our wants except we make them known in prayer Phil. 4. 6. All my springs are in thee saith the Psalmist Psal 87 ult i. e. in God conveyed in the way of Ordinances and Duties for he speaks there of the glory of the Church in its Ordinances So Jam. 1. 5. which I have quoted above If any lack wisdom i. e. special wisdom for an afflicted condition let him ask it of God If we be too proud to aske God is too wise to give 6. A man under affliction is lyable to many sinnes more then he is subject to in another condition As 1. Vnbelief Psalm 116. 11. Isai 38. 11. Unbelieving forecasts 2. Impatience as may be seen in Job himselfe the patterne of patience as he is recorded Jam. 5. 11. yet in the third Chapter of his book what a fit of passionate fervency is he in so great that he talks idlely 3. Putting forth our hands to iniquity and indirect means Thus in affliction oftentimes an Abraham shuffles and equivocates Gen. 20 2. A David dissembles 1 Sam. 21. 13. A Peter denies his Master Mat. 26. 69. Now against all these temptations next the word the readiest help is prayer whence the Apostle Ephes 6. after the enumeration of all the pieces of the Armour of God to be put on in a day of tryal that a man may be able to stand v. 13. to 17. will have them buckle on all those armes and handle them by prayer v. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit c. All prayer ejaculations and set duties publick and private alone and in company c. 7 An afflicted Saint hath then special arguments which he may urge in prayer which no other condition yeilds As 1. Gods bowels of fatherly pity and compassion Gods eyes and Gods hand and Gods heart are parts attributed to him in relation to all the ordinary affaires that concerne his people but the bowels of God are peculiar to the suffering and afflicted condition of his people only and mercy and pity affections which are most proper to an afflicted condition are set forth by bowels in the Scripture therefore when the Prophet expresseth great compassion and a grief sutable to it he cryes out O my bowels my bowels Jer. 4. 19. And towards Ephraim in affliction see what part of God is most affected Jer. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him Therefore the Church in affliction is expert in this Argument Where is thy zeale and thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me Isai 63. 15. And God delights exceedingly to shew his pity and his tender mercies to his people in such a time he is a God that delighteth in mercy Micah 7. 18. and therefore delights to be urged with it and to have it pleaded in a time of misery And for this very reason he maketh our greatest misery and most forlorne condition a time of love and mercy Ezek. 16. 4 5 6. Ps 136. 23. Luk. 1. 48. And no wonder he takes such a time seeing hee hath most glory from his people for remembring them in a low estate 2. Adde to this another which indeed is the occasional motive to it our own misery the proper object of mercy and the correlative of it This is a good argument to plead with God Lord now I am a fit object of mercy thou art a God of tender mercies and thy compassions faile not If ever any soul needed tender mercies I am that soul Behold Lord my affliction see Lord and consider behold Lord and consider remember O Lord what is come upon us c. saith the Church often in the Lamentations Lam. 1. 9 20. 2. 20. 3. 1. Thence the people of God in Scripture use to make such large descriptions of their sad condition as Psalm 38. throughout Psalm 41. 5 6 7. 69 throughout Isai 37. 14 15. A beggar that hath a maim a souldier that hath the scarres of his dangerous wounds to shew hath a great advantage in begging above those ordinary beggars that can shew no such arguments and inducements to pity Misery speaks aloud when he that suffers it it may be hath not a tongue to utter it 3. The seasonablenesse of relief in such a time may bee a prevailing motive Gods season of mercy and pity is our depth of want and misery relief in such a condition divers times is double relief When God helps an Abraham upon the mount when he steps in between a man and the very brink of danger this endears a mercy Now when a man can plead with God thus Lord thou hast made me hear much of thy mercy pity and bounty Lord if ever thou wilt give me an experiment of it now is a fit time to do it now I am at a losse every way else now I am at the very brink of despaire O what a season mayest thou now take to engage my heart unto thee As it is prevalent with a friend to urge Sir You have often bid me make use of you you have promised me many times what you would do for me now Sir if you will ever relieve me now is the time when you may do me a most engaging kindnesse Thus David prayes Psalm 69. 13. My prayer is unto thee O Lord in an acceptable time save me now deliverance will be welcome So Psalm 143. 7. 4. The present hindrance that a man finds in the service of God by an affliction is of much importance by way of Argument in such a season For Gods main inducement in all that he doth is his own glory And 't is a great discovery of a gracious spirit when a man desires not his own ease so much as Gods glory nor his own ease but for and in subservience unto Gods glory in such petitions there is much self-denyal and therefore such petitions please God most These kinds of pleas are very usuall in the Saints and servants of God through all the Scripture In death saith David there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks Psalm 6. 5 And what profit is there in my bloud when I go down to the pit shall the dust praise thee Psalm 30. 9. And Heman Psalm 88. 10 11 12. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead c. shall thy wonders bee known in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of forgetfulnesse In the same tune is Hezekiah Isai 38. 18 19 The living the living they shall praise thee the grave cannot praise thee Lord say they this sicknesse this danger of life hazards the the losse of many opportunities to do thee service in the World therefore grant life and health When a man can go to God and say in sicknesse Lord thou knowest I would live to glorifie thâ—e I have done thee little service I would fain do thee more ere I go hence and be no more seen cut me not off in the midst of my days c.
fight for it Satan and Numb 13. 23 a mans corrupt heart are apt to discourage a soul under Bondage from hence What profit Job 21. 14 Lam. 3. 8. is there in serving God c. Thou prayest and he casteth out thy prayer thou hearest and art in trouble still Now God props up his people against such temptations by such Promises to all and performances to most of his Saints Reas 5 God doth it to wean his people from this world Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation sayes Simeon when he had seen Christ in the flesh Luke 2. 29. And when a soul after long troubles of spirit recovers the assurance of Gods love O what poor things are all the treasures of the world to him Lord saith David lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and then take corn and wine and oyl who will Psal 4. 6. And then let the eyes of wicked men be even ready to strut out with sat and let them have all that they can wish yet saith he in another place I will not change portion with them for the Lord is the strength of my heart c. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and bring me to glory Psal 73. 25 26 27 28 A man that is called to be a Favourite to a King will quickly grow into a dis-esteem of his shop and retaile Trade his sheepfold or cow-stal Take no care for your stuff saith Joseph for all the fat of the Land of Egypt is yours Gen. 45. 20. So saith God to an assured soul Take no care for these earthly things thou hast in heaven a richer and more enduring substance Reas 6. Because God delights to hear from his Saints often Not only as a Master from a Servant nor as a rich man from a beggar nor as a Conqueror from a Captive but as a Father from a child as a husband from a Spouse Cant. 2. 14. The voyce of a Spouse of Christ in the cleft of the Rock i. e. relying on him upon assurance of his love is sweet Joseph could not abide long under the mis-apprehensions his brethren had of him My Lord and Thy servants Joseph thought were strange Titles to that of Brother hee longed to hear them call him by a name of relation so saith God Hosea 2. 16. to an afflicted Church CHAP. VI. A Question concerning the mediate and immediate Testimony of the Spirit HOw doth the Spirit testifie our Adoption For although divers godly Divines are of a different judgement in the point of immediate evidence yet I cannot be perswaded but that there is something in the work of the Spirits testimony which may deserve to be so expressed Ans Two wayes 1 Immediately 2 Mediately I. Immediately wherein the Spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us by his secret influence upon the heart quieting and calming all those waves of distrust and diffidence concerning its condition by his own immediate power without the present application of any Scripture grounds to convince a mans reason that his testimony is true I shall parallel it with the motions of the Spirit thus As the Spirit many times excites a man to such or such a duty by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and therewithal a kind of secret force and power inclining the heart to obey those motions and as it many times opens the heart to such and such spiritual impressions by a physical injection of holy motions into it and warming the heart to receive them so in this case when a poor soul sits in darknesse and sees no light sometimes upon a sudden a light from heaven compasseth it about and it is it knowes not how in a moment as it were taken up into the third heaven its fears are banished by a soft whisper from the Spirit of God in the heart Thy sins are forgiven thee and this is in such a way that though the spirit of a man really believes it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it comes to passe And so it is sometimes in overcoming temptations a soule some other times is enabled to knock them to the ground by a scriptum est as Christ did Matth. 4. but sometimes it is stirred up to decline them and abhorre them by a secret rising of the spirit against them and to club them downe by meere force setting the bent of the will and affections against them without any present direct recourse of the soule to the written word And of this kinde is that worke of the Spirit stirring up in us sighes and groans in prayer that cannot bee uttered whereas at other times it furnisheth us with abundant matter of prayer from the promises and other straines of Scripture useful thereunto And thus as I said in conveying the evidences of Gods love the Spirit can and surely oftentimes doth alter the whole frame of a mans Spirit by a secret irradiation of comfort a man cannot tell how for as there is a kind of spiritual instinct in the soul by which it doth the things that are pleasing to God after conversion though many times it knowes not the principles upon which it acts so is there a secret and spiritual faculty in the divine nature that is infused unto us by which when the Spirit speakes peace to the soule it closeth with it without any reasoning or recourse to evidences as at other times As saith a learned man there is in the eye lumen innatum Rutherf on Jo. 12. p. 100. and in the eare aer internus a certaine imbred light to make the eye see lights and colours without and a sound and air in the eare within to make it discerne the sounds that are without so is there grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven to discerne the consolation of Gods spirit immediately testifying that wee are the sons of God There are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knowes and ownes it But for the understanding of this you must observe with mee these few particulars for explication of this secret of experimentall godlinesse 1. That although the Spirit may testifie this immediately without any expresse and formall application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the word i. e. to subjects capable thereof and in such wayes as they are discovered to be capable by the word so that the Lords speaking peace to the soul being in the Scripture bound up to persons under certain qualifications the Spirit never speaks peace but where those qualities are real though not alwaies visible in the soule As for example if a man that feels not sin a burden heavyer then all the world that throwes away all duties of religion never prayes reads heares meditates nay goes on in some sinful way without remorse be filled with joy and peace and assurance
his discourse with the holywater of a few religious phrases this man without any sight or sense of his sinnes without any sorrow for them first gives himself the name of Saint and then is angry if any ever after deny it him O sirs 't is well if Christ will own you for such at the last day Hee will not Judge you then according to your assumed Titles but he will know how you came by them Believe it sirs the passage from death to life is a rocky and a stormy passage to the most that enter into it And you must give me leave to aske many of you seriously as they did our Saviour when they saw him on the other side of the lake of Tiberias contrary to their expection Sirs when came you hither You pretend to Saintship but when or how came you by it You think you are passed from death to life but when and how got you so quick a passage For my part I cannot believe that you were transported by miracle as 't is said Christ and the Disciples were immediately at the land whether they went If you were converted in an extraordinary way though not miraculous I expect eminent fruits of holinesse from such a change For God will not do extraordinary works but they shall quit his cost But when I see all that is extraordinary in such persons for the most part is pride covetousnesse injustice oppression censoriousnesse scorne and contempt of Ministers and ordinances fearfull and horrible blasphemies heresies O Sirs shall I tell you what I think of your extraordinary conversion Truly friends I fear t wil prove your extraordinary condemnation for Atrociùs sub nominis sancti professione peccat saith Salvian and the Hell of Hypocrites shall be the standard to that of all other sinners saith our Saviour Mat. 24. 51. If your conversion were in the ordinary way that is the way which I have before described by its several stages Try then hath the Spirit ever convinced thee of the holinesse perfection equity of the Law of God and thereby of thine own filthinesse imperfection unrighteousnesse of thine own wretched cursed damnable condition under it didst thou ever fear and tremble quake and quiver at the thoughts of the wrath and vengeance of a just and righteous Infinite Almighty and Eternâ—l God Didst thou ever break a nights sleepe or loath thy ordinary food or disrelish thy beloved pleasures out of the perplexity and anguish of thy spirit wa st thou ever at such a desperate losse in thy selfe as to make it thy main enquiry what thou shouldst do to be saved such a losse as thou sawest no way out of it but onely by an infinite unspeakable unconceivable mercy such a loss that thou accountedst it even a miracle of goodnesse if ever thou escapedst out of that condition that thou judgedst all that thou couldest do towards thine own recovery though thou couldst weep an Ocean of tears fast longer then Moses or our Saviour Christ himself and pray more devoutly and fervently then all the Saints on earth hear Sermons endited by a general assembly of all the Angells in heâ—ven so short of righteousness that not any or all of them could â—eâ—ieve thee or bring thee one step neâ—…er happinesse such a losse that thou sawest an absolute necessity of obtaining Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse whatever it cost thee to seek him at Gods hands importunately so as to be put off with nothing else so as to be contented to be denyed all other things but him onely so as to be willing to part with all thy lusts and all thy pleasures and all thy profits and all thy honors to be moulded perfectly into the image of the second Adam to entertain love delight in and professe holinesse though accompanied with poverty disgrace displeasure of friends hatred and persecution of enemies prisons racks exile death it self And Lastly after all this hast thou in an holy selfe condemnation and an humble acknowledgment of thy own deserts and Gods justice acquitted God though notwithstanding all this he should turn his back upon thee and shut his ear to the voice of thy roaring Couldst thou lay thy mouth in the dust impute thy destruction to thy selfe and charg the sole cause and occasion of thy ruine upon thy own sins and in that consideration sit down under thy present condition and say Let the Lord do with me as seemeth him good If he will damme me for ever t is my desert if he save me 't is his meere mercy if I goe to hell I will cary this acknowledgment thither in my mouth Lord thou art righteous when thou judgest and just when thou condemnest If I dye I must thank my selfe if I live I must thank thee and thee onely And in these sad and dolorous thoughts and workings of heart when thou hast been in thy own apprehensions in the very belly of Hell hast thou received a beam of light through a chink of a door of hope so that in this sinking condition thou hast espied a plank to keep thee above the waves a twig to lay hold on to preserve thee from drowning whereupon thou hast by a secret power from the Spirit been enabled to fasten some free promise which although thou canst not call thine yet thou art told it may bee thine and thine or not thou wast resolved to lay hold on it and if in so doing God should cut off one of thy hands thou wast resolved to lay hold on it as the Captain in the Historian on the ship with the other and when thou couldst hold no longer with that thou wast resolved to drown looking towards his holy Temple and in these acts of holy reliance hast thou received a whisper Jonah 2. 4. from Gods Spirit Well then seeing thou wilt take no denyal no repulse be it unto Mat. 9. 29. thee according to thy faith if thou wilt needs have Christ take him and Salvation with him Be of good cheer thy sinnes are forgiven thee Christ is thy peace and I am thy salvation Mat. 9. 2. Ephes 2. 14. Psal 35. 3. Hast thou felt these works more or lesse If thou hast not friend I doubt thou setst up a profession of Saint-ship without the Spirits leave I would advise all of you that are in this case to begin again draw your indentures a new intreat the Spirit to admit you into his house of bondage that the son may make you free indeed in his own time and way O be not ashamed to unravel all that clew of ungrounded confidence which thou hast deluded thy selfe by all this while and begin upon a new bottome A mistake here is recoverable hereafter 't is for ever irremediable O think how much better 't is to take the shame of an error upon thy selfe here whiles â—t may do thee good then to be shamed hereafter before God Angels and men to thine eternal destruction and confusion in hell fire I find it
humiliation and humiliatiâ—… disposeth a man to partake of the secrets of Gods counsell and especially in the matter of particular assurance Isai 57. 15. Caution Yet is not this help so absolutely necessary as that I should put it in practise under every condition of body if I am not able without prejudice to my health to bear fasting I shall thereby more distemper my body and consequently more weaken my spirits then is convenient or indeed lawfull and thereby give greater advantage to Satan to trouble my tired mind then hee had before In such a case commend thy condition to the publique prayers of the Church especially upon days of solemn seeking God If persons be sick and in danger of death then a Minister shall have a bill handed to him to pray for their bodily health and that is good that in these days wherein every Ordinance of God and Duty of ours growes into disreputation men shew they value the prayers of the Church but I wonder that among all our bills there are no complaints of soul-sicknesse Oh Beloved it would do a Ministers heart good as we say to receive a score or two of bills upon a Sabbath day to this purpose One that hath an hard heart that hath been often heated and is grown cold again one that hath been long under conviction and finds no gracious issue of it one that cryes aloud after God can have no Answer one that is assaulted with fearfull temptations that cannot get any evidence of Gods love and goes heavily all the day long c. desires their prayers It may be God expects you should thus make many friends to speak to him that thanks may be rendred by many on your behalf as the Apostle expresseth himselfe in a like case 2 Cor. 1. 11. And neglect not to bee present as often as possibly thou canst at the publick prayers of the Church especially such as are put up in relation to thy case There is a remarkable story of one out of whom by the prayers of Mr. Rothwell an eminent Minister of late years in the North See Clark in the life of Rothwell and some faithfull Brethren a Devil was cast the man yet continuing dumb for some years after till he being present in a Congregation where he was particularly prayed for at the close of the petition God opened his mouth and he said Amen publickly and spake to Gods glory ever after So in thy case who knows whether God reserves comfort for thee to be dispenced in such a way Lastly Every day the Saints of God especially under bondage and darknesse can finde occasional times to knock at the door of grace when they are at leasure from necessary imployments There be some haunts where most men bestow themselves in the intervals of businesse in the breathing times between one imployment and another One man fills up these breaches parentheses and odd ends of time with idle discourse another with such and such pastimes lose-times we may better call them as commonly they are used a third haunts the Ale-house or a worse place it may be but such a souls usual haunt as I am speaking of in those fragments of time is the throne of grace and prayer and holy conference with God in other private Duties that is his pastime Will you know where David haunts at midnight when he cannot sleep At midnight will I arise and Psalm 63. 6. praise thee 119. 62. Will you know where his haunt is after meals Not only evening and morning but at noon also will I cry unto thee Psal 55. 17. If you enquire what time he begins in the mornings see Psalm 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed In a word to shut up this head some people I know charge this way of seeking assurance with trusting in Duties and the persons that so seek with pride in them But sure there is more pride in not condescending to begge then in begging 'T were an unheard thing that a begger should be proud of his trade He that prays feelingly hath the greatest security against pride CHAP. XVI Concerning seeking Assurance in Sacraments Where a practicall Question whether and how Baptisme administred in Infancy can be helpfull hereunto THis assurance is promoted by Sacraments These we call by the warrant of St. Paul the Apostle seals Rom. 4. 11. Now the Spirit that is the personal seal may make use of the Sacraments as the instrumental seals of this assurance 1. Baptisme I mean not the repetition of it which is a course some vain people are seduced unto in hope to get comfort by it but many have found it hath been an occasion of many sad and fearfull Apostacies from the standing Ordinances of Jesus Christ and so hath eaten out the heart of their love to and zeal in following God in them whiles their prejudices to their former baptisme have caused prejudices against the Ministers that dispensed it and the Churches wherein they received it and so they have proceeded by degrees as finding no persons or administrations free from exception to throw off all ways of worship and duty altogether which when they have been made to see the evil of their way as it may by Gods goodnesse come to passe though seldome it do they find all the peace they got in those ways was but meer imposture But I mean the renewed meditation of the spiritual signification and end of that seal of the Covenant which having been applied to thee in thy infancy becomes of force to thee as soon as thou comest to know and to accept of the Covenant in the serious choyce and intention of thy heart One main intent of Baptisme is to work an assurance of the pardon of sinne by the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ And herein it answers to Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. compared with Rom. 4. 11. Which Circumcision was a seal of the Righteousness which is by faith i. e. of the righteousnesse of Christ made ours by faith for justification 'T is called the baptisme of repentance for remission of sinnes that is signifying and sealing forgivenesse of sinnes to the conscience of a penitent sinner Now if a man Mark 1. 3. have not only a great Landlords word but his seal to assure him of such an estate he is confident thereupon to abide a trial at law before a just Judge so if thou make a right use of this seal thou mayst plead it whenever Conscience shall sit upon thee and call into question thy Spiritual or eternal condition Think now and then upon thy baptisme and the end of it and labour from thence to rise to a belief of the performance of that to thee in truth which was sacramentally exhibited to thee in the signe And know this That laying hold of the graces promised and sealed in Baptisme upon the terms convenanted gives thee a just and legal claim to them Object But this Sacrament was administred
it may not alwayes be the condition of a Saint to cal God Father with alike confidence whiles yet he may pray with abundance of holy importunity 3 Distinguish therefore between that livelinesse and boldnesse of the soul in prayer which flowes from the actual witnesse of the Spirit and that which ariseth meerly from the gracious influence of the same Spirit as he unites us to Christ 1 As for liveliness in prayer it may in a godly man proceed not only from the Spirits witness but sometimes from 1 Conscience of Duty When a man quickens up his desires and other affections upon this consideration that he is in the presence of a living God and therefore it becomes him not to offer dead services to such a God 2 Or from sense of want That is it which usually addes life and activity to our endeavours Beggars when ready to starve are importunate 3. Or thirdly from hope to speed Now this hope to speed is either positive and particular which I receive from a paricular assurance of Gods engagements to me or more general and negative taking away all discouragements which I may fancy to my self Now the former hope a man under the witnessing act of the Spirit prayes by the latter quickens every godly Christian whether he have actually or ever had the testimony of the Spirit or no. Now the hopes of a Saint are grounded either on certainties or probabilities probabilities remove discouragements certainties only give a positive and particular well grounded hope And yet probabilities may enliven though certainties do farre more A soul may come upon the general encouragements upon which God inviteth sinners to come to him and may thereby be much enlivened in prayer although not with so great life and vigour as a man that can plead a particular right and title to God 2. So concerning boldnesse of the soul in Duty A soul that walks in darkness may be bold in some sort 1. Upon sense of want which dispells all shamefastness A man in necessity though he dared not open his mouth before to aske relief of a great personage through shame keeping him back from it yet when there is no help he will put a good face upon it as we say and embolden himself to adventure to sollicite supplies So the soul says in such a case I must begge my life or perish aske or starve for want of supply I will adventure into the presence of God as Hester into the presence of the King and if I perish I perish 2. Upon the discoveries that the Scripture makes of the nature of God that he is a God of infinite mercies that wayts to be gracious expects opportunities to manifest it A man will when he is in want more boldly adventure to aske of a man who is reported to be propense to acts of bounty and ready upon all occasions to manifest it then of another whose disposition is not so known Thou art a God that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psalm 65. 2. 3. Upon encouragements of invitations promises examples Such as Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will answer thee Psal 50. 15. And that Psal 32. 6. Although a man have no particular ground to conclude that he shall be heard yet upon these general grounds he can many times urge God very confidently But a soul under the actual Testimony of the Spirit of God may embolden himselfe from a particular interest as David doth Ps 119. 94. Lord I am thine save me And the Church Isa 63. 19. and Psal 86. 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy or one whom thou favourest And can urge his own experiences As the Church Lord thou hast been our habitation c. Ps 90. 1. c. Thou hast been favourable to thy Land Psalm 85. 1. The point therefore is to be understood thus where the Spirit of God is actuâ—lly a witnessing Spirit of Adoption there he mainly discovers himselfe by enlivening and emboldening the soul unto special importunity to a particular claim and especial confidence in prayer CHAP. XLVI Some Proofs thereof THat this is a principal work of the witnissing Spirit of Adoption to raise the fervencie and boldness of the soul in prayer may be evidenced to us by the parallell place of Scripture Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into your hearts It is to be understood of the witnessing acts of the Spirit because this gift followes upon sonship because ye are sons He saith not that you might be sons then indeed it must have been understood of the sanctifying and uniting grace of the Spirit which makes sons but because ye are sons which supposeth their present standing as children to be the ground of this gift and therefore it is understood of the witnessing act of the Spirit And what followes from it What get they by this Spirit of Christ administred in this way what doth the Spirit there He cryes not enables them to cry though that be true but he cryes in them Abba Father cryes with earnestnesse Father with confidence and Father Father with holy importunity And this appears farther 1. From the nature of the witnessing Acts of the Spirit of Grace The Spirit is a witness to all Gods promises and obligations to us and he puts Gods seal to all the Covenant of grace Now to the vigorous and confident putting a bond in suit an expresse witness to the sealing and delivery is a great encouragement By prayer the soul puts Gods bonds in suit The Spirit comes into Court at the same time whiles the bond is pleading and saith Lord I witness this bond to be true I did put thy seal to it by thy own appointment And to the soul he saith Soul do not be nonsuited do not let thy suit fall I will witness for thee plead thy bond â— the utmost I will justifie it what an encouragement is this 2. From the comparative straightness and flatness of spirit and that cowardliness and dauntedness of spirit which possesseth the Saints when the Spirit is withdrawn from them David when he had lost the joy of Gods Salvation his mouth was shut his heart was straightened and he is fain to go to God for enlargement by his free Spirit He complains of casting away from Gods presence c. Psal 51. 11 12. Vphold me saith he with thy free Spirit that is prop up my zeal and confidence which is even falling to the ground without such a support 3. From the removal of all discouragements to a fervent and confident address to God The great discouragement of the soul is either a distance conceived between God and the soul or the guilt of sinne that makes it The Spirit assures us that sinne is pardoned and that breach made up and that we may come when we will and be as bold with God as if there had never been any occasion of breach on our part or act of
Ointment on his head reacheth his garments Psalm 133. 2. Joh. 1. 16. And strength I have laid help saith he upon one that is mighty Help What help surely sufficient supplies and means of relief for all his people in all their wants and exigencies Psal 89. 19. Sutable to this is that Phil. 4. 13. And for all supplies See Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell Why so see verse 18. Because hee was to have plenitudinem capitis the fulnesse of an head He is the head of the Body So that whatever I want it is for security if I may so say already made over to that friend in trust so as God to eternity can never revoke it 2. Study God in his performances to Christ He never asked any thing no not in the days of his humiliation in which he did not prevaile Father I thank thee saith he that thou hast heard me and I know thou hearest me alwayes John 11. 41 42. Many thousands have made use of his name from the beginning of the World and never any one failed of acceptance to this day 3. Consider the neere union between the divine nature and the humane in Christ That it is not onely an union of relation as between friend and friend father and sonne nay nor husband and wife and yet this last is so near an union that the Scripture calls them two one flesh But a real personal union in which God and man make up the same one person Christ Now surely this nearnesse of union between God and our nature cannot but infer the most entire friendship and by consequence the most full communion that can be And as by the relation that wee have to his humane nature now marryed to the divine we are emboldened by the relation of our flesh to come to Christ and he by the relation of his flesh bound to sympathize with us so by the relation that his flesh in this union hath to God the Father we may come to God the Father too with assurance that this marriage into our kindred must needs derive some more particular respect unto his family and humane relations And to encourage thee to this I add that no natural relation that he had in the World as such would be more prevalent with him then thou if thou be of his family by faith No not his very mother according to the flesh so that were I of the Papists mind for praying to Saints to intercede for me to Christ I should as boldly use any of the glorified Saints as her mediation and if she were on earth if she prayed in her sonnes name she had no more advantage by the relation of a mother to his natural body then another Saint by the relation of a member of his mystical body For as Christ received not his person from the virgin but his nature so hee cannot be affected with any such personal respects as we are but whoever doth the Will of his Father as himself saith when his mother and brethren came upon the account of relation to call him off from a work that concerned the spiritual good of other Saints is his brother his sister and his mother Mar. 3. 34 35. i. e. As dear as any of those Relations And for this reason I doubt not when his mother it is likely upon the account of her relation spake to him to work a miracle in turning water into wine that she and others might not think that upon that ground he would do more for her then for other Saints he answers her by the common terme of woman and takes her up so short Joh. 2. 4. It may be you may conceive if you had a natural relation to Christ you might be more bold with his name to the attainment of any thing from God I tell you again the meanest woman here upon Christs account may aske as boldly as the Virgin Mary might because the union between God and man in Christ is not such an union in which he assumed a humane person but only an humane nature 6 And lastly pray not ordinarily but upon a due preconsideration of the wants you are under with the exigency and necessity of your condition This I have before told you will cause boldnesse He that is in want strains no complements This consideration made Hester bold Hest 4. 13 14 15 16 17. she and her people were like to perish by Hamans plot and if she went not in there was no preventing it therefore saith she I will go in boldly not straining at legal formalities I can but perish by going in and I shall perish if I go not in therefore I will go in though not according to Law and if I perish I perish Ans 2. If thou be one that hath had this boldnesse in the presence of God and hast lost it my advice to thee for the recovery of it is 1. Enquire how thou hast lost it whether 1 By some renewed sin This is a thing that will make a Saint hang down his head in the presence of God Psal 40. 12. David under the guilt of sin complains Mine iniquities take such hold of me that I cannot lock up And Ezra coming to God in relation to others under a great sin Lord saith he I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee Ezra 9 6. Ever since sin came into the world shame came in with it Adam when he had sinned hid himself from God hee could not endure the presence of God as before Gen. 3. 8. But of this as of the following Hinderances of boldnesse I have spoken before and therefore shall but touch them now 2. By some grosse neglect of keeping constant communion with God in Duty It may be thou art growne a greater stranger to God then before God hath not been visited by thee as frequently as he was wont to be 3 By some sinful neglect of stirring up the Graces of God in Prayer Thou hast prayed it may be but in a cold formal superficial way If any of these be the cause of it my advice to thee in the next place is as formerly 2 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Remove the obstacle as was directed above in the case of lost Assurance and then thou maist renew thy confidence 3 Practise all the Helps to the recovering of this holy confidence when it is lost which are above prescribed to the attainment of it at the first Look on it as a Duty fortifie against the forementioned discouragements study Promises renew thy apprehensions of God in Christ come with a due pre-consideration of thy wants and the exigencies of them 4 To these add 1 An holy expostulation with God concerning former familiarities Mind the Lord of the acquaintance that hath been between him and thy soul intreat him to continue it Lord where are thy ancient loving kindnesses How many hours have I spent in familiar intercourse
of God Isa 1. 5. If a man want support and security in a suffering time 't is true God is a refuge and strength and a very present help in time of trouble Psal 46. 1. But to whom is he so to them that call upon him Ps 105. 18. Lastly he delivereth the righteous out of all his afflictions Psal 34. 19. But upon what termes Call on me and I will deliver thee Psalm 50. 15. God hath delivered me and doth deliver and will deliver saith the Apostle but in what way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you Corinthians conferring mutual help by your prayers 2 Cor. 1. 11. 3. Look on God as 1. Prescribing this duty in affliction as Psalm 50. 15. and in my Text and many other places 2. Expecting it as one who often afflicts to that end that hee may make our proud hearts to stoop to duty Hosea 5. 15. 3. Making promises to this duty rightly performed in such a season See at large 2 Chron. 7. 13 14 Psalm 50. 15. 4. Sealing them with plentifull performances See a threefold cord of experiences in one Psalm 34. 4 5 6. Now God calls not for expects not encourageth not prospers not an unseasonable duty and therefore from all this it followes that to one that looks on God in affliction the seasonablenesse of prayer is strongly concluded by all these particulars 2 Look on our selves under affliction and prayer will seem exceeding seasonable at such a time from these following considerations arising from the condition it selfe which we are under which hath these advantages in its nature and usual attendants to further us in the duty 1. Sense of pain or present danger 'T is natural to cry under the rod qui nescit orare c. saith the proverb send a man to Sea if you 'l teach him to pray Jonah 1. 6. Even heathen Marriners can find some God or other to go to in a storme Jon. 1. 6. I know 't is not alwayes gracious prayer that comes from a sense of suffering A dogge will howle when you strike him and God can give some mens devotions in such a condition no better terme Hos 7. 14. But I know also that even a child will cry and begge heartily under the rod. And all prayers that are extorted from men by smart are not carnal and natural prayers though sometimes and in wicked men alwayes they be so The prayer may be spiritual though the motive be natural We fast and the Jews and others of old wore sackcloth upon their flesh to provoke by the hunger and pain of the body the spirits to devotion When the spirit is overwhelmed the natural man seeks vent sometimes this way but a godly man alwayes 2. Affliction usually begets lowly and humble thoughts in men For as it is natural to man to be proud and lofty under a prosperous condition Psal 73. 5 6. So is it also to begin to know himself when he is laid low by affliction Ps 9. 20. Put them in fear O Lord that the nations may know themselves to be but men Before they scarce thought they were men as others are Lam. 3. 27 28 29. Long afflictions such as the Prophet describes there make men sit alone and keep silence lay their very mouthes in the very dust and take patiently any thing from God or men I know that a man may be humbled that is not humble No afflictions though they plow long furrowes and deep ones too can of themselves teare up the root of pride out of the heart but they may tear and mangle it so that it may be checked for the present in its growth whiles better seeds are sown in the heart by grace that in time will wafte it quite out of the field Wicked men will never pray till affliction bring them upon their knees And the Saints of God sometimes are too proud to be beholden to God till bare need force them to it The prodigal whiles he had but husks though a sonne yet thinks not of his duty And 't is said of our Saviour Christ himselfe that as man he learned obedience by the things that he suffered Heb. 5. 8. and being a man of sorrowes in his state of humiliation he powred out strong cryes and groanes v. 7. Now that which grace cooperating with it humbles and layes the soul low before God puts a man into the fittest temper for prayer 3. Afflictions ordinarily are the chafingdish that warmes and recovers the remembrance of sinne unto men They recovered the remembrance of the Patriarchs sinne as Divines observe twenty years after Gen. 42. 21. Now verily say they now we are in bonds are we guilty concerning our Brother i. e. now our consciences tell us we are guilty So Hos 5. 15. I will returne to my place till they be guilty i. e. till the sense of guilt forgotten afresh seize their consciences therefore Job calls plagues Gods witnesses and renewed plagues renewed witnesses Job 10 17. because they testify sinne and oftentimes when they are repeated plagues wilfulnesse and obstinacy in sinne And this property of affliction makes it very much conduce to prayer A burden ed spirit under sense of sinne vents its sorrowes and oppressions that way Prayer to such a soul is like lightening the ship in a storm like letting out the impostumed matter out of a sore As shall be shewn more hereafter 4. A man in an afflicted condition hath many promises to urge God withal which are peculiar to such a condition Concerning sanctification of affliction Ezek. 20. 37. 38. Isa 27. 9. moderation in afflicting v. 8 9 that and support under suffering together 1 Cor. 10. 13. Psalm 23. 2 3 4. bettering and improving us by it Heb. 12. 11. deliverance in it Job 5. 19. Isai 43. 2. Psalm 34. 20 112 4. from it Psa 125 3 91. 14 15. 37. 40 and many places more Now that season is a proper season for prayer of all others which the Lord chuseth as a proper season of granting As the time to ask and receive a dole is then when it is to be distributed If a beggar be out of the way then he missâ—th his Almes See Ps 32. 6. Godly men pray in a time when God wil be found 5 A man in an afflicted condition hath more especial need of supply in many graces then at another time As in 1 Faith Luke 21. 31 Hab. 21 23. 2 Humility 1 Pet. 5. 6. 3 Patience Heb. 10. 36. Jam. 1. 4. 4 Repentance Lam. 3. 40. 1 Chr. 7. 13 14. Now all supplies of the Spirit must be fetched in by prayer Phil. 1. 19 20. If a man were never so sure of supplies from a friend at all turnes yet it is requisite that he send him intelligence of his wants Indeed God needs not any intelligence of our condition who knowes our estate better then wee do knowes what part of the wall needs most strengthning though we never tell him but God will take no notice of
man may be assured of his Sonship à priori from the first acts of faith and repentance in conversion ch 20 A Case Whether this evidence be so certain as to exclude all doubting chap. 21. Popish Doctrine concerning doubting and uncertainty confuted Our own certainty and assurance of salvation examined Where several Cases Case 1. How to distinguish the testimony of the Spirit from Satanical or self delusion Vnder which Head it is again enquired 1 How far Satan may go in giving assurance Immediately Where a test of revelations and comfort arising hence Mediately from the Word And 2 How far we to our selves from Reason only chap. 22. This Case branched into particulars Quest 1. How to know a false assurance when it is collected from Scripture by the collusions of Satan and a mans own heart to be false chap. 23. Quest How to know whether the true assurance that a man hath of his own good condition be from the collections of his own reason meerly or from the witness of the Spirit With Cautions about it chap. 24. The Duty of keeping these Evidences of the Spirit once attained pressed with several Motives chap. 25. Quest How this may be done Where 1 The Records of these Evidences chap. 26 2 The means to maintain them chap. 27 3 The Moths that eat them out ch 28 4 The use of them in a livelihood of Love Thankfulness Obedience ch 29 The Duty of improving them urged Quest How Answered in two particulars 1 By living on them a life of Sanctification Consolation 2 By pleading them chap. 30 The Duty of recovering lost Assurance added wherein also Quest How Answered 1 Rest not in its absence 2 Enquire how it was lost and how that enquiry is to be made Several tokens to furnish an Hue and Cry after that sin that hath robbed a soul of such a Jewel chap. 31 3 What to be done in case some sin have stolne it away 4 5 6. What to be done in case no appearing sin occasion it A Case How faith may be exercised in desertion Several things proper to bee believed then As also three other Directions chap 32 Thesis III Gods Holy Spirit after he hath once been a Spirit of Adoption never again becomes a Spirit of Bondage to the same soul Explained Saints after conversion and assurance subject To troubles of consciences yea To Bondage Yea and that longer and greater then ever before upon sive Reasons How far the Spirit causeth them and how far not chap. 33 Scripture Reason Proof of the Thesis chap. 34 A Question stated viz. What then is the cause of legal terrors in the Saints after conversion and assurance c. 35 And how they befal them Saints convinced of folly in giving way to such after terrors chap 36 And that such troublesom thoughts may be cast out without disputing as blasphemous and Atheistical thoughts by the common advise of Divines should be Case How far I may safely do this Case How to know the Work of Satan undermining assurance from the work of the holy Spirit putting a man upon a warrantable and wary self-examination chap. 37 Grounds upon which Satan endeavors to weaken assurance answered Case How far a soul soundly converted and possibly assured may fall into sin Whether into gross sins Whether into the same sins as before What regret and reluctancy in a renewed conscience against sin and how differenced from that of a natural conscience terrified ch 38 Case of afflictions and tentations stated as they may be laid for grounds of questioning a renewed state ch 39 Case of not hearing prayers so far also stated Case of inability to pray thus far also stated chap. 40 Case of decayes in spiritual affections deadnesse burthensomnesse of Duty c. thus far also stated Well meaning contradictions of good souls Complaints whether hypocritical or no chap 41 Case How in a supposed decay of spiritual affections a saint may know whether he be dead or no A farther case whether and how farre an hypocrite may delight in the tydings of comfort from God c. 42. Case Whether in stead of growing a Saint may not decay in the actings of some graces and yet those very graces grow more habitually and radically strong in him c. 43. Case How a Saint may in the midst of his most sensible actual decayes know whether the habits of grace grow or no Saints comforted by an inference of Saints incapacity of total and final Apostacy from the premises c. 44. Thesis IV. One principal work of the Spirit of Adoption is to enliven and embolden the soul in prayer Qu. How and in what sense this work is the main or chief work Qu. What act of this Spirit produceth it Qu. Whether the Spirit thus work in all Saints Saints in darknesse how farre capable of being lively and bold in duty c. 45. Some evidences of the Thesis c. 46. Three cases stated Case 1. Whether in all Saints that have once been assured there be alwayes the same measure of boldnesse and fervency Case 2. If not whence proceeds the difference that is in them at times from what they were formerly c. 47. Case 3. Whether the Spirit furnisheth the soul at all times with like life and vigour of expressions Facility and fluency of expressions in prayer what evills it often occasions A touch of Formes pro and con A Case Language of prayer when from strength of parts and when from the supply of the Spirit How we lose our ability of expression in prayer c. 48. Saints Informed that darkening evidences of Gods love deadneth prayer Case What to be done when a soul cannot call God Father Especially in case some sinne streighten the spirit As also how to maintain heat and boldnesse in prayer c. 49. Three duties pressed upon all assured Saints 1 To be much in prayer upon eight motives c. 50. To stirre up the grace of God that is in them to a due proportion of life and fervency upon six motives c. 51 Qu. How the deadness and formality of Saints in prayer may be recovered Where more largely of formes and extemporary prayer c. 52. 3. To come boldly to the Throne of grace upon six motives c. 53. Case How shall I procure this boldness if I cannot come to God in this manner where those are directed who notwithstanding assurance never had it And those who have had and lost it c. 54. Case How to mix boldnesse and godly fear together in prayer Stating 1. This boldness what it is and wherein it consists 2. This fear also and its nature c. 55. Saints have some comfortable meditations suggested from this truth that the boldness and fervency of Saints in prayer is from the Spirit of Adoption Case How shall I know whether my actual fervency and boldness be not from my own spirit or Satan rather then Gods Spirit c. 56. Reader these Books are lately published and sold at the Ball in Pauls Church yard Dr. Kendals Answer to Mr. John Goodwin â—n two Volumes fol. viz. Concerning the Death of Christ and the Perseverance of the Saints Mr. Sheffeild a Treatise of Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse 8o. Mr. Rob. Bailie a learned Treatise against Anabaptism 4º Catechesis Elenctica Errorum qui hodie vexant Ecclesiam 12o. His Vindication of his Disswasive from the Exceptions of Mr. Cotton and Mr. Tombs 4º Mr Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer on the Sabâ—ath in four Parts 4º Dr. Tuckneies Sermons on these Texts viz. Jer. 8. 22. 1 Cor. 15. 55 Acts 4. 12. 12o. Mr Jenkyns Exposition of the whole Epistle of Jude 4o. Jus Divinum Ministerii 4º Mella Patrum per prima nascentisâ— paâ—ientis Ecclesiae tria secula Per Fran. Rous Preposit Etonens 8o. January 5. 1655.
from sin How do thy old garments fit thee Dost thou more and more grow out of love with sin and more and more put it off at least in the love of it This growth the Apostle saw when he could see none else Rom 7. 20. This is most discernable in the combats between the heart and Original sin when a man clubs it down in its first motions 't is a good token of growth A moral man may forbeare those sins in act which a godly man may fall into but a Saint labours more at the root of sin when moral men pare off the branches 3 A growth of heavenly mindednesse These toyes and trifles of the world how do they take with thee That which the Apostle saith of childish knowledg c. I may say of childish desires 1 Cor. 13. 11. A Saint then growes a man when he throwes away childish things Dost thou grow more liberal and open hearted The more a mans heart is loosed from the earth the nearer it growes to heaven Grace here is glory in the cradle and it daily growes heavenward 4. A growth of aimes and desires What dost thou purpose to thy selfe Will not small things content thee then thy appetite is growne The more manly we grow the more manly our aimes are See how the Apostle calls this growth of aimes perfection Phil. 3. 15. So that thy trouble that thou growest not and thy aimes at farther improvement discover that thou art improving Vse 3. This Thesis also is three waies for Consolation to Saints For 1. This confirms us in the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints For if a true Saint might fall away from grace the Spirit might justly again become a Spirit of Bondage to him For he that falls from grace falls under the Law and he that falls under the Law is liable to all its terrors as his proper portion For all that the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law Rom. 3. 19. If a child of God to day might prove a child of the Divel to morrow surely the Spirit might safely tell him so 2 This scatters and dispells the greatest venom that imbitters Saints second troubles When a man looks on God as leading him into temptation it is far more bitter then when a man falls into it by his own neglect or Satans malice When a man apprehends the Spirit of God whom he expects as a Comforter to become his Tormentor this is a double torment Now against this the Lord gives us this cordial assurance once for all that to a Saint no such thing ever can be the work of the Spirit 3 This shewes Saints a ground upon which if it be not their own fault they may live in constant peace to wit by maintaining continual correspondence and un-interrupted amity with the Spirit of Adoption Surely he that never speaks Bondage after he hath spoken peace may be heard speaking peace alwayes were it not our own fault Did wee heed what hee sayes and acquaint our selves more with his voice we should find him a Comforter still But we are apt to give more eare to our owne carnal reason and Satans tentations then to his gracious and comfortable tidings Few Saints should they put their souls to Davids question Psalm 42. were able to answer it satisfactorily except there be reason why men should trouble and distract their owne spirits whether God will or no. And thus much shall suffice for this third point CHAP. XLV A fourth Thesis with its explication NOw come we to the last Thesis from the Text which is the fourth in this Treatise Doct. That one principal work of the Spirit of Adoption in the soul that hath received it is to enliven and embolden it in prayer That we may not mistake in the sense of the Proposition observe with mee first a few things tending to the Explication of it When I say a principal work I mean not to compare the assistance he gives to prayer with his work of uniting the soul to Christ in justification of quickning the soul with habitual grace in Sanctification or the work of Assurance it self For no stream can rationally be admitted into comparison with its fountain Now the Spirit of prayer is but an emanation of grace and Adoption first a Spirit of grace and then a Spirit of supplication Zech. 12. 10. And therefore this must be understood of those operations which flow from habitual grace and Assurance that of them there is no nobler act of the Spirit of Grace and Adoption enabling us to and in them then this Qu. 1. What act of the Spirit of Adoption thus works Answ When I speak of this particular boldnesse as the work of the Spirit of Adoption I would be understood of the Spirit of Adoption chiefly in his witnessing Act of which we have hitherto principall treated though I shall not here more then in the former point exclude him in his other acts only I shall shew from which work of the Spirit of Adoption this which wee treat of doth more immediatly arise For whereas I before told you twice of four works of the Spirit of Adoption to unite to witnesse to intercede to direct whereof the uniting act is the most noble and the fountain of all the rest union with Christ being the source of all communion you must farther know that the rest of these Acts do not alike primarily flow from the first but by the meditation and interposition of one another The spirit intercedes in us but by the help of his assuring work he produceth its most fervent and confident petitions And the last work his guiding work he performes by both the former viz. perswading the soul upon assurance of successe to fetch direction and assistance from God in all its wayes by faith in the promises and prayer Q. 2. Doth the Spirit work thus in all Saints Answ 1. When I say it is the work of the Spirit of Adoption I must not be understood to affirme a constant and perpetual assistance of the witnessing Spirit in all the Saints to the performance of this Duty in a like high spiritfull and confident way For the dearest Saints of God whiles they enjoy the Spirit of Adoption may be under strange deadnesse distraction and indosposednesse in Duty and under no lesse doubting suspiciousnesse and jealousie of God and his affectons to them which must needs hinder their boldness in calling him Father 2 Thus accordingly as we must distinguish times so we must distinguish between degrees of livelinesse and boldnesse in praying Between praying to God as to a Father and calling him Father aloud in Prayer or as in the words of the Text crying Abba Father For the Spirit as He unites the soul to Christ is a Spirit of Supplication helps us to pray and that with life and boldnesse But because he may possibly not alwayes act in his witnessing way although even then the soul is enabled to pray acceptably