as cannot be exprest as cannot be declared Christ in this Ordinance opens such boxes of precious Oyntments as fill the Saints with a spiritual savor he gives them a cluster of the Grapes of Num. 13. 23 24 25. Canaan that makes them earnestly look and long to be in Canaan The Cypr. l 4. ep 6 Aug. in John Tract 27 c. Christians in the Primitive times upon their receiving the Sacrament were wont to be filled with that zeal and fervor with that joy and comfort with that faith fortitude and assurance that made them to appear before the Tyrants with transcendent boldness and cheerfulness as many Writers do testifie Now there are these Reasons why God is pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people when they are a hearing the Word of Life and a breaking the Bread of Life First That they may highly prize Reas 1 the Ordinances the choice Discoveries that God makes to their souls in them works them to set a very high Psal 63. 2 3. Cant 2 3. Psal 19. 10. This age is full of careless Gallioes Acts â—8 17. that care not for these things price upon them O say such souls we cannot but prize them we cannot but affect them for what of God we have enjoyed in them Many there are that are like old Barzillai that had lost his taste and hearing and so cared not for Davids feasts and musick so many there are that can see nothing of God nor taste nothing of God in Ordinances they care not for Ordinances they slight Ordinances O but souls Psal 84. 10 11. that have seen and heard and tasted of the goodness of the Lord in Ordinances they dearly love them and highly prize them I have esteemed thy Word says Job above my necessary food Job 23. 12. Better that the Sun shine not then that Chrysostom Preach not And David sings it out The Law of thy mouth is better unto me then thousands of gold and silver Luther prized the Word at such a high rate that he saith He would not live in Paradise if he might without the Word At cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere but with the Word he could live in Hell it self Secondly God lifts up the light of Reas 2 his countenance upon his people in Ordinances that he may keep them Psal 27. 4. close to Ordinances and constant in Ordinances the soul shall hear good news from Heaven when it is waiting at Wisdoms door God will acquaint Prov. 8. 34 35. the soul with Spiritual Mysteries and feed it with the droppings of the Honey Comb that the soul may cleave to them as Ruth did to Naomi Ruth 1. 15 16 17. and say of them as she said of her Where these go I will go where these lodge I will lodge and nothing but death shall make a separation between Ordinances and my soul After Joshua Josh 1. 5. had had a choice presence of God with his spirit in the service he was put upon he makes a Proclamation Chuse you whom you will serve I and my Josh 24. 15. houshold will serve the Lord. Let the issue be what it will I will cleave to the service of my God I will set my soul under Gods spout I will wait for him Mal. 3. 1. in his Temple I will look for him in Revel 2. 1. the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks I have found him a good Master I will live and dye in his service I have found his work to be better then wages I have found a reward not onely for keeping but also in keeping his Commandments as the Psal 19. 11 Psalmist speaks The good words the sweet aspects the choice hints the heavenly intercourse that hath been between the Lord Jesus and my soul in his service hath put such great and glorious engagements upon my soul that I cannot but say with the servant in the Law I love my Master Exod. 21. 5. Deut. 15. 16 17. and I will not quit his service because it is well with me my ear is bored and I will be his servant for ever The third Reason Why the Lord Reas 3 causes the beams of his love and the brightness of his glory to shine forth upon his people in Ordinances is To fence and strengthen their souls against all those temptations that they may meet with from Satan and his Ephes 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies cogging with a Dy such slights as cheaters and false-gamesters use at Dâ—ce instruments that lie in wait to deceive and by their cunning craftiness endeavor with all their might to work men first to have low thoughts of Ordinances and then to neglect them and then to despise them Now the Lord Chrysostom saith That by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we are so armed against Satans temptations that he fleeth from us as if we were so many Leones ignem expuentes Lyons that spit fire by the sweet discoveries of himself by the kisses and love tokens that he gives to his people in Ordinances does so indear and engage their hearts to them that they are able not onely to withstand temptations but also to triumph over temptations thorow him that hath loved them and in Ordinances manifested his presence and the riches of his grace and goodness to them the sweet converse the blessed turns and walks that the Saints have with God in Ordinances makes them strong in resisting and happy in conquering of those temptations that tend to lead them from the Ordinances which are Christs bankquetting-house Can 2. 4. Beith Haiin is Domus vini the House of Wine where he sets before his people all the dainties and sweet-meats of Heaven and bids them eat and drink abundantly there being no danger of surfeiting in eating or drinking of Christs delicates Truly many a soul hath surfeited of the worlds dainties and died for ever but there is not a soul that hath had the honor and happiness to be brought into Christs bankquetting-house and to eat and drink of his dainties but they have lived for ever The fourth Reason Why the Lord Reas 4 is pleased to give his people some sense of his love and some tastes of Heaven in Ordinances is That he may fit and ripen them for Heaven and make them look and long more after a perfect compleat and full enjoyment of God Souls at first conversion are but roughcast but God by visiting of them Isa 64. 5. and manifesting of himself to them in his ways doth more and more fit those Vessels of Mercy for Glory Ah Christians tell me do not those Holy Influences those Spiritual Breathings those Divine In-comes that you meet with in Ordinances make your souls cry out with David As the Hart panteth after the water Psal 42. 1 2. The Greeks derive their word for desire from a root that signifieth to burn Now if one should
applying precious promises and suitable remedies to all your maladies Have you not found God a bringing in unexpected mercy in the day of your adversity suitable to that promise Hosea 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or I will earnestly speak to her heart as the Hebrew reads it yes Have you not found that God hath so sweetned and sanctified afflictions to you as to make them a means to discover many sins that lay hid and to purge you from many sins that cleaved close unto you and to prevent you from falling into many sins that would have been the breaking of your bones and the loss of your comfort yes Have you not found that you have Musk saith one when it hath lost its sweetness if it be put into the sink amongst filth it recovers it so doth afflictions recover and revive decayed graces been like the Walnut tree the better for beating and like the Vine the better for bleeding and like the ingenious childe the better for whiping yes Have you not found afflictions to revive quicken and recover your decayed graces have they not inflamed that love that hath been cold and put life into that Faith that hath been dying and quickned those hopes that have been withering and put spirits into those joyes and comforts that have been languishing yes O then stand up and declare to all the world That times of affliction have been the times wherein you have seen the face of God and heard the voice of God and sucked sweetness from the brests of God and fed upon the delicates of God and drunk deep of the consolations of God and have been most satisfied and delighted with the presence and in-comes of God When Hezekiah in his great affliction lamentingly said I shall go mourning Isai 38. 9. to 21. to my grave I shall not see the Lord in the Land of the living he will cut me off with pining sickness he will break all my bones Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourn as a Dove mine eyes fail with looking upward O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me So now God comes in a way of mercy to him and prints his love upon his heart Vers 17. Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption or rather as the Hebrew reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it Thou hast loved my soul from the grave for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back Ah says Hezekiah I have now found that in my afflictions thy affections have been most strongly carried towards me as towards one whom thou art exceedingly taken with O now thou hast warmed me with thy love and visited me with thy grace thou hast made my darkness to be light and turned my sighing into singing and my mourning into rejoycing So when Habakkuks belly trembled Hab 3. 16 17 18. and his lips quivered and rottenness entered into his bones and all Creature comforts failed yet then had he such a sweet presence of God with his Spirit as makes him to rejoyce in the midst of sorrows Yet says he I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And thus you see it clear That in times of affliction God makes sweet manifestations of his love and favor to his Childrens souls Eighthly Praying times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to give his people some sweet and comfortable assurance of his love and favor towards them Prayer crowns Nunquam abs te absque te recedo Bern. ep 116. O Lord saith he I never go away from thee without thee He was a man very much in prayer as some Writers observe God with the honor and glory that is due to his Name and God crowns prayer with assurance and comfort usually the most praying souls are the most assured souls There is no service wherein souls have such a neer familiar and friendly entercourse with God as in this of prayer neither is there any service wherein God doth more delight to make known his grace and goodness his mercy and bounty his beauty and glory to poor souls then this of prayer The best and sweetest flowers of paradise God gives to his people when they are upon their knees Prayer is Porta coeli clavis padisi the Gate of Heaven a Key to let us into paradise when John was weeping in prayer doubtless the Sealed Book was open to him Many Christians have found by experience praying times to be sealing times times wherein God hath sealed up to them the remission of their sins and the salvation of their souls They have found prayer to be a shelter to their souls a sacrifice to God a sweet savor to Christ a scourge to Satan and an in-let to assurance God loves to lade the wings of prayer with the choicest and chiefest blessings Ah! how often Christians hath God kist you at the beginning of prayer and spoke peace to you in the midst of prayer and filled you with joy and assurance upon the close of prayer That nineth of Daniel from the seventeenth to the four and twentieth verse is full to the point in hand I shall onely cite the words of the four last Verses And whilest I was speaking and praying Dan. 9. 20. and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the Holy Mountain of my God Yea whilest I was speaking in prayer even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision at the begining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With weariness or flight tired as it were with his making speed being caused to flie swiftly touched me about the time of the Evening Oblation And he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved therefore understand the Matter and consider the Vision In these words you see whilest Daniel was in prayer the Lord appears to him and gives him a Divine touch and tells him That he is a man greatly beloved or as the Hebrew hath it a man of desires So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamudoth a man of desires that is one singularly beloved of God one that is very pleasing and delightful to God Act 10. 1 2 3 4. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius a Centurion of the Band called the Italian Band a devout man and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an Angel of God coming in to him and saying unto him Cornelius And when he looked on him he was afraid and said What is it Lord And he said unto him Thy
in blood it made the Martyrs to complement with Lions to dare and tire their persecutors to kiss the stake to sing and clap their hands in the flames to tread upon hot burning coals as upon Beds of Roses The assured Soul knows that Death shall be the Funeral of all his sins and sorrows of all afflictions and temptations of all desertions and oppositions He knows that Death shall be the Resurrection of his joyes he knows that death is both an out-let and an in-let an out-let to sin and an in-let to the souls clear full and constant injoyment of God And this makes the assured soul to sing it sweetly out O 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 37. death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1. 23 Make haste my beloved Come Cant. 8. ult Revel 22. Lord Jesus come quickly Now Death is more desirable then life Now says the Soul Ejus est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire Let him fear Death that is loth to go to Christ So I may be with Christ though I go in a Cloud I care not sayes the assured soul so I may be with Christ I care not though I go in a Fiery Charriot sayes the assured soul The Persians had a certain day in the year in which they used to kill all Serpents and venomous Creatures The assured Christian knows that the day of Death will be such a day to him and that makes Death lovely and desirable he knows that Sin Morimur dum non morimur was the Midwife that brought Death into the World and that Death shall be the Grave to bury Sin Ambrose said to his friends about him when he was dying I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live nor yet fear I death because I have a good Lord c. And therefore Death is not a terror but a delight unto him he fears it not as an enemy but welcomes it as a friend As Crook-back Richard the Third in his distress cried A Kingdom for a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse So souls that want assurance when they come to die will cry out A Kingdom for Assurance a Kingdom for Assurance And as Severus said If I had a thousand worlds I would now give them all for Christ So a Soul that wants Assurance when he comes to enter upon a state of eternity will cry out O had I now a thousand worlds I would give them all for assurance whereas the assured soul would not for a thousand worlds but die When his glass is out and his sun is set he cryes not out as that Lady did A World a World for an inch of time but rather why is it why is it Lord that thy chariots be so long a coming Eightly Assurance will very much sweeten that little oyl that is in the 1 King 17. 12 c. Cruse and that handful of meal that is in the Barrel Assurance will be sauce to all meats it will make all thy mercies to taste like mercies it will make Daniels pulse to be as sweet as Princes Dan. 1. delicates it will make Lazarus Rags Luke 16. as pleasurable as Dives Robes it will make Jacobs bed upon the stones to be Gen. 28. Amos 6. 4. as soft as those Beds of Down and Ivory that sinful great ones stretch themselves upon Look as the want of assurance imbitters all a sinners mercies that he cannot taste the sweetness and the goodness of them so the enjoyment of assurance casts a general beauty and glory upon the Believers meanest mercy And hence it is that assured souls Prov. 15. 16. live so sweetly and walk so chearfully when their little all is upon their backs and in their hands whereas the great men of the world that have the world at will but want this assurance that is more worth then the world live as slaves and servants to their mercies in the midst of all their abundance they are in straits and perplexities Job 20. 22. full of fears and cares and nothing pleases them nor is sweet unto them because they want that A Believer knows 1. That his little mercies are from great love Secondly That they are pledges of greater Thirdly That his blessings are blest unto him Fourthly That they shall not at last be witnesses against him assurance that sweetens to a Believer the ground he stands on the air he breaths in the seat he sits on the bed he lies on the bread he eats the cloaths he wears c. Ah were there more assurance among Christians they would not count great mercies small mercies and small mercies no mercies no no then every mercy on this side hell would be a great mercy then every mercy would be a sugared mercy a perfumed mercy Look as the Tree that Moses cast into the Exod. 15. 23 24 25. waters of Marah made those bitter waters sweet so Assurance is that Tree of Life that makes every bitter sweet and every sweet more sweet Ninthly Assurance will make a man The Rabbins say That the Angels attend in all Judicatories very Angelical it will make him full of motion full of action it will make him imitate the Angels those Princes of glory that are always busie and active to advance the glory of Christ they are still a singing the Song of the Lamb they are still pitching their Tents about them that Psal 34. 7. Heb. 1. ult fear the Lord they are Ministering Spirits sent forth for the good of them that are Heirs of Salvation Assurance will make a man fervent constant and abundant in the Work of the Lord as you may see in Paul The Assurance makes a Saint all fire it makes him like â—he burning Seraphims Isal 6. 2 3 4. assured Christian is more motion then notion more work then word more life then lip more hand then tongue When he hath done one work he is a calling out for another What is next Lord sayes the assured soul what is next His head and his heart is set upon his work and what he doth he doth it with all his might because there is no working in the Grave An assured Christian Bellarmiâ—â— is of opinion that one glimpse of Hell were enough to make a man not onely turn Christian but a Monk to live after the strictest rules to be abounding in wel-doing Surely assurance of Heaven will make a man do more will put his hand to any work he will put his shoulder to any burden he will put his neck in any yoke for Christ he never thinks that he hath done enough he always thinks that he hath done too little and when he hath done all he can he sits down sighing it out I am but an unprofitable servant In a word Assurance will have a powerful influence upon thy heart in all the duties and services of Religion nothing will make a man love like
they were shut out and to the Israelites to know that there was a Brazen-serpent set up whereby others were cured when they died with the stinging of the Fiery serpents So how can it comfort mee to know that there is peace in Christ and pardon in Christ and righteousnesse in Christ and riches in Christ and happinesse in Christ c. for others but not for me Ah this knowledge Psal 15. Ps 24. Ps 119. Ps 1 2 3 will rather be a hell to torment me then a ground of joy and comfort to me But now God hath in the Scripture discovered who they are that shal be eternally happy and how they may reach to an assurance of their felicity and glory which made One to say That he would not take all the world Luther for one leafe of the Bible The Bible is a Christians Magna Charta his chiefe evidence for heaven Men highly prize and carefully keep their Charters Priviledges Conveyances and Assurances of their Lands And shall not the Saints much more highly prize and carefully keep in the closet of their hearts the precious word of God which is to them instead of all assurances for their maintenance Psal 119 11. 12. verses compared deliverance protection confirmation consolation and eternall salvation Thirdly Other beleevers have in an ordinary way attained to a sweet assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse Wee know saith the Apostle in the name of the 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. Saints that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God â—n house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Nec Christus nee Câ—lum patitur hyperbolem Neither Christ nor heaven hyperbolized heaven Their assurance sets them in triumph upon the Throne We have a house a house above a house in heaven a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Wee have a house a heavenly house a house made by the greatest wisdom and the highest Love a house that for honour pleasures riches safety stability glory and perpetuity transcends all the royal Pallaces in the world It is a house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens So the Church Can. 2. 16. in that Solomons Song 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his I know sayes the Spouse that Jesus Christ is mine I can with the greatest confidence Eph. 1. 22 23. 1 Cor. 1. 30. c. 6. 26. Ps 110. 3. Joh. 10. 29. Joh. 5. 16. Ezek. 16 8. Hos 2. 19 20 and boldnesse affirme it hee is my head my husband my Lord my Redeemer my Justifier my Saviour And I am his I am as sure that I am his as I am sure that I live I am his by purchase and I am his by conquest I am his by donation and I am his by election I am his by covenant and I am his by marriage I am wholly his I am peculiarly his I am universally his I am eternally his This I well know and the knowledge thereof is my joy in life and my strength and crown in death So the Church in that Isa Jsa 63. 16 vide Calvin Psal 73. 25 26. Psal 19. 94. Job 19. 25. Ioh. 20. 28. 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer thy name is from everlasting David could say The Lord is my portion for ever And at another time he could sweetly sing it out I am thine save me Job could looke through the darkest cloud and see that his Redeemer lives Thomas cryes out My Lord and my God And Paul trumpets it out That nothing Rom. 8. 38. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. should separate him from the love of Christ and that he had fought a good fight and finished his course and that there was Quicquid fieâ—i potuit potest that which hath been done may be done laid up for him a crowne of Righteousnesse By what hath been said it clearly appears that other beleevers have obtained assurance in an ordinary way and therefore beleevers now may attain to a sweet assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse Certainly God is as loving and his bowels of compassion are as strong towards Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 1. 8. 11. Plato a heathen saith that God is one and the same and always like himself Beleevers now as ever they were to Beleevers of old and it makes as much for the honour of God the lifting up of Christ the stopping of the mouthes of the wicked and the rejoycing of the hearts of the righteous for God to give assurance now as it did for God to give it then Fourthly God hath by promise engaged himselfe to assure his people of their happinesse and blessednesse The Psal 84. 11. Antiochus promised often but seldome gave but God gives as much and as often as he promiseth he hath a kings heart as wel as a kings purse Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke uprightly If hee will with-hold no good thing then certainly he will not alwayes withhold assurance which is the great good thing the only thing the chiefest thing the peculiar thing that beleevers seek after So in that thirty fourth of Ezek. 30 31. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God And yee my flock the flock of my pasture are men and I am your God saith the Lord God So in that John 14. 21. 23. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my Nil Deo diffiâ—ilo there is nothing hard for God Tully an heathen frequently called God optimum maximum the best and greatest 2 Cor. 1. 20. Plato called God the Horn of plenty and the Ocean of beauty withouâ— the least spot of injustice Isa 64 4. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Psal 21. 3. Isa 65. 24. selfe to him If any man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Now hath the Lord spoken it and shall it not come to passe Men say and unsay they eate their words as soon as they have spoken them but will God do so Surely no Hee is faithful that hath promised All the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen that is they are stable and firme and shall really be made good The Promises are a precious Book every leaf drops Myrrhe and Mercie Therefore set down and suck at these brests warme thy self at this fire God hath been always as good as his word yea hee hath
The Lord hath in much mercy and love propounded in his Word the wayes and meanes whereby Beleevers may obtain a wel-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness and therefore it may be obtained take three Scriptures to evidence this The first is in that 2 Pet. 1. chap. 5-13 if you 2 Pet. 1. ch 5. 13. turne to the words you shal finde that the Lord does not only presse them to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure but he shewes them plainly the way and meanes whereby this may be done namely by adding to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. The second Scripture is 1 Cor. 11. 28 that in the 1 Cor. 11. 28. But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. By examination the Soule comes to see what right it hath to Christ and all the precious things of his House and beleevingly to eate so of that Bread of Life of that heavenly Manna as that it may live for ever The third Scripture is that 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine 2 Cor. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Goldsmith does the gold in the fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. unapproved or counterfeit not reprobates as it is translated vide Grâ—tius your selves whether yee be in the faith prove your selves know yee not your owne selves how that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates or unapproved or rejected by a serious examination of a mans owne estate he may know whether he hath faith or not whether he be Christs Spouse or the Devils strumpet whether there bee a worke of grace upon his heart or not and certainly it cannot stand with the glorious wisdome unspotted righteousness and transcendent holiness of God to put men upon the use of such Eâ—od 15. 11. and such meanes in order to the obtaining of such an end if that end could not be obtained by the use of the meanes prescribed Man that hath but a sparke of that wisdome righteousnesse Job 38. 5. 5. 18. 21. 33. verses compared and holinesse that is in God wil not put any upon the use of such oâ— such meanes for the obtaining of health wealth or the like unlesse there be a proper tendency in the use of those means prescribed to reach such Abstracts do better expresse God then concretes and adjectives ends and will God who is wisdome righteousnesse and holiness in the abstract Surely no God is one infinite perfection in himselfe which is eminently and virtually all perfections of the creatures and therefore it is impossible that God should act below the creature which he should do if he should put the creature upon the use of those meanes that would not reach the ends for which the means were used Thus you cleerly see by this seventh Argument that beleevers may in this life attain to a Well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness Eightly It was the principal end of Christs institution of the Sacrament of the Supper that he might assure them of his love and that hee might seale up to them the forgivenesse Matth. 26 27 28. of their sinnes the acceptation of their persons and the salvation of their soules The nature of a Seale is to make things sure and firme among Dan. 6 8. Mat. 27. 66. men So the Supper of the Lord is Christs Broad-seal it is Christs Privy-seale whereby he seals and assures his people that they are happy here that they shall be more happy hereafter that they are everlastingly beloved of God that his heart is set upon them that their names are written in the 2 Tim. 4. 8. Book of life That there is laid up for them a crowne of righteousnesse and that nothing shall be able to separate them from him who is their light their life their Col 3. 11. crowne their all in all In this Sacrament Christ comes forth and shews his love his heart his bowels his blood that his children may no longer say Doth the Lord Jesus love us doth he delight in us c but that they may say with the Spouse I am my beloveds Caâ— 7. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his desire is towards me Many precious Christians there are that have laine long under feares His desirous affection is towards me as the wiveâ— is towards her dearest husband So the Hebrew word signifies and doubts sighing and mourning and that have run from Minister to Minister and from one duty to another c. and yet could never be perswaded of the love of Christ to their poor soules but still their fears and doubts have followed them till they have waited upon the Lord in this glorious Ordinance by which the Lord hath assured them of the remission of their sins and the salvation of their soules In this Ordinance God hath given Rev 2. 17. them mannah to eat and a white stone and new name which no man knoweth but he that receiveth it Tell me you precious beleeving souls whether you have not found God in this Ordinance often whispering of you in the ear saying Sons and daughters be of Mat. 9. 2. good cheer your sinnes are forgiven you I know you have Those Scriptures that do expresly require Saints to be abundant and constant in rejoycing and in praising of God to have alwayes harps in their Nulla verior miseria quâ—m falsa laetitia there is no â—â—uer misery then false joyâ— hands and Hallelujahs in their mouths doe clearly evidence that beleevers may attaine to a well-grounded Assurance in this life How can they rejoyce and glory in God that doe not know whether hee will bee an everlasting friend or an everlasting enemy to them whether hee will alwayes breath out love or wrath upon them how can they Psal 13 7. 2. but hang their harps on the Willows that do not know but that they may live in a strange land yea in a land of darknesse all their dayes How can they be cheerful or thankful that doe not know but that they may at last heare that heart-breaking that conscience-wounding that soul-slaying word Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Matth. 25. 4. It would even be an endlesse businesse to cite every Scripture wherein this duty is injoyned It is a duty that is much pressed in both Testaments as little practised by all whimpering Christians fire prepared for the devil and his Angels Now there is no duty in the whole Book of God that is more frequently and abundantly prest upon beleevers then this of joy and rejoycing of praise and thanksgiving as all know that know any thing of the Scripture 1 Thess 5. 16. Rejoyce evermore God would not have his children alwayes a putting finger in the eye Ah Christians remember what Christ hath done for you and what he is still a doing for you in heaven and what
hee will doe for you to all eternity and spend your dayes in whining and mourning if Psal 32. 1. Psal 33 11. The word noteth a faire and comely grace for which a thing is to bee liked and desired Ainsw you can Ps 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Psal 33. 1. Rejoyce in the Lord O ye Righteous for praise is comely for the upright Christians are not your mercies greater then your miseries yes is your greatest sufferings comparable to the least spark of grace or beam of glory revealed in you or to you No wil not one Aeterna erit exultatio quâ— bono lâ—tatur aeterâ—o Their joy lasts for ever whose object remaines for ever houres being in the bosome of Christ recompence you for all your trouble and travell Yes Why then doe you spend more time in sighing then in rejoycing and why doe you by your not rejoycing sad those precious hearts that God would not have sadded and glad those graceless hearts that God would not have gladded A beautifull face is at all times pleasing to the eye but then especially when there is joy manifested in the countenance joy in the face puts a new beauty and makes that which before was beautifull to be exceeding beautifull it puts a luster and glory upon beauty so does joy in the face heart and life of a Christian cast a generall splendor and glory upon him and the wayes of God wherein hee walkes The joy of the Lord is not Nehem. 8. 10. only the strength but also the beauty and glory of Christians Joy and rejoycing is a consequent and effect of assurance as many beleevers by experience finde and therefore Mrs. Kath. Brettergh under the power of assurance cryes out O the joyes the joyes the unconceiveable joyes my heart is filled with without all peradventure beleevers may attaine unto a well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness else it is impossible that they should rejoyce evermore so that by this argument as by the former it clearly appeares that beleevers may in this life be assured of their eternal wel being The tenth and last Argument to prove that beleevers may in this life attaine to a well-grounded assurance is this That God would never have made such a broad difference in the Scripture between the seed of the Gen. 3. 15. Ezeck 18. Mat. 25. Mat. 3. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Woman and the seed of the Serpent between the righteous and the wicked between Saints and sinners between Sons and Slaves Sheepe and Goats between Lions and Lambs between Wheat and Chaffe Light and Darkness c. if it were impossible for men to know which of these two estates they are in therefore they may know whether they are in a state of life or in a state of death in a state of misery or in a state of felicity in Mat. 13. a state of wrath or in a state of love O it is much below the grace of God! it is repugnant to the wisdome of God to make such a wide difference Joh. 8. 44. between his owne Children and Satans if it were not possible for every Childe to know his owne Father and his interest in him Jer. 3. 19. And Jer. 3. 19. The Saints Motto is Tam pius nemo tam pater nemo no Father is like our Father Rom. 8. 15. I said thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turne away from me Here God ingages himselfe that his people shall know him account him and acknowledge him for their Father Thou shalt call me my Father Isa 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art my Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father and Redeemer thy name is from everlasting The weakest Saint can say Ioh. 14. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath no childe so young but can more or lesse call him Father Abba Father the Lord will not leave his Children comfortless or as Orphans and fatherless children as it is in the Greek though the salvation of beleevers doe not depend upon their knowledge of God to be their Father yet their consolation does Ier. 3. 4. We say he is a wise childe that knows his Father such wise ones beleevers are therefore the Lord wil not be only a Father to Israel but he wil make Israel know that he is his Father Jer. 3. 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father thou art the guide of my youth By these ten Arguments it doth evidently appear that beleevers may in this life attain unto a well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse I shall apply this a little and then close up this Chapter Use This precious truth thus proved looks sourely and wishly upon all those that affirme that beleevers cannot in this life attaine unto a certaine well-grounded Assurance of their everlasting happinesse and blessednesse As Papists and Arminians all know that know their writings and teachings that they are in Armes against this Christ-exalting and soule-cheering Doctrine of Assurance I know no such thing as Assurance of Heaven in this life saith Greevinchovius the Arminian Assurance is a Pearle that Sensum electionis ad gloriam in hac vita nullam agnosco Greevinchov they trample under feet it is a beame of Heaven that hath so much light brightnesse shining glory in it that their bleer eyes cannot behold it Assurance is glory in the bud it is the Suburbs of Paradise it is a cluster of the land of Promise it is a sparke of God it is the joy and crowne of a Christian the greater is their impiety and folly that deny assurance that cry downe assurance under any names or notions whatsoever They are rather tormenters then comforters that say poore souls may know that there is a crowne of Righteousnesse but they must not presume to know that they shall have the honour to weare that Crowne * Is the surety of the New Covenant growne so poor Heb. 7. 22. 2. Is the promise now come to be yea and nay 2 Cor. 1. 20. 3 Is the power of God growne so weak 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4 Is the decreeing will of God become mutable 2 Tim. 2. 19. 5 Is the free eternal and everlasting love of God become changeable Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 13. 1. that these things can be Ezek. 13. 22. and that makes God like King Xerxes who crowned his Steersman in the morning and beheaded him in the evening of the same day Arminians are not ashamed to say that God may crowne a man one hour and uncrowne him the next they blush not to say that a man may bee happy and miserable under love and under wrath an heire of heaven and a firebrand of hell a childe of light and a childe of darknesse and all in an houre O what miserable comforters are these what
Ah souls have not some of you found it so surely you have God deals sometimes with rebellious sinners as Princes do with those that are in arms that are in open rebellion against them You know Princes will This hâ—â—h bâ—â—n a practise among all Princes whether they have been Christians or Heathens put such hard to it they shall fare hard and lie hard Chains and Racks and what not shall attend them and yet after the sentence is past upon them and they are upon the last step of the Ladder of Life ready to be turned off and all hope of escape is gone then the Princes pardon is put into their hand So the Lord brings many poor souls to the last steps of the Ladder to a hopeless condition and then he puts their pardon into their bosoms then he sayes Be of good chear I have received you into favor I have set my love upon you I am reconciled to you and will never be separated from you You know how God dealt with Paul after he had awakned Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. Vide Bezam Grotium Calvin and convinced him after he had unhorsed him and overthrown him after he had amazed and astonished him then he shews himself graciously and favorably to him then he takes him up into the third Heaven and makes such manifestations of his love and favor of his beauty and glory of his mercy and majesty as he is not able to utter So upon the prodigals return the fatted Calf is killed Luk. 15. 22 23. and the best Robe is put upon his back and the Ring is put on his hand and shoes on his feet Some understand by the Robe the Royalty of Adam others The dignity which Adam lost nay I think in this parable God sets forth his goodness and our happiness in restoring to us more by the death of the second Adam then we lost by the sin of the first Adam the Righteousness of Christ and by the Ring some understand the pledges of Gods love Rings being given as pledges of love some the seal of Gods Spirit men using to seal with their Rings Among the Romans the Ring was an ensign of Virtue Honor and Nobility whereby they that wore them were distinguished from the common people I think the main thing intended by all these passages is to shew us That God sometimes upon the sinners first conversion and returning to him is graciously pleased to give him some choice and signal manifestations of his love and favor of his good will and pleasure and that upon these following Grounds First That they may not be swallowed up of sorrow nor give up the ghost under the pangs and throws of the new birth Ah did not the Lord set in some beams of love upon the soul when it is magor Missabib a terrour to its self when the heart is a hell of horrour the conscience an An awakned conscience is like Prometheus Vulture it lies ever gnawing Acheldema a Field of black blood when the soul is neither quiet at home nor abroad neither at Bed nor Board neither in company nor out of company neither in the use of Ordinances nor in the neglect of Ordinances how would the soul faint sink and despair for ever But now when it is thus night with the soul the Lord sweetly comes in and tells the soul that all is well that he hath found a ransom for Job 33. 24. the soul that the Books are crost that all debts are discharged and that his favor and love upon the soul is fixed And so God by his sweet and still voice speaking thus to the soul quiets and satisfies it and keeps it from sinking and despairing Secondly God gives in assurance sometimes at first conversion that he may the more raise and inflame their love and affections to him Ah! How does a pardon given in when a man is ready to be turned off draw out his love and raise his affections to that Prince that shews bowels of mercy when he is upon the brink of misery So when a poor sinner is upon the last Titus Motro was Priâ—câ—ps bonus orbis amor All the world falls in love with a good Prince with a merciful Prince step of the Ladder upon the very brink of Hell and misery now for God to come in and speak peace and pardon to the soul Ah how does it inflame the soul and works the soul to a holy admiration of God and to a spiritual delighting in God King Antigonus his pulling a sheep with his own hands out of a dirty ditch as he was passing by drew his Subjects exceedingly to commend him and love him So King Jesus pulling of poor souls out of their sins and as it were out of Hell cannot but draw them to be much in the commendations of Christ and strong in their love to Christ Christ hath nothing more in his eye nor upon his heart then to act towards his people in such ways and at such seasons as may most win upon their affections And therefore it is that sometimes he gives the strongest consolation at first conversion Thirdly Christ sometimes at first conversion grants to his people the sweetest manifestations of his love that they may bee the more active servent abundant and constant in Amor Dei â—unquam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est fi vero operari renuit amor non est the love of God is never idle for if it is it worketh great things but if it resuse to work it is not love wayes of grace and holinesse hee knows that divine manifestations of love will most awaken quicken and engage the soule to wayes of piety and sanctity Look what wings are to the bird oyle to the wheels weights to the clock a reward to the coward and the load-stone to the needle that is the smiles and discoveries of God to a poore soule at his conversion The manifestations of divine So said Bradford and other blessed souls love puts heat and life into the soule it makes the soule very serious and studious how to act for God and live to God walk with God Ah saies a soul under the beams of divine love It is my meat and drinke it is my joy and crowne to doe all I can for that God that hath done so much for me as to know me in darknesse and to speak love to me when I was most unlovely to turn my mourning into rejoycing and my hell into a heaven Fourthly Christ sometimes at first conversion gives his people the sweetest manifestations of his love to fence and fortifie them against Satans fiery temptations before Christ shall bee led into the wildernesse to be tempted Mat. 3. 16 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an emphatical word and signifies that infinite affection delight and contentt hat God the Father did take in Christ Eph. 6. 16. by the devill the Spirit of the Lord shall
souls as makes them bid defiance to the greatest dangers and as Crowns them Conquerors of the greatest difficulties Ah says a soul that hath walked some turns in Paradise what is dross to gold what is darkness to light what is Hell to Heaven no more is all difficulties and oppositions to me who have found As they said once of the Grecians in the Epigramme whom they thought invulnerable we shoot at them but they fâ—ll not down we wound them and yet not kill them c. the sweetness of Divine Grace and have had the happiness to lie in the bosom of God Dioclesian the worst and last Persecutor in all the Ten Persecutions observed That the more he sought to blot out the name of Christ the more it became legible and to block up the way of Christ the more it became passible and whatever of Christ he thought to root out it rooted the deeper and rose the higher in the hearts and lives of the Saints among whom he had scattered the beams of his love and the rich pearls of his grace Such souls as have once been in the arms of God in the midst of all oppositions they are as men made all of fire walking in stubble they consume and overcome all oppositions all difficulties are but as whetstones to their Fortitude The Moon will run her course though the Dogs bark at it so will all those choice souls that have found warmth under Christs wings run their Christian race in spight of all difficulties and dangers The Horse neighs at the Trumpet the Leviathan laughs at the Spear so does a Saint under the power of assurance laugh at all hazards and dangers that he meets with in the Lords service The sense of Gods love and goodness makes him to triumph over the greatest difficulties Fourthly and lastly God gives his Reas 4 people some tastes of his love when he puts them upon hard and difficult services that the mouths of the wicked may be stopt should God lay heavy burdens upon his peoples shoulders and not put under his finger to give some ease should God double their tale of brick and yet deny them straw should God engage them against a potent enemy and then desert them should God send them upon some weighty embassage and not give proportionable encouragements to them what would the world say would Exod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 12 13 14 15 16. they not say That he is a hard Master and that his ways are not equal would they not say Verily they are lyers that say he is glorious in power and wonderful in counsel and infinite in mercy and admirable in goodness and rich in grace and unsearchable in his understanding for surely were he he could not he would not put his children upon such hard and dangerous services but he would own them and stand by them he would assist them and smile upon them he would be as careful to bring them bravely off as he hath been ready to bring them freely on O he could not see them in garments rouled in blood but his bowels would yern towards them and he would arise and have compassion on them Then thirdly Waiting times are times wherein God is pleased to give his people some sweet tastes of his love and to lift up the light of his countenance upon them I waited patiently Psal 40. 1 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Lord saith David and he inclined unto me and heard my cry Waiting I waited He brought me up also out of an horrible pit or out of a pit of noise out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings And he hath put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God After God had exercised Davids patience in waiting he sweetly breaks in upon him and knocks off his bolts and opens the prison doors and takes him by the hand and leads him out of the pit of noise and confusion in which he was and causes his love and goodness so to beam forth upon him as causes his heart to rejoyce and his tongue to sing So after devout Simeon had waited for the consolation Luke 2. 25 to 33. of Israel that is for Christs coming the Holy Ghost falls upon him and leads him to a sight of Christ in the Temple and this makes the good old man sing nunc dimittas Now let thy servant depart in peace Ah says Simeon I have lived long enough now I have got Christ in my heart and Christ in my arms who is my light my life my love my joy my crown let me depart according to thy Word Ah Saints I appeal to you have not many of you found by experience the sweet breathings of Christ upon you even whilest you have been waiting at the door of Mercy while you have been weeping and waiting hath not the Lord Jesus come in and said Peace be to you waiting souls be of good cheer it is I be of good cheer your sins are pardoned surely you have Hath not God made that word good unto you Wait Psal 37. 14. on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Wait I say on the Lord yes And hath he Isa 49. 23. These words Shall not be ashamed in the Hebrew Dialect do not simply import that such shall not be brought to shame or shall not perish but that he shall be advanced to great dignity and glory to everlasting happiness and blessedness Isai 30. 18. Lam 3. 25. not made that good to you They shall not be ashamed that wait for me that is they shall not be deceived or disappointed of their hopes and expectations that wait for me yes And have you not found that word made sweet to your souls Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious blessed are all they that wait for him Yes And hath not the Lord made that word good to you The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him Yes Waiting souls remember this assurance is yours but the time of giving it is the Lords the Jewel is yours but the season in which he will give it is in his own hand the Gold Chain is yours but he onely knows the hour wherein he will put it about your necks Well wait patiently and quietly wait expectingly wait believingly wait affectionately and wait diligently and you shall finde that Scripture made good in power upon your souls Yet a Heb. 10. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hab. 2. 3. Mal 3. 1. little little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry he will certainly come he will seasonably come he will suddenly come as the Prophet Malachi speaks Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Behold he
loathsom Dungeon the pavement whereof was sharp shells and his bed to lie on a bundle of thorns All which this blessed Martyr received without so much as a groan breathing out his spirit in these words Vincentius is my name and by the grace of God I will be still Vincentius inspight of all your torments Persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other for while it kills the body it crowns the soul The most cruel Martyrdom is but a crafty trick to escape death to pass from life to life from the prison to paradise from the cross to the crown Justin Martyr says that when the Romans did immortalize their Emperors as they called it they brought one to swear that he see him go to Heaven out of the fire But we may see by an eye of Faith the blessed Souls of suffering Saints flie to Heaven like Elias in his fiery Judg. 13. 20. chariot like the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flames John Hus Martyr had such choice discoveries of God and such sweet in-comes of the Spirit as made his patience and constancy A patient man under reproaches is like a man with a Sword in one hand and a Salve in the other he could wound but he will heal invincible When he was brought forth to be burned they put on his head a Triple Crown of Paper painted over with ugly Devils but when he saw it he said My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake did were a Crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this light crown be it never so ignominious truly I will do it and that willingly And as they tied his neck with a chain to the stake smiling he said That he would willingly receive the The Motto of patient souls is plura pro Christo toleranda we must suffer more then so for Christ same chain for Jesus Christs sake who he knew was bound with a far worse chain for his sake Well remember this their names that by a patient suffering are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calender are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register in the Book of Life A second Reason why the Lord Reas 2 lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in suffering times and that is for the confirmation of some for the conversion of others and for the greater conviction and confusion of their adversaries who wonder and are like men amazed when they see the comfort and the courage of the Saints in suffering times Pauls choice carriage in his bonds was the Phil. 1. 14. vide Estius confirmation of many And many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear And as the sufferings of the Saints do contribute to the confirmation of some so by the blessing of God they contribute to the conversion of others I beseech thee says Paul for Philem. v. 10. my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds It was a notable saying of Luther Ecclesia totum mundum convertâ—t sanguine oratione The Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer Basil affirms That the They knew it could be but a days journey between the cross and paradise between that short storm and an eternal calm Primitive Saints shewed so much comfort and courage so much Heroick zeal and constancy that many of the Heathens turned Christians so that choice spirit that the Saints have shewed in their sufferings when Christ hath overshadowed them with his love and stayed them with flagons and comforted them with apples hath madded grieved vexed and extreamly It would be too tedious to give you an account of all particular persecutors in this case whom the courage faith and patience of the Saints have tyred out tormented and made weaty of their lives and also bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers tormented their tormentors Lactantius boasts of the braveness of the Martyrs in his time our children and women not to speak of men do in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them Hegesippus reports an observation of Antoninus the Emperor viz. That the Christians were most couragious and confident always in Earth-quakes whilest his own Heathen Souldiers were at such accidents most fearful and dis-spirited Certainly no Earth-quakes can make any Heart-quakes among the suffering Saints so long as the countenance of God shines upon their face and his love lies warm upon their Hearts The suffering Saint may be assaulted but not vanquished he may be troubled but can never be conquered he may lose his head but he cannot lose his Crown which the 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him The suffering Saint shall still be master of the day though they Mori posse vinci non posse kill him they cannot hurt him he may suffer death but never conquest And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 12. 11. the Lamb and by the word of their testimony O Lord Jesus said one I love thee plusquam mea plusquam meos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yea more then my very life and they loved not their lives unto the death They love not their lives that love Christ and his truth more then their lives they that slight contemn and despise their lives when they stand in competition with Christ may be truly said not to love their lives In these words you see that the Saints by dying do overcome They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me A Saint may say this and more The Herb Heliotropium doth turn about and open it self according to the motion of the Sun so do the Saints in their sufferings according to the internal motions of the Sun of Righteousness upon them A third Reason Why the Lord Reas 3 causes his goodness to pass before his people and his face to shine upon his people in suffering times and that is for the praise of his own Grace and for the glory of his own Name God would lose much of his own glory if he should not stand by his people and comfort them and strengthen them in the day of their sorrows Ah the dirt the scorn the contempt that Exod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. vain men would cast upon God Look as our greatest good comes thorow the sufferings of Christ so Gods greatest glory that he hath from his Saints comes thorow their sufferings If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. 1 Peâ— 4. 14. Vide Bezam happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified It makes much for the glory of God that his people are cleared and comforted quickned and raised spiritualized and elevated in
certainty bless him and will bless his blessing to him and in multiplying he would multiply his seed as the stars of Heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea shore Now the Angel of the Lord viz. the Lord Jesus as his own words shew Verse 12 15 16. calls unto Abraham out of Heaven not once but twice and now he shews his admirable love in countermanding of Abraham and in providing a Ram even to a miracle for a burnt-offering And thus you see that believing times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to reveal his love and make known his favor to his people and to look from Heaven upon them and to speak again and again in love and sweetness to them Fifthly Hearing and receiving Reas 5 times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his face to shine upon his people when they are a hearing the Word of Life and a Psal 63. 3 4. breaking the Bread of Life then God comes in upon them and declares to them that love that is better then life Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word As Peter was Also by the Holy Ghost is meant the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit Vers 45 46. Acts 11. 15. Therefore says the Apostle do not leave the substance for a shadow the Sun for a Candle and speaking the Holy Ghost that is the graces of the Holy Ghost viz. the joy the comfort the love the peace c. of the Holy Ghost fell upon them So in that Gal. 3. 2. This onely would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith By the Spirit here Calvin and Bullinger and other Expositors do understand the joy the peace the assurance that is wrought in the heart solid Meat for Milk which none would do except they were bewitched Gal. 3. 1. by the hearing of Faith that is by the Doctrine of the Gospel for in these words of the Apostle hearing is put for the thing heard and Faith for the Doctrine of the Gospel because the Gospel is the ordinary means of working Faith Faith comes by hearing saith the Apostle So in that 1 Thes 1. 5 6. By the Holy Ghost in this Text cannot be meant the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and that first because they were no evidences of Election secondly because many vessels of wrath have been partakers of them thirdly many of Gods choice and chosen ones have been destitute of those extraordinary gifts For our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost In these words you have a Divine Power attending Pauls Ministry a power convincing enlightning humbling raising delighting reforming renouncing and transforming of them that heard him Also you have the sweet and blessed testimony of the Spirit attending his Ministry and assuring those of their Effectual Calling and Election upon whom the Word came in power and raising up their spirits to joy in the midst of sorrow Ah you precious Sons and Daughters of Sion that have sate waiting and trembling at Wisdoms door tell me tell me Hath not God rained down Manna upon your souls whilest you have been hearing the Word Yes Hath not God come in with power upon you and by his Spirit sealed up to you your Election the Remission of your sins the Justification of your persons and the Salvation of your souls Yes Without controversie many Saints have found Christs lips in this Ordinance to drop honey and sweetness marrow and fatness And as Christ in hearing times when his people are a hearing the Word of Life does lift up the light of his countenance upon them so when they are a receiving the Bread of Life he makes known his love to them and their interest in him in this feast of fat This Ordinance is a Cabineâ— of Jewels in it are abundance of Spiritual Springs and rich Mines heavenly Treasures things the Master of the Feast the Lord Jesus comes in the midst of his guests saying Peace be here Here the beams of his glory do so shine as that they cause the hearts of his Children to burn within them and as scatters all that thick darkness and clouds that are gathered about them When Saints are in this Wine Celler Christs Banner over them is Love When they are in this Canaan then he feeds them with Milk and Honey When they are in this Paradise then they shall taste of Angels Food When they are at this Gate of Heaven then they shall see Christ at the right hand of the Father When they are before this Mercy Seat then they shall see the Bowels of Mercy rowling towards them In this Ordinance they see that and taste that and feel that of Christ that they are not able to declare and manifest to others In this Ordinance Saints shall see the truth of their graces and feel the increase of their graces and rejoyce in the clearness of their evidences In this Ordinance Christ will seal up the Promises and seal up the Covenant and seal up his Love and seal up their pardon sensibly to their souls Many precious souls there be that have found Christ in this Ordinance when they could not finde him in other Ordinances though they have sought him sorrowingly Many a cold soul hath been warmed in this Ordinance and many a hungry soul hath been fed with Every gracious soul may say not onely credo vitam aeternam edo vitam aeternam I believe life eternal but I receive I eat life eternal Manna in this Ordinance and many a thirsty soul hath been refreshed with Wine upon the Lees in this Ordinance and many a dull soul hath been quickned in this Ordinance * Every wicked soul that takes the cup may say Calix vitae calix mortis the Cup of Life is made my death 1 Cor. 11. 27. I do not say That ever a dead soul hath been in livened in this Ordinance this being an Ordinance appointed by Christ not to beget Spiritual Life where there was none but to increase it where the Spirit hath formerly begun it In this Ordinance weak hands and feeble knees have been strengthned and fainting hearts have been comforted and questioning souls have been resolved and staggering souls have been setled and falling souls have been supported Ah Christians if you will but stand up and speak out you must say That in this Ordinance there hath been between Christ and you such mutual smiles such mutual kisses such mutual embraces such mutual opening and shutting of hands such mutual opening and closing of hearts as hath made such a Heaven in your hearts
heap never so much fuel upon a fire it would not quench it but kindle it the more so nothing can satisfie the desires of a Saint but a full celestial enjoyment of God brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God When shall I come and appear before the presence of God So in that Psal 63. 1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary In these words you have Davids strong earnest and vehement desires here you have desire upon desire here you have the very flower and vigor of his spirit the strength and sinews of his soul the prime and top of his enflamed affections all strongly working after a fuller enjoyment of God Look as the espoused Maid longs for the marriage day the Apprentice for his freedom the Captive for his ransom the condemned man for his pardon the Traveller for his Inn and the Mariner for his Haven so doth a soul that hath met with God in his Ordinances long to meet with God in Heaven It is It is not drops but swimming in the Ocean that will satisfie a soul that hath looked into paradise not a drop it is not a lap and away a sip and away that will suffice such a soul No. This soul will never be quiet till it sees God face to face till it be quiet in the bosom of God The more a Saint tastes of God in an Ordinance the more are his desires raised and whetted and the more are his teeth set on edge for more and more of God Plutarch faith That Plutarch in vita Camilli when once the Gauls had tasted of the sweet Wine that was made of the Grapes of Italy nothing would satisfie them but Italy Italy So a soul A full enjoyment of God is the most sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Glory that hath tasted of the sweetness and goodness of God in Ordinances nothing will satisfie it but more of that goodness and sweetness a little mercy may save the soul but it must be a great deal of mercy that must satisfie the soul The least glimps of Gods countenance may be a staff to support the soul and a cordial to cherish and comfort the soul and an ark to secure the soul and a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide the soul but it must be much very much of God that must be enough to satisfie the soul The fifth and last Reason Why the Reas 5 Lord is graciously pleased to give his people some sense of his love and some assurance of his favor in Ordinances is That they may have wherewithal to silence and stop the mouths of wicked and ungodly men whose words are Mal. 3. 13 14. stout against the Lord who say it is in vain to serve God and what profit is there in keeping his Statutes and Ordinances and in walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Now the The Saints by the gracious Experiences that they have of the sweet breathings of God upon them in Ordinances are able to confute muzzle halter or button up the mouths of vain and wicked men who say unto the Lord Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Lord causes his face to shine upon his people in Ordinances that they may stand up and bear him witness before the wicked world that he is no hard Master that he reaps not where he sows not In Ordinances he kisses them and there he gives them his love and makes known his goodness and glory that his Children may from their own experiences be able to confute all the lies and clamors of wicked men against God and his ways And blessed be God that hath not left himself without witness but hath many thousands that can stand up before all the What is the Almighty that we shouâ—d serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21. 14 15. world and declare That they have seen the beauty and glory of God in his Sanctuary that they have met with those joys and comforts in the ways of God that do as far surpass all other joys and comforts as light does darkness as Heaven does Hell That they have met with such heart meltings such heart humblings such heart revivings such heart cheerings as they never met with before in all their days Ah say these Souls One day in his Courts is better then a thousand years elswhere O! we had rather with Moses loose all and be whipped and stripped of all then lose the sweet enjoyments of God in Ordinances O! in them God hath been Light and Life a Joy and a Crown to our Souls God is tender of his own glory and of his Childrens comfort and therefore he gives them such choice aspects and such sweet visits in Ordinances that they may have Arguments at hand to stop the mouths of sinners and to declare from their own experience that all the ways of God are ways of pleasantness Prov 3. 17. Psal 65. 11. and that all his paths drops fatness And thus much for the Reasons Why God lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in Ordinances before I pass to the next particular it will be necessary that I lay down these Cautions to prevent weak Saints from stumbling and doubting who have not yet found the Lord giving out his favors and making known his Grace and Love in such a sensible way to their souls in breaking the Bread of Life as others have found Now the first Caution I shall lay Caut. 1. down is this That even Believers may sometimes come and go from this Ordinance without that comfort that assurance that joy that refreshment that others have and may meet with And this may arise partly from their 2 Chro. 30. 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 20. to ult unpreparedness and unfitness to meet with God in the Ordinance and partly from their playing and dallying with some bosom sin or else it may arise from their not stirring up themselves to lay hold on God as the Prophet Isaiah complains There is none Isa 64. 7. that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee or else it may arise from the Spirits standing at Sam. 1. 16. a distance from the Soul it may be O soul that thou hast set the Comforter the Spirit a mourning and therefore it is that he refuses to comfort thee and to be a sealing and witnessing spirit unto thee Thou hast grieved him with thy sins and he will now vex thee by his silence thou hast thrown his Cordials against the Psal 77. 2. wall thou hast trampled his Manna under thy feet and therefore it is that he
and feeling so much as upon the Scripture therefore let the Word be always the man of thy counsel No way to assurance and joy to settlement and establishment like this If you are resolved to make Sense and Feeling the Judge of your conditions you must resolve to live in fears and lie down in tears The seventh Impediment to Assurance 7. Impediment is Mens remisness carelesness laziness and overliness in Religious Services and in the Exercise of their graces Ah how active and lively are men The active Christian goes to Heaven Alacri animo ac plena fiducia in pursuing after the world but how liveless and unactive in the ways of Grace and Holiness Ah doubting Christians remember this That the promise of Assurance and Comfort is made over not to lazy but laborious Christians not to idle but to active Labor omnia vincit Christians not to negligent but to diligent Christians John 14. 21 22 23. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And he that loveth me shall be loved of Non amat qui non zelat Aug. my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Now Judas saith unto him not Iscariot Lord How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not to the world Jesus answered and said unto him If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So in that 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Wherefore the rather Brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a significant word it signifies all manner of earnestness scriousness and continuance in doing Also it signifies a speedy and swift putting of things in execution give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For if you do these things ye shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ A lazy Christian shall always want four things viz. Comfort and Content Confidence and Assurance God hath made a separation between Joy and Idleness between Assurance and Laziness and therefore it is impossible for thee to bring these together that God hath put so far a sunder Assurance and Joy are choice Donatives that Christ gives onely to laborious Christians The lazy Christian hath his mouth full of complaints when the active Christian hath his heart full of comforts God would have the hearts of his children to be hot in Religious Services be fervent or seething hot as it is in the Rom. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies seething hot Original in spirit serving the Lord. That service that hath not heavenly heat that hath not Divine fire in it is no service it is lost service A lazy spirit is always a losing spirit O! Remember lazy Christians that God is a pure act therefore he loves activeness in Religious services Remember the Angels those Princes of Ezek. 1 6. Marth 18. 10. glory are full of life and activity and they always behold the Fathers face in glory Remember he that will finde rich Minerals must dig deep he that Prov. 2. 4 5 6. will be rich must sweat for it he that will taste the Kirnel must crack the shell he that will have the Marrow must break the bone he that will wear the Garland must run the race he that will ride in triumph must get the victory so he that will get Assurance must be active and lively in duty It is onely fervent prayer that is effectual Jam â— 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The working prayer prayer it is onely the working prayer that works wonders in Heaven and that brings down wonderful Assurance into the heart Cold prayers shall never have any warm Answers God will suit his returns to our requests liveless services shall have liveless Answers when men are dull God will be dumb Elias prayed earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He prayed in prayer or as it is in the Greek He prayed in prayer and God answered him Most men have more heat in their brains then in their hearts and services and therefore it is that they walk in darkness that they want assurance Many there be that pray but they do not pray in prayer they are not lively and earnest with God in prayer and therefore Justice shuts out their prayers When one desired to know what kinde of man Basil was there was saith the History presented to him in a dream a Pillar of fire with this Motto Talis est Basilius Basil is such a one all on a light fire for God Ah lazy doubting Christians were you all on a light fire in hearing in praying c. It would not be long before the Windows of Heaven would be open before God would rain down Manna before he would drop down Assurance into your bosoms My advice to you lazy Christians is this Cease complaining of the want of Assurance and be no more formal slight and superficial in Religious God shot Anastasius the Emperor to death with a thunder-bolt for his lukewarmness saith the Historian services but stir up your selves and put out all your might and strength in holy actions and you shall experimentally finde that it will not be long before you shall have such good news from Heaven as will fill you with joy unspeakable and full of glory The eighth Impediment to Assurance 8. Impediment is Mens living in the neglect of some Ordinance or in the omission Omission of Diet breeds diseases and makes the life uncomfortable yea sometimes a burâ—en to a man So the omission of holy duties and services breeds many fears doubts and questions in the soul about its own sincerity about its interest in Christ about its finding audience and acceptance with God and so makes the life of a Christian very uncomfortable yea a burden to him of some Religious duties they seek Christ in some of his ways but not in all they wait upon him in this and that Ordinance but not in every Ordinance Are there not many doubting souls that wait upon God in hearing the Word of Life and yet neglect and make light of waiting upon Christ in breaking the Bread of Life Are there not many that are very careful daily to perform Family duties and yet are very rarely found in Closet services Some there be that are all ear all for hearing and others there be that are all tongue all for speaking and praying and others there be that are all eye all for believing all for searching all for enquiring into this and that and others there be that are all hand all for receiving the Lords Supper c. And seriously when I consider these things I cease wondering that so many want Assurance and do rather wonder that any obtain Assurance considering how few there be that are conscientious and ingenuous in waiting upon God in every way and service wherein he
Rom. 8. John 14. he is the great Comforter and the onely Sealer up of souls to the day of Redemption If you set him a mourning Eph. 1. 13. by your wilful sinnings that alone can glad you by whom will you be gladed Verily Christians when you turn your back upon the Spirit he will not turn his face upon your souls your vexing of the Spirit will Isai 63. 10. be but the disquieting of your selves Look as all lights cannot make up the want of the light of the Sun so all Creatures cannot make up the want of the testimony of the Spirit Let me speak to you as God once spake to his people in that of Exod. 23. 20 21 This Angel is the Lord Jesus as Expositors do generally agree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22 23. Behold sayes God I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in thy way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will Malachi which Hebrew word is here rendered Angel is by transposition of letters Michael as some of the Rabbins have observed not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him â— So I say Behold the Spirit of the Lord that is your guide and guard he also is onely able to make a soul satisfying report of the love and favor of the Father to you therefore as ever you would have assurance beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for if you do by wilful transgressions he will neither comfort you nor counsel you he will neither be a sealing nor a witnessing spirit unto you nay he will raise storms and tempests in your souls he will present to you the Father frowning and your Saviour bleeding and himself as grieving and these sights will certainly rack and torture your doubting souls The Spirit of the Lord is a delicate thing a holy thing a blessed guest that makes every soul happy where he lodges Therefore Epâ—es 4. 30. This phrase is Tropically to be understood The Greek cannot be fully exprest in our tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The Spirit the holy of that God To shew the transcendent excellency and glory of the Holy Spirit grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption You will not grieve your guests your friends but courteously and friendly entertain them Why then do you make so little conscience of grieving that holy Spirit that alone can stamp the Image of the Father upon you and seal you up to life and glory Ah Christians the way to assurance is Not to sit down sighing and complaining of the want of assurance but it lies in your eying of the Spirit in your complying with the Spirit in your cleaving to the Spirit in your following of the Spirit in your welcoming of the Spirit and in your honoring and obeying of the Spirit As he said of the sword of Galiah none like to that So I say no mans like to this to gain a wel-grounded Assurance of a mans Happiness and Blessedness And as he said If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back it is by Prayer So I say If there be any way in the world to assurance it is by being fearful to offend and careful to please the Spirit of the Lord whose office it is to witness to poor souls the remission of their sins and the salvation of their souls Fourthly If you would obtain Assurance Means 4. then be sincere be diligent and constant in assuring Ordinances He that will meet the King must wait Isai 64. 5. Revel 2. 1. on him in his walks Christs Ordinances are Christs walks and he that would see the beauty of Christ and taste of the sweetness of Christ and be ravished with the love of Christ must wait at Wisdoms door they Prov. 8. 34 35. must attend Christ in his own appointments and institutions that comfort and assurance that flowes not in thorow the Golden Pipes of the Sanctuary Hos 6. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 24. will not better the soul nor long abide with the soul it will be as the morning dew and as the flower of the field that soon fadeth away I have in the former Discourse shewed at large How the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his love and glory to beam forth upon souls in Ordinances and therefore I shall say no more unto this particular at this time The fifth Means to obtain Assurance Means 5. is wisely and seriously to observe What gift of God there is in thee that brings thee within the compass of the promises of eternal mercy Now let the gift be this or that if it be a gift that brings thee within the compass of the promise of Eternal Mercy that gift is an infallible evidence of thy Salvation For the better and further opening of this Truth premise with me these two things First No man can have any sure evidence to himself of his Happiness and Blessedness from absolute promises Absolute promises do not describe to whom Salvation and all Eternal Isai 42. 6. 49. 8. Joel 2. 28. Ezek. 36. 26 27. Jere. 32. 40. Heb. 8 10 11 12. Isai 23. 25. Blessings do belong the promise of giving Christ of giving the Spirit of giving a new heart and of pardoning and blotting out sin are all absolute promises Now God is free to make good these to whom he pleases therefore he often steps over the rich and chuses the poor the learned and chuses the ignorant the 1 Cor. 1. 25 26 27 28 29. strong and chuses the weak the noble and chuses the ignoble the sweet nature and chuses the rugged nature c. That no flesh may glory and that all may shout out Grace Grace Secondly Though no man can have any sure evidence of his Happiness and Blessedness from absolute promises because absolute promises do not describe the persons to whom Salvation and all Eternal Blessings do belong yet absolute promises are of most choice and singular use First In that they discover to us that our Salvation is onely from Free-grace and not from any thing in us or done by us Secondly They are a most sure and glorious foundation for the very worst of sinners to stay their filthy guilty wearied burdened perplexed souls upon seeing that God looks not for any peny or peniworth for Isai 55. 1 2. any portion or proportion in the Creature to draw his love but he will justifie pardon and save for his Name sake seeing all the Motives that moves God to shew mercy are in his Deut. 7. 7 8. Psal 68. 18 own bosom seeing they are all within doors there is no reason why the vilest of sinners should sit down and say There is no hope there is no help Thirdly Absolute promises may and doubtless often are choice Cordials to many precious souls who happily have lost the
7. 4 5 6 7. Isa 58. 1 2 3 c. Assurance of your Everlasting Happiness is to be much yea to excel in those choice particular things that may clearly and sully difference and distinguish you not onely from the prophane but also from the highest and most glistering Hypocrites in all the world It is nothing to be much in those duties and performances wherein the worst of sinners may equalize yea go beyond the best of Saints O but to excel in those things that the most refined Hypocrites cannot reach to This cannot but much help you on in assurance He that hath those Jewels in his bosom that God gives onely to his choicest favorites needs not question whether he be a favorite c. If he doth it it is his sin and will hereafter be his shame But you may say to me What are those choice particular things that may difference and distinguish Christs true Nathaniels from all other persons in the world Now to this question I shall give these following answers First A true Nathaniel in his constant course labors in all duties and services to be approved and accepted of God he is most studâ—ous and in dustrious to approve his heart to God in all that he puts his hand to So David Search me O God and know my Psal 139. 23 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting So Peter To make a strict search and inquisition John 21. 15 16 17. approves his heart to Christ three several times together Lord thou knowest that I love thee Lord thou knowest that I love thee Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Thou knowest the sincerity and reality of my love and therefore to thee I do appeal to the same purpose the Apostle speaks in 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him The Greek word that is here translated labor is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very emphatical word it signifies to labor or endeavor with all earnestness and might to endeavor with a high and holy ambition to be accepted of God judging it the greatest honor in the world to be owned and accepted of the Lord. Ambitious men are not more diligent earnest studious and laborious to get honor among men then we are saith the Apostle to get acceptance with God Ah but your most Maâ—th 6. 23. Also it is Chrysostoms observation that she that paints tears and blubberings is worse then a wanton woman that paints to seem fair Hom. 6. in Matth. refined Hypocrites labor onely to approve themselves to men in their Praying Fasting Talking Hearing Giving c. Let them have but mans eye to see them and mans ear to hear them and mans tongue to commend them and mans hand to reward them and they will sit down and bless themselves saying it is enough Ah ha so would we have it They say of the Nightingale that when she is solitary in the Woods she is careless of her note but when she conceives that she hath any auditors or is near houses then she composes her self more quaintly and elegantly Verily this is the frame and temper of the best of Hypocrites O but a sincere Nathaniel Noli peccare Deus videt angeli astant Take â—eed what thou doest God beholds thee Angels observe thee saith one labors in all places and in all cases and services to approve himself to God he labors as much to approve himself to God in a Wood where no eye sees him as he doth when the eyes of thousands are fixt upon him The Sun would shine bright though all men were a sleep at High noon and no eyes open to see the glory of his Beams so a sincere heart will shine he will labor to do good though all the world should shut their eyes yet he will eye his work and eye his God he knows that God is totus oculus all eye and therefore he cares not though others have never an eye to observe him to applaud him Let God but secretly whisper him in the ear and say Well done good and faithful servant and it is enough to his soul enough to satisfie him enough to cheer him and enough to encourage him in the ways and the work of his God Secondly He labors to get up to He cannot be satisfied with so much grace as will keep him from dropping into Hell but he must have so much Grace as will make him shine gloriously in Heaven the very top of Holiness he labors to live up to his own Principles He cannot be satisfied with so much Grace as will bring him to glory but he labors to be high in Grace that he may be high in glory Phil. 3. 11. I desire if by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead That is to that perfection that the dead shall attain to in the morning of the Resurrection Verily that man is ripe for Heaven who counts it his greatest happiness to be high in holiness that man shall never be low in Heaven a door-keeper in Heaven that cannot be satisfied till he be got up to the very top of Jacobs Ladder till he hath attained to the highest perfection in Grace and Holiness Psal 45 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of wrought gold Her inward principles are all glorious and her outward practise ecchoes to her inward principles her clothing is of wrought gold It was the honor and glory of Joshua and Caleb that they Num. 14. 24. followed the Lord fully That is they lived up to their own principles So those Virgins in Revel 14. 4 5. that were without spot before the Throne of God They followed the Lamb wheresoever he went That is they lived up to their Profession there was a sweet harmony betwixt their principles and practises And thus the Apostles Vivimus praceptis non factis We live by precepts not by deeds Legibus Dei non eâ—emplis homiâ—um by the Laws of God not by the examples of men lived 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you wards 1 Thes 2. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves among you that believe Thus we see these worthies living up to their own Principles Blested Bradford and Bucer lived so up to their principles that their friends could not sufficiently praise them nor their foes finde any thing justly to fasten on them Believers know first That their living up to their own principles doth best evidence Christ living Gal. 2. 20. in them and their union with him secondly
is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life 2 Pet. 1. 3. According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue What this Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation I shall shew you anon Secondly Faith is another of those special things that accompanies Salvation 1 Thes 2. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation thorow sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 5. You Vide Parcus Esteum Gerhardum on the Text. who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Vers 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls Heb. 10. 30. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul John 3 14 15 16. Mark 16. 16. Acts 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9. Isa 45. 22. Phil. 2. 8. Joh 11. 25 26. 1 John 5. 10. All â—hese and many more Scriptures speaks out the same truth This dâ—uble asseveration or protestation is used onely in matters of weâ—ght and unhappy are we â—hat we cannot believe without them And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life for God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Vers 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Chap. 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Chap. 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth he Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Vers 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life Thirdly Repentance is another of those choice things that accompanies salvation 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sorrow The very word repâ—nt was very displeasing to Luther till his conversion but afterward he took delight in the work Paehitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet Luth to sorrow for his sin and then rejoyce in his sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jere. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Matth. 18. 3. And Jesus said verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Fourthly Obedience is another of those precious things that accompanies salvation Heb. 5. 9. And being Vide B. Dewâ—h of Justification 17. c. 7. made perfect speaking of Christ he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Psal 50. 23. whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I declare the Salvation of God Fifthly Love is another of those singular things that accompanies salvation Deus nihil corenat nisi dona sui August When God câ—ownâ—th us he doth but crown hâ—s own gifts in us 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing James 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren haâ—h not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is written eie hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when The word Crown notes to us the perpetuity of that life the Apostle speaks of for a Crown hath neither beginning nor ending 2. It notes plenty the Crown fetches a compasse on every side 3. It notes dignity it notes majesty Eternal life is a coronation day It notes all joys all delights in a word it notes all good it notes all glory he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Matth. 19. 28 29. And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that yee which have followed me in the regeneration When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his glory yee shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The whole is as if Christ had said whosoever shall shew love to mee this way or that in one thing or another out of respect to my Name to my Honor mercy shall bee his portion here and glory shall bee his portion hereafter Sixthly Prayer is another of those sweet things that accompanies salvation Rom. 10. 10. 13. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Act. 2. 21. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved That is saith one hee shall be certainly sealed up to salvation Or as another saith he that hath this grace of Prayer it is an evident sign and assurance to him that he shall be saved Therefore to have grace to pray is a better and a greater mercy then to have gifts to prophesie Matth. 7. 22. Praying souls shall finde the gates of heaven open to them when prophecying souls shall find them shut against them Seventhly and lastly Perseverance is another of those prime things that accompanies salvation Matth. 10. 22. And yee shall be hated of all men for my name sake but he that indureth to the end the same shall be saved Chap. 24. 12 13. And because iniquity shal abound the love The same words you have in Mark 13. 13. of many shal wax cold but he that indureth unto the end the same shal be saved Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of
Christ Pauls great light makes him very little though he was the greatest Apostle yet he looks upon himself a◠less then the least of all Saints Of all the Evangelists John was most sharp-sighted John in the Hebrew signifies The grace of God This Barbarian said the Philosopher hath comprised more in three lines then we have done in all our volumnious discourses Matth. 11. 9 10 11. Christ wonderfully extols John Sayes Christ he is a Prophet yea and more then a Prophet yea a greater is not born of women But the greatest wonder of all is that John is so low in his own eyes most Eagle-eyed he had the clearest sight of Christ he lay most in the bosom of Christ he knew most of the minde of Christ he had the fullest manifestations and revelations of Christ and yet O how little how low is John in his own eyes John 1. 26 27. John answered them saying I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not He it is who coming after me is preferred before me whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose In this phrase John alludes to the custom of the Hebrews those among them which were more noble then others had Boyes who carried their shooes and untied them when they laid them by O sayes John I am a poor weak worthless Creature I am not worthy to be admitted to the meanest to the lowest service under Christ I am not worthy to carry his shooes to unloose his shooes After Peter had been in the Mount and instructed and enlightned by Christ he cryes out Depart from me O Lord for I am a sinful man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man a sinner a very mixture and compound of dirt and sin of vileness and baseness as you may see in comparing Matth. 17. 1 2 3 4. with Luke 5. 8. Abraham under Gen. 18. 27. all his light and knowledge acknowledges himself to be but dust and ashes Jacob under all his knowledge Gen. 32. 10. acknowledges himself to be less then the least of all mercies David under Psal 22. 2. 73 22. all his knowledge acknowledges him self to be a worm and no man he acknowledges himself to be foolish and ignorant and as a beast before the Lord. Job under all his knowledge Job 42 1 2 3 4 5. acknowledges that he hath much reason to abhor himself in dust and ashes Agur was very good and his knowledge very great and yet under all his knowledge O how doth he villifie yea nullifie himself Surely saith he I am more bruitish then any man and Prov. 30. 1 2 3 4. have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy The Evangelical Prophet Isaiah under all his knowledge Isa 6. 1. to 8 c. and visions which were very great and glorious acknowledges himself to be a man of unclean lips and to dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Divine and heavenly knowledge brings a man The light that the Moon borrows from the Sun discovers her own spots and makes them the more conspicuous Isa 6. near to God it gives a man the clearest and the fullest fight of God and the nearer any man comes to God and the clearer visions he hath of God the more low and humble will that man lie before God None so humble as they that have nearest communion with God The Angels that are near unto him cover their faces with their wings in token of humility Divine knowledge makes a man look inwards it anatomizes a man to himself it is a glass that shews a man the spots of his own soul and this makes him little and low in his own eies In the beams of this heavenly When a beam of Divine light had shined upon Augustine he cryed out Teneo in memoria scribo in charta sed non habeo i◠vita Gal. 6 3. Many in these days are like the Chineses who use to say That they onely did see with two eyes all others but with one light a Christian comes to see his own pride ignorance impatience unworthiness conceitedness worthlesness frowardness and nothingness That knowledge that swells thee will undo thee that knowledge that puffs thee will sink thee that knowledge that makes thee delightful in thy own eyes will make thee despicable in God and good mens eyes 1 Cor. 8. 1 2. Knowledge puffeth up that is Notional knowledge Speculative knowledge Knowledge that ripens a man for destruction that will leave him short of salvation this knowledge puffs and swells a man and makes him think himself something when he is nothing And if any man thinketh that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know saith the Apostle Will not that Philosopher rise in judgement against many of our high-flown Professors who swell who look big and talk big under their notional knowledge who said under all his knowledge which was very great Hoc tantum scio quod nihil scio This onely do I know that I know nothing Well if that knowledge thou hast be that knowledge that accompanies salvation it is a soul humbling and a soule abasing knowledge if it bee otherwise then will thy knowledge make thee both a Prisoner and a Slave to the Devill at once Seventhly That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is an appropriating knowledge a knowledge that appropriates and applies spiritual and heavenly benefits to a mans own particular soul As you may see in Job my Job 19 25. and 16. 19. Redeemer lives and my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high So David the Lord is my portion in Psal Psal 16. 5. 18. 2. he useth this word of propriety eight times together The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high Tower So the Spouse my Beloved is mine and I am Cant. 2. 16. John 20. 28. his So Thomas My Lord and my God So Paul I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse This is the pith and power of heavenly knowledge to appropriate Christ to a mans selfe I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me and gave himself for me Applicatory knowledge is the sweetest knowledge it revives the heart it chears the spirits it rejoyces the soul it makes a man go singing to duties and go singing to his grave and singing to Heaven Whereas others Those that have a blemish in their eie think the Skie to be ever cloudy and nothing is more common to weak spirits then to be criticizing and contending c. though gracious that want this applicatory knowledge have their hearts full of fears and their lives full of sorrows and so go sighing and mourning
compleat and perfect before the Throne of God Faiths putting this righteousness on the soul brings down blessings upon the soul When Jacob had put on his elder Brothers Gen. 27. 15. garment he carried the blessing away The actings of Faith upon this Pearless Righteousness of Christ brings down the blessing of Peace and the Rom 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Acts 10. 43. blessing of Joy and the blessing of Remission of sins and in a word all other blessings that contributes to the making us blessed here and happy hereafter c. The third object that Faith is exercised about is the precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. Mark the whole Word of God is the object of Faith but the promises more especially are the prime object about which Faâ—â—h is most conversant which are a Christians Magna Charta As every precious stone hath an â—gregious vertue in it so hath every promise The promises are a precious Book every Leaf drops Myrrhe and Mercy and upon these precious promises precious Faith looks and lives From these Brests Faith sucks comfort and sweetness Psal 119. 49 50. Remember thy word that is thy promise unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me So in Psalm 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living Heb. 11. 13. These all died in faith or according to faith not having received the promises but having seen them a far off and were perswaded of them and embraced them or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Persevering in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some think that it is an allusion to the custom of saluting one another by embracing or laying hold of each other saluted them by Faith they kissed the promises and kissed Christ in the promises and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth It would be an endless thing to shew you how the faith of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and other Saints have been acted and exercised upon promises of Sanctification upon promises of Justification upon promises of Salvation upon promises of Glorification upon promises of Protection upon promises for Direction upon promises for Supportation c. Look as the Lamp lives upon the Oyl and the Childe upon the Brests so doth Faith upon the promises For the further advantage and comfort of your souls in eyeing the promises let me give you these two sweet hints First In your looking upon the promises minde most eye most spiritual promises absolute promises viz. Those and such-like that you see in Jere. 32. 40 41. Ezek. 11. 19 20. the Margent These spiritual and absolute promises are of nearest and Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. I a 42. 1. Ezek 20. 41 42 43. Psal 91. 15. Isa 65. 24. Jere. 33. 3. Isa 32 15. Ezek 34 30 31. with many others of the like import greatest concernment to you these carry in them most of the heart of Christ the love of Christ the good will of Christ these are of greatest use to satisfie you and to settle you when you are wavering to support you when you are falling to reduce you when you are wandering to comfort you when you are fainting to counsel you when you are staggering c. Therefore make these your choicest and your chiefest companions especially when it is night within your souls when you are sensible of much sin and but a little grace of much corruption but of little consolation of much deadness but of little quickness of much hardness but of little tenderness of many fears and but a little Spiritual and absolute promises are the most precious Mines to inrich you in them you will finde he greatest Pearls of price Faith The Jews under the Law had more temporal promises then spiritual but we under the Gospel have far more spiritual promises then temporal therefore sit down at this fire and be warmed drink of these springs and be satisfied taste of these delicates and be cheered Let the eye of Faith be cast upon all the promises but fixt upon spiritual promises upon absolute promises they will have the greatest influence upon the heart to holiness and to prepare it for Everlasting happiness Look not onely upon some of the Haman took notice yea and would have his friends take notice of all his greatness honors and riches Esth 5. 10 11 12. And will not you stir up your hearts to see all those riches and pleasures that be in precious promises riches the Jewels the Pearls that be rwapped up in the promises but enlarge and expatiate your understandings to an effectual contemplation of all those riches and treasures that God hath laid up in the promises Cast not the eye of your Faith onely upon one beam of the Sun but endeavor to see all the beams of the Sun Look not upon one branch of the Tree of Life but upon every branch of that Tree look not upon one bunch of the Grapes of Canaan but look upon the whole Land As understanding Heirs when they come to read over their Evidences and Writings they will see what they have in Houses what in Goods what in Lands what in Money what in Jewels what at home what abroad They will not sit down and say Well we finde in our Evidences that such and such Land is ours and look no further no no they will look all over and take exact notice of every thing they will say We have so much Land and so much Money c. O beloved there is much Marrow and Fatness there is much Honey and sweetness much Grace and Glory wrapped up in the promises O press them and oppress them till you have got forth all the riches and sweetness that is in them Ah Christians did you this God would be more honored the promises more prized your Graces more strengthned your fears more abated your hearts more warmed and engaged and your lives more regulated and Satan more easily and frequently vanquished And so much for this third object about which Faith is exercised The fourth object and last that I shall mention that Faith is set and fixt upon is That Glory Blessedness and 2 Tim 4. 8. Faith antedates glory Life which God hath laid up for them that love him The things of eternity are the greatest things they are the most excellent things they are most excellent in their natures in their causes in their operations in their effects in their ends and upon these Faith looks and lives Faith Heb. 11. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Subsistance i. e. That which gives a substantial being to the things of eternal life Faith alters the Tensis it puts the Future into the Present Psal 60. 6. Heb. 12. 2. realizeth things it makes absent things present Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence
9 13 14 17. Divine Love is not stinted nor limited to one sort of duty but is free to all He that loveth flieth he that loveth runneth he that loveth believeth he that loveth rejoyceth he that loveth mourneth he that loveth giveth he that loveth lendeth he that loveth beareth he that loveth waiteth he that loveth hopeth c. Heb. 6. 10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love Love makes the soul laborious that Love that accompanies Salvation is very Active and Operative it is like the vertuous Woman in the Proverbs that sets all her Maidens on work it is never quiet but in doing the Will of God it will not suffer any Grace to sit idle in the Soul it will egg and put on all other Graces to act and operate Love sets Faith upon drawing from Christ and Patience upon waiting on Christ and Humility upon submitting to Christ and Godly-sorrow upon mourning over Christ and Self-denial upon forsaking of the nearest and dearest comforts for Christ c. As the Sun makes the Earth fertil so doth Divine love make the Soul fruitful in Works of Righteousness and Holiness He that loves cannot be idle nor barren Love makes the Soul constant and aboundant in wel-doing 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loves property is to do eternally it is an eternal lasting principle and actions will last as long as principles its action is as abiding as it self us it doth urge us and put us forward it carries us on as men possessed with a vehemency of spirit or as a ship which is driven with strong winds towards the desired Haven Natural love makes the Childe the Servant the Wife obedient so doth Divine love make the soul better at obeying then at disputing A Soul that loves Christ will never cease to obey till he ceases to be That Love that accompanies Salvation is like the Sun the Sun you know casteth Beatus qui amat te amicos in te inimicos propter te Aug. Confess his beams upward and downward to the East and to the West to the North and to the South so the love of a Saint ascends to God above and descends to Men on Earth to our Friends on the right-hand to our Enemies on the left-hand to them that are in a state of Grace and to them that are in a state of Nature Divine love will still be a working one way or another Thirdly That Love that accompanies Salvation is a sincere and incorrupt love Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Word for word in incorruption or with incorruption i. e. That love Christ in sincerity and not feignedly and hypocritically them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Amen The true bred Christian Amat Christum propter Christum loves Christ for Christ he loves Christ for that internal and eternal worth that is in him he loves him for his incomparable excellency and beauty for that transcendent sweetness loveliness holiness and goodness that is in him he is none of those that loves Christ for loaves neither will he with Judas kiss Christ and betray him nor yet will he with those in Matth. 21. 9 15. the Gospel cry out Hosanna Hosanna one day and Crucifie him crucifie him the next They love Christ with a Virgin love Cant. 1. 3. The Virgins love thee They love thee in much sincerity purity and integrity they love thee for that fragrant savor for that natural sweetness for that incomparable goodness that is in thee so in the fourth Verse The upright love thee or as it is in the Hebrew Uprightnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love thee Uprightnesses being put for upright ones the abstract for the concrete Judas was kin to the bag he was not kin to Christ and he in Clemens was not his but his riches Kinsman Christ hath many such Kinsmen A Christian cares not for any thing that hath not aliquid Christi something of Christ in it He sayes with him Sine Deo omnis copia est egâ—stas Without Christ all plenty is scarcity Austin prayes Lord saith he whatever thou hast given take all away onely give me thy self God gave him himself and cast in many other mercies as Paper and Packthred into the bargain or they love thee in uprightnesses that is most uprightly most intirely most sincerely and not as Hypocrites who love thee for base carnal respects who love thee in complements but not in realities who love thee in word and tongue but despise thee in heart and life who love the gift more then the giver That Love that accompanies Salvation is real and cordial Love it is sincere and upright love it makes the Soul love Christ the giver more then the gift it makes the Soul love the gift for the givers sake it will make the Soul to love the giver without his gifts And verily they shall not be long without good gifts from Christ that love Christ more then his gifts Vespasian commanded a liberal reward should be given to a woman that came and professed That she was in love with him and when his Steward asked him What item he should put to it in his Book of Accounts the Emperor answered Vespasiano adamato Item to her that loved Vespasian Ah Christians shall Vespasian an Heathen Prince reward her liberally that loved his person and will not the Lord Jesus much more reward them with his choicest gifts that love him more then his gifts Surely Christ will not be worse then a Heathen he will not act below a Heathen He shall never be a loser that loves Christ for that Spiritual sweetness and loveliness that is in Christ Christ will not live long in that mans debt Fourthly That Love that accompanies Salvation is a vehement Love an ardent Love it is a spark of heavenly fire and it puts all the affections into a holy flame Can. 1. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest c. This amiable amorous Pathetical Compellation O thou Anima est ubi amat non ubi animat The soul is where it loves not where it lives whom my soul loveth speaks the Spouses love to be hot and burning towards Christ So in Isa 26. 8 9. The desire of our souls is towards thee and to the remembrance of thy name With my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the midst of me it is an emphatical phrase soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early This affectionate this passionate form of Speech With my soul have I desired thee and that with my spirit within me will I seek thee does elegantly set forth the vehement and ardent love of the Church to Christ so doth that pathetical exclamation of the Church Stay me with flagons comfort Cant. 2. 5. me with apples for I am sick of love
time c. But do not persevere and hold out will be doubly miserable in the day of vengeance Perseverance is the accomplishment of every Grace without it he that fights cannot hope to overcome and he that for the present doth overcome cannot look for the Crown unless he still perseveres and goes on conquering and to conquer till he findes all his enemies slain before him Thirdly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is An abiding You must persevere and hold fast the faith of the Gospel without wavering in it or startling from it You must be as the Center or as Mount Sion stedfast and unmoveable or continuing in the Word or Doctrine of Christ John 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you 1 John 2. 14. I have written unto you yong men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you Vers 24. Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father 2 John vers 9. Whosoever tranfgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son None shall receive the end of The Tabernacle was covered over with red and the purple feathers tell us that they take that habit for the same intent to note That we must defend the truâ—h and abide by the truth even to essusion of blood their Faith the Salvation of their Souls but those that hold fast the Doctrine of Faith foundly sincerely and entirely to the end John 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed It is the End that crowns the action as the Evening crowns the day as the last act commends the whole Scene It is not enough to begin well except we end well the beginning of Christians is not so considerable as the end Manasseh and Paul began ill but ended well Neroes first five years were famous but afterwards who more cruel Judas and Demas began well but ended ill It is not the knowledge of the Doctrine of Christ nor the commending of the Word of Christ but the abiding in Christs Word the continuing in Christs Doctrine that accompanies Life and Glory and that will render a man happy at last Such that with Hymeneus and Alexander put away 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. 1 Cor. 5. 5. or make shipwrack of the Doctrine of Faith of the Word of Faith shall by the Lord or his people or by both be delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme Usually the end of such is worse then the beginning Double 2 Pet. 2. 20 21 22. 2 Tim 3. 13. damnation attends those that begin in the Spirit and end in the Flesh Fourthly and lastly That Perseverance that accompanies Salvation is A Perseverance in holy and gracius Phil. 3. 10-14 Isa 40. ult Actions and Motions it is a continuing in Pious Duties and Religious Services The life of Christian consists in Motion Non progrediest regredi Not to go forwards is to go backwards not in Session A Christians Emblem should be an House moving towards Heaven he must never stand still he must alwayes be a going on from Faith to Faith and from strength to strength When Saints have done their work in this life they shall sit upon Thrones in a better life Perseverance Acts 13. 43. 14. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a continuance in Prayer and Supplication with an invincible and strong constancy There was a Temple of Concord among the Heathens and shall it not be found among Christians that are the Temple of the Holy Ghost is a going on a holding out in ways of piety and sanctity Acts 1. 14. These all continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication Chap. 2. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers Vers 46. And they continued daily with one accord in the Temple and breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart 1 Tim. 5. 5. Now she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in God and continueth in Supplications and Prayers night and day Rom. 12. 12. Continuing instant in Prayer Christians must work hard in a Wilderness before they sit down in paradise They must make a constant progress in holiness before they enter into happiness It is the excellency of Perseverance that it keeps a Christian still in motion God-wards Heaven-wards Holiness-wards It is a Grace that quickens a man to motion to action it keeps a man still going still doing And Motion is the excellency of the Creature and the more excellent any Creature is the more excellent is that Creature in its motions as you may see in the motions of the Celestial Bodies the Sun Moon and Stars Perseverance is a perpetual motion in ways of Grace and Holiness Perseverance will Psal 44. 16 17 18 19 20. make a man hold up and hold on in the work and ways of the Lord in the face of all impediments discouragements temptations tribulations and persecutions As the Moon holds on her motion though the dogs bark so Perseverance will make a Christian hold on in his holy and heavenly Motions though vain men bark and bite c. And thus I have shewed you what Perseverance that is that accompanies Salvation Now in the Eighth place I shall The eighth and last thing that accompanies Salvation is Hope I shall gather up what I have to say concernâ—ng Hope into as narrow a compass as I can being unwilling to tire the Readers patience and my own spirits The Philosophers excluded Hope out of their Catalogues of vertues numbering it among the perturbations but God by his Werd hath taught us better shew you very briefly First That Hope doth accompany Salvation Secondly What that Hope is that doth accompany Salvation First That Hope doth accompany Salvation these Scriptures speak it out Rom. 8. 24. For we are saved by hope Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith Ephes 1. 18. The eyes of your understanding being inlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints 1 Thes 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of Faith and Love and for an helmet the Hope of Salvation Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Chap. 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began By all these Scriptures it doth fully
appear that Hope doth accompany Salvation it doth boarder upon eternal life The second thing that I am to shew you is What Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation that comprehends Salvation and that I shall do with as much brevity and perspicuity as I can in the following particulars First That Hope that accompanies Salvation is A grace of God whereby Spes est expectatio eorum quae verè à Deo promissa fides credidit Calvin 1 Tim. 6. 17. This very title The God of Hope may serve as a soveraign antidote against the blackest and horridest temptations for why should any despair of his mercy who hath proclaimed himself to be the God of Hope Spes est virtus qua inclinamâ—r ad expectationem eorum quae Deus nobis promisit Perkins we expect good to come patiently waiting till it come First I call it a Grace of God because he is the donor of it and therefore he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Now God is called the God of Hope because he is objectivè the onely object of our Hope and he is effectivè the onely Author and Worker of Hope in the Soul Hope is no natural affection in men men are not born with hope in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouthes Hope is nobly descended it is from above it is a heavenly Babe that is formed in the soul of man by the power of the Holy Ghost And as Hope is no natural affection so Hope is no Moral vertue which men may attain by their frequent actions but Hope is a Theological vertue that none can give but God Secondly I say it is a Grace of God whereby we expect good to come I say good not evil for evil is rather feared then hoped for by any The object of this Hope hath four conditions 1. It must be Bonum good 2. Futurum future 3. Possibile possible 4. Arduum hard or difficult to obtain Thirdly I say Hope is a Grace of God whereby we expect good to come patiently waiting till it come Hope makes the Soul quiet and patient till it comes to possess the good desired and hoped for Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it The Hebrew word Kavah that is often translated Hope signifies a very vehement intention both of body and minde a stretching forth of the Spirit or Minde in waiting for a desired good 2 Cor. 4. ult Hope fates well it keeps a Princes Table it lives upon Honey and Milk Oyl and Wine it sives upon the sweet meats the delicates of Heaven as God Christ and Glory Psal 31. 24. 33. 22. 38. 15. 42. 5. 43. 5. 39. 7. 71. 5. 65. 5. Secondly That Hope that accompanies Salvation is alwayes conversant about holy and heavenly objects as about God and Christ 1 Tim. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ which is our Hope In these words Christ is set forth as the chief object of our Hope because by his merits and mercy we hope to obtain the remission of our sins and the eternal Salvation of our souls Sometimes Hope is exercised about the Righteousness of Christ Gal. 5. 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the Hope of Righteousness by Faith Sometimes Hope is exercised about God the Father 1 Pet. 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God Jere. 14. 8. O the Hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble Chap. 17. 13. O Lord the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be ashamed Vers 17. Thou art my hope in the day of evil Sometimes Hope The Jewish Rabbins were wont to say That upon every Letter of the Law there hangs Mountains of profitable matter Ah then what abundance of comfort and sweetness may hope finde yea does hope finde in the Promises is exercised and busied about the Word and Promises Psal 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to Hope Vers 81. My soul fainteth for thy Salvation but I hope in thy Word Verse 114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy Word Psal 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait And in his Word do I hope Psal 119. 74. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me Because I have hoped in thy Word Verse 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed I hoped in thy Word Hope in the Promise will keep the head from aking and the heart from breaking it will keep both head and heart from sinking and drowning Hope exercised upon the promise brings Heaven down to the heart The Promises are the Ladder by which Hope gets up to Heaven Hope in the Promise will not onely keep life and soul together but it will also keep the soul and glory together Hope in Psal 4â— 5. 119. 49 50. compared Hol. 6. 1 2. the Promise will support distressed souls Hope in the Promise will settle perplexed souls Hope in the Promise will comfort dejected souls Hope in the Promise will reduce wandering souls Hope in the Promise will confirm staggering souls Hope in the Promise will save undone souls The Promise is the same to Hope that Rom. 8. 24. The Promises are Hopes rich Magazin Hope is to the Soul the Promise is the Anchor of Hope as Hope is the Anchor of the Soul Look what the Brests are to the Childe and Oyl is to the Lamp that are the Promises to Hope Hope lives and thrives as it feeds upon the Promises as it embraces the Promises The Promises are the sweet-meats of Heaven upon Heb. 11. 13. which Hope lives And every degree of Hope brings a degree of joy into the Soul which makes it cry out Heaven Heaven Again Hope is exercised about the glory and felicity the happiness Psal 16. ult Tit. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looking for Christs coming as earnestly as men look and long for the coming of some special friends or as Inn-keepers do for special guests and blessedness that is at Gods right hand Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope makes a man stretch out his neck and put forth his hand and look as earnestly for the glorious appearing of Christ as Sisera's Mother did for the happy return of her Son The hoping Soul is often a sighing it out Why are his Charriot Wheels so long a coming Col 1. 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven Hope in this place So in Rom. 8. 24 25. Col. 1. 27. Rom. 5. 2
and so it makes a Christian to stand and triumph over all afflictions oppositions and temptations A third property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It makes the Soul lively and active Psal 119. 166. Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy commandments Hope puts the Soul upon doing upon obeying 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant or much mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Much. hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead It is called a lively hope A mans duties and services usually are as his hopes are if his hopes are weak and low so will his services be but if his hopes are spiritual noble and high so will his motions and actions be Divine hope makes Saints as far excel all other men in their actings as the Angels do excel them Some say hope and fasting are the two wings of Prayer fasting is but as the wing of a bird but hope is as the wing of an Angel bearing our prayers to the throne of Grace because it brings life and comfort into the Soul and it is called a lively hope in opposition to the withering and dying hopes of Hypocrites and wicked men and it is called a lively hope because it flows from lively causes viz. The Spirit of Christ and the Souls union and communion with Christ but mainly it is called a lively hope because it puts the Soul upon lively endeavors Hope will make a man pray as for life hear as for life and mourn as for life and obey as for life and work and walk as for life Hope will not say this work is too hard and that work is too hot this work is too high and the other work is too low Hope will make a man put his hand to every work Hope makes a man more motion then notion it makes a man better at doing then at saying c. Hope gives life and strength to all religious duties and services 1 Cor. 9. 10. He that plougheth should plough in hope and he that thresheth in hope shall be partaker of his hope Hope will put a Christian upon ploughing and threshing that is upon the hardest and difficultest services for God and his glory If fleshly Fleshly hopes put the Romans upon doing very strange and wonderful exploits as you may see in Plutarch and other Historians hopes of gaining the honors riches and favors of this world made Absolom Ahitophel Jehu Haman and many Heathens full of life and activity full of motion and action Verily holy and heavenly hopes will make men much more lively and active by how much heavenly hopes are more excellent then earthly A man full of hope will be full of action a lively hope and a diligently hand are inseparable companions Hope will make a man do though he dies for doing A fourth property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It will make a man sit Noah like quiet and still in the midst of all storms and tempests in the midst of all combustions concussions and mutations when others are at their wits end then hope will house the Soul and lodge it safe and quiet in the bosom of God Job 11. 18. And thou shalt be secure because there is hope yea thou shalt dig about thee and thou shalt take thy rest in safety The Hebrew word that is here rendred rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To rest as men rest in their beds or as the body rests in the grave is from a root that signifies to rest and sleep quietly as in ones bed Hope will bring the Soul to bed safely and sweetly in the darkest night in the longest storm and in the greatest tempest Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the veil Hope is that Anchor of the Soul that keeps it quiet and still in all storms and tempests it keeps the soul from dashing Chrysostome saith that hope is not onely the Anchor but the Ship to that good Anchor upon the Rocks and from being swallowed up in the Sands Hope is an Anchor that is fastned above not below in Heaven not in Earth within the veil not without therefore the ship the Soul of a Believer must needs be safe and secure That ship will never be split upon the Rocks Hypoerites in stormy times are like ships without Anchors â—ost up and down with every wave and in danger of being split upon every Rock Job 27. 9 10. whose Anchor is in Heaven Hope enters within the veil and takes fast Anchor-hold on God himself and therefore blow high blow low rain or shine the soul of a Saint is safe Divine hope settles the heart he that cannot look for more then he hath can never be settled nor satisfied our best and greatest estate lies in invisibles our perfect and compleat estate here lies not in re but in spe it lies not in what we have in possession but in what we have in expectation in reversion A fift property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It will work the Soul to a quiet and patient Patience is nothing else but Hope spun out If you would lengthen Patience be sure to strenthen Hope waiting upon God for mercy though God should delay the giving in of mercy Rom. 8. 25. But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Psal 130. 5 6. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning I say more then they that watch for the morning Hope will make a man wait yea wait long for a mercy as it did Abraham Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. Though the vision stay yet hope will Hab. 2. 1 2 3. Heb. 10. 36 37. Hopes Motto is Quod defertur non aufertur For bearâ—nce is no acquittance wait for it yet a little little while sayes hope and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The longer I wait for a mercy the greater better and sweeter at last the mercy will prove sayes Hope It is not mercy if it be not worth a waiting for sayes Hope and if it be mercy thou canst not wait too long for it sayes Hope The men of Bethulia resolved to wait upon God but five dayes longer but Deliverance stayed seven dayes and yet came at last So sayes Hope Pittacus one of the seven Sages used to say A wise man must recover that by patience which force cannot command though Deliverance stay though this and that mercy stayes as it were in the birth yet it will come at last therefore wait Hope is not hasty in prefixing the time when God shall shew mercy neither will it