can desire Christ above all things in the world if they might have their choice unlesse Christ have their hearts and they dearly love him and beleeve in him for Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. and to none else So the seat of faith is in the heart which is in the understanding and will but more principally in the will so that if our wills be renewed our hearts are renewed Rom. 8. 5 6. Paul saith To will is present with me good I would doe so then with my minde I serve the Law of God Rom. 7. 18 19. with 21. 25. it appeares that the will is one with the minde and the heart is one with them these three are one and alwayes goe together and are alike spirituall Christ saith Where your treasure is there will your heart be also Mat. 6. 21. that is the mind and affections and by affections in Eph. 3. 2. is meant the heart for the heart and affections are one thing There be them that beleeve and yet they know not whether they beleeve or no so that it is possible for them to call their faith unbeliefe as the blind man did Mark 9. 24. Lord help my unbeliefe which must not be understood of unbeliefe for it is not a lawfull request to pray that sin may be increased for unbeliefe is a sin and the ground or cause of the soules departing from God as Heb. 3. 12. Many mistake faith some have thought comfort joy or ravishments of soule with God to be faith and so have concluded because they had not them they had no faith It is not mens beleeving but the object of faith that gives faith its denomination or name for there be divers kinds of faith there is a naturall faith as Luk. 8. 13. and a divine faith or the faith of Gods Elect Titus 1. 1. Faith and its object is not to be separated because faith and its object is one and the same it is too strict therefore to give a distinction or definition of faith without its object He that beleeveth that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God shall be saved All is included in this he that beleeves this must 1. Know Christ to be the anointed Luk. 23. the Saviour of his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. 2. To beleeve in Christ to rest upon him to live or stay upon the Lord Pro. 3. 5. To beleeve in him Rom. 10. 9. 11. Psal 17. 6. To cleave to God Deut. 30. 20. Joh. 23. 6. Acts 11. 23. Psal 119. 30 31. to hope in him Psal 147. 11. 3. To own and confesse Christ Simon said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Mat. 16. 16. Rom. 10. 9. Any man may say that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God yea the Devils confesse this I know thee who thou art Jesus Christ the Sonne of God therefore this cannot be the faith of Gods Elect and so not the faith of the Gospel 1. There are three things to be considered in the nature of faith first illumination secondly for the soule to trust in Christ for pardon and life and the third is the application of him The first is when a man consents to the Word that it is true and this is called faith and this the Devill doth Thou beleevest there is one God thou doest well the Devill doth so James 2. Mark 5. 8. Acts 16. 17. The second is to beleeve that Jesus is the Christ which implies a seeing and knowing all to be in Christ for life and salvation and so to rest upon him for it he that thus beleeves in Christ is brought by Christ over to Christ and so centred upon him that he will never goe from him Joh. 6. 58. My soule wait thou on God for my expectation is from him Psal 62. 5. and this no Devill never did The third is to beleeve with an application of Christ as their own in particular therefore to beleeve in Christ is more then an illumination or a saying so or reformation for where faith comes old things are done away and they are new creatures there is a light set up in that soule now they know all is by Christ and that there is no way or meanes of life but by Christ and close with Christ and rest upon him Secondly the Scriptures cleerly prove that to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God is the faith of the Gospel for the Word of God is the ground of faith and the soules salvation depends upon the truth of what God saith and faith looks onely to what God saith and rests upon it and sets to its seale that God is true And that so to beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God is the faith of the Gospel I prove by these Reasons 1. Because this is the faith which the Apostles preached and witnessed unto and the faith which is recorded unto us in the Scriptures Acts 18. 28. 1 Joh. 2. 22. 2. Because none can say knowingly that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 3. 3. Because upon the profession of this faith Christ builds his Church Mat. 16. 16. 18. 4. Upon the profession of this faith the Baptisme of Christ is dispensed as Act. 8. 37. 5. They who have this faith dwell in God and God in them 1 Joh. 4. 15. 6. This faith flesh and bloud cannot reveale but God reveales it to the soule Mat. 16. 16 17. 7. Such are borne of God whosoever beleeves that Jesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. 8. This is the faith that overcommeth the world 1 Joh. 5. 4 5. 9. Because such as have this faith are pronounced blessed Mat. 16. 17. and shall never dye Joh. 11. 25 26. 10. Because he that hath this faith shall be saved If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9. Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life whosoever beleeveth in me shall never dye beleevest thou this shee said unto him yea Lord I beleeve that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God c. Joh. 11. 25 26 27. To beleeve this Record implies an assent that it is truth with a resting or hoping to have interest in it to be made one with it is faith though it be a lesser degree then a full and certain assurance of life by him for himselfe in particular see Isa 45. 21 22. Those in Mat. 5. 3 4 5. who mourne and hunger and thirst after Christ are blessed and shall be satisfied though they want the application of Christ therefore besides the illumination which wicked men and Devils may have as well as a beleever there is a two-fold act of faith the first is a direct act to beleeve Christ is in whom is life c. this is to beleeve the Record God hath given concerning his Sonne and that he
came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Look unto me and be saved Isai 45. 22. and so trust in Christ for life from a hope of mercy but this hope is without a certainty these are blessed as appeares Mat. 16. 17. Turne ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope Zach. 9. 12. Secondly the reflect act of faith which is to beleeve Christ came to save them from their sinnes as Mat. 1. 23. to know I beleeve he that hath this measure or degree of faith trusts in Christ from a knowledge of an interest in him we beleeve and are sure Joh. 6. 69. He that hath this act of faith hath the former but there be some which have the first act of faith but have not attained the second yet their hearts are turned unto Christ and fixed upon him and they long for him hope in him and rest upon him alone for life and salvation these have faith which causeth them to depend on Christ which none can doe but such as are possessed with Christ though at present they may not know it yet are they blessed Mat. 5. 6. and in his Name they doe trust Mat. 12. 21. The Apostle saith These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God 1 Joh. 5. 13. So that these words declare they did but weakly beleeve and that they did not know that they were possessed with eternall life yet they were therefore they had not that particular knowledge or assurance of the love of God yet did beleeve in Christ Some conceive they have no grace because they never had so deep a measure of sorrow for sin as some others have c. The word of God declares that those that beleeved had not one and the same measure of sorrow the Scripture declares no sorrow in Lydia receiving the Word Act. 16. 14. but it is said that the Jaylor trembled being in feare Act. 16. 29. The word of God is to be our Rule Isa 8. 20. and not mens conceits The greatest measure of sorrow griefe feare terror for sinne that ever any had made them not to be loved of God nor to obtain mercy from God nor did sensiblenesse of sin ever drive the soule to Christ but ever from Christ as Peters sensiblenesse of his sin caused him to bid Christ to depart from him Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man Luk. 5. 8. therefore a deep sensiblenesse of sin hinders the soule in beleeving of Christ and drives it further from Christ Thou hast no cause to complain if God deales more gently with thee then he doth with some others it's a great mistake to thinke that God delights in slavish feares or teares What is the greatest sensiblenesse of sin worth that proceeds not from faith and floweth not from the apprehension of pardon love in so evill requiting God look not to sensiblenesse of sinne but to Christ thy very sensiblenesse of sin is not free from sin and it deserves nothing but death but in Christ is life If thou wert ever fatherlesse which is for the soule to be stripped of all that none of thy workes nor means nor men nor Angels nor nothing besides Jesus Christ can stand thee in any stead nor satisfie thee being resolved to wait upon Christ untill he please to manifest his free love in pardoning thy sinnes this is the worke of God in thee yea this is a great and sweet work of the Gospel and such a work as never was in any but such as shall be saved If thou renouncest all thy own sufficiency so as thy best duties cannot satisfie thee certain it is there is a better sufficiency come in place I feare my faith is not the faith of Gods Elect because it is attended with so many doubtings Feares and doubtings are no fruits of faith but of unbeliefe and as feares and doubts increase the stronger is unbeliefe in the soule so the soule is ready to judge that where so great unbeliefe is there is no faith yet the Scriptures declare that in those who had true faith the faith of Gods Elect yet at the same time have had much unbeliefe also in them so as they have been filled with doubts and feares Joh. 13. 1. And from hence it was that he in Mark 9. 24. called his faith unbeliefe because he was sensible of his great unbeliefe and was not unbeliefe strong in Thomas when he said he would not beleeve Joh. 20. 24 25. And seeing that a child of God may have true faith notwithstanding they may also have many feares and doubtings thou knowest not but the cause may be so with thee therefore take heed that yee deny not your selves to have faith lest yee call weak faith no faith and light darknesse and grace sin for to doe so is very evill Woe unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Isa 5. 20. those that put faith for unbeliefe doe so pray to God to strengthen thy faith as he did Mark 9. 24. and use meanes to remove such things as strengthen unbeliefe and hinder the sight of thy faith as ignorance is one cause of doubting also an over-sensiblenesse of infirmities sleighting Gods meanes neglect of duty or a formall performance or nourishing sinne more or lesse pronenesse to sin harkening to Satan to sense to carnall reasonings nourishing feare and unbeliefe c. Also endeavour to doe that which is a means to strengthen thy faith know the perfection of the state of a beleever in Christ in which the weakest and most imperfect beleever is as perfect as much justified accepted and as happy as the best live upon Christ alone make choice of and mind the sutablest promises for thee to feed and strengthen thy faith walk with God pray in faith aske his Spirit and thou shalt have it Luk. 11. 23. this Spirit will revive and fill thy soule with joy and peace in beleeving and make thee so wise and strong in his time that thou shalt not cast away thy confidence any more Heb. 10. 34. And as Gods love which is perfect full free is discovered to thy soule in the same measure thy doubts and feares are cast out for perfect love casts out feare And although you are to use meanes yet meanes are but means not causes of increase of grace it 's the operation of the Spirit of God in the soule which is as God pleaseth therefore looke up to God for faith I feare my faith is but presumption I feare the ground of this is thy not knowing or not minding what faith is and what presumption is What faith is see objection 15. and concerning presumption this word may
the contrary and to follow after faith and to lay hold on eternall life 1 Tim. 6. 11. 2. By beleeving we come to know our interest in Christ and of our salvation by him Whosoever beleeves in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15 16. He that beleeves in the Sonne hath everlasting life vers 36. see Joh. 6. 40. 3. By beleeving we honour God He that receives his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true Joh. 3. 33. Joh. 5. 10. therefore none can beleeve too soone or too confidently or too constantly 4. If yee beleeve not surely yee shall not be established Isa 7. 9. There is no true quietnesse and settlement of soule without beleeving also thou standst by faith thou fallest into sinne by unbeliefe Rom. 11. 20. Heb. 9. 12. The word preached is precious and powerfull yet it profited them not because it was not mixed with faith Heb. 4. 2. 5. It 's faith that rids the soule of all its distempers doubts feares discouragements Rom. 5. 1. we may not separate the Spirit from faith nor faith from the Spirit 6. By faith in Christ thou shalt be kept in perfect peace it will sweetly transcendently refresh thy soule Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. Being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. By faith we apprehend Christ our justification the fruit of which is joy and peace 7. By unbeliefe we adde sin to sin in the highest nature if we beleeve not what God saith our act of unbeliefe accuseth God to speake falsly He that beleeveth not hath made God a lyer 1 Joh. 5. 10. It is impossible for God to lye The strength of Israel cannot lye 1 Sam. 15. 29. Nor can it be any dishonour to God nor hurt to thy selfe to hope in his mercy and to beleeve in him therefore when thou art tempted to unbeliefe set before thee the evill of unbeliefe 8. As bad as thou canst be have been received to mercy Jesus Christ came to save sinners This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. When thou layst in thy bloud behold it was a time of love Ezek. 16. 8. He justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. While we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Rom. 5. 8. 10. therefore have hope Feare not but beleeve Luk. 8. 50. The Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night Psal 42. 8. Hope thou in God vers 5. Be not afraid onely beleeve Mark 5. 36. 9. Unbeliefe straitens thy heart and stoppeth thy mouth hinders thy thankfulnesse and praising of God thou shalt be dumb because thou beleevest not Luk. 1. 20. 10. Unlesse we beleeve we can never glorifie God He staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in faith giving God the glory Rom. 4. 20. Quest From whence is it that many of the Lords children have so many doubts and feares Answ It ariseth from many severall causes as 1. From ignorance of the fulnesse and freenesse of the promise Isa 55. 2. or mindlesnesse and heedlesnesse of the promise Heb. 2. 1. 3. And from corruption in the heart opposing grace Rom. 7. 4. And from the bodies distemper with melancholy 5. or from the conscience being inlightened which sides with the Law against it selfe Rom. 7. 24. 6. or from unskilfulnesse in the Word of righteousnesse Heb. 5. 13. 7. And from unbeliefe which takes the Law and applies it to it selfe which occasioneth feares and feares doubts 8. And from loose walking with God 9. Or from the Spirits not operating in the soule the Spirit when it acts speakes peace and causeth faith to act more strongly Rom. 8. 16. Meanes to quiet and settle a troubled soule in assurance of the love of God God gives peace to his by meanes as appeares 2 Thes 3. 16. Commune with thy heart and make diligent search to find out what it is that troubleth thee Psal 77. 6. Aske a reason of thy soule why it is disquieted why it is cast downe Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast downe O my soule why art thou disquieted Psal 42. 5 6. Examine from whence all thy discouragements come they come not from God for his voyce is onely comfort unto his people he hath declared himselfe to be mercifull and gracious and slow to anger and plenteous in mercy He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according unto our iniquities Psa 103. 3 4. 8. 10. c. His voyce is comfort Comfort yee my people speak yee comfortably to Jerusalem cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned Isa 4. 1 2. I know the thoughts that I thinke towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill Jer. 29. 11. Nor come they from Christ he doth not trouble nor discourage any He binds up the broken-hearted he proclaimes peace liberty he comforts all that mourne he gives beautie for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning and garments of praise for the Spirit of heavinesse c. Isa 61. 1 2 3. Luk. 4. 18. He is gracious and pitiâ—ull He will not quench the smoaking flax nor breake the bruised reed Isai 42. 3. His voyce is full of love tendernesse all his words are sweet words as Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Feare not it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Cast youâ— care upon me I will care for you Phil. 4. 6. Christs voyce is open to me My sister my love my dove my undefiled Song 5. 2. On sweet words of Christ to his Nor come they from the holy Spirit of God he is the greatest and most sweetest comforter he causeth no discouragements but removes them all by revealing and applying to the soule the love of God and carrieth the soule by faith from all discouragements to God who is love peace where the soule is to rest Psal 116. 7. and to be filled with his sweet peace Therefore all our discouragements do proceed 1. From the Devill who is an enemy to faith He taketh the word out of mens hearts lest they should beleeve Luk. 8. 12. 1 Thes 3. 5. 2. Our own hearts Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart in departing from the living God Heb. 3. 12. 3. Or the lying vanities we have chosen but they that harken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercy Jonah 2. 8. Give no way to any discouragement at all though it doe seeme never so just and reasonable c. This was Davids sin to admit of a parley with that which might tend to discourage him saying Will the Lord cast off for ever doth his promise fayle for evermore I said this is my infirmitie Psal 77. 7 8 9 10. As soone as he saw his infirmitie he had other thoughts of God saying Who is so
the use of his meanes till he shall give thee faith that by it thou mayst know thy selfe to be elected Act. 13. 48. But I have used the meanes and yet I am no better but worser therefore God will never doe me good Are you sure you have used all Gods meanes doest thou know the number of them and have your ends been all good right placed and have you used them in a right manner measure time in sinceritie humilitie which I question and have you not rested in the use of means have you set God above his meanes and expected his blessing upon them without which they could doe no good If thou hast not used them all in faith say not thou hast used the meanes what are all meanes without faith they are as a shadow without the substance Heb. 11. 1. The word they heard profited them not for want of faith Heb. 4. 2. It is no good reason to say because God hath not answered me and supplied me therefore he never will consider Isa 64. 4. Isa 8. 17. They which had not obtained mercy did 1 Pet. 2. 10. They shall not be ashamed that wait for me Isa 49. 23. There be many that doe satisfie themselves with the meanes and their frequenting them and in what they doe that it is just with God yea a mercy to blast all to shew their emptinesse that we might look and long for Christ to blesse the meanes and be all in all unto us Men beleeve not that faith is the gift of God and the Spirits work Phil. 1. 29. so that they goe not to God in his promise for faith but endeavour to make a faith of their own to carry to God If thou hast a will that onely Christ should save thee God hath begun his work in thee and he will finish it Heb. 12. 2. and one day thou shalt know thy selfe to be pardoned and all thy sins shall be subdued Consider God may have mercy for thee though thou knowest it not for mens sinnes are first forgiven before they are to beleeve it or can be assured of it for if men should beleeve that their sins are forgiven before they be forgiven they should beleeve that which is false neither can any mans beleeving make that to be which had not a being before faith declares to us our pardon but our beleeving neither pardons nor procures the pardon of any sin if it could what need was there of the death of Christ I have waited a long time and many have received mercy since but not I. Even the Lords servants have waited a long time for God or at least they thought the time long David said I am weary of my crying my throat is dryed mine eyes faile while I waite for my God Psal 69. 3. If God have given thee a heart to wait upon him thou art blessed Blessed are all they that wait for him Isa 30. 18. Waiting implies perseverance patience long-suffering in holding out notwithstanding the tediousnesse of the time deferred courage in breaking through all difficulties that stand between waiting and to continue waiting though all things seem contrary till we enjoy what we waited for I wait for my God Psal 69. 3. I am now old in yeares and if God had intended to have done my soule good surely he would have done it before this time and now death is ready to take me away Yea though it be thus with thee yet mercy may be thy portion at last if mercy come at last it will be sweet and it may come at last The thiefe was saved upon the Crosse Mat. 20. Luk. 23. Oh how neere was he unto his end before mercy came unto him You may not set a time to God in which he shall shew mercy for he giveth what he will and when he will and will not be tyed to thy time it 's an exceeding great grace for God to shew mercy though it be at the last as he did to the thiefe upon the Crosse God hath all houres in the day to work the last houre God useth to call some as well as the third see Mat. 20. 1. to 10. for there is nothing too hard for God If I were filled with qualifications as humblenesse and brokennesse of heart and tooke delight to heare and pray as others I could have hope but now I cannot Alas poore soule thou art greatly deluded for these things can no way fit the soule for mercy Why doest thou seek the living among the dead Luk. 24. 5. Why doest thou look at and rest in such things as these for haddest thou these in the greatest measure they could not procure thy happinesse nor stand thee in any stead oh nothing but Christ can doe thy soule any good and truly comfort thee Consider what qualifications had they in Ezekiel 16. 3. to 9. of whom God was found Surely they had none except sinfull ones What saith God I was found of them that sought me not Isa 65. 1 2 3. Tell me what qualifications had they who were enemies yet Christ died for them Rom. 5. 9 10. All that are saved are saved by grace without any cause or condition in man 2 Tim. 1. 9. Under colour of devotion yee overthrow Christ can your duties c. procure Christ or what use is there of Christ if yee can have what yee need without him yee would have power abilitie and inlargements before yee dare believe in Christ Oh the greatnesse of thy pride and folly doth not Christ say true that without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. As in nature none can worke before they have life so none can doe any thing that is spirituall before they live spiritually Christ must be in thee before thou canst beleeve the soule must beleeve before it can finde any sanctification or workes at all in it selfe yea without any regard to workes in any measure whatsoever for there is nothing to be done by man to be a preparation to his sanctification see Rom. 4. 5. 5. 8. 10. Thou hungerest and thirstest after a righteousnesse of thine own and wouldst establish it but it must be renounced I confesse this self-deniall is very hard oh how hard is it for the soule to be taken off its own bottom of workes and of self-concurrence strip them of all that is their own and yee take away their lives they must and will have something some humblenesse and brokennesse of heart some teares some good workes or abilities or a good heart something they must have for they think it cannot be that they should be accepted pardoned and saved and they to doe nothing at all themselves for it therefore as soone as they begin to espie a flaw in what they doe for who can say his heart is cleane Job 25. 4. they betake themselves to breake their hearts to make God amends for all and thinke if they can
thou doest that which thou wouldst not as Rom. 7. 14. to 25. in our selves we are imperfect at the best Gal. 6. 1. The strongest is not able to stand alone also some of the Lords partake more of naturall choler which increaseth naturally and as that choler is we are more or lesse hasty and passionate A wicked man may be naturally patient and a childe of God may be sinfully passionate Jam. 5. 17. Thou shouldst not measure Gods love to thee nor the truth of his grace in thee by thy mortification of sin consider Rom. 7. God may for ends best knowne unto himselfe suffer corruption to be too strong for thee it may be to abase thee more as Paul Rom. 7. that thou maist see what need thou hast of a Lord Jesus to pardon and heale thee who knoweth but God may leave thy personall sanctification the more imperfect that we may minde and behold Jesus Christ and our righteousnesse in him and so live the more in him and our joy the more in our justification by him Rom. 4. 6 7. It 's one thing to have thy sinnes forgiven or not imputed Psal 32. 1 2. and another thing to be clensed from it live in the apprehension of the love of God and down goeth sin and all discouragements so live in discouragements and sinne prevailes as Psal 77. 2. 7 8 9 10. Wee ought not to fetch our comfort from our subduing of sinne but in Christ in whom we want no righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods When we are at the best we may not live in our selves nor by sight but by faith and when we are at the worst we are to live upon Christ by saith and comfort our selves in him and in him onely many when they want strength or comfort they seek what they want from their duties and comfort themselves in their abstainings from sin but for Christ he is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. What I once felt is now decayed The ground of our faith is God in his Word and not our sight and feeling that is sensuall 2 Cor. 5. 7. We live not by sight and feeling but by faith Whilst thou maintainest feares and jealousies of Gods love to thee it is no wonder it is so with thee call to minde the dayes of old as Psal 77. It 's certain if ever God manifested his love unto thee he is still and ever will be the same unto thee having loved his owne he loved them unto the end Joh. 13. 1. With him there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. A child of God may decay in parts sight feelings and exercise of grace for a time as Phil. 4. 10. these are sometimes more and sometimes lesse but alwayes as God seeth best that wee might rest and relie upon nothing but Christ I see and feele nothing in my selfe or all is as nothing to me save onely Jesus Christ who is all in all to me We ought to beleeve that we neither see nor feele faith is the evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. To live by faith is to walke after the Spirit and to live by sight and feeling is to live after the flesh Rom. 8. 1. I am discouraged because nothing is made good to me I doe not possesse it If thou beest included and art under the promise of it and under the hope of it thou shalt possesse it It may be made good unto thee without thy possession of it for wee must not ground faith in the possession of what it beleeves possession is sutable to sense and there is neither faith nor hope in what we possesse To have right in it and to possesse it are two things they died in faith and yet they did not possesse what they beleeved Heb. 11. 17 18. The possessiō of things gives no being unto faith nor is essentiall unto it no otherwise then as faith gives being unto it Abraham beleeved he should have a sonne here was his faith Rom. 4. 3. 17. 18. yet he did not possesse his sonne his sonne had no being but in the promise of God therefore to place enjoyment to be essentiall to faith is a very great mistake As a man must first beleeve God is before he can goe to God Heb. 11. 6. so a man must first beleeve in Christ to have remission of sinnes by him and after receive remission of sinnes as appeares Acts 10. 43. It thou hast power to close with God in the truth of his Word as Sarah did that shee should have a sonne not onely before shee had him but against reason shee beleeved shee should have him thou hast faith But I am not assured that I shall be saved therefore I have no faith Faith and assurance is not one thing but are differing and distinct assurance cannot be without faith but faith may be without assurance for assurance is not the proper act of faith assurance is an effect of faith and a higher measure then that is and the greater our feeling of assurance is the lesser our faith is Faith in the act is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing shee feeles in her selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his word Rom. 4. 20 21 22. The act of faith is sometimes attended with much strife and strugling for Satan saith to the soule it 's in vaine for thee to looke to Christ to beleeve in Christ Christ saith Come unto me beleeve I will ease thee Now for the soule to rest upon the fidelitie and abilitie of Christ in his promise is no small measure of faith assurance is not from the habit of grace nor from the direct act of faith but from the reflect act of faith which is for a man to see and know that he beleeves which assurance is from the immediate testimony of the Spirit of God in the conscience of one who is already a beleever causing the soule to know it beleeves The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Now abideth faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. therefore faith doth at all times one way or other sufficiently evidence the truth of our estates if we did at all times truly discerne the testimony or true act of faith and the reason why we discerne it not is for want of a full measure of faith to withstand all that is opposit to faith for some there be who have faith yet by reason of their ignorance and unskilfulnesse as Heb. 5. 14 15. 10. 15. forgetfulnesse babes are unskilfull and have not experience of Gods dealings with his both for order and manner so that when faith doth not so lively act and when Christ doth not clearly appeare in the soule he begins to doubt whether he be not deceived and when
upon him with his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 6. God hath in wisdome and love left sin in his to keepe them humble in the sense of sinne and that wee may know what we are and our strength that wee might exercise the graces of the Spirit faith for pardon wisdome watchfulnesse self-deniall c. which we could not doe if wee had no sinne and that we might long to be in heaven where we shall injoy a full freedome from all sinne and that wee might love and prise Christ more seeing we stand in such need of him to pardon and heale us and that wee might daily depend upon Christ against it and live upon the fulnesse of Christ which wee should have no need in this kinde if we could not sinne and that wee might not scorn nor insult over any and that Gods power may appeare in preserving a little grace in a soule so full of sinne and also the power of his grace in subduing so many and so strong sinnes and that wee might admire that rich grace that can love such as we are and pardon our so many and great sinnes The use of this is if it be so first expect not full freedome of sinne here as some dreame Secondly doe not sinne that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6. 1 2 3 8. but in obedience to God and love to him use all meanes against it all thy dayes strive against it in the strength of Christ the love of Christ will teach thee and cause thee to doe so Thirdly Be not over-pressed and sunk under it but live by faith in all infirmities say as Paul I glory in my infirmities not as they are sins but because by them Gods power and goodnesse is the more seene both in pardoning and healing see Rom. 5. 20. 6. 1 2. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 3. 7 8. c. What if I should say all the Lords are the more happy they were sinners else how could they have been capable of mercy and heaven and union with God c. If there were not evill it would not be knowne what is good justice and mercy had not been known therefore how could God be knowne his wisdome in drawing good out of evill nor his infinite love in sending Christ to dye could not have been known and man could not come to that full happinesse in Christ if there had not been sin Sin should not hinder our faith it is hard to beleeve the pardon of seventy seven sinnes in a day yet faith is able to beleeve it and also to keep a sinner from being perplexed in his spirits with any sinne or trouble so as to hinder the soule from rejoycing in God all the day long faith looks to Jesus Christ his bloud intercession and obedience who hath payd all our debts 1 Joh. 2. 1. and now wee are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 15. So that the weakest beleever may say in the middest of all my imperfections have as much of the love or God and union with him acceptation reconciliation full and perfect righteousnesse in Christ to cover all my defects as the best Saint ever had and my state shall be as happie as any of theirs and were it not for Christ all their holinesse could not helpe them and they might cry they are unprofitable in all and had also perished in their sinnes Can a man be profitable to God Job 35. 7 Surely no and what shall hinder me of having as much happinesse and glory in heaven as the best Saint Oh who can expresse the sweetnesse that is in this doctrine of free grace to an humble soule and it is wonderfull sweet and it is a strong tie to God in all holinesse I know men of base spirits unbeleevers will catch at what I say but if they doe who can helpe it the children must have bread and if such dogs will snatch it to their perill be it as for you who love sin so as you are not willing to part with your sinnes that you desire to make Leagues and Covenants with sinners hell and death and the devill you take incouragement to sin because God is rich in grace c. Oh consider if yee have hearts yee are those who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse yee are still in your sinnes yee are the dogs touch it not it is not for you Christ saith It is not meet to cast the childrens bread to dogs Maâ— 7. 6. A childe of God is described by a desire to feare the Name of God Nehe. 1. 11. 1. Those that live the life of faith in infirmitie they eye Christs sanctification and injoy comfort in it 2. There is a harmony between that soule and Gods command Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. 10. 3. He is not offended at Christ at any thing he requires Blessed is he that is not offended in me Mat. 11. 6. For this is the love of God that we keepe his Commandements and his commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. 4. He lookes at the word of God for his rule and his desire is wholly to be ruled by it he will trust God and relie upon his word 5. He eyeth Christs strength in his promise for helpe and by faith makes it his own Psal 46. 6. Surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength Isa 45. 24. 6. He will with courage incounter against what ever opposeth God and contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints Jude vers 3. 7. He is sensible of good and evill and layeth to heart his own and others sins Acts 20. 31. 8. No sinne he commits doth so discourage him and sinke him but he can joy and rejoyce in Christ his joy and sorrow is not legall but evangelicall or spirituall and therefore may be in one Saint both at one and the same time 1 Thes 5. The second branch of this life of faith in infirmities it is to live upon Christ in his promise to helpe us against all our infirmities upon such places as these If thou beest in deadnesse of heart consider Behold my servant shall sing for joy of heart Isai 65. 14. In thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day Psal 89. 16. In dumbnesse consider The tongue of the dumbe shall sing c. Isa 35. 36. The mouth of the righteous shall speake wisdome and his tongue talkes of judgement Psal 37. 30. In forgetfulnesse The Spirit shall bring all things into your remembrance Joh. 14. 26. When thou art in feare of want consider There is no want to them that feare him Psal 34. 9. Trust in the Lord and doe good and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37. 3. Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all things else shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 34. Take no thought for to morrow shall take thought for it selfe sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Take no thought for your life what yee shall
affect us with delight then if the same thing were spoken plainly without figures Psal 23. 1. Gods care is set out by a Metaphor of a Shepheard and Isai 5. 1 2 3. Also see Joh. 15. 1 2. For new things ingender delight 100. When the Scripture speaks somewhat darkly it useth for the most part to joyne thereto some plaine thing in the same place to give light to it as Isa 51. 1. The latter part of the 1. verse is somewhat hard is opened in the beginning of the second verse So Isaiah the 1. the third verse expounds the second and the former part of the first verse of Isai 53. expounds the latter and Rom. 10. the 5. and 6. verses expounds the 3. 9. 13. 8. Saith the word is neere that is the Gospel See the like Rom. 8. 20. 31. 2 Tom. 4. 6. Rom. 11. 7 8. 1 Cor. 5. 9. yet this Rule holds not alwayes Demonstrations that the holy Scriptures called the Bible are of God and from God THe Scriptures are from God or from men they are not from men because neither the folly nor the wisdome of men cannot effect such a worke 1. Because men as men cannot understand the meaning of them nor agree upon any meaning of them So that it appeares they are a mystery above the reach of nature 2. They are not from men because they condemne that which is most excellent in man as the wisdome of man c. it being contrary to nature for to condemne that which is most excellent in nature the Scriptures declare natures wisdome in the things of God to be foolishnesse the wisdome in man esteemes the wisdome of God to be foolishnesse 3. It is not from men because the whole scope of the Scriptures tends to destroy that which the nature of men love most 4. Because that which the Scriptures require is not onely contrary to the nature of man so that men delight and choose to read any booke rather then the Scripture therefore before men can submit unto it they must deny themselves So also that which it requires is beyond the power of men and requires a divine power as the Scriptures and experience teach 5. It is not from men because the more any is ruled by it obeying it the more such are hated and persecuted by men which sheweth it came not from nature 6. The Scriptures came from God because they tend to God it being a rule in nature Every thing tends to its center a stone to the earth the waters to the Sea from whence they came So the Scripture ruâ—s to God shews God in his goodnesse wisdome power love there is in them a divine wisdome they speake for God they call men to God to be for God 7. They are not from men because the way of bringing them forth into the world was contrary to the wisdome and expectation of men who in great matters imployeth great honourable and wise men but God takes a quite contrary course he chooseth such who were meane contemptible silly tradesmen as fishermen and Tent-makers c. to be the publishers and penmen of the Scriptures 8. They are from God because God hath wonderfully continued them preserved them strangely first in making the Jewes who were enemies unto Christ and the Scriptures great preservers of them also preserving them when the greatest power hath sought their destruction by searching for them and burning them c. The like preservation cannot be declared of any writings of men which have had so great opposition 9. The miracles that were wrought at the first publishing of them shewes them to be immediately from God and for the proofe of this wee have the testimony of them who lived in Christs time the Jewes who would not own Christ nor his doctrine yet in their writings they confesse there was one Jesus who did such miracles as the Scriptures declare as Josephus and others testifie 10. Wee know the Scriptures to be from God because wee see some of the Prophesies accomplished in our dayes according to the saying of Christ that there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets that shall say I am Christ Mat. 24. 5. 24. There being now two or three or more that have said so of themselves Also the division foretold in Luke 12. 52 53. From henceforth there shall be five in one house divided the father against the sonne and the sonne against the father and the mother against the daughter c. which is now accomplished in these dayes for when there hath been but five persons in one family every one of them of a severall opinion concerning Religion The Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to sedâ—cing spirits and doctrines of Devils 1. Tim. 4. 1. c. How many lies are now held and received for truths so that men dare speake against the Scriptures deny the resurrection of the body others teach that men and devills shall be saved and that the soule is mortall and that there is neither heaven nor hell with divers other opinions that I am ashamed to name some of them which are held for truths This know also that in the last dayes perilous times shall came for men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 1. c. Which things our eyes have seene come to passe more then ever hath been heard of by any that have been before us and are like to increase more and more And thus it must be that the Scriptures may be fulfilled and if men must have a reason for every thing in Religion for saith one how can the dead body eaten by another creature be raised againe To whom I reply God is said to be without beginning and so he is else he could not be God but what reason can be given that God never had a beginning or that God is ever present in all places and knoweth and ordereth all things yet he is so yet I see not how reason can reach these things c. To beleeve the Scriptures is a worke of faith and unlesse the holy Spirit of God perswades the truth of them there will be doubting the Lord perswade his of the truth of the Scriptures and of their interest in the same That Christ dyed not for the sinnes of every man in the world SOme men affirme that Christ dyed for all the sinnes of every person in the world and yet they shall not all be saved To whom we reply how can it agree with the wisdome of God to grant that which he knew would never profit As for God to give Christ to dye for the salvation of man and yet decree to
condemne him and doth not Christ lose the end of his death to dye for their salvation who yet perish or is it justice to require the payment of one debt twice is there remission of sinnes in Christ for every man but no righteousnesse no everlasting life for them did Christ purchase salvation but not the application of salvation which is necessary to salvation how doth it appeare Christ purchased salvation or enough for salvation or is the death of Christ of an uncertain event is Christ appointed to death to purchase a possibilitie of salvation but not salvation it selfe with the application of it then Christ shed his bloud to save man and yet no man saved by it for if it depends upon mans beleeving of it why may not all of them perish as well as any of them And if it be so if man please Christ shall lose the end of his death but it clearly appeares that all those for whose sinnes Christ dyed are justified by his bloud and shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 8 9 10. B. 3. 4. but this subject is handled at large by John Spilsbery in his book intituled Gods Ordinance if the Sonne shall make you free then are you free indeed Joh. 8. else not But upon second thoughts they affirme that Christ never dyed for the sinne of unbeliefe and that finall unbeliefe is the unpardonable sin Answ It cannot truly be denied but unbeliefe is a not beleeving Christ which sinne is most immediately and directly against Christ which sin is pardonable with all manner of sin and blasphemy which Christ saith shall be forgiven unto the sons of men as appeares Mat. 12. 31 32. therefore not beleeving in Christ is not the unpardonable sinne also Such as beleeve have been guiltie of unbeliefe which is pardoned in them and if the sin of unbeliefe which is none of the least sinnes is pardoned without the bloud of Christ to the Elect who beleeve why might not all other sinnes in like manner be so pardoned to them and then shall not the bloud of Jesus Christ be shed in vaine because by their reason their sinnes might have been pardoned without it as well as their unbeliefe And seeing without shedding of bloud there is no remission Heb. 9. 22. let them declare how unbeliefe can be remitted also if the bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin then from unbeliefe also 1 Joh. 1. 7. Also if finall unbeliefe were the sin against the holy Spirit that is unpardonable then it could not be cōmitted before death There is a sin unto death if thou see thy brother sin c. But if a man could not commit this sin before he dye he could not be seen so to sin 1 Joh. 5. 16. which sin is described Heb. 10. 29. therefore finall unbeliefe is not this sin here spoken of To conclude Christ dyed not for the sinnes of all the world for Christ saith He layeth downe his life for his sheepe Joh. 10. 15. You beleeve not for yee are not of my sheepe vers 26. Yet as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13. 48. see Joh. 17. 2. 19. 24. 29. The end of Redemption is application Phil. 1. 29. Joh. 6. 37. 39. The Scripture saith He tooke upon him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. and how Abrahams seed is considered appears Gal. 3. 16. 22. 29. Such as are Christs such as beleeve are Abrahams seed And seeing all Adams posteritie cannot be considered to be Abrahams seed in no sense therefore there is no ground to cōceive that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all the seed of Adam as they affirme That all men under the Gospel have not sufficient grace given them for conversion FOr the word sufficient grace how can we conceive that grace to be sufficient in power which is not sufficient in performance of the worke for seeing conversion follows not how is it sufficient to conversion is that sufficient to conversion that never attaines it is that medicine sufficient to cure such a disease which being taken doth not cure it Sufficient and effectuall is all one And seeing many were never converted it must of necessitie follow that sufficient grace was never given unto them for if sufficient strength be put to move the earth motion must needs follow The reason why they came not to Christ was because the Father did not draw them Joh. 6. 44. and inwardly teach them God must give a heart to perceive and eyes to see for miracles cannot doe it Deut. 29. 3 4. Joh. 12. 37 38. The arme of the Lord must be revealed They say it was because they would not beleeve Wee answer They neither would nor could the Lord saith they could not beleeve Joh. 12. 39. Therefore man cannot finally hinder his conversion for whom God will save no power of man can destroy Man in his first conversion is wholly passive we cannot worke it in our selves nor hinder Gods working of it because we are dead in sinnes Ephes 2. 1. Col. 2. 13. Ephes 5. 14. and spiritually blind Rev. 3. 18. Eph. 4. 17. 6. 8. Mat. 6. 23. Luk. 4. 18. Joh. 1. 5. Acts 26. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Our hearts stony and destitute of goodnesse Ezek. 36. 26. 11. 19. Gods worke in converting us is a raising from the dead Eph. 2. 5. Col. 2. 12. Rev. 20. 6. Joh. 5. 21. 25. A restoring the sight to the blind Luk. 4. 18. A new birth Joh. 1. 13. 3. 3. Another creation of him Eph. 2. 10. Psal 51. 12. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 15. The giving of a new heart Ezek. 9. 19. So that man cannot prepare himselfe to conversion God regenerateth man that he may beleeve The tree must first be good before it can bring forth good fruit How can they that are evill speake good things Mat. 12. 34. It 's an error therefore to thinke that mans conversion to God begins in some act man performes and not in a worke first wrought in us by God They alledge Isai 55. 11. to prove the word and the Spirit goeth together Ans Not to make it powerfull in the conversion in all They reply Act. 7. 51. Yee have alwayes resisted c. Ans True in resisting the outward means but it cannot be proved that they resisted in the inward work of God upon their hearts From Mat. 25. 29. they affirme that he that useth nature well shall have grace This text is to be understood of the gifts of the Ministery in the improvement of them the increase is in the same kinde nature and grace are not so Also it 's plaine grace hath not been bestowed upon such as used nature best as appeares by the rejection of the Sidonians and Capernaits who were better fitted for nature Therefore the well using of
for it is bound by Gods decree so as not any thing can be done but what he hath determined yet nothing can satisfie some unlesse it be granted that they have power of will to crosse Gods decree 3. If the cause why God chooseth me and not another is because I will c. then it is not meerly from his will and then you deny the freedome of Gods will Also if a man hath libertie of will to resist Gods will and worke so as God shall not convert him it will follow that when we are converted we convert our selves which is contrary to the Scriptures as Psal 51. And doe not they give the Scriptures the lye that say the will of an unregenerate man may be free to righteousnesse will it and imbrace it when it is proposed But if a seeing eye were in darknesse it could not discern any thing how much lesse shall the blind see By nature we are blind Rev. 3. 17 18. Wee are darknesse till we be made light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Darknesse cannot comprehend the light Joh. 1. 5. The naturall man cannot receive the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore the Saints pray to God to reveale to them the knowledge of Christ and to inlighten their eyes by the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18 Mans will being wholly inthralled into sinne as appeares Rom. 6. 20. 8. 6. The carnall mind is enmitie to God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be how then can it will desire and receive grace by nature As God commanded Pharaob to let Israel goe yet he could not for God hardened his heart that he could not be willing Joh. 12. 39. with Rom. 11. 32. they confesse that unlesse God give faith it 's impossible for men to beleeve so then the reason men doe not beleeve is because God doth not give them faith Phil. 1. 29. But to what purpose is it for God to give Christ to dye for mens sinnes seeing as they confesse they shall have no benefit by him unlesse they beleeve and that they cannot doe without God and God doth not give them faith if he did they could not but beleeve what great love is this which is shewed to them The substance of those famous or rather infamous opinions of ours of such as hold free will and that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all Adams posteritie is that God wills the salvation of all men but he is disappointed of his will Those whom God will save by his antecedent will he will destroy by his consequent will that God doth seriously intend the salvation of all persons yet neverthelesse he calls men by a meanes and time that is not apt nor fit by reason whereof those who are so called doe not follow Gods calling That faith is partly from grace and partly from free will that God is bound to give all men power to beleeve They distinguish between the obtaining of salvation and the application of salvation The first they say is for all The second is onely for them that beleeve but the application of salvation is neither willed nor nilled to men That man may determine and open his own heart and receive the word of God That the reprobate may be saved That the number of the Elect is not certain That the decree of Reprobation is not peremptory And that a Reprobate may convert himselfe And that faith is not of-meere grace They bring in God speaking thus I decree to send my Sonne to save all who shall beleeve but who and how many they shall be I have not determined onely I will give to all men sufficient power to beleeve but he shall beleeve who will himselfe I will send Christ to dye for the sinnes of many whom I know it shall not be effectuall at all unto to whom I will never give faith and notwithstanding Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes yet they shall suffer my wrath for them for ever That God did not elect for foreseene Faith VVEE grant God knew all that ever was is or shall be but we deny that God did elect to life any for any thing he did foresee in them for if God should looke out of himselfe to any thing in the creature upon which his will may be determined to elect were against his al sufficiency as if he should get knowledge from things we doe implies an imperfection of knowledge and of will if he should see some thing in us before he can determine as if God were in suspence saying I will choose this man if he will I will upon foresight of my condition absolutely choose him To say I will elect 〈◊〉 if they beleeve is a conditionall election and if they can doe this without God then God is not omnipotent if they say he will give them faith to beleeve then it is all one with an absolute will as I elect to life and I will give these faith Far whom he predestinateth them he calleth c. Rom. 8. It seemes God wills our salvation if we beleeve that is he wils the having a thing on a condition that he will not worke and then it is impossible unlesse the creature can doe something that is good which he will not doe in him or on a condition which he will worke and then he worketh all he willeth or on such a condition as he seeth the creature cannot performe nor himselfe will not make him performe and this were frivolous Also to say God decreed to send Christ to save all if they will beleeve I see they neither will nor can therefore I will condemne them Joh. 12. 39. God hath shut up all in unbeliefe as Rom. 11. 32. therefore they could not beleeve because he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted Joh. 12. 39 40. Concerning Infants Baptisme SOme reasons why we dissent from it 1. Because we finde no command nor example in the word of God that any infants were baptized and wee are forbidden to presume above what is written And if we should admit of any one thing in the worship of God which we finde no warrant for in the Word we should be forced by the same reason to admit of many yea any invention of men 2. Because God requires that such as are baptized should first be made Disciples Beleeve and repent c. Mat. 28. 19. Acts 8. 12 13. 36 37 38. Acts 2. 38. 41. Mat. 3. 6. Mark 1. 4 5. Acts 10. 44. 47 48. 3. Because Christ in his Testament which is his last will the Legacies therein contained are given to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3. 6 7. 14. 23. 29. Rom. 8. 17. 14. 11 12. These are the heires of the kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Joh. 1. 12 13. 1
better is nor doe they desire and bread Isa 55. 2. Ashes is sutable to their natures judgements desires affections they know no danger in eating of ashes they thinke it is a happinesse to have them and that they shall have satisfaction from them Eaters of ashes are in a dangerous condition they must dye spiritually and eternally there be many that eat ashes they thinke and dreame they eat bread but they are deceived as Isai 29. 8. They follow vanitie Hab. 2. 3. The East winde Hos 12. 1. And lay out their money for that which is no bread Isai 55. 2. What doest thou eate and live upon bread or ashes when thou art empty 1. What doest thou eye whether doest thou goe goest thou to nothing but to Christ onely wee have hope in Christ 1 Cor. 15. 19. Is thy hope onely in Christ 2. In what doest thou find peace comfort contentment satisfaction in is it in nothing else but Christ Phil. 3. 8. 3. Where lyeth thy life and strength is it in nothing but in Christ without me yee can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Col. 3. 11. Will no peace comfort praise of men duties ordinances joyes ravishments satisfie thee will nothing but Jesus Christ but Christ is all in all Col. 3. 11. If it be so it is well Comfort to all that eat this bread yee shall be satisfied yee doe live and shall live for ever Joh. 6. Oh you may well be thankfull for this so great mercy that yee have bread to eat which others have not nor know not of they famish and dye for want of bread yet thou hast enough and shalt ever have enough in my Fathers house there is bread enough and to spare Luk. 15. 17. 4. There is nothing in him that can helpe him if he follow his own heart he is misled his heart is deceived it turnes him aside and leads him to death if he follow his light his understanding he follows darknesse his light is darknesse Mat. 6. 33. man in himselfe is irrecoverably lost he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither he goeth Joh. 12. 35. We were sometimes darknesse Ephes 5. 8. 5. Consider mans heart is not to be hearkened unto because it turnes the soule aside from Christ what doest thou hearken unto and live upon thy owne heart c. or on Christ 1. Many in stead of living upon God live upon a deceived heart as Pro. 3. 5 6. 7. 2. Others live upon sense 3. Others live upon corrupt reason 4. Some build their hope of salvation upon other mens judgements who if they be godly may easily be mistaken in a close hypocrite 5. Many live upon the report of others which appears by this that if men speak not well of them they are greatly troubled are not able to beare it by which it appeares their life is in it it was no wonder Laban made such adoe in searching for his images because they were his gods 6. Many live upon their reformations they thanke God they are not so bad as they have been therefore they have hope it 's well when men grow better yet abstinence from evill is no evidence of grace for men may forbeare the acts of sinne for feare of hell or men c. 7. Others live upon duties and as they are increased their hope and confidence in God is increased but if their duties faile them their hope and comfort is gone by which it appeares they live upon what they doe and not upon God these count their duties which is their righteousnesse gaine but if they belong to God they must count againe as Paul did this their gaine to be losse for Christ Phil. 3. 8. 8. Some live upon their peace they thanke God they are quiet there is no terrors nor feare of hell in them therefore thinke they are in a good estate a most subtill delusion 9. Others live upon groundlesse hope because their sinnes are few or small as they thinke they have hope 10. Many live upon their inward comforts and joy which appeares by this that whilst they last they have much assurance of the love of God and are sure of salvation but as soone as their comfort joy which was sensibly felt leaves them their confidence went with their comfort and leaves them in a sad condition 11. Others upon ravishments and excasies of glory c. 12. Many live upon the ordinances of men and stand ready resolved to be of any Religion the Authority will impose upon them and the more easie it is for their persons and purses the more it shall have of their hearts 13. Yea and many there be that live upon the ordinances of God without God these so they may frequent the ordinances they are satisfied though they see not God in them and be never the better for them 14. Others live upon their confidence of salvation 15. And some live upon creature-comforts and conclude because they possesse them God loves them 16. And many live upon the Devill and his word that is when Satans suggestions are hearkened unto liked beleeved imbraced obeyed as if he should say their sinne shall never be pardoned nor subdued they beleeve him and are ruled by him this is to live upon the Devill as to hearken unto God as Isa 53. 3. To beleeve in him 1 Joh. 3. 23. and to submit themselves to God Jam. 4. 7. is to live upon God A false foundation and a false life goe together therefore whosoever they be that live upon any thing besides God in Christ as their foundation is unsound so certainly it will deceive them whatsoever their sparkes be they must and shall lie downe in sorrow as Isa 50. 10. they are all lying vanities and they that hearken unto them forsake their own mercies as Jonah 2. 8. A man is prone to follow the advise of his heart The reason is 1. Because he thinkes his heart knows 2. That his own heart will not deceive himselfe but who so trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prov. 28. 26. Isai 10. 7. Jer. 23. 26. 3. He is ignorant of the desperate wickednesse of his heart The heart is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. 4. He knows no better Counsellor happy is he who is so acquainted with his hearts deceitfulnesse that he will not trust to it nor hearken unto it 5. The heart is the â—aâ—se of all the errors and miscarriages of men for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Luk. 6. 45. Mat. 15. 19. What men thinke speake or doe is from the heart 6. A man by nature desires that his soule may be delivered because he apprehends his soule is in danger and that it is of great concernment unto him for his soule to be delivered 7. A naturall man doth indeavour to save and deliver himselfe men seeke deliverance for themselves from themselves Reasons 1. He judgeth it a reasonable thing that his soule be delivered
for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Psal 143. 2. Dan. 9. 18. Tit. 3. 5. 7. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags c. Isai 64. 4. 6. God reveales to a soule Christs righteousnesse and the soules interest unto it Joh. 16. 14. To comfort the soule and cause the soule to love God againe he doth not comfort us in the sight of our own righteousnesse before he declares and comforts the soule in the righteousnesse of Christ Righteousnesse in him That righteousnesse which justifieth us before God as it is not ours so it is not in us but as it is Christs righteousnesse so it is in him In the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength in me you shall have righteousnesse and strength Isa 45. 23 24 25. The cause or forme of our justification is by a reciprocall translation of our sin unto Christ and his righteousnesse unto us both which is done by God for us That we might be made Whatsoever Jesus Christ hath done and suffered was for those whose sinnes were laid upon him who are stated in him Ephes 1. 4. and are fully pardoned by him Rev. 1. 5. By the obedience of one man viz. Christ many are made righteous Rom. 5. 19. By his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. The bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. In him God considers his to be in Christ before they had a beeing in themselves Ephes 1. 4. and he never lookes upon his children out of him for they are never out of him They dwell in Christ Joh. 6. 56. and shall ever live Joh. 9. 25. and be found in him Phil. 3. 8. Christ and all true beleevers are so united together that they are but one one body one spirit bone of his bone oh what union is like to this that is so reall full and intire wonderfull glorious spirituall eternall and infinite 1 Cor. 6. 17. Gal. 5. 30. c. Joh. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22 23. If our faith in Christ were as strong as our union with Christ wee should ingrosse and possesse all that is in heaven and nothing in the earth could trouble us The state of a beleever in Christ as considered in him is an estate of perfection We are complete in him Col. 2. 9 10. 13. As Christ is so am I as I am so is Christ Joh. 1. 17. What is Christs is mine what is mine is his Christs righteousnesse is mine I am all righteous I need no more nor no other righteousnesse as I am in Christ I am as righteous and as acceptable as Christ God seeth no sin in me because there is none for I am all faire there is no spot in me Song 4. 7. Song 2. 10. Ephes 5. 25 26 27. For as he is even so are we in this world 1 Joh. 4. 17. Thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe Isa 38. 17. As far as the East in from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psal 103. 12. Seventy weeks are determined upon the people and upon the holy Citie to finish the transgressions and to make an end of sinnes and to make reconviliation for iniquitie and to bring in an everlasting righteousnesse to seale up the vision and prophecy and to anoynt the most Holy Dan. 9. 24. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse Isa 61. 10. All Saints are alike clothed with Christs righteousnesse the meanest the weakest as the best and is as acceptable by it as the best oh they are all alike perfect righteous and glorious as they are in Christ oh here is strong consolation for thy fainting heart to refresh it selfe withall Drinke O friends and make yee merry O welbeloved yea drink drink abundantly in this fountaine that is bottomlesse and therefore can never be drawne dry Song 5. 1. In the most perfect Saints as they are in themselves there is much sin 1 Joh. 1. 10. and God doth see it yet God cannot condemne them to wrath for it no more then God can condemne Christ for it who shall appeare without sin Heb. 9. 28. They being in him who hath suffered for it and Justice neither will nor can exact the payment of a debt twice now it 's justice in God to justifie Rom. 3. 25. yea God is as just in pardoning a sinner by the bloud of Christ as he is just in condemning any and now thou hast a full pardon by justice as well as mercy therefore drinke freely Song 5. 1. For us That which is spoken in generall to beleevers every beleever is to apply it to himselfe in particular so Paul he loved me and gave himselfe for me Gal. 2. 20. For us for me The word and promise of God that it is for me is that which my soule should fix its eye upon and by faith for ever relie upon and be a full satisfaction to my soule knowing that the word and promise of God is the onely ground of my faith and is securitie sufficient for my salvation As soone as the soule is convinced that Jesus Christ is made sin for me and that I am made the righteousnesse of God in him all the soules doubts feares objections vanish and Christ is beleeved in and lived upon with thankfulnesse and joy Jesus Christ being made sin for me is as good for me yea better for me then if I had never sinned as much better as a spirituall body is better then a naturall as much better as the image of the heavenly is better then the image of the earthly yea as much better as strength is better then weaknesse and as heaven is better then earth 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. to 55. But saith a discouraged soule I cannot beleeve the Lord Jesus was made sin for me Why not for thee Because my sins are greater then others be for my sins have all the aggravations upon them that can be For mine are many So were theirs in the second and third Chapter of Jeremiah yet notwithstanding God pardoned them all as appeares Jer. 3. 21. to 25. But my sins are great and hainous So were theirs and so were Manassehs as appeares 2 King 21. 4. 9. 11. 16. and so was the womans Luk. 7. 47. and so was Pauls 1 Tim. 1. 15. yet God pardoned them all as he hath done others But my sins are against the Gospel So was Pauls he persecuted them that professed the Gospel and made havock of the Church entring into every house haling men and women and committed them to prison Act. 8. 3. And Christ died for them that slew him Act. 2. 23. 38. But mine are afâ—er many mercies So was Solomons who sinned against God after the Lord appeared unto him twice 1 King 11. 9.
But I have sinned against Gods intreaties to returne So did they I said after shee had done all these things Turn thou unto me but shee returned not Jer. 3. 7. But I have sinned against Gods Reproofes So did they Thou hast a whores forehead that refusest to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. 8. But I have sinned against Gods corrections in not being reformed by them So did they In vaine have I smitten your children they have received no correction Jer. 2. 30. But I have committed one sin often So did they Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3. 1. 6. But I have continued sinning for a long continuance of time So did they We have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord from our youth unto this day Jer. 3. 25. 2. 22. But my sinnes are against knowledge and Conscience So was Davids sin concerning Bathshebah and putting to death Vriah And so did Peter sin when he said and swore he knew not Christ and that he was not with him Mat. 26. 69. to 75. But I am fallen back from what I have been So did they Returne thou backsliding Israel Jer. 3. 6. 12. But I have willingly and resolvedly forsaken God So did they saying We are Lords wee will come no more at him Jer. 3. 31 32. But I have willingly chosen sin So did they saying I have loved strangers and after them will I goe Jer. 2. 25. But I have seduced others and caused them to sin So did they Thou hast also taught the wicked ones thy wayes Jer. 2. 33. And Manasseh seduced them to doe more evill then did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed and made Judah also to sin 2 King 21. 9. 11. 16. And Paul compeld men to blaspheme Act. 26. 11. 16. Manasseh a great sinner obtained mercy 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. And a lesser sinner perisheth in his sin that men may know the Lord will have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9. 15. But I have committed as much sin as I could So did they Behold thou hast spoken and done as evill things as thou couldst Jer. 3. 5. But my sins are after vowes and Covenants So were theirs Thou saidst I will not transgresse when upon every high hill and under every greene tree thou wanderest playing the harlot Jer. 2. 25. But I have justified my selfe in all my sinnes So did they Because thou saidst I have not sinned I will plead with thee Jer. 2. 35. But I despaire and have no hope of mercy This is worst of all yet so did they Thou saidst there is no hope Jer. 2. 25. And when I cry he shutteth out my prayer and I said My strength and my hope is perished with the Lord said Jeremiah Lam. 3. 8. 18. And Job said My hope hath he removed like a tree Job 19. 10. My dayes are spent without hope Job 7. 6. 13 14 15 16. David in his hast said I am out off before thine eyes Psal 31. 22. Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. Yee were sometimes afar off without God and without hope Ephes 2. 12. yet at last they were made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2. 13. Behold all these were once like unto thee and the Lord hath had mercy upon them and so he may have mercy upon thee also therefore poore soule be not out of hope mind what David said I was brought low and he helped me Psal 116. 6. God is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Consider what the name of the Lord is Exod. 34. 5 6 7. Oh the unsearchable riches of his grace all that know his Name will trust in him Psal 9. 10. And because the greatnesse of sin is one of the greatest discouragements to a soule under the sense of sin Consider these things which are incouragements of hope unto thee 1. Incouragement to hope The multitude or greatnesse of sinne ought not to be a discouragement unto thee because the fewnesse or smalnesse of thy sinnes are not to be any ground or cause of thy confidence in God for pardon but in the promise of God of pardon in which promise the truth and faithfulnesse is 2. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God doth no where say that great sinners shall not be saved therefore to conceive so is folly and no lesse then a delusion of Satan 3. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God saith the contrary that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chiefe sinners and this is a saying worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be made as wooll Isaiah 1. 18. The word of God declares many great and sweet promises to great sinners as Jer. 3. Isa. 55. 7 8 9. 43. 24 25. There be many examples of great sinners received to mercy as Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. Paul and one who was a sinner with a witnes Luk. 7. 37. 47. And many others yea the rebellious also Psal 68. 18. 4. Incouragement to hope Because there is a fountaine set open for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. And Christ is mightie to save Isa 62. 1. He will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. And his compassions faile not Lam. 3. 22. 5. Incouragement to hope Because great sinners that are heavie laden with sinne are called to come to Christ Mat. 11. 28. If any man thirst let him came to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. Every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. 6. Incouragement to hope The Saints have made their greatnesse of sinne an incouragement to beleeve Lord pardon my sinnes for they are great Psal 25. 11. How great is his goodnesse much greater then thy sinnes Zach. 9. 17. Isa 43. The greater our sinnes are the greater our faith should be Loe here is great consolation 7. Incouragement to hope Because God doth not sell Christ or grace but he gives Christ and all that is his freely Yee that have no silver come buy and eate come buy without money Isa 55. 1. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and let whosoever will take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. Jesus stood crying saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. 8. Incouragement Because such as Jesus Christ saves are unworthy ungodly and without works Rom. 4. 5 6. The most perfect Saint that ever hath been did stand in need of mercy and was unworthy Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his servants and chargeth his Angels of folly how much more in them that dwell in
houses of clay Job 4. 18 19. And all those whom God hath revealed his Sonne unto they see an exceeding transcendent beautie in him and he is precious unto them 1 Pet. 2. 7. They loth and abhor themselves Job 42. 6. Because they see in themselves nothing else but vilenesse filthinesse and unworthinesse Ezek. 16. 63. and it sets out the mercy of God the more that it is freely given unto the unworthy Ezek. 16. 9. Incouragement It makes most for the glory of God to give great things and is it not a disparagement for a King to doe otherwise The Lord is a great King a mightie God Isa 9. 6. He doth great things past finding out and wonders without number Job 9. 10. Feare not the Lord will do great things Joel 2. 21. For with God nothing shall be impossible Luk. 1. 37. Measure not the Lord by thy selfe For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord for as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts Isa 55. 8 9. And those who are made wise by God looke not so much to their basenesse as unto his greatnesse Zach. 9. 17. 10. Incouragement That which moves God to shew mercy is onely in himselfe nothing in the creature Ezek. 16. 3. to 9. Nor any thing the creature can doe cannot move God to shew mercy I will doe away thy sinnes for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. God shews mercy because he will Micah 7. 18 19. 11. Incouragement The greater our sinnes are and our sensiblenesse of unworthinesse the more we shall love God when we know that our sinnes are pardoned Luk. 7. 41 42 43 47. 12. Incouragement The mercy of God is infinite it hath no part or forme therefore it is not capable of any addition or defect therefore infinite shouldst thou need thousands of Seas of mercy to pardon thy sinnes God hath not the lesse notwithstanding he hath given so much If I had all the sins upon me that can be committed or but one sinfull thought this consideration makes it all one Oh I worlds of sin in this Ocean vanish and come to nothing Rom. 11. 33. Oh the depth of the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3. 8. 13. Incouragement The Name of God it 's infinite also The Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. Yea it 's the nature of God The Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercies Jam. 5. 11. All mercy and pitie is from him and all that is or hath been is but a drop to that Ocean of that pitie and mercy that is in him We are ready to sin but God is much more ready to forgive mercy pleaseth him it 's his delight Micah 7. 18. He is plenteous in mercy Psal 86. 5. Thou art a God ready to forgive 14. Incouragement The price that is for the sinnes of such as beleeve is infinite also count all thy sins and still they are the acts of a finite creature and is not Christ satisfaction above them he is God 1 Joh. 5. 20. His righteousnesse is farre greater then thy sinnes therefore be they great or small he is able to disanull them all 15. Incouragement The Covenant of grace is not made with us nor can it be broken by us but with Christ If they break my statutes and keep not my Commandements neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not take from him nor suffer my faithfulnesse to faile my Covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Psal 89. 31. 33 34. My Covenant shall stand fast with him vers 28. So then the Covenant is made with Christ and that it was not made for our good workes nor can we disanull it by our sinnes for it 's sure perpetuall and everlasting Heb. 13. 20. It 's not founded upon a rotten and sandy foundation as thy selfe and duties are Oh wonder at Gods wisdome and love that it is not made with us nor is it in our keeping loe it 's founded upon the word promise of an eternall God and what ever is in God is God God is unchangeable Micah 3. 6. therefore the Covenant stands sure for ever Heb. 13. 20. But the discouraged soule still replieth I am perswaded I have committed the sin against the holy Spirit and that is unpardonable Heb. 6. 4. Those who have committed this sin tread under foot the Sonne of God and count the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing and doe hate God and Christ Joh. 15. 24. In that thou art afraid thou hast committed this sin it is certain thou hast not committed it because such as have so sinned are past feare or feeling being given up to a reprobate sense Ephes 4. 19. I am afraid the day of grace is past to me and so nothing can doe me good You must not give way to such a thought who knows but the Lord may returne Jonah 3. 19. Is this the way thinkest thou to enjoy the assurance of his love to nourish jealousies against his love Surely this is not the way Shouldst thou not rather say as David did How precious are thy thoughts to me O God great is the summe of them if I should count them they are more then the sands Psal 139. 17 18. The number of the sands are many yet Gods thoughts of love exceeds them Be not afraid onely beleeve Mark 5. 36. Christ received sinners Luk. 15. 1 2. If thou thinkest the day of grace is past because thy sinnes are great c. this will not prove it minde what God saith I have spred out my hand all the day to a rebellious people that provoke me to anger continually to my face Isa 65. 2 3. If thou desirest to returne to God thy day of grace is not past Rev. 2. 20. If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes c. 1 Joh. 4. 9. I doe not beleeve I am elected c. so nothing can doe me good This is a secret and you must not meddle with Gods secrets Secret things belong to God and revealed things to us Deut. 29. 29. It 's one of Satans deceits to tell a soule that God hath no mercy for him when the soule hath obtained mercy or when it is not farre from him It is certaine these thoughts come from Satan because they are contrary to God in his word as Gen. 3. 2 3 4. It 's the nature of unbeliefe to be inquisitive and curious to find out any pretence that it may seeme to doe well in not harkening to what God saith in his word Heb. 10. We must not hearken unto Satan nor yeeld to him but resist him meddle not with election fix thy eye upon Christ as a sutable good for thee who is able to save thee and wait upon him in
but attaine unto such a deep measure of humiliation and sorrow for sin then they think they have an evidence for heaven but alas this is no evidence save onely of great ignorance in that they see not death in their best duties the Lord may say to you who worke so hard for life Thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grieved Isa 57. 10. Thou comfortest thy selfe in thine own sparkes but sorrow is all the comfort such comfort can produce yee shall lie downe in sorrow Isa 50. 11. When we say our good works are not the way to life men esteeme it a grievous error yet Christ saith I am the way Joh. 14. 6. Are thy works Christ or no if no then they are not the way for Christ saith true and if Jesus Christ is to be unto us all in all Col. 3. 11. Our best workes are to be unto us nothing at all our workes make us not the better before God nor to be more beloved of God but declare us to be what wee are made by God the Papists doe good works to be saved but we abhorre it because it is condemned by God therefore all those who expect and hope for mercy because they leave their sinnes as they say and do many good works consider what I say unto thee Alas poore soule thou art still in the state of nature in the gall of bitternesse thou art not quite plucked up off of thine own stocke of self-workes and self-concurrence with Christ and therefore art not planted into Christ thou art ignorant of the righteousness of God which is the cause why thou goest about to establish thine own righteousnesse and so long as thou doest so thou canst not submit to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 13. But diddest thou know what a righteousnesse Christ is thou couldst not but have preferred it before thine own righteousnesse yea it would be esteemed by thee but drosse and dung to his as Phil. 3. 8 9. And unlesse the Lord Jesus open thine eyes and reveale his righteousnesse unto thee thy righteousnesse which thou joynest with Christs for salvation will of a certaine worke thy destruction unto all eternity Publicans and harlots are neerer salvation then thee when you who worke for life are Pharisees and if you dye in this estate you must perish Mat. 21. 31 32. Luk. 7. 29 30. I know many will cavill and say if Christ must doe all and man nothing then men need not care what they doe but live as they list Answ As it is our dutie so it is our desire to doe whatsoever the word of God requires but we are not commanded to doe any thing to procure the pardon of our sinnes but in reference to service and dutie I count my selfe to be never the neerer Heaven for my best workes then if I had done nothing else but blaspheme God But what saith the Scriptures Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 2 3 4 5. Wee are saved not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. When wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. I will doe away thy offences for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. A new heart also will I give thee Ezek. 36. 26 27. 31. I have seene his wayes and will heale him Isa 57. 17. I have blotted out thy sinnes returne unto me c. Isa 44. 22. When thou wert polluted in thy own bloud I said unto thee Live When thou wert in thy bloud thy time was the time of love and I covered thy nakednesse c. Ezek. 16. 6. 8. All unto whom the mystery of Gods love and free grace is revealed they cry grace grace Christ Christ Christ is all in all nothing but Christ their prayers teares duties devotions and all of theirs is nothing to them in respect of acceptation or justification or salvation they are now dead to working they doe no workes in the world to attaine any of these all theirs is vanished and is quite drowned in the infinite Ocean of Gods free grace It is so that God might have all the glory Eph. 1. 6. Jer. 9. 24. and that man might not boast Rom. 3. 9. but obey God freely Luk. 1. 74. But I have no worke of grace wrought in me The Spirit shall convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse Joh. 16. 7 8 9 10. God hath begun his worke in thee if he hath convinced thee of sinne and of righteousnesse To be convinced of sin implies Such a discovery of sinne which causeth the soule to see her selfe guiltie and utterly lost and undone by reason of sin they confesse themselves are vile and they abhorre themselves Job 42. 6. They loath themselves for their deeds Ezek. 20. 43. Esteâ—ming themselves as beasts Psal 73. 22. The soule is convinced so as to have no hope Jer. 2. in any thing it can doe to helpe it selfe out of that miserable state of sin he is undone in nature he cannot doe any thing from whence he may expect salvation or have any hope of it for a man cannot expect life and salvation from Christ alone untill the soule be taken off of all other things in respect of life This vision of God causeth the soule to see themselves and say There remaineth no strength in me my comelinesse is turned in me into corruption Dan. 10. 8. That is my best workes my righteousnesse is defiled and is sinne now sinfull selfe and righteous selfe are alike if there be any difference the last is the worst now the creature hath nothing to procure Christ nor no strength to beleeve in him the holy Spirit discovers to the soule that there is nothing but darknesse and death in our best duties He is so convinced of sinne that he justifieth the justice of God if he perish in his sin as Psal 51. 4. Gen. 44. 16. See Leviticus 26. 41 42. Micah 7. 9. 2. Sam. 15. 26. Lam. 3. 28 29. It is from grace to be taken so off of nature and he that is so taken off of nature hath grace is begotten and borne of God For when the soule is taken off his own bottom it must have another to rest upon or else it sinkes therefore when God takes away the soules false soundation which was her false hope God gives the soule a better in himselfe The teaching and drawing of the Father Joh. 6. is this that all men have sinned and are in an estate of death and that in Christ there is a ransome in which is life and all happinesse and that this Jesus and all that he hath done is for him When the soule hath heard and learned this there is a power goeth with this teaching which carrieth the soule by faith
beleeve or no for some shall not be saved and if I be one of them if I should beleeve I should be saved by Christ I should beleeve a lye The Gospel declares that whosoever beleeves in Christ shall be saved Joh. 3. 16. therefore those who beleeve cannot be any of them that shall perish and the Word saith be that beleeveth not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. and shall not see life What God saith is truth and truth ought to be beleeved and whatsoever is contrary to truth no man is bound to beleeve therefore no unregenerate man is commanded to beleeve the forgivenesse of his sinnes in any other way then Gods word holds forth forgivenesse of sinnes which is he that beleeves shall be saved and have everlasting life Men are commanded to beleeve they shall have benefit by Christ life and salvation by Christ if they beleeve Joh. 3. 16. And no man is commanded to beleeve he shall be saved by Christ whether he beleeves or no for this is contrary to the Word which saith He that beleeves not is condemned already Joh. 3. 18. No man is to beleeve that which is not true yet this hinders not but all that see an absolute necessitie of Christ shall enjoy him they ought not to distrust in him but to cast away all their doubts and feares and beleeve in him and rest upon him for ever as Simon Peter said to Christ Master to whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 67 68. But I have no love to Christ I am an enemie to Christ I am not fit for Christ The reason thou doest not love Christ is because thou seest not thy sinnes to be pardoned by Christ didst thou know he loves thee thou wouldst love him the love of Christ would constraine thee to love him 2 Cor. 5. 14. We love him because he first loved us 1 Joh. 4. 19. Doest thou apprehend thy selfe to be an enemy to God so were all those once that ever did beleeve Ephes 2. 12 13. While we were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Enemies cannot discerne Christ yet God gives Christ to such Thou canst not fit thy selfe for Christ if thou seest such a necessity of Christ as without him thou art undone thou desirest Christ and goest to Christ He that commeth to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. hearken what Christ saith you shall speed you have the promise of Christ which is security sufficient to satisfie thy soule for Christ is in you and no man can hunger and thirst after righteousnesse viz. Christ but such as are blessed Mat. 5. 6. and the Spirit of God dwels in you and Christ is in you and they that are led by the Spirit of God out of themselves to Christ for light and life and strength are the children of God Rom. 8. 9 10 11 14. Indeed there are many sweet promises in the Word but they are all for beleevers but I am none I grant none may apply a promise of life but onely such as beleeve yet the promises are for all the elect thou knowest not but thou art one of them when God shall please to give thee faith thou shalt know thy interest in them Act. 13. 48. In the meane time stay thy selfe with this that the Lord Jesus gave himselfe for enemies and justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. Whilest wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 8. 10. Therefore be not discouraged God may save thee also The Lord saith I will have mercy upon her that hath not obtained mercy and I will say to them which were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God Hos 2. 23. Oh sweet place therefore by no meanes yeeld not to thy feares nourish no jealousies against God but resolve in Christs strength to cleave to his Word as Psal 119. 49. And here hold saying My beloved is mine and I am his Song 2. 16. I would gladly beleeve but I dare not Thou shouldst not admit nor give way to any discouragement to hinder thy going to Christ seeing Christ cryed saying If any man thirst let him come to mee and drinke Joh. 7. 37. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and whosoever will let him come Rev. 22. 17. The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him and in them that hope in his mercy Psal 147. 11. He will not quench the smoaking flax Mat. 12. 20. From whence is thy feare sure it is occasioned or much increased by them who bid persons beleeve forbid them againe by their saying Take heed what you doe you may be deceived it is not so easie a matter to beleeve you must first be so sensible of sin and so humbled for it c. before you may beleeve Now they conceit they are not so and so qualified therefore they dare not beleeve also they are scared with the many things hypocrites may doe how farre they may goe and so set them short of hypocrites which must needs discourage them yet the word of God requires no such teaching for men to learne before they may beleeve for when the soule seeth it selfe lost by reason of sinne and is at a stand not knowing what to doe the first thing they are to doe is to beleeve in Jesus Christ as appeares Acts 16. 31. The word requires nothing of them before they may beleeve therefore wee may not for none may presume above what is written If thou desirest to beleeve thy will is in part regenerated and thou doest in some measure beleeve though weakly as he did that said Lord I beleeve help my unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. Gods servants are described by a desire to feare his Name Nehe. 1. 11. Psal 145. 19. Psal 147. 11. There can be no desires without faith 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. a man cannot desire that which he beleeves not to be so Heb. 11. 6. Many give God their hearts and doe not know it and so are troubled because they do not know what is meant by the heart nor where it is seated I speak not of the heart of flesh Rom. 8. 5 6 7. there is a carnall minde and a spirituall minde in men I speake of the heart mystically and spiritually which is principally seated in the will so that what it wills or desires there is the heart and to that which the will most wills or desires to that is the bent of the heart unto Now if the soule were to have its choice of every thing that one thing that the soule should chuse would any question whether they loved it and that their hearts were not unto it for as no soule can be sensible of the want of Christ untill the soule be possessed of him Rom. 8. 10 11. so no soule
us any good 1 Cor. 1. 21. Doe not sleight nor refuse Gods consolations let them not seeme small unto thee are the consolations of God small with thee Job 15. 11. O soule own that comfort God gives thee if it seeme small to thee it s thy own own it lest yee live to complaine saying as David did My soule refused to be comforted Psal 77. 2. and to wish yee had that yee despised be thankfull to God for what thou hast received and hold that fast and let nothing goe that may tend to thy peace rest satisfied in Christs righteousnesse and adde nothing unto it I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 15 16. 19. 24. Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse Psal 119. 142. see Psal 22. 31. 35. 28. 50. 6. 51. 14. Jer. 33. 16. The perfection of Christs righteousnesse is held forth unto us and doth alwayes lie before us for us that we might ever be comforted with it and rejoyce in it with thankfulnesse for it seeing it so perfect and full of divine consolation Oh here is enough to refresh and satisfie all the Lords to all eternitie so that we have enough we need no other nor no more righteousnesse Meditate on Gods goodnesse unto thee let his loving kindnesse be ever before thy eyes Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 48. 9. Beleeve in God I in Christ want of faith or want in faith is the cause of trouble in the soule Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me and let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Faith in Christ quiets and settles a troubled soule Thou canst not be too confident in resting upon Christ in his free grace Psal 30. 5. therefore come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Those who know God will trust him with their bodies and soules and that upon his word All that know thy Name will trust in thee Psal 9. 9 10. but a foole neither will nor can doe so O foole and slow of heart to beleeve Luk. 24. 25. But those who are made wise by God will trust in the word of the Lord Isa 26. 3 4. and say in his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. When the Lord pleases to settle a soule in the assurance of his love he causeth the soule to trust in his word Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 49. God by his word conveys that to the soule which is sutable to its wants and by his power and authoritie settles it upon the soule Above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Feare not beleeve Luk. 8. 50. Yea cleave to God in his promise even then when thou art in thy greatest feares and most sensible of thy unworthinesse trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. If at all times then at the worst times also yea even then beleeve and heare nothing against thy beleeving God in his promise Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. So should wee doe oh beleeve God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost Luk. 19. 10. Lost viz. in the sight and sense of thy own sin and misery and in thy own sufficiency Improve thy doubts feares temptations against beleeving to incourage thee in beleeving for hast thou not by experience found that it is but in vaine to hearken unto any of them Consider often and well these places Rom. 16. 20. Heb. 10. 35 36 37. Rev. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 5. 7. And search the Scriptures Reading helpeth mens judgements memories affections confirmes our faith and fits us to answer the temptations of Satan Renounce all lying vanities hearken unto none of them First hearken not to the voyce of thy heart it is a lying vanitie it will deceive thee Pro. 3. 5 6 7. Isa 44. 20. Secondly hearken not to Satan Thirdly hearken not to sense Thomas said he would not beleeve unlesse he might see and thrust his hand into his side Joh. 20. 24 25. But this sensuall practise is to be abhorred by us for this is to consult with flesh and bloud which cannot discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 14. and is condemned by God Gal. 1. 16. So some persons will see such a holy frame of spirit in themselves and feele such a sin subdued c. before they will beleeve yet faith looks not to such things as these but onely to God in his word therefore wee must not live by sight but by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and blessed are they that have not seene yet have beleeved Joh. 20. 29. Fourthly hearken not to carnall reason if it be hearkened unto thou canst not beleeve nor submit to God nor be setled for doth not reason say that a Virgin cannot bring forth a childe and a woman of ninetie yeares is past conceiving a childe therefore reason saith it cannot be and so contradicteth God himselfe Gen. 17. 16 17. Mat. 1. Also can reason beleeve that by faith the walls of Jericho fell downe and that the Saints stopped the mouths of Lyons and quenched the violence of fire by faith yet faith did it Heb. 11. 30. 33 34. Or is it likely or possible to reason for a man to walke upon the Sea as Peâ—er did Mat. 14. 29. And did not Christs command seeme vaine to Peters reason that he should cast in his net into the Sea seeing he had cast it in so often and fished all night and catched nothing Luk. 5. 8. Can reason conceive how the dead who are eaten with beasts or fishes or turned into dust can be raised to life or that the Sea can be divided the Sunne goe backward or the Rockes yeeld water in abundance surely there cannot be any reason given for them And seeing sense and corrupt reason is so contrary to God in his word why should we hearken unto them when they say the soule hath no grace because sense seeth none and that God will not pardon their sinnes because there is no reason to reason why he should nor no way to reason which way it can be yet it may be for with God all things are possible Mat. 19. 26. They that hearken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jonah 2. 8. 5. Live not upon duties 6. nor upon good report 7. nor upon groundlesse hopes 8. nor upon peace 9. comfort 10. joy 11. raptures 12. ravishments though they all be true or false live upon God alone and upon nothing else besides God in Christ if thou doest live upon any thing else as thy foundation is unsound so it will deceive thee and whatsoever their sparkes may be they must and shall lye downe in sorrow Isa 50. 10. Let not thy comfort depend upon Gods actings or dispensation to the inward or outward man if thou doest thou canst not be setled for they are oft changeable and coÌ„trary one to another one day
and upholds them The Saints are sure to persevere it is impossible they should fall finally or misse of glory because they are maintained by God 1. They shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand and none are able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10. 28 29. 2. For they are in the love of God Eph. 2. 5. Joh. 17. 26. 1 Joh. 3. 1. 16. 4. 16. They shall unavoydably come unto mee Joh. 6. 36 37. 3. God hath promised to preserve them Heb. 13. 5. For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 4. God is faithfull 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Thes 5. 23 24. Jer. 31. 40. And immutable I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. 5. And onely wise he knows how to preserve them Rom. 16. 27. 6. He hath power enough to preserve them 1 Pet. 1. 5. 7. Because they are in Christ Ephe. 1. 4. who shall ever live Because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14. 19. 8. Because they are so united to God that God they are but one Jo. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17. 23. Oh sweet and happy union that is so intire reall full and eternall 9. Because God dwells in them and they in him 1 Joh. 4. 13. Joh. 17. 23. Therefore they are secure and safe enough being out of the reach of all the Devils in earth or hell The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Christs lot and inheritance is his Saints who are delightfull and precious unto him Deut. 32. 9. I have a goodly heritage Christ is wonderfully taken with the Saints comelines it is a maine part of the excellency of Christs inheritance that it cannot be taken from him nor spent nor lost Goodly heritage Christ hath a high esteeme of his Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Song 4. 7. They are without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25. to 28. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Psal 51. 5. Rev. 19. 8. My beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my love and faire one and come away Song 2. 10. Oh happy Saint have thee a high esteem of Christ he is satisfied in thee and be thou satisfied in him rejoyce in nothing else but him Psal 33. 21. and sing praises to him THE SAINTS COMMUNION with God by Faith The life of Faith in effectuall calling Justification Sanctification infirmities in graces in means in time past in prosperity and adversity in glorification and to dye by Faith Wherein the life of Faith consists IT is in the communion the soule hath with God in Christ and the soules injoying of Christ in his promises both spirituall and temporall 1. Faith in effectuall calling It is the soules cleaving and depending upon Christ in his promise for pardon and life 1 Joh. 12. 1. Joh. 3. 23. Upon such places as these 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mat. 11. 28. Mat. 5. 2. The life of faith in Justification The Lord having spoken peace to the soule that Jesus Christ hath fully satisfied for all his sinnes so as they are all done away and shall be remembred no more Isa 53. 5 6. Jer. 31. 34. c. And that as the soule is happy so it injoyes the comfort of it and is filled with joy and peace in beleeving and now the soule lives a life of comfort chearfulnesse and holinesse 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 5. 1. So that no sinne nor Satan and if corruption increase and God hides himselfe or seemes an enemy not any thing can cause this soule to let goe the Lord and cast away its confidence Though he slay me saith Job yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. Rom. 8. 38 39. Isa 54. 7 8. 63. 16 17. Some hold the act of faith is that which God accepts to Justification but this is a mistake because it makes Christ inferior to faith and in ascribing such an honour to faith they dishonour Christ for although they doe not exclude Christ wholly yet in the act of Justification it gives all to faith They say as the act of Adams sin condemned him so our act of faith justifieth us Answer Adams sinne was enough to condemne him and us but our faith cannot save others nor our selves They reply Wee are justified by faith Answ Christ is called faith Gal. 3. 23. Before faith came which must be understood of Christ Wee are justified before God in his sight onely by Christ Rom. 3. 20. 24. My righteous servant Christ shall justifie many Isai 53. 11. We are not justified before God by faith which is in us but by Christ by his bloud justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. That which saves us is the bloud of Christ Jesus Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his bloud Rev. 1. 5. Also wee are said to be justified by faith because it is the instrument whereby we apprehend and apply Christ our Righteousnesse by faith wee know our selves to be justified Rom. 5. 1. Though faith be a grace of God yet as it is an act it is a worke and to be justified by it is to be justified by a worke of our owne for with the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10. 9 10. That which justifieth us must be perfect and so it is no act of ours for all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags c. Isai 64. 6. Not of workes least any man should boast Ephes 2. 9. Before wee had faith it seemes wee were not in Christ or in him and not justified for wee were in him before the world was Ephes 1. 4. And that at one time God should be angry with us as he is with all unjustified persons who are out of Christ Heb. 12. 29. He hateth all the workers of iniquitie Psal 5. and that our beleeving should make him to be at peace with us this is to make God changeable like man which is contrary to the Word for with him is no variablenesse Jam. 1. 17. I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. Nothing can be charged upon Gods elect Rom. 8. 1. therefore they are justified 2 Cor. 5. 19. Those who have no sin upon them are justified but Christ hath taken away all the sinnes of the Elect Job 1. 29. with Isai 35. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 6. 6. And to say wee are not justified before God untill we beleeve is to say Jesus Christ hath not justified us which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith Wee are accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption by his bloud Ep. 1. 6 7. We are justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. Jesus Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own bloud Rev. 1. 5. Wee were reconciled by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 9 10. A full satisfaction Heb. 10 11 12 13 14. And in this God is well pleased before wee beleeve Mat.
3. 17. Isai 53. 11. Also to say we are not justified before God or in his sight untill we beleeve is to say we must adde our work to Christ to make up our justification before God and if it be so then wee in part save our selves and if we doe joyne with Christ in this worke why may wee not joyne with him in the glory of it for that may be esteemed one of the greatest parts of our justification without which we cannot be justified But this derogates from Christ and all such tenets we are to hate with execration For saith Christ I have troden the wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me Isai 63. 3. Wee rather say if wee beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. What the Lord Jesus Christ hath done for us is perfect and is by God imputed to us so as it is really ours though it be inherent in another and by beleeving it wee know it to be ours Rom. 4. 24. First Not any shall be saved by Christ but those who were predestinated in him according to his eternall purpose Eph. 1. 4 5. 3. 11. And that there was not any foreseene faith or works in any kinde why he chose these rather then others the will of God was the cause one was chosen and not another all was according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise and glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Are we better then they no in no wise c. Rom. 3. 9. It was from his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 2. 4. This love of God was the cause of Gods sending Christ Joh. 3. 16. and the chiefe cause of mans election and salvation 1 Joh. 4. 10. Eph. 1. 4. Joh. 17. 23. And that it is impossible for this great love to decrease or increase because it is infinite as appeares by Psal 139. 17 18. Jam. 1. 17. God is perfect and infinite he knows and understands all things that ever were are or shall be at once So he is one pure act therefore when we were chosen in Christ wee were justified and compleat in him God looked upon the Elect to be in Christ before the world was Ephes 1. 4. and so he ever lookes upon the Elect So that they ever appeare to him perfect and righteous as Christ for they are one and are in him 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yee are in Christ Jesus and ever shall be in him being justified freely by his grace in his sight Rom. 3. 20. 24. God properly was never wroth with Christ nor the Elect and therefore Christ could not suffer Gods wrath see Heb. 2. 9. So that in respect of their justification God seeth no sinne in any of the Elect even before their calling and after And as it is Gods will so it should be ours to set his glory above our salvation that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Ephes 2. 7. Secondly In time the Elect did breake a holy and just Law and so lay under the curse and wrath of it which was death Rom. 3. 21. 23. Christ in our nature for our persons suffered death Heb. 2. 9. the penalty to free all the Elect so that they are now actually justified by Justice That he might be just Rom. 6. 15. 3. 25 26. If God should have justified us without this propitiation after he had made this Law and we breaking it he could not have been just but having received this propitiation he could not be just if he did not justifie the Elect That he might be just and the justifier c. Rom. 3. 26. Thirdly The soule by faith doth apprehend and apply Christ and what he hath done to be for him by which it knoweth it selfe to be justified in the sight of God and in the Word and in his own conscience Whence flowes joy and peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. because all that beleeve are justified And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. 39. 48. So that by beleeving I know I am ordained to eternall life because Gods word saith so and that wee are justified in his sight without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20. 28. viz. by faith wee apprehend our selves to be freely and fully justified by Christ without any workes of our own Gal. 2. 16. without any addition of inherent goodnesse in us c. Fourthly by our workes in our outward subjection to Christ to his word we declare to men as farre as they can judge that we have the faith of Gods Elect 2 Pet. 1. 1. Thou O Lord knowest the hearts of all men but faith without workes is dead to men and buried also James 2. 18. 20. If there be no workes they can see nothing of it shew mee thy faith by thy workes Yee see then how by workes a man is justified 21. 24. In the 1. we are justified in respect of the knowledge and purpose of God in his sight Rom. 3. 20. In the 2. we are actually and vertually justified in Justice by the bloud of Christ which payd the debt now the full price the full debt being paid is it justice in law by God or man to require it againe surely no. In the 3. wee are justified in our Consciences by the holy Spirits manifestation and application of Christs righteousnesse unto us In the 4. and last we are justified before men or unto men Object If it be so that men are loved of God c. before they repent and beleeve then men may live as they list c. Answ We are to own and confesse the truth and not what men of corrupt minds and base spirits will say and will doe the Apostle saith If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. But what if one say it seemes the Apostle incourages men to sin to tell them there is an Advocate who is alwayes heard And the Apostle saith Where sinne hath abounded grace did abound much more Rom. 5. 20. By the Apostles answer it appeares some did say they might continue in sin that grace might abound what shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead in sin live any longer therein c. Rom. 6. 1 2. But this is an old cavill and slander cast upon those that teach the truth as the Apostle saith it was then in his dayes We be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just Rom. 3. 8. Their exception is against the truth of God and therfore we leave them to God to answer and satisfie them And though all the Elect are freed from the curse of the Law yet we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31.
23. For deliverance out of trouble c. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivers them out of them all Joh. 5. 19. Psal 19. 17 Psal 50. 15. For speedy deliverance My salvation shall not tarry Isa 46. 13. 9. Every day to live the life of faith concerning the time past Which is to consider and call to remembrance and to see God in his dealings to us ours and others both for soule and body I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77. 5. This is to injoy time past as present David made this a part of his meditation oh how sweet is it to muse of Gods mercies unto us from our birth that I should be borne of such as feared God and so injoy better education then others or else that I should be borne of haters of God and instead of good education had bad and was brought up in ignorance and prophanenesse and how I have been tempted to desperate sinnes or healed those breaches how strangely God brought us to better places unexpected or undeserved and how neere and often we have been to be cut off by death by sicknesse casualties desperate practices by others and by our selves and how great bondage we have been in by sinne being filled with despaire terror and wrath without hope of ever being pardoned Ephes 2. 12 13. and yet for God to fill my soule with joy peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. and in how great bondage I was unto sinne not able to restraine my selfe and out of hope of ever having strength against such strong lusts and yet God hath subdued them Oh great change and also how we were convinced of our state of death we are in by nature and by what meanes But if we had been borne in India or Turkey or Rome we should either have never heard of a Jesus or seene no light or to no purpose Also how God hath preserved us in Babylon and brought us out of it if thou beest so and preserved us from the errors of the wicked rotten tenets as Pelagianisme his free will and power by nature Arminianisme with his free will so by grace as he may choose whether he will be saved or no and so under pretence of inlarging Gods grace robs him of all to grace himselfe in his indeavours and sets the crowne upon his own head So some deny the Morall Law and word of God to be a Rule to them to walk by and so are lawlesse and where there is no Law there can be no transgression and now are the last times in which iniquitie and abominable errors doe abound and shall more abound that which God hath said shall be must be no man nor men can hinder it some denies Election and originall sinne c. the Lord in mercy open their eyes I was once wrapped up and sunke in Arminianisme and had so continued but the Lord in mercy pulled me out Oh how sweet should that love be to us which keepes us from these errors or brings us out of them and the Lord will in his time be full Redemption to all his Also consider how we have been freed from many sorrows and sicknesses which others indure having little or no rest day or night and what meanes we injoy for our soules which others want and it may be never heard of and blesseth them unto us Also in what straits wee have been in how the Lord hath helped us in them and delivered us from them and how God hath provided and doth provide for us meanes of living friends and comforts strangely and unexpected and how strangely God hath given us good wives or husbands or so orders it that bad ones sends us to God or weanes us from the world c. These mercies with a thousand more to us and ours requires our meditation to strengthen our faith and to endeare our hearts to God exceedingly and to be more inlarged in thankfulnesse and to sucke sweetnesse in the remembrance of such experiences Mercies forgot are as nothing to us and wee cannot be thankfull to God for them though they were never so many or great Who so is wise and will observe these things shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord Psal 107. 43. 10. Every day to live the life of faith in Glorification Which is to behold the rest peace glory and happinesse c. in heaven which is provided for us and also to beleeve that God will give us after this life all these things with himselfe which he hath promised us in his word see Acts 20. 23. Acts 26. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 4. For the resurrection of my body He that beleeves in me I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 40. To have a spirituall body It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body 1 Cor. 15. 44. Our bodies shall be more glorious then the Sun in the firmament because that is but a naturall body To have a powerfull body It is raised in power 1 Cor. 15. 43. To have a glorified body and like Christs It is raised in glory 1 Cor. 15 43 44. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. To have fulnesse of knowledge And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. And know even as I am known 1 Cor. 13. 12. To have fulnesse of joy and pleasures In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps 16. 11. Joy inward pure spirituall full in heaven wee shall have no misery no hunger cold nakednesse paine griefe wearinesse but rest 2 Thes 1. 7. To have Rest I shall have rest 2 Thes 1. 7. without labour In this Rest tranquillity in this tranquillity contentment in this contentment joy in this joy varietie in this varietie securitie in this securitie eternitie To have life We shall also live with him 2 Tim. 2. 11. Your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. When Christ who is our life shall appeare Col. 3. 4. To have everlasting life Who shall receive life everlasting in the world to come Luk. 18. 30. Mat. 19. 29. Joh. 4. 40. Then shall I never die nor end being for continuance eternall To injoy the presence of God with Saints and Angels When Christ our life shall appeare then shall we appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am Joh. 17. 24. To see the Lord as he is Beloved now are we the sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what we shall be but we know when we shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2. Then shall we see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. To behold his glory That they may behold my glory Joh. 17.
secret insnarements that attend lawfull things so that many are deceived and insnared and insensibly drawne into many excesses before we be aware to the dishonour of God griefe of our selves and others the fooles minde was all for his ease and his belly meate and drinke Luk. 12. 19. 11. Watch in things indifferent Every day to watch that I use not indifferent things securely and carelesly but to have regard to others weaknesses indevouring that my actions be such as I may defend with a good conscience All things are pure but it is not lawfull to doe things with offence it is good neither to eate flesh nor drinke wine nor do any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or made weake Rom. 14. 21 22. These words doe prove that wee ought to forbeare the doing of that which is in it selfe lawfull if it can be omitted without sin in case another is not perswaded of the lawfulnesse of it and so is offended at it I grant he takes offence when none is given for if I doe that which is lawfull I give no offence therefore in being offended it is his fault and weaknesse yet if I know he is offended with it and yet shall do it he therewith is grieved c. I in so doing sin against God and him though otherwise I might doe it yet in this case it is condemned in the Word and it cannot defend it with a good conscience 12. Watch against sinne Every day to take heed and watch against every sin and that I defend no sinne in my selfe nor lessen it under no pretence of corruption temptation or for the sweetnesse or smalnesse of it nor inwardly favour it but to resolve against all sinne with the occasions of it and the appearance of it to be jealous against it and fearful of falling by it and ever to shew some dislike of it Levit. 19. 17. Looke we to sin at the first motion of it consider we the roote of it and the end of it and presently looke up to God for strength against it beleeve and pray against it and avoyd all the occasions of it Come not neere the doore of her house Pro. 5. 8. First we should be afraid to sinne because we are commanded to do otherwise by God secondly lest by it we dishonour God his truth and servants thirdly lest by it we incourage others to sin fourthly and fill our soules with sorrow because wee have sinned against so great and gracious and loving Father A sensiblenesse of sinne and a heart easily touched with remorse for it may stand with the assurance of pardon of it and when any hath by reason of frailtie sinned though it seeme to be in the least measure abhorre it with the greatest detestation and cover it not with any excuses or pretenses whatsoever see Ezra 9. 2 3. Rev. 2. 2. 13. Every day watch the tongue To watch that my speech be not vaine and idle and frothy but powdered with salt to take heed of speaking against others especially such as are the Lords that I disgrace none nor insult over any remembring my own weaknesses and that I wrest not mens actions and words but take them in the best sense so farre as I can with a good conscience and without prejudice of the truth Idle words are forbidden Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt c. Col. 4. 6. Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thankes Ephes 5. 4. My tongue shall talke of thy righteousnesse all the day long Psal 71. 24. If you love to finde fault lay on there where you see most which will be your selfe if you can see Consider hast thou no unbeliefe Psal 31. 22. 116. 11. Privy pride 2 Cor. 12. 7. Secret hypocrisie Psal 51. 10. Atheisme and thoughts of blasphemy self-love self-seeking self-confidence Psal 30. 6. Unprofitablenesse Psal 106. 6 7. Nehe. 9. 35. Hardnesse of heart Isa 63. 17. Blindnesse of mind ignorance Pro. 30. 2 3. Unruly passion Psal 73. 3. 22. Securitie lukewarmnesse Song 1. 6. Abusing lawfull things Deut. 32. 15. Nehe. 9. 38. Unthankfulnesse for mercies Hos 8. 12. And want of mourning for the sinnes of others Ezek. 9. 4. Isa 42. 19 20. Want of courage for the truth Jer. 9. 3. Deadnesse dulnesse heavinesse wearinesse indevotion distractions and indisposednesse of heart in holy duties Mat. 26. 40 43. Hast thou no forgetfulnesse Mat. 8. 18. Inconstancy Hos 6. 4. Doest thou walke comfortably in thy Christian course Art thou never cast downe Psal 43. 5 The secret evils in us might put us in remembrance of our selves and silence us from insulting and disgracing others for their weaknesses 14. Observe the frame of my spirit Every day to observe the passages of my spirit before God in my actions and duties and expect strength from Christ in the use of meanes to act and whether I be sutably and inwardly affected with a sensiblenesse of what I want of God or from God or thankfull and humble eying my defects and with what faith and fervency I seeke God and observing how God answers my prayers and wait upon him for an answer of them 15. Watch to doe others good Every day to desire and indeavour to doe my dutie according to my relation and station to give a good example religious instruction loving admonition seasonable reproofes c. using meanes to doe all the good I can to others soules and bodies with an earnest intention with all care and deare affection See Acts 10. 24. Joh. 1. 40 41. If a husband if thou art a father or a master or a wife or a childe or a servant be a friend to friends and to enemies doe good Be thou an example in word in conversation in charitie in spirit in faith in puritie 1 Tim. 4. 12. 16. Watch to prevent evill Every day that I stand upon my watch every moment to prevent evill and to prepare and receive good having an eye to observe and a heart bent to resist all Satans assaults either from the world or flesh alone or with others knowing Satan watcheth to doe me a mischiefe and to consider that my fathers eye is upon me who hath commanded us to keepe his precepts diligently Psal 119. 4. Oh that my wayes were so directed to keepe thy Statutes Psal 119. 5. I said I will looke to my wayes Psal 39. 1. Watch and pray lest yee enter into temptation Mat. 26. 41. Watching keeps the soule awake ir is to have grace in a readinesse for action 17. Watch against occasions of sinne Every day that I decline watchfully all occasions of falling from my first love fervency heavenly mindednesse as dead company formalnesse in religious duties coldnesse or neglecting the meanes praise of men profit outward pompe mirth pleasure ease outward contentments that I exceed not nor sinke not under any of them but set light by others favours and frownes Seeke not your selfe
harder to deny him the next time 9. Consider your relation and station art thou partaker of the promises of Christ Ephes 3. 10. an heire of Christ a fellow-Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 19 Oh then doe not so dishonor Christ to take a member of Christ and make it a member of Satan to Serve sinne this were a great wrong to Christ We were sometimes darknesse but now we are light in the Lord walke as children of the light Ephes 5. 8. And seeing we are the sonnes and daughters of God Gal. 4. 6. Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5. 10. It is wonderfull unsutable for such to sinne for that were to serve Satan and doe his drudgery Eph. 4. 20. Yee have not so learned Christ Eph. 4. 17. This I say and restifie in the Lord that yee henceforth walke not as the Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minds Christ gave himselfe for his that they should be holy Tit. 2. 14. Rom. 6. 10. see 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Wee were chosen to be holy therefore I may not sinne Ephes 1. 4. Rom. 8. 29. 10. Consider the eye of God is ever upon you Heb. 4. 14. Pro. 15. 3. 16. 6. 11. Let the love of Christ constraine you to hate and oppose every evill way 12. Nourish the motions of the Spirit Quench not the Spirit walke in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5. 16. Nourish zeale and hatred against every sinne 13. Examine your selves and wayes daily Keepe your heart as your life Pro. 4. 23. Reforme the inside Job 14. 4. and Satan shall not prevaile 14. Consider the shortnesse of time we have here to live our time is short also the pleasures of sinne are but for a season Heb. 11. 25. 15. Know your interest in Christ and profit by affliction both which destroys sinne 16. Hearken unto the noyse of conscience if conscience saith doe it not hearken unto it doe it not lest conscience be silent and yee hardened 17. When the pleasure of sinne is presented unto thee present to thy thoughts the sting sinne will leave behinde it with the many evils that attend it also present to thy selfe a greater and better pleasure and sweetnesse which is thine and that thou if thou be the Lords shall injoy for ever with him oh minde home and what is there pleasures for evermore set your affections on things above where your crowne of glory is 1 Cor. 9. 24. Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sinne are deceived and inshared by it but give no eare to the lying noyse of sinne and Satan they have faire pretences for a foole as Pro. 23. 2. as that you may be saved notwithstanding or resist it the next time but oh the deceitfulnesse of sinne 18. Pray to God earnestly and constantly for strength against sinne with thankfulnesse for any preservation from sinne watch and pray at the first approach of sinne change thy object and fall to prayer Phil. 4. 6. 19. Beleeve God will give thee strength and subdue all thy iniquities in his time thou shalt overcome them be not discouraged if thou beest sometime too weake give not over continue resisting in due time thou shalt prevaile beleeve your prayers shall be answered and that as there is strength enough in Christ to subdue sinne and that you shall injoy it we are never overcome by sinne but by reason of the weaknesse of faith therefore above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Eph. 4. 12 13. 20. Apply sutable promises against sinne consider Eph. 5. 5 6 7. Rom. 6. 11. Psal 119. 6. God hath said Sinne shall not reigne over you Rom. 6. Do as Mat. 17. 21. The Lord will preserve you from every evill worke and preserve you till he bring you to glory The necessitie excellency and benefit of Prayer THe Lord our God hath commended Prayer to be a helpe to us in all our necessities and that we might love it and improve it to his glory and our good saying Aske and it shall be given you Mat. 7. 7. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you Isa 50. 15. Prayer hath great promises annexed unto it James 4. 5. Mat. 7. It procures wisdome James 1. 5. The Spirit of grace is given to such as pray Luk. 11. 13. It quickens the graces of God in us it 's a remedy against all evils Joh. 3. 8. 10. Psal 107. Prayer is a means to fit us for those good things our soules desire Jam. 1. 5. Consider Exod. 14. 15 16. Jonah 2. 1. 10. It hath healed the sicke and raised the dead unloosed chains and unlocked prisons and delivered the Saints of old Act. 12. 5. 7. 11. and of late and put in persecutors in their places It hath set free the Lambes and shut up the Wolves we may truly say the Lord hath slaine Og King of Basan for his mercie indures for ever And Prayer caused the Sunne to goe backe yea to stand still Josh 10. 12. By it we beare great burdens and are made better by them understand me of prayer in faith By it Jacob prevailed with God Hos 14. 3 4. God delights to heare his pray Song 2. 14. By it we draw neere to God and have communion with him and in a sort are familiar with God and know his minde it ingageth Gods power and truth Prayer is the most universall helpe it is good for all and at all times in all things and is most easie and ready to the Lords in all places in all times Would you doe good to your brethren friends enemies frequent and improve this spirituall and heavenly dutie Concerning the duty of Prayer To prayer three things are necessary 1. A spirituall disposition before 2. a spirituall behaviour in 3. and a spirituall carriage after The first includes preparation to this duty That preparation is a dutie God requires consider 1. God commande it God saith I will be sanctified in them that draw neere me Levit. 10. 3. Prepare to meet thy God Amos 4. 12. Prepare your hearts unto the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 3. Prepared for every good worke 2 Tim. 2. 21. 2. The Saints have practised it Jehosaphat prepared his heart to seek God 2 Chron. 19. 3. Ezra prepared his heart Ezra 7. 10. O God my heart is fixed Object This is Gods worke Answ True Thou wilt prepare their hearts O God Psal 10. 17. in the use of meanes 3. There are promises annexed to preparation If thou prepare thy heart c. see Job 11. 13. see what is promised vers 15 16 17 18 19. An evill not to doe it And Rehoboam did evill because he prepared not his heart to seeke the Lord 2 Chron. 12. 14. What preparation is in generall Preparation it is an holy consideration of God with whom we have to doe and how unfit wee are to have so neere communion with
to wound thy faith and confidence in God not onely for an answer of thy prayer but of thy persons acceptance Nay rather charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation exercise of grace and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come and learne to distinguish between a nullity and a defect and in a word if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying and art sorry for it thy imperfection is passed by and thou doest not pray in fashion The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse indisposition and unbeliefe and the like in prayer flesh and bloud cannot discover these and the Spirit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable 4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be alwayes thankfull and chearfull after prayer whether thou beest inlarged or straitned inwardly or outwardly alone or with others for when thou art at the best thou standst in need of a Jesus looke upward then by faith upon thy Advocate and when thy defects are most and thou art at the worst will not the same Jesus save thee yea surely and if thou groundest thy comfort upon a right bottome rightly thy comfort and the cause of it is the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one seeing he is able and willing But this is the childrens bread this pearle is not to be cast to swine 5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged thy faith strengthned and thy conscience eased c. count it a sweet mercy be thankfull to God for all for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse and thankfulnesse for it it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse and for feeling to finde deadnesse c. 6. Presse after what thou hast prayed for in the use of meanes Pro. 2. 3 4 5. there is the prayer indeavour and blessing As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and conscience the grace good things he prays for Ioseth his prayer The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to attaine our indeavours must second our prayers Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Such prayers are odious to God take we heed that what we build up with prayer wee pull not downe by our practice by remisnesse sleightnesse frothinesse of Spirit it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimentall but a word is sufficient to the wise 7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way consider Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers and that we may wait wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it this is necessary for the time of fulfilling may be long lest wee faint Psal 147. 11. Psal 135. 6 7. Have patience and tary that comes hardly is oft most prized but lightly come lightly goe God knows the fittest season to doe us good take not a delay for a deniall many things God hath promised he hath not set down the time or yeare but when it 's best for us let God alone for the time and ye shall see what God will do Watch we what event our prayers have and observe Gods dealings with our selves and others both with his and his enemies and be thankfull for any answer of prayers The Saints are often afflicted that they may often pray and that often praying they might pull downe many benefits from the Lord and returne many praises unto him wee sinne against God and hurt our selves for want of thankfulnesse For hearing the Word 1. Labour to be informed of the excellency and preciousnesse of the mercy to heare the Word and that no treasure of this world is like it for goodnesse beautie and truth there is nothing like the Word it informes convinces comforts what comfort is like to this if the heart be not lost in profits pleasures forth and ease 2. Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Above all things we prize precious things and for such as love their lusts let them consider Ezek. 14. 7 8. 3. Heare not for noveltie c. but let your ends be good in obedience to God to know and practise 4. Deny thy selfe thy own wisdome see the Lord in all be a foole that thou maist be wise set God above all and say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 5. Come in faith beleeve God can speake in particular to thee whether weake or strong and supply thy wants Micah 2. 7. to the end Isa 48. 17. eye the promise If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no Joh. 7. 17. Heare and your soules shall live Isa 55. 3. Beleeve the promises meditate on them plead them apply them as thy own portion and rest satisfied and contented with them they that have the promise are sure enough 6. Come with a resolution to learne and a heart resolved to practise what God saith say as David Psal 119. 33 34. Psal 86. 11. And covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Consider 1 Cor. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 22. 7. Come emptie in the sense of want he filleth the hungry but the full are sent emptie away Luk. 1. 51. Pro. 27. 7. Emptie of distractions and worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Emptie of prejudice of man gifts or meanes be humble the humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. 8. Pray to God to prepare thy heart and to open thy eyes Psal 119. 18. Shew me thy truth and blesse it to me pray that he that speakes may not seeke himselfe and so rob God and that he may speake as he ought to speake Col. 4. 4. In hearing take heed to your eyes eares hearts Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. 1. Consider thou art in the presence of God and consider Job 21. 6. Psal 16. 8. Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch that nothing come between thee and it sleepe not wander not gaze not Luk. 8. 18. Consider Act. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things that Philip spake 3. Heare for thy selfe and mind especially that which most concernes thee 4. Heare with understanding and judgement Mat. 13. 13. Mat. 15. 10. Joh 21. 11. Put a difference between truth and error The simple beleeveth every word Prov. 14. 15. Take heed what yee heare Mark 4. 24. and whom yee heare and how yee heare 5. If thou canst observe the methode and scope of the speaker to helpe memorie 6. Heare with thy
are much joyed at good reports will be much grieved at ill Oft times the best suffer the worst reports because they will be no worse There is not a good man that can escape evill and false reports from the wicked Riches Riches are uncertaine wee must leave them they insnare many but there are but few that are drawne the nearer to God by them The greedinesse of riches are more sharpened by the having of them then by their wants Riches are the destruction of many Commonly the richest men doe the least good to others Riches make many afraid to confesse Christ and his truth c. Religion It is impossible for every man to be of one Religion and Judgement because their lights and ends differ Where Religion is in truth it is in power and enableth a man to practise it A forme of Religion onely with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with povertie Most men love that Religion best which best suits with their lusts as honour pleasure easâ— and their bellies A little Religion goes a great way in rich persons Reproofe for sin Those that complaine because they are reproved for sinning shew their folly Poore persons have a priviledge above the rich in that they are reproved Such as are wise count reproofe a priviledge Sinne. Many sinne by omission and commission at one and the same time and yet know of neither Some sinnes of omission may exceed some of commission The beginning of sinne is oft by the Devils concupiscence suggesting evill thoughts evill thoughts cause delight delight consent consent ingendreth action action causeth custome and custome causeth necessitie custome winneth strength by time and is more fierce then nature one sinne draweth on another grant a little and a great deale will follow The more there is of the will in the acting of sin the greater the sinne is The more deliberation and the weaker temptation any hath and yet sinneth the greater the sinne is According as mens sight of sinne is so they hate it and them selves for it The lesse sensiblenesse of sinne there is after sinne is committed the greater is the hardnesse of heart Ignorance and unbeliefe and want of consideration and meditation and not shunning the occasion of sinne causeth much sinne Such as the more they fall into sinne the more they hate it and are grieved for it and the more they goe to God against it with faith they shall conquer it Satan It is the great designe of Satan to draw the Saints from God his truth and people and that we neglect the meanes or wholly relie upon them in good things he severeth the meanes from the end in evill hee separateth the end from the meanes Sorrow It is the nature of sorrow to bring the soule downe Senses Our senses every day decay by little and little though we take not notice of it Truth Jesus Christ is the truth and his word is truth No man can teach himselfe or another the mystery of truth Whatsoever is without or against the Word is not truth That which the most men doe is not truth The authoritie of men is not alwayes for the truth That which carrieth the greatest shew of humilitie is not truth Neither the learned nor the unlearned can know the truth untill God shall please to teach it them Mans reason cannot dive so deepe as the truth lyeth He that is naturally wise is least capable of divine things The greatest enemy that truth hath is concealement for the more manifest truth is the more gloriously it appeares If truth may have libertie to goe abroad it will quickly suppresse errors Thirst Spirituall thirst is as strong as naturall thirst yea stronger Time Time is not valued to its worth Time past cannot be recalled againe Time ill spent turnes to great losse and ends in deepe sorrow Temptations Temptation triâ—th mens strength he is strong that stands in strong temptations When temptation is absent a foole is wise and the froward patient Those temptations are most dangerous which suits best with holy ends Strong and lasting temptations are to shew us our selves and humble us An over-much fearing a temptation and a weak purpose to resist it weakeneth us and incourageth Satan to tempt When we are tempted it is best presently to fall to prayer and not to stand reasoning with the temptation Trials They who are least exercised with trials have the least wisedome and experience Trouble There is nothing but trouble under the Sunne The lesse trouble men expect the more they oft meet withall A troubled soule cannot doe good nor receive good A soule cast downe by selfe or Satan rests not in God but in trouble Selfe cannot stay nor checke it selfe much lesse recover it selfe out of sinfull trouble Vsury To pay use when the profit is uncertaine is a meanes to fill men with troubles cares distrust if not with oppression Want It is a sin and a dishonour to a childe of God to say or thinke he shall want or to say What shall I doe A childe of God never wants though he may thinke he wants for he is possessed of all things If hands estate or friends faile God will send supply some other way He that suffers want contentedly is a strong man Of weeping Excesse in weeping is against nature reason and Religion Many make a God of other teares World Such as are full of the things of this world are emptie enough of spirituall things According as the world is sweet unto us the things of God are bitter to us The world is a deadly enemy to spiritualnesse He that is full of worldly businesse needs no other troubles Will. Many prefer their wills before their lives for when they are crossed they wish for death When we want a will to do any thing we pretend want of power and say I cannot To will is naturall but to will well to will spiritually is supernaturall Those vertues that grace the will as love grace mercy justice are more glorious then â—hose that grace the understanding as power and wisdome c. Weaknesse The wisest Saint is most sensible of his own weaknesse Weaknesse with watchfulnesse will stand when great strength with selfe-confidence faileth Watchfulnesse Spirituall watchfulnesse is a speciall grace of God a chiefe part of godlinesse a speciall helpe to holinesse and a great priviledge of a Saint Because the Saints watch no more they fall so much There is no good order in their lives who watch not A wonder Naturall men wonder at worldly and sensuall things It is no wonder for a naturall man to seeke himselfe in all things Zeale Every man is zealous either for God or himselfe These few Experiences I present unto thee for a taste though many more might be added which I leave thee to finde out by experience also considering there are many sweet experiences recorded in the Scriptures especially in the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and also in other places in the Bible to which I
never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Therefore they are well enough they need not care nor feare but in God alwayes rejoyce and sing praises to him Now unto him that is able to doe for us abundantly above that we are able to aske or thinke be praise and glory in all the Churches of the Saints to all ages Amen A Table of some of the principall things contained in this TREATISE A. VVHat it is to feed upon ashes 2 3. 5. Assurance faith differs 82 83. All that have faith have not assurance 82 c. B. Christ is the true bread 3. 5 6. Men beleeve before they know it 61. Men are in Christ before they beleeve 46 47. What all men are to beleeve 48 49. Such as desire to beleeve have faith 53. 101. A beleevers comfort hope joy should be alwayes the same 97 116. The state of a beleever in Christ is a state of perfection 13. 113. 149. Such as see a beauty in Christ loath themselves 23. 41. Mans beleeving procures no pardon of sinne 46 c. C. Christ is enough 132. and minde him 112. 113. 79. 131. Christ proclaimes peace to his 106 107. Christ and a beleever are one 12. Christs holiness is the Saints happiness 121. Christs bloud saves his 12. 145 147. Christ is the way to life 13. 36 37 38. Christ highly esteemes of his 136 137 142. Christ being made sin for me is better for me then if I had never sinned 15 16 161. Christ dyed not for the sinnes of Adams posteritie 7 8. Comfort to all that are in Christ 12. 65. 132 Vnlesse Christ had dyed man had not been saved 7. The Saints are to live onely upon Christ 79. The Saints comfort is in Christ 79. Who live upon Christ 15. 38 39. 79. 80. Such as are Christs should serve him 153. The Covenant of grace is not made with man but with Christ 26. The Covenant of grace is unconditionall on mans part 46 47. There is not any thing required of man to doe to make him partaker of the Covenant of grace 46. The consolatiōs of God are to be prized 121. The comfort of the Saints is not to depend upon their personall sanctification and why 114 115. The confidence of a beleever should be ever the same and why 113 114. 121 122. All our cares are to be cast upon God trusting him in all estates and why 129 130. Corruption may be strong in a Saint and why 96 97. 159 160. A man may be confident of his salvation and yet be deluded and why 14 15. 67. Grave Counsels 363. to the unmarried 369. To the married 372. 375. 378. D. Causes of doubting 65. 105. The fears and discouragements in many are groundlesse 3. and from the Devill 106. It is an infirmitie to give way to any discouragement 108. 79. We are to looke to Christ and not at discouragements 52. 113. There hath been discouragements in many of the Lords 87 88 89. Grounds of discouragements and feares 16 No man is to despaire 158. The time of doubting is a barren time 71. No man can deliver his soule why 12 13. There is death in our best duties 41. It is not any thing man can do that can make him to be loved of God 24 25 97. The Saints daily duty and desire 199 c. Causes of unwillingnesse to duties 77. E. Election not for foreseene faith 320. 148. It is impossible for the Elect to perish and why 140 141. We should be content with our present estate 130 131. 127. Treasure up experience of Gods goodnes 119. Severall experiences 331. F. There be divers kinds of faith 55. Faith what 56 57 58. 61. Many are mistaken in faith 55. Faith is not to be placed in enjoyments 80. Faith looks not at sight nor feeling 80. 124. Faith is so small and weak in many that they cannot discerne it 47. 83 84. 86. When faith is wrought by God in the soul 45 Faith is where spirituall desires are 75. 53. We should ever live by faith 79. 123. Faith quiets and settles the foule 103. 122. Faith evidenceth to us our justification 115 The word and promise of God is the onely ground of faith 15. 123. The act of faith is a worke 145. Faith is no condition of the Covenant of grace 46 47. We should not yeeld to feares 51. 102. We should not feare want why 165. 227 What it is to be fatherlesse 63. A remedy against feares 381. Wherein the life of faith consists 143. The Saints are to live by faith in justification 154. In sanctification 154. In infirmities 156 c. For graces 167. In use of meanes 175. For protection and supply of all wants 148. In adversitie 188. In the life past 189. For glorification 193. And to dye by faith 197. G. God is ready to forgive 25 26. God is unchangeable 80. 95. 97. God oft hides himselfe from his 94. God was found of them that sought him not 34. God is not an enemy to his though they greatly sin against him 26 27. 97. 146. Gods free grace is to be admired 127. God gives Christ to enemies 50 51. God never fayles his 78. God draweth the soule to Christ 41. The manner of Gods drawing men to Christ 42 c. Gods children are in various conditions 127. Of the growth of the Saints 70 71 72. H. Heart what where it is seated 53 54. What it is to give God the heart 54 55. There is hardnesse of heart in a child of God 100. The heart of man is not to be hearkened unto and why 7. We should watch our hearts 202. Why men follow the counsell of their owne hearts 10 11. Incouragements to hope 20 21. The happinesse of beleevers depends not upon their doings 34 35 36 37 38 39. 46. Of hearing the Word 259. I. How men are made just before God 10. 121. No effect of sanctification can evidence justification and why 115 116. It is one thing to be justified and another to be sanctified 114 115. Who are fit to judge of mens estates 111 128 Many mens apprehension of justification is not from God and why 116. 162 163. What an infirmitie is 155 156. When men live by faith in infirmities 163. K. It is one thing to know another to know that we know 94. 61. L. What it is to be lost 123. God loves us before we love him 49. The love of God being discovered scatters all discouragements and feares 5. We are not to answer Gods love by our mortification of sinne 78. God loves freely 110. 23. False lives men live 7 8 9 10 11 124. M. Fallen man cannot helpe himselfe 6. 12 13 The mercy of God is infinite 25. see 33. 51. Such as have received mercy from God should be mercifull to others 130. That which moves God to shew mercy is in and from himselfe 24 25. Meanes to settle a soule in assurance of the love of God 105 c. Meanes alone
are not able to settle a soule 66 Of Meditation 268. 122. That Miracles are not essentiall to the administrator of Baptisme 325. O. The Saints are not their own but Christs 138 Obedience is the Saints duty 38 116. 130 P. Pray to God 127 128. Of Prayer 290. We should minde sutable promises 118. 65. Presumption what 66. Peace none can give but God 109. God is the portion of his people 139. The Saints should rejoyce in their portion 131. God will pardon a lost sinner 3. 26. The poverty of Saints 91 92. Q. Mens qualifications are worth nothing 34. The quiet soul is fittest to receive comfort 119 R. Mans righteousnesse is not onely imperfect but also filthinesse 11. Such as prize their owne righteousnesse know not Christs 121. 35. 37. Such as prize their own righteousnesse are in a sad condition 37 38. That righteousnesse which justifieth us is not in us 11 121. Christs righteousness is the Saints comfort 39. 22. Christs righteousness is perfect 10 Christs righteousness is sufficient to satisfie us at all times 98. 122 123. 26. The meanest Saint is as righteous as the best 14. 139. The Saints are to rejoyce in God 97. 107. Regeneration wherein it consists 72. Concerning reading the Scriptures 177. Carnall reason to be abhorred why 125. S. Christ saves none but the ungodly 23. Sin should humble the Saints 155. 159. 14. Sin drives the soule from God 5. 62. The greatnesse of sin ought not to hinder any in beleeving 39. 104. 18 19. 21. 112. What the unpardonable sin is 27. Of sensiblenesse of sin 62 63. To be convinced of sin what 40 41. 43. Why sin is left in the Saints 159 160. The sins of a beleever are laid upon Christ now they are Christs not their own 113. No man ought to allow himself in any sin 117 It's possible for a childe of God to fall into a great sin 95 96 24. Considerations against sin 233. c. The Saints have made the greatnesse of sin an incouragement to hope 22. Why God leaves sin in his 78 79. Whether the combate in men be from the Spirit or no 84 85. The sins of the Elect are forgiven them before they know it 31 32. Satan is not to be hearkened unto 9 10 29. What it is to live by sense 124 125. Why men seeke to save themselves 11 12. Such as God saves he causeth to understand the way of salvation 5 6 7. The satisfactiō of Christ satisfieth the soule 7 The holy Scriptures are the word of God 298 Sufficient grace is not given to all 307. T. Terrors should not hinder faith 80 81. 87. Temptations against beleeving should incourage us in beleeving 123. 86. How a soule tempted may answer Satan 73. Weake beleevers are not to apply the threatnings to themselves 111. How to prevent trouble 120. V. Causes of unbeliefe 105 124. Lying vanities are to be renounced 124. We should put a difference between Christs voyce and other voyces 108 109. 329. c. And between the voyce of the Gospel and the voyce of the Law 110. We should know Christs voyce and hearken unto it 108 109. W. To waite upon God what 32. 44. 95. Good works justifie us before men 151. Deliverance is before our working 35. 71. Of the freedome of the will c. 3. 10. 318. A Song of the love of God to such as are in Christ THe love of God hath been to me full great In leaving me in such a state to be And then to set me free from this estate He gave his onely Sonne to dye for me Which is a greater happinesse to me Then if I had not been in misery I was as vile as any man could be And my vile state did openly appeare When God in love did please to look on me And caused me a joyfull voyce to heare For passing by me he to me said Live Which voyce of his unto me life did give When I heard this sweet voyce of God to me Vpon my heart effectually it wrought That I was then so set at libertie That oft times I did ponder in my thought From sin Satā curse wrath hell so free That I feare not what they can doe to me Love caused God for me his Sonne to give Love caused Jesus Christ for me to dye Love caused God to say to my soule Live Love in my soule doth againe reply forth In songs how lovingly Christ did come A mighty price ransom of great worth What glorious sight of love is this I see That being had before the world could be Without al time boūds measure or degree Is this his love which he hath set on me One glorious sight of this so great love Will cause a soule for to be sicke of love This love made known to me made me to muse That ever God should be to me so good To give his Son for me and me to choose Which was his enemy and in my bloud When I fled from him after me came he I sought not him but he sought after me The love of God to me is passing great Which had a being ere the world began It boundlesse is and every way compleat And lōger doth indure then this world can Like love to this hath never yet been heard And there is none can be to this compar'd That many in their sins should be destroyed Whose first condition was as good as mine And yet to me this mercy is injoyd Thus being freed I shall in glory shine This shews his love to me was great free And could not be deserv'd at all by me Oh who could wish himself a thing so rare As to be hemd in and compact about With boundles love oh who can it declare Or who by fadoming can finde it out My heart my hand tong are all too weak Of matchlesse love to thinke or write or speak It is through faith appli'd so excellent It comforteth and elevates on high The saddest heart and fils it with content Yea it revives a soule ready to dye The apprehending it brings joy peace When it is clouded peace joy doe cease Each soule that doth this boundlesse joy possesse May well be swallowed up in admiration And to the praise of God may it expresse And often have it in his meditation Well may it cause him to serve feare and love This boundlesse lover ever God above A Song that Jesus Christ is all in all to his CHrist is his Fathers chiefest choice And I in him the very same Why should I not in him rejoyce Who am secured from all blame In God through Christ the Saints rejoyce When they know they