he was of the straitest Sect and touching the righteousness of the Law blameless and yet though his life was without blame his heart was without grace Hypocrites how far soever they go do either allow themselves in sin or place a confidence in their own righteousness If we would therefore go beyond them we must grieve for all sin and hate it We must worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. 6. To be unwilling to Try and Prove our selves is a very bad symptom The decay'd Tradesman cares not to be at home for fear of being dunn'd by his Creditors neither does he like to look into his Books because he suspects that he owes more than he is worth So unsound Professors like not to dwell with themselves for fear Conscience should fill their Ears with a dreadful sound and reproach them with their offences and they are loath to study the volume of their own hearts because they suspect they shall find little but what is stark naught there Sin is a work of darkness where the light is fear'd and shun'd 't is a sign that sin bears sway and where it reigns it will ruine Joh. 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil 7. Though it be very bad with us yet 't is really good to know the very worst of our selves Hardness of heart and unsensibleness of sin is a very great plague the infliction of which argues God to be very angry but conviction of sin is the work of Gods Spirit When the Comforter is come he shall convince the World of Sin Joh. 16. 8. Indeed if a bad condition were unchangeable and there were no difference between an unregenerate Sinner and an Apostate Angel 't were another matter But the truth is though our state and hearts are both bad yet both may be alter'd for the better And if we are sensible that we are under the power of darkness we shall be the more importunate that God would deliver us and translate us into the Kingdom of his dear Son If we perceive that our hearts are old and evil 't will make us to cry with more fervency that the Lord would give us the new heart and the new spirit promised in his new Covenant 8. There may be great disconsolateness where there is truth of grace if it be unknown The children of light may walk in darkness the heirs of salvation may complain as if they were near lost and the friends and favourites of Heaven may think and speak as if God accounted them his Enemies Hark unto Heman Psal 88. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou bast afflicted me with all thy waves And vers 15. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me and while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Believers being made alive are also endued with Spiritual Sence and cannot be indifferent as to Gods love and hatred as others are If they have not some assurance of the one they cannot but have some dread of the other they should therefore prove themselves that they may know the love that God has to them and that they may joy in God through Jesus Christ by whom they have received the atonement Rom. 5. 11. 9. There is a day of Trial and Judgment appointed and very near at hand God has appointed a day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness Act. 17. 31. and truely the Judge standeth before the Door Jam. 5. 9. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh And if we cannot abide the Trial of our own Consciences now how shall we abide the Trial of him who is greater than our Consciences and knoweth all things It concerns us to call our selves to a severe account and believe in Jesus that we may be justified and then at that day we shall not be condemned Let us watch and work that our Lord when he comes may find us so doing Let us store up Scripture evidences that we are his Children and then we shall have boldness in the day of Judgment and not be ashamed before him at his coming Gods Judgment hereafter will be according to truth names and shews how insignificant will they be at the great day Therefore let us look to it that our graces be true that as such they may be found and own'd at last 10. A well grounded assurance is possible to be obtained Let us never give over Trying our selves till we have it We are commanded to give all diligence to make our calling and by our calling our Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. We must not cast away our confidence when once we have gotten it but hold the beginning of it firm unto the end Assurance of the love of God of what value is it What a relish does it give to every Mercy What sweetness does it put into the bitterest Cup of Affliction How undaunted does it make us at the approach of the last Enemy And with what courage and confidence to commend our departing Souls into the hands of him that has redeemed them Before I come to the Application I am to resolve several Cases of Conscience concerning the Subject I am upon Now the Cases will be of two sorts some relate to Sir and a State of Nature and others relate unto a State of Grace I begin with those Cases relating to Sin and a State of Nature Case 1. And the first is this Is it not better for Sinners to continue ignorant of themselves than by an over-strict search to fill their souls with trouble and horrour Is it not a wiser part to keep themselves quiet while they are so than to raise a storm and tempest that may not be laid in hast Now they receive their good things now they receive their consolations now they can take their ease eat drink and be merry they can feast and laugh and sing and time runs very swift being spent in carnal jollity Why then should they look into the state of their Souls and put an end to all their peace and joy and comfort Ans 1. Sinners ignorance of themselves and the wretched condition they are in does but add to their misery Secure indeed they are in a sence but farther off from safety It was the misery of Ephraim that Strangers had devoured his strength and gray hairs were here and there upon him and yet he knew it not Hos 7. 9. Self-ignorance and carnal security makes the hearts of the Sons of Men fully set in them to do evil and causes their state to be nearer a kin to desperate Such will fearlesly add Sin to Sin and draw iniquity with cords of vanity and treasure up more and more wrath unto themselves against the day of wrath 2. Their peace and joy can be but short at longest Pleasures for evermore can be found alone in Gods Prefence The pleasures of sin and sense
the hearts of these who thus out of slavish fear sought the Lord were not right with him This kind of fear invades the Sinners and Hypocrites Esa 33. 14. The Sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Aquinas 22. q. 19. art 2. tells us of a fourfold fear there is a Timor mundanus a worldly fear when for fear of the Worlds frowns and hatred we turn away from God There is Timor servilis a flavish fear when meerly for fear of punishment there is some seeking unto God There is Timor filialis a child-like fear when we fear offending God and so follow and cleave unto him Finally there is Timor initialis an initial fear which is partly a fear of Sin and partly a fear of Punishment Such a fear was in the trembling Jaylour at first Conversion who certainly enquited after the way to be saved both from sin and wrath Act. 16. and a mixture of both we read of in the Saints there is a childlike fear Psal 112. 1. Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord and that delighteth greatly in his Commands And there is likewise a fear of punishment Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments This Slavish fear I am discoursing of which is certainly bad and when alone only in those that are bad Now because doubting Souls harp much upon this string that they are acted meerly by slavish fear and 't is one of the difficultest doubts to remove therefore I shall describe more largely those that in Religion are acted by this servile fear that by proving of your selves you may know whether you are of the number 1. They that are acted meerly by Slavish fear dislike nothing in Sin but the punishment Their eyes were never opened to see Sin as the Apostle lookt upon it out of measure sinful they never beheld the excellency of righteousness nor the evil of iniquity but still Sin is as high as ever in their affections though fear restrain them from the acts of it 'T is said of a wicked man that he abhorreth not evil Psal 36. 4. he does not abhor it when he fears to commit it The Merchant in a Storm loves his Goods and is sorry that he is reduced to that strait that he must either throw his Goods overboard or lose his Life and after the Tempest is at an end he would be glad if his Goods might be recovered just thus are they affected towards Sin that are meerly acted by Slavish fear Sin it self is liked but Affliction Death and Hell fright them They are unconcerned that God by their Sin is dishonoured his goodness abused his Law broken and themselves enslaved and defiled and rendred hateful in his eyes only they are dismayed at the punishment unto which their Sin exposes them 2. They that are acted meerly by Slavish fear are afraid of coming to the light which may discover their Sin and themselves more fully to them they see but too much already they are unwilling to see more Our Lord speaks generally concerning all evil men That they hate the light neither come to the light lest their deeds should be reproved Joh. 3. 20. They that are lovers of sin must needs be also lovers of darkness and enemies to plain dealing Ahab humbled himself through fear of punishment and yet cannot endure the faithful reproving Prophet Micaiah There is one Micaiah but I hate him for he prophesieth not good concerning me but evil 1 King 22. 8. If thou approvest of a searching Ministery and art willing to have thy sin and the plague of thy heart made more fully manifest if thou art willing to hear all that evil which God speaks of thy Sin in his Word it argues thy heart is really alienated from it and there is something more than Slavish fear 3. Slavish fear has but an unconstant effect This fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 has torment as the Apostle speaks and no wonder if persons are weary of it and endeavour to have their Consciences stupified that they may have no remorse for sin past and serve it for the future without disturbance The will remaining unregenerate and corrupted must needs be really desirous of a false peace and to have the wound healed though it be but slightly The language therefore of such is Prophesy not unto us right things prophesy unto us smooth things prophesy deceits Esa 30. 10. Pharaoh while the hand of God was upon him was full of fear he felt that the Lord Jehovah the God of Israel was above his match and then he seems resolved to comply with the will of God to let his people go to serve him but the effect of this fear is but unconstant though fear thaw'd his heart a little like the shining of the Sun in a winters day as soon as ever he had respite he hardned his heart again and refused to let Israel go Exod. 8. 15. If therefore we are desirous of a lasting change and are willing to have our Consciences more throughly awakened and more faithfully to perform their Office 't is a sign the will it self begins to be renewed by the special grace of God 4. Slavish fear is accompanied with hatred of God and of his Law The Slave fears his Master and hates him and is sorry he must be subject to him And the Apostle tells us That the carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be Rom. 8. 7. Whilst any remain carnal they are estranged from God they desire not any fellowship with him they like not his Yoke but look upon his commands as grievous and upon himself as an hard and austere Master they are far from esteeming Gods commandments concerning all things to be right and wishing that their ways were directed to keep his Statutes Those therefore who like the Law of God and consent unto it as good and bless the Lord that he has given them such a Law and account it their priviledge and liberty that he will vouchsafe to rule them and are troubled at the reluctancy that is in their Natures against the yoke of God and cry as Ephraim did I am as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31. 18. In such there is something beyond servile fear 5. They that are acted meerly by Slavish fear do not desire to be acted by love Sin and the Creature have their love without grudging and they have no longings to have their hearts directed into the love of God That promise The Lord thy God shall circumcise thy heart to love him with all thy heart and soul that thou mayest live Deut. 30. 6. is not prized is not pleaded If once therefore we begin to grudge our lusts and the world our affections and desire they may be placed
troubled at sensible evils because they are light for a moment and work for good if we are less taken with sensible good things and enjoy them as if we enjoyed and possess'd them not but things Spiritual and Eternal awaken our care and diligence indeed because we believe that these are infinitely of the nearest and greatest concernment 't is a sign that our grace and faith has some strength and that we resemble those Worthies who saw the invisible God and declared plainly that they sought a better Country than was to be found in this present World Heb. 11. 2. Then we grow in Grace when our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil This will prove us to be of a fuller age and that we are distinguished from such as are but Babes Heb. 5. 14. This discerning both good and evil does not only imply soundness of judgment to perceive what is truth and what is error that truth may be held fast and error under what form or disguise soever it comes may be rejected but seems to have some relation to the will and affections and the good that is to be chosen the evil that is to be refused When good things have a greater relish with us than formerly and Sin grows more and more distasteful this shews our Spiritual senses are improved Davids grace was much increased when he said How sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter than hony to my mouth Psal 119. 103. And v. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way 3. Then we grow in Grace when heart Sins are quickly observed at the very first rising of them and in a greater measure mortified When we are able to keep our hearts under our eye and to check them in their very first out-leaps from God and reduce them presently When pride and hatred and passion and envy cannot stir but they are instantly espied and beat down when lust and evil concupiscence are taken notice of at the first kindling and while in the spark without delay quenched this plainly shews the Spirit to be strong because it does prevail against the Flesh so quickly Grace is certainly grown when Sin is nipt in the bud the Cockatrice in the Egg is crushed 4. Then we grow in Grace when we are more weaned from the World The Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob were grown Believers and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon Earth Heb. 11. 13. David also was thus got above the World when he said Surely every man walketh in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 6. And v. 12. I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were The World was so little and low in Moses's esteem that he prefers even affliction with the people of God before those pleasures which was but for a season Heb. 11. 25. And v. 26. he esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt When the World is thus gotten under foot that the worst of Christ is prefer'd before the best of the World it argues strength of faith whereby our victory over it is so far advanced When we are undisturbed at changes we meet with here below because our treasure is in Heaven and out of reach when with the Apostle we know how to want and how to abound when we are not so much concerned about earthly things because they are not our portion this plainly speaks an increase of grace 5. Then we grow in Grace when we can readily deny our selves When we are not wedded to our own wills but are yielding and subject unto others being clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. and especially we submit unto God though his commands never so much cross our natural and carnal inclination when we can lay our Honour our Ease our Wealth our Liberty our Lives at the foot of Christ to be disposed of in such a way as He may be most magnified now certainly there is much of the Spirit of glory and of Gods resting upon us How self-denying how bold and venturous was the Apostle desiring that Christ might be magnified whether it were by life or by death Phil. 1. 20. It argues much Grace when the glory of God the Father and of Christ are dearer to us than our dearest earthly comforts and we count it gain to lose any thing for Christs sake Oh brave Hebrews who took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Heb. 10. 34. 6. Then we grow in Grace when we trust in God though outward and visible helps do fail The Lord who made all the creatures though he uses means is not tied to them but can work without and against them therefore though outward props fail faith should not fail and if it be strong it does not Hab. 3. 17. 18. Although the Fig-trees shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vines though fields do yield no food and flocks are cut off from the fold yet will I joy in the Lord and rejoyce in the God of my Salvation The Creatures are insufficient altogether God alsufficient though alone and a strong faith dares trust him by himself Nay a strong faith will rely upon him and follow him notwithstanding repulses denials and discouragements Thus the Woman of Canaan holds on in petitioning our Lord though at first he was silent and answered not a word though he seemed not to regard the Disciples intercession though when he speaks to her he compares her to a Dog and not fit to eat the Childrens Bread yet she gives not over but retorts this discouragement and turns it into an argument The Dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table hereupon her petition is granted and her faith highly commended O Woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Mat. 15. 28. 7. Then we grow in Grace when the thoughts of God are more abiding and delightful and our affections towards him are stronger the more our hearts are the Lords the more they must needs be enriched with grace and in a greater measure sanctified When David was able to say that the meditation of God was sweet to him Psal 104. 34. That his Soul followed hard after God Psal 63. 8. and that he thirsted for God for the living God as the chased Hart pants after the Brooks of Water Psal 42. 1 2. This certainly did argue not only the truth of grace but strength also 8. Then we grow in Grace when we are not prone to be offended Stumbling argues weakness but stumbling blocks will be got over by those whose grace is strengthned When we hold fast the truth though many being led away with the error of the wicked fall from their own stedfastness as Athanasius contra mundum stood up for the Deity and Godhead of Jesus
small success 6. Assurance of the love of God will lift you up above the fear of evil tidings Psal 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Why should those be afraid who dwell in the secret place of the most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91. 1. The Saint has the Almighty on his side who surely is able to protect him He is under the shadow of the Almighty the Lord with his wings does cover him that violence may not be offered to him nay he abides under this Shadow so that he is safe at all times He dwells in the Most High and who then can reach him Nay he dwells in the secret place of the most High which shews how precious he is in Gods account and how far out of harms way Single David supposes an whole Host encamped against him yet says his heart shall not fear Psal 27. 3. and knowledge of his interest in God is the ground of his confidence vers 1. The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid 7. Assurance of the love of God will make you very holy and heavenly The Grace of God is but presumed upon and abused when'tis made an encouragement unto licentiousness Hark to the Apostle Rom. 6. 1 2. What shall we say then shall we continue in Sin that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein Those who know they are under Grace do most abhor the dominion of Sin v. 14. they live most to God and are most forward to be the Servants of Righteousness The Conversation of such will be much in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. The Heir in his minority does often think of the Estate he is to enjoy Those who know they are the Children of God will often think of what they are to partake of hereafter for they are Heirs of God and joint Hiers with Christ they are begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead unto an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. No contemplation will be so delightful to us as that of Heaven when once we know that our Lord is gone to prepare a place for us and will come again and receive us to himself that where he is we may be for ever also 8. Assurance of the love of God will make you to abound in praises He has made you new creatures to this very end that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. How does the Apostle Peter break out into thanksgiving upon this account 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again The Apostle Paul speaks to the same purpose Eph. 1. 3 4 5 6 7. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ He hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be Holy and without blame before him in Love He hath predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children He hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of his Grace How much has the Lord wrought both in and for those he has made Believers He has abounded towards them in Wisdom in Grace in Power in Love Praise is a debt Praise is expected and Praise is comely Though all his Works praise the Lord yet Saints look upon themselves as under a more special and peculiar obligation to magnifie and blesse his Name 9. Assurance of the Love of God will make Afflictions tolerable nay Death it self desirable The bitterest Cup will down more easily when you see t is reached forth to you by the hand of a Father The curse of the Cross is gone and it may be the better born and the Sting of Death is taken out and now Death and the Grave may be triumphed over What was Death to old Simeon when his Eyes had seen Gods Salvation it was but a peaceable departure out of a troublesome World Luk. 1. 29. 30. What was Death to the Apostle Paul who knew that assoon as ever he was absent from the Body he should be present with the Lord It was not dreadful but desirable Phil. 1. 23. I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better These are the Arguments and are they not strong ones to perswade you to labour after Assurance The Directions how to prove your selves so as to attain this Assurance follow 1. Set selves as in the presence of the All-Seeing and Heart searching God Who knows you who will judge you and who alone can make you to know your selves You cannot possibly deceive him for every Creature is manifest in his sight all things are naked and open to his veiw Heb. 4. 13. Your Spirits will be apt both to trifle and to juggle unlesse they are awed with a sence of the Lords Omniscience Let Conscience in the searching of you act as Gods Officer and as Gods Officer in Gods presence and then it will deal the more faithfully 2. Pray that your Spirits may give a true Testimony concerning you And that they may do so you must be well acquainted with Scripture-signs and characters of true Grace and then with great intention reflect upon your selves to see whether you have the marks of Christs sheep upon you whether you have the characters of Gods Children A wrong judgment of your selves how extreamly prejudicial would it be to you Adjure your Spirits therefore in the name of the Lord to tell you the very Truth and cry unto the Lord himself that he would not suffer you to fancy or call your selves his Children if you are really but hypocrites and strangers to him that you may not cry peace and safety when God speaks just the contrary 2. Be willing to find out every thing that 's evil in you in order to your more compleat purging David prays see if there be any evil way in me and lead me in the way Everlasting Psal 139. 24. And Psal 19. 12. He desires to be cleansed from secret sins that nothing wicked might borrow the shape of lawful and good and thereby abide in him The more corruption is found our and mortified the more fruitful you will be John 15. 2. Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit And the more fruitful you are the more evident it will be that you are really the living branches of the true Vine which is Christ Jesus 4. Pray hard That if you have any Grace the Lord would increase it and bring it
to serve me too much mine to do me any real harm Christ by dying has taken out the sting of Death so that I need not any longer be under bondage through the Fear of Death O Death Thou hast left thy sting in the side of Christ and there hast lost it O Grave My Lord has broke thy gates open and because he is risen I may joyfully conclude my own Resurrection My body must lye in darkness for a while but it shall not always be Death's Prisoner This corruptible shall put on incorruption this mortal shall put on immortality and as the Corn cast into the ground does rise with advantage every single grain yeilding sometimes an hundred fold so my flesh shall come up out of the Earth with an hundred fold better qualities then now it has 'T is sown in weakness 't is raised in power 't is sown in dishonour 't is raised in glory But O my Soul Death will not be able at all to seize on thee Thou wilt be delivered out of a dungeon when thou leavest thine Earthly Tabernacle and go unto a glorious Palace assoon as ever thou art absent from the Body thou wilt be present with the Lord assoon as thou art departed thou will be with Christ and how much better that is thou wilt find to thy full and Everlasting joy MEDITATION XLVIII If my Beloved is mine and all things mine is there not reason I should be His His I am and His I will be to eternity Lord I am Thine for thou hast made me and not I my self I am thine by the right of purchase as well as Creation for thou hast bought me with a price Nay thou hast new made me on purpose for thine own use and that I should shew forth thy praises And I do willingly resign and yeild my self to thee if I am thy Servant make use of me if I am thy Treasure keep me if I am a child let me be imployed in my Fathers business if I am Betrothed to thee let thy love and jealousie secure me from other Lovers Oh let me be wholly only always Thine Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity Let my tongue be like an Angels continually sounding forth thy Name Let my hands be holy the path of my feet pondered let all my members be yeilded as instruments of Righteousness and let my soul with all its powers love and serve thee Lord sanctifie and satisfie and save me and honour me by employing me for I lift up my soul and give my very heart to thee MEDITATION XLIX Ten thousand times ten thousand praises to the God of love and peace Who would not worship thee and give thee glory O thou King of Saints Let thy Church on Earth as well as Heaven ring aloud with Hallelujah's Who is God save the Lord who is a Rock save our God! Who in Heaven above or in Earth beneath is to be compared to Thee a God glorious in holiness terrible in Majesty rich in mercy abounding in Grace wonderful in working and keeping truth for ever Who can by searching find out God! who can find out the Almighty to perfection It is high as Heaven what can we do Deeper then Hell what can we know Who is a God like unto thee abundant in loving kindness goodness and truth Delighting in mercy Forgiving iniquity Transgression and sin and reconciling the world to himself in Christ Glory be to God in the highest for such good will towards men Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof Let the floods clap their hands and the hills be joyful together Let all the creatures joyn in magnifying that God which made them And let all Saints shout aloud for joy unto Him who has visited and redeemed them MEDITATION L. Lord How much art thou above thy Creatures reach Who besides thy self can conceive thy excellency Who can shew forth all thy praise Thou art exalted above the blessing and the thoughts of Angels above the songs of Seraphims Everlasting thanksgivings are thy due Oh let me live with thee to Eternity that I may ever be paying this debt of praises Bless the Lord ye innumerable company of Angels which excell in strength who see the Glory of your Maker and Lord Praise him O ye Thrones Dominions Principallities and Powers Exalt that mighty and gracious God who elected and confirmed you when so many other Angels sinn'd and are eternally left and miserable in their Apostacy O all ye Triumphant Saints that are with the Lamb upon the heavenly Mount Sion Strike up with your Harps and if it be possible let your strains be still higher and higher Ascribe blessing and honour and glory and power unto Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever O thou Militant Church Begin this heavenly work of praising here on Earth Thy Redemption and deliverance is begun and will most certainly be compleated The Captain of thy Salvation will stand by thee in thy spiritual warfare and having made thee more then victorious over all thy Enemies will bestow upon thee the promised Crown of life and glory MEDITATION LI. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name What hast thou breath for but that it should be spent in his praises Wherefore hast thou a tongue at command but that it should be employed in glorifying thy Lord and hereby become thy glory Should not a slave that has been in very hard and cruel bondage be thankful to him that redeemed him Should not a Malefactor condemned to dye be thankful unto Him that pardoned him Should not the patient that has laboured under a Death threatning distemper be thankful to the Physician that has cured him And how much greater reason is there O my Soul that thou shouldst abound in thanksgivings unto thy God and Saviour Thou wast in the worst sense enslaved and he has made thee free indeed Thou wast condemned to the second Death to be separated for ever from the Lord and to be thrown into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone and he by dying himself has purchased a pardon for thee Thou wast sick of spiritual which are the worst kind of plagues and He is the Lord that heals thee Awake Awake Oh my soul Awake Awake And utter a song of praise Rejoyce in Christ Jesus Glory in the Father of mercies Who forgiveth all thy iniquities who healeth all thy Diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies MEDITATION LII Shall I not magnifie and advance my Lord who am so highly advanced my self I was once in darkness and securely went on towards the blackness of darkness forever but I am called out of darkness into marvellous light â— I was once a stranger and a forreiner but now I am a fellow Citizen with the Saints and of the houshold of God I am become a child of God who
great favour to be received as a Servaat who deserve to be punished and excluded as an Enemy Humbled Sinners do very much consider their ill deserts and how are they filled with admiration at the free grace of God in his Son Jesus which is the ground of their hope and encouragement By the grace of God they are what they are they have what they have they hope what they hope for Case 3. The third Case follows How may we be sure that our desires after God and grace are sincere 'T is a Maxim in practical Divinity That the desires after Grace are Grace but they must be true desires Now these may thus be known 1. Sincere desires spring from knowledge and serious consideration The Lord is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unknown God to them that indeed desire after him he has caused his goodness which is his glory to pass before them and the desirableness of that goodness has been perceived Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me and then it follows they shall return to me with their whole heart The eyes must be anointed with eye-salve the judgment must be inlightned and informed concerning the Lords perfections and fulness and riches of grace and mercy and willingness to communicate of these riches then desires after him will be real and well-grounded 2. Sincere desires are prevailing my meaning is that God and Grace are desired more than any thing the World than all the World besides An Author tells us that Tepidit as est parvus amor boni Lukewarmness implies some little love to that which is good but there is a greater love to that which is evil and vain And what does the little love then signifie If God be not desired above all he is not truely at all desired That was a sincere desire Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire besides thee That is All things comparatively to thee are undesirable in my esteem In the Roman State 't was said Nec ferre potest Caesarve priorem Pompeiusve parem Caesar could not endure a superior and Pompey could not brook an equal God will have neither superior nor equal in our hearts they that love him truely give him the highest room of all 3. Sincere desires bear up against opposition Though the Flesh does lust and Mammon and Satan joyn with it yet the Spirit does lust against it Gal. 5. 17. There is a longing to be deliver'd from the body of Sin to be rid of that evil which is present when good is about to be done Rom. 7. Where there are desires after Grace indeed the remainders of Sin are irkfom and we shall sigh and wish that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus may make us free from the law of Sin and Death 4. Sincere desires are great enemies to delays Davids Soul made haste to God and to do his duty Psal 119. 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments and he desires that God would make haste to him Psal 101. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way Oh when wilt thou come to me So Psal 70. 1. Make haste O God to deliver make haste to help me O Lord. And when God did withdraw from him he cryes out How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Ps 13. 1. Every day does seem a year and every year does seem an age to longing Souls when the Lord with-holds his quickening and comforting presence from them 5. Sincere desires are extended to every thing which God propounds in his Word as desirable Not some onely but all the benefits of Christ are longed after all his Offices are prized Sincere ones see a necessity of Christ a Priest upon the Cross they love to hear him as a Prophet in the Pulpit and are very desirous to submit to him as a Prince upon the Throne Nay they yield their hearts to be his Throne The Laws of God are dear to them they desire to keep them all to be filled with all the fulness of God to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Nay they aspire so high as to beg that they may do his will on Earth as 't is done in Heaven Mat. 6. 10. 6. Sincere desires are industrious Solomon speaks of a desire of the slothful which kills him because his hands refuse to labour Prov. 21. 25. He perishes for want of the good desired because he will not take pains to obtain it True desires are accompanied with a fear of missing what is desired not so as to make unbelieving conclusions but to quicken unto diligence Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after Then we desire really when we seek diligently And where is diligence and pains better employed than when seeking the Lord who has told us as certainly as he is so certainly he will be a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. 6. 7. Sincere desires are never quite satisfied here in this World What is said concerning earthly riches Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit may be applied to the true riches Crescit amor quantum divitiae love to them and covetousness after more increases as they increase He that has most grace is most desirous to have more 'T is true indeed our Lord tells us Joh. 6. 35. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst But if this be referr'd to Spiritual things the meaning is he shall not so hunger and thirst as to despair and be tormented with despair of satisfaction or else the passage may be referr'd to the things of this World that impia fames that sinful and eager hunger and thirst after them shall cease Sincere Souls never can in this World and they think they never can prize their Lord Jesus love and fear and serve their God sufficiently and therefore desire still to do all this more and better they forget the things behind and are still reaching forward and if you ask when they will be satisfied David shall answer Psal 17. ult and what he speaks of himself is applicable to others As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousness and be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Case 4. A fourth Case may be this How may we be able to discern whether in Religion we are acted meerly by slavish fear yea or no Though carnal security is that which ruines the most of men yet a slavish fear yea or no Though carnal security is that which ruines the most of men yet a slavish fear is to be found also in the ungodly Such a fear there was in those we read of Psal 78. 34. When the hand of the Lord was stretched out and slew many of them the rest feared and sought him and yet