it is in Prov. 1. 20 21. and there makes publike proclamation ho every one that will come ye to me and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you Isa 55. 3. Isa 65. 1. and if we come not at this first invitation then he comes and beseecheth us to be reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5. 20. and speaks to us as pittying us Jer. 3. 12. and lamenting over us Ezek. 33. 11. and all this he doth to perswade us to come and strike a Covenant with him 3. By the hearing of these promises and offers of grace the Lord usually scattereth some little seeds of faith in the hearts of those that he will bring unto himself which seeds being sown do quickly put forth and act towards the Covenant before by the Father tendred and layes hold of it as we see in Lydia the Jaylor Zacheus c. So by an act of faith we come to close with the Covenant revealed and offered freely unto us by accepting the grace offered resting upon God for all the mercy which he hath promised and then taking God to be a God over us submitting to his government and authority to command us and to rule us in all things according to his own will these two things faith doth and so takes hold of the Covenant more firmly in the same way and order as God offers it First God makes himself known to us as a God of mercy gracious long suffering pardoning iniquity transgression and sin and so offers himself to be reconciled to us though we have rebelled against him promising to be a Father unto us and to accept of us in his beloved as his sons and daughters and thus is the Covenant made up between God and us and the soul now begins to say in it self I that was an enemy he hath now reconciled unto himself I that was in times past without God without Christ without promise without Covenant without hope and none of Gods people Yet now I have God for my God Christ is my peace and I am now become one of Gods people the Covenant of his peace now belongeth to me and the Lord is become my salvation saying as Jacob Gen. 33. 11. The Lord hath had mercy on me therefore I have enough I have all that my heart hath desired The Lord doth acquaint the soul with those absolute promises which shew unto us the only cause of our salvation even free grace and no other thing Secondly they are a foundation for the faith of adherence or dependance to stay upon they yield a singular encouragement to a poor dejected soul that finds nothing in it self but sin and misery with hope to cast it self upon the free grace of God seeing he looks at nothing in us for which he should save us there be two acts of faith one of adherence or dependancy another of assurance there be also two kinds of promises absolute and conditionall mark now how these do fit and answer one to the other the absolute promises to the faith of adherence the conditionall to the faith of assurance Now faith helps us to close with the Covenant and enables us to walk with God according to the Covenant which we have made there is a keeping of Covenant required of us as well as a making a Covenant with God Gen. 17. 7 9. Psal 50. 5. The Saints are said to make a Covenant with God but in Psal 103. 18. they are said to keep his Covenant so there is a making and a keeping of Covenant and both by Faith The eleventh thing to be enquired into is what are the blessings and benefits of this Covenant to us-ward Answ WE can never know the things which are given to us of God but by knowing of the Covenant which conveys all the blessings from God to us O let us lift up our hearts to look for great things great blessings such as the great God hath promised the blessings are sutable to our wants the things of the Covenant are great things Hos 8. 12. The Covenant is as full of blessings as of letters or syllables and more it is a rich storehouse replenished with all manner of gifts and graces spirituall and temporall it is as a tree of life to those that feed upon it they shall live for ever it is a Well of salvation it is a fountain of good things to satisfie every thirsty soul Zach. 13. 1. it is a treasure full of goods as Deut. 28. 12. here is unsearchable riches unspeakable mercy which can never be fathomed or emptied all these blessings of the Covenant are wrapped up in the promises of it every promise of grace containing a blessing as every threatning of the Law contains a curse Now the promises and blessings of the Covenant are of two sorts First of things spirituall and eternall Secondly of things temporall the spirituall blessings of the Covenant are cheifly comprehended in these places of Scripture Jer. 31. 31 33. Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 28. Jer. 32. 38 39 40. Gen. 17. 7. God in Trinity enters into Covenant with us 1. The Father enters into Covenant with us and promiseth to be a Father to us hence saith the Lord Exod. 4. 22. Israel is my son my first born and Jer. 31. 9 20. is Ephraim my dear son is he my pleasant child so the Lord hath a care to provide both heavenly and earthly inheritance for his children he hath also a care to nurture and instruct them in his wayes Deut. 32. 10. 2. Christ the son enters into Covenant with us and speaks to us as in Isa 43. 1. Thou art mine and Hosea 13. 14. I will redeem them I will ransome them Oh death I will be thy death thou hast destroyed my people but I will destroy thee so he undertakes to take up all controversies which may fall between God and us he promiseth to restore us to the adoption of sons and to the inheritance of sons that we might be where he is Joh. 17. 24. 3. The holy ghost makes a Covenant with us as Heb. 10. 15 16. whereof the Holy-Ghost also is a witness to us testifying of this Covenant which he makes with us although the Father be imployed in it yet here is the power and work of the Holy-Ghost what the Father hath purposed from all eternity and the Son hath purchased for them in time that the Holy-Ghost effects in them and applies to them viz. he enables them to apply the blood of Christ for the remission of sins he writes the Law in our heats he teacheth us he washeth us from our filthiness and comforteth us in our sadness supports us in our faintings and guides us in our wandrings c. I may say as Moses to the people Deut. 33. 29. happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord and as David Psal 33. 12. Blessed is that Nation whose God is the Lord. By faith we look at Christ as having all fulness of grace
how many thousands did God take away by the plague for that small sin It is true in one sense there is no little sin because there is no little God to sin against One would think it was but a small thing for Vzza to put his hand to uphold the falling Ark yet for this the Lord smote him that he dyed For one small sin of Moses for neglecting to circumcise the child for the bare omission of that the Lord met him and would have killed him Exodus 4. 24. The same Moses for one unadvised speech must die in the wilderness and not go into Canaan Num. 20. 10. Palm 106. 33. Now there is great danger in samll sins for these four reasons 1. Because they be committed with more complacency and less reluctancy 2. A man is apt to commit small sins with more security and less penitency 3. People are apt to run into small sins with more frequency 4. One stab at the heart with a pen-knife will kill a man One little leak in a ship may sink it And one little sin unrepented of will damn a soul c. Of the mischief brought upon many for one sin ONE sin cast Adam out of Paradise and the Angels out of heaven Annanias and Saphira for one lye were stricken dead so was Vzza for once touching the Ark One sin brought misery upon Esau for selling his birth-right and David for Numbering the people the sin of Saul his sin being but one and that of omission too in not killing Agag the King of the Amalekites he was utterly cast off by the Lord for the same though he was his annointed and chosen servant before I have lately read in a Book of Mr. Thomas Brooks of the mischief brought upon many precious men for one only sin viz. One sin tript up the heels of Noah the most righteous man then in the world One sin cast down Abraham the greatest Believer in the world One sin threw down David the best King in the world One sin cast down Paul the greatest Apostle in the world One sin threw down Sampson the strongest man in the world Another cast down Solomon the wisest man in the world And another Moses the meekest man in the world And another sin cast down Job the patientest man in the world What hurt sin doth a Saint IT is not falling into the water that drowns but lying in it so falling into sin sinks not thy soul but living in it we can stay no more from sinning without the restraining grace then the Heart from panting and the pulse from beating Sin may break a Christians Communion but not his Union with God God had one son without corruption but no son without correction he had one son without sin but no son without sorrow Sin will cost a Christian more grief sorrow heart-bleeding and soul-breaking before conscience will be satisfied and comfort restored and evidences cleared and pard on in the Court of conscience sealed For God is as severe in punishing as he is gracious in pardoning his house of correction is his School of instruction Sin doth make God look severely and chide bitterly and strike heavily even where and when he loves dearly Isaiah 59. 2. Your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear Psalm 89. 32. Then will I visit their sins with a rod. Ver. 33. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Many would fain be rid of their sufferings that would not at all be rid of their sins Sin and shame are inseparable companions and sin and punishment are linked together if thou wilt be sinful thou must be miserable One little miscariage doth in the eye of the world over-shadow all a Christians graces as one little cloud doth overshadow the whole body of the Sun The ready way to mortifie sin 1. SHun the occasions of sin for that man shall be a slave to sin that will not flie the occasions of sin it is impossible for that man to get the victory over sin that sports and plaies with the occasions of sin I have read of five men that were studying what was the best way to mortifie sin The First said to meditate of Death the Second said to meditate of Judgement the Third said to meditate on the Joyes of Heaven the Fourth said to meditate on the Torments of Hell the Fifth said to meditate on the blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ and certainly the last is the strongest motive of all to mortifie sin that soul that doth this Isa 62. 4 5. shall no more be called forsaken for the Lord will rejoyce over him and be a well-spring of life unto him and make his abode with him and turn his sighing into singing and his trembling into rejoycing and his prison into a Paradise then the soul will break forth and say in these or the like words O blessed be God for Jesus Christ blessed be his name for that precious blood that hath justified our persons and quieted our consciences and scattered our fears and answered our doubts and given us the triumph over sin hell and death who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died this made Paul Rom. 8. 33. to the 38. cry out victory victory he lookt upon all the enemies and sings it sweetly out saying Over all these we are more then Conquerors in a word from Christ alone we have strength to perform any duty to exercise any grace to subdue any lust to resist any temptation to bear any affliction John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing nay Paul goes further 2 Cor. 3. 5. We of our selves are not sufficient to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from God Isa 45. 24. Christ is made unto a Believer righteousness and strength now if we want Faith in Christ we want righteousness by way of acceptation and we want strength by way of assistance Surely the mercy of God is the most powerful argument to perswade a soul from sin Psalm 26. 3 4. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God his soul being taken with mercy was not moved with his mistresses impudency 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him doth purifie himself as he is pure Mich. 7. 19. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sins into the depth of the Sea Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ through the eternal Spirit purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Surely surely if the bowels of mercy do not melt win and draw us Justice will be a swift witness against us all divine power and strength against sin flows from the souls union and communion with Christ it is only Faith
safety there be two effects of this blessed assurance one is joy the other is peace it glads the heart and it pacifies the heart 3. Assurance will sweeten all other blessings to us we shall see them handed forth to us in love here is saith the soul plenty of food and â—ayment and friends and God is my God too my sins are pardoned too but the want of this may check all our mercies 4. Assurance will put us upon all kind of duty viz. What shall I render to the Lord for all his mercies I will either do or suffer or any thing for him that hath done so much for me 5. Assurance will mount the soul above the world and make the soul to live out of its self in the Spirit upon Christ unto God above the world under Ordinances looking to election behind and perfection before O the blessed favour of God the evidences of our Union with Christ this is like the light of the Sun which puts out the light of ten thousand candles those that have so much as to make up assurance for heaven will never complain of too little on the earth these things considered doth lay before us two things 1. The benefits of assurance Secondly it doth bespeak the reader if he have it not to labour for it Of the springs of assurance or means by which it is attained THE work we have to do is two-fold First get title to Gods love Secondly get assurance that thou hast a title the first is done by action the second is done by examination He that would get assurance must not cut off any of the pipes of conveyance neither make use of them sluggishly A sluggish spirit is alwayes a lazy spirit he that will find rich minerals must dig deep he that will be rich must be diligent and sweat for it he that will taste the kernel must crack the shell he that will have the marrow must break the bone he that will wear the garland must run the race He that will ride in triumph must get the victory a lazy Christian shall alwaies want four things comfort and content confidence and assurance Heb. 6. 11. and we desire that every one would shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Faith O how can we look so many sweet promises in the face and harbour so many misgivings in our hearts First take one promise and charge that upon the heart and if the heart be stubborn and will not yield then take another if that will not do then take another and lay that home upon the heart and never leave or cease this work till thou hast made thy calling and election sure and make as much conscience of these commands that requires thee to get assurance as you do of those commands that requires thee to pray read and hear assurance is heavenly wages that God gives not no loyterers though no man doth merit assurance by obedience yet God usually crowns obedience with assurance Joh. 14. 21 22 23. 1. Diligently improve those notable assuring Ordinances the Word Lords Supper and Praye r to help on all the former directions 1. The word was therefore written 1 John 5. 13. That believers might know they have eternal life let it therefore dwell in you richly Col. 3. 16. 2. The Lords Supper seals up remission of sins therefore be at the Lords table frequently but be sure to partake of it worthily 3. Prayer that not only spreads open a mans heart but pierceth the heavens creeps into the bosom of God and sometimes furnisheth the doubting spirit with assurance in the very exercise of it 2. Spring of assurance cherisheth and improveth all your graces but especially assuring graces knowledge Faith and hope by knowledge we discern our selves by Faith we appropriate to our selves and by hope we patiently wait for full enjoyment 3. Quench not grieve not the Spirit of God for that spirit is sent to assure us most convincingly clearly and satisfactorily 4. Go on from faith to faith add one grace to another so shall an entrance be administred to thee abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ See and well consider this portion of Scripture 2 Pet. 1. from ver 5. to ver 12. Of the impediments of assurance 1. THE first impediment of assurance that I shall name is this our measuring of the merey and bowels of God by the narrow scantling of our dark understanding 2. Another is our making sense reason and feeling the sole judge of our spiritual condition 3. Another impediment of assurance is our retaining so many despairing thoughts not considering that despair is one of the worst sins viz. It is a dishenour to God and a reproach to Christ a resisting of the Spirit of Grace and a murderer of the soul a belying of God a denying of Christ and a crowning of Satan and a proclaiming the Devil conqueror Jâ—das did sin more by despairing then by betraying of Christ 4. Another impediment of assurance is our not reading and believing these and the like precious promises Num. 14. 19 20. Exod. 34. 6 7. Mich. 7. 18 19. Isa 30. 18 19. Psalm 38. 34. to the 40. Psal 103. to the 13. Jer. 3. 1. to 12. Luk. 15. 20. to 24. 1 Tim. 1. 13 14 15 16 17. 5. Another impediment of assurance is our living in the neglect of some of Gods Ordinances when we wait on God in some of his wayes but not in all viz. Some will wait upon God in hearing the word of life and yet neglecting the breaking the bread of life sometimes God will give assurance in one Ordinance and deny it in another that we may seek his face in all 1 Cor. 28. 8. 6. Our dallying with sin he that doth lye down in sin must live in fear there is no assurance for us unless we offer up our Isaac and part with our Benjamin pull out our right eye and cut off our right hand c. The evil of doubting or want of assurance WE cannot in any one thing more gratifie Satan and wrong our own souls then to live in a state of doubting we wrong our selves in point of comfort and content and in point of peace and in point of boldness a man that lives without assurance leaves his soul open to many blows and knocks frowns and wounds from God from the world from carnal friends and from Satan besides if we live and dye in unbelief John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already by the Law and the Gospel and by your own conscience all these have passed the sentence of condemnation upon that state already the sin of unbelief is a great sin and it is our sin to give way to it We nourish a snake in our bosom that will sting us to death to doubt and to despair of mercy is to make the God of truth a lyar 1 John 5. 10. Doubting makes the countenance sad and the hands to hang down and
of their Creed and so fall to judging railing and condemning men for not doing as they do contending for Cummin and Annis putting off a hat and wearing ribans c. and not only so but also hate malign and most bitterly and uncharitably censure all those that differ from them Reader I shall here in this Book present thee with all that I have learned or at least with the sum and substance of all that I have gained this four and twenty years by reading the Scriptures hearing of Sermons conferring with Christians and perusing their writings together with several things that God hath immediately darted in upon my heart but I have not received as I know of nor here presented any of the mediate or immediate teachings save that and only that which is agreeable to the word of God as far as I understand his mind therein neither have I made it my work to contend for or cry up any particular interest but rather it doth much grieve my heart to see what a state most menare in here each tugging for his interest and so whilst they are contending for the garment the power of Religion is much abated I would intreat thee Reader to weigh things in the ballance of Righteousness love and impartiality and then I am confident that there will be none that hath the work of grace upon their souls unless they be under some violent fit of temptation but in the main will sweetly own and spiritually bless God for the revelation of the precious things contained in this little Book here being something of every thing needful to be known and practiced for the obtaining of which I have imitated the Bee that goes forth of the hive and gathers hony from several sorts of flowers and hearbs and sometimes from weeds And for the compiling of these things together as they have a connexion and dependance one upon another I have borrowed a little time from my particular calling and from my sleep and recreation If I have done this work well it is that which I desired but if slenderly and meanly it is because I could do it no better I must confess I rather lisp then speak plain in the things of God wherefore cover all my imperfections with a mantle of love for it hath been compiled in the midst of many personal tryals if thou find any imperfections yet let not the truth of God suffer through my weakness to the Law and to the testimonies wherein I come short of writing according to that rule it is for want of light I hope I shall be content to decrease so the glory of God in the gift of Christ and Covenant of grace may increase let my name perish so his may flourish let me cut off like a Weaver and dye so his name and glory may live I shall no longer detain thee from the thing it self which treats of that which is of great concernment to all in the reading of which if thou shalt receive any light or reap any spiritual benefit give all the praise to the Lord and pray for him who is a lover of all that fear the Lord under what form soever they be or by what name or title soever they are known ROB. PURNEL A Table of the principal heads in general and the connection of these points together and dependence of them one upon another OF God the Father Of God the Son Of God the Holy-Ghost Of Gods decrees Of Election Of the Creation Of Angels Of Man Of the Sou l. Of Mans fall Of Providence Of Mans recovery Of Vocation Of the Covenant of Grace Of Justification by Grace alone Of Sanctification or a holy Conversation Several strong reasons why the Saints should walk holily Of Justification and Sanctification wherein they differ and wherein they agree Of Faith Of Repentance Of Sin the nature of it Of Knowledge First Of God Secondly Of our selves Of Experience Of Enjoyment Of the grace of love 1. First to God 2 To his People Of the Grace of hope Of Perseverance Of the several gifts and Graces of the Spirit Of the several Ordinances oâ— the Gospel 1. Of the assâ—mbling of our selves together 2. O preaching and prophecying 3. Of Prayer and supplication 4. Of singing and praising God together 5. Of the Ordinance oâ— Baptism 6. Of the Ordinance oâ— the Lords Suâ—per 7. Of the Collection or the poor 8. Of reading the Scriptures 9. Of Admonition private and publike 10. Of Suspension 11. Of Excommunication Of Assurance of Salvation Of the difference between the Law and the Gospel and of the several sorts of Laws Of the ten Commandments and what each of them doth prohibit and enjoin Of the Lords prayer and the several petitions therein contained Of the World Flesh and the Devil the three great enemies of man Of afflictions and why the Lord doth afflict his own people When a man may be said to suffer for well-doing and when for ill-doing The Lord is many times better then promise never worse Mercies and deliverances are many times nearest to us when we think they are farthest of The Lord doth hand forth mercies by the rule of contraries He doth not despise the day of small things The order of causes how the Lord comes down-ward from the causes to the Effects and how we must go upward from the effects to the causes Mans life is or should be guided by seven vertues Several Divine Sentences Divers knotty questions answered and seeming contradictions reconciled and many scruples of conscience removed Of the shortness of mans life and of the misery that doth attend every age thereof Of the misery attending both body and Soul at the hour of Death Of a Bill of inditement at that time brought against us Of the sad condition and misery of all out of Christ after death Of our preparation for death that we may be ready when it comes Death to a Christian is but a house a bed a sleep The great and terrible day of the Lord is near proved 1. By the testimony of the Prophets 2. By the testimony of the Apostles 3. By the testimony of Angels 4. By the immutability of Gods decree 5. By the infallibility of his promises 6. By the impartiality of his justice There are four things that Christ hath already done and five things he is now doing and six things more that he will do when he comes Of the resurrection of the dead at Christs second coming Of the first and second resurrection Whether there be any such things as the personal reign of Christ and if so what it is Of the last judgement 1. The signs that go before it 2. What is meant by it 3. Oâ— the place where it shall be 4. Of the person who it is that shall judge the world 5. Of the time how long the judgement shall last 6. Out of what all people shall be judged 7. The day of judgement will be a great day The sad condition of all Christless after
not eat lest I die the devil saith ye shall not die upon this the woman did eat and gave to her husband and he did eat and thus through Satans temptations our father and mother rebelled against our God Oh father Adam what hast thou done For through it wast thou that didst sin yet thou art not fallen alone but we all that came of thee as being then in thee we are infected by thee and so are become Satans conquest out of whose hands there is no redemption unless the Lord Jesus Christ come down from heaven and lead captivity captive and open the prison doors and let the prisoners go free all Adams posterity are pertakers of his sin and misery Of Providence IF we look upon Gods providence in some few particulars only we shall wonder seeing Joseph disgraced and imprisoned David persecuted Christ arraigned and condemned Paul accounted one of the worst of men Innocent Naboth stoned true Churches as in Hesters time ready to be swallowed up Many things may fall out by Gods providence contrary to our desires that are not contrary to our good 1. Consider that God takes notice and knoweth all things 2. He upholdeth and governeth and disposeth of the world so as it pleaseth him 3. This providence reacheth to every thing so that the smallest things are governed and upheld by him 4. That of all creatures God hath most care and respect to man 5. We are to consider that the good or evil that befals a bad or good man or woman is not without but by Gods providence 6. That God doth whatsoever pleaseth him in heaven and earth 7. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of means and yet he is free to work without above and against them as he pleaseth 8. As the providence of God doth reach to all creatures in all things so after a more speciall manner he taketh care of his Church and people and disposeth all things to the good thereof God can look sowrly and chide bitterly and strike heavily even when and where he loves dearly Abraham Job Jacob and David Moses Ieremiah Ionah Ioseph Paul and many others met with many things that were contrary to their desires and endeavours that were not contrary to their good God hath a continuall care over all his creatures once made sustaining and directing them with all that belongeth to them and effectually disposeth of them all to good ends Ephes 1. 11. Rom. 11. 36. Ier. 23. 23. Col. 3. 11. Psal 139. 2. 119. 91. Of Mans recovery GOD who at first made man in his own Image and made him Lord of the creation endued him with wisdom knowledge and understanding above all other creatures and made him for so noble an end as to serve him here and reign with him hereafter man soon fell from his blessed state yet was not the love of God obliterated but more abundantly manifested in sending his dear Son to take our nature and yield obedience to his righteous law make satisfaction for our transgression and to bring in an everlasting righteousness and to make proclamation to us that his Father so loved the world that he gave him his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. And whosoever did come to him should in no wise be cast off Iohn 6. 37. Adams righteousness from which he fell was but a righteousness of the creature but the righteousness of Christ is the righteousness of the Creator Adams righteousness was a mutable righteousness that might be lost a righteousness that might be sinned away but the righteousness of Christ is an everlasting righteousness that cannot be sinned away Prov. 8. 18. Dan. 9. 24. Psal 119. 142. Of Vocation or effectuall calling VOcation is Gods acquainting men with his gracious purpose of salvation by Christ and so inviteth them to come unto him Heb. 2. 14. and so revealeth unto them his Covenant of grace Mat. 11. 27. 16. 17. John 14. 21. Psal 25. 14. and so bringeth them out of darkness to light Acts 26. 18. So God becomes in Christ their Father he doth not only outwardly by his word invite but inwardly also and powerfully by his spirit allure and win their hearts to cleave to him inseparably unto salvation Psal 25. 14. 65. 4. Acts 2. 39. Or effectuall calling is the work of Gods spirit in us whereby he doth first convince us of our sins and misery enlightning our minds in the knowledge of Christ and renewing our wills he doth perswade and invite us to embrace Jesus Christ freely tendred to us We read that many were called to the wedding but they made their excuses and most of those that came were compelled to come in Luke 12. 23. the Lord doth force none by violence but draw them by perswasions The Gospel cals many outwardly that after perish eternally Our vocation depends upon Gods election not upon our preparations how was Paul disposed and affected when Christ called him God is for us in predestinating us God is for us in calling us God is for us in justifying us God is for us in glorifying us if God be thus for us who can be against us he hath predestinated us before we were he hath called us when we were averse to him he hath justified us when we were sinners he will glorifie us and cloath us with his own righteousness That we may be neither drawn enticed or forced from our Religion let us build upon a right foundation IT is impossible that any soul should enjoy a firm and setled peace whose confidence towards God is grounded upon conditionall promises or his own best and choicest performances For the wanting in himself the condition of the one and not yeilding a perfect exact universall perpetuall obedience to the other the Law will be condemning Conscience accusing and the heart misgiving and all proclaiming that there is still in all thy duties imperfection something polluted and something defective so that thy most spirituall duties are not wound up to command they are all tainted with disproportion to rule and beleprosed with spots so that it is in vain to expect a bed of rest in the barren wilderness of our own performances for that bed is shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it and the covering is narrower then that a man can wrap himself in it Oh the spots the blots the blemishes that are to be seen upon the face of our fairest duties so that we may say with the Church Isa 64. 6. all our righteousness are as filthy rags which if rested upon will as certainly undo us and everlastingly destroy us as the greatest evill that can be committed by us the consideration of this was the cause of those words Hos 14. 3. Neither will we say any more to the works of our hands ye are our gods For in thee the fatherless find mercy Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the
to think of the back parts of Christ and wait for a time to come behind him in a throng that they may not be seen to touch the hem of his garment You know when a pump is drie men use to fetch a Bucket of water and pour it into the dry pump and then they fall to pumping and by vertue of the water poured in there comes more water up and by continual pumping they fetch out abundance So our hearts many times are dry there is no sap no moisture no life the vertues of Christ must first be poured in before you can get any thing out Wherefore stand we labouring and tugging in vain O stay no longer go to Christ it is he that must break thy rocky heart in a word we must consider Christ as freely given us by the Father before we can believe the life of grace This Doctrine speaks out with open mouth the exceeding freeness and riches of Gods grace as will appear if we consider 1. That God is first in seeking after us to draw us into Covenant with himself we seek not him but he seeks us we chuse not him but he chuseth us we wait not on him he waits to be gracious to us we beseech not him he doth beseech us to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. John 15. 16. and 1 Joh. 4. 19. So that he is found of them that seek not after him because he first reveals and offers himself in mercy to us Isa 65. 1. 2. Consider the time wherein the Lord doth seek to us and take us by the hand to bring us into Covenant with him and then we shall find that when we are most averse and backward and have least thought of seeking after him then it is that he seeks us thus the Lord called Saul when he was persecuting raging and breathing out slaughter against the Lord and against his Saints then the Lord takes him by the hand and enters into Covenant with him Acts 9. and so it was with those mockers Acts 2. 13 37. Here were no dispositions and preparations on their part but free and unexpected grace from God 3. Compare those that are taken into Covenant with those that are left out for all are not taken in Ephes 2. 12. And this also will make it manifest it is Free grace by which any are taken in Rom. 3. 22 23. We have all sinned and there is no difference no reason therefore in us why one is taken into Covenant and not another but only free grace in God God owes nothing to any man he may truly say to all I do thee no wrong Mat. 20. 13. Thou hast as much as I owe thee So then it must needs be free grace to those that are taken in apply John 14. 21. Mat. 11. 5 25. Nay sometimes God chuseth the worst and takes in the most unworthy and leaves those that are better then they viz. Paul a chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Publicans and Harlots Mat. 21. Mary Magdalen possest with seven Devils these were taken in and the righteous generation as they were reputed which justified themselves and were justified by others were left and passed by The reasons why the Lord would have his Covenant to stand upon this foundation of free grace are these 1. To be a ground of hope to such as see themselves unworthy of acceptance with God if the grace of the Covenant were not free such unworthy ones could have no hope 2. It is the glory of grace to be freely communicated Isa 55. 1. Come and buy without mony it darkens the glory of grace to have it bestowed upon worthy ones Be it known unto you saith the Lord not for your sakes I bestow this but for my own names sake 3. That vain man may not boast 4. That our mercies and blessings may be sure to us Rom. 4. 16. Our salvation is by grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed implying thereby that if it depended never so little upon works we could not be so sure of it Oh the rich mercy the great love exceeding riches of his grace great goodness tender love great mercy multitude of loving kindnesses Oh then not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy name be the praise it is enough for us that we have life let grace alone have all the praise and glory and let every one that readeth these lines endeavour to imitate this free grace of God which is shewed to us First Loving the Lord not for his gifts and rewards but with a free love as he hath loved us and serving him with a free spirit and a willing mind Secondly Let us be free in doing good unto all men even to such as have deserved nothing though they be aliens and strangers and such as we never hope to receive any good from yet freely to do them good even where we look for nothing again as God hath done to us Luke 14. 12 14. 10. As this Covenant and grace is free so it is sure and certain to be performed it cannot it will not fail those that rest upon it The Covenant and promise of grace are built upon the unchangable purpose of God which is a foundation remaining sure and cannot be shaken 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Tit. 1. 2. The Lord is said to have promised eternal life before the world began So then it is free and it is sure and the freeness of it doth prove the sureness of it it is free that it might be sure so here it is sure because it is free nothing can hinder free grace from giving eternal life to whom it will So that the accomplishment will every way answer their expectation and hope thus said David 2. Sam. 23. 5. God hath made with me a Covenant perfect in all points and sure and in Isa 55. 3. The promises of the Covenant are called the sure mercies of David the promises of free grace are not yea and nay various and uncertain but they are Yea and Amen sure to be fulfilled there shall not fail so much as one word of all that good which God hath promised to do for his people See Joshua 21. 45. and 23 14. and 1 King 18. 56. The stability of grace is compared to the firmness and unmoveableness of the mighty mountains Isa 54. 19 And to the unvariable course of the day and night Jer. 33. 20. So that it is as eaâ—e yea more easie for the mountains to remove out of their places and the course of day and night to cease as for the Covenant of grace to fail God hath given us many pledges to assure us of the certainty of it 1. His word is gone out of his mouth he cannot alter it Psal 89. 2. He hath written it to make it more sure and what he hath written is written never to be bloted out
less just for their iniquity God doth say of himself I am the Lord and change not his love is as himself ever the same and Christ in whom thou art beloved the same yesterday to day and the same for ever and hereupon should we live by Faith and rejoyce evermore with joy unspeakable and full of glory Heb. 13. 8. 1 Thes 5. 16. Psal 32. 11. 4. Because whatsoever thoughts we have of God he is unchangeable if he doth withdraw himself and lead thee into the wilderness it is that he may speak comfortably to thee Hos 2. 14 15. and all this while thou hast his promise with thee and his faithfulness is engaged unto thee Isaiah 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will have mercy upon thee Jer. 51. 5. Neh. 9. 16 17. Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them to the end Iohn 13. 1. 5. God doth ever look upon his as they are in his Son and not simply as they are in themselves they dwell in Christ and he in them they live in Christ and their life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is their life shall appear then shall they also appear with him in glory and be found in him not having their own righteousness c. These Scriptures do fully prove all the fore-going reasons why a Christians hope joy and comfort should be the same in God at all times and so live by faith and not by sight Hos 2. 19 20. Jer. 3. 14. Jer. 33. 8. Isa 62. 5. Heb. 8. 10 12. Ezek. 16. 62 63. Heb. 3. 6. Jer. 33. 20 21. Hosea 14. 5. Isa 61. 10. Isa 54. 5. Jer. 31. 9. Heb. 3. 17 18. Heb. 6. 17 18. Rom. 3. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 13. Rom. 8. 28 33 35 38 39. Isa 41. 10 Isa 57. 18 19. Isa 54. 7 8. Heb. 10. 19 20 22. Psalm 46. 1 2 3 4. Rom. 8. 1 2. John 13. 1. Isa 63. 16. Psal 89. 30 31 33. Several waies for a believer to hold fast his confidence in God at all times To live by Faith in infirmities is to live upon Christ and his promises viz. If under temptations 1. Cor. 10. 13. there is a promise of supportation and deliverance In deadness of heart Isa 35. 5 6. there is a promise of relief and quickning If fallen by transgression Jam. 5. 17. yet there is others of the Lords own in the same case If thou seest thy duty and want strength to do it here is help and strength for thee Job 17. 9. Psalm 84. 7. Isa 45. 24. and 40. 29 30. Jer. 17. 8. Psal 1. 2 3. Psal 92. 13 14. Isa 61. 9. In Christ thou hast perfectly obeyed the Law perfectly suffered and satisfied for all thy sins to the justice of God so that in Christ thou art perfectly just and righteous and thereupon it is said Col. 3. 3. Ephes 2. 6. that our life is hid with Christ in God and we are raised up with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus though in thy self there is a body of lust and corruption and sin and there is a law revealing sin accusing and condemning but if we live by faith in Christ and in the apprehension of his love believing in the life righteousness obedience satisfaction and glory of him whom the Spirit cals ours Christ is ours we are Christs and Christ is Gods he then lives out of the power of all condemnation Christ being the end of the Law for righteousness and thus a believer is blessed only in a righteousness without not within and all his assurance confidence and comforts to flow into him through a channel of faith and not of works believing himself happy for what another even Christ hath done for him not for what he hath done nor can do for himself for when we are at the best we are but vanity Psal 39. 5. and unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. Now this believing in God is attended with these five blessed things 1. It is the highest piece of obedience to God Rom. 16. 26. It is called the obedience of Faith 2. It doth put a new engagement upon God to make good his promise upon which faith is grounded Psal 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 1 Chron. 5. 20. 3. Consider also another priviledge is this the greatest mercies that ever came into a soul comes in a way of believing Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 5. 1. being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. 4. By it we give the greatest honour to God John 3. 33. He hath set to his seal that God is true but he that believeth not hath made him a lyar 1 John 5. 10. 5. This is the way to have God take pleasure in us Psal 147. 11 The Lord taketh pleasure in those that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy The joy of a believer would be alwaies unspeakable did he alwaies apprehend his happiness in and by Christ Jesus Faith in Christ supplies all wants it honours God as Heb. 11. the whole Chapter and God honours those most that live by it by it saith the Scripture the Elders obtained a good report by faith we may live a life to God of joy in him our righteousness as if we had never sinned by faith we live above sin infirmities temptations desertions sense reason fears and doubts Faith sweetens the sweetest mercy and the bitterest miseries it renders great afflictions as none it is the bulwark of the souls strength and comfort by Faith we cheerfully readily and universally and constantly obey God In a measure it makes the the yoak of Christ easie and sweet it states the soul in the possession of heaven whilst the body remains on earth as John 3. 36. By faith we view the glory of heaven and know our selves to be happy even then when to a carnal eye we seem most miserable By faith we can cheerfully part with and suffer deprivation of the sweetest outward comforts and enjoyments and welcome them knowing that we do but exchange the worst things and place for a better those that live up by faith live upon God and are refreshed in his house which is plentifully stored with all desirable dainties having this welcome eat O friends and drink abundantly It is O believer thy portion duty and priviledge thus to do O then O then let us at once believe that God will be to us according to his gracious promise and Covenant notwithstanding our daily omissions and commissions excuses and defects according to that portion of Scripture Psal 89. from 30.
promises will support a distressed soul and reduce a wandring soul hope in the promises will confirm staggering souls and some undone souls The promises are the Anchor of hope as hope is the Anchor of the soul See Rom. 8. 24. Gal. 5. 5. Tit. 1. 2. 3. Hope hath much in reversion though little in possession hope can see a glimpse of heaven through the thickest cloud hope can see light through darkness life through death smiles through frowns and glory through misery hope holds life and soul the together it holds the soul and the promises togeit holds the soul and heaven together 4. Hope never takes off but puts the soul upon doing and obeying 1 Pet. 1. 3. it gives life and strength to all our duties 1 Cor. 9. 10. 5. Hope will enter into that within the vail Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast which entreth into that within the vail 6. Another property of hope is this it will help a soul to wait patiently upon God for any thing it doth stand in need of Rom. 8. 25. For if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it Of the encouragements to encourage us to hope in God 1. FIrst this is the way for a Christian to enjoy himfelf and to have God take pleasure in him also Psal 147. 11. The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lordis upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their souls from death c. 2. A believers comfort hope joy and confidence should be the same at all times and that for these five unanswerable reasons 1. Because God is unchangeable John 13. 1. 2. Because God ever looks upon his as they are in Christ Gal. 5. 17. Psal 103. 14. 3. Because the hope and comfort of a believer depends not upon his own doings but upon Christs holiness and righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30 2 Tim. 1. 9. Heb. 13. 8. 4. Because Christ and all true believers in a sense are one 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Ephes 5. 30. Heb. 2. 11. 5. Because we are not beloved for our own sakes but for Christs sake Mat. 3. 17. compared with Isa 43. 25. Mich. 7. 18 19 20. 6 I might speak of many more encouragements viz. As God doth command us to hope in him and commends us for so doing and blames and threatens us for not hoping in his mercy But if I should speak of every thing distinctly I perceive my book would swell to a greater volumn then I intended Of the distinguishing Characters between a well grounded and a presumptuous hope 1. FIrst the hopes of a regenerate man it is gotten by and grounded upon the word of God and therefore it is called the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 23. Rom. 15. 4. But now the hopes of wicked men as they are gotten they know not how so neither do they know upon what they are grounded c. 2. True hope is bottomed upon the mercies of God and the merits of Christ and hence it is that Christ is called our hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. Because he is the foundation upon which believers do build all their hopes But now the false and presumptuous hopes of the wicked are built upon their own duties what they have done for themselves Mich. 3. 11. 3. True hope doth as well act for heaven as hope for heaven Psal 37. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good here is trusting and doing put together true hope doth act for heaven as well as hope for heaven But a presumptuous hope that hopes for heaven as its end but never acts holiness as its way to heaven in a word false hope doth hope much and act little Wicked men will hope for salvation but not work out their salvation c. 4. He that hath true hope doth make conscience to keep his heart pure and free both from the love of sin and the dominion of sin 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure that is he doth endeavour so to do at least But now a false hope will hope for heaven though he walk on after the imaginations of his own heart as in Isaiah 51. 10. Thou hast walked in the greatness of thy wicked waies yet sayest thou not there is no hope though they had great sins yet they had great hopes for heaven but this hope is only a presumptuous hope 5. True hope flows from a long and well grounded experience in the waies of God and from an experience of the grace and beauty and love of God to him and from experience of the goodness and mercy and promises of God and also from an experience from his own heart which in some measure is enabled by Christ to withstand temptations subdue corruptions Such experiences as these are inlets to a well grounded hope But now the hopes of wicked men and women are only the results of ignorance deluding and presumptuous hopes without any former experience of the ways of God surely such hopes are vain and empty hopes that will end in miserv Prov. 11. 7. The hope of the wicked shall be cut off and when he dies his expectation shall perish See Job 8. 14. Whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a spiders Web. See Job 11. 20. Their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost therefore let us take heed that we do not fancie to our selves false hopes of heaven on the one hand and have as much care on the other hand that you do not cast off grounded hopes and say there is no hope and have as much care that you do not harbour in your hearts common and ordinary conceits of this grace of hope for there is the same certainty the same excellency and the same efficacy in this grace of hope as there is in Faith and love First there is the same certainty in it Heb. 6. 11. It is called the full assurance of hope Secondly there is the same excellency in it Tit. 2. 13. It is called a blessed hope and there is also the same efficacy in it for as faith is said to purifie the heart Act. 15. 9. So likewise doth hope 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him doth purifie himself as he is pure Again there is the same difficulty in getting hope as there is in getting Faith for as it is gotten by the word preached so is hope too Col. 1. 23. And if Faith be wrought in us by the power of God as Heb. 12. 2. So is hope likewise wrought in us by the power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. That ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost let our faith and hope then â—e in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. and let us not be moved away from the hope of
3. 1 Chron. 29. 12. 1. This puts the Soul upon speaking good of his name to others Psal 40. 9 10. 2. It puts the Soul upon resolving to bestow all for his honour and service 1 Chron. 29. 2 3. This praising of God must be with a single not with a double heart Psal 145. 18. This must be done in the best manner suting his several properties with their due Praises according to the nature of the present blessing Exodus 15. 2 3. Psalm 144. 1 2. This praise must be continually as long as we live as long as his mercy endureth and our lifelasteth Psal 146. 2. 1 Thes 5. 18. It is a good comely and pleasant thing to praise the Lord Psal 147. 1. It is his will thus to be honored 1 Thes 5. 18. It is a duty of Saints and Angels both here and hereafter Luke 2. 13 14. It fits the heart for other graces and provokes the Lord to fresh mercies That we may set about this work in good earnest dwell much upon these things following 1. Seriously consider what great things God hath done for us 1 Sam 12. 24. 2. Rest content with thy allowance and estate wherein he hath set thee Phil. 4. 11. 3. Often compare thy estate with others of Gods Saints who want many things that we enjoy and feel many Sorrows which we fear not Psal 147. 20. 4. Be faithful in all talents and fruitfull in all graces and this will be a great means to make us praise God for all his mercies Mat. 25. 13. Phil. 1. 11. That Singing of Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs is a Gospel-command which ought to be performed unto the Lord and practised in and by the Church of Christ and by every particular believer as occasion requires by singing I understand a lifting up of the voice with joy see 1 Chron. 15. 16. Isa 51. 3. 52. 8 9. and by singing of Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs a praising of God by lifting up of the voice Psal 51. 14. Psal 8P 1. Psal 105. 2 3. By Psalms I understand the Psalms of David or such as are contained in the book of Psalms By Hymns I understand Songs of praise unto God Mat. 26. 30. Mark 14. 26. Col. 3. 16. By spiritual Songs I understand such songs the matter whereof is divine and Spiritual and heavenly Rev. 15. 3. these spiritual Songs are mentioned also in Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and were framed at first by the immediate motion and inspiration of the Spirit of God upon some special and extraordinary occasion that singing is a Gospel-command or one principal part of Evangelical Gospel worship is proved from Pauls injunction thereof unto the Churches Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. James likewise doth urge the practise of it by way of command Jam. 5. 13. and we have the example also of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles Mat. 26. 30. Mar. 14. 26. and of the Apostles Paul and Silas Acts 16. 25. That it ought to be practised in the Church I mean the Assembly of the Saints is evident from that Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. Where the Apostle exhorts the Church of Ephesus to speak to themselves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs and the Church at Coloss that they teach and admonish one another in Psalms Himns and spiritual Songs singing with grace in their hearts unto the Lord which were altogether impossible to be done if this ordinance or command of the Lord Jesus was not to be practised in the Church and I find the Prophet David exciting and stirring up the Saints to the practise of this so heavenly an exercise Psal 30. 4. Sing unto the Lord O ye Saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness and Psalm 145. 5. Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds and withall I find several Gospel prophecies which seem to point out the mutual and joint performance of this duty as â—sa 52. 8. thy watch men shall lift up the voice with the voice together shall they sing and Psal 132. 16. I will also cloath her priests with Salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy and it was prophecied of our Saviour Christ saying I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee Heb. 2. 12. Isa 35. 10. Jer. 31. 12. therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Sion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord c. That it ought to be practised by every believer as occasion requires and as the Spirit is drawn forth thereunto is very evident from Jam. 5. 13. 1 Cor. 14. 15. That the Psalms of David ought to be sung will appear by these reasons 1. Because I find no other Psalms mentioned in the Scriptures then the Psalms of David and such as are contained in that book of Psalms 2. Because where there is mention of Psalms in the new Testament either by Christ or his Apostles I find that they refer or relate to the Psalms of David or that book of Psalms as may be collected from these among other Scriptures Luke 20. 42. Luke 24. 44. Acts 1. 20. Acts 13. 33 35. 3. Because I find contained in the Book of Psalms variety of excellent spiritual and heavenly matter which upon all occasions may draw forth the souls of the Saints in this way of a holy rejoycing before the Lord. That our Singing ought to be performed with a cheerfull heart and that they only ought to sing whose hearts the Lord hath made glad the Scriptures do evidently declare It s said in 2 Chron 29. 30. That the Levites sang praises with gladness Jer. 31. 7. Sing with gladness for Jacob Isa 65. 14. Behold my Servants shall sing for joy of heart And it is the express rule of the Apostle James Is any merry let him sing Psalms How shall we sing the Lords Song in a strange Land said the captive Jews who were required to sing when they were weeping by the rivers of Babylon and their Spirits overwhelmed with grief Psal 137. 1 2 3 4. That our singing ought to be with grace in the heart is evident from Col. 3. 16. that is I conceive either with a heart full of the sense of Gods pardoning and justifying grace or as it is regenerated renewed and Sanctified by the spirit of grace this is the root of all true Spiritual and heavenly rejoycing and this hath made the Saints to sing aloud for joy Psal 71. 23. my lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee Psal 145. 7. Isa 12. 2. 35. 2. And lastly that our singing ought to be performed with the spirit and understanding is very clear from 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with understanding also our singing as all other religious actions and services will be very unpleasing and unacceptable unto God if they be not carried on in the
with his lips Psalm 106. 33. and so his meekness was tryed to the highest Again to instance one more for all if Paul have a greater revelation then the other Apostles he must have a thorn in the flesh even the messenger of Satan to buffet him so the woman Mat. 15. 22. to the 28. She had a strong faith that Christ was able to help her daughter and the mercy she desired was but external to wit crums now Christ did try the truth and strength of this faith in a threefold seeming denyal but in all tryals the Lord doth proportion them according to the strength of those that he doth afflict See 1 Cor. 10. 13. The Lords people have divers corruptions and so do need divers corrections How to know what sin God aims at in affliction THE Lord saith in his word hear the voice of the rod Micah 6. 9. which if we did heedfully observe we might find out the sin that God ayms at in the affliction 1. When we find in Scripture that such and such a punishment is denounced against such and such a sin we may find by the effect the proper cause pride with dejection and contempt whoredom with barrenness idleness with poverty worldly sorrow with death 2. Consider if thou wouldst find out the sin God afflicts thee for consider God doth punish thee by way of retaliation like for like as when we have dishonored God he doth cast dishonour upon us and having wronged our inferiours our superiors wrong us or if we lavish our tongues against others we are paid home with the scourge of tongues thus David was justly dealt with 2 Sam. 12 10 11. 3. When we are taken in the very act of sinning so Jon. 1. 12. flying was followed with a tempest and the I sraelites murmuring for flesh were punished by God whilst it was between their teeth Numb 11. 33. 4. When our sin in its own nature bringeth forth such a punishment so a lazy Christian doth always want four things comfort and content confidence and assurance Idleness in natural things brings forth beggery and want drunkenness begets dropsies and surreits so the sin of uncleanness brings forth weakness and filthy diseases so immoderate carking is attended with consumptions 5. If thou wouldst know the sin that brought these afflictions on thee observe what thy conscience doth most check thee for Josephs brethren in their troubles calls to mind their cruelty to their troubles calls to mind their cruelty to their brother Joseph which was indeed the cause of their cross Gen. 42. 21. When a man may be said to suffer for well-dong and when for evil doing FIrst for well-doing 1. That man that doth suffer for well-doing in the account of God according to his word his person must be holy he or she must be in the main godly 2. The cause that they suffer for must be good it must be for righteousness sake viz. either for his believing in Christ pleading for him or practizing of his commandments and so his affliction will be better then the prosperity of the wicked Psalm 37. 15. They shall have more comfort in scantness obscurity then wicked men have in plenty credit and great felicity 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 3. He that doth suffer for well-doing he must suffer in a right manner first humbly secondly patiently and meekly thirdly cheerfully fourthly he that doth suffer for Christ must have good ends c. 1. He must suffer humbly we read of Christ whose footsteps we ought to follow that he was led as a lamb to the slaughter he opened not his mouth 2. As he did suffer humbly so he did suffer patiently 3. He did suffer cheerfully 4. He did not revile again when he was reviled when he was threatned he did not threaten again 4. He that doth suffer for Christ must have good ends in his suffering viz. 1. To bare witness to some truth of Christ contained in the Scriptures 2. To bare witness for the name and glory of God 1 Pet. 4. 13. But when a man doth that which is evil and doth suffer for it this is not thank-worthy with God See these Scriptures 1 Pet. 2. 20. 1 Pet. 4. 15 19. Many men that suffer and glory therein suffer only for their faults and are in no wise acceptable to God The Lord is many times better then his word never worse THE Lord promised to Israel only the Land of Canaan but besides that he gave them two better Kingdoms Numb 32. 33. Solomon did only pray for wisdom and the Lord gave him more wisdom then he asked and riches and honour to boot 1 King 3. 11 12. Jacob told the Lord that if he would give him raiment to put on and bread to eat God should be his God and the Lord gave him that and ten times more Gon 28. 19. compared with Gen. 32. 10 For with my staff I passed â—ver this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 33. 4 5 6. So again 1 Sam. 1. Hannah begged a son and the Lord gave her a Son and a Prophet too she desired a single mercy and the Lord gave her a double mercy Gen. 17. Abraham and said O that Ishmael might live before thee the Lord granted that and gave him an Isaac to boot ver 19. Mat. 15. 22. to the 28. The woman of Canaan did only beg of Christ the life of her daughter and Christ gave her that and said moreover be it unto thee even as thou wilt Again we read Ephes 3. 20. That he is able to do exceedingly above all that we can ask or think these words are so full that they can hardly be exprest So again sometimes we only ask temporal mercies and he gives us both temporal and spiritual mercies Sometimes a soul doth beg only support under temptations and the Lord doth give that and more to wit a deliverance out of temptation So again we find Mat. 18. 23. to the 27. That the Lord gave him more then he desired he desired but dayes of paiment and the Lord forgave him the whole debt So again Act. 3. 2 3. The cripple did only ask of Peter and John an alms and they gave him a mercy more worth to him then the whole world they cured him of his lameness Mercies and deliverances are many times nearest to us when we think they be furthest off WE read Act. 27. 20. When all hopes of being saved was taken away then Paul stood up and told them from the Lord that there should not be so much as the loss of any mans life amongst them So Luk 24. 15. When two of the Disciples were walking together and were sad about the death of Christ Christ risen from the dead talked with them and they knew it not Gen. 21. 16. to the 19. we read that Hagar was weeping for her son
who was dying for want of water and there was a well of water by her and she did not know it till the Lord opened her eyes Joh. 20. 11. Mary stood at the sepulcher weeping for the absence of Christ and Christ stood by her and talked to her before she knew it Again we read Gen. 44. 45. chap. that Josephs brethren were taken prisoners and they rent their cloaths saying how shall we clear our selves and Joseph their brother stood by them and they knew it not even then when they were trembling and terrified at his presence in a word the Lord doth many times bring about a swifter a fuller and more universal help and deliverance then heart could imagine See Zach. 14. 6 7. But at Even tide it shall be light So that we may all conclude with David Psal 77. 19. Thy way is in the sea and thy paths in the deep waters and thy footsteps are not known The Lord doth many times hand forth his mercies to us by the rule of contraries GOD promised to Abraham a son and that his seed should be as the stars of heaven and the Lord made good this by the rule of contraries there was fourteen years between Gods making the promise and giving him a son and he was about one hundred years old before he had a son and Sarahs womb was barren and after this son was born God calleth upon Abraham to offer him up yet notwithstanding all this the Lord made good his promise and Abraham staggered not at the promise of God Rom. 4. 20 21. Again we find Exod. 14. when the children of Israel were in the greatest streight and at the furthest distance from all humane helps not knowing what to do then even then the Lord delivered them Luke 21. 28. When ye see these things come to pass then lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh one would have thought ruin was nigh to see such things come to pass John 9. 15. Christ put clay upon the blind mans eyes one would think clay should have made him more blind Hest 3. 12 13. All the Jews were designed for death Hest 8. 9 10 11 12. This design contrary to all expectation was discovered and revoked and the Jews preserved by the rule of contraries so Joseph had a promise by way of vision to be made a great man but contrary to this he was sold into Egypt and there cast into prison yet at last he got the mercy we might instance in Job and many others but this may suffice to prove this truth that God doth oft times hand forth his mercies to us by the rule of contraries c. This would be of great use to Christians if more considered The Lord doth not despise the day of small things WE read Zach. 4. 10. That the Lord doth not despise the day of small things and it was but a day of small things for Nicodemus to come to Christ by night and yet he was received and embraced one would have thought that if Christ would have dispised any he would have despised him who was so weak as being either afraid or ashamed or both to own Christ in the day and so he cometh to him by night one would have thought Christ would have said to him Nicodemus is thy desire after me so weak and faint that thou dost fear to come to me in the day or am I so unworthy as not to be owned but out of sight hast thou either so low an esteem of me or bearest thou so little love to me go return as thou camest I will not accept thee in the dark who wouldst not acknowledge me in the light no no Christ hath not one sillable of this but he entertains him imbraces him and instructs him c. It was but a day of small things with that woman Mat. 9. 21. That had spent all and grew worse and worse and knew not whither to go then she resolves to go to Christ It was but a day of small things with that man that came to Christ Mar. 9. 22. saying if thou canst do any thing help us he doubted whether Christ could help yea or no It was but a day of small things with the Prodigal Luke 15. to say when he knew not whither to go I will arise and go to my father yet he was received embraced welcomed and honoured well may we say as in Mat. 12. 20. A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench So again it was but a day of small things with David to have thoughts to build an house unto the Lord yet that was accepted as fully as if it had been done Again we read Isa 40. 11. He will gather his lambs with his arms and he will carry them and that in his bosom It is true he doth carry our sins on his back and hath received all the lashes due to us for them ask blind Bartimeus and he will tell you that Christ doth not despise the day of small things he did but ask for mercy and presently received the mercy Mar. 10. 46 47 48. So it is but a day of small things with us in respect of our faith love knowledge and power over our corruptions hope patience and self-denyal yet who hath despised the day of small things Zach. 4. 10. The order of causes how God comes downward from the causes to the effects and how we must go upward from the effects to the causes IT will make much for our information and consolation to consider what order and method the Lord doth take to unvail his love to man and what order and method man should take to apprehend and enjoy this love viz. God goes downward from the causes to the effects and we must go upward from the effects to the causes the web that God hath weaved we must unweave he goes from election downward we must go from regeneration upward thus shall God and we meet in the middle way we must prove our selves to be called and he will acknowledge us to be elected consider and weigh these ensuing things 1. The cause of salvation is Gods love 2. The way is Jesus Christ 3. The guide is the Holy-Ghost 4. The rule for our footsteps is the Scriptures 5. Faith is the evidence 6. Hope is the Anchor of the soul and Baptism and the Lords Supper are the seals 1. Gods love to sinners was the cause of sending his son to dye for them Job 3. 16. Rom. 5. 6 8. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Tit. 3. 4 5. 2. Christs dying for our sins and rising again for our justification is the cause of the Gospels being preached to sinners Mat. 28. 18 19. Mar. 16. 15 16. 1 Cor. 15. 13. 3. The Gospel being preached to sinners is the cause of their believing Rom. 10. 14 15 17. Ephes 1. 13. Act. 13. 48. 4. Mans believing is the cause of his justification from sin Act. 13. 38 39. Rom. 3. 26 28. 5. Our knowing
that hath sinned it will cost him more grief sorrow heart-breaking and soul-bleeding before conscience will be satisfied comfort restored evidences cleared and pardon in the court of conscience sealed for God can look sowrly and chide bitterly and strike heavily even where and when he loves dearly a soul may be full of holy affection when it is empty of divine consolation there may be true grace where there is not one drop of comfort nor one dram of joy Of Sin in Sentences MOst men are fallen into sin as if there were no God to punish them no justice to condemn them no hell to torment them That man shall be a slave to sin that will not avoid the occasions of sin It is impossible for that man to get the conquest of sin that plaies and sports with the occasions of sin It is better to be kept from sin then to be cured of sin as it is better to be kept from a disease then to be cured of that disease the greatest sinners shall be the greatest sufferers Sin shall never be our bane if it be our burden sin doth intice us to that which is against Gods holiness as well as against our happiness There is no sin little because there is no little God to sin against There is many a one full of sinful corruption that shews it not for want of occasion but the more grace thrives in the Soul the more sin dies in the soul Sin may break our Communion but not our Union with God Every sin doth put God upon complaining Christ upon bleeding and the spirit upon grieving and so men go on from folly to folly till they be ripe for eternal misery Of doing or practising in Sentences WE should spend our and time pains about that which will make us live happily die comfortably and raign eternally It is not knowing man nor the talking man nor the reading man but the doing man that at last will be found the happiest man Therefore no danger or difficulty should hinder a Christian from his duty for if our knowledge be not turned into practise the more knowledge we have the more miserable shall we be We should be thankfull under mercies faithfull in our places humble under divine appearances and fruitfull under pretious oâ—dinances For he that thinks himself too good to be ruled by Gods word will be found too bad to be owned by God To reward good for evil is divine to reward good for good is humane to reward evil for evil is brutish but to reward evil for good is devilish we are apt to have two eyes to behold our dignity and priviledges and not so much as one eye to see our duty and services Of the Riches Honour and Glory of the world in Sentences A Man may be great and graceless with Pharaoh honourable and damnable with Saul rich and miserable with Dives A man may have enough of this world to sink him but he can never have enough to save him though good Christians have here but little in possession yet they have a glorious kingdom in reversion It is better to be gracious then great inwardly holy then out wardly happy for the best mans honour is as glass bright and brittle and evermore in danger of breaking the things of this life are not so absolutely given us but that God retains still a right to it and an interest in it and may demand it when and how he please Of the Devil and his temptation in Sentences THE Devil aims principally to make us walk sinfully that so we might live uncomfortably If Satan be alwaies roaring we should be alwaies watching for though Satan cannot rob a Christian of his crown yet he will endeavour to spoil him of his comfort It is not Satans tempting but our consenting not his inticing but our yielding that makes temptation sinful Therefore let us not yield to Satans temptations who hath the worst name and the worst nature of all created creatures our carnal security is his opportunity and he that would not be taken with Satans devises let him make present resistance against Satans first motions Of assurance of Salvation in Sentences A Ssurance is a salve for every sore and a remedy for every malady a Christians anchor at sea and his shield at land a staff to support him a sword to defend him and a pavilion to hide him Assurance makes heavy afflictions light and long afflictions short and bitter afflictions sweet God hath made an everlasting separation between sin and peace sin and joy sin and assurance if sin and our souls be one God and our souls must needs be two He that will get assurance must mind his work more then his wages for assurance is heavenlywages that God gives not to loiterers but to the ingenious labourers Though no man merits assurance by his obedience yet God usually crowns obedience with assurance That soul will never attain to any settled assurance of Salvation that builds his hopes upon a sandy foundation We cannot distrust our selves too much nor trust Christ too much It is one thing for God to love a soul and another thing for God to assure that soul of his love A man may be truly holy and yet not have assurance that he shall be eternally happy God writes many a mans name in the book of life and yet not let him have assurance of it till the hour of death assurance is a mercy too good for most mens hearts a crown too weighty for most mens heads It is the best and greatest mercy and therefore God will only give it to his nearest and dearest friends As faith is often attended with unbelief and sincerity with hypocrisie and humility with vain glory so is assurance with fears and doubts Divers knotty questions answered and seeming contradictions in the Scripture reconciled and many Scruples of conscience removed VVE read 1 John 3. 16. we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren Quest In what cases may we hazard or lay down our lives for the brethren Answ 1. A private Christian may adventure his life for publike persons Rom. 16. 3 4. Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helâ—ers in Christ who have for my life laid down their own necks unto whom not only I give thanks but also all the Chruches of the Gentiles 2. A man may warrantably adventure his life if need require for a multitude that they may be preserved from destruction so Moses Exod. 32. 31 32. so Paul Rom. 9. 3. compared with Phil. 2. 17 18. 3. One publike officer may hazzard his life for another of more concernment in the Church as Epaphroditus a Pastor of the Philippians for Paul an Apostle Phil. 2. 30 c. We read in many places of Scripture that it is the duty of every man to believe and we find in other Scriptures that God is the Author of Faith and without him we cannot believe John 5. 40 44. Q. Why doth God promise eternal life to those that
work of the spirit our seeking after faith is the effect of the saving work of the Spirit external Actions shall have externall answers spiritual actions shall have spirituall answers c. We read in four Scriptures of Iniquity Transgression and Sin Exod. 34. 7. Mic. 7. 18. Levit. 16. 21. Iob 13. 23. Quest What difference is there between Iniquity Transgression and Sin are not these three one Answ Iniquity is that which is done against another man Sin that which is done against a mans self and Transgression that which is done immediately against God 1 Sam. 2. 25. But the Scriptures in some places make them all one but where we find these three words Iniquity Transgression and Sin laid down together we are to understand that the Lord doth speak of our sin with all its aggravations with all its haynous circumstances sin with all its malignity Quest Whether God may forgive a man his sin and yet the man himself not know it Answ A mans sins may be forgiven him and he not know it Lam. 3. 42. We have transgressed and have rebelled and thou hast not pardoned c. yet God had pardoned and God had forgiven them and yet they lay under suspence of pardon and this is the case of many souls at this day Quest If God pardons sin whether or no doth he afflict and punish men for it afterward Answ God in his despensation of Justice doth punish no man but where sin is Sin entered into the world and death by sin it is true sometimes the Lord doth afflict for tryall and not for sin so was Jobs affliction Now that God doth punish his people for sin though their sins be pardoned will appear from these two Scriptures 2 Sam. 12. 14. How be it because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child shall surely die I will punish thee in thy child I will pardon thy sin yet I will punish thy sin So likewise in 2 Sam. 7. 14 15. I will be his father and he shall be my son if he commit Iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him this was a promise to Solomon so the Psalmist quoting this expression Psalm 89. 31 32. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments then I will visit their transgressions with a rod Amos 3. 2. You have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your Iniquities Object Did not Christ fuffer for our sins and must we suffer too how can this hang together Answ When we say we are punished for sin we are to take notice that there is a great deal of difference between our sufferings for sin and Christs our punishment for sin is not by way of satisfaction to divine Justice for so Christ was punished Isa 53. The chastisement of our Peace is laid upon him Quest Whether pardon of sin goes before faith and repentance or follows after Answ Doubtless in the court of heaven according to election Christ being a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world our sins are forgiven and done away but as to our apprehension and manifestation God doth pardon sin after a man repents and believes Act. 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out see Acts 26. 18. Ephes 2. 3 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being Aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Quest Whether it be consistent with the state of pardon to fall into the same sin again and again over and over Answ Pardoned men have fallen often into the same sin Gen. 42. 15. It was a gross sin for Joseph to swear an heathenish oath by the life of Pharoah ye shall not go forth hence except your youngest brother come hither send one of you for him and you shall be kept in prison or else by the life of Pharoah surely you are spies so that Joseph swore twice by the life Pharoah so we read of Jehosaphat he fell twice into the same sin 2 Chron. 20. 35 36 37. Besides consider that although grace doth free us from the dominion of sin and from the damning power of sin and from the love of sin yet grace doth not free any man from the seeds of any one sin and therefore it is possible for a soul to fall again and again as for instance Lot was twice overcome with wine John twice worshipped the Angel Abraham out of fear often dissembled and laid his wife open to adultery to save his life see Gen 20. 13. and Gen. 12. David was resolved to kill Nabal and all his innocent family and a little after he fell into the foul murther of Vriah Jacob twice told a lie for compassing the blessing Gen. 27. 19 21. Lot was twice made drunken and committed Incest with both his daughters Gen. 19. Peter thrice denies his Master and every time worse then another Mat. 26 c. These things are written to caution us that stand that we fall not and to comfort them that are fallen that they despair not Quest How should a Christian come to see the greatness and vileness of his sin or how shall I aggravate my sin that I may see it as it is in its colours Answ 1. Consider first how osten thou hast sinned against the motions of Gods Spirit and so grieving the spirit by withstanding Divine motions 2. So sinning against the frequent manifestations of Gods Love to thy soul this doth greaâ—ly aggravate sin this did aggravate Solomons sin 1 Kin. 11. 3. Consider how thou hast sinned against the rebukes and checks of thine own conscience Jam. 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin 4. To sin against Gods warnings or Judgements either against others or our selves this doth heighten our sin see Dan. 5. 22 23. compared with 2 Chron. 28. 22. 5. To sin against mercies is an aggravation of sin 2 Sam. 12. I delivered thee out of Sauls hand I gave thee thy Masters house if all this had been too little for thee I would have given thee such and such things wherefore hast thou dispised c. 6. There is a resisting of the Spirit Acts 7. 51. And there is a vexing the Spirit Isa 63. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and fought against them 7. Sin is aggravated when a man doth frequently fall into the same sin 8. Sin is aggravated when it is done in a way of complacencie when we love and delight in it 9. Sin is aggravated when it is done by one that lives under much means of Grace this made a woe to be pronounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida 10. This also doth aggravate sin when it is done against vows purposes promises