contrarie Hence again we may know that we have claime to Christ and all that hee hath done for the Elect. For if I am not under the dominion of sinne I am under grace and the true subject of Christ even a member of his body But I plainly finde in me a rebellion against sinne within by loathing it as a body of death and a stinking carrion without by opposing it in all my actions and labouring to free my selfe not onely from subjection but from the encumbrance and molestation of it utterly to root it our as the spirituall Canaanite Certain am I therefore that Christ hath subdued sinne in me setled me in his kingdome and in his bodie Nothing can separate mee from him As it is very easie to see the soule in the body though invisible in the substance by the effects and workes of it so will it be no difficult matter to discerne the blessed Spirit dwelling in us by his many and manifest operations For as in the whole body of Christ so in every member the holy Ghost is ever working Looke as in the bodie the soule is never idle but ever in action even in swoones when we feele it not yet then it ceaseth not and though at such times wee have no sense of it yet others conversing with us evidently perceive it working for life so in the new man It is the same Spirit which worketh all in all so that when we feele it not our selves others easily see it Two maine actions of the Spirit comprehending the rest are mortification opposing resisting and working out the old man all sinfull matter in us or Vivification quickning repairing and strengthening the new man No sooner the Spirit enters but it discovers to us much ignorance and then stirres up to incline the eare unto wisedome and apply the heart to understanding the tongue to crie for knowledge and lift up the voyce for understanding When now the iâ—â—elligible part is somewhat cleared and light brought forth in this new Creation strait the dulnesse and deadnesse of the concupiscible part the will and affections is laid open Then the heart longues and the tongue calls out for quickeâ—iâ—g grace Take notice of this in the Saints Thus David begs for more light Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law Teach me O Lord the way of thy Sâ—atâ—tes Give mee understanding But now when by the grace of God in the exercise of the Word hee was growne wiser than his enemses and of more understanding than all his teachers then strait his eye was upon that sluggishnesse and deadnesse of spirit and how loud and frequent is he for quickning Quicken me according to thy Word quicken me according to thy judgement quicken me according to thy loving kindnesse how often repeated in that one Psalme Certaine is it that as wee can never in this life wholly shake off all sinfull infirmities so that blessed Spirit will never suffer us to rest in any Looke as in the earthly Canaan the Israelites untill the reigne of Salomon were never in full peace sometime vexed with Iabin of Canaan sometime with the Philistims but ever victorious Remarkable is it that ever their vexation was a sure signe of their enlargement and oppression by the enemy ushered in the destruction of the oppressor for when Israels soule was grieved with the Canaaâ—ites Gods soule was grieved for his Israel So in the state of grace till that true Salomon the Prince of peace shall fully reigne over all his and our enemies wee shall ever be in continuall strife with our sinfull corruptions first with one then with another and nothing should more fully assure us that God hath certainly purposed to cut off any sinfull affection in us then that discovering it to our eyes and giving us sense of the burden he gives us no rest that wee may give him no rest but seek importunately for helpe till we finde it subdued and destroyed in us Neither doth the blessed Spirit by his baptisme of fire onely mortifie and purge out the drosse of our sinfull nature but quickens us by that heat of life in vivification so that the soule enflamed with the thirst of grace and glory can make no stay in his race till it touch the marke with all diligence adding to faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance and when we are not destitute of any grace then putting us forward to grow in the grace which we have received Hence is it that even in the depth of tentation when our selves judging by sense suppose that all is lost standers by as they say see further then wee and can easily discerne this Spirit mightily working in us grieving under the load of sinne and unutterably groaning under this oppression judging our selves sighing for grace By this then may wee evidently disâ—rne the Spirit dwelling in us that we are ever in spirituall motion action and exercise sometime mortifying sometime quickning ever leading us forward to perfection See Rom. 8.11.13 14. so that we can never rest or sit downe in a contented estate till wee are fully compleat in happinesse and glory Lastly another signe whereby we may without all faile conclude that we are translated from death unto life is our love to the Brethren For certainely He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive the reward of a righteous man and hee that gives a cup of water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple verilie hee in no wise shall lose his reward Nay this token of our love proves and makes good all the former namely that God is our Father the Lord Iesus our Saviour and we Temples of the holy Ghost For whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God and every one that loveth him that begot loveth him also that is begotten of him And Behold let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God Where the love of Gods children is set out by the Spirit as a sure token both of our love to God and our new birth by God Againe our Saviour appointeth it as the Badge of his Disciples By this shall all men how much more our selves know that you are my Disciples if you love one another Read also 1 Ioh. 3.23,24 This is his command that we should beleeve and love one another and he that keepeth this Commandement dwels in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit he hath given us The two great commandements of the Gospell are Faith and love which when they are written in our hearts by the Spirit and he stirres us up to cleave unto our head by faith unto our fellow members by love it is manifest that we
temporall and eternall Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Your iniquities have hindered good things from you and your sinnes have turned away these things In a word reade Deutr. 28. from the 15. ver to the end and wee shall there finde that the disobedience breach of Gods law which is sinne 1 Ioh. 3.4 is that needle which draweth after it the whole file and long thred of misery and evill Againe that God is the soveraigne disposer who ordereth it according to his owne pleasure is most evident Out of the mouth of God proceedeth not evill and good yes answereth the same Prophet Spirit We have transgressed and rebelled and thou hast not pardoned Thou hast covered with anger and persecuted us thou hast slain and hast not pittied thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayer shold not passe through thou hast made us the of-scouring and refuse in the midst of the people Shall there be any evill in a Citie and the Lord hath not done it I make peace and create evill Moreover that the generall end and office of affliction is as a trumpet to summon and call us into the Courts of God to lay downe our rebellion and acknowledge our fealty is every where manifest in Scripture I prepare a plague and purpose a thing against you returne therefore every one I have given you cleannesse of teeth yet have you not turned unto me I have with-holden the raine yet have you not returned unto me Pestilence have I sent among you yet have you not returned to meeâ— I have over-throwne you as Sodome and Gomorra yet have you not returned to me where the Lord most plainly discovereth his end of sending in so many grievances among them namely that they might returne by repentance I have smitten your children in vaine they have received no correction Affliction is no good end when correction or amendment followeth not Wherfore should you be smitten any more you fall away more and more The speciall end why God smiteth ceaseth wheÌ„ men reject repentance Furâ—hermore that Affliction is a messenger of wrath and indeede the gate of hell to the Reprobate will easily appeare by many plaine testimonies Fire is kindled in my wrath and shall burne to the bottome of hell I will send plagues among them I will bestow mine arrowes upon them Such were those afflictions laid upon Caine Saul Iudas c. Especially this truth wil be cleared in those plagus spent on Pharaoh and Egypt which were not appointed by God or ever intended as means to reclaime him else God would have rebuked Satan and not suffered him to harden the heart of that heathen King by them to further obstinacy but 1. to make his resistance more unexcusable 2. to be fore-runners to his destruction of body and soule For to this end God appointed him to shew his power in him even that power of the Potter over the clay to mak one vessell to honour another to dishonour that power whereby hee hath mercy on whom hee will have mercie and whom be will he hardeneth Compare Exod. 9. 16. with Rom. 9.17.18.21 But that Afflictions are Embassadours of peace to the faithfull and indeede a narrow gate yet a gate leading to their happinesse shall most clearely bee shewed by that which followeth and in the meane time may be sufficiently manifested by the testimony of the Apostle Wee must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Now all afflictions may be differenced eyther from the subject in which they exist or the end for which they are sent The subject in which they exist is either soule or body where I so farre extend the words as to include in them al necessaries belonging to both Thus blindnes hardnesse deadnesse of heart terrors griefe desertions of the Spirit sinful infirmity many other may be reckoned among the evils and afflictions of soule so sicknesse payne losse of friends poverty disgrace and infinite other hanging upon the body and bodily estate Againe they may be considered from their end why they are sent by God namely for correctioÌ„ to some to others for confusion thus they are chastisements to his children to rebels punishmeÌ„ts It will therfore mâ—ch further our proceeding if wee briefly lay downe the difference between chastismeÌ„t punishmeÌ„t First then it is more apparent then can be denied that in the matter of them there is none or little difference For in outward evils All things come alike to all the same condâ—tion to the just unjust to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an oath So likewise many spirituall evils are common to al which is evidently cleared in the testimonies of many afflicted Saints The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the terrours of God doe set themselues in array against me Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest me possesse the iniquities of my youth Thus David complaineth that hee had lost the joy of Gods salvation see also Psal. 38.2 and 2 Cor. 7.5 So then both the faithfull and unfaithfull suffer many evils and the same afflictions in the matter of them befall both Secondly it must bee remembred that by reason of this neerenesse in their matter they are sometimes used one for another and punishment called chastisement and chastisement used for punishment though not ofâ—en yet sometime even the Scripture useth these termes promiscuously affirming the godly to be punished and the heathen chastened But in propriety of speeâ—h there is very much and palpable difference For Divine chastisement is such affliction which God of his fatherly wisedome and love layes upon his children for the triall and increase of his grace in them here and their glory in him hereafter sustayning them in the meane time by his Spirit and so bringing forth in them the fruit of holinesse and righteousnesse Contrary Divine punishment is that affliction which God in wrath and hatred layeth upon the wicked as an enemy to their confusion and further damnation with-holding the comfort and saving worke of his holy Spirit which therefore produceth in them murmuring despayre and blaspheming CHAP. IIII. The difference betweene punishnishment and chastisement OBserve from hence five manifest differeces wherby the chastisements of God are distinguished from his punishments The first is from the fountayne or cause whence they issue Chastisement is from a fatherly love and faithfulnesse in his Covenant Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth scourgeth every â—on whom he receiveth As many as I love I rebuke chasten See also Pr. 3.12 His promise in his Covenant is If they break my Statuts keep not my Commandements Then will I visite their transgression with the rod their iniquity with strokes My Covenant will I not break c. I haue sworn by my holinesse I will not faile David
endowments every creature may excell me Stones more durable Plants more vegetative Beasts more sensible even Divels more wise and understanding But herein hast thou magnified thy grace toward me thy abject Creature that I excell other workes of thy hands in that wherein thou my glorious God excellest thy selfe that thou hast printed thy holinesse thy Divine image and beauty upon me and crowned me with thy glory and honor Rejoyce then oh my soule in the Lord and dance for joy His grace hath prevented and farre out-runne thy wishes As the first Adam lost all his happinesse by his ambitious desires to bee like unto God in knowing good and evill so the second Adam hath restored all happinesse by satisfying our ambition in making us like himselfe in loving good and hating evill The life and estate which thou enjoyest in Christ the nourishment of that life and the assurance of that estate equalleth and transcendeth thy most ambitious desires and wishes Rejoyce then in the Lord againe I say rejoyce for the world is thine things present and to come are thine life and death are thine nay the Lord of life is thine thy portion the seale of thy portion and of thine inheritance in glory CHAP. XIII Comforts arising from Prayer A Third Ordinance of God in which hee yeeldeth us much consolation is Prayer wherein whether we consider the privilege which wee enjoy namely that we dust and sinfull ashes may speake unto the glorious Lord of heaven and upon all occasions at any time of need boldly through Christ approach unto his presence and make all our wants knowne unto him or the power and efficacie of Prayer that we never speake in vaine but prosper in all our suits what can bee a greater consolation to an afflicted Spirit What Hath God opened an eutrance for us unto his grace through the meditation which is in Christ Hath he set out the Sonne of his love to be our Intercessour Clothed him with our infirmities that he might be an high Priest for us mercifull sensible and tender of our weaknesse Hath he appointed this Angell of the Covenant to incence and perfume our praiers with his most fragrant mediation so to bring them into his presence Hath hee exempted no time but made every howre every minute a season for this holy Ordinance so that the oftner wee come the more welcome and the more importunate our suit the more sweete and pleasing Hath hee not permitted but commanded Call upon mee in the day of trouble and instantly promised and I will deliver thee Hath he not bid Aske ◠and assured us you shal receive Doth hee wish us Be carefull for nothing but in all thiugs let your requests be shewne to God in prayer And because we know not how to pray as we ought hath hee given us his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and to make intercession for u◠with grones which cannot be uttered And can any man want comfort who enjoyeth this privilege of Gods children and of the favourits of the King of heaven But some perhaps will reply here Doe not wee see many Saints complaine and have not I found by experience that God doth not alwayes grant what wee aske Ans. The Rules here of that Ancient Father are good Sometimes God giveth in wrath what is asked of him sometimes denieth in love And againe The Lord is gracious who often giveth not what we aske that hee may give what wee should aske And yet againe God alwaies heareth us not alwaies our wils but alwaies our profit God giveth the Israelites flesh in wrath and with store of flesh leanenesse of Spirit He giveth a King in anger when they aske him but hee denyed Paul in love that hee might keepe downe his heart from rising in pride and stablish it with sufficiency of grace Sometimes our Children aske of us things which are no way good and sometimes they aske things that are good but out of due time wee give them neither Thus often doe we and therefore receive not But fully to answer this objection we must by no means forget that in all petitions there is both a generall intention and purpose of asking good and a desire of some particular which we suppose to be good but through our dulnesse in understanding and want of a discerning Spirit may bee good or evill Againe wee must remember that in God there is an infinite wisedome which clearely and perfectly discerneth what either in it selfe or to us is evill or good Now then if the Lord should satisfie us in our mistake granting the particular which we cōceive to be good and he knoweth evill and so should deny us the good which he knoweth we intend and purpose this under a seeming grant were a plaine denyall whereas the contrary seeming a deniall yet is and wil hereafter plainly appeare to be an evident grant though not of that which wee ignorantly aske yet of that which in truth we desire Certaine is it that by reason of our great ignorance in asking every faithfull Christian prayeth with al subjection to Gods will and wisdome so we are taught as well by precept Thy will be done as by practice Not my will but thy will be done and as certaine that what wee so aske we shall without faile receive For hee that gave Christ unasked to us when we were enemies will not deny any grace when hee is entreated to them who are reconciled in Christ and aske in his name This then is sufficient for a Christian that he first knoweth that God hath willed and decreed to give him Christ and with him all good things secondly that whatsoever he asketh according to that will he shall without all faile receive 1 Ioh. 5.14 CHAP. XIV An Answer to some further objections BUt some weake dejected Christian will bee ready to reply All things indeed are possible to him that beleeveth but alas I have no faith to pray True it is that prayer is but the speech of faith And how can they call upon him in whom they beleeve not Faith saith that excellent Father gives life to prayer and praier gets strength for faith For answer let an humble soule well consider how a man with griefe should sensibly feele want of faith if he had not some faith to give him sense and feeling How should spiritual sense be without life or spirituall life without faith As he in the Gospel first found his sight in the defect of it that hee saw men like trees So might weake Christians easily discerne some measure of true faith even in this griefe and complaints for want of faith Againe we shall easily perceive in these Complainers much detestation of sinne not onely in others but especially in themselves and passionat desires to glorifie God in all faithfull service And from what root can these fruits arise but from that faith which purifieth the heart Some others
dwell in Christ and Christ in us by that holy Spirit Hence also may a faithfull soule surely gather God himselfe hath most clearely testified that if I love the Brethren I am translated from death to life that I am borne of God and therefore love the children of God because being my selfe his childe I love my Father Christ hath set his badge and cognizance upon me in that love and that holy Spirit is â—hee which by his presence hath brought my heart into obedience of this precept Certaine then is it that this love to the Saints is proper onely to the Saints even to those whom God hath begotten by his Word saved by his death and sanctified by his grace Seeing then I finde this love to the Saints rooted in my heart that my soule cleaves to their persons delights in their fellowship admires their excellencies sure am I that the same grace which I love fâ—ourishing in others is planted in my selfe that their Father is my Father their Head my Head and that Spirit which dwels in them resteth on me and will abide with me forever CHAP. XXXIV Recollecting and applying these things by short meditation NOw then in the last place let the troubled soule in some inward conference underset and prop up his shaken faith by applying these assurances unto himselfe Say then in thy heart How long oh my soule how long wilt thou suffer this feare which hath torment to hold thee downe in continuall affright and vexation how long shall it keep out that spirituall joy which is thy only Paradise on earth Search oh my Spirit search ouâ— in these heavenly Records those sure evidences whereby thy Lord hath graciously convâ—yed unto thee this happy and blessed estate Are they not layed up in the middest of thy heart See here first divers strong assurances that God hath clensed thee from reigning hypocrisie that hee hath given thee a thirst of righteousnesse not onely a desire to know him but to walke with him in all sincerity of obedience That hee hath given thee an unfeined delight and joy not onely in the Promises but in every Commandement of thy Lord liking and heartily loving that purifying fire of the Word whereby thou art refined as gold and seperate from this sinfull drosse which is so mixed and incorporate with thee A zealous anger and griefe burning within thee detesting every sinne whereby thy Saviour is dishonoured and above all thine owne in which thou unthankefull wretch too often forgettest that incomperable incomprehensible love wherewith hee hath compassed and embraced thee A continuall longing after the Lord Jesus after his death that thou maist be buried in it after his resurrection that thou maist be quickened by it and not only justified in that other but sactifiâ—d in this life and renewed after that his glorious image and divine beauty True indeed my weake soule too true thou art full of infirmities very unfruitfull very unprofitable every one out-strips thee and those who have set out long after thee in this heavenly race are now much before thee But yet comfort thy selfe for even in this estate thy gracious Saviour leaves thee not altogether comfortlesse but still affords thee some token of his eternall love for seeing thy weakenesse thou art humbled within me and broken with griefe of thy barrennesse Remember that he as much delights in the low feat of an humble spirit as in the loftiest Throne of his glorious heavens But rise my dejected soule oh rise up in strong consolations and glorious rejoycings See here oh see thou hast an infallible evidence that the Father of lights hath begotten thee through the word of Truth and that thou art borne anew not of mortall but immortall seede the Word of God and therefore entred not into a corruptible but eternall life For seest thou not that seede of thy Father abiding in thee feelest thou not an unslaked thirst of that sincere milke of the Gospell not that thou mightst have it in thy mouth for discourse but in thy heart for growth growth in all obedience growth in all holinesse and perfection Behold also behold with joy unspeakeable Thy Saviour hath assured his victory unto thee and hath already throwne downe the dominion of sinne in thee It is indeed an enemy a strong a grievous encombring vexing and ah too often prevailing enemy but an enemy thou professest no obedience but proclaimest open warre to every sinne how much more will he who conquered it reigning subdue it rebelling in thee yea certainely the Lord Jesus hath set up his victorious Crosse in thee and he that now hangs out a flagge of defiance will shortly set up his banner of triumph trample all thine enemies and bruise under thy feet both sinne and Satan Consider also that the bleâ—sed Spirit the life of thy spirit dwelleth and continually worketh in thee It cannot bee that uncleane spirit the Prince of disobedience it cannot bee the spirit of the world or that fleshly sinfull spirit within thee which is ever washing thee from uncleannesse seperating thee more and more from the world and the corruption which is in the world through lust which drawes and frames thy desires and actions to all obedience unto the Lord Jesus which gives thee no peace in sinne suffers thee not to rest in any imperfection discovers thy corruption causeth thee to groane under it puts thee forward in thy race enflames thy affections and orders thy feet to turne out of the evill into the good way and to runne in it Dost thou not finde in thee an unfeyned love to the Brethren Doth not thy judgement highly esteeme them Doth not thy will doe not thy affections entirely love and honour them Doth not thy whole soule blesse them How dost thou cleave to them in heart How dost thou admire those that excell upon the earth in holinesse How doest thou delight in them and art ravished with their heavenly fellowship Looke now to thy evidence sworne by the Father written by the Spirit sealed by the bloud of thy Saviour Is not hee borne of God who loves the children of God Is not hee a member who loves a fellow-member Is not hee quickened by the same Spirit who is united in the same spirituall love to those who live walk in the Spirit Rejoyce then oh my sonle rejoyce in the Lord and in these assurances of his everlasting truth and favour Cast out this spirit of bondage this servile this tormenting feare Bring in that joy of the Spirit seat it in the midst of thy heart There let it abide there let it reigne making thee to delight in the Lord to turne and tune thy grones and sighs to hymnes and spirituall songs ever blessing him who never ceaseth to blesse thee to love his glory and glory in his love to serve him in joy and rejoyce in his service CHAP. XXXV Conâ—luding all with Prayer OH glorious Trinity of persons in the unity of one God draw mee nearer