the children of God present Christ in the Arms of their Faith 2. The prayers of Gods children indited by the Spirit are ardent prayers Ye have received the Spirit whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Father that implies Faith we cry that implies fervency The incense was to be laid upon burning coals Lev. 16.12 The incense was a type of prayer the burning coals of ardency in prayer Elias prayed earnestly Jam. 5.17 In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verbis addita verbalia apud Hebraeus vehementiam significant Grot. IN PRAYING HE PRAYED that is he did it with vehemency †in prayer the heart must boyle over with heat of affection Prayer is compared to groans unutterable * Rom. 8.26 it alludes to a woman that is in pangs We should be in pangs when we are travelling for mercy such prayer commands God himself Isa 45.11 3. The prayers of Gods children are heart-cleansing prayers they purge out sin many pray against sin and sin against prayer Gods children do not only pray against sin but pray down sin 3. The Spirit of God hath a witnessing work in the heart Gods children have not only the influence of the Spirit but the witness Rom. 8.16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God There is a three-fold witness a child of God hath the witness of the Word the witness of Conscience the witness of the Spirit the Word makes the major Proposition He who is in such a manner qualified is a childe of God Conscience makes the minor but Thou art so divinely qualified the Spirit makes the conclusion therefore Thou art a child of God The Spirit joyns with the witness of Conscience Rom. 8.16 The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits The Spirit teacheth Conscience to search the Records of Scripture and finde its evidences for heaven it helps conscience to spell out its name in a promise it bears witness with our spirit Quest Quest But how shall I know the witness of the Spirit from a delusion Answ Answ The Spirit of God always witnesseth according to the Word as the Eccho answers the voyce Enthusiasts speak much of the Spirit but they leave the Word That inspiration which is either without the Word or against it is an imposture The Spirit of God did indite the Word 2 Pet. 1.21 Now if the Spâ—rit should witness otherwise than according to the Word the Spirit should be divided against it self it should be a spirit of contradiction witnessing one thing for a truth in the Word and another thing different from it in a mans conscience 4. The fourth sign of Gods children is Zeal for God they are zealous for his Day his Truth his Glory they who are born of God are impatient of his dishonour Moses was cool in his own cause but hot in Gods when the people of Israel had wrought folly in the golden Calf he breaks the Tables When Saint Paul saw the people of Athens given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred in him Acts 17.16 In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his spirit was imbittered or as the word may signifie he was in a Paroxysme or burning fit of zeal He could not contain but with this fire of zeal dischargeth against their sin As we shall answer for idle words so for sinful silence it is dangerous in this sense to be possessed with a dumb Divel David saith the zeal of Gods house had eaten him up Psal 69.9 Many Christians whose zeal once had almost eaten them up now they have eaten up their zeal they are grown tepid and neutral the breath of preferment blowing upon them hath cooled their heat I can never believe that he hath the heart of a childe in him that can be patient when Gods glory suffers Can an ingenuous childe endure to hear his father reproached though we should be silent under Gods displeasure yet not under his dishonour When there is an holy fire kindled in the heart it will break forth at the lips zeal tempered with holiness is the white and sanguine which gives the foul its best complexion Of all others let Ministers be impatient when Gods glory is impeached and eclipsed A Minister without zeal is like salt that hath lost its savour Zeal will make men take injuries done to God as done to themselves It is reported of Chrysostom that he reproved any sin against God as if he himself had received a personal wrong * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not Ministers be either shaken with fear or seduced with flattery God never made Ministers to be as false glasses to make bad faces look fair for want of this fire of zeal they are in danger of another fire even the burning lake Rev. 21.8 into which the fearful shall be cast 5. Those who are Gods children and are born of God are of a more noble and celestial spirit than men of the world they minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things above * Col. 3.2 1 John 5.4 Whatsoever is born of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 overcometh the world The children of God live in an higher Region they are compared to Eagles Isa 40.31 in regard of their sublimeness and heavenly-mindedness their souls are fled aloft Christ is in their heart Col. 1.27 and the world is under their feet Rev. 12.1 Men of the world are ever tumbling in thick clay they are terrae filii not Eagles but Earth-worms the Saints are of another spirit they are born of God and walk with God as the childe walks with the father Noah walked with God Gen. 6.9 Gods children shew their high Pedigree in their heavenly Conversation Phil. 3.21 6. Another sign of Adoption is love to them that are children Gods children are knit together with the bond of love as all the members of the body are knit together by several nerves and ligaments If we are born of God then we love the brotherhood 1 Pet. 2.17 Idem est motus animae in imaginem rem he that loves the person loves the picture The children of God are his walking pictures and if we are of God we love those who have his Effigies and Pourtraiture drawn upon their souls If we are born of God we love the Saints notwithstanding their infirmities Children love one another though they have some imperfections of nature a squint-eye or a crooked back We love gold in the Oar though it have some drossiness in it the best Saints have their blemishes We read of the spot of Gods children Deutr. 32.5 A Saint in this life is like a fair face with a scar in it If we are born of God we love his children though they are poor we love to see the image and picture of our father though hung in never so poor a Frame we love to see a rich Christ in a poor man And if we are children of the Highest we shew our love to Gods children 1. By prizing their persons
give them a Kingdom above all the Princes of the earth nay far above all heavens God thinks nothing too good for his children We many times think much of a tear a prayer or to sacrifice a sin for him but he doth not think much to bestow a Kingdom upon us How will the Saints read over the Lectures of free-grace in heaven and Trumpet forth the prayses of that God who hath crowned them with loving kindness Infer 3 3. It shews us that Christianity is no disgraceful thing Wise men measure things by the end what is the end of godliness it brings a Kingdom a mans sin brings him to shame Prov. 13.5 Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye in those things whereof you are now ashamed but Religion brings to honour Prov. 4.8 it brings a man to a Throne a Crown it ends in glory it is the sinners folly to reproach a Saint 't is just as if Shimei had reproached David when he was going to be made King it is a Saints wisdom to contemn a reproach say as David when he danced before the Ark I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 If to pray and hear and serve my God be to be vile I will yet be more vile This is my excellency my glory I am doing now that which will bring me to a Kingdom O think it no disgrace to be a Christian I speak it chiefly to you who are entring upon the wayes of God perhaps you may meet with such as will reproach and censure you binde their reproaches as a Crown about your head despise their censure as much as their praise remember there is a Kingdom entailed upon godlinesse Sin draws hell after it grace draws a Crown after it 4. See here that which may make the people of God Infer 4 long for death then they shall enter upon their Kingdom Indeed the wicked may fear death it will not lead them to a Kingdom but a Prison hell is the iayle where they must lie rotting for ever with the Divel and his Angels To every Christlesse person death is the King of terror but the godly may long for death it will prefer them to a Kingdom When Scipio's father had told him of that glory the soul should be invested with in a state of immortality why then saith Scipio do I tarry thus long upon the earth why do I not hasten to die * Tully in Somn. Scip. Believers are not perfectly happy till death When Croesus asked Solon who he thought happy he told him one Tellus a man that was dead a Christian at death shall be compleatly installed into his honour the anointing oyle shall be poured on him and the Crown-royal set upon his head The Thracians in their funerals used musick The Heathens as Theocritus observes had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Funeral banquet because of that felicity which they supposed the parties deceased were entred into The Saints are now heirs of the Kingdom James 2.5 Doth not the heir desire to be crowned Truly there is enough to weane us and make us willing to be gone from hence The Saints eate ashes like bread they are here in a suffering condition Psalm 141.7 Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth When a man hewes and cuts a tree the chips flie up and down here and there a chip so here a Saint wounded there a Saint massacred our bones flie like chips up and down for thy sake are we killed all the day long Rom. 8.36 But there is a Kingdom a coming when the body is buried the soul is crowned Who would not be willing to saile in a storm if he were sure to be crowned as soone as he came at shore How is it that the godly look so gastly at the thoughts of death as if they were rather going to their execution than their Coronation though we should be willing to stay here awhile to do service yet we should with Saint Paul desire to be dissolved and be with Christ The day of a believers dissolution is the day of his inauguration SECT 5. Containing a scrutiny and tryal whether we belong to this Kingdom Use 2 BUT how shall we know that this glorions Kingdom shall be setled upon us at death Trial. 1. If God have set up his Kingdom within us Luke 17.21 The Kingdom of God is within you by the Kingdom of God there is meant the Kingdom of Grace in the heart Grace may be compared to a Kingdom it swayes the Scepter it gives out Lawes there is the Law of love Grace beats down the Divels garrisons it brings the heart into a sweet subjection to Christ Now is this Kingdom of Grace set up in thy heart Do'st thou rule over thy sins Canst thou binde those Kings in chaines * Psal 149.8 Art thou a King over thy pride passion unbelief Is the Kingdom of God within you While others aspire after earthly greatnesse and labour for a Kingdom without them do'st thou labour for a Kingdom within thee Certainly if the Kingdom of Grace be in thy heart thou shalt have the Kingdom of glory If Gods Kingdom enter into thee thou shalt enter into his Kingdom But let not that man ever think to reign in glory who lives a slave to his lusts 2. If thou art a believer thou shalt go to this blessed Kingdom James 2.5 Rich in faith heirs of the Kingdom Faith is an heroical act of the soul it makes an holy adventure on God by a promise this is the crowning grace Faith puts us into Christ and our title to the Crown comes in by Christ By Faith we are borne of God and so we become children of the blood-royal By Faith our hearts are purified Acts 15.9 and so we are made fit for a Kingdom rich in faith heirs of the Kingdom Faith paves a Causey to heaven believers die heirs to the Crown 3. He that hath a noble Kingly spirit shall go to the heavenly Kingdom set your affection on things above Col. 3.2 Dost thou live in mundo supra mundum in the world above the world The Eagle doth not catch flies she soars aloft in the aire dost thou superna anhelare pant after glory and immortality Hast thou a brave majestick spirit an heavenly ambition dost thou mind the favour of God the peace of Sion the salvation of thy soul Dost thou abhor that which is sordid and below thee Alexander would not exercise at the Olympick-games Canst thou trample upon all sublunary things Is heaven in thy eye and Christ in thy heart and the world under thy feet He who hath such a Kingly spirit that looks no lower than a Crown he shall dwell on high and have his throne mounted far above all heavens SECT 6. A serious exhortation to Christians Use 3 USE 3. Exhortation And it hath a double aspect it looks Exhort 1. towards the wicked Is there a Kingdom to be had a
a man a fearful man is versed in no posture so much as in retreating Oh take heed of this be afraid of this fear Luke 12.4 Fear not them that can kill the body Persecutors can but kill that body which must shortly dye the fearful are set in the fore-front of them that shall go to hell Rev. 21.8 Let us get the fear of God into our hearts as one wedge drives out another so the fear of God will drive out all other base fear 3. Take heed of a facil spirit a facil-spirited man will be turned any way with a word he will be wrought as wax he is so tame that you may lead him whither you will Rom. 16.18 With fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple A facil Christian is malleable to any thing he is like wool that will take any dye he is a weak reed that will be blown any way with the breath of men one day you may perswade him to engage in a good cause the next day to desert it he is not ex quercu sed ex salice he is made of willow he will bend every way Oh take heed of a facil spirit 't is not ingenuity but folly to suffer ones self to be abused A good Christian is like Mount Sion that cannot be moved Psal 125.1 He is like Fabricius of whom it was said a man might as well alter the course of the Sun as turn him aside from doing justice A good Christian must be firme to his resolution if he be not a fixed he will be a falling star 4. Take heed of listning to the voyce of the flesh St. Paul conferred not with flesh and blood Gal. 1.16 The flesh will give bad counsel first Saul consulted with the flesh and afterwards he consulted with the Divel he sends to the Witch of Endor oh saith the flesh the Cross of Christ is heavy there is a nail in the yoke which will tear and fetch blood be as a deaf Adder stopping your ears to the charmings of the flesh 3. Promote those things which will help to suffer 1. Inure your selves to suffering 2 Tim. 2.3 As a good Souldier of Christ endure hardship Jacob made the stone his pillow Gen. 28.18 'T is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth Lam. 3.27 The bearing of a lighter cross will fit for bearing an heavier Learn to bear a reproach with patience and then you will be fitter to bear an iron chain * Quid iste faceret in igne qui Christum rubuit in nube Saint Paul did dye daily he began with lesser sufferings and so by degrees learned to be a Martyr as it is in sin a wicked man learns to be expert in sin by degrees * Nemo repente fit turpis first he commits a lesser sin then a greater then he arrives at custome in sin then he grows impudent in sin then he glories in sin Phil. 3.19 so it is in suffering first a Christian takes up the chips of the Cross a disgrace a prison and then he carries the Cross it self Alas how far are they from suffering who indulge the flesh Amos 6.4 that lie upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches a very unfit posture for suffering That Souldier is like to make but poor work of it who is stretching himself upon his bed when he should be in the field exercising his Arms * Quid dicam de his quibus cura est ut vestes bene oleant ut crines calamistro rorentur ut digiti a nulis radient si via humi dior fiat vix in cam pedes compriment Hier. What shall I say saith Hierom to those Christians who make it all their care to persume their cloaths to crisp their hair to sparkle their Diamonds but if sufferings come and the way to heaven hath any water in it they will not endure to set their feet upon it Most people are too effeminate they use themselves too nicely and tenderly those delicatuli those silken Christians as Tertullian calls them that pamper the flesh are unfit for the School of the Cross the naked breast and bare shoulder is too soft and tender to carry Christs Cross inure your selves to hardship do not make your pillow too easie 2. Be well skil'd in the knowledge of Christ a man can never dye for him he doth not know 2 Tim. 1.12 For which cause I suffer these things for I know whom I have believed Blinde men are always fearful a blinde Christian will be fearful of the Cross enrich your selves with knowledge know Christ in his Vertues Offices Priviledges see the preciousness in Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 To you that believe he is precious his Name is precious 't is as oyntment poured forth his Blood is precious 't is as balm poured forth his Love is precious 't is as wine poured forth Jesus Christ is made up of all sweets and delights Ipse totus desideria he is light to the eye honey to the taste joy to the heart get but the knowledge of Christ and you will part with all for him you will embrace him though it be in the fire an ignorant man can never be a Martyr he may set up an Altar but he will never dye for an unknown God 3. Prize every truth of God the filings of gold are precious the least ray of truth is glorious Prov. 23.23 Buy the truth and sell it not Truth is the object of faith 2 Thes 2.13 The seed of Regeneration Jam. 1.18 The spring of joy 1 Cor. 13.6 Truth crowns us with salvation 1 Tim. 2.4 If ever you would suffer for the truth prize it above all things he that doth not prize truth above life will never lay down his life for the truth The blessed Martyrs sealed to the truth with their blood There are two things God counts most dear to him his glory and his truth I will saith Bishop Jewel deny my Bishopwrick I will deny my name and credit but the truths of Christ I cannot deny 4. Keep a good conscience if there be any sin allowed in the soul it will unfit for suffering A man that hath a Bile upon his shoulders cannot carry a heavy burden guilt of conscience is like a Bile he that hath this can never carry the Cross of Christ if a Ship be sound and well rigged it will sail upon the water but if it be full of holes and leaks it will sink in the water If conscience be full of guilt which is like a leak in the Ship it will not fall in the bloody waters of persecution An house will not stand in a storm the pillars of it being rotten if a mans heart be rotten he will never stand in a storm of tribulation how can a guilty person suffer when for ought he knows he is like to go from the fire at the stake to hell-fire Let conscience be pure 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a