mistaking of these or any of these infirm kindes of faith instead of the true justifying and saving faith several errours have received their original especially that uncomfortable errour of the Saints falling from Grace received through the unsteadfastnesse of their faith But I dare be bold to affirm that such Apostates did never feel the force of an effectual faith of a justifying faith This is the gift of God Rom. 12. 3. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. I will not say but a man may fall grievously in it but he can never fall finally from it For the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. And truely I conceive this discovery to be very pertinent to our present purpose For faith being the onely condition to be performed by us in this Covenant of Grace It is very necessary that we be rightly instructed therein Least peradventure we either satisfie our selves with empty shadows instead of the true substance Or torment our selves with causelesse discomforts concerning the losse or uncertainty of that glorious inheritance which our gracious God by the purchase of Jesus Christ hath so long since estated upon a true and a lively faith according to this eternal Covenant We proceed now to consider why the Lord propoundeth faith for the Proviso or Condition of this Covenant of Grace First I conceive because he would have his gift received which would otherwise become fruitlesse and unprofitable He gave his onely begotten Son And were it not a world of pitie that such a precious gift should be neglected and not received applied and improved Well how are we to receive him Into our houses No but into our hearts By what instrument or means Verily by faith onely According to the Scriptures By faith Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. And by faith Christ dwelleth in us in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. Questionlesse there is no relation between the Saviour and the souls of his Saints but what is contracted fixed and confirmed by his affection and their lively faith Secondly the Lord requireth faith That so this gift of his might be beneficial to the whole World in all places and at all times indifferently For were Christ to be received any other way then by faith All men could not have been capable of receiving him at all seasons Suppose he had come into the World in the day of the Creation and continued in the World till the day of dissolution Yet in regard of his passive Nature his humanity he could not have been received by any two persons in any two several places at one and the same time But wheresoever he abideth faith will instantly finde him out and lay hold upon him And therefore there is no cause now why any man should say in his heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach saith St. Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And this word of faith which we preach if truely believed and rightly applied will do both It will bring down Christ from above with the virtue of his Resurrection and Ascention And it will bring up Christ from beneath with the virtue of his death and passion It will do all things that may concern the Remission of our sins the justification of our persons and the salvation of our Souls by Jesus Christ our Lord. So then saith the same Apostle in the same Chapter faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 17 18. And to that very purpose the Lord Jesus Christ after his Resurrection gives his Apostles this universal Commission Go ye saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel unto evâ—ry Creature Well what is the tenour or substance of that Gospel He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved That is he that receiveth Christ by faith and manifesteth the same in his Profession shall be saved as Rom. 10. 10. he that believeth not shall be damned Marc. 16. 15 16. And as this Gospel this word of faith is universal so is it likewise everlasting And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Cospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saith St. John Rev. 14. 6. But why doth God require nothing else but faith We know there may be divers Provisoes in one and the same Conveyance or Covenant Truely faith by it self is enough provided that it be such a faith as apprehendeth Christ He that hath the Son hath life saith Saint John 1 John 5. 1. And it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell saith St. Paul Col. 1. 19. Whatsoever had been required besides faith according to our apprehension either it must have proceeded from or reflected upon our own persons or performances And then it is more then probable that our corrupt nature would have mislead us to neglect this all-satisfying gift to repose our selves either wholly or partly upon our own deserts or abilities But faith comes empty-handed and by that means it takes the surer hold When a man gives liberally we say he is open-handed And truely he that will receive freely and hold firmly it is necessary that he be empty-handed Faith is very fitly called the hand of the Soul For as we use to receive an earthly gift from man by the hand so we must receive this heavenly treasure from God by faith And therefore the Evangelist in reference to this most blessed gift intimateth unto us that receiving and believing do signifie the same thing As many as received him saith he to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to soem that believe on his name John 1. 12. A place very well worthy of our consideration for the proof of this particular Verily this onely begotten Son of God is beyond all thought of exception the most satisfying solid and substantial gift the most compleat and weighty gift that either heaven or earth can possibly afford us And therefore whatsoever we have or seem to have of our own whether it be work or worthinesse suffering or satisfaction ability or possibility our faith must cast it wholly to the ground or otherwise we shall never receive the Lord Jesus Christ so as to make him our own for ever A second Reason which I conceive to be most proper in this case is this Because whatsoever had been required with or besides faith It would have been destructive of the very nature of this Covenant of Grace For if by grace then it is no more of works
said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Live I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field and thou hast increased and waxen great and thou art come to excellent ornaments thy breasts are fashioned and thine haire is grown whereas thou wast naked and bare Ezek. 16. 6 7. See here the wonderfull incomprehensible goodnesse of our God not onely in pitying and reviving the poor Soul miserably polluted and even dead in the gore and filth of her natural sins and corruptions But also in supplying and inriching her with most beautifull Ornaments Allegorically relating to the graces and indowments belonging to a spiritual life Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord verse 8. And what Covenant can any man imagine this to be but an expresse or a discovery of that eternal Covenant of Grace For who can expect these undeserved favours but by and through Jesus Christ our Lord the onely Mediatour of that Covenant And being such blessings as no man can receive from God but by the hand of a lively faith according to the condition of that Covenant We come now to prove that the peacefull life or the spiritual mans peacefull passage to eternity is vouchsafed unto us in and through Jesus Christ by virtue of this Covenant of Grace Wherein I desire you to understand that it is not an outward or a worldly peace that I intend in this place For albeit the Lord promiseth his people upon their reconciliation and return That in that day he will make a Covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and that he will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth and make them to lie down safely as Hos 2. 18. Yet without doubt this promise was neither generally nor absolutely intended but conditionally even as he in his wisdome should see it to be good and neceâ—â—ary for his own people and conducible to his own glory For our Saviour telleth his Disciples plainly These things have I spoken unto you saith he that in me ye might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation John 16. 33. A Child of God shall never want adversaries so long as the Devil hath any agents or instruments abroad yet he is not without his several comforts and preventions For when he first discovers them he considers them to be Gods enemies also and therefore he leaves them wholy unto Gods ordering Secondly when they begin to rouze themselves he looks the more narrowly to his own wayes least his indiscretion should give them the greater advantage And lastly when they pursue him with violence he maketh merily towards his covert his strong hold He trusteth in the Lord for ever for in the the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 26. 4. The peace of a true believer may be shaken but not utterly overthrown All the world cannot beat him from his confidence in God for albeit he is very sensible of his own weaknesse yet he is sure of a powerfull Peace-maker Being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord saith Saint Paul Rom. 5. 1. Yea The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mindes through Jesus Christ saith the same Apostle Phil. 4. 7. You will say This is by Christ but how is it by Covenant I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them saith the Lord concerning his Church Ezek. 37. 26. This indeed is a Covenant of peace you will say and an everlasting Covenant But what is this to that eternal Covenant of Grace I answer first had it not been for that eternal Covenant No Creature after Adams rebellion had ever been capable of any other Covenant for good Secondly we may be confident that God did never make any Covenant whatsoever to or with mankinde since the Creation but it hath its relation to that Original Covenant of Grace The very Covenant of works made with Adam and exemplified to the Israelites as a rule of life in the Moral Law or the Law of the ten Commandments discovereth unto us that enmity between God and us together with our own infirmities and inabilities and sendeth us to seek for reconciliation by Jesus Christ By whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5. 11. And thirdly the gift that God vouchsafed unto us in that Covenant of Grace was Jesus Christ the onely begotten Son of God And he is our peace Eph. 2. 14. The fourth and highest degree is everlasting life in the Kingdom of glory This also is given unto us in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 23. He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son And this is the record that God hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Son 1 John 5. 10 11. And it is assured unto us in and by this eternal Covenant For it was promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. But what need we any further proof then the expresse words of this Copy God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life This is the glorious inheritance which the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God hath purchased for the sons of men in and by this Covenant of Grace delivered unto us in this Copy under the Title of Everlasting life Our blessed Saviour in his description of the day of judgement calls it a Kingdom Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25. 34. This is that which old Jacob expected upon his death-bed saying I have waited for thy salvation O Lord Gen. 49. 18. And that inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven As St. Peter sets it forth 1 Peter 1. 4. Seing therefore that we have such a hopefull and such a happy inheritance presented unto us in this eternal Covenant I conceive it will be very necessary that we search out the right Heire thereunto Lest peradventure the numerous or numberlesse pretenders should deceive both themselves and others by presuming upon their unwarrantable interests without any considerable evidence or assurance And in order unto this discovery It will be very convenient that we do first lay down this firm foundation That Faith is the onely evidence which either
and shall cease to be God in Christ personally that God may be all in all essentially According to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 28. Thus you see in some measure how it may be understood That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself And now we come to prove the fourth particular contained in this definition of faith That this justifying faith inableth us to believe the promises of God in Christ according to his Gospel Not according to the law For the law is not of faith Gal. 3. 12. For if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have been by the law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Iesus Christ might be given to them that believe Gal. 3. 21 22. And no man ought to doubt but that the promise of the grace of God in Christ is the onely voice of the Gospel whether it proceedeth from the Apostles or from the Prophets And therefore it is called the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. And the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1. 16. And that this justifying and saving faith inableth us to believe the promises of God in Christ According to his Gospel it is most evident For neither can faith justifie or save us without the Gospel neither can the Gospel justifie or save us without faith And to this purpose faith is called The faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. And the Gospel is called The word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Neither is this Gospel restrained to any time place or person but was is and shall be effectual through faith to all believers in all ages for ever For the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham Gal. 3. 8. And it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek Rom. 1. 16. Fifthly Faith inableth us to rest and repose our selves confidently upon the said promises of God in Christ Not onely to believe them but also to rest and rely upon them Every true believer can affirm that freely which Balaam the wizard was inforced to testifie in spight of his own teeth God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Num. 23. 19. I know saith Iob that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Job 19. 25. 26 27. Lo we have left all and followed thee saith Peter unto Christ Luke 18. 28. We have left all the possibilities of this World and depended wholy upon thee and thy promises I am not ashamed of my sufferings saith Paul for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. I am perswaded saith the same Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38 39. And very much to this purpose is that of Iohn the Baptist concerning faith in Christ He that hath received his Testimony saith he hath set to his Seal that God is true Joh. 3. 33. That is he that by the hand of a lively faith hath received the Testimony of God in Christ concerning the promises of the Gospel he hath set to his Seal that God is true in all those promises He hath not onely witnessed it with his mouth or subscribed unto it with his hand But he hath set to his Seal which is an argument of the greatest assurance that may be Verily the several deportments or behaviours of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs and generally of all the faithfull in all ages even to this present hour will abundantly testifie the truth of this particular If we shall look back upon their doings and sufferings but any thing seriously unto all which they were wholy induced and incouraged by the assured hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. For if in this life onely they had hope in Christ they had been of all men most miserable According to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 19. The sixth and last particular belonging to this definition of faith is this That it inableth us to receive the Lord Iesus Christ or God in Christ for our Saviour and our Soveraign Lord First for our Saviour when many more of the Samaritans believed because of Christs own word They said unto the woman now we believe not because of thy saying but we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world Joh. 4. 41 42. Thus when the Lord beginneth to incline the Soul to listen after Iesus Christ He first presents him as a Saviour As being the most acceptable object to a distressed conscience who apprehending her own cursed condition by reason of sin and the Justice of God against sin armed with no gentler weapons then all manner of temporal calamities together with eternal death and destruction The poor blinde Soul sits now down in the darknesse of sorrow and discomfort imploring relief or direction to relief Like blinde Bartimeus who sate at the high-wayes side begging Mar. 10. 46. In this perplexity Gods holy Spirit whispereth and revealeth that Christ the Saviour is at hand to help her Hereupon with the same blinde man she beginneth to cry out Iesus thou Son of David have merâ—y on me And being charged by the Devil and despair to hold her peace she crieth the more a great deal Thou Son of David have mercie on me To whose sad cries the Saviour attendeth and sendeth faith to call her Faith saith unto her be of good comfort arise he calleth thee At this the cheerfull Soul casts off her Garment The rags of her own righteousnesse and riseth and cometh unto Iesus Iesus saith unto her what wilt thou that I should do unto thee The soul replieth Lord that I may receive my sight So much sight as that I may cleerly see thee to be my Saviour Jesus saith unto her Thy faith hath saved thee And immediately she receiveth sight and denieth her self and taketh up her crosse and followeth him according to her Saviours own direction Mark 8. 34. By this you may perceive that faith doth first set us on work to receive Christ for our Saviour or Redeemer Yet this is no infallible property of a
were negligent and carelesse Be sober therefore be vigilant saith St. Peter because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Peter 5. 8. And be ye doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves James 1. 22. Secondly take heed how ye hear deceitfully Thou son of man saith the Lord to his Prophet Ezekiel the Children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying come I pray you and hear what is the Word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 30 31. See how these Hypocrites do vilifie the Prophet of the Lord in private Neverthelesse they seem to be very zealous for the word of the Lord in publick and thereupon they come unto the Prophet and they sit before him as Gods own people and they do hear his words But here is the deceit they will not do them for they are Hypocritical and self-ended with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And may there not be deceitfull hearers in these our dayes that follow the word meerly that they may be accounted good Christians or because they think this to be the onely prevailing way both to make them capable of all manner of imployment though they be never so unfit and undeserving And likewise to countenance all their proceedings though never so corrupt and unconscionable And therefore if you observe it they will seldom or never hear the word though never so sincerely plainly and powerfully delivered but when they think it may conduce to their carnal profit or preferment The cry of their heart is who will shew us any good not Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us as Psalm 4. 6. Is not this to hear the word of God deceitfully Is it not a work of the Lord to hear the word of the Lord Truely it is such a work as doth very well manifest who is our Master He that is of God heareth Gods words Ye therefore hear them not â—ecause ye are not of God saith the Son of God to the unbelieving Jews John 8. 47. And cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully saith the Prophet Jer. 48. 10. Thirdly take heed how you hear despightfully Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed saith Salomon Prov. 13. 13. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me saith Christ to his seventy Disciples Luke 10. 16. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God saith that Apostle 1 Thessa 4. 8. But you will say that there is no man so ungracious as to despise the word of God in the mouth of his Ministers No What think you then of those factions frantick spirits that wry the mouth at every Doctrine which agreeth not with their own erronious or peradventure blasphemous opinions Or what do you think of those foul stomacks that will by no means disgest the sincere milk of the word but will rather spet it out in reproches unlesse it be sweetned with faithlesse revelations flattering Prophesies fair promises false invectives fresh intelligence or the like frivolous extravagancies which taste like Sugar to their corrupted appetites Or what do you think of those preposterous hearers that come to Gods Ordinances Not with Davids resolution To hear what God the Lord will speak as Psal 85. 8. But with an Athenian prejudice What will this babler say as Acts 17. 18. Neither shall the Son of God escape better then his servants For some said he is a good man others said Nay but he deceiveth the people John 7. 11. Whereas in truth they deceived themselves Is not this to despise both Christ and his Gospel He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace saith the Apostle to the Hebrews Hebr. 10. 28 29. Wherefore let the Preacher perswade you to keep your feet when you go into the house of God and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools Eccl. 5. 1. That is keep or see to your affections which carry about the Soul as the feet do carry about the body and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools what sacrifice is that why you know that under the Law they did use to offer beasts in sacrifice And these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed do offer themselves to speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption according to that of Peter 2 Pet. 2. 12. But take heed that ye do hear the word of God attentively reverently and obediently First take heed that ye hear attentively We finde that the Lord commended Mary for attending to his Sermon when her sister Martha accused her for neglecting his service Luke 10. 39. c. Attention is the Lords own work for it was the Lord that opened the heart of Lidia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Acts 16. 14. And the Lord himself will reward it We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God saith that good Centurion to St. Peter Acts 10. 33. Here was a Testimony of their attention And the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word verse 44. There was the reward of their attention They received the gift of the holy Ghost A gift so precious that it is impossible for any to value it but onely such as have truely received it Secondly take heed that ye do hear reverently Receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Ja. 1. 21. And for this cause thank we God without ceasing saith Paul because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. Contrary to these are they who proud of their own parts do creep into the sheepfold of Christ to put the whole flock into a confusion endeavouring not to obtain grace from Christ but to disgrace the faithfull Ministers of Christ And to that purpose where they cannot take occasions of offence they will be sure to make occasions of offence Neither can the most weighty and well-grounded arguments suffice to
and of death saith he Reve. 1. 18. Whereby it may appear that there is no passage that way but when and by whom he pleaseth to appoint it This I conceive to be the first degree in order to this free and gracious pardon The second is our Saviours Intercession He made intercession for the transgressours Isa 53. 12. And he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25. The third and highest is his satisfaction He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. His ownself bare our sins in his own body on the tree saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 24. Now if we shall in time of this reprive lay hold and rest upon his Intercession by an effectuall embracing faith then we are certain that we shall injoy the benefit of his full satisfaction And so we may be truly confident that this our pardon is both signed and sealed Due satisfaction is acknowledged Gods justice is compleatly vindicated his indignation throughly pacified And what can hinder us from being saved For it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 33 34. But if through all the time of our reprive we shall reject relinquish or neglect so great salvation as is offered in this intercession and satisfaction Then as the voice of God in his law hath passed upon us the sentence of condemnation So the voice of Christ in his Gospel shall passe upon us the sentence of execution For he that believeth not shall be damned This is part of that Gospel which the Lord Christ commanded his Apostles to preach unto every creature Mark 16. 16. The Scriptures mention other voices also As of Prophets that prophesie lies Jer. 23. 25. Of those that speak perverse things to draw Disciples after them Acts 20. 30. That by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. That speaks lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. 1. That speaks evill of dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. That speake evill of the things they understand not 2 Peter 2. 12. That speak great swelling words of vanity 2 Pet. 2. 18. That speak great things and blasphemies Rev. 13. 5. These voices are remembered in the Scriptures but they are all condemned by the Scriptures And these with every other of like nature may be referred to the voice of Strangers John 10. 5. Which though they be extolled and applauded by giddy multitudes of brain-sick beasts of old ordained to this condemnation Jude 4. This constant Lamb of Christ will by no means incline to hear or listen after them Least they should drive her into mire and dirt As Isa 57. 20. Or draw her from her Shepheards tender bosom As Isa 40. 11. Such were the watchmen that did smite and wound the searching soul The keepers of the walls that rifled her and took away her vail Cant. 5. 7. And therefore she avoids them day and night their publick musters and their private meetings As swarms of hurtfull locusts that proceed out of the smoak of hells infernall furnace As to the sacred voice of God in his law she doth believe it as it is the voice of such an Authour Exod. 20. 1. She learned it as a Rule to guide her goings Phil. 3. 16. She loves it as an argument of Love John 14 15. But looks upon it as a cancelled scroul a dead caracter in relation to any Obligation or ingagement Col. 2. 14. And so she leaves it with much reverence And listens to her Lords voice in his Gospel Jo. 7. 37. And being thus instructed when and where she is to seek for her beloved Lord. In the third place she sets her self to learn How she may seek him so as that she may be sure to finde him And to that intent She goeth her way forth by the foot-steps of the flock and feedeth her Kids besides the shepherds tents According to her Lords direction Cant. 1. 8. She walketh in the pathes of Christs own sheep to feed and fill her ears with his pure doctrine delivered by his faithfull Ministers As for her mortall enemies the Divell the World and Flesh that labour to betray and intercept her in her heavenly search with these she holdeth a continuall combate As for example when the Divel meets her in her delightfull way unto the word And would divert her by his lewd suggestions as that she shall be rebuked and reproved for her sins and threatned with misery death and destruction for her transgressions against the law of God with such like terrours not to be indured She telleth him that she hath been already at mount Sinay that might not be touched and that burned with fire and with blackness and darknesse and tempests c. Heb. 12. 18. But now the law like a good Schole-master leading her from thence unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediatour of the new covenant c. Heb. 12. 22 c. And therefore with the Prophet David She will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Psal 85. 8. When by his black mouth'd execrable agents the shame and bane of Church and Common-Wealth the Devil doth revile the Ministers of Jesus Christ with base reproachfull titles of purpose to blow up the zealous blaze of his own smoaking firebrands and to darken or quench the pure light of the glorious Gospel That so she may not be able to see when the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings As Mala. 4. 2. The good soul onely renders him that answer wherewith the angels of the Lord reproved him long since upon the very like occasion The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Zech. 3. 1 2. And when that subtile serpent now perceiving that all his hellish engines cannot hinder the soul from listening to the word of God endeavoureth by all means possible to steal it from her least it should prove fruitfull She tells him plainly that she will both hear the word of God and keep it for so she shall be certain of a blessing Luke 11. 28. Next when the world would win her from the word by his most specious invitations of pleasures profits or preferments She answers That to live in pleasures on the earth is to nourish her self as in a day of slaughter James 5. 5. But the word will direct her to the Lord her God In whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for
evermore Psal 16. 11. As for profit although it be a lesson that she could gladly learn yet she will take it onely at Gods teaching I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit saith her beloved Isa 48. 17. For otherwise what is a man profited if he shal gain the whole world and lose his own soul Mat. 16. 26. And for worldly preferments experience tells her they are little worth But the word teacheth her by the mouth of her own Lord. That whosoever shall do the will of his Father which is in heaven the same is his brother and sister and mother Ma. 12. 50. And these are such perpetuall preferments as all the world cannot present her with And lastly when the dull flesh would detain her from her attendance on the holy word perswading her that she may slumber still and take her rest awile 't is yet two early by an hour or two and that the weather is foul and wet and cold with the like flatteries and indulgencies Neverthelesse she starteth up and saith my beloved speaks and says unto me Rise up my love my fair one and come away for lo the winter is past the rain is over and gone As Cant. 2. 10 11. Or be it ne'r so rainy cold or foul or full of lets and inconveniencies yet neither shall the flesh the World nor Divel prevent her from the search of her beloved till with that Propet she can safely say with my whole heart have I sought thee Psal 119. 10. And thus she is resolved when and where and How she is to seek her saving Lord. But seeing there are now such multitudes that cry up Christ lo here lo there is Christ and yet our Saviour saith believe it not Mat 24. 23. How shall the longing soul be sure to know when she hath found the Christ her Lord indeed In answer to this much materiall question She must consider that this Lord of glory is alwayes guarded by a glorious train of gifts and graces infinite for number with which he enters into every soul that is thus qualified and prepared But least my taske should be as infinite I shall describe but onely six of them As namely Life Light Humility Assurance Peace and Joy These alwayes are at hand if not in sight to give attendance to this royall Bridegroom And to confirm the Soul in this her search FIrst where this Prince of life is there is life He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life saith St. John 1 John 5. 12. And this life is evidenced by these four particulars namely Sense Motion Resolution and Action The first thing that appeareth in this spiritual life is Sense whilest we want this life of Christ we are altogether senselesse no better then dead dead in trespasses and sins Verily as the body without the Soul is dead so the soul without Christ is dead also She is alienated from the life of God and being alienated from the life of God she is past feeling saith the Apostle Ephes 4. 18 19. She perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. Ye she is altogether ignorant of her own wretched condition She knows not that she is wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked As Rev. 3. 17. But when Christ who is her life appeareth unto her he reviveth and quickeneth her For as the father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son doth quicken whom he will John 5. 21. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins saith St. Paul Ephes 2. 1. He gives the soul the feeling of her sins the sight of Gods fierce wrath and indignation and fearfull judgements thereupon depending And being thus made truely sensibe of her own miseries immediately she doth begin to stir and move her self towards the consideration of her present dangerous condition and the most probable means for her recocery Thus the Jews when they were pricked in their hearts at the relation of their former impieties they said unto Peter And to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Acts 2. 37. And thus the regenerate Jaylour being awaked by the power of God in that great earth-quake feeling the foundations of the prison shaken seeing all the doors opened and the prisoners bands loosed and hearing notwithstanding all this that none of them were escaped immediately he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out and said Sirs what must I do to be saved Acts 16. 26 c. Nor will this motion admit of rest until it putteth on a resolution No sooner is the soul thus throughly troubled or moved with the sense of her own miseries but she will carefully resolve upon some way or other to work her release And in like manner this her resolution if it be firm and constant will endeavour to put it self into some suddain action All these four signs degrees or passages of a spiritual life do well appear in that story of those four lepers that sate at the gate of Samaria in the time of the famine the 2 of Kings the 7. beginning at the 3 verse For albeit their parly and proceedings were meerly rationall yet they may be applyed unto this our spiritual purpose First it appeareth that they became sensible of their present distresse for they said one to another Why sit we hear untill we die Secondly their thoughts were moved and stirred to work their deliverance If we say we will enter into the city say they then the famine is in the city and we shall die there and if we sit still here we die also Thirdly they took up a Resolution Now therefore come and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill as we shall but die And what they did so purpose and resolve they fourthly forthwith did perform and finish They rose up in the twilight to go unto the camp of the Syrians c. And the successe was rich and admirable For they not onely relieved refreshed and inriched themselves but their whole city also No lesse remarkable to this very purpose is that Parable of the Prodigall by which our blessed Saviour himself intended a spiritual incouragement Luke 15. 17 c. First he came to himself that is he became sensible of his own calamity Secondly he was moved and troubled that his fathers hired servants should fare so much better then himself How many hired servants of my fathers have bred enough and to spare saith he and I perish with hunger Thirdly he resolveth to cast himself upon his fathers compassion I will arise and go to my father and say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. And Fourthly he puts his resolution into action And he arose and came to his father And then
the first Although we finde not that the word of God hath set forth unto us this Covenant of Grace under that very Notion or expression of the Covenant of Grace In totidem syllabis as we say In just so many syllables or in the very self-same words Yet by the consideration of some few particulars I doubt not but I shall settle it very strongly even upon the weakest apprehensions For we finde that the Lord hath contracted or made many Promises Grants Agreements or the like Conveyances under the name or stile of Covenants I will establish my Covenant with you and with your seed after you saith the Lord to Noah Gen. 9. 9. The same day the Lord made a Covenant with Abraham Gen. 15. 18. Which not long after he confirmed in these words And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17. 7 8. And oftentimes in the same 17. Chapter he urgeth the said Covenant He commandeth obedience thereunto vers 9. And sealeth it with the sign of Circumcision vers 11. The seal of the righteousnesse of faith saith St. Paul Rom. 4. 11. Again we read of the book of the Covenant And of the bloud of the Covenant Exod. 24. 7 8. And truely these and the like were no other then representations or manifestations or confirmations of this which we call the Covenant of Grace In like manner the Covenant of peace Isa 54. 10. The Covenant of the Redeemer Isa 59. 20 21. The everlasting Covenant Jer. 32. 40. The new Covenant promised Jer. 31. 31. and repeated Hebr. 10. 16 17. were Covenants for Reconciliation Preservation and Sanctification All which together with every other of the like nature are but as so many Members which do receive their very life and being from and by the virtue of this original Covenant for Redemption and Salvation which we call the Covenant of Grace The name and substance whereof are very well presented unto us in that typical Covenant extended literally to David but intended really to Christ the Son of David in these words My mercy will I keep for him for ever more and my Covenant shall stand fast with him His seed also will I make to endire for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven If his Children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their transgression with the Rod and their iniquity with Stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips c. Psal 89. 28. to the 35. Thus are we warranted to call this grand evidence of our Salvation by the name of a Câ—venant In regard that our heavenly Father hath made so many promises and concessions to us and our predecessours under that very title And now that I may resolve you in a word why we call it the Covenant of Grace Be pleased to consider That God gave unto Adam great possessions and privileges by way of Covenant But revocable and destructive also in case of his disobedience thereunto Gen. 2. 17. Yet Adam rebels to his eternal ruine Gen. 3. 6. Neverthelesse without the least desert or desire of his He is not onely reprived but also restored unto favour by vertue of another Covenant Inplied in the discovery of Christ by the seed of the woman Gen. 3. 15. And doth not that deserve to be called the Covenant of Grace And not onely Adam but we also have all sinned and come short of the glory of God But are justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 23 24. Yea ye also were dead in sins but by Grace ye are saved Eph. 2. 5. And all by virtue of this Covenant which is therefore most worthily called The Covenant of Grace We come now in the second particular to shew you By whom this Covenant of Grace was made And I trust I shall not need to take much pains therein For I am confident that whosoever can believe that there was a Covenant of Grace made with the World for redemption and salvation they cannot doubt but God was the onely authour thereof It was God that was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. And it is the grace of God that bringeth salvation Tit. 2. 11. And the onely true light hath made it most manifest here in this Text. God so loved the World God the father for he gave his onely begotten son God that great Creatour and onely wise disposer of all things both in heaven and in earth Who having created the first man in his own Image Gen. 1. 27. That is saith St. Paul In knowledge Col. 3. 10. And in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. He gave him dominion over the Creatures Gen. 1. 28. Stated him in Paradise Gen. 2. 8. A place abounding with all and all manner of happinesse and pleasure and plenty And for the more secure and setled injoyment of the same He promised him everlasting life whereof the tree of life Gen. 2. 9. was the symbole sign or token To have and hold all the said premisses priviledges and prerogatives to him and his heirs for ever And all this by way of Covenant upon condition of the said Adams obedience to the whole will of God Notwithstanding the onely Proviso expressed consisted in his abstinence from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and this under the penalty of eternal death Gen. 2. 17. This is that which we call the Covenant of works And which the word of God commonly calleth the Law The matter or substance whereof is exemplified in the Moral Law or the Law of the ten Commandments Ex. 20. which is sometimes called The works of the Law Gal. 2. 16. And sometimes the Law of works Rom. 3. 27. But Adam carelesse of his blest estate believes the Devil rather then his God Insomuch that he neglects his Maker and Master And despising his Covenant breaks the condition By which rebellion he incurs the penalty and pulls the woefull ruines of misery death and condemnation upon himself and his whole posterity Yet this good God this much offended Majesty notwithstanding this his just occasion of eternal displeasure So loved the World that he confirmed this Covenant of Grace wherein He gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life I am now in the third particular to shew you with whom this Covenant of Grace was made Expressed here under this notion The World God so loved the World We finde that the holy Ghost hath applied this word World to several senses and significations It is used for the habitable places of the world for the universal frame of the world and
their Justice they can do no lesse than confound and destroy him for ever together with all those excellent dignities and dominions wherewith they are resolved to indow him But least by this means their glorie should be buried in the untimely ruines of such a promising fair enterprise The Son supports it with the pillar of his grace the Monument of a most dear Redeemer Father saith he I will not undertake to keep the Rebel from his cursed fall least happily he boasts himself to stand by his own strength But in his fall I will keep him from the curse yet satisfie thy Justice to the full Be pleased to deliver to my hand his Covenant so forfeited return him over debtour unto me and leave him wholly to my custody I 'le be his surety In the interim O my Father to magnifie the riches of our Grace let thou and I contract a Covenant A preventing Covenant to take effect just at the very instant of his fall wherein I 'le rise a Mediatour between thy Justice and his weaknesse which if he or any of his lost posterity shall willingly receive and seal unto I will not onely save him from thy wrath but likewise I 'le restore him to thy love in which I will establish him for ever To this the Father gives his free consent And thus the Father and the Son conclude to ratifie this Covenant of Grace And truely I doubt not but all such as are truely godly will very well admit of this supposed conference provided that it be with holy reverence For we read That Jesus Christ through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Hebr. 9. 14. And that God received him with this congratulation In an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherit the desolate heritages That thou mayest say to the prisoners go forth to them that are in darknesse shew your selves And they shall feed in wayes and their pastures shall be in all high places c. Isa 49. 8 9. c. I beseech you let us take these words of God the Father unto God the Son into our further consideration For verily we cannot conceive at the first view how punctually they may be applied to that eternal Covenant In an acceptable time have I heard thee on the worlds behalf And I have helped thee to work salvation in a day most proper for that purpose And I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of or concerning the people or on the behalf of the people to establish the earth which otherwise would be destroyed To cause to inherit the heritages which otherwise would be made desolate Adam and Eve together with their whole posterity in them shall be prisoners to my Justice But thou shalt inlarge them That thou mayest say to the prisoners Go forth they shall hide themselves from my presence as in darknesse but thou shalt make them confident saying shew your selves And they shall live safely pleasantly and plentifully They shall feed in the wayes and their pastures shall be in all high places c. By this conclusion between God and Christ their Creation is finished furnished Man their great Governour is constituted by Commission and confirmed by Covenant which he rebelling breaks and tumbles headlong towards condemnation But in that very point of time the Son by virtue of this Covâ—nant of Grace redeems him from destruction Restores him to his Fathers favour And re-estates him in his first Command Where he with all of his elect posterity persisting in the faith of Jesus Christ are mounted from the degree of servants to the dignity of Sons according to the Tenor of eternal truth For as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name John 1. 12. And thus we see that Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works According to that of St. Paul Tit. 2. 14. And God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life According to the words of our Text. PRoceed we now to the second point or Member contained in this Copy of the Covenant of Grace Being the Consideration or motive that invited the Lord to contract this Covenant which we finde to be his Love God so loved the World So loved A vehement forcible expression So So abundantly So infinitely Indeed we may not conceive that any other but an infinite Love should proceed from an infinite God For Love in God is not accidental but essential And therefore it is attributed unto him in the abstract by that beloved Disciple God is Love saith he 1 Joh. 4. 8. Love it self It is impossible for any creature sufficiently to commend the Love of God because we are not able to comprehend the love of God Yet we may commend it for a great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins According to St. Pauls expression Ephes 2. 4. And according to the Lords own example For God comemndeth his love towards us in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. Neither doth this commendation of the Love of God the Father from the mouth of God the Son fall any thing short of either of the former God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life But you will say how doth it appear that the Love of God was the onely Consideration or motive that procured him to conclude this Covenant of Grace We must understand and consider That God being Love it self As having the very pure and perfect substance of love in himself essentially He loveth himself by the necessity of his nature And his Creatures by the liberty of his will And so resolving to create the World with every particular therein contained he looked on them with a general love as being his good Creatures Gen. 1. 31. But on man he looked with a more peculiar affection First In respect that man was the onely Creature by whom the Lord intended to advance his own immortal glory Isa 43. 7. Secondly For that the Lord intended to create him in his own Image As well in regard of the substance of his Soul being immortal and immaterial Gen. 2. 7. As also in regard of the perfections of his Soul consisting of Righteousnesse and true Holinesse Eph. 4. 24. But then foreseeing mans accursed fall procured wholly by his own default The God of goodnesse looks upon him then even with the love of pity and compassion which so prevailed in his Son Christ Jesus That He gave himself for us an offering
of his own Soul Not like a Christian but a Cretian Whilest he professeth that he knoweth God but in works he denieth him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate As Tit. 1. 16. And it is impossible that any Reprobate should inherit the Kingdom of God Flesh and bloud cannot do it 1 Cor. 15. 50. Much lesse shall any thing enter thereinto That defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 21. 27. And therefore this first Pretender this obstinate Offender hath no interest at all in this glorious inheritance The second Pretender thereunto is the Ignorant Infidel The fool that saith in his heart there is no God as Psal 14. 1. Haply with his mouth he may acknowledge a kinde of an unknown God Yet in his heart he conceiveth no otherwise of him then a meer fancy But if you come to shew him how that God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are but one God Yet neverthelesse that God the Father did make a Covenant with God the Son according to the Testimony of God the Holy Ghost That this covenant was concluded purposely to redeem the world before the world was created and that by virtue of the same covenant it is as agreeable with Gods Justice to pardon sin as to punish it With the like necessary principles Why you tell him wonders so far above his capacity that he is resolved not to trouble his brains about them Truely all his actions do too much expresse his ignorance Whilest he walketh in the vanity of his minde having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him because of the blindnesse of his heart who being past feeling hath given himself over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse According to that of the Apostle Eph. 4. 17. 18 19. But he will alledge that if ignorance be an offence yet God will easily forgive it in regard it is a thing so general among simple people that were never brought up to much learning I answer First he must know that ignorance is an offence and a great one too For we finde that the Lord protested against it in his own Children Hear O Heavens saith he and give eare O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah! sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity c. Isa 1. 2. c. Secondly it shall not be forgiven For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God saith St. Paul 2 Thes 1. 7 8. And thirdly the generality thereof shall rather hasten then hinder the Justice of God to punish it We shall not need to runne over the whole word of God for the many examples of whole Cities and Kingdoms to prove the truth of this particular If we shall consider how and wherefore God destroyed the whole world except 8. persons as 1 Pet. 3. 20. If he alledgeth that it was for all sorts of sins and not for ignorance that God did inflict those general and universal judgements I answer that it is not ignorance simply considered which I do principally point at but ignorance circumstantiated ignorance with its effects and accessaries Not such a kind of ignorance as is in those whom we call Ideots who have no competent understanding either in things spiritual or natural Nor such an ignorance in things spiritual as is in those that never heard of the true God Both which I conceive to be the punishment of the first original sin rather then sin it self Neither are these excusable in the day of Judgement without Gods incomprehensible mercy and goodnesse which I dare neither question nor confine For the Apostle speaketh generally when he saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. And so doth our Saviour himself when he saith He that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. But I intend such an ignorance in spiritual things as is in them that have the word of God amongst them or not far from them And yet either through contempt or wilfull neglect of the true light they will rather choose to walk in darknesse then either to seek after or to receive instruction And this kinde of ignorance is not onely such a great sin as shall be grievously punished But it is likewise the cause of all manner of sin whatsoever First it is such a great sin as shall be grievously punished Because I have called and ye refused saith the wisdom of God I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewinde when distresse and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 24. to 30. And thus the Prophet Isaiah Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts and despised the word of the holy one of Israel therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them and the Hills did tremble and their Carcases were torn in the midst of the streets c. Isaiah 5. 24 25. But he will alledge that it is no absolute signe of ignorance to reject the word of God he may be a wise man for all that I pray observe how the Lord answers him by his Prophet Jeremy How do ye say we are wise and the law of the Lord is with us Lo certainly in vain made he it the pen of the Scribes is in vain The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the word of Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 8 9. A man may seem to be a wise man in his own opinion and in the opinion of other men too But the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 2. 19. And oftentimes it proveth destructive to the owner thereof And therefore the Lord by his Prophet telleth the daughter of the Chaldeans That her wisdom and her knowledge hath perverted her Isa 47. 10. Verily to be carnally wise is to be spiritually foolish And as a wilfull or a carelesse ignorance is a great sinne and shall be grievously punished So in the next place ignorance in general is the cause of all manner of sin What should cause the covetous wretch to rake and scrape and heap up money upon money
justifying and a saving faith For there is scarce any reprobate whatsoever under the colour of a Christian but is sometimes wounded by the sting of an evil conscience and terrified with the sense of Gods heavie wrath and indignation And in that desperate fit he will be ready even to rore out upon Christ to become his Saviour But if our faith be right if it be effectuall it will also carry us on to receive and embrace Christ for our onely Lord and Master Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am saith Christ to his disciples John 13. 13. So I am to every true beleever We read that when the rest of the disciples had told Thomas called Didimus that they had seen the Lord after his resurrection Thomas said Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeve After eight dayes Jesus appeared again unto his disciples Thomas also being then amongst them Then said he to Thomas Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but beleeving And no sooner had Thomas by this means arrived unto the full assurance of faith but immediately he answered and said unto him My Lord and my God John 20. 28. He saith not Thou art Christ the Son of the living God according to Peters former acknowledgement John 6. 69. But Thou art my Lord and my God Intimating thereby that all his service obedience worship and reverence wholly and onely unto him belonged And so likewise Saul afterwards Paul at first a persecutour and injurious to the name of Jesus But even in the heat of his haste and fury the same Son of God intercepts him and beats him off from his barbarous enterprise who thereupon perceiving Christ to be far otherwise than what he had formerly conceived He trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. As if he had said Lord the word of thy mouth being the sword of the Spirit hath both convinced and converced me Now I beleeve thee to be the same that thy blessed disciples have declared I am overcome by thy power and now I desire thine imployment Lord what wilt thou have to do And what he was afterwards commanded he most happily performed doing and suffering for the truth of the Gospel more and with more willingnesse and cheerfulnesse than ever any man except his Master Insomuch that he triumphed in his sufferings saying I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake 2 Cor. 12. 10. Thus faith when it is effectual draweth us unto and into Christ enabling us to receive him not only for our Saviour but also for our Sovereigne our chief and onely Lord. Not onely to save our souls but also to love honour and obey him as the onely Saviour of our souls and that willingly and cheerfully For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 1 John 5. 3. Not grievous unto them that love him Thus have I endeavoured in answer unto the first question to give you so far forth as the Lord hath vouchsafed to inable me the true definition of a justifying and a saving faith And proved it according to six degrees or properties therein considerable As first that it is the gift of God Secondly that it inableth us to beleeve the promises of God Thirdly that those promises must be the promises of God in Christ Fourthly that they must be according to his Gospel they must be Gospel promises Fifthly that this Faith inableth us to rest and repose our selves confidently upon the same promises And Sixthly that it inableth us willingly and cheerfully to receive the Lord Jesus Christ or God in Christ for our Saviour and our Sovereigne Faith is that gift of God whereby we are inabled to beleeve the promises of God in Christ according to his Gospel to rest and repose our selves confidently thereupon and willingly and cheerfully to receive the same God in Christ for our Saviour and our Sovereigne Lord. The second question to be answered in this discovery of Faith in order to the examination of the Beleevers evidence is this Where or in what part hath this saving Faith its residence or being I answer In the heart For so the Apostle With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10. 10. Not in the outward profession For the same Apostle saith concerning the defiled and unbeleeving They professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 16. We have two notable examples of outward profession and inward hypocrisie in the new Testament The one of Judas Iscariot we find that he was one of Christs Apostles one of twelve That his Lord sent him forth with the rest to preach and to work miracles Matth. 10. to 9. Neither do we find any thing to the contrary but that he performed his duty according to his Commission And in matter of charity to the poor he seemed to exceed all the rest For when Mary anointed the feet of her Saviour with that costly ointment Iohn 12. 3. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence saith this Iudas and given to the poor verse 5. Can any Iudas now breathing counterfeit a fairer colour But neverthelesse the Spirit of God discovereth him for a covetous hypocrite For this he said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein verse 6. Of whom the Apostle Peter further testifieth saying He was numbered with us and had obtained part of this ministery yet this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out And it was known to all the dwellers at Ierusalem c. Acts 1. 17 18 19. Thus was his treacherous heart discovered and rewarded who notwithstanding that the doctrine miracles and continuall conversation of the Son of God afforded him the same outward means of faith and fidelity with the rest of the Apostles yet in his heart he was so far from beleeving loving and obeying his blessed Lord and Master that he sold him for a contemptible price Matth. 26. 15. Betrayed him with a villanous kisse Matth. 26. 49. And afterwards hanged himself in a devillish despair Matth. 27. 5. The other example is that of Simon the sorcerer whom we commonly call Simon Magus who at first bewitched the people of Samaria with his sorceries But when they beleeved Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women Then Simon himself beleeved also and when he was baptized he continued
faith For unlesse the heart beleeveth unto righteousnesse the mouth cannot confesse unto salvation And therefore St. Paul hath put them both together Rom. 10. 10. And secondly this confession must comprehend the whole mystery of Christs incarnation As the Divinity of his generation the purity of his conception and the perfection both of his divine and humane nature together with his doctrine and miracles his sufferings and satisfaction his resurrection and ascension And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh according to all these truths is not of God 1 Joh. 4. 3. If you will proceed to a further triall of the spirits observe their fruit The fruit of the spirit of God is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance Gal. 5. 22. And they that live in the spirit do also walk in the spirit not desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another Galat. 5. 25 26. And whomsoever we do really find walking contrary to these or any of these we may say with St. Jude Though they separate themselves they are sensuall having not the spirit Jude 19. But how shall a man behave himself if he shall happen to be beset or tempted by these or the like evil seducing spirits Why I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them saith St. Paul Rom. 16. 17. If any man consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godlinesse from such withdraw thy self 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. They that have the form of godlinesse in profession and deny the power thereof in practice from such turn away 2 Tim. 3. 5. Their mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake saith the same Apostle Tit. 1. 11. And thus that beloved disciple Whosoever transgressâ—â—h and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 2 John 9. 10. And therefore take heed what ye hear Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie saith our Lord and Master Luke 12. 1. And so we proceed to his second Caution Take heed how ye hear Not negligently not deceitfully not despitefully but attentively reverently and obediently First take heed how ye hear the word of God negligently As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2. We must not look upon the word of God as a thing indifferent but we must desire it as babes desire milk their best-pleasing and most proper food and nourishment I esteemed thy word more then my necessary food saith holy Job Job 23. 12. And thy word was unto me the joy and the rejoycing of my heart saith the Prophet Ieremy to the Lord God of hosts Jer. 15. 16. If these be things to be neglected then may we also neglect the good word of God Neverthelesse we are sensible that the hearing of the word of God is very much damnified by the means of negligence And this negligence may be said to be three-fold First there is a negligence in coming to hear the word of God There are many men and women that think if they come to hear onely when their lazinesse or leisure will give them leave once or twice in a moneth or haply in a quarter is very fair But to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts saith the Apostle Hebr. 3. 7 8. He that will not hear the voice of God from the mouth of his Ministers to day this day every day when it may be heard with any convenience It is a sore signe that his heart is either hardned or upon hardning A fearfull judgement And therefore the same Apostle in the same Chapter Take heed brethren least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Hebr. 3. 12 13. Secondly there is a negligence in hearing If the Devil cannot hinder a man from coming in at the Church door then commonly he endeavoureth to block up the door of his heart that the word may finde no profitable entrance And to further him in this his design either he disordereth the senses and disposeth them to slumbring prating gazing or the like ungodly ingagements or else he breedeth such a mutiny in the affections that they will by no means agree to give the word of God the least cordial entertainment As if the Lord had sent the same desperate curse among these negligent hearers which he sometime sent by his Prophet unto the Rebellions Israelites Go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Isa 6. 9 10. Thirdly there is a negligence after hearing and that appeareth in not practising the word when and after it is heard And I conceive that the parable of our Saviour concerning the Sower may not impertinently be applied to this purpose I pray observe his own exposition Luke 8. beginning verse 11. The seed saith he is the word of God Those by the wayes side are they that hear then cometh the Devil and taketh away the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved Here is the malice of the Devil They on the Rock are they which when they hear receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away There is the infirmity of the flesh And that which fell among Thorns are they which when they have heard go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection Here are the cares and snares of the world These were all hearers but never a practiser The malice of the Devil and the infirmity of the flesh together with the cares and snares of the world will not leave them so much as one word as we say to blesse themselves withall And truely much of this through negligence When was it that the enemy came and sowed Tares among the Wheat but while men slept Mat. 13. 25. While they
silence their illiterate impudence They have said with our tongue will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us according to that of the Prophet Psalm 12. 4. But contrary to that of the Apostle My brethren be not many Masters Ja. 1. 3. These trouble-truths in spight of humane learning are gifted men Yet it is probable that they take unto themselves more then what is given them I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken unto them yet they prophesied saith the Lord Jer. 23. 21. They say not with our Saviour who hath ears to hear let him hear Mat. 13. 9. But like themselves who hath a tongue to speak let him speak Yet neither will they allow any thing to be well spoken but what they speak by themselves or by their Disciples who do onely speak themselves These are they that say they have gotten the pattent of the spirit wholy to themselves and their assigns and that they have the onely true light in their own dark Lanthorns But we may choose to believe them For we must believe God rather then men And our God sendeth us To the Law and to the Testimony and telleth us that if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. And therefore so long as they reject this word their pretended light is like to doe them but little good But judge of them say they we may not For they are all spitual And he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of none According to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 15. Truely we need not The Spirit of God hath long since judged them and pointed them out as men before of old ordained unto this condemnation And that both by the Son of God himself Mat. 24. 24. And likewise by divers of his Apostles By Paul 2. to Tim. 3. to the 10th By Peter 2. Pet. 2. By Jude Jude 4. to the 20th In many other places they are lively described but in these so exactly discovered both for time and manners that they cannot hide themselves from any save onely from those silly Souls whom they themselves have most miserably blinded and bewitch'd whose lamentable condition is much to be pitied Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall proceed no further For their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was This is our Lords promise under the hand of one of his principal Secretaries 2 Tim. 8 9. And thirdly take heed that ye do hear obediently Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15. 22. But unto the wicked God saith what hast thou to do to declare my statutes and that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee This the Lord by his anointed Psal 50. 16 17. And thus the wisdom of God by King Salomon Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded But ye have set at naught all my councel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will moâ—k when your fear cometh c. Pro. 1. 24. c. But whosoever cometh to me heareth my sayings and doth them I will shew you to whom he is like he is like a man which built an house and digged deep and laid the foundation on a Rock and when the flood arose the stream beat vehemently upon that house could not shake it for it was founded upon a Rock saith Christ that Rock and foundation of our faith Luke 6. 47 48. Truely whosoever shall take heed what he heareth And how he heareth according to the preceding particulars I am confident that he shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Thus have I indeavoured to shew you both that faith is obtained by hearing And likewise what and how you shall hear so as that you may obtain faith But there is yet a question which may be demanded in this case And it will be this May not faith be obtained by reading I answer that I doubt not but it may For as in hearing we receive the word of God by the ear so in reading we receive the word of God by the eye Now the word of God is that incorruptible seed whereby we are regenerate born again 1 Pet. 1. 23. And it is not material how we do receive this seed provided that we do receive it into honest hearts and keep it and bring forth fruit with patience as Luke 8. 15. For by this means faith is both produced and improved Neverthelesse it is a very rare thing to get faith by reading And therefore reading is not to be compared to hearing in this particular For first the word of God is full of deep mysteries very hard to be understood without much industry even by the strongest apprehension Without controversie great is the mystery of godlinesse saith our Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 16. Is it an easie matter to conceive rightly of the Godhead essentially and personally Or of the two Covenants the one of Works and the other of Grace And that the last should be first according to Gods contract and ordination though last according to mans use and expectation Is it an easie thing for a man to see Christ in the promise to Adam and the fathers before the floud Or in the Covenant of Grace revealed unto Abraham and confirmed by the seal of Circumcision to himself and his beleeving posterity till their deliverance out of the Aegyptian bondage Or afterwards in the ceremoniall Law wherein he was exhibited or holden forth more copiously though yet obscurely in types and shadows until his coming in the flesh Is it an easie thing for a man rightly to understand Gods Evangelical purposes in giving the moral Law that exact copy of the covenant of works And his several extents limitations intended in his Gospel Truly if these and the like difficulties do not require an exact industry a superordinary judgement I have no judgement at all And therefore Lean not to thine own understanding saith the wise man Prov. 3. 5. Doubtlesse it is this kind of self-confidence that hath thus obscured the light of the Gospel with so many anti-christian errours A wise man will hear and will encrease learning saith Salomon Prov. 1. 5. As the Aethiopian Eunuch was riding in his charet and reading the Prophet Esaias Philip ran thither unto him and said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And he said How can I except some man should guide me Acts 8. 28. Verily he hath need of a good guide that shall dive for faith in this deep mystery Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but
David saith the Lord by his Prophet Isa 55. 3. And thus his onely Son verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life John 5. 24. And fiftly we have no president or example of any that beleeved by reading But we find that many thousands beleeved by hearing Acts 2. 41. and 4 4. and 13. 48. and 17. 12. For it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. And you know that preaching hath its relation to hearing and not to reading But you will say to what purpose then do we bring up our children to reading or what do we with our Bibles and other godly books if reading in them be so unnecessary as you say it is Good Christians I pray mistake me not I do not say it is unnecessary But I say it is not so necessary or commodious for the getting of faith as hearing is The word which we read in the book is not so powerfull so full of spirit and life as that which we hear from God by the mouth of his ministers The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life saith our Lord Christ Joh. 6. 63. Nevertheless I am so farr from condemning reading although it may be much abused as the best things too often are That I commend it for a beneficiall and a blessed excercise to all sorts of people both unbeleevers and beleevers For in relation to unbeleevers First it prepareth them for hearing by acquainting them with the history and making them familiar with the body of the Scriptures And you know that a man will more freely and willingly receive and entertain that which is familiar unto him then that which is strang or unknown unless he be of such an Athenian or Atheisticall spirit as to spend his time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing as Acts 17. 21. Secondly it inableth them to hear with the greater discretion and the more readily to find out the severall places of Scripture cited by the Minister either at the present or at their better leisure The Jews to whom Paul preached at Berea were commended for the more noble In that they received the word with readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Acts 17. 11. Therefore many of them beleeved vers 12. And as for the true beleevers who are neither wedded to their own understandings nor captivated by their own corruptions For the Spirit of God is with them And where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. To them I say reading is yet more profitable and proper For it serveth to assist their memories to improve their meditations and likewise to strengthen and confirm their Faith And questionless it was principally for these ends and purposes that the Apostles did write their Epistles to be read in divers churches or congregations which they dedicated to the Saints of God Such are were in Christ Jesus by faith whereunto they had been formerly converted by hearing the Gospell preached unto them either by the Authours of the same Epistles or by some other of the Apostles or Evangelists And therefore I say unto all men women and children concerning reading and hearing as Paul some time said to the Corinthians concerning spirituall gifts and prophesying 1 Cor. 14. 1. Desire reading but rather that ye may hear For faith cometh by hearing and hearing cometh by the word of God preached How can they hear without a preacher saith the same Apostle Rom. 10. 14. Now the reason why I have thus taken upon me to answer this question concerning reading is this Because many think to excuse themselves very well from attending upon God in his publick Ordinances by pretending that they do benefit themselves as much by reading good books at home But truely they do very mightily deceive themselves He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour Saith that loving and beloved Disciple John 4. 6. WE are now come to answer the fift and last Question compleatly pertinent to the examination of this Beleevers evidence which is this How shall a man know whether he hath this saving faith or not That we may possess our selves of a right understanding in a matter of such consequence let us exactly consider that place of the Prophet Jeremy Where he compareth or likeneth a faithfull person to a goodly Tree that is richly planted well rooted full of sap flourishing fair and fruitfull You shall finde in the seventeenth of the Prophesie of Jeremy at the seventh and eighth verses In these words Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is For he shall be as a Tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her roots by the River and shall not see when heat cometh but her leaf shall be green and shall not be carefull in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit First this Tree is richly planted For she is planted by the waters And Job telleth us That though a Tree be cut down and that the root thereof wax old in the earth yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant Job 14. 7 8 9. Secondly she is well rooted for she spreadeth out her roots by the River she spreadeth out her roots and that by the River Not by filthy myery or muddy waters but by the pure and pleasant streams When the Lord had planted a Garden in Eden with every Tree that was pleasant to the sight and good for food He provided a River to water the Garden Genes 2. 10. And it was the first commendation of the land of Promise That it was a good land a land of brooks of water of fountains and depths that spring out of vallies and hills Deut. 8. 7. Thirdly she is full of sap The Trees of the Lord are full of sap saith the Psalmist Psal 104. 16. And how can she be otherwise seeing she is so richly planted and so well rooted And therefore she shall not see or be sensible when the parching heat passeth over her Fourthly this Tree is flourishing for her leaf shall be green Her leaf shall not wither saith the Prophet David upon the like occasion Psal 1. 3. Fifthly she is fresh and fair and so she shall continue For she shall not be carefull in the year of drougth she shall put forth beautifull buds and blossomes never the lesse Sixthly and lastly she is fruitfull very fruitfull For she shall not cease from yielding fruits But you will say what resemblance or likenesse is there between this flourishing Tree and a true believer I answer let this be alwayes considered that those things which are spoken
full of cursing and deceit and fraud under his tongue is mischief and vanity verse 7. Indeed it is a rare thing to hear a wicked man speak well For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our Saviour Mat. 12. 34. But when the recollected Christian becometh so speechlesse That no corrupt communication will proceed out of his mouth but that he putteth away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evll speaking with all malice And that he cannot suffer fornication and uncleanness and covetousness to be once named neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient According to the severall exhortations of the Apostle Ephe. 4. 29. 31. and 3 4. I say the loss of this and the like ungodly language is another evident symptom whereby we may pronounce such a one to be dead unto sin A third sign is loss of memory It is a sad thing to consider what an everlasting memory a carnall man hath concerning those things that are evill He can sooner forget a thousand great benefits then one small offence And so in all other particulars his memory may be called the ready Register by whom all his flesh-pleasing vices are entered upon record And when his opportunity will not license him to commit them it is no little recreation for him to remember them The children of Israel wept and said we remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the Cucumbers and the Melons and the Leekes and the Onyons and the Garlick Numb 11. 4 5. But the children of Belial laugh and say we remember since we could have satiated our lusts with variety of strong flesh commanded the tongues and hands of so many tall fellows purchased so many acres by meer policy sate so many dayes and nights together at gameing caroused so many cups to a health and spent so many crowns at a sitting Thus they delight their memories in the contemplation of their own mischiefs As enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly whose glory is their shame who mind earthly things According to that of the Apostle Phil. 3. 18 19. But when any one of these unhappy heads shall so lose his memory as that he shall forget those delights which he conceived in the time of his former lewdness when the remembrance of all his fore-passed sins is become so grievous and offensive unto his soul that he can cordially and constantly cry out with the Apostle What fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now ashamed for the end of those things is death Rom. 6. 21. Truely we may be confident to say concerning such a man that he is dead unto sin The fourth and last is a most infallible sign And that is loss of motion When a man hath so utterly forsaken the love of sin that he can by no means be reduced or restored thereunto The divell can no longer seduce him The world cannot win him neither can the lusts of the flesh allure him so far forth as to afford them any hope of his future obedience I will not say but they may inforce their charming drugs upon him as if one should force drink into the mouth of a dead man But his soul doth so extreamly abhor all means of recovery that nothing will stay with him nothing can work upon him Haply the loss of Appetite may be restored by a skilfull Physitian so may the loss of speech and the loss of memory too Provided that the patient be willing to receive the medicine and that his body is able to assist it But when the patient will not obey or if his body cannot cooperate we say that such a man is absolutely a dead man Doubtless in every spirituall conflict the divell is very industrious to preserve his declining patient And to that purpose he presenteth him with his guilded pills and his perfumed potious his cordials and his restoratives in expectation of a speedy cure But when the soul perceiving his pretence so sets it self against his blind Receipts that nothing can move it nothing work upon it so as to return it to its former vomit Then that happy body that is the cabinet or companion to such a blessed soul may chearfully give thanks unto the Father which hath made him meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light having delivered him from the power of darknesse and translated him into the kingdom of his dear Son In whom he hath redemption through his blood even the forgivennesse of sins As in Collo 1. 12 13 14. This man is undoubtedly dead indeed unto sin And so consequently he is planted into Christ according to the likeness of his death And whosoever is planted into Christ according to the likeness of his death he is likewise planted into Christ according to the likeness of his resurrection as we have formerly observed out of those words of the Apostle Rom. 6. 5. But it may be demanded when a man may be said to be planted into Christ according to the likeness of his resurrection I answer when he is alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. For as by the vertue of Christs death we are dead unto sin so by the vertue of his resurrection we are alive unto God Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also shâ—uld walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. And whosoever walketh in newness of life upon the true account of a new creature he onely is alive unto God in or through Jesus Christ our Lord. Again it may be demanded How a man may know and assure himself that he is planted into Christ according to the likes ness of his resurrection To which I answer That this he shall finde by his resemblance or likeness to this Tree of righteousness by which the Lord sets forth a true Beleever And therefore let him first consider if he be well rooted You know that when a tree is removed it may be said to be dead as in relation to that ground out of which it is taken And therefore that it may live again it is necessary that it be replanted And for that purpose the husbandman doth commonly make choice of a better and a more fertile soyl then that from which it did Naturally or Originally proceed That so it may be the more inriched and the better inabled to spread forth its root and to bring forth fruit accordingly And that it may appear to thrive and prosper the principall care to be taken is this That it be well rooted For the life of the plant consisteth in the root We are all by nature unprofitable shoots sprung from old Adam that degenerate shrub and have neither roote nor fatness nor fruit in our selves And therefore it is needfull that we be plucked from our corrupted stock and that
deliver you up to be afflicted saith he and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all Nations for my name sake And then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another And many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many And because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved verse 13. And unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. In like manner the Apostle Paul confirming the Souls of the Disciples tells them That we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14. 22. And thus the Apostle Peter Beloved saith he Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned unto you But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy 1 Pet. 4. 12. 13. But you will say These are sad invitations either to perswade unto faith or to continue in the faith I answer that I wonder not if they seem so to a common apprehension to such a one as is led meerly by sense and the light of nature unto which these things are so extreamly irksome and offensive But if we shall take the Spirit of God for our guide and shall thereby be inabled to judge not according to the appearance but to judge righteous judgement as our Lord adviseth Joh. 7. 24. We shall then finde that these sad-seeming preparations do proceed from very necessary principles For afflictions and crosses of all kindes do first direct us towards faith Secondly they do bring us unto faith And thirdly they doe continue us in faith First I say they do direct us towards faith and that through these three passages As first through making us sensible of our sins When the Sons of Jacob were distressed in the Land of Egypt they then considered the sin that they had many years before committed against their brother Joseph in the Land of Canaan And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distresse come upon us Gen. 42. 21. And thus the Church in the Lamentations Woe unto us that we have sinned for this our heart is faint for these things our eyes are dim Lam. 5. 16. 17. Secondly through humbling us for our sinnes This we see in the example of Manasseh who being formerly of an abominable conversation yet when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers 2 Chron. 33. 12. And in that confession of his Church We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Jer. 3. 25. And thirdly through breaking us off from the course of our former errours and iniquities Bofore I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word saith David Psal 119. 62. And the same Prophet speaking concerning the wicked The Lord saith he shall hear and afflict them for because they have no changes therefore they fear not God Psal 55. 19. Secondly distresses and afflictions do lead us unto faith and that by shewing us the unhappinesse of the world and of all worldly expectations either inward or outward in our selves or from others And so by sending us to the Lord for sure consolation My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever saith good David Ps 73. 26. The Son dishonoureth the Father the Daughther riseth up against her Mother the Daughter in Law against her Mother in Law a mans enemies are the men of his own house Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me saith his afflicted Church Mic. 7. 6 7. When the ship is covered with Waves then the Disciples run unto Christ saying Lord save us we perish Mat. 8. 25. And he whom we call the Prodigal being pinched by the extremity of want and necessity resolved to return unto his father Luke 15. 18. And thirdly corrections or afflictions do continue us in the faith by assuring us of Gods love and fatherly affection In disposing of our afflictions In comforting us in our afflictions And In delivering us out of our afflictions First in disposing our afflictions or in visiting us with afflictions as fatherly chastisements For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons for what Son is he whom the Father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sons Hebr. 12. 6 7 8. And as many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith the Son of God Rev. 3. 19. Secondly afflictions do continue us in the faith by assuring us of Gods love in comforting us in our afflictions In all their affliction he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old saith the Prophet Isa 63. 9. And thus the Apostle Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. And thirdly by assuring us of Gods love in delivering us out of our afflictions Many are the afflictions of the righte us but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Psal 34. 19. And the same Prophet having recorded many great deliverances which the Lord usually worketh for his people in their several distresses and extremities in his 107. Psalm he concludeth with this Rule of direction whoso is wise saith he and will observe those things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord verse 43. And he that rightly understandeth the loving kindnesse of the Lord will certainly rely upon him by faith as an everlasting and infallible refuge But you will say Is this all the happinesse that a Believer must expect in this life Doth not the Apostle tell us That godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. To the first part of this question I answer That there is such solid happinesse in affliction
David as a King and thus do thou according to thy power or do not say that thou hast any hatred against sin And as that hatred which is warrantable is both impartial and impetuous So in the third place 't is implacable never to be appeased or reconciled This is not hatred to fall out with sin or quarrel with it at some special time or for some extraordinary cause For thus the most ungracious Reprobate may sometimes hate his best-beloved sin And yet return with the Dogge to his vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire If thus the unclean spirit goeth out of a man it is but onely to recruit his forces he will return and take unto himself seven other spirits more wicked then himself and they will enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse then the first According to that saying of our Saviour Luke 11. 26. But when a man in expectation of Gods eternal Love by Jesus Christ doth dedicate his love to God in Christ the violence and perpetuity of his impartial hatred will be such against all sin and every transgression That he will chuse to suffer the afflictions of Joseph Psal 105. 17 18. Much rather then he will be reconciled to any sin or become serviceable unto the Prince of darknesse though with Ioseph he be solicited thereto day by day as Gen. 39. 10. And thus the Soul that is in love with Christ declares it by her Christian profession especially In loving righteousnesse because he loves it and hating wickednesse because he hates it And having thus throughly endeer'd herself by manifesting her affections and fixing them upon their proper objects In the next place she doth prepare herself to seek and entertain her princely lover For as the Tree that is planted in a fruitfull soyl doth not onely increase her sap in her self and send it forth in flourishing green leaves but likewise by the vertue of that sap she putteth forth her beautifull fair blossoms whereby we are induced to conceive that she will bring forth fruit accordingly Even so the Soul that by a lively faith is planted into Christ doth not onely improve her love by Contemplation and manifest it by Profession But likewise she most earnestly endeavoureth to fit and confirm it by Preparation ANd this her hopefull preparation sets forth it self in seeking her beloved It is a principal part of Iehoshaphats commendations That he prepared his heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19. 3. And Hezekiah one of his successours both in his Kingdom and his piety having proclaimed a solemne Passeover He besought the Lord saying The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary 2 Chr. 30. 19. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people verse 20. And in this search the loving Soul considereth when where and how she may so seek her Lord that she may soon safely and surely finde him And to that purpose she doth call to minde that the holy Ghost sets forth a threefold prescription in order to the time when she 's to seek him First early Prov. 8. 17. Secondly continually Chron. 16. 11. And thirdly evermore Psal 105. 4. Early in regard of opportunity Continually in reference to constancie And evermore in relation to perpetuity First early without delaying In the morning of her youth Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth saith that kingly Preacher Eccles 12. 1. And thus good Obadiah to Elijah I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth 1 Tim. 18. 12. Secondly continually without wavering For he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the winde and tossed Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord James 1. 6 7. And thirdly evermore without revolting or apostatizing He that endureth to the end shall be saved saith the Son of God Mat. 10. 22. It is registred of Asa That he did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God 2 Chron. 14. 2. Neverthelesse it is a notable blemish to his integrity that towards his latter end In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians 2 Chr. 16. 12. And thus the love-sick Soul will seek her Lord early least having withdrawn himself she seek him but cannot finde him and call him but he gives her no answer as Cant. 5. 6. She will seek him continually least he cometh in a day when she looketh not for him and in an hour that she is not ware of Mat. 24. 50. And she will seek him evermore least she be unprovided at his last coming and the door be shut against her as it fared with the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 10. And in the second place she doth consider where she may safely seek for her beloved And is resolved that this must be in his Ordinances and especially in his word which is sometimes called the Scriptures according as he himself hath taught her saying Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me John 5. 39. And therefore the Prophet David professeth unto the Lord That he rejoyceth at his word as one that findeth great spoiles Psal 119. 162. And the faithfull spouse in the Canticles desireth to hear the voice of her dear Lord saying Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken unto thy voice cause me to hear it Cant. 8. 13. But I conceive it may be Objected That we may hear severall voices speaking in the holy Scriptures and therefore how shall we know the voice of Christ from other voices I answer it is true indeed the Scripture do discover unto us severall voices especially the voice of God in his law and the voice Christ or of God in Christ in his Gospel And they are so frequently and so diversly mixed or intermingled the one with the other according to the wonderfull wisdom of the Spirit and that both in the old and new Testaments that it requireth a good and a willing understanding to distinguish rightly between them For all that is contained in the new Testament although we do generally call that the Gospell is not to be understood as the voice of the Gospel or the voice of Christ according to his Gospel Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement There is the voice of the law in the midst of the Gospel Mat. 12. 36. Neither may we think that whatsoever is found in the old Testament which is commonly called the law is to be referred to the voice of the law For the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen by faith preached the Gospell before unto Abraham Gal. 3. 8. Saying In thee shall all nations be blessed Gen. 12. 3. And the like we finde many very many times both in the old
that the same Apostle doth very well resolve this doubt in another place If our Gospel be hid saith he it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. It is no wonder that the most glorious light be obscured and hidden from those that are blinded where the defect is not in the light but in those that cannot or that will not see the light Secondly this light of the Gospel is conformable or agreeable in every particular to whatsoever was covenanted and concluded by and between God the Father and his onely begotten Son in and by that eternal Covenant of Grace for and on the behalf of mankinde And to this purpose the Apostle Paul intimateth to the Ephesians That into him this grace was given that he should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord Ephes 3. 7. to 12. Verily this blessed light of the Gospel is every way so conformable to the whole will of God and so illustrated with the bright beams of his wisdom grace and goodnesse That we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glorie of the Lord are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie even as by the Spirit of the Lord as in 2 Cor. 3. 18. And thirdly the light of the Gospel is comfortable Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted saith the Gospel Mat. 5. 4. This is the day-spring from on high that hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Luke 1. 78. 79. It sheweth us the way to finde rest unto our Souls Math. 11. 29. c. And it assureth us that Jesus Christ is made unto us wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. And let every true Christian be judge if these be not such comforts as he chiefly rejoyceth or delighteth in The third degree of light is in the Godly And here it is regular singular and exemplar First it is regular It is guided by rule By the rule of righteousnesse the word of God He that is truely godly will not presume to see more then God sheweth him Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee saith David Psalm 119. 10. Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths saith the same Prophet verse 105. And therefore the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah To the law and to the testomonie saith he If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. And therefore Woe be unto them that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Isa 5. 20. Secondly this light in the godly is singular it looketh but one way and that directly If thine eye be single thine whole body shall be full of light but if thine eye be evil thy whole bodie shall be full of darknesse saith the Lord Mat. 6. 22. Where he intimateth that that which is not a single eye is an evil eye You know that a crosse eye that seemeth to look one way when in truth it looketh another is a great blemish in nature but the eye of the Soul that is thus deceitfully affected is a greater enemy to grace Let thine eyes look right on and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee saith the wise man Prov. 4. 25. The eye of the godly looketh alwayes right forward upon Gods glory without any self-seeing or self-seeking But the blear-eyed hypocrite when he most seemingly aymeth at Gods glory he most deceitfully intendeth his own And this is generally the common course of the world For all seek their own not the things that are Jesus Christs saith St. Paul Phil. 2. 21. Thirdly this light in the godly is exemplar It setteth forth it self to be observed intimated and improved The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. And therefore Paul to the Philipians Brethren be fâ—llowers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample Phil. 3. 17. And to his beloved Timothy Be thou an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 1 Tim. 4. 12. And thus our Lord Jesus Christ to his Disciples Ye are the light of the world saith he A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushell but on a candlestick and it giveth light to all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good work and glorifie your father which is in heaven Math. 5. 14 15 16. But you will say what benefit shall the soul receive by all this light Truely she shall hereby receive the greatest and compleatest of all benefits She shall be hereby inabled to see God Not according to his incomprehensible essence and excellencies these are things too high for the highest apprehensions He is high above all nations his glory above the heavens Psal 113. 4. Higher then the highest Eccles 5. 8. For according to his secret councell and inconceivable wisdom these are too deep for the deepest understandings O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his counceller saith St. Paul Rom. 11. 33 34. But according to the good pleasure of his own will and the small measure of our human capacity For as the sun it self as touching its matter or substance cannot be discerned by the eye of the body and yet by the luster and bright beams thereof we are inabled to see whatsoever is necessary or convenient to be seen So our immortall and invisible God as he is of himself in himself and to himself cannot be perceived by the eye of the soul yet by the evidence of his works and of his word he is pleased to reveal himself unto us so far forth as is abundantly sufficient for our temporall satisfaction and our eternall salvation These two large lectures of his works and words are they wherein the Lord is seen and read The one is a lecture of Philosophy The other is a lecture of
common thing with many to complement us with your humble servant when really and truely they esteem it too little honour to be but our Masters unlesse they may command us as their slaves This is a treacherous humility The second is a cowardly humility And that is when a man through fear of death or bonds or damage or some such like danger humbles himself so far as to submit to the unworthy or unjust commands of men in opposition to God and a good conscience I do not say contrary to his own unhappy conscience for he that is a coward in Gods cause is commonly as great a Tyrant over his own conscience he will not suffer it so much as to minde him of any of his vile abominations He hath seared it or burnt it as a slave with a hot Iron As the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim. 4. 2. We read that the Persian Monarch Ahasuerus promoted Haman c. And all the Kings servants that were in the Kings Gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the King had so commanded Esth 3. 1 2. But Mordecay Gods true and faithfull servant he bowed not nor did him reverence He onely humbled himself to God and God preserved and rewarded him Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time saith St. Peter 1 Peter 5. 6. But who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Sonne of Man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker c. saith the Lord by his Prophet Isa 51. 12 13. The third is a constrained humility Not constrained by the power or compulsion of Man or by any other outward violence But by the terrours of an accusing conscience As when a Man is humbled or dejected through the sense or apprehension or expectation of Divine Justice discharging it self of some grievous plague or punishment either temporal or eternal present or impendent And this of it self is neither absolutely hurtfull nor helpfull but according to the fellowship or society that it lighteth upon If it meeteth with self-ends then it becometh unfruitfull If it meeteth with Hypocrisie it proveth contemptible If with despair it is damnable But if it meeteth with faith then it becometh sound and effectual First I say if it lighteth upon self-ends it proveth unfruitfull This we see in the example of Ahab For Elijah having denounced most fearfull judgements against Ahab his wife and family It came to passe when Ahab heard those words that he rent his Cloaths and put sack-cloath upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sack-cloath and went softly 1 Kings 21. 27. Insomuch that the Lord himself took great notice thereof verse 29. Neverthelesse not long after Ahab set his heart upon the recovery of Ramoth Gilead 1 Kings 22. 3. And in pursuance thereof he expressed his hatred to Micaiah the true Prophet verse 8. He despised the word of the Lord verse 18. He putteth Gods Prophet into prison ver 27. And proceedeth in his designe to his own destruction Thus through his own self-ends his constrained humility became unfruitfull Secondly if this constrained humility be carried on by Hypocrisie then it proveth contemptible This appeareth in the words of the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah to the dissembling Jews Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our Soul and thou takest no knowledge Behold in the day of your fast you find pleasure and exact all your labours Behold ye fast for strife and debate c. Isa 58. 3 4 5. Here are all the signs of a solemne humiliation but because it was performed in Hypocrisie the Lord poureth contempt upon it And therefore the Lord Christ in his Sermon on the Mount exhorteth his Disciples saying when ye fast be not as the Hypocrites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast c. Math. 6. 16. c. And this fasting is a principal part of humiliation as it appeareth by that of the Prophet David I humbled my Soul with fasting saith he Psal 35. 13. And by the deportments of the Jews in the time of Esther and Mordecay Esther 4. 3. Thirdly when this constrained humility incountreth with despair it becometh deadly and damnable As in the example of Saul who in his sore distresse humbled himself even unto the Devil in the likenesse of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. 14. And of Judas the Traytour who repented confessed restored and departed and went and hanged himself Math. 27. 3 4 5. But this humilitie if it findeth out faith then it proveth sound and effectual Like that of Manasseh who when he was in affliction besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdom Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God 2 Chr. 33. 12 13. Neither was this kinde of humility lesse remarkable in Saul the persecuter afterwards Paul the Apostle who being upon the height of his tyrannical intentions Jesus whom he persecuted dismounted him and laid him on the earth untill his cruel heart was so abased and humbled that he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. to the 7 th verse Then upon whom the mercy of God was never more freely bestowed Then by whom the free grace of God in Christ was never more excellently magnified Yet I am the least of the Apostles saith he that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of Christ But by the grace of God I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 9. 10. This is the work of a sound humility And it well deserveth our serious consideration And therefore I shall endeavour to propound and answer these four questions First what is this sound humility Secondly by whom is it wrought Thirdly how or after what manner is it wrought And fourthly what doth it work To the first question it is answered That humility is that work of regeneration through which our connsciences being convicted and afflicted by the sense of our sins and the consideration of our own wants and unworthinesse we do unfainedly confesse the same unto God devoutly imploring his pardon for sinne together with a supply of spiritual grace That this humility is a work of regeneration and thus qualified I conceive will not be denied nor contradicted For so soon as that eternal goodnesse of God appeareth unto his otherwise lost creature In begetting him of his own will with the word of truth as Ja. 1. 18. Immediately by the light of the same word he beginneth to survey himself and to weigh all his thoughts words actions and abilities according to this ballance of the sanctuary And finding them utterly void of all grace and goodnesse and stuffed with nothing but sin and corruption
He bursteth out with the Prophet David in his 51. Psalm Sometimes by way of confession saying I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me verse 3. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me verse 5. Sometimes by way of petition for the remission of his sins Purge me with Hysope and I shall be clean Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Make me to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities verses 7. 8 9. Sometimes by way of supplication for supplies of spiritual grace Create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit verse 10. 11 12. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise verse 15. And thus with David the poor humble Soul bemoans her self after a mournfull manner yet in the midst of all her passions she 's confident to say with the same Prophet A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise verse 17. For the Lord hath pronounced her blessed and promised her comfort saying Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Math. 5. 4. The second question is this By whom is this humility wrought To which I answer By the Lord our God God maketh my heart soft saith Job Job 23. 16. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wildernesse to humble thee and to prove thee saith Moses to the Congregation of Israel Deut. 8. 2. It was the Lord of heaven that humbled the proud heart of Nebuchadnezzar King of all the earth and made him a companion unto beasts whereby he perceived that he was no better then a beast in comparison of the living God Insomuch That he blessed the most high and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever c. Dan. 4. 33. 34. And because his son and successour Belshazzar humbled not himself though he knew all this but lifted up himself against the Lord of heaven the same Lord did put him into a condition worse then of a beast As appeareth by his desperate agony and his unexpected end Dan. 5. 22 23. Now albeit this abasing or humbling did work upon these mighty heathens no otherwise then to manifest Gods more mighty power and Majesty Yet where it becometh effectual through faith it fitteth and prepareth the heart towards the attaining of everlasting salvation And the preparations of the heart are from the Lord saith Solomâ—n Prov. 16. 1. But how is this humility wrought Or by what means doth our God work it in us For this is the third question Verily it appeareth unto me that the ordinary means whereby the Lord begins to break and soften and humble our rebellious hard hearts is by affliction which being sanctified unto us by the sweet influence and operation of his holy Spirit it directeth us unto the Agent the Cause and the Cure of all our miseries both outward and inward temporal and eternal Insomuch that every one who is become poor in spirit will freely confesse with the Prophet David I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Psalm 119. 75. For our better satisfaction in this particular we must consider that we are all by nature proud insolent disobedient and obstinate No man repenteth him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Every one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel saith the Prophet Jer. 8. 6. And that is fiercely furiously and dangerously untill the Lord in pity of our Souls claps his restraining bridles in our jaws And to abate us of our desperate speed layes burdens of afflictions on our backs on some more heavy and on some more light according to his wisdom and our temper For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust saith David Psalm 103. 14. And when the Lord with his afflicting hand hath fill'd her with occasions of complaint the Soul beginneth to cast down her pride her stout behaviour and her haughty looks and to devise from whence those woes proceed And being now in this perplexity 't is ten to one but some of her acquaintance some miserable carnal comforters are ready to perswade her that her distresses come by accident by chance by fortune or by evil tongues or by the disposition of the Stars or by the malice of her enemies or treachery of some deceitfull friends And hereupon they will prescribe her remedies suteable to these devilish suggestions To turn her eyes from looking towards God and so to drown her in a Sea of sorrows But having now begun his work of grace her God strikes in and sends her to his word where she findeth That affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5. 6. But the Lâ—rd killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich c. 1 Sam. 2. 6 7. And being thus instructed and confirmed in these and the like godly principles she crieth out with mournfull Naomie The Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me Ruth 1. 21. And having found the Agent to be God she knows the action must be just and right For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145. 17. And going forward in her heavenly search She findes that God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men Lam. 3. 33. And therefore there is some impulsive cause which doth constrain him to these sad proceedings Well what is the cause for which the Lord afflicteth why this his Church confesseth to be sin We roar all like Beares saith she and mourn sore like Doves we look for judgement but there is none for salvation but it is far from us For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us c. Isai 59. 11 12. c. And thus by the Prophet Jeremie We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Jerem. 3. 25. And this the Scriptures every where affirm And what is sin why sin is the transgression of the law 1 John 3. 4. Resolved thus the Soul draws forth her life and layes it to the level of the law and findes it so repugnant to the rule so crooked crosse deformed and destructive That now she feels not what she hath received but fears to think of what she hath deserved Her sorrow now is turned into anger Anger against her self her sinfull self she wonders how the Justice of the Almighty hath spared her so long and not inflicted
instructeth disposeth removeth reneweth and receiveth First it instructs the new-inlightened soul in those hereditary imperfections which pride would never suffer her to look on so as to own them with a free consent as the onely off-spring of her cursed nature But being humbled she can plainly see sin and corruption in every corner defiling all her thoughts and words and deeds And thereupon she willingly confesseth That every imagination of the thoughts of her heart is onely evill continually as Gen. 6. 5. That her tongue is an unruly evill full of deadly poyson as James 3. 8. Insomuch that she hath wearied the Lord with her words as Mala. 2. 17. And that she loveth darknesse rather then light because her deeds are evil as John 3. 19. And looking back upon her sinfull courses she feelingly complaineth with St. Paul what fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now ashamed for the end of those things is death Rom. 6. 21. Again humility instructeth her in her own wants her spiritual poverty for whereas pride endeavours to perswade her That she is rich and increased in goods and hath need of nothing humility informs her That she is wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked as Revel 3. 17. So that in her there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. And having shown her that she is full of evil and void or empty of all grace and goodness humility proceedeth to instruct her in her own weakness which is so extream that she hath neither power to suppress her wickedness nor to supply her wants we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God saith Paul 2 Cor. 3. 5. Thus the poor soul learns to be sensible of her own wickedness and wants and weakness And from this feeling sense humility disPoseth her to seek relief whereby her sins may be supprest her wants supply'd and her much weakness pitied and supported O how she struggles in this three-fold snare how she endeavous to release her self But all in vain until a voice from heaven directeth her to take the little book out of the great and mighty angels hand Rev. 10. The Gospel in the hand of Jesus Christ wherein by his directon she findeth That he is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world John 1. 19. That the bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. And that He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Revel 1. 5. Here she sees how her sins are washt away and how she is so clearly cleansed from them that she is freed for ever from that bondage Again she reads That in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Colo. 2. 9. And that of his fulnesse we have all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Here she perceives her wants are all supplyed and that in him she 's fully furnished And to sustain her in her present weakness she hears him say to her as to St. Paul My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. 9. Until she comes experimentally to triumph with that mighty man of God I can do all things through Christ which strengheneth me Phil. 4. 13. And having tasted of these heavenly comforts she ruminates upon this little book from whence she sucketh such exceeding sweetness that now she singeth with the Prophet David How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal 119. 103. But yet before she fully can disgest this book she findes it bitter in her belly For looking back upon her sinfull wayes she sees how ill she hath requited these incomparable favours How she hath grieved the Spirit of her Lord and crucified the Son of God a fresh And looking upon him whom she hath pierced she mourneth for him as one mourneth for his onely son and as is bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first born According to that of the Prophet Zechar. 12. 10. Now sin appeareth in its proper colours foul filthy beastly and abominable So that the soul begins to hate her self for loving such a base deformed monster so spightfull treacherous and damnable that nothing can be more pernitious And being thus incensed against sin there 's nothing can content her but her Saviour She doth not cry with Rachel give me children but give ne Jesus Christ or else I die She is extreamly sick of her corruptions and none but Jesus must be her Physitian she seeks no other Physick but his favour no antidote but his affection no balsom but his blood and therefore she will entertain him upon any tearms though never so offensive to the flesh for she hath found that There is none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. And now by vertue of humility that most obedient child of Faith and Love the careful soul endeavours to remove all such impediments as may obstruct the sweet approach of her beloved Lord. And knowing sin to be the onely thing that causeth their unhappy separation as Isa 59. 2. She cries unto her strength and her Redeemer for help against that false infernal foe that seeks to keep her still in his displeasure And being ayded by her Saviour and armed with his well approved armour Ephes 6. 13 c. She setteth first upon those crying sins that are of greatest obloquie and scandal and having routed those prodigions rebels she ransacks every corner of her conscience and haling forth her more concealed crimes she sends them packing she condemns her self of sloath self-saving and hypocrisie she crucifies her own corrupted nature and mortifies her most beloved lusts she suffers not a peevish thought to pass without a serious examination and a severe impartial reproof For the weapons of her warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. But for as much as pride rebellious pride is evermore her mortal enemy The child of ignorance the Divels darling the soul of schism the strength of heresie the food of spight the fuell of contention the fools affiance and the wise mans fear the bane of godliness the death of grace hateful to Christ and hurtful to his members Therefore this humble soul constrains her self to cast out this destructive adversary and hold him in perpetual defiance And thus that she may gain her gracious Lord she labours mightily to take away the evil of her doings from his eyes To which she cannot yet conceive her self to be a pleasing Object For though she could cleanse her self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit according to Saint Pauls incouragement 2 Cor. 7. 1.
ye believed in Christ saith Paul ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glorie Eph. 1. 13 14. And thirdly he hath it in Christ by possession Christ hath taken possession of it and prepared it for all believers I go to prepare a place for you saith he And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Joh. 14. 2 3. And whither I go ye know saith he verse 4. For that Kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world upon promise of satisfaction I go to prepare for you after performance of satisfaction Where it shall be said unto you Come ye blessed of my father inherâ—t the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world as Math. 25. 34. What Soul can wish a more compleat assurance But haply you will say we do not doubt but every true believer is sure enough to have eternal life by Jesus Christ But what assurance have we of those good things that do concern this life Indeed the Prophet David telleth us There be many that say who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. But in this case also we have both promise example and experience for our assurance For matter of promise God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. But what is it poor Soul thou art afraid of Art thou afraid of poverty or want Why a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked For the arms of the wicked shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the righteous The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever They shall not be ashamed in the evil time in the dayes of famine they shall be satisfied Ps 37. 16 17. 18 19. Trust therefore in the living God who giveth us richly all things to injoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. Art thou afraid of discredit afraid to lose thy good name and reputation Why the Lord is able to make thee a name and a praise among all people of the earth as Zepha 3. 20. Admit that thy good name be reproched by the mouth of a scorner here upon the earth yet thou hast cause to rejoyce for that thy name is registred in heaven as Luke 10. 20. Art thou afraid of thine enemies Consider that of the Prophet David The Lord saith he is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell Psal 27. 1 2. And the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee fear not I will help thee as in Isa 41. 13. Art thou afraid of death Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him that hope in his mercie to deliver their Soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Psal 33. 18 19. But why should any man be such a coward as to fear an enemy that is already conquered Yea abolished or destroyed 2 Tim. 1. 10. Swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. Truely dear Christian thou hast cause to triumph over these enemies after this manner O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victorie The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ as at 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. In a word whatsoever thou fearest or whatsoever thou feelest Thou shall finde God thy refuge and strength a very present help in trouble as well as David did Psalm 46. 1. Onely be carefull That thou suffer not as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an evil doer or as a busie-bodie in other mens matters And then assure thy self That the Lord is faithfull who shall stablish thee and keep thee from evil According unto St. Pauls confidence 2 Thes 3. 3. Again consider What doest thou desire Doest thou desire safety preservation deliverance victory wealth honour long-life or salvation after a moderate and godly manner Acquaint thy self with the substance of the 91 Psalm And with the 3 first verses of the 112 Psal In these words Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed wealth and riches shall be in his house and his righteousnesse endureth for ever And to confirm thee in thy confidence peruse the 6. 7. and 8. verses of the same Psalm Surely he shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid untill he see his desire upon his enemies Thus of the promises If thou desirest yet further to establish thine assurance In the next place see and observe the stories of Abraham Isaac Jacob of Joseph Moses Mordecay David and Hezekiah And consider how the Lord guided and governed preserved and prospered exalted and incouraged them together with all his Prophets and Apostles and all the godly every where and in all ages And verily thou shalt finde sufficient cause to say with that discerning Prophet David The Lord hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Psal 35. 27. And lastly recollect thine own experience and meditate how graciously the Lord thy God hath dealt by thee in his outwad blessings and inward consolations his tender mercies and fatherly loving-kindnesses his patience and long-sufferings supplying thy severall necessities with sutable comforts preservations and deliverances wherein he hath prevented not onely thy deserts but often times thy desires also And when thou shalt thus walk with thy God in wisdom and singlenesse of heart Thou shalt finde sufficient in him and from him to say with that holy Prophet Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116. 7. And furthermore to make thee confident That he shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee In famine he shall redeem thee from death and in war from the power of the sword c. Job 5. 19. to 27. Thus through ouâ— own discreet experience the saints exemplary prosperity And our dear Saviours never-failing promises as well spiritual as temporal we shall be sure to meet the full assurance of all or every kinde of happinesse Provided still that Christ be with or in us For where the true Christ is there is assurance And this assurance always brings in peace This is the fifth attendant that still waits upon the person of our royal Bridegroom And where
thirdly it is by this carnall joy that we rejoyce in spirituall things after a carnal manner or to the satisfying of the flesh by any present of future commodity or injoyment whatsoever As for example when we do delight to professe religion to hear Gods holy word or to partake in any other of his Ordinances either for custom curiosity lucre or pride preferment or vain-glory Doubtlesse it was in reference to these or some of these or the like indirect intents or purposes That Herod heard John gladly Mar. 6. 20. And soon after commanded him to be beheaded verse 27. And that the Jewes were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light John 5. 35. And yet walked in darknesse and ignorance and unbelief neverthelesse verse 37. 28. That Simon the sorcerer would have purchased the gift of the holy Ghost Acts 8. 13. And was therefore reproved for an hypocrite verse 21. And that such hearers as our Lord resembleth to the seed that fell upon the rock receive the word with joy and in time of temptation do fall away Luke 8. 13. Verily it were much to be desired that all such false time-servers and self-servers were separated now from Gods true saints that so we might discover love and honour the Lords true Members with a safer conscience Christians let us not deceive our selves whosoever delighteth in any such thoughts words or works as are meerly carnal or rejoyceth in common or indifferent good things sensually or carnally or in spiritual things in order unto these or any of these foresaid or any the like carnall ends or purposes I say his joy is carnal or hypocritical For these are the abortives the unseasonable and unsanctified conceptions of a carnal minde And therefore contrary to the Spirit of God For to be carnally minded is death Because the carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be saith our Apostle Rom. 8. 6. 7. But the fift is a compleat joy And this is always in our Saviours presence In his presence is fulnesse of joy c. Psal 16. 11. And truly this most happy kinde of joy is not so much external or extream as it is both internal and eternal For albeit A merry heart maketh a cheerfull countenance as saith the wise man Pro. 15. 13. And the Prophet David exhorteth all lands To make a joyfull noise unto the Lord to serve him with gladnesse and to come before his presence with singing as Psal 100. 1. 2. Yet these joyful expressions are but the indices or evidences of a more joyful heart For this true christian joy is mainly spiritual and effectual very answerable unto the fountain from whence it proceedeth and the Object upon which it is placed and both these are the same God in Christ For whosoever can derive his joy from God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself he is likewise able to place his joy upon God in Christ and rateably upon all those Gospel mercies which as mediatour he hath procured and purchased for the sons of men And these Gospel mercies are of two sorts first such as are spiritual in nature and secondly such as are spirituallized by grace Those Gospel mercies which are spirituall in their own nature are such as are offered and evidenced and sealed unto us by the Spirit of God And which we do apprehend imbrace and apply and rely upon spiritually by Faith Those that are spirituallized by grace are such as are common to all mankinde upon the account of a generall dispensation or distribution But are received injoyed and imployed onely by the children of God after a spiritual manner And all these mercies whether they be spiritual or spirituallized are to be rejoyced in spiritually According to the exhortations examples and incouragements of our blessed Saviour and his dear saints by the Testimony of his most holy Spirit The first spiritual mercy which is also the first Object of a christians joy is our Election This our Lâ—rd Jesus Christ exhorteth us to rejoyce in Rejoyce not saith he that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Luke 10. 20. The second is our Redemption Look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh saith our Redeemer himself Luke 21. 28. This is celebrated with a new song by all Gods elect both under the old and new Testaments as Reve. 5. 8 9. The third is our effectual calling and conversion manifested by our true Repentance For which If there be joy in heaven as Luke 15. 7. How much more ought we also to rejoyce on earth who do continually injoy the benefit thereof The fourth is our Justification Be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee saith our Saviour to the man sick of the palsie Mat. 9. 2. This was the matter of Saint Pauls triumph who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect saith he it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again c. Rom. 8. 33 34. And in another place O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Who hath given us the victory by justifying us both against sin and the law The fifth Object of our joy is our sanctification Let thy saints rejoyce in goodnesse This was part of Solomons prayer And it was Pauls profession our rejoycing saith he 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 2 Cor. 1. 12. The sixth is our Salvation This was the matter of good Hannas joy And Hanna prayed and said my heart rejoyceth in the Lord mine horn is exalted in the Lord my mouth is inlarged over mine enemies because I rejoyce in thy salvation 1 Sam. 2. 1. And of Davids rejoycing I will rejoyce in thy salvation saith he Psal 9. 14. And thus do all the godly in all ages with joy draw water out of the wels of salvation Isa 12. 3. The seventh Gospel mercy that we are to rejoyce in is Gods Ordinances I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house ef the Lord saith holy David Psal 12 2. 1. And wherefore should David go into the house of the Lord but to partake of his Ordinances But principally we are to rejoyce in the word of God the voice of Christ in his Gospel These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full saith the Son of God John 15. 11. The eighth is the faithful ministery together with the lawful portions thereunto belonging For thus the Jews whom God had
when the Soul deliberately findeth she is confirmed she hath found her Lord. ANd now the chiefest thing that she desireth is to be sure of his affection And to that purpose she indeavoureth to satisfie her self in these three Queries whereof the first is this whether the Lord who is of purer eyes then to see evil and cannot look upâ—n iniquitie Habak 1. 13. Can notwithstanding set his love upon such simple Creatures as the sons of men Seeing we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags as Isa 64. 6. Therefore to be resolved in this point she turns her self towards the word of God and sets her self to search the holy Scriptures where her dear Lord directeth her to these and many the like precious promises The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee saith the Lord that hath mercie on thee Isa 54. 10. Can a woman forget her sucking Childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the same loving Lord Isa 49. 15. But I saith the Soul am very sinfull exceeding subject to transgresse True saith the Lord thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities But I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Isa 43. 24 25. I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously and wast called a trunsgressour from the womb but for my name sake will I defer mine anger c. Isa 48. 8 9. Again the Soul objects against her self But I have felt the goodnesse of my God and sometimes tasted something like his favour whereby I have been seriously resolved to give my self for ever to his service And yet as one forsaking her first love I have returned to my former courses and lost the hold of all my precions hopes Why I will heal thy back-sliding and will love thee freely saith her good Lord Hos 14. 4. Thus comforted the weary Soul proceeds to ruminate upon her Lords performances The wonderfull works that he hath done for the Children of men The glorie which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me saith our Lord in his prayer to his father on the behalf of his Apostles together with all other believers John 17. 22 23. I lay down my life for the sheep saith our good shepheard John 10. 15. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self saith he again verse 18. And greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends Jo. 15. 13. Most true it is no man hath greater love But our dear Lord both God and Man hath greater for he did lay down his life for his enemies when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son Rom. 5. 10. These are excellent arguments of his more excellent affection Yet to confirm her faith beyond all scruple she will examine some of his chief witnesses And first St. Paul who testifieth that our Lord hath purchased his spouse with his own bloud Take heed therefore unto your selves saith he and unto the whole flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own bloud Acts 20. 28. Again Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold c. But with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 18. c. his own self bare our sins in his own bodie on the Tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed saith the same Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 24. Now hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us saith that beloved Disciple 1 John 3. 16. And therefore unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his father to him be glorie and dominion for ever and ever amen Rev. 1. 5 6. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die saith our Apostle Rom. 5. 7. But that the onely begotten Son of God whom he hath made Heir of all things should die a cursed death to redeem the foul Souls of filthy despicable sinners Hear O Heavens and be astonished O earth This is an unconceiveable love a bottomlesse affection But now the Soul having perused his promises considered his performances and examined his witnesses till she is well resolved in this truth In the next place she asks to what intent did Christ redeem us at so deer a rate And learned Paul informs her Eph. 5. Husbands love your wives saith he even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish c. Eph. 5. 25 c. But can so great a Lord vouchsafe such grace as to betroth or marry to himself such wretched weak and undeserving creatures As Paul in that place seems to intimate This is the second question in which the Soul desireth to be satisfied And thereupon she runs to his Records and there by his assistance findes it written I will betroth thee unto me for ever Hosea 2. 19. And by his Prophet Jeremy Turn O back-sliding Children for I am married unto you Jer. 3. 14. Having considered these testimonies Then from his word she frames such arguments as may confirm her in this blessed truth First it appeareth that the Lord doth marry his Church unto himself In that he ealleth her his spouse Cant. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon my spouse And in the four next ensuing verses of that Chapter he extolleth her beauty her affection her profession and her ehastity four several times under the title of his spouse his sister his spouse His sister in regard that he had taken unto himself her flesh And his spouse in regard that he had joyned her unto himself in the spirit Secondly it is evident that the Lord marrieth his church unto himself For that he will have her call him husband Thou shalt call me Ishi that is in the Originall my husband and shalt call me no more Baali that is my Lord saith he to his church of the Jews Hos 2. 16. Thirdly it
needs be so for many Reasons First because God is the onely perfect substance of true love God is love saith St. John 1 Jo. 4. 16. And therefore we cannot love God but by vertue of that love which is essentially in God For otherwise we offer him but a shaddow instead of a substance Secondly because God is the onely Authour and giver of love love is of God 1 John 4. 8. And therefore unlesse God doth first in love to us bestow his love upon us we can have no love at all to dispose of as in relation unto him Thirdly because every one that loveth is born of God 1 John 4. 7. And it would be a preposterous thing for the child to love before the father Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God 1 John 3. 1. And as it is a far greater argument of love that we should be made the sons of God then that we should be called the sons of God And Fourthly because Gods love to us is the cause of our love to God we love him because he first loved us Saith the same loving and beloved Disciple 1 John 4. 19. Now the cause must of necessity be before the effect And therefore unlesse God doth first love us efficiently it is impossible that we should love God effectually And altogether to this purpose is that in the Prophet Jeremy I have loved thee saith the Lord with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawn thee Jer. 31. 3. Because the Lord did love his Church with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse he did draw her to love him again For this I humbly conceive to be the most proper and suteable end of this attraction It being likewise the most principal or onely duty which the Lord requireth Deut. 6. 5. and Math. 22. 37. And being thus confirmed in this truth the willing Soul hath nothing else to do to fatisfie her fully in this case but to examine the sincerity and goodnesse of her own love to her Lord. And thereupon she brings it to the tryal And first she findes it eager to injoy She sings with that melodious Prophet David As the heart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God! My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come to appear before God Psal 42. 1 2. And in the 48. Psal 1. 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God Secondly it is fervent or ardent in the act of injoying 't is no Laodicean luke-warm love It makes the Soul say with the blessed spouse Set me as a Seal upon thine heart as a Seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death Many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. Thirdly she findes it very generous It soorneth to be base or trivial Too generous to be so mercenary as with those fools to say unto the Lord Depart from us and what can the Almighty do for us as Job 22. 17. It makes her scorn to stand for any wages That she refers to her beloved's goodnesse She knows her wages will be better far then all her works can any way deserve She remembers the words of her Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give then to receive as Acts 20. 35. And thereupon her love will not be bought at any rate If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Cant. 8. 7. Neither will this loving Soul be bribed but will rather say with Peter Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Acts 8. 20. And secondly it is so generous that it will not be overcome by any base or lewd or carnal lust It will say with Joseph How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. And with Moses it will chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season as Hebr. 11. 25. Thirdly it is so generous that it will not be daunted either for fear of losse or displeasure or death it self According to the example of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. And of Daniel himself Dan. 6. Fourthly it is so generous that it scorneth to be nigardly in prosperity It will buy the truth and not sell it as Prov. 23. 23. It sayeth with David What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. And therefore he will not offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord his God of that which doth cost him nothing as 2 Sam. 24. 24. Yea with the people of Israel it will give more then is necessary to the work as Exod. 35. 22. c. and Exod. 36. 5. Fifthly it is so generous that it will not be dismayed in adversity In case of derision or reproch it will say with David I will yet be more vile then thus as 2 Sam. 9. 22. In case of danger it will say with Peter Though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee as Mat. 26. 35. And in case of extremity it will say with Job Naked came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1. 21. And with Paul None of these things move me neither count I my life deer unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. Sixthly it is so generous that it will not spare for any expressions nor any opportunities It will strive to out-strip the sinfull woman who when she knew that Jesus sate at meat in the Pharisees house brought an Alabaster box of oyntment And stood at his feet behinde him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anoynted them with the oytment Luke 7. 37 38. Or what it cannot do to him in his person it will do to him in his Members when he is an hungry it will give him meat when he is thirsty it will give him drink when he is a stranger it will take him in Naked it will cloath him Sick it will visit him in Prison it will come unto him For which the Lord shall say unto this Soul Verily in as much as thou hast done it to one of the least of these my brethren thou hast done it unto me as Math. 25. 40. ANd thus the Soul having examined her love by these and the like properties and finding it to be sincere and sound her joyfull heart is
fully satisfied that now the match between her Lord and her is absolutely made and finished For as she apprehends his love by faith so she returns her love by resolution She hears him sing That he is overcome and ravish't with her beauties and her love Cant. 4. 9 10. And in consideration thereof she gives consent and so confirms the contract My beloved is mine and I am his saith she Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine or I know that my beloved is mine There is the consideration And I am his or I do freely give my self to be his There is the consent And from these deer conclusions they proceed to solemnize their heavenly nuptials He brings her unto the banqueting house and his banner over her is love Cant. 2. 4. And she holds him and will not let him go untill she hath brought him into her mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived her Cant. 3. 4. And now he weds and beds her For as the Bride-groom rejoyceth over the Bride so her Lord rejoiceth over her as Isa 62. 5. And the sweet Soul is made so sensible of her deer Lords embraces that she breaks forth into these the like sacred raptures A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts As Cant. 1. 13. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me Cant. 2. 6. And being thus become a married wife she studies how she best may please her husband And to that purpose she consulteth not with flesh and bloud but with his holy Spirit By whom she begs that she may be directed unto the knowledge of his blessed will according to the tenor of his word And first she findes this exhortation under the hand of his Apostle Paul Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord Eph. 5. 22. Here is both a rule and an example She submitteth her self therefore unto God According to Saint James his exhortation James 4. 7. Yea she submitteth her self to every ordinance of man for her Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well According to that of the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 2. 13 14. Secondly she findeth by St. Peter That wives ought to obey their husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham 1 Peter 3. 6. And thereupon she saith unto her Lord as the people of Israel sometimes said in the presence of Moses All that the Lord hath said I will do and be obedient as Exod. 24. 7. Yea she saith with the Propher David I delight to do thy will O my God Yea thy law is within my heart Psal 40. 8. Yet lest she should mistake in her accounts she oftentimes doth pray with the same Prophet Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statues Psal 119. 12. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts c. verse 26. And teach me to do thy will for thou art my God Psal 143. 10. She prayes that she may do as well as understand And as she prayes so she resolves to practice That so she may prove what is that good that acceptable will of God According to St. Paul his milde request Rom. 12. 2. From whom she likewise meets with this instruction This is the will of God even your sanctification c. 1 Thes 4. 3. c. And from St. Peter thus As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 15. 16. And therefore in obedience to his will She endeavoureth to cleanse her self from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God as in the 2 Cor. 7. 1. And for as much as she conceives that she cannot attain to that perfection of holinesse that will be requisite she calls upon her husband for supplies Who of God is made unto her wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. So that though she be a poor Soul yet she hath a very rich husband Thirdly she findeth that the wife must see that she reverence her husband Eph. 5. 33. And therefore this new-married Soul doth strive to raise her thoughts above the common rate and fix them on such venerable objects as may provoke to reverence and honour Doth Majestie require a reverence Why with her Lord is terrible Majesty Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice Job 37. 22. 23. Is wisdom to be had in reverence Why in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Is it required that we reverence Age Why he is the ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 9. The eternal God Deut. 33. 27. Or do we reverence and honour goodnesse Surely we ought so to do Why there is none good but he Matth. 10. 17. If these or any other excellencies are to be reverenced in the Creature according to their limits or degrees By how much more must they be honoured and reverenced in the great Creator where they are matchlesse perfect infinite Therefore the Soul that 's married unto Christ considereth his might his Majesty his wisdom goodnesse and eternity with all his fulnesse and perfections that so she may have grace whereby she may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear as Hebr. 12. 28. And though she is not superstitious to place the strength of her devotions in outward forms bodily performances knowing That bodily exercise profiteth little as 1 Tim. 4. 8. And that God being a Spirit must be worshiped in Spirit and in truth as John 4. 24. Yet neither is she barbarous or rude to exercise such incivilities in the partaking of Gods Ordinances as she would fear to practice in the presence of civil persons or societies We know there is a reverence belonging to husbands fathers masters Magistrates chiefly as they are subordinate to God whom they do personate or represent according to their weak proportions And shall we honour these imperfect shaddowes more then we honour that most perfect substance for and by whom they are made honourable Do we conceive both cap and knee too little wherewith to reverence our superiours when we do meet them in their several stations And think we one of these to be too much to reverence the great King of Kings withall when we attend him in his Ordinances There are many in this time of pretended or inforced or desired famine of the word that will go as far to a Sermon if they like the Sermoners as to a Sias or Sessions I do not discommend them for that Yet they will not allow the least reverence to the word of God in the Sermon that they will afford to the word of Man in the Sessions I do not
And as we must begin our works by faith So we must labour in those works by love Not that whereby we love pleasures for that is the part of a mad man Eccles 2. 1 2. Nor that whereby we love riches for that is the property of a fool Jer. 17. 11. Not that whereby we love them that hate the Lord for that is dangerous 2 Chro. 19. 2. Nor that whereby we love lies for that is damnable Revel 22. 15. Not that whereby we love the world for that will make us Gods enemies James 4. 4. Nor that whereby we love pride for that will make God our enemy 1 Pet. 5. 5. Not that whereby we love sin for that is Satan-like 1 John 3. 8. But that whereby we love the Lord for that is Saint-like Psal 31. 23. And therefore such a love as will be proper and fit to carry on a godly work must have God for its object and Gods glorie for its end More plainly thus If we will labour in a work by love so as to bring it to a godly frame Our love must be sincere to God in Christ firm to his will and zealous of his glory And verily it must be qualified in reference both to God and man like that which Paul sets forth in his Epistles Namely in the thirteenth Chapter of his first to the Corinthians beginning at the fourth verse Love suffereth long saith he is kinde it envieth not it vaunteth not it self is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth it beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things And he that shall according to this love or to a love not much unlike to this proceed in those designes which he hath first begun by faith he may be confident that if his patience be answerable he hath attained to the power of godlinesse And therefore it remains that we consider what kinde of patience will be suteable and proper to continue our ingagements For we do finde four kindes of patience Namely a patience of falsehood A patience of folly A patience of force And a patience of hope The first I say is a patience of falsehood or a false pernitious patience And this is when a man dissembleth his anger till he can finde a fitting opportunity to do the greater mischief Thus hatefull Esau did conceal his anger that he conceiv'd against his brother Jacob. And he said in his heart the dayes of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob Gen. 27. 41. And thus proud Haman did dissemble his against good Mordecay for near twelve moneths For he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecay alone c. Esther 3. 6 7. Untill he falls upon that cursed decree to destroy to kill and to cause to perish all Jews both young and old little Children and women in one day as verse 13. This is a false treacherous patience or a patience with a mischief The second is a patience of folly A foolish and a partial patience And this is when a man can hear or see Gods glory vilified or abused or in his name or truth or Ordinances and not to be moved or offended at it Alas how hot and furious we are in the defence of our own reputation although it scarce be worth the speaking of But in Gods case we are as calm and cool as if we had nor spleen nor spirit in us We read that Jehu the son of Nimshi was very zealous in destroying the posterity of the Kings of Israel and Judah and in removing all obstructions and impediments that might hinder or molest his possession in the Kingdom of Israel Neverthelesse he was so patient in reference to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin that he departed not from after them To wit the golden Calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan 2 Kings 10. 26. For these he supposed to be as supporters to establish him in his Throne According to Jeroboams first intention 1 Kings 12. 26. And may there not be some in these our dayes that are very zealous to root out Monarchy Magistracy and Ministery which zeal they Jehu like proclaim to be for the Lord. Notwithstanding they continue their Golden Calves of covetousnesse and ambition whilest unâ—er the colour of liberty of conscience every one that is factious may do that which is right in his own eyes We finde likewise that Eli was so zealous for the Ark of God that when he heard it was taken by the Philistines he fell down and died 1 Sam. 4. 14. But he was so patient in relation to the sins of his own sons that he thereby provoked the Lord to denounce a fearfull curse upon his whole posterity 1 Sam. 3. 13. c. And are there not amongst us that will rage and inveigh very bitterly against the least mistakes of their opposers as scandalous and therefore execrable whereas they can with much patience passe by the lewd proceedings of their friends and followers as humane frailties therefore tollerable I cannot say but this kinde of patience may be of credit with Apostates But I conceive it was not so with the Apostles I am sure it was otherwise with impartial Paul when Peter came to Antioch I withstood him to the face because he was to be blamed saith he Gal. 2. 11. Be angry but sin not saith the same Apostle Eph. 4. 26. Assuredly this purblinde patience is opposite to the right Christian zeal neither complying with the work of faith nor with the labour of a godly love And is not this a foolish patience or a patience of folly The third kinde is a patience of force And this appeareth when a man conceives that he hath just occasion of offence And no lesse will to execute his anger had he not some restraint imposed on him This we may see was verified in Laban when he pursued hotly after Jacob It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt saith he but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight saying take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad Gen. 31. 29. How often would the High Priests Scribes and Pharisees have seized upon Christ before the time but that they feared the people And thus the Lord doth oftentimes suppresse the fury of his Churches adversaries either by their confusion As he dealt with Pharaoh and his Egyptians Exod. 13. 23. c. Or he restraineth them to their conversion For thus he dealt with persecuting Saul who afterwards was also called Paul Act. 13. 9. And he that was made patient by force now teacheth us the Patience of Hope This is the fourth and last kinde of patience A hopefull and a happy patience This is the right way to possesse our souls in matter of desertion or death Luke 21. 19. By