be saved for onely they are indued with it but it is common to all and to each of that sort who are effectually called The proper seat of this grace is the will The ground or spring in man from whence through the speciall grace of the holy Ghost it riseth is sound knowledge of God and of his will touching those things which the will should choose and refuse and from faith in Christ Iesus the conduit-pipe through which everybeleever doth of his fulnesse of uprightnesse receive this grace to be upright Herby Christian uprightnes differeth from that uprightnesse which may bee in a meere naturall superstitious and mis-beleeving man yea in an heathen Idolater for even such may be unfained in their actions in their kinde both in actions civill and superstitious doing that which they doe in their ignorance and blindnesse without dissimulation either with GOD or man This S. Paul did before his conversion hee did as hee thought he ought to doe The forme and proper nature of uprightnesse is the good inclination disposition and firme intention of the will to a full conformitie with Gods will and that not in some faculties and powers of man or in some of his actions but universally for subject and object he would be entire and sincere in all his parts and in all things hee would be and doe as GOD would have him to be and doe making Gods will revealed in his Word and Workes to be his will and Gods knowne ends to be his ends This holy uprightnesse expresseth it selfe in three actions two inward the other both inward and outward First it sheweth it selfe in a well-grounded and unfained purpose and resolution to cleave to the Lord and to make Gods will to be his will This is an act of the will guided and concluded from sound judgement The second act is an unfained desire and longing of the heart to attaine that his good purpose and resolution willing or desiring in all things to live honestly and to live worthy the LORD in all well-pleasing longing with David after Gods precepts This is an act of the affection of desire a motion of the wil drawing and thrusting a man forward giving him no rest untill he have obtained at least in some good measure his said purpose Thirdly uprightnesse sheweth it selfe in a true endevour and exercise according to the strength and measure of grace received to be and to doe according to the former resolutions desires Such was the Apostles indeuour to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men This indevour is an act of the whole man All and every active power of soule and body as there shall be use of them are imployed in unfained indevour Now touching indevour know there be many thinke they indevour sufficiently when they
agreement of the powers faculties of man within themselves and of freedome from assaults and molestations either of Sathan from without or from lusts within is not absolute but admitteth of severall degrâ—… the life to come this latter 〈…〉 shall be perfect for then all beleevers shall be perfectly freed from all trouble of Conscience from all molestation of temptations their victory shall be compleat But in this life their Peace is but imperfect It is true for Substance but is more or lesse â—s the light they have received is more cleare or more dimme and as grace in them is more strong or more weake For although mans Iustification is absolute and admitteth not of more or lesse yet the assurance of it whereby a man hath peace of Conscience is more or lesse according to the measure of his â—leare sight and evidence of his â—aith Hence it is that the deare children of God have interruptions and intermissions in their peace having some times much peace some times little or no peace according as they have in â—…ssions in their assurance oâ— Gods favour Thus it was with David and Asaph sometimes his heart was quiet and his soule was glad in assurance that his soule should rest in Hope at other times his soule was cast down and disquieted in him thinking that he was cast out of God sight fearing that God would shew no more fauour Yea he was so perplexed that hee did almost faint and his eyes failed with waiting for God For sith the best assurance of beleevers is exercised with Combating against doubting their truest and best peace must needes be assaulted with disquiet And as it is with a Ship at anchor so is the most stable peace of a Christian in this life who hath his Hope as an anchor of his soule sure and stedfast who though he cannot make utter Ship wracke yet hee may be grievously tossed and affrighted with the waves and billowes of manifold temptations feares Likewise though peace of Sanctification be true yet it must needs be more or lesse according as any man groweth or decreaseth in holinesse and as God shall please to give restraint tospirituall enemies or power to subdue them more or lesse Now the whole peace of God both in him to man from him manifested and wrought in man doth passe all understanding and serveth to keep the heart minde of him that walketh with GOD and resteth on him through Christ This Peace is it which you must seeke for and imbrace in beleeving and if you would have true comfort and tranquillity in your minde laborespecially to get and keepe the peace of a good Conscience which seemeth to be the peace that is chiefly though not onely intended in this Text. SECTION 2. Concerning the excellencie of the Peace of God THat you may be induced to doe your best to obtain this Peace Consider the excellency of it you may conceive much of it by that which hath beene said in the opening of that Scripture and by shewing the nature of the Peace considering likewise the object author and use of it But that you may better perceive that this Peace of God for worth and use passeth all understanding Take these reasons in particular First That must needs be an excellent Peace which GOD will please to take into his holy Title calling himselfe God of Peace calling Christ the Prince of Peace Secondly That peace must needes bee of infinite value passing all understanding for which Christ gave himselfe paying the price of his owne most precious bloud for it 3. Thirdly This peace cannot but passe all Understanding because the cause from whence it commeth namely Christs love and the effect which it worketh namely ioy in the holy Ghost doe as the Apostles affirme passe knowledge and are unspeakeable 4. Fourthly This peace was that first congratulation wherewith the holy Angels saluted the Church at Christs birth giving her joy in her new borne Husband and Saviour And it was that speciall legacy which Christ â—esus did bequeath to his Church â—aving that as the best token of his love to it a little before his Death Saying My peace I â—ave with you 5. Fifthly This peace is one of the principall parts of the kingdome of GOD which consisteth as the Apostle saith of Righteousnesse Peace and Ioy in the holy Ghost 6. Sixthly By as much as the evils and mischiefes that come to a man by having God to be his enemie which draweth upon him Gods Wrath iustice Power and all Gods creatures to be against him And by as much as the â—â—â— vousnesse and intollerable anguish of a wounded Spirit passeth Vnderstanding by so much the Peace of GOD which freeth him from all these must of necessity passe all Vnderstanding Now that it is a fearefull thing to have God to be an Enemie it is said He is a consuming fire and it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God It appeares likewise by Christs compassion and griefe for Ierusalem who neglected the time of making and accepting of peace with God for he Wept over it and said If thou hadst knowne even thou atleast in this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eies But what it is to have GOD to be an Enemy is seene most fully by Christs trouble and griefe in his Passion and Agony in the garden and in the Extremitie of his conflict with Gods wrath on the Crosse when God shewed himselfe to be an Enemie and did for mans sin powre on him the fiercenesse of his wrath It made him though he was God being man to sweat for very anguish as it were drops of bloud and to cry If it be possible let this cup passe and My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Moreover If you doe observe the complaints of such distressed soules that have had terrour of Conscience if you have not had experience thereof in your selfe how that they were at their wits end pricked at heart as it were with the point of a speare oâ— sting of a Serpent pained like men whose bones are broken and out of ioynt making them to rore and to consume their spirits for very heavinesse then you will say that peace of conscience doth passe all understanding Seventhly When God and a mans owne conscience is for him and Gods grace in some good measure hath subdued sinne and Satan in him this draweth with it assurance that all other things whose peace are worth having are also at peace with him For if God be for us who can be against us This peace must of necessitie bring with it all things which will make us happie even all things which pertain to life godlinesse and glory Lastly adde this that as the worth and sense of peace of God is unutterable and
your actions to the Rule though rightly propounded The Scripture must also rectifie you in this For many a one erreth in this also saying my actions and condition are according to the Rule or not according to the Rule When indeede they are otherwise than they judge For every mans owne spirit so farre as it is sinfull is apt to give a false Testimony of it selfe David said he was cut off from God when hee was not The Laodiceans thought themselves in good state when Christ saith they were wretched and miserable Now that you may not erre either in the Rule or application of your selfe to the Rule you must use all good meanes to have your judgement rightly informed in either point and then be willing to judge of your selfe as you are and of your peace with God as it is I told you that the holy Scripture must bee your guide in judging what you should be and what you are I meane the Scripture rightly understood Now to attaine a right understanding of the Scripture and abisitie to judge your selfe by it whether you bee in state of grace from the knowledge whereof commeth peace looke backe unto Chapter 8. Se ion 2. taking unto them these following directions 1. Observe a difference and distinction in true Christians both in their different manner of calling estate after calling Some called in infancie as Samuel and Iohn Baptist Some in middle and old age as Abraham and Zacheus Some called without sensible terrors of coÌ„science as those before mentioned Some with violent heart-ache and anguish as S. Paul and the lay our In some these terrors abide longer in some a shorter time And after Conversion all are not of like growth and strength Some babes weake in judgement and affections Some strong men strong in grace generally but strong also in corrupâ—ion insome particular Some old men so well grounded in knowledge and confirmed in resolution that no lust getteth a head to prevaile in them Also one and the same man may be sometimes in spirituall health and strong somtimes under a temptation weake and feeble sometime can pray c. and have comfort sometime not Now none must conclude he is no Christian because hee is not in every thing like others noâ— at all times like himselfe 2. Trust not your owne iudgement of sense in your owne ease whosoever would understand and be wise according to Scripture must deny himselfe and not leane to his owne sense or wisedome but must be a foole that he may be wise you must bring your conceits to be ordered and framed by the Scriptures You must not presume to put a sense of your owne into the Scripture but alwayes take the sense and meaning out of it It is presumption of a mans owne opinion and stiffenesse in his owne conceits which marreth all in this case And whence is this but from his folly and pride Oh if you who are troubled in Conscience could be every way nothing in your selves you would quickly be something in God and you should quickly know it If you would be humbled and not nourish this pride in you you should quickly know your state with comfort I know many of you will wonder that I should charge you with pride you judging your selves to be so base and vile Wel for all that I will now prove to your faces that it is humility you want and if it were not that you were proud you would judge of things otherwise than you doe For first you cannot beleeve in CHRIST you say because you cannot obey him and bee dutifull as a good wife to him If you could obey then you could beleeve that he were yours and you his whereas you must first beleeve in Christ and take him for your husband and beleeve he is your husband before you can obey him Can a woman or should a woman obey a man and carry her selfe towards him as to her husband before that shee beleeve that hee is her husband If you could obey as you should Oh then you thinke CHRIST would love you It were well if you could love CHRIST and obey him it is your dutie But to thinke he will not save you because you have no goodnesse or worth in you to cause him to love you is not this from hence you would be some thing in your selfe for which Christ should cast his love upon you Christ marrieth you not because you were good but that hee might make you good that you might know him c. But you doe not see this his worke in you that he hath made you good therefore you doubt I answer though it may be in you yet Christ will not let you see it because you will not beleeve that hee is yours and you his Bring your heart to this and you have reason for it for the Father giveth him and he giveth himself to you in the Word and Sacraments then you will love him and obey him abundantly Is not she a proud and foolish woman that may have a Kings sonne upon Condition that shee will strip her selfe of all her own proper goods and let him endow her at his pleasure yet still shee will be whining and discontented with her selfe because shee hath nothing of her owne to bring to him for which hee should love her But you will still say Christ hath not endued you with so much grace as to be able to doe as you should Content your selves If you would but see that he hath married you to himselfe you then would use the meanes which hee hath appointed whereby he giveth his graces you would be thankfull for what you have you would pray wait his pleasure for more relying on his wisedome for how much and when If you doe not thus then in this you shew your selves proud in that you preferre your owne wisdom before his Let it be supposed that you are not proud standing upon termes of having any goodnesse in you for which Christ should love you but you would with all your hearts bee all that you are in him and would be beholding to him for taking you poore and â—asâ— as you are Is there no other pride thinke you but when you doe thinke well of your selves or would bee thought well on for your goodnesse Yes there is another pride which is as daÌ„gerous in this case of causlesse doubting and that is to bee too well conceited of and to bee wedded to your owne knowledge and to your owne opinion in judging your selves Vnderstand it in this particular The holy Scriptures give you to understand I speake still to such onely as with all their soules would please GOD yet can feele no comfort that your state in point of Salvation is good And Gods experienced children yea his faithfull Ministers who dare not lye for God much lesse to ease you they according to the Scriptures doe assure you that your state is not as you say