the soul they so consent that to bee parted from their filthie fellowship is even death to them both sin incorporateing herself into the soul that shee is as one with them that it is as easie for Sampson to part with Dalilah as these to bee sundred here therefore as both band in evill so do they conspire against all the lawes of God it is as eastie to rob a Bear of her whelps as these of her sinfull pleasures The Minister is to such as the Marshall in London is to Harlots an ey-sore a reproach a common wonderment This is the first rebellion in the unconvinced This is not here mean't 2. The second is Penal a fruit of this onely encreased by the just wrath of God upon the rebells whose chaines the Lord make's stronger Esay 28. 22. by how much the more they kick against the pricks I say when the Lord penally smite's them and suffer's them to encreas and fulfil the measure of their lusts to grow frozen in these dregs desperate in their lusts so that they finde no place of repenting See these texts Mat 23 32. 34. Act. 14 19. Act. 28. 27. Neither is this meant here 3. The third is mixt When rebellion is allayed with terror of conscience and not permitted to her self as wee know a thief in hold is one thing and at libertie is another This mixt terror is the accidental work of the Law working corruption to a rebellion and resistance that sin might bee odious and the soul more humbled To apply then the distinction I answer This objection hinder's not this truth That the proper work of the law is to cast down and embondage the guiltie soul Qu. How a troubled Conscience privie to much reviveing of corruption may discern that it cometh not from herself but from sin Ans This may bee discerned easily by many marks First from the work of the law that hath separated her from sin and that amitie which was between her and it This is no hard matter to prove if once the soul can say her old lusts and shee are divided by the law's terror How can shee then think that shee should rebell against the good law for working that which shee is glad of 2. It will will appear by this that whereas true rebellion must com from a free will and principle of the agent but that cannot bee conscience nor herself becaus shee is convinced by an over-ruleing law which hath killed her freedon therefore this rebellion is from sin 3. By this that rebellion where it is unconvinced doth not onely fret in respect of somwhat shee is denied but also at that which crosseth her for it self But in this legal rebellion when the soul is in chaines the scope of this is as much in respect of that which is denied as at the law simply 4. Trie it by this when rebellion com's from the soul it encrease's ordinarily but when from sin it decrease's becaus the Lord more and more weaken's her by terror of conscience Vse I. Let us from hence conceiv the woful estate of a wretch ere the law com's in terror to him hee and his sin are in a cursed league and commit hideous villanie together As Simeon and Levi sworn brethren My soul com no more into her counsel and consent how much better is the Law 's little-eas then such Libertie of hell Vse II. Let this teach God's Ministers of the law to plie their tools God hath put a weapon into their hand able if well urged to separate even sin and the soul do not suffer this law to perish for lack of execution Vse III. It confut'es the world's aspersion upon the powerfull ministerie of the Law they call it debate and raising up strife as I said but oh yee lyars wee do not envie your neighborly peace nor lawful consent but your close league in your lusts wee would divide you and your concupiscence that God might rule by that division whom yee barred out by your consent Vse IV. Beware of all such as nourish rebellion against the Law in the point of her holy pureness if this rebellion here bee odious under terror what is rebellion of sin and conscience jointly I mean wilful and wicked Beseech the Lord to use any means rather then such rebellion should be nourished in thee oh beg of God rather hee would divide thy sin and thee by the hardest courses then thou shouldest rebel against the Word for doing her office Cleer the Law and say it is holie I am the slave that is sold under sin Vse V. Let it bee exhortation to all such as God hath thus humbled to bless him that hee hath chosen to tame the soul by terror and stirring up of rebellion rather then to leav it to it self And let such bee comforted in all their fears of their own rebellious hearts against the Law of GOD that the rebellions committed under terror are none of hers but sin's work within her which shee abhor's Vse VI. Mean while let all such comfort themselvs in their rebellions of sin they are marks of Good signs of the battering of Satan's and sin's kingdom Sin would never so rage if shee were at as good peace as formerly Beware of closeing the second time with this harlot Beseech the Lord to nourish terro though it bee not grace yet it is a seed of it pray him for a time rather to quash rebellion then to suffer rebellion to destroy it And bee of good chear the Lord doth all this for good When hee hath cooled and rooted out rebellion hee will after a while root out terror also and in due time bring thy soul out of all her adversitie turning both into a sight of the promise and hope of the remedie And thus much for the use of this point and objection from rebellion The general use of the former point of Terror Vse I. It may teach us to esteem duly of sin according to her foul nature For must it not bee a foul odious thing which should bring in such confusion as to turn the law of God which was given for comfort of conscience and rule of life to becom the greatest terror and matter of vexation Vse II. To discover what sin is in her kinde when shee may act herself upon her own stage of ignorance Shee is an hideous monster Vse III. To all who would bee truly moulded by the truth thereof in the fear of God to look to themselvs and take in kindely and readily this point of the sword into the bosom of their soul that this spear may let out the water and blood of it I mean that quiet jollie and secure heart in sin which hold's it as with cords to bee content to bee slain and to go into captivitie Abhor then first to stand out in rebellion put up thy weapons and fight not against God whose naked arm is against thee Abhor secondly a dead blockish and sensual heart not affected nor moved with this voice
spared us when wee have broke them pressing in upon us with renuing of good motions and affections which wee had quenched as being loth to lose us giveing us helps and means even out of season after long contempt confessing himself to mean as hee speak's Why lay you out your money and not for bread and your silver for that which profit's not Hearken unto mee eat good things So somtimes by his protestations of his loathness that any poor soul should perish Why will yee die oh yee hous of Israel Anger is not in mee why should flame consume the stubble What should I do to my vine that I have not don Somtimes by his passions and lamentations Luke 19. 42. Oh! that thou hadst seen even in that day the things that concern thy peace but now they are hidden Those tears and mournings over Jerusalem for her hard heart and contempt have been and are still over thee If there bee any dampings and streightnings of spirit thou hast caused them by thy dalliance and heart that would not repent But the Lord for his part still crie's How oft would I have gathered thee as the Hen doth her chickens Somtimes by his writeings to this feast of his Son somtimes by his contestation somtimes by his entreaties and earnest exhorting somtimes by his allurements to perswade and toll on the heart that hang's off by the promise of all the good things which hee offereth somtimes by his severe threats to all that refuse his offers all these shew how willing and cordial hee is to part with his grace and lastly somtimes by the universalitie of it that hee dispenceth it without all respect of persons age sexes states and conditions who exempt not themselvs But the special properties of this offer are three 1. Libertie 2. Simplicitie 3. Fidelitie First hee offer 's to whom hee pleaseth passing by millions of people in the world so that it is meerly unconditional and free as when Paul came to Athens or Ephesus who had never heard of the Gospel before Secondly the Lord beeing truly pacified in Christ offer 's it simply hithout grudging with an open heart meaning as hee speak's Thirdly Fidelitie whereby hee doth most readily and fully perform whatsoever hee offer 's to all who put him to the triall and accept it This is the main hinge whereupon the door of Hope and Faith turneth For an Offer is no otherwise differing from a promise then as a general out of which a particular issueth the promise is included in an offer but yet in special expressing the covenant of God to all that express the offer that hee will receiv them bee their God both in pardon and all-sufficiencie Into these the soul doth wholy powr out herself which that wee may understand consider this that wee have to do with the Father immediately but with our Lord Jesus onely mediately as a mean to lead us with confidence to him The Father properly look's at the Son as our Suretie and us for his sake but wee look at him directly and to our Lord Jesus as our Mediator So that look what wee can shew for our reconciliation must com from the Father and that is his offer and promise oath and covenant of mercie Into that therefore the poor soul is to resolv it self all her doubts fears temptations and distempers whatsoever Vse 1. This teache's us to adore the depth of God's justice against sin that hath still left so many Nations in their utter darkness and brutish ignorance of the Gospel How should this woful desertion provoke us to prize the revelation of this Mysterie to us as for them how should we pittie them Vse II. Secondly this is terror to all Papists that maliciously hide and darken this precious offer of God in the Gospel from the eies of the blinde people terror to all profane scorners who reject the Gospel and prize their swine their pottage their pleasures eas and pomp more then the Gospel reproof of all Non-discerners of this Grace of the Gospel the feet of a Minister shoul bee beautiful in this main respect though others also beecaus hee bring 's glad tidings of peace Vse III. Reproof to all that sleight the Gospel in the offer thereof prefer their oxen and farms their self-love ends and liberties before it Vse IV. Advertisement to God's Ministers to magnifie their Ministerie in deed and practice by beseeching the people to bee reconciled to God Vse V. This should scare all from infidelitie and contempt of God's offer Oh! it 's free and from meer good will the Lord is tied to none Hee hath rejected millions of Jewes and Turks and Baptized ones and chosen to offer grace to thee And shall the contempt of the free offer of that which thousands would have been glad of upon the price of going from sea to sea for it bee pardonable Do but consider what woful punishment will lie upon thee who refusest such an offer laid in this lap When as many poor souls would rejoice if the spending of dayes and nights might procure them a tender and believing heart to receiv it and yet complain that they cannot com by it Oh tremble at the freedom of this offer Bee humble and base in thy self to consider but this I am a poor wretch standing to the mercie of a free God who hath it to give where hee will and to denie it at his pleasure If hee give it to a prodigal son and denie it to a moral civilian if hee give it to one that came into the vineyard at the eleventh hour and denie it to him that came in at the seventh if hee denie it to the willer and runner and bee found of such as sought him not who shall alledg against freedom May hee not do with his own as him please's Oh! despise none least the Lord make the despiser seek to the despised and bee glad of their portion Oh! turn all emulation and scorn into humilitie and deep adoring of this freedom Vse VI. Dallie not with this offer of grace There is a while of it a season annexed to the offer The same breath which urgeth to receiv the grace of God add's a charge For hee hath said In an accepted time I have heard thee and in the day of salvation have I succored thee Oh that in that thy day thou hadst seen Now when is this day Surely it is not the day of possible mercie but of seasonable mercie Then when as besides health means and the offer of grace the Lord putt's a special spirit into the Ministerie of the Word so that it pierce's into the heart with perswasion when the terrors of it are weightie and serious the promise it is as the early fruit in Summer welcom and savorie when sin is bitter to the soul and when it is irksom to it to bee out of God's favor When the heart break 's and mourn's after God and can spend nights after dayes in seeking and it cannot bee
faith with cleaving to it for salvation is a doctrine of presumption But wee answer that as their doctrine of Justification is the true doctrine of presumption of their own works so their doctrine of Faith is a meer idol and fancie Vse II. Instruction to all that have beleeved the promise of Grace once and seem caus to cleav to it nakedly to use the same method in recoverie out of their particular falls Vse III. Admonition to avoid all lets such are these 1. Resting in devout complaints of the want of Faith Good complaints made in season to such as can eas us from the depth of a broken heart are good friends to faith but counterfeit complaints are the greatest lets thereof Therefore instead of complaints do as Ester did shee complained of her weakness but rested not in that but went to the King saying If I perish I perish and so found the golden scepter held out to her 2. Sloath and eas dallying is dangerous It is the Divel's may-game to see men shipwrack't in the haven Our nature is to seek grace most when it is most out of season But that is God's season to denie 3. Worldliness Overmuch filling our hands with the delights of this earth as lawful liberties pleasures wealth credit farmes oxen wife posteritie These are the seaeatings of the banks down and destroying all It is as if a man a drowing should hold his gold so fast that hee cannot take hold of a pole to save his life or as if ones hand could not receiv a pearl being full of nut-shels 4. A root of bitternes Go not to the doctrine of Reconciliation with a surfeit of any privie lust which thou wouldest not gladly know and forego for the promise for this will so defile thee that whatsoever cometh in the way thereof will bee defiled Nothing mar's God's bargain so much at the presage that it will cut off our lusts This bitter Root is discovered two waies First it is naturallest of all vices Secondly the oft return of the same sin after the seeming departure of it 5. Carnal reason or els rooted cavils ariseing from an unbelieving heart disputeing against the promise 6. Vnwillingness to submit to God's way of believing Men look God should wait upon us and fill us with goodness while wee are idle But learn to know God's way and yeeld humbly to it in the use of means and bee not your own carvers Submit with an innocent heart to bee led as the Lord will have thee coveting the best measure but resting in God's measure Peter was readie at Christ's command to let down his net against his own experience The Lord deal's out to the poor soul as once a wise friend deal't with an acquaintance of his hee sent her three tokens a brass farthing a mill-sixpence and a piece of gold bidding the messenger first to give her the farthing if shee took it thankfully then the other Vse IV. Exhortation 1. To self-deniall and renouncing all other waies of cleaving to a deliverance save this of faith counting them all even self and self-love as dung and dross unto it No relique in our nature can comprehend a way of recoverie it must bee onely naked faith given for the nonce to embrace the Lord Jesus by a promise Wee have no preparation of our selvs neither preventing nor assisting nor perfecting Wee cannot co-operate with any grace of God and although wee could yet the common grace of the spirit is not able to reach the work of conversion It com's infinitely short of it There must bee a special spirit infused to apprehend it not onely by supernatural but by spiritual and peculiar grace Grace exclude's all els viz. 1. Common gifts 2. Natural or artificial endowments of learning wit reading memorie judgment strength of parts c. 3. Education and moral virtues 4. Religious performances 5. No self in any kinde 6. Priviledges Onely the Lord Jesus in the merit of his satisfacton of his offer and promise assisted by his Advocateship for the breeding of faith can bring this work to pass Christ by his spirit take's upon him the effecting and perfecting of this work as well as the meriting of it by his death Oh! that this could caus to rest in God offering Christ meriting the Spirit persuadeing by a promise which hath all the fulness of God in it Let us cast our bread upon the waters and forsake our own abilities believing that God can creäte in us of nothing or wors then nothing the grace of faith the priviledg of sonship and adoption that all our happiness may stand in believing as the sea is made all of water 2. To receiv this Offer to esteem and embrace Christ as this all-sufficient store-hous of mercie in grace Remember the issue of Christ's inquirie will bee for faith Luk. 18. 8. Those that have it the Lord will bee admired in them that day 2 These 1. 7. And wo bee to them that want it Better to bee a drunkard a thief though verie damnable then to want faith to give God the lie and to sin against the remedie 3. To bee earnest with God never to lin persuadeing the soul by the promise and the good things of Christ till his persuasion becom forcible and unresistable by an holie necessitie with us There is no power in thy soul to fasten upon this promise except God draw it and make the persuasive of it irresistably and by over-powering it Beseech the Lord not to bee offended with thy long dalliances half-persuasions as not to strive with thee any longer but to draw thee still with uncontrouled power makeing a way in thy spirit and as Jeremie speak's Jer-31 31. causing thee by an inward motive to bee unable to resist When thou findest this work then faith must follow for it is the work which the compelling spirt leav's behinde it causing it in the mid'st of all her contrarieties of dissuasion yet upon due consultation to obey and yeeld I see here I perish but there I may bee happie I will venture therefore if I perish I perish Now for the better drawing of us to so difficult and main a dutie let mee use one motive which I am persuaded will prevail with the most if God vouchsafe to bee with it to set it home that is That our free naked cleaving to a promise will carrie down all thy distempers at once and drown them in as in a sea For whereas thou fearest perhaps thou shalt die or ever thou believ the promise will tell thee if the Lord may bee trusted for the grace it self much more may hee bee so for a time a thousand yeers with him being as one day Thou alleadgest there is nothing at all wrought in thee towards believing But why then darest thou not turn thy back upon God and return to follie Becaus thou hast not what thou wouldst all is nothing unto thee But from what save from free mercie is this that I say not thou
at this wisdom which most fitly to the soul's condition doth even work by contraries life out of death and order out of confusion and descant not by carnal reason against it 3ly In all the ministerie of the Word let the Minister and people of God still fix their eie upon the scope of God moving onwards with him and going even pace with his ordinance for the effecting of his own ends and the glorie of his grace in our salvation III. The extremities and abuses of this legal work The extremities are two 1. Legal presumption 2. Final despair 1. Touching the first it is called Legal becaus there is another and a more dangerous one by the Gospel This presumption is twofold One this when the sinner waxe's bold and venturous to shake off this yoak of the law before his spirit bee convinced and cast down this sin made Adam and all us cursed even presumption against threats The second is when the consternation of the law seazing without addition of the Gospel cause 's the soul to wax confident of it's own welfare becaus it hath been humbled and perhaps hold's som impression of it still not dareing to resist her light But this is rare and where it is dangerous for it 's a sign that the heart is secretly fals 2. The second extremitie is Despair offending as much on the left hand thorow the excess of terror Thus Saul and Judas And it commonly growe's from the first Satan never seeking more to poison with presumption and dalliance with the law then where hee meane's to snare with the contrarie of Despair Doubtless it is the sin of the damned to live in the perpetual despair of releas and in perswasion that Grace is unable to do them good Vse I. Learn wee dailie to root this cursed root of bitterness out of us by two things ensuing First a Spirit of Humilitie and Fear to keep our selvs under the bondage of of our School-master rather then to affect the libertie of presumers and in so doing to beseech the Lord to proportion out our stripes according to our strength and to keep our despair within the compass of our selvs and any thing in us but to be far from the least thought of enlargeing our baseness above the infiniteness of mercie Secondly to nourish in our hearts above all those meditations of mercie and grace in Christ which may set us upon a rock above our-selvs and all fearful distrust and carrie us in the stream thereof with holy irresistableness Frequent holy and loveing thoughts of God are the surest remedies against this hideous monster The abuse of the Law is double First on the right hand many abuse it when they nourish themselvs in a needless bondage whereas they know they are in case to hearken after the remedie and will not pretending they have not been cast down or troubled enough What madness is this to nourish a diseas against Physick or to think that our trouble pleaseth God or to think that to bee of substance of Grace which onely is for preparation to it Secondly on the left hand those who do far wors abuse this doctrine who beeing wearie of terror and bondage assoon as they fall into it cast with themselvs how they may shake it off pretending that this is no estate to serv God in and so they return som to their sport and pastimes som to their pleasures som to their profits som to their old companions Let these know that the cours they take is violent and much like to them who to stop the crie of their infants put into the brazen bellie of Moloch did oppress their own ears with the nois of pipes and tabret Obj. Paul Rom. 7. 7. saith When the Law came sin revived how then is terror the law's work Answ Both may stand together in one unregenerate man according to divers parts For when the law had slain conscience then concupiscence revived and wee must distinguish between the natural work of the law and the accidental Terror is the proper work of it and when it 's wrought it is as it ought to bee but when rebellion ariseth it 's otherwise then ought to bee When the Sun ariseth and sweeten's the earth it work 's properly when it drawe's up the noysom stench of a dunghill to poyson the air it 's accidental coming from the loathsomness of the dunghill So when sin rebel's shee doth her kinde yet this rebellion shall not hinder the killing power of it It shall rather encreas it for when the soul come's to see how loathsom sin hath made her this make's her conclude her self out of measure woofull by sin and out of measure sinfull And when rebellion begin's to bee tamed the heart growe's more and more under fear although nothing hinder why both may not at one time bee together Onely in the bad commonly it encreaseth till it hath cast out all terror and strengthen's the jollitie of sin In the godly the Lord will inlarge terror and conviction so far that rebellion shall not stand it out but stoop with confusion under the power of it Paul by Sin mean's Original sin bodie and members by himself hee mean's the powers of soul and bodie Sin was alive in point of her stilness peace and quietness without any distemper Paul was alive that is merrie jollie lustie secure without any fear Again note sin's death and Paul's life caused this deep consent between them both I say her quietness and his jollitie made them as close as buckle and thong For why Sin was glad to see Paul lustie and Paul was glad to see her quiet Thus it was between them ere the law came But how since oh quite contrary Sin revived Paul died How Sin perceiving the law resolved not to give over till it had divided her and Paul who had so long lived at peace together and traded with gain and pleasure each by other and to scour her hous of her guests whom shee so corrupted the minde the will affections conscience and members of Paul beeing the creation of God begin's to revive to bee no longer quiet as before when her trade prospered but to fret rage and bee unquiet On the other side Paul also seeing the law also to gaster him out of his wicked haunt what doth hee Die's is all amort forsake 's his old mistress Concupiscence and begin's to bee wearie of his trade Now what is it against Paul's dying that sin reviveth what is it against the guest's shame and dying to their trade that their old hostess rageth Rebellion is in her not in them they are ashamed and flaited though shee will know no law conscience and concupiscence are two things Three sorts of Rebellion 1. Natural 2. Penal 3. Mix't 1. Natural when the Word or Law com's so to the corrupt Soul that as yet it carrie's no power or authoritie over the soul with it but still the soul hold's her own for then so close is sin and
wel-fare Shall a beleever rest in his pardon more then in the righteousness of God which may make them accepted and beloved No the Liverie they wear is The Lord our Rightousness Vse V. Let this rais the price of the Lord Jusus's love in the hearts of all his children the more cost the more love Vse VI. How should it teach us to abhor all enemies of the Cross Vse VII If this death of the Lord Jesus bee our satisfaction and the freedom from sin and curs our pardon peace and heaven where is the dwelling of our hearts upon it the delight of our souls in it how is it that each base shadow of joy can affect us when this cannot if our hope were here onely in Christ of all others wee were most miserable Nothing here can keep thee from miserie what is then thy happiness This satisfaction onely Let it bee all in all to thee the seasoning of thy blessings supplie of all wants Vse VIII Especially let the chief stream of this point's use bee this First to all Ministers to teach it and the people to applie it to themselvs in all their fears yea the greatest agonie yea death it self Whatsoever thou foregoest hold this Stand with open face and hold this mirror to poor finners that they may behold the LORD our Righteousness Secondly to all People Consider yee who have truly felt that Serpent of the Law sting yee mortally in the other part com applie the remedie in this look upon this brazen Serpent and live and first I say feel the strength Secondly take hold of it and make peace for the former Know without a promise from God there is no peace unto you and promise there can bee none without satisfaction This is the strength of an offer and a promise Anger abide's in God without this price and thou art but as the bush and drie stubble before it Bee assured then no promise speak's to thy soul and to thy heart except it hath this strength of Christ in whom each one is Yea and Amen Hence com's all wrath to bee turned into love and this will make God willing to offer and faithful to perform els not That bottomless depth of mercie in thy Judg and Enemie cannot bee gaged without this bucket by this thou maiest reach it Again as this is sufficient strenth so it is that onely which can redeem thee Hee redeemed us not with pearls but with the precious blood of the Lamb Wilt thou go to thy duties performances grace Alas they have no blood of expiation in them all these will say satisfaction is not in mee where then surely here onely Vse IX If so abandon all and cling to this onely Take hold of this sufficient and onely sufficient strength as the Prophet bid's thee Whatever enemie pursue thee at the heels this is thy refuge that here thou maiest have strong consolation in all fears against all enemies fearest thou the sins of thy youth or age The Lord Jesus was conceived in the Womb that the infant Elect which never saw light migt bee saved by him Youth notwithstanding her disobediene age for all her rebellion might bee forgiven Do thy moral sins of murther stealth uncleanness swearing distress thee This Lord Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for thee Do thy spiritual wickednesses oprress thee an unbelieving secure hard heart by the contempt of the gospel The Lord Jesus suffered the powring out of his blood to break the heart of those that pierced him upon the Cross Art thou poor Thy satisfier was so Rich Hee was the Lord of all Are thy sins great Hee died for Noah's drunkenness Lot's incests David's adulterie Small Lo even thy least vain word cost him his life-blood But perhaps not som sins but perhaps sin it self and the bodie of death trouble 's thee Hee was made sin that knew none Oh! then whatsoever sin can say yet go on to the throne of grace as Heb. 4. 16. and look to finde mercie in time of need Doth the Divell gates of Hell Conscience or the Justice of GOD threaten thee They cannot save for sin if they do thy conscience hath her answer to God against all And so plead this thy pardon to the Lord. Say thus Oh Father even thou cuttest off thy plea in giving this price in accepting it in offring of it to mee J Lord am here before thee pinched and damned by my sin if thou doest reckon it to mee Oh! Lord I put this blessed price beetween mee and wrath Lord have no power to denie it mee Even I if I were left with an Orphan's estate could not keep it from him Lord I am fatherless my orphan's stock is in thy keeping thou took'st it to bestow it Lord let my Soul have strong consolation in her seeking refuge to thee becaus this price warrant 's mee VI. Branch The Conquest of Christ Hee overcame all enemies rose again from the dead and gave a full beeing to the merit of his satisfaction Conceiv of it in three estates of Christ 1. Before his death Though the Lord Jesus was not exempt from mortalitie and infirmitie but subject to all through our sin yet hee conquered in suffering for he endured no more then himself pleased 2. At his death Although our Mediator must needs drink that cup which his Father gave him yet hee was a conqueror then too and above any enemy 3. After death when they had got his dead bodie into the grave hee resumed his bodie and soul again and gave them another blow wors then all hee rose again conquered their malice never more to bee conquered to die no more Act. 2. 24. Rom. 1. 3. Vse I. This inform's us of the assurance which a poor soul under a condition of grace may take to it self in pleading her part in this satisfaction For by his conquest hee sent his Church into a lively possession of all his merits Let us therefore com with the assurance of faith to the throne of grace Heb. 10. 22. saying Lord give the poor needing servant the fruit of the Lord Jesus his obedience the power of his conquest the full efficacie of his redemption Oh let us not want the strength of this perswasion but press it and say Lord I com to thee in the merit of a Christ not dead but alive a Conqueror that made good to mee all his sufferings by his victorie and gave all his enemies a dead blow when they looked all to have overthrown him Vse II. Sundrie consolations Touching Faith how many are the fears that a poor soul hath that shee shall never bee able to believ Within herself what weakness forgetfulness melancholy guilt of conscience through corruption and dead heart slavish and fearful presumptuous hardned by the deceit of sin unworthiness neglect of the season of grace this bodie of death opposing all savor of goodness and so even death of bodie make 's them afraid they may die ere they believ So without them what temptations against
and performed for her The offended Father hath accepted this satisfaction is well pleased with it his heart is made placable by it and now his heart is opened and his bosom of love bared towards a poor wretch and this hee utter's by a proclamation and by an offer of grace to them if they will believ him to mean as he speak's See 2 Cor. 5. 20. 21. Him that knew no sin hee made sin ctc. And what of this Therefore hee saith bee reconciled to God Now when the soul hear's of this ground and building shee feel's herself to have somwhat to say for herself in this her dealing with God I thank thee O Lord for thy granting it and for the price paid but now seeing thou hast don it that in thy being satisfied I might have my part in it as offred and pinn'd on my sleev when I see a thing more precious than the world laid in my lap by thy hand I tremble to think I should refuse my own salvation The Gospel in the Ministerie of reconciliation is the instrument of this Revelation and that both fully and onely Paul tell 's us that when the love of God appeared then hee saved us This appearance is the light of the Gospel and the arising of the day-star thereby in the heart Now yet this Gospel is not the mean in respect of the bare letters and syllables of it but in the Ministerie of reconciliation Paul speaking of this great gift of Christ twice joine's this with it and hee hath made us Ministers of reconciliaton as if this were a material point Wee the Ministers of God beeseech you bee reconciled receiv not the grace of God in vain It were a great help to our faith to consider God hath seal'd Ministers to engage their truth for God that if God do not mean as hee speak's they are liers Wee had never known sin but by the law so neither Grace but by the Gospel And surely who so will profit by this Article must get this lesson by heart That the Lord who freely purposed and faithfully sent his Son into world still continue's his freedom and doth offer the Lord Jesus with his excellencie most freely A bottom of most unspeakable comfort to all poor bruised reeds and broken souls For if hee bee freely offred what poor soul should doubt to accept him What is freeer than gift Hee that gave him freely cannot withdraw him again nor keep back his satisfaction from a needing soul as if hee repented It behoov'd us then much to understand the truth of this freedom which in a few particulars I willname First God offer 's Christ of his own accord therefore freely Secondly hee offer 's us better then that Adam lost The burning down of our hous was the occasion of our greater repairing As hee said I had perished if I had not been taken prisoner Thirdly hee offer 's to the undeserving Wee were Theevs Traitors and enemies when wee did all wee could to pull him out of his throne yea slew the Lord of life then died hee for us Fourthly hee offereth freely who offer 's instantly upon our need No sooner did Adam fall but the offer followed the seed of the woman c. No sooner doth a poor wretch need mercie but it prevent's him Ho every one com c. Hee that offer 's leasurely is but a cold giver but speedie offring is double grace Fifthly when hee hath offered and given hee repent's not Of all works of which God is said to repent him it is neverr said hee repented to offer mercie Nay hee is so far from it that hee hath sworn and will not repent God never repent's of mercie that hee might repent us of our unthankfulness and unbelief Sixthly the Lord is exceeding glad when his offer is taken and no way so displeased as when it s in vain 2 Cor. 6. 2 Heb 2. 3 4. No disobedience is so odious to him as unbelief Joh. 3. 19. Nor for which hee will so severely punish 2 Cor. 4. 4. Hee is master of his richest gift count's it his honor to give the best most freely Joh. 6. 27. Hee hath a royal heart and can beteam to the basest worm the priveledg of pardon adoption and glorie and hee giv's an heart capable of his offer also els how could an oyster-shell contain this fountain all to teach the soul to recover it self out of her cursed distust and measureing the Lord and his gift by her self and her capableness whereas all his are inlarged by him with his offer to bee comprehensive of it the Lord makeing a poor shallow heart meet to receiv his fulness Eph. 3. 17. Seventhly hee offer 's without expecting again as wee say hee lend's freely who expects no requital the Lord indeed look's for honor at the hands of his servants but first hee giv's the gift and secoudly the heart and thirdly accept's it as honor beeing no addition to perfection The Lord offer 's grace to none whom rather hee might not bee ashamed to own Such is man's baseness that even in his greatest freedom hee seek's himself A father will give his childe his Land but when after death when it cannot pleasure him Till then hee will have rent And wee have a secret end in our gifts I give that hee may requite But the Lord offer 's to such as can no way content him or bee pleasing Hee giv's first to make them so but finde's them odious that hee may shew what hee can finde in his heart to do and make all men astonish't at his meer gracious grace and to boast of the Lord. Eightly hee require's nothing in us toward the accepting his offer All our own make's our accepting frustrate Rev. 1. 22. Com and drink freely of the waters Joh. 7. If any man thirst let him drink freely God giv's and upbraid's not our nothing Nay our emptiness is our best plea. Esay 55. 1. Com and buy for nothing self denial is our best price and hee that com's and offer 's to God any thing and bring 's cost to God loose's his gift This offer will appear so much the freer if also wee mark the circumstances in which the Scripture expresseth the offer called the cords of love by Hosea by which hee draw's the soul to see his meaning somtimes by his long patience and waiting upon her notwithstanding all her deafness of ear and deadness of heart and dallying with his offer Oh! his locks are bedewed with the drops of the night His long suffering and patience is a bottomless depth beyond all the expectation of man It is long ere thy unbelief could wearie him hee hath lengthened out the season of grace according to the length of grace it self forborn thee long kept off judgment a long while which might have swept thee away from hope many years since Hee hath recovered the lives of many of us twice or thrice that wee might renue our covenants and keep them And hee hath
quiet but is held on by peculiar tenderness to attend grace Alas there will bee a season of God's weariness and his spirit shall not strive with man Hee will have also a season of leaving thee to that contempt which despised the counsel of God for thy salvation Abhorring of light preferring darkness despising the Ministerie and Ordinances revolting from those insinuations of grace which once seemed precious I say these are spiritual wickednesses and far exceed moral evils Vse VII Let this bee a sweet preparative unto us to frame us to believ Entertain wee not any base cursed thoughts of God in the simplicitie of his offer Nourish all possible persuasion in the soul of his unfeigned meaning towards thee in this kinde thou canst honor him no better than to agree with him in his meaning well to thee There is no greater difficultie of faith then this seed of bondage in us to judg of God by our selvs Wee muse as wee use If wee have an enemie wee cannot forget his wrongs wee meet him not without indignation and therefore so wee think of God also to us and the rather becaus hee hath so much vantage over us But oh poor wretch jealousie aagainst his love Is it not rather oyl to the flame Pull down thy traitor's heart hate not him whom thou hast hurt put on an holie and childe-like opinion of him who when hee needed not yet purposed sent received this satisfaction for thee and therefore cannot lie in offering it to thee Say thus Lord thy sweet offer naked bosom cords of love passions of sick love somtime to allure somtime to contest command urge threaten and beseech turning thee into all forms of persuasion to win my soul all these convince mee of thy wel-meaning towards mee If my own enmitie to my enemie and the slander of Satan that thou enviest my good do assault mee never so much and my own traiterous heart conspire with them yet this thy gracious offer in thy Gospel shall bear down all Read Esay 55. 7. For my wayes are not as your waies nor my thoughts as your thoughts but as far above them as heaven above the earth Add this All the understanding of man cannot comprehend the love of this offer no more then the eie of a needle can the great Camel and shall I go about to lessen it Surely this should bee a great stay to my heart that God hath offered mee this grace and as base as I am what though it cannot enter into such a narrow brest as mine is that hee mean's as hee speak's yet if it bee the pleasure of a great God to give it as his offer import's shall I look at my baseness or at his greatness whom it were a dishonor unto to give mean things Oh Lord rather by this bountie open my narrow heart and make it large If the offer of a Minister of God bee precious who dare seal it upon earth to my poor soul shall not the offer of God himself the strength of Israel that cannot lie much more sway with mee Oh Lord captivate all my hatred of spirit and base treacherie against thee It 's reported of a certain Merchant of LONDON in the storie of England that hee made much of a poor Cobler that dwelt with him a cankred Papist and did as good as maintain him yet this Traitor went about to betray him to death This Merchant haveing escaped his hands yet out of his love used all means to bee friends with him again and used him as before all this would not do his heart was so villanous hee would shun the way of him and not look at him It fell so out at length that hee met him in such a narrow Lane as hee could not balk him but must needs talk with him The good Merchant take's him to him and told him hee was glad hee had met him and hee wondered what hee mean't so to decline from him What said hee do you think mee your enemie if I were could I not crush you with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you for all your trecherie but forgive and forget it The words of this man so pierced the Cobler's heart that it brake instantly and hee falling down upon his knees and with bitter tears confessed his villanie and repented of it told him This love should for ever tie him unto him and so he continued This base Papist is the heart of every childe of old Adam this royal Merchant is the Lord this narrow lane is the streight of conscience beset with sin and curs this kinde behavior is this offer of Grace Let us not bee wors to it then a cankred Papist but break our hearts and melt into tears and with Saul to David say Where shall a man finde such love as to spare his enemie when hee had him in his hand and to bee content to cut off the lap of a garment when hee might have cut my throat Break my heart in the bosom of his love Vse VIII Wee learn hence to understand the Covenant of God a naked thing but filled with all the merit of an eternal Satisfier and with all the strength mercie justice and faithfulness of an unchangeable Promiser even the Lord fully satisfied and so concerning it beseech the Lord so to write it in thy soul God's offer is founded upon Christ and the well-pleasedness of the Father by him Why then there is no more anger in his heart Esay 27. 3. for if there were what should drie stubble do But now lo hee is reconciled hee cannot bee angrie with a poor Creature Hee hath taken order to satisfie justice by his Son to the end that hee might abolish the proceeding of Justice and cut off his own advantage and power to condemn For a time hee was angry for the iniquitie of thy sin but not for ever least flesh should fail before him Oh! let us well observ this That all in a promise and an offer is little enough to settle a poor soul against her fears And this will caus us to bee glad to cling to the word and say If I perish I perish ARTIC V. The LORD offer 's CHRIST to the Soul furnish't with all his benefits THe LORD offering Christ to the Soul doth not offer him nakedly and barely but furnish't with all the benefits of his satisfaction This is that which the Apostle in Ephes 1. 3. urgeth Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all blessings in Heavenly places All these benefits are not of one sort for order's sake wee will help our conceit with a distinction Som of these benefits of Christ belong to the beeing or estate of a believer and contain the full right and title to Chist himself and are concurrent with our first engraffing with him and accompanie our first conversion Others are consequent upon this condition as royalties and priveledges following upon it whether inward graces or outward blessings according to the several promises
Baptism received with holy confidence go to the Lord for her due nourishment by and in him saying thus Oh Lord I am thine save mee Psal 119. 94. Of thee I am who art made unto mee not onely Righteousness but sanctification with growth and increas in it I com therefore to plead my right in all humilitie If I had never came to birth or to the light I had so been at an end but seeing thou hast not denied mee the life of a childe of thine do not leav mee to shift but Lord bring mee up at thy cost and let mee have my portion from thy Table and my daily bread from thy hand My Baptism I alreadie enjoy in the death and life of Christ to make mee thine O Lord let also his blood grace and spirit run in the veins of my soul to strengthen mee in the inner man with all long-suffering and wel-pleasing and joyfulness all grace of thy new creature let it bee mine 2. Prepare thy soul to this feast of the mountains Esay 25. as oft as thou comest which must bee oft 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and com not without thy feast-Apparel And let this bee one rule unto thee Do not catch up this Robe on the sudden but wear it daily between Sacrament and Sacrament That faith in the Lord Jesus thou walkest or would'st com with to the Supper live by it daily Christ is the same in the promise and the seal That repentance thou walkest with to the Sacrament practice it daily hee that in a great frost would keep the ice thin must keep it broken every day so thou thy soul-issues lest thine heart harden 3. Beeing thus com to the Supper set thy faith on work say thus I know no Divel in hell can sever Jesus EMMANUEL my meat and drink from the Elements but this Word hath united them for ever That by sacramentall union with them as sensible hee might unite himself with mee spiritually and really in this seal of his 4. Seeing him there thine take him eat and drink him and enjoy him let thy soul applie him to thee for that thou lackest and hee serveth that is to applie thy wants where the hedg is lowest with the to pare off thy superfluous part to fill up and supplie thy decayes and voidness I mean such gifts or graces as concern thee either in thy particular Calling or in thy general 5. Least thou should'st stagger about thy right and part herein remember the end of the Sacrament is to rid thee of this fear For why it is God's seal to the covenant of his Grace to make thee his Son and Daughter and to sanctifie thee it 's his uttermost securitie for any outward one nay it 's his instrument of conveying the greatest measure of his Spirit unto thee 6. Haveing so received it live by him depart as one well satisfied enlarge him both for number and measure of growth to all parts of thy life all estates graces duties VI. Rules concerning Praier 1. Retain this heavenly Ordinance of God in that due esteem which the Lord hath graced it with for all ends both of humiliation and supplication The Lord and thy soul by experience do know it to bee the key of all the coffers of God and that High-priest's liveing way made by the blood of Christ whereby thou hast access daily yesterday to day and ever the oftner the welcomer to the Holie of Holies to the seat of Mercie 2. God in the Lord Jesus by a promise having thy wants in a readiness and thy faith on wing let not thy cours in praying issue from a formal plat-form but a lively feeling and humble pinching of soul for thy necessities 3. Shake off all extremities of a corrupt heart by faith which must hold thine eie fixed upon thy Mediator against all thy presumption commonness dulness deadness coldness and beseech the Lord to stir thee up to pray as hee shall suggest unto thee by the present occasion well digested either for the Church others or thy self If thou would'st bee heavenly in praier first abase thy self as a worm dust and ashes yea as Mr. Bradford hell and the sink-hole before the Lord who is heaven and holiness 4. Add these meet qualities of praier viz. fervent importunitie as one whom God cannot bee rid of till thou speed and frequencie as haveing sped well already 5. And above all com not to pray with any tainted known sin I say not onely gross but even secret and close through a lazie heart loath to cast them off or a loos heart loveing them better then the things thou praiest for least the Lord justly leave thee to bee wearisom to him and thy self VII Rules concerning Meditation 1. It take's away letts either giddiness of minde or unsavoriness of spirit the former like a sieve out of the water looseth all it get's suffer's nothing either truthes heard or works seen to abide long in the heart but Meditation set's them in the heart that they leak not out Heb. 2. 1. In stead of the later it season 's the heart with the sap the life the savor of good things 2. It make's the meaning view scope and order both of particular doctrine and the whole scope of Religion to becom our own 3. Wee com hereby to the eas of practice the fruit whereof experience so that if once wee have found crosses to do us good wee fear not when new ones approach if wee have felt the gain of a Sabbath get a delight therein in a word whatsoever is easie it becom's sweet and therefore if this bee worth somwhat to finde the yoke of God easie and his burthen light as to say the truth it is the upshot of goodness well may wee then say Meditation is a divine help to a good cours To these may bee added three other means of Godliness viz. 1. Resolvedness 2. Watchfulness 3. Experience I. Resolvedness is a grace of the Spirit standing in an holy firmness of minde and heart to keep fast the truth of God both in judgment and the power of practice Truth if it bee once lost in the judgment will not long hold in the practice therefore wee must bee well principled and grounded in the Truth love it for it self and embrace it with our best affections Not beeing wheeled and hurried about with the new tricks and devices of men of unsound judgment nor yet put on som truthes for a time with great zeal and heat and suddenly when a greater heat of opposition arise's out of a giddie minde and fearful heart recant as fast and betray the truth of God to time-servers and Enemies Therefore wee are bidden Buy the truth whatsoever wee give for it but sell it not whatsoever wee might have for it Contend wee for the faith Jud. 2 yea unto blood To this end let us wisely and strongly observ resist and reject all novelties and schisms starting up among us and abhor them bearing witness to the Truth of God