not onely betake themselves to the means of faith before-named but do dwell upon them feed upon them meditate upon them untill their faith be well setled and strengthened and then the Marks will of their own accord follow for as seed doth not grow unlesse it be first harrowed and lye a while in the earth and as meat will not strengthen unlesse it be chewed and have time to digest even so unlesse we insist and dwell upon the Means of Faith the Promises Covenant c. by frequent and earnest meditation feeding upon them and hiding them in the midst of our hearts they cannot produce any setled faith in us and faith not being produced and setled it cannot produce these effects and marks as are requisite thereunto I have insisted the longer on this because I find it is one of the greatest depths of Satan thus to tosse in a wind as it were the children of God whereby many are held back from beleeving and we our selves are in every thing backward but especially in the point of beleeving O ye of little faith slow to beleeve The point of faith is a main point and going out of the way in it is no lesse then the hazarding of the soul especially we should take heed that the nature of Faith be not mistaken it is a fundamentall errour to erre in the point of Faith In a word then what shal one do when he is in such a case that he can find no Marks or evidences of faith pray for them that is true but for the point of means using there is no other course or help to strengthen his faith but this to strengthen his faith by the means that so faith may bring on these evidences As in the building so in the repairing of Faith Q. I would gladly hear of some of those speciall particular means to beget and strengthen Faith A. First of all a notable Mean is duely and diligently to consider of the mercifull nature of the Lord our God who is our partie with whom we have to deal as it is most sweetly and richly set down to us in Scripture and all to draw our unbeleeving hearts to rest upon the same This is a mean and prop of Faith that Gods children have had great recourse unto So we see Psal 25. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies for they have been of old Remember not the sins of my youth but according to thy mercy remember me c. So Psal 5. Have mercy upon me O Lord according to the multitude of thy tender mercies Sweetly saith Daniel of this Mercy and forgivenesse belongeth to thee although we have sinned against thee So sweetly Psal 65. Iniquitie hath prevailed against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions So Psal 130. If thou mark iniquitie narrowly who shall stand but there is mercy with thee or forgivenesse with thee And again With the Lord is mercie and plenteous redemption Thus hath Gods children against the greatnesse of their sins have comforted and upholden their faith by the consideration of Gods mercie The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run unto it and are saved Now the name of his mercy is above all his names as is clear from Exod. 34. where the Lord proclaiming his Name to Moses takes so many stiles of mercy to him But to the point the Lord in his word hath been pleased having a regard to our slownesse to beleive to set down his mercy very richly largely pithily and pregnantly to us he is said to be plenteous in mercy Psal 103. to pardon aboundantly or to multiply pardons Isa 55. To delight in mercy Micah the last To delight in these that trust in his mercy Psal 148. To be rich in mercy Ephes 1. That his mercy endureth for ever Is he not infinite in his mercy The Lords mercies be most pithily and pregnantly set down in these places Exâ—d 34. Micah the last Isa 1.44.55 Deut. 4. Psa 103.116 So that doth the greatnesse of thy sins trouble thee he is infinite in mercy though thy sins were as scarlet c. He forgives iniquitie transgression and sin for his Name sake he pardons iniquities so that now the greater thy sins be the greater shall be the name of his mercy So David Psal 51. For thy name sake pardon my iniquity for it is great the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin though never so great and no wonder because it is the blood of Christ of God not with corruptible things but with the precious blood and that his own blood Acts 20. Doth the number of thy sins trouble thee he hath multitudes of tender mercies for the number of thy sins he doth multiply pardons if thou hast multiplied thy sins he is rich in mercy he hath a treasure of mercy if thou hast treasured up wrath notable is that Isa 43. Ye have wearied me with your transgressions yet come and I will pardon you I even I am he who for my own names sake c. He who bids even us to pardon seventie times seven times how oft then will he himself pardon Obj. O but I have spent all my daies in sinning so that justly I may fear that the day of grace is expired that the doore of mercy is shut up A. O but the Lords mercy enduereth for ever he is long suffering if thou hast been long in sinning and that the day of grace is not expiered is evident because the meanes is yet continued and the offer of mercy in them for the Lord he is yet beseeching thee by his Ambassadors to be reconciled so that it is yet the acceptable time the day of salvation 2 Cor. 5. towards the end and Cap. 6. at the beginning And he is yet standing at the doore and knocking ready if thou wilt open to him to come in and to sup with thee and thou with him So then While it is to day harden not your hearts neither dispaire the Lord and thou art yet upon parley under speaking termes and so the bargain is not quite broke off consider the similitude of a besieged City as long as there is any parley there is possibility of peace consider also how it is said At what time soever a sinner repents I will do away his iniquities Obj. O but I cannot finde this repentance A. The Lord will pardon and shew mercy upon a very small measure of repentance he will accept of the smoake instead of the fire of repentance It is not our repentance but Christs merits that the Lord looks at he will not quench the smoaking flax yea he will shew mercy upon the very first motions and beginnings of repentance I have sinned saies David and The Lord hath taken away thy sin saies Nathan The prodigall child was met a far off yea upon a purpose of repentance I said I will confesse my sins and thou forgavest c. yea such is his mercy that when Adam did extenuate and shift
to pardon all former sins and rebellions wheras justly he might have punished them before Let the wicked man forsake his wayes c. and yet for all this they neglect so great salvation they despise the offer of mercie and sin against the Lords clemencie These be our own actuall sins that we ought to humble our selves for but there be other sins that we ought in no wise to passe by in our humiliation to wit 1. for our originall corruption that lothsome leprosie that ugly filthy corruption that falling sicknesse of our sins the fountain of all our naturall sins which defiles not onely our actions but our very persons in the sight of God and is so much to be deplored being a disease incurable in the inward or noble parts and is to be lamented above any out-breakings in the outward parts of the body we see how David how Paul bewails it 2. For that first sin of our first parents we ought greatly to humble our selves for this sin if well weighed we shall find to be an exceeding great sin and that it is our sin and that the guiltinesse belongs to us is clear out of Rom. 5.12.17 18. 3. For the sins of our predecessors for so we see did Daniel Nehemiah Ezra c. We have sinned and our fathers and the Lord saith I will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children 4. For the sins of the Land we live in so David Psal 119. Rivers of tears run down my eyes because they make void thy Law And Ezek. 9. they are marked who sigh and cry for the abhominations of the Land VI. The last and a notable mean of humiliation is well to consider the person against whom thou hast sinned and that both in his greatnesse and in his goodnesse towards thee This did David weigh and consider while he saith so emphatically Against thee even against thee have I sinned And indeed without weighing this point we can hardly either be humbled in our selves or can we comprehend or with our hearts acknowledge the justice of God But seeing and considering this point to wit against whom we have sinned our conscience will then exceedingly both condemne our selves and justifie the Lord in his justice There is nothing that doth aggravate an offence more then doth the qualitie of the person against whom it is committed that which being done by a man against an ordinary person one of his neighbours would be but an ordinarie offence yet if he should do it to his father it would turn to a hainous crime and if it were done to his Prince it would be high treason deserving and procuring the utmost degree of punishment that could be devised how great then must be the offence and what shall be the punishment of that offence which is committed against the great God and Soveraigne Lord of all the earth the King of kings who is able to cast both soul and body into hel fire But especially I would have thee to consider the goodnesse of God that so thou mayest see the foulnesse and ingratitude of thy sinning against him and so mayest justifie the Lord in his justice If a man should go wrong or offend his father that begat him and gave him his life or one that at any time had preserved his life or one that had bestowed some great favour upon him and had been beneficiall to him we would abhor such a man for the foulnes the unnaturalnesse the ingratitude of his offence But what is this to the offence of the Lord our God he is our Father indeed and the Father not onely of our bodies but as he is called of our spirits it is he that hath made us and not we our selves He hath preserved our life not once but many times yea alwayes In him we live we move we have our being And finally he hath bestowed upon us favours innumerable is so beneficiall that he loads us daily with his benefits what vile ingratitude then must it be to fin against him I pray thee how mightie and withall how just a challenge shall it be when the Lord shall accuse thee in these terms I did make thee who might have denyed thee a being and I made thee according to my own Image whereas I might have made thee a beast or a sencelesse creature and I made thee and brought thee into the world with all the perfections of thy body and mind and have continued them with thee this I have not done unto many others I have preserved thee from innumerable inconveniences which befell unto others by day and by night I loaded thee with benefits which I denyed to others thou never enjoyedst any thing usefull or profitable whereof I was not the bestower I made the rest of my creatures serve thee my Angels guard thee my own Son redeem thee for all this what did I require but that such things thou shouldst do and such and such things thou shouldst not do earnestly I besought thee to obey as a matter of eternall concernment to thy self and of high displeasure to me and yet thou tookest not the matter to heart thou wouldst not obey dost thou thus requite me O foolish person and unkind how can thy own conscience but concur with the Lord and say Thou art just when thou judgest MARKS THAT ACCOMPANY FAITH Q. VVHat be the Marks that accompany faith or are taken from the concomitants of Faith A. I. They be these three especially the first is this true Faith leans to the means and is grounded upon them even upon the Word of God and in speciall upon the promises of forgivenesse of sins the new and everlasting Covenant the passages of Gods mercifull nature Christs readinesse to receive sinners the oath that ground of strong consolation and such like grounds and means of confidence layed down in the Word it is begotten and bred by these at first it is fed cherished and strengthened by these And lastly it is defended by these against all assaults doubtings and tentations of the soul so that the Word and these things in the Word be the seed the food the fortresse or refuge of faith whereunto it retyres so that faith altogether stands by the Word Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.27 So then wouldst thou know whether thy faith be of the right stamp or no 1. Was thy faith at first begotten by the Word and the foresaid means either heard read or meditated upon 2. Doest thou find thy faith to be strengthened cherished and cheered by using the same means so that upon your diligent using and feeding upon them you find your faith more lively and strong and again upon your neglect of the means you find it more dead weak and remisse this is very considerable And 3. when your faith is put to it and assaulted doth it and thy heart flie to the foresaid means and passages of Gods Word all this evidences thy faith to be of the
against it judge thy self for it thou hast reason indeed to sorrow for it but not to dispair or be discouraged yea rather get more faith that thou maiest get a further victorie and purification And thirdly For that predominant corruption that thou canst not get ridd of but in all thy doings it cleaves unto thee pollutes thy best services this should not discourage thee for 1. This is the case of Gods children they have sin that hangeth fast on them yea even Paul saies When I would do good evill is present with me and cries out against the body of death And 2. But if thou fall out with and loath thy sin if thou regard it not if thou judge thy self for it fear not thou shalt not be judged for it if thou cry to God against it thou shalt not be found guilty no more then the woman under the Law it is not thou but sin that dwelleth in thee If thou think it strange that the Lord should exercise thee with such strong corruptions so displeasing to himself he doth it for good ends 1. To cure a more dangerous corruption to bring thee out of conceit of thy own righteousnesse to chase thee to his Christ for expiation and to the holy Ghost for mortification of corruption to exercise thee in praier and in thy Christian warfare were it not for this we would not so often and so fully feele the necessity and sweetnesse of Christs sufferings intercession and righteousnesse we would not make so much of the sanctifying subduing power of the holy Ghost nor have so oft recourse unto it where would be the exercise of our faith and patience about the performance of the promise of sanctification what would stir us up to fervent and sincere prayer where should be the matter of our Christian warfare Obj. I do not finde the hatred and loathing of sin and this doth puzzle me in this point I find indeed that I do not entertain it but I think it to be more out of fear of punishment then out of hatred of sin A. Doth not thy heart rise against sin even in others to whose sin thou art not accessarie which cannot flow from fear but from hatred yea doest thou not hate those who are profain and wicked although they have other recommending and insinuating parts as on the contrary thou lovest those who are good and holy say not then that thou art altogether voyd of this point of the hatred of sin further though we finde not all that we would have yet should not we faile to be both thankfull and incouraged in regard of the things that we finde the Lord gives us to find many things that we may be exercised in thankfulnesse and to misse some things that we may be exercised in prayer pray then that the Lord more and more would make thee partaker of his divine nature and of his holinesse that so the hatred of sin may grow more and more sensible in you for he is of purer eyes then that he can behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 He loveth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse Psa 55.7 A fourth Mark faith worketh by love Wherefore observe two things of faith 1. That it worketh it is operative and not idle it brings with it a spirituall life unto the soul of man and this spirituall life brings out spiritual operations when faith is put in the heart of a man there is a stirring disposition put in his heart also he is not his own man in his own element finds not quietnesse in his mind unlesse he be sometimes working and well employed Faith ever worketh towards God I mean immediately for all our works are to him as to our last end in being about the points of his worship in obeying his acceptable will in glorifying his Name advancing his kingdom seeing to the doing of his will by others so far as opportunitie and our callings permit Sometimes towards our selves in that great work of our salvation Sometimes towards our Neighbours in the works of charitie yea of spirituall charitie so necessary and so often recommended Exhort instruct edifie comfort admonish one another and yet neglected much want of compassion to the poore soul So their faith is ever working which clearly cuts off those who please themselves that they abstain from ill yea from some few grosse ills that they are no theeves murtherers adulterers c. although they never do a good deed not remembring the doome of the unfruitfull tree and unprofitable servants But secondly as it worketh so it worketh by love there is much working upon wrong motives which is all lost labour like building without a foundation there is nothing we should look more unto then this what is the motive of our obedience for it is the thing the Lord looks most unto He pondereth the heart yea doth not man so also if he can know it Now the motive most acceptable to God the disposition and affection of the heart which he requires which is here a Mark of Faith is the motive of love the Lord cares not a whit for our obedience if it come not from love yea he reckons it not for obedience therefore Love is the summe of the Law it fulfils the Law it is the end of the Law Even love out of a puâ—â— heart c. He shews mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments If I give my body to be burnt and bestow all my goods upon the poore without love it profiteth nothing Love is the soul the salt of all obedience and without it it is but a dead unsavoury carkasse Hence is it that the Lord doth begin his Law the summe of all our obedience with the remembrance and the rehearsall of a main temporall favour and deliverance typifying a far greater even that great salvation which shews that he would have the obedience rendered unto his Commandments to flow from love This is also the way of the Gospel even the way of love and the commands thereof are rather requests then commands I beseech you by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 We beseech you exhort you by the Lord Jesus c. and in sundrie other places So that the Gospel doth require a lovely obedience and would draw us by the cords of love And this certainly makes our obligation of obedience the greater and our guiltines the greater if we obey not If one who may command will yet intreat the disobedience is so much the fouler and more odious And this is indeed to sin against the Gospel and to neglect that great salvation to wit when we are intreated and besought by him who hath all power and right to command us and that not by common favours but by the mercies of God and sufferings of Christ and yet refuse to obey But to the point Wouldst thou then render an acceptable obedience let the sense of the Lords great and many temporall and spirituall favours and deliverances be ever fresh and firm in
and hide his sin his great sin yet the Lord gave him pardon intimating mercy to him The seed of the woman shall tread down the head of the serpent Lastly whatsoever thou dost want in this point the Lord hath promised it even to take away the stonie heart and to give the spirit of mourning Zach. 12.10 Obj. O but I continually slide back to the same sins daily A. It may be so through the power of sin leading thee captive and sinne that hangs fast on yet this is not thou but sin that dwelleth in thee 2. He hath said that he will heale our back-slidings Psal 65. Iniquity prevailes against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions Doest thou sin daily he gives thee liberty yea he commands thee daily to crave the remission of thy sins yea as oft as thou cravest daily bread but you will say how can this be what man would deale thus O but my waies are not like your waies noâ— my thoughts like your thoughts Isa 55. But to apply the point and to draw to an end A due dwelling upon the meditations of Gods mercy thus laid down in Scripture is a notable prop and mean of faith for a Christian soul may reason thus doth the Lord set down his rich mercy so richly and amply in his word and will he not be as good as his word will he faile when it comes to the point and proofe as men sometimes use to do who will speak fair and fail when it comes to the deed and performance will he not be as good as his word he gives himself out for Yes certainly hath he not set out his mercy in this kinde that our mistrusting doubting and withdrawing hearts may be made to rest upon the same according to that in Psal 26. O how excellent is thy mercie O Lord therefore under the shadow of thy wings shall the children of men put their trust A second notable Mean of Faith is to consider duly the mercifulnes and faithfulnesse of our high Priest our Mediator especially his readines to receive sinners as we have a mercifull and gracious partie so also a mercifull Advocate Hebr. 2. A mercifull high Priest and faithfull in things pertaining to God to make reconcilement for the sins of the people This the Scripture makes also a notable prop and mean of Faith and confidence as is clear from Hebr. 4. Seeing we have such an high Priest let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy Now for his readinesse to receive poore sinners certainly it is exceeding great It is well observed by one that he never refused any who came to him here on earth for the cure of their bodies although this was not his main errand yea he prevented some as the man at the Pool he encouraged others to come forward when others would have discouraged them as the blind man much lesse will he refuse any who come to him for the salvation and curing of their souls this being his main errand and principall office even to save his people from their sins 2 Behold how sweetly he invites Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden I counsell you to come unto me He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Ho every one that thirsts How often would I have gathered you Behold I stand at the doore and knock Rev 3. He beseeches us to be reconciled by his Embassadours 2 Cor. 5. Now may not a sensible soul reason He that invites us so kindly to come will he not welcome us as kindly when we come He that beseeches us to be reconciled unto him will he not when we intreat him be reconciled to us Stands he at the doore and knocks and will he not open unto such as not onely are willing to let him in but stand at his doore and knock He that so often would have gathered these who came not will he refuse to any chased soul a shelter under his wings flying for refuge and to the horns of salvation Q. O but I am not worthy to come there is gnoâ—race in me A. There is worth enough in him for you and him both 2. He invites thee to come and that freely and he will accept of thy small measure he quenches not the smoaking flax Obj. If I could come unto him but I cannot do that A. O he will help thee I will draw all men unto me Joh. 11. He is the author and finisher of our faith A third notable Mean of Faith is to meditate upon and confider of the manifold motives perswasions and inducements the Lord God uses to draw us to beleeve O it is not an easie matter to beleeve for the first Command is to beleeve 1 Joh. 5. this is his Commandment and he threatens us if we beleeve not and that most fearfully Joh. 1. and 3. Chapters to drive and scar us from infidelity Whosoever beleeves not he is condemned alreadie he hath made God a lyar 3. He doth request us to beleeve We as the Ambassadors of God beseech you to be reconciled bids us trust and trust perfectly to the grace that shall be revealed unto us 1 Pet. 1.4 He sometimes cheers us to beleeve and encourages us Come and câ—mâ— boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercye Hebr. 4.5 Sometimes the Scripture chids us to beleeve so that as he saith of the people of Israel so may I say of this point O Judah what shall I do unto thee O Ephraim how shall I intreat thee Now may not a Christian soul gather great grounds to beleeve from these inducements reasoning thus with himself Doth the Lord command me to beleeve and shal I doubt whether I ought to do it or not Carry I my self or would I do so in regard of his other Commandments question I whether I shall do this or no and shall I draw back from this his most acceptable Commandment 1 Joh. 5. Doth the Lord threaten me so to beleeve so to chase me and scare my heart from infidelitie and shall I think that it will displease him to beleeve No I can see nothing can be either more dangerous to me or more displeasing to him then not to beleeve as is to be seen Joh. 7. and 3. Chapters 3. Doth he beseech me to be reconciled yea many never do regard his entreatie and will he refuse them who beseech him have besought him and by his grace will beseech him to be reconciled Is he not found of those who seek him not and will he not be found of me who seek him though weakly 4. Doth he bid me come boldly to the throne of his grace and will he then count it over great boldnesse in me to do so 5. Bids he me trust and that perfectly and complains he of the slownesse of the smalnesse of my faith and shall I be of little faith slow to beleeve Further as these Motives and inducements be notable to work us to beleeve and to
to me A. For this I give no other Answer but what I gave to that doubt concerning the Promises for what is the Covenant but a bundle of Promises As ye heard of the Promises they are to you and to your seed Even so the Covenant I am your God and the God of your seed Consider the other Answer Q. O but I am so unworthy guiltie sinfull gracelesse I cannot think that it belongs to me A. For this consider the second property the freenesse of this Covenant it is altogether free from the Lords free favour without any respect to any thing in thee it looks at nothing in thee no worth in thee can procure it no unworthinesse in thee can hinder it so that whatsoever thy condition be thou needst not fear to lay hold on it Now this freenesse of this new Covenant is clear and may be specified by these particulars 1. It is free because it doth not require any prevenient grace or worthinesse in us Isa 55. where this Covenant is set down Ho every one that thirsteth come and buy without money c. So Rev. last Drink of the water of life freely Rev. 3 the poore the miserable naked spiritually are invited and counselled to come Hâ—s 14. I will love them freely Rom. 3. All have sinned and come short c. being justified freely by his grace Nothing the Lord stands more upon then the freedom of his grace that all the glory and the thanks may be to him 2. It is free not onely because it doth not prerequire or presuppose any worthinesse in us but it doth also take off former guilt we should remember that it is made for the behoof of sinners I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance We are saved by beleeving in him who justifies the ungodly But I say this Covenant takes off even exceeding great by-past guiltinesse as is clear from Isa 55. where the Covenant is mentioned I will abundantly pardon Isa 1. although they were never so great though as red as scarlet Isa 43. although they were never so many Ye have wearied me with your transgressions c. Yet I am he c. This is a worthy saying and by all means to be received by thee that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chief of sinners and not onely Paul but him to be a pattern to others who afterwards should beleeve in him Now all these tends to the further manifestation of the riches of his grace and mercy Hence it is said Isa 43. For his Names sake be pardons iniquitie now the greater and the more thy sins have been the greater shall be the name of his mercy and the freenesse of his grace 3. This Covenant stands not onely with by-past guiltinesse but which shews the freenesse thereof with much present sinfulnesse and wretchednesse if felt and mourned for This is clear from Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7 8 9. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood c. Yet even then I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Then I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away the blood from thee c. So we see how that sinfulnesse of disposition doth not let the Lord to enter into this Covenant with us and should not discourage us to lay hold on the Covenant See Ezek. 36. where there is mention of the Covenant more then once Not for your sakes O house of Israel be it known unto you Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes but for my Names sake And he tels them that they were a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people rather worse then better then other people And surely there are not more rough pieces of work and greater sinners then many on whom the Lord bestows grace that so the glory of his mercie and power of his grace even divine power may be better known So then neither thy works nor thy by-past guiltinesse nor thy present sinfulnesse of disposition ought to hinder thee from laying hold on this Covenant seeing it is in all these respects a free Covenant but as ye shall hear it is the onely way to get all these redressed Obj. O but this Covenant promises that I shall have a new heart be cleansed from my filthinesse c. these things I find not hence is it that justly I doubt that the Promises of remission of sins belongs not to me seeing the other Promises of sanctification be not accomplished A. Thou wilt not beleeve that they may be accomplished think you that all the conditions of the Covenant shall be performed to you or can become yours untill by faith you lay hold on the Covenant untill by faith you subscribe the Covenant and set to thy seale that God is true thou hast not entred into the Covenant nor cannot be said to have done it untill thou subscribe it by beleeving and so no wonder thou hast not reaped the benefits of the Covenant go to then and enter thy self in the Covenant subscribe it seale it by beleeving and then shalt thou find the vertue and benefit of these promises of Sanctification and go not to suspend thy beleeving because thou findest not the accomplishment of the promises for ye heard it is faith that brings forth holinesse and Sanctification But the next and last property of this Covenant is able to give you satisfaction and it is the absolutenesse and compleatnesse of this Covenant I call it a compleat Covenant because the Lord hath undertaken in it to fullfill both his own part and our part what could be wished for more so that whatsoever it requireth of thee it promises to give the same unto thee as faith repentance the grace of prayer the fear of God victory over corruptions and finally strength to walke outwardly in the waies of the Lords obedience Hence I call it an absolute Covenant because it not onely hath conditionall on all promises promising eternall life remission of sins such and such things to those who beleeve repent love fear God c. But it hath in it absolute promises which properly be the new Covenant promising even these very conditions to wit faith repentance c. What can be more sweet and comfortable certainly there is not any point in Christian Religion more comfortable or more considerable by us then is this of the absolute promises and of the compleatnesse of the new Covenant and how that the Lord hath undertaken both for his own part and our part herein for want of considering of this many poore Christian soules are holden back mightily and are discouraged for they thinke with themselves many things and amongst the rest remission of sins to be promised to those that fear and love God that beleive and repent that seek by prayer c. But alas I want these conditions and so have no interest in the promises
civill actions his praying is sin and so all his religions exercises yea every Iâ—agination of his heart is evill continually thus is it wiâ—h the person or perâ—ons that want faith 2. Again for temporall Judgements though he may be for a time without them yet it is but for his further conviction and more fearefull torment in the life to come nor is he sure of a freedom from them in this life they are hanging over his head as it were by a haire he knows not how soon they shall overtake him for they come suddenly as travell on a woman with child as a whirlwind or as an inundation of waters as the Scripture expresses it he knowes not when the Angell will poure out the viall of Gods wrath upon him yea the Angel may have the sword already drawn though he like blind Balaam does not see it And then lastly for eternall judgments when this life shall have an end which may be in a moment there is nothing attending him but instantly utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth everlasting burnings the lake that burns with fire and brimstone everlasting fiâ—e prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25 41. Revel 21. this is the dolefull and dreadfull condition of the person that wants true faith which consideration alone might serve to awaken us out of our security and to stir us up without delay with all diligence to prove try whither we be in the faith or not But for your further stirring up II. In the second place consider how that notwithstanding the case of these that want this true saving faith be most lamentable yet neverthelesse there be but very few that either have or shall have this pretious jewell of faith unfained this to be true the Scriptures the ground of all truth make cleerly good Many are called and few chosen Strait and narrow is the way that leads to life few there be that enter therein Christ when he shall come shal scarcely find faith on the earth this seriously considered would make men looke more narrowly to themselves then they do III. To stirre you up yet further to this triall consider that notwithstanding the Scripture be cleere in this point that true faith belongs to very few yet every one thinks he hath it whereby alas it is most evident by comparing the truth of Scripture with the opinions of men that the most part are pitifully deceived in this matter of highest concernment and that the faith of most men is but a fantasie and surely there is nothing more incident to us then presumption that by reason of the blindnesse which is in our minds the deceitfulnesse of our hearts and that self-love which is in our affections as is to be seen in the Pharisee the Laodiceans yea in those who preached prophecied and wrought miracles in Christs name which is fearefull yea the very grossest sinners think they truly believe which is strange and shewes the great power of presumption Q. I grant you that all this should stir us up to be about this present duty of trying whether we be in the faith or not and that both diligently and duely least we be deceived with so many others and also without delay the point being of so great consequence and our life of so short and uncertain continuance and not to be at a point in a point of such importance which betokens wonderfull security madnes yea spirituall deadnes tell me therefore I pray you some of the cleerest and surest markes of faith that I may try my selfe thereby A. For your better remembering of them you may take them up in 3. sorts to wit they be either taken from these things which goes before faith or from these things that accompany faith or from these things that follow after it from the antecedents from the concomitants and from the effects or consequents Q. What be the marks that go before faith A. First of all in the generall where the Lord hath a purpose to worke true faith in the hearts of any before it he works in them that preparatorie and ground-work of humiliation in the soule and consequently a very sensible change a work indeed painfull not joyous for the present but most necessarie for those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses as all by nature be this he doth by sending his spirit according to his promise thereby to convince them of their sinfulnesse guiltinesse and wants Iohn 16.8 and it is usually called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. v. 15. Now this work of humiliation I say is a very sensible work and makes a great and a sensible change in the soule for it puts a stirring in the soule an awakening in the conscience which before was dead in sins and trespasses so needed some strong allarme it is the very pains and pangs of the new birth which cannot choose but be both painfull and sensible it is the casting out of the strong man who although while he holds the house all things be at peace yet will not be cast out without sensible unquietnesse seeing then the change is great and sensible see and consider if ever thou hast found any such change in thy soule or not Qu. But what be the particular changes that be wrought upon a man by this work of humiliation A. They be many but these three chiefly as both Scripture and the experience of Gods own children do testifie I. The first great change that is wrought upon a man in the work of humiliation is by reason of the discovery of his guiltinesse and of his being convinced thereof for whereas before his mind heart was filled with false presumptions apprehensions of Gods mercy nothing but mercy before his eyes and no seeing of God in his Iustice now be they quite contrary in this worke of humiliation the case is changed nothing so much before his eyes as the Iustice of God and his anger against sin the sight of mercie almost being quite ecclipsed he being upholden onely with a glimering as it were thereof a possibilitie of pardon and hanging as it were by a very hair of hope Jona 2. v. 4. nothing sounds in his eares so much as justice and wrath hence these sayings Lord rebuke me not in thine anger enter not into judgement c. His former and forgotten sinnes are brought to rememberance as we see it fared with the sons of Jacob and they are set in order before him Psa 50.21 he trembles at Gods word Isa 66.2 the threatnings of the word like as the arrowes of the Almighty trouble him and write bitter things against him as it fared with Ioh. Now all this is done for very good ends to wit these two especially first for their by-past sinnes that they may be driven to Christ the horne of salvation Luke 1.69 that they may fly earnestly or at least in sincerity unto him for a refuge Heb. 6.18 to his merits righteousnesse intercession
may fear God even for a time when a judgement is upon him for a fit or a start but this is not the true fear of God for when the judgement is over he goes to his wonted sins So did Pharaoh and Jereboam thus he fears not alwayes and so is not blessed he hath not gotten the Lords fear as never to depart from him and so is not in the Covenant But see thou if thy judgements and afflictions not onely whilest they were lying on but even afterwards they have brought forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse But that this Mark may be the more clear comforting and convincing we will lay it out in the particulars to wit their fear who have the true fear and withall let you see the quite contrary in the wicked and that both from Scripture 1. They who have this true fear they fear Gods justice and anger against sin as is clear Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant Rebuke me not in thy wrath Who knows the power of thy wrath 2. They fear the threatnings of the Word and tremble at it 3. They fear his judgements against sin recorded in Scripture or observed by experience Psal 119. The contrary of all this is true in the wicked For 1. in generall they fear not God at all according to a notable place Psal 36. who if they were not strangely besotted and blinded might see that they were wrong when even others see it The transgression of the wicked saith in my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes c. Look and consider the place 2. They fear not Gods justice and anger they never get a sensible and serious thought of his justice before their eyes but think he is all Mercie and that therefore if they should sin all their life time and yet but at the very last bid the Lord have mercie on them that that will serve their turn Whereas Gods children howsoever sometimes they have had the like apprehensions see the Lord in his justice and holines and that in such a sort as that hardly can they get a glimpse or glance of his Mercie 3. They fear not the Lords threatnings tremble not at his Word but on the contrary Deut. 29.29 They are readie when they bear the words of the curse to blesse themselves in their own hearts saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own-heart c. So that ye see there is a clear difference Now to the Application and that first for comfort 1. Hast thou the fear of God even that fear of God and not of man that right and constant fear rejoyce 1. Thou art in Covenant for this is a point of the Covenant as ye heard 2. Thou art blessed for thou fearest alwayes 3. Thou shalt not be ashamed or disappointed for thou hast respect to all his Commandments 4. Thy afflictions have been sanctified afflictions for even afterwards they bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse joyn faith with fear and let love cast out slavish fear be bold to beleeve the Promises thou that beleevest the threatnings Who is he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant let him trust in the Lord c. Thou hatest not to be reformed and so mayest take his Covenant in thy mouth 2. Didst thou doest thou fear his justice and wrath so that it makes thee to flie under the wings of Christ makes thee flie to the horn of salvation for a refuge to the hope set before thee Thou mayest be sure of a kindly welcome How often would I have gathered thee c. He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out There is allowed to thee A strong consolation even to them who fearing the Lords justice flie for a refuge to the hope set before them Heb. 6.3 Didst thou doest thou tremble at his Word at his threatnings the Lord looks upon and dwelleth with such a one 4. Art thou afraid of his judgements this will make thee judge thy self and so not to be judged of the Lord Flie to him in whom whosoever is there is no condemnation for him 2. For conviction But for thee who hast not this fear in generall but doest flatter thy self in thy own eyes making no conscience of sin Alas if thou saw sin as others see it and wert not miserably besotted thou wouldst see thou hadst no fear and so no faith no salvation 2. Wast thou never deeply apprehensive of the Lords wrath and justice against thee or never hadst any serious and sensible thoughts thereof Alas I see not how ever thou hast been driven to Christ No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden Nor how thou canst prise his merit and the Lords mercie or stand in aw for time to come have a tender conscience c. 3. Doest thou not tremble at the threatnings of his Word then assuredly thou beleevest them not and therefore thy belief of the Promises is but a phantasse a false presumption 4. Doth not the Lords judgements recorded against the like sinners with thy self affect thee then surely thou knowest not how neer they be unto thee thou art in a deep securitie Had David need for the flesh to tremble and art thou lesse sinfull No yet more secure III. The third Mark of a true humiliation is this that from the sight of sinfulnesse and sense of guiltinesse or fear there arises an earnest care and sollicitude in a man after his own salvation Behold what care what fear c. What shall I de to be saved He works out his salvation with fear and trembling This is indeed a great and a clear change being compared with his former securitie But that it may be yet more clear we will set down the difference in this point betwixt the godly and the ungodly betwixt a man thus wakened and quickned by the Lords rich mercie and a man yet lying dead in sins and trespasses receive it then thus 1. The ungodly and not wakened or quickened they have many of them no cares or desires at all about heavenly or spirituall things or of their own salvation their cares and desires are about corn and oyl Psal 4. about many things Psal 10. give them their wishes and desires they would run this way as for grace and glory they think they have enough of the one and that they are sure enough of the other The godly and wakened are not so Lord give me the light of thy countenance they take care for the one thing necessary give them their wish and desire it would be grace and not goods 2. If they have any cares or desires this way they be 1. but sluggish desires and not diligent they may wish and would with Balaam their salvation but they do not work much lesse work out their own salvation They may well seek the kingdom of heaven but not and the righteousnesse thereof
Psal 90. Moses saith further Who knows the power of his wrath When the children of God who in their wakening of their conscience had but a taste of that wrath for the dregs of it are reserved for the wicked and who rather apprehend and fear Gods anger then feel it when they say they would give all the world they would suffer what can be devised to be freed from the apprehension of that wrath what must the thing it self be And therefore we see how David cries out Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure It 's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God the Lord is a consuming fire But because that this point to wit that the Lord is angry and wroth with some is a point that we can hardly comprehend what is the reason that we fear so little to commit sin and are so slenderly humbled for sin therefore I will let you see his anger against sin by the effects of it in some few examples 1. Must not the Lord be very angry and highly offended with sin when for one sin of our first parents he made whole mankinde lyable to eternall and intolerable torment the most part of them without recovery and even upon whom he hath shewed mercie he hath ordained them to passe their pilgrimage here in labour and sorrow and hath made all the creatures subiect to vanity Who knows the power of his wrath But this ye may think was against sin committed in innocencie when there was such ability not to sin But secondly behold afterwards the Lords anger against sin how great it must be when for sin he who swears he delights not in the death of a sinner and is a God full of compassion did destroy the whole world the very young sucking ones and the dumbe creatures a few onely being saved But ye will say sin was here come to a height and was universall But I will give you one fearfull instance of the one particular sin of one man Achan for stealing the wedge of gold how fearfully was he punished and not he onely as ye may read in the History but his sons and his daughters his oxen and sheep and all that he had was stoned and burnt with fire a fearfull example of the fiercenesse of Gods anger against sin which should make us say as David did My heart trembleth because of thy judgements But ye will yet say this was it's tâ—ue but one sin but a great one sacriledge but the Lord is not perhaps so angrie for all that at every sin O but consider if he be not what are these but outward judgements hath he not also even for the least sin ordained eternall and intollerable torment how great then must be the indignation and abhomination of the Lord our God even against the least of our sins when it doth move so just a God who surely would not make the punishment greater then the fault to adjudge the committer to eternall torment and intollerable O! if this were well weighed by us we would not be so carelesse in preventing nor so slight in our humiliation even for our least sins we all fail in this we are not carefull enough to prevent small sins so to speak nor carefull enough to humble our selves for them we have a cast of idolatrie we â—ount them veniall O but the least deserves eternall punishment the least provokes the Lord to anger the least cost Jesus Christ his blood For the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin and therefore count not so little of a sinfull thought or a sinfull word prevent carefully watch diligently be humbled greatly And now to conclude this point would ye see the Lords anger hatred severitie against sin yet more clearly adde but this one consideration to wit of his dealing even with his own children his own darlings after the committing of sin to whom neverthelesse he hath pardoned the iniquitie how dealt he with David the man according to his own heart how with Moses who was so familiar with him for one sin deprives him of his greatest worldly contentment he wounds them with the wound of an enemie and chastises them with the chastisement of a cruell one as Job saith he makes their beauty to consume as a moth night and day his hand is heavy upon them and he turns their moisture into the drought of Summer Now if the Lord for sin deal so with his own dear children how will he do with his enemies if so sharply with them to whom he hath pardoned the sin how then with those who are still guilty if so to the green tree how to the dry If the righteous scarcely be saved how shall the unrighteous and sinners be saved IIII. A fourth mean or help of humiliation is to consider seriously of the justice of God a point also that we can never sufficiently comprehend people apprehend the Lord to be infinitely mercifull and so he is but for his Justice they esteeme nothing so of it as if he were not infinitely just also every thing in God is infinite and therefore he being just must of necessitie be infinite in his Justice and so his justice think we of it what we will passes our deepest apprehension Take heed unto this ye that think the Lord is all Mercie the Lords mercie is wonderfull great God forbid it were otherwise His mercie saith the Psalmist reaches to the heavens and his faithfulnesse to the clouds But doth not his justice and judgement reach as far for what saith the Apostle O the depth of the riches c. and addes the same of his justice for he saith His Judgements are past finding out And as he speaks of the glory of his mercy upon the vessels of mercy so he speaks of his wrath even the power of his wrath upon the vessels of wrath so that with whom he deals in mercie he is infinitely mercifull and with whom he deals in justice he is infinitely just And let me say to you if we will look to the multitude of objects Justice hath the preheminence I speak this to humble you and also that ye be not deceived for men and women think that Mercie hath the upper hand of Justice in this respect but many are called and few are chosen Indeed Mercy bears it away in this that it hath the first place and Justice comes not in till Mercie be contemned patience and long-suffering abused and towards Gods own it is wonderfull for all their sins may well make him to visit them with the rods of men but never to take his tender mercie from them But for the point I was speaking of certainly more shal find the dint of Gods justice then ever shall find the benefit of his mercie which should cause every one of us in good earnest to see to our selves The Scripture is very carefull that the consideration of Gods mercie do not ecclipse his justice from
seeing that thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve and hast given us such a deliverance as this Should we again break thy Commandments wouldest thou not be angrie with us untill thou hadst consumed us As if he should say Shall we not regard both thy judgements and thy favours And because some had done thus therefore he saith O my God I am ashamed to lift up my face to thee O my God Consider moreover how thou hast sinned against the means of Gods Word so often calling upon thee standing at the doore and knocking stretching out his hands all the day long and that thou hast sent him away with a refusall This neglecting the Lords call and refusing to hear his Word and obey it is a most fearfull sin and fearfully threatned in Gods Word Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye have not heard and have stretched forth mine hand and no man regarded But ye have set at nought my counsell and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamitie and mock when your fear cometh Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me There cannot be a more fearfull threatning then this and yet ye see it is but just and proportionable which shews the offence to be exceeding great And indeed how great a sin must it be that the great God should vouchsafe to speak to us base creatures and that thou in the mean time shouldst not daigne to hear him or hearing him refuse to obey him Now this thou hast done so often as ever thou hadst the occasion of the Word and either slighted to hear or didst not do the thing thou heardst Thou must not think that it was a man onely that thou didst misregard to hear or to obey but even God himself whose Ambassadour he is O that we would consider this rightly that when we hear the Word it is the great God whom we hear or whom we misregard according to that of the Apostle that they received the Word not as the word of 〈…〉 as it is indeed the Word of the living God This would make us truly to acknowledge the greatnesse of our by-past offences in this point and for time to come to hear with greater attention to better purpose but because this is not sensible enough considered by us therefore is it that we cannot see the greatnesse of this sin to wit to heare the word of God negligently This sinne is also fearfully threatned Isa 6. v. 12.66.4 Ier. 7.13 all which shewes that the contempt yea neglect of Gods word is not so small a sin as we apprehend it to be how then shouldest thou be humbled who hast been so often guilty of this sin See we not when Malefactors are broght to the place of the execution even for crying sins that yet this sin cries louder in their consciences then all the rest as is to be seen by their confessions further consider how thou hast sinned not onely in generall against the light of Gods word but even in particular against the Gospel against the offer of mercy and hast neglected so great a salvation Now this makes thy sins to be exceeding sinfull it is fearfull to sin against the very light of nature as is clear by the testimonies of the Lords wrath upon Belshazzar Dan. 5. and upon these Rom. 1. They had but the very light of nature and yet because they abused even but that light because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull therefore he gave them over to a reprobate minde and far more fearfull is it to sin against the light of the written Law for that was a clearer light and so we see the transgressors of the Law were precisely and peremptorily punished every transgression received a just recompence of reward But most fearfull and sinfull of all is it to sin against the most clear light of the Gospel and the offer of salvation in it as is clear out of these two places Heb. 2.1 Heb. 10.28 29. And our Saviour saith plainly that it shall be easier in the day of judgement even for Sodome and Gomorrah then it shall be for the neglecters of the Gospel Consider then how thou hast sinned in this last kind and so how great thy sins must be Were the breakers of the Law severely punished yea even those who had nothing but the light of nature O what deservest thou what need hast thou to be humbled that hast sinned against the highest light if by humiliation thou do not prevent it it shall be more tolerable for Sodom then for thee Now the thing that makes sins against the Gospel to be so sinfull is this because they are against not onely the Lords Commandment but his most loving entreaties and that by his tender mercies and the precious merits of his Son and therefore notwithstanding these to disobey and so to despise the offer of grace is and must be exceedingly sinfull for it is no lesse then as the Apostle cals it to neglect so great a salvation to tread under feet the blood of Christ and to count the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing for by the Law the Lord commands us indeed so to do but the tenor of the Gospel is by intreating to win obedience out of love I beseech you by the mercies of God Rom. 12.1 If a just King should out of Authority command his Subject any reasonable lawfull thing and he should disobey certainly his disobedience were great and greatly to be punished But if the Prince laying aside his Authoritie or with his Authority should request and allure with benefits and yet be neglected what punishment thinkest thou were that person worthy of Now the case is thy own the Lord thy God hath more interest in thee then all the kings in the world and is more worthy to be obeyed then they all also he hath been commanding thee and not onely so but requesting beseeching thee and that not by any common favours but by his tender mercies and the precious merits of his Son and renewing the offer of salvation and remission of thy sins to leave such and such sins and to do such and such duties but thou wouldest not O then how great and how just shall be thy damnation is not this to tread under feet the blood of Christ O that this were considered if a Subject should rebell against his Prince his punishment should be both just and great But if the Prince notwithstanding all that had past would of his free grace offer him a free remission and pardon and intreat him to accept of it and no more to continue in his rebellion and yet neverthelesse he should despise the pardon and continue in his former rebellion what punishment can be devised sufficient for such a one Just such is the case of such who sin against the Gospel the Lord offers freely