this and then from those conjoyned we may be able to finde out the nature of this obsignation for although our principall endeavour is to be made partaker of it yet it is very necessary in its kinde to know what it is Though it cannot be denied but many of Gods people may have it and yet not give the definition of it Even as they may beleeve and be regenerated and not happily be able to give an exact description of these things As many a man hath health may sleep well and yet is not able to tell you what health or sleep is The first Text which will afford much light to this we are upon is that famous place set like a beacon upon the mount and much agitated between Papists and Protestants in the doctrine of assurance Rom. 8. 18. where the spirit it self is said to bear witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I shall not insist upon the controversies on this place either grammaticall or reall but take the positive truth plainly delivered Here the godly who all have the spirit of God first sanctifying and leading them on in all their waies whereby they are said to be spiritually minded are in the next place declared to have the spirit of God in another manner working upon them and that is to witnesse with our spirit So that the spirits Testimony is not single and immediate as when there was a voice heard saying This is my beloved Sonne No such Enthusiastical impressions and impulses are to be dreamed of but mediately and conjunctly with our spirits By it our consciences are so enlightned that we are thereby enabled to be perswaded that we are the Children of God for that you see is the object of the Testimony that is the matter witnessed that we are the children of God You see then here is no encouragement for the Popish doctrine of doubting nay when they go the highest allowing a moral certitude such which excludeth all fear to the contrary yet it doth not rise up high enough to this glorious priviledge spoken of For as with the spirit in Sanctification of us moral vertues came far short of the graces and fruit of the spirit So doth an humane perswasion from the sincerity of our conscience within us of this witnessing and sealing of Gods Spirit A second Text reducible to this is Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father This is nothing but the sealing in my Text only the words are 〈◊〉 of divine worth Because ye are sinnes Therefore none but the Sonnes of God have this priviledge Children of the devil cannot pretend to this Thou who art not born of God stand alooâ— off this doth not belong to thee As thou knowest not what it meaneth yea with Esau for thy moâ—sels dost prophanely despise this priviledge so neither doth God give such childrens bread to dogs or Pearls to swine Again God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne you see our Son-ship is built upon Christs Sonship our Son-ship of Adoption is established upon that Son-ship which is by nature in him He doth not speak here of that eternal mission of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne but a temporal one bestowed on beleevers and he saith the spirit of his Son because by Christs death this spirit in its peculiar operation is as it were purchased for the godly For had not Christ made an atonement the Spirit of God could not have been given us either for sanctification or consolation Further This is sent into our hearts not into our memories or mindes only for the temporary beleever hath some superficial and vanishing perswasion of Gods favour towards him but it is sent into our hearts implying the full deep and through possession that it hath of the godly Lastly Here is the notable and glorious effect it maketh us to cry that is fervently confidently and boldly God Father Abba Father Some reade it indicatively in this sense God is my Father Some by way of wish and prayer it cometh all to one These are two words signifying the same thing teaching us that both Jew and Gentile is indulged this priviledge or else it 's germinated for assurance sake Oh then how unquiet and restlesse should the people of God be till they finde this work of the spirit of Adoption upon them Thou daily enquirest after the spirit in its sanctification of thee how it maketh thee more heavenly how it mortifieth thy lusts and dost mourn because thou dost not partake of it in a greater measure Why doth not thy soul also long after the fruit of this spirit of Adoption in thee Dost thou observe how it subdueth thy slavish fears how it inclineth thee to a filiall and Evangelicall affection towards God as a Father I tell thee thy life is never a Gospel-life till this be obtained As therefore these blinde men cryed Jesus have mercy on us though the Disciples reproved them and bid them hold their peace so also let it be with thee whatsoever temptations guilt and fears thy heart suggesteth to the contrary do thou notwithstanding boldly cry God my Father The third Text to illustrate this 1 Cor. 2 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Here we see two principles opposed as contrary to one another the spirit of the world and the spirit of God and he who hath the spirit of God hath it for this end partly that he might know the things which God hath freely given him implying that without this spirit we could not discern of these things Even as if a man had not a rationall soul bestowed upon him he could not discern the things of reason but would be as a beast So did not God bestow his spirit upon us we were no wayes able to discern of those Gospel-mercies which are bestowed upon us He saith which are freely given us us in particular that we might not think he speaketh of the priviledges of the Gospel in the generall remission of sins and sanctification in the generall but as applyed to this and that subject So that if a man have no more than the spirit of the world if he have not as yet this spirit of God dwelling in him he is not a fit auditor for this truth If Aristotle thought not young persons fit auditors for his morall Philosophy how much more are we to judge every man though of never such abilities and parts yet if destitute of the spirit of God altogether incapable of this truth Therefore the spiritual hearers are only such who can give their testimony to these things There must be a spiritual life a spiritual foundation before there can be this spiritual superstruction A fourth Text is 1 Joh. 3. 24. and indeed that Apostle doth often
grace so a God of all consolation and Gal. 5. Joy is the fruit of Gods Spirit as well as Faith Love and Repentance are in other places attributed to God But you will say It may easily be granted that a man being dead in sinne he needeth the mighty work of Gods Spirit to raise him up and to give spiritual life but doth it follow that he needeth the same spirit to establish and assure him of Gods love Yes no doubt but that the same Spirit of God which bringeth thee out of the gulf of thy lusts must also out of the gulf of thy doubts and fears It 's as impossible for thee to have comfort of thy self as grace of thy self And therefore you see the Scripture speaking of this twofold operation of Gods Spirit as being necessary to antidote against our twofold corruption and the grounds of this necessity of Gods Spirit are these First The heart of a man is naturally opposite to any thing that is spirituall Whatsoever is of God though never so desirable in it self yet meeting with our corrupt natures it findeth opposition therefore we cannot of our selves any more receive the promises though infinitely needing of them then we can obey the commands We cannot endure honey any more then gall The way of Gospel-joy is contrary to a troubled heart as well as Gospel-obedience to a secure carnal heart Secondly We need the Spirit of God to this sealing because that which doth oppose this is indeed nothing but the fruit of sinne running down another channel He that once lived in divers pleasures did continually grieve the holy Spirit of God Let this man finde the guilt of sinne Let the Law wound and sting him then he grieveth the comforting spirit of God by fears and doubts No wonder then if it must be Gods Spirit only that sealeth because that alone can remove the guilt within thee that only can take off these objections these discouragements that are upon the soul As God raised an East-winde that suddenly delivered Pharaoh from those Locusts that molested him this was miraculous none could do it but God so it is the Spirit of God that alone can take off the heavy burthen of sinne upon thee It is Gods Spirit alone that can overrule thy conscience that can pacifie it that can comfort it It is the Spirit of Adoption that maketh us cry Abba Father but more of this may come in afterwards SERM. CXXXV A further Discovery of the Spirits sealing the People of God 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe third particular in the Description of the Spirits sealing cometh to be considered and that is the subject thereof which is two-fold 1. Of Inhesion And 2. Of Predication First Of Inhesion so it is said to be the work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of the godly For after this manner the Scripture speaketh He hath sent his Spirit into our hearts Gal. 4. 6. And in this Text He hath given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts By this expression is denoted that deep radicated and full possession which the Spirit of God hath upon the hearts of true believers So that hereby is excluded that vanishing and superficial perswasion which may be in a temporary believer of his interest in Christ As a temporary believer hath something like true faith like true joy and like true grace upon the soul so he hath also something like this sealing and like this assured perswasion upon his heart Therefore as the former is much disputed and it doth greatly exercise tender hearts viz. How they may know when they are carried on in the work of sanctification beyond those inchoate and imperfect workings which an hypocrite may have So this latter also doth cause great sollicitude and care of spirit in many gracious souls How shall they know their assurance is not a delusion is not a false perswasion arising out of an inordinate love to their own selves For the Devil doth not only transform himself into an Angel of light as light is taken for holinesse but also as it is taken for comfort Now amongst other characteristical differences this is one the perswasion of a godly man is more full plenary and powerfull Even as sanctifying grace entereth efficaciously into the heart so also doth this sealing grace whereas what hypocrites feel is in a confused general and flashy way neither is it drawn out upon permanent and enduring motives Although doctrinal characters given by the most able Ministers of the Gospel are not enough to make us find out this difference in our selves without a rectified constitution of the powers of the soul within unlesse we attain to that qualification spoken of by the Apostle Heb. 5. 14. who by reason of use or habit or perfection as the word may be rendred have their senses exercised to discerne between good and evil This Text is much to be pressed upon you For it is not every godly man at first that can separate the precious from the vile in his soul but there must be an habitual use of the senses this way Where mark also the Apostle attributeth to the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a metaphorical manner That as the taste when well constituted is able to discern between bitter and sweet the eye between white and black the ear between what is melodious and what is harsh and displeasing Thus the soul of a godly man being used to heavenly and spiritual things can know what is of God and what is of Satan or of nature in him For you must know there may be four principles of operations in us 1. Nature and that when polished with education and moral principles may appear very glorious 2. Satan insinuating himself as a subtil Serpent as an Angel of light imitating the works of God though he cannot efficaciously work the heart to any thing all that he doth is by suggestion and moving the imaginative and sensitive part of a man 3. There is the Spirit of God and that worketh in us either in a common way by gifts and assistance or by a sanctifying way Now is there not required much spiritual skill and experience to discern which is which of all these So that it is no wonder if he require these senses to be exercised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word from those who did exercise themselves in the Heathenish games and that naked thereby to fit and prepare themselves to be more agile and expedite for that service In this dispute therefore enquire not onely for doctrinal symptomes and signes of this sealing of Gods Spirit but heartily pray for these exercised senses in spiritual things The other subject is the subject of predication of whom it is affirmed that they have this sealing of Gods Spirit and that is sanctified persons We speak of adult persons for it is plain that infants though they may be sanctified yet because not having actual faith they neither have this sealing And
God ruleth in our heart The fire doth not more easily dissolve the frost and ice then this peace of God in our souls doth chase away all slothfulness and negligence if this grace and peace of God were shed abroad in thy heart thou wouldst like a Gyant runne thy race of Christianity whereas now thou art but a Dwarf feeble hands and weak knees will not go through much work especially if difficult and laborious Now the way of Christianity is compared to a race to fighting and combating there are thousands of discouragements and oppositions in the way it behoveth thee therefore to have this peace within that so the work of grace begun in thee may go on more prosperously But you will say This indeed is a mercy like that Pearl in the Parable we may well fell all to have it But how may we be directed to obtain it Take notice of these things briefly First Distinguish between carnal presumption and this peace from God Many have been deluded by taking one for the other The Jews and Pharisees did confidently boast in God as their Father and that they were Abrahams seed the Covenants of Grace did belong to them yet who were further off from it than they were When the Pharisees said Lord I thank thee I am not like other men he might have boldness and confidence upon his soul but yet here was no true peace And thus there are many hundreds who have quiet still and it may be feared stupified consciences Now these find no trouble no aches or pains of heart because of sinne but thank their good God all is well with them when yet alas they are miserable being upon the very borders of Hell in which they may fall every moment Secondly Take heed of living in sinne or omitting of those Duties God requireth of thee For although these be not the cause of this peace in thee yet without these no peace can either be obtained or preserved This is to be throwing water upon the fire till it quite go out Thirdly Perswade thy self of those Doctrinal Truths against the contrary Errours which help to establish this peace Such as the Nature of Justifying Faith in the particular application of it as also not only the possibility but the duty of Assurance the certain and unchangeable love of God to all those who are his as also the acceptablenesse of such a quiet and joyfull spirit unto God himself Fourthly Regard Gods promises as well as precepts Look upon the Gospel as well as the Law let not one destroy the other but make them to be subservient in thy whole life Lastly Pray much for the Spirit of Adoption For it is not thy own power or meditation upon all the Rules that Ministers may give which will give this peace of God till the Spirit of Adoption doe reigne in thee SERM. XXVII Of the Names of God 't is he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People He is a Father to all Believers even the weakest as well as the strongest 2 COR. 1. 2. From God our Father VVE have dispatched the choice and special mercies here prayed for we now come to the Original and Spring of them The Efficient Cause who alone can vouchsafe this to us and that is two-sold God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Let us consider the first and there we have a description of him 1. Absolutely God 2. Relatively a Father 3. The Community of this to all Believers or the Extension of it Our Father We shall dispatch all these particulars briefly The first head is the absolute consideration of God expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether that word come from fear or to runne or to behold is doubted of In the Hebrew there are several Names given to God insomuch that the Rabbins call him Hashem the Name Whether God himself revealed his Name to Adam or Adam imposed a name upon him it is hard to determine This is certain that the Scripture names do very emphatically represent the Nature of God especially those two Jehovah and Elohim The word Jehovah is commonly rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in the New Testament Christ is commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially when named together as is to be shewed in the verses following Now of these two mentioned words one in the singular the other is in the plural which doth denote especially having light from other places of Scripture that there is One Divine Nature and Three Persons Hence sometimes Jehovah Elohim is put together although also the former word signifieth the fulness of Gods being and giving being to other things For which reason say some he is not named Jehovah till the second Chapter in Genesis when all things were compleated and in another place God is said Not to be known by the Name Jehovah Exod. 6. 3. because they had not seen the great things promised accomplished and Elohim denoteth God as governing and ruling the world in which sense the fool is said to affirm There is no God no Elohim Psal 14. 1. Yet having light from other places of Scripture especially from the New Testament we ought not to reject this consideration that therefore Jehovah is in the singular number and Elohim in the plural to signifie the One Nature and Three Persons For though from the plural number meerly we cannot pitch upon the number three more than four yet from other places joyned to this we may So then as God in making of man spake in the plural number so we shall find in the Scripture in other places speaking of God as Makers in the plural number Isa 54. 5. Psal 149. 2. Job 35. 9. for this reason Though some Divines dare not say Tres Jehovae Three Jehovahs yet they say Three Elohims as Zanchy nameth a piece of his works Indeed there are others who do wholly reject and dislike that expression The word God is applied sometimes properly sometimes improperly Improperly so it is given to Angels and Magistrates The Apostle saith They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Gods in Heaven and Earth Though a learned man observes That never any Angel or Magistrate is called a god in the singular number but they are said to be gods in the plural number now the Apostle sometimes layeth an argument even upon the number Improperly also it is given to Magistrates Moses is said to be made a god to Pharaoh here is the singular number but the respective limitation is added because of his dominion God gave him over Pharaoh to bring judgements upon him Yea the Devil is called the god of this world who is said to blind the minds of disobedient persons Although some expound that of the true and eternal God who doth in just judgement harden the hearts of wicked men Non impertiendo malitiam sed denegando gratiam But properly and truly it is
the grace of Adoption yet the Apostle confirmeth that speech because we are all his creatures but the good Angels and good men are the sons of God in a more endeared respect We shall not insist long neither upon this though the Scripture make it the treasury of all our consolation only we may briefly consider What it is to be our Father And First It implieth his spiritual begetting us by the Word For before conversion the Devil is our Father we may say Our Father which art in Hell if we were to pray to him as our Saviour told the Pharisees not Abraham but the Devil was their Father and all because we have his likeness upon us and his works we do But when God by his Spirit doth change us and make us to partake of his Divine Nature then we are sons Sonnes by Adoption and sonnes by Regeneration It is not then every one that God is thus a Father to he must have the Image of God and his likeness Therefore though many call him Father yet he is a Judge and an enemy to them because they are contrary to him in nature and actions Secondly As God is thus a Father in respect of a metaphorical generation so also in regard of all his paternal love and care to those that are his No bowels of father or mother are comparable to his Therefore the Prophet Isaiah makes his love to transcend the mothers love and that to her sucking infant Isa 49. 50. Insomuch that all our doubts and fears may presently be subdued if we consider he is a Father Why art thou so disquieted as if like Melchizedech thou were without father and mother Thou art afraid of hell and condemnation but will a Father do thus Again thou doubtest about many earthly and sensible comforts what thou shalt eat or drink and doth not our Saviour say Matth. 6. 8. Your Father knoweth what ye have need of Improve then the relation of a Father think what care love and bowels God hath put into thy heart who art a father to thy children thou never doubtest of thy affections to them but many times of their affections and dutifulness to thee And is not this fatherly affection much more in God Thirdly He is not only our Father but he sendeth his Spirit into our hearts to assure us of this and to be more affected with it Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. For whereas in nature there the child by a natural instinct is carried out to his father and to call upon him It is not thus in grace for when God is become our Father then we need the Spirit of God to assure us of this to make us believe it of our selves we should rather conclude he is our enemy and our Judge but this Spirit of God putteth a filial confidence into us Again it doth not only assure us but inableth us against all those doubts and jealousies we have to the contrary to cry Father that denoteth the soul is in a very great agony many objections and oppositions it hath but yet we are enabled against our hearts and against the Devils temptations thus to do Lastly He is a Father and therefore doth afflict us and chastise us for our good Insomuch that it is from his fatherly love to afflict us as well as to give us of his mercies and if as the Apostle urgeth Heb. 12. 9. We reverenced our fathers after the flesh when they chastized us how much rather our Father after the Spirit which cannot miscarry or erre in his afflictions upon us To this Doctrine let us adde the Extension of it Our Father Paul saith not my Father or the father of Abraham and such eminent Saints but our Father Observe God is a Father to the meanest and weakest believer as well as the strongest Hence our Saviour taught all the godly to say Our Father In this expression is implied First Appropriation and application It is not enough to acknowledge God a Father but we must bring this relation home to our hearts Our Father my Father and thy Father Secondly It implieth That God is so the Father of one believer that he is the Father of all the rest Earthly parents have sometimes so many children that they cannot provide for all at least so liberally but God can do as much for any one child of his as if he had no more his riches and inheritance is given to every one All his children are heirs and have as much as if there had been but one child Thirdly There is implied the unity and agreement of all believers amongstthemselves They have one Father why then should there be such divisions amongst them The Apostle Ephes 4. 6. urgeth this one God and Father of all one Lord one Spirit one God and Father These are brought as arguments of unity not meerly because they are one but one â—o believers All believers have but one Lord one Spirit one God and therefore are to manifest this unity Use From both the Doctrines joyned together of Direction with what Evangelical quiet and joyfull spirits we should live upon this divine truth Gods being our Father should be the Gospel harp to drive out every unbelieving and troublesome thought 1 John 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ Our fellowship it should be no new or strange thing to us SERM XXVIII Of the Dominion and Lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 COR. 1. 2. And from the Lord Jesus Christ WE are arrived now to the last particular in this verse and that is the second Principle or Cause of this Grace and Peace prayed for which is Jesus Christ So that the Lord Christ is here conjoyned with God the Father in bestowing of these spiritual mercies In the words therefore we have the Description of Christ 1. By his Name Jesus 2. By his Office Christ Both which we have already considered in the former verse There remaineth therefore the Relation by which he is represented to us and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord. Paul here prayeth for Grace and Peace from Christ our Lord as well as from the Father which is a sure and strong argument of the Divine Nature of Christ for it is God alone that can give these spiritual mercies if Christ were not truly God he could not give these divine priviledges And hence also it followeth That it 's our duty to pray to Christ seeing he is the Author of such mercies The blasphemous Hereticks of late have differed among themselves Socinus and Franciscus Davidis about praying to Christ The later denying it lawfull to call upon Christ in prayer The other granting in the New Testament examples of it as when Stephen said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit c. So that it is lawfull but yet he saith There is no precept to command it But no wonder at this seeing he holdeth That prayer in the general was never a duty
the Trinity but as assuming our Nature for otherwise the truth would be no wayes comfortable to us if the Sonne of God had not also been made man The Observation shall be the words in the Text viz. That God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Which truth shall be first explicated and confirmed Doctrinally and then illustrated Practically As for the Doctrinal part the Socinians they have raised up much dust and have obscured the point with their subtill heretical depravations For whereas the Church of God formerly did believe Christ to be the Son of the Father by eternal generation They deny this reason and assert some new ones of their own invention Yea and the Remonstrants also though they assert Christs Sonship from the Father by eternal generation yet they affirm also a second way of communication of this Sonship and that is By a gracious vouchsafing of supream power and glory to him So that they must acknowledge two filiations in Christ the one Eternal by that secret and ineffable generation the other Temporal or in time viz. A gracious communication of supream power and glory to him But this is false as is to be shewed But to explain this Consider First In the Scripture we read of four ways whereby a person may be entituled to be the Son of God and to have God his Father For as for that more common and general notion whereby God is said to be a Father in respect of Creation and so to all men Isa 54. 8. And the Apostle sanctifieth that expression of the Poet For we are his off spring we do not here meddle with And 1. There is a Sonne of God by Creation after the Image of God Thus Adam Luk. 3. ult is called The Sonne of God and the Angels also Job 1. 6. These are the Sonnes of God and have him for a Father because they they were at first created after his Image in holiness 2. God is a Father by gracious Adoption Thus all believers have received The Spirit of Adoption being thereby enabled to call God Abba Father 3. A Person is said to be the Sonne of God by communication of some power and office Thus our Saviour argued from the lesse to the greater That if they were gods to whom the word of God came viz. who were appointed by God to be Magistrates how much more was he God Lastly There is the Son of God by eternal generation and thus Christ is onely Hence he is called His only Sonne Secondly Take notice That Christ is called the Sonne of God only from one respect and that is because of eternal generation from the Father It is not my purpose to enter into a Dispute about this secret and unspeakable mystery This is enough for us to know That Christ is never called the Sonne of God or God said to be his Father but because of that eternal generation as the Apostle proveth Heb. 1. from Psal 27. Thou art my Sonne This day have I begotten thee which is so attributed to Christ that thereby he hath a supereminency to all the Angels who yet are called the Sonnes of God upon a gracious foundation Hence 1. Christ is not called The Sonne of God because he is predestinated to be the Mediator of his people 1 Pet. 1. 20. For he is not therefore the Son of God because fore-ordained to be Head of his Church but this latter doth presuppose and is grounded upon the former because he was the second Person in Trinity and Son of the Father therefore was he ordained thus to be a Mediator for his people 2. Christ is not called the Sonne of God because of his Incarnation or that wonderfull manner of the production of his Humane Nature in the womb Indeed some orthodox Divines and so Maldonate the Papist do grant That Christ was called the Sonne of God because of that extraordinary conception Luk. 1. 32 35. for the Evangelist seemeth to favour such an interpretation because when the Angel had said The holy Ghost should overshadow the Virgin Mary he presently addeth Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonne of God Now though these men hold Christ was called thus the Sonne of God because of that extraordinary and peculiar way of the production of his Humane Nature yet they acknowledge his Sonship by eternal generation also But it is well observed by other learned men That it is an impudent concession to the adversaries of Christs Divine Nature to grant Christ is ever called the Sonne of God but because of eternal generation And therefore that expression Therefore also c. is not an argument from the Cause but the Sign That extraordinary conception was not a Cause but a true and sure Sign that he was the Sonne of God and therefore it 's said He shall be called not be the Sonne of God which relateth to the manifestation and notification of it And no doubt the Angel doth allude the ninth of Isaiah where a Virgins bringing forth a Sonne is made a Sign of his being Emmanuel God with us For if this extraordinary conception had been a cause of this filiation he would rather he called The Sonne of the holy Ghost then of God the Father because immediately conceived by him Neither is that of Maldonate true excepting against this interpretation That a pure man might have been so conceived by the holy Ghost and it would not follow that he was God properly For besides that it is a bold assertion to say so we must take this extraordinary conception in its circumstances as it was fo promised by the Prophet and thus it could not agree to any but to God 3. Neither is Christ called the Son of God because of his sanctification and mission into the word as John 10. 35. Nor 4. Because of his Resurrection from the dead His eduction from the earth as it were a womb to life being like a new birth Nor 5. Because of his being placed at the right hand of God Heb. 1. 4. For although in those Texts Christ is proved to be the Sonne of God by his Sanctification and Mission into the world by his Resurrection and by his Exaltation yet not so as if these did make him to be a Sonne So that he was not a Sonne before but by way of declaration and manifestation When these things were done there was a plain discovery that he was the true and proper Sonne of God he was the Sonne of God from all eternity but none could so rise and be exalted but he who was so And therefore the Socinians who make Christ the Sonne of God by degrees by his Incarnation and first and afterwards more perfectly a Son in his Exaltation do most palpably wrest the Scripture The Summe therefore of this Discourse is That as Christ was called the Sonne of man only because born of a woman so the Sonne of God only because by eternal
other helps no more than he will make you understand Greek and Hebrew Know then it is a very sad and almost incurable condition when the holy Scriptures do become a snare to us when we suck poison out of these sweet herbs Although indeed we cannot from the Scripture get any hurt but our own corruptions procure it to us because we bring the Scripture to our ends and affections not them to the Scripture Thirdly To the having of a well-ordered conscience There is greatly required pure aims and intentions For although a good intention cannot sanctifile an unlawfull action yet corrupt intentions will blast and defile the best actions Insomuch that if we had the gifts and parts of the ablest men yea of Angels themselves yet sinfull aims would be like Locusts and Caterpillars to devour this hopefull fruit But oh the unsearchable hypocrisie and deceitfulness of mans heart even in this very respect How ready is every Pharisee every Heretick and Papist to appropriate this to themselves How often do we find them professing to the whole world that it is not any outward advantage any temporal emolument that they look at or regard but the glory of God and that therefore they have much rejoycing because of this But if the counterfeit will bring such peace what will the real and sincere intentions of a man do And certainly though a man be cloathed with never so much glory in the Church of God so that we are ready to say not only a greater than Austin or Chrysostome but even than Paul or Peter For some have cried up the heads of their parties as having greater gifts than the Apostles themselves Yet without sincere intentions they are but as a tinkling cymbal This therefore is the life soul and the all in a good conscience But that will come in more seasonably afterwards Fourthly To a right ordered conscience whose witness may be received and comfort taken thereby That there is required the inward sanctification and effectual renovation thereof So that till this be every mans conscience is like a man himself a meer liar There is no believing of it no trusting of it When it is said Jer. 17. That the heart of a man is deceitfully wicked or crafty and supplanting a man This comprehends conscience as well as any part else For you have heard that original sinne is in this as well as in other powers of the soul So that in these two respects the natural conscience doth alwayes fail For either it doth not witness that which is right or not to a right end Insomuch that though a natural man is not to gainsay or contradict his conscience yet nothing lieth upon him more than to have his conscience rightly informed or regulated by Gods word What is the reason you see every civil man every formal man so applauding himself in his good condition It is because his conscience is not a spiritual conscience a Scripture-conscience for that would make him abhor himself and flie out of the Sodome he was in For in most things the conscience doth not witness the truth at all but it doth flâ—tter and deceive thee How seldom doth it tell thee thou art the drunkard the hypocrite the neglecter of private duties c Or if it doth then it is to a false end either to drive to despair and to flie from Christ whose blood only can cleanse the conscience or else to quiet it again by some superstitious usages and non-instituted remedies And this is the reason why so few are brought out of the troubles of their conscience into an Evangelical and Gospel way Know then here is the root of all thy misery thy conscience being unsanctified lulleth thee asleep whereby thou rejoycest in thy condition when thou hast cause to fear and tremble SERM. LXXXVI Further Discoveries of what is required to a well-regulated Conscience with Distinctions concerning it 2 COR. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience THere remain more particulars to be insisted upon which are requisite to make a well-regulated conscience whose testimony you heard is the cause of such unspeakable comfort And First There is in a peculiar manner necessary the witnessing and sealing power of the holy Ghost to and with our consciences The illumination and sanctification of Gods Spirit is not enough to make our consciences speak fully and clearly so as to have rejoycing thereby unlesse the Spirit of God doth also bear witnesse with it Hence we have them both put together Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God And therefore you heard that Bernard understood this testimony of conscience in the Text of a Testimonium percipientis not Perhibentis but they are both included For our conscience cannot give any evidenâ—e and sure testimony of the grace inus unlesse inabled thereunto by the Spirit of God and this is called The work of Gods Spirit sealing and witnessing with our spirits The Text is very famous and greatly agitated in the controversie about the assurance of our sanctification and salvation Grotius and some others neglect the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would have it no more than simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the word is not any where so used the instances of Grotius are against him Rom. 2. 15. For Conscience there is said to bear witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of God and so doth relate to his testimony We therefore conclude That the Spirit of God is here said to bear witnesse with our spirit only the difficulty is How this is done And 1. It is not done by any external voice and sound made in the air as Christ had when it was said This is my beloved Sonne Neither may we apprehend any immediate testimony by an extraordinary revelation as some have pleaded for but in a mediate way partly by exciting and inabling of our spirits to call God Father against that slavishness and servility which is apt to bear us down and partly by working in us those heavenly and holy qualifications by which we do certainly gather that we are the children of God Indeed the Papists make the testimony of Gods Spirit to be no more as applied to particular subjects though in it self they say it is infallible then a moral certainty by probable conjectures and signs But this is derogatory to the Spirit of God and taketh away all that Evangelical joy and holy boldness which we are allowed to have at the throue of grace This witnessing then of Gods Spirit is two wayes 1. Effectivè When it doth enable the conscience of man to cast off all legal terrors and tormenting fears and so in serenity of spirit to believe God is our Father And for this end it is called The Spirit of Adoption For alas take the conscience of the most holy man without this Spirit of Adoption How legal and timorated
not consider how severely it 's commanded insomuch that that very sin of not believing of not resting our soules upon the Lord Christ would damn us if there were nothing else How happy then is it and in what good forwardness are they for establishment who begin thus to be inlightened who are thus perswaded Though I cannot believe yet it is my duty to believe It s not Gods will that I should excruciate my self with these tormenting doubts I am sure to be damned if I go not to Christ the Saviour if I take not this way there is no way for me to take and thus we have got advantage when we are come thus far And that this may be done all those Texts which do either command faith or commend faith are very often in his minde 3. The minde of a man is antecedently wrought upon for establishment by illumination concerning the Evangelical way of grace wherein God doth vouchsafe all spiritual mercies to the broken in heart For the spirit of God doth not inable us to cry Abba Father till our understandings are opened to know that glorious Gospel-way Christ hath taken for to save the humbled sinners the sum whereof is this That it is in believing not in working Rom. 4. the Apostle argueth against all conceits of Justification by the works we do yea that Abraham himself though so eminent in holiness did not obtain remission of sinnes hereby and in other places the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works are made immediately opposite to one another It is then a special mercy of God to have the judgment of a man satisfied in this truth although the poor humbled sinner cannot yet repose himself in the bosome of a Promise though he doth nothing but stagger and reel up and down by fears and temptations yet this is no small proficiency to arrive at the certain perswasion of this Doctrine For we see in the Apostles dayes that this very Doctrine was called into question and is it not still by Papists and others arraigned as teaching men Presumption and Security and truly as the head of a man may invent many plausible Arguments against the truth of it so the heart of a man is naturally proud and self-righteous and therefore is hardly brought off from works to faith for faith seemeth not to have that activity for justification as love and other graces have though indeed that be the life and soul of all the primum vivens and ultimum moriens As it is with the roots of trees they have no sweetness nor comeliness in them when the fruit thereof hath Thus when good works are glorious and precious faith from whence they have their life and being seemeth contemptible But this order the spirit of God taketh before it is a sealing and a witnessing spirit unto us It is also an enligtening and teaching spirit and that especially in this grand truth which is the sum of the Gospel viz. that by faith and not by works we become justified before God and where his Gospel-light hath not taken place in any afflicted conscience for sin Oh the unspeakable temptations oh the wofull dayes and nights that they meet with When the spirit of God hath thus antecedently wrought upon the judgment then in the next place cometh this chief and special work of establishing and setling the heart And as it is in planting of a tree first the briars and thornes which cumbred the ground before must be removed and then the tree is planted Thus also it is with God while setling the heart of a man upon the Promises he doth first remove that which is prohibent and hindring of this confirmation and positively inables it to rest upon Christ even as the sun doth first dispel the darkness and then introduce the light The two Impediments to our establishment on the Promises alone are Presumption on the one hand and Despair on the other for those are the two Generals as it were under which all the other sinnes opposite to this way are comprehended The first is Presumption and that is the damnable estate of most men they are secure in their own condition they rest contented in their own righteousness and goodness Now these indeed are settled but upon a rotten foundation these have no changes no inconstancies of spirit arising from the fear that is in them but are therefore the more dangerous Such as these are the most untractable and unteachable both about the promises of God and their dependance on them you can no more remove them out of their Presumption than mountains out of their places the saddest subject in the world to preach upon or to preach unto for they have door upon door and bolt upon bolt that must be opened ere you can make any way for Christ or the Promises in their soules All the weapons taken out of Gods word are peesently dulled when they fall upon them like a bullet in a pack of wool When we come to such upon their sick beds we know not how to begin with them what to say to them for whatsoever is said they are confident it is in them and all this while its nothing but Presumption and spiritual security of soul The other is Despair with all diffidence and distrustfull fears that incline thereunto This I confess is not so common as the other We have very few that cry out of their sinnes fearing they are greater then can be forgiven But some there are that are ready to be swallowed up in this whirlpool When therefore God doth confirm the heart of man in the Promises both these sinnes are removed he is no longer a self-righteous man a self-full man he looketh upon himself as wicked and destitute of all and yet on the other side doth not despair in God though he doth in himfelf though he hath nothing of his own to stand upon yet Christ is his rock on whom he is setled Thus God keepeth his people from being Cains and Judasses on one side and proud self-righteous Pharisees on the other side SERM. CXXX Of Gods confirmation of us upon his Promises by his own grace 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth you with us in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe establishment of a Christian upon the Promises of God is only the work of God Man cannot settle himself no more than he can make himself There remaineth for the explication of this truth to declare wherein positively this confirmation by God doth consist and First Hereby God doth strengthen the heart in reference to the Promises by working in us habits of grace and some permanent constant Principles whereby we are carried out easily and delightsomly unto them The heart of man being originally and habitually corrupt is contrary both to the commands of God and the Promises of God which is greatly to be observed for the enmity indeed of our hearts against those holy duties which the
from Christ and that having begun in the Spirit they would end in the flesh We might instance also in several other Churches But as the Father said elegantly We need not drink up the whole Sea to know whether the water be saltish a drop or two will suffice Secondly This may be demonstrated from the relation and comparison the Church is adorned with in reference to Christ It 's often compared to Christs wife now the wife continueth a true wife and is not to be deserted unless for Adultery which breaketh the conjugal knot otherwise though she have many sad infirmities which may make the relation bitter and uncomfortable yet it doth not unwise her The Church is also Christs body now a body is not forsaken by the soul though it be a sore body a leprous body a leper is a man though a leper It 's Christs â—arden now this may have many weeds in it and many things defile it yet it is not presently made a waste wilderness Thus it is with the Church of God she may have many failings in Doctrine and manners yet not be quite unchurched Thirdly From a godly man A true child of God may have sad falls as we see in Peter and David yet for all this not be quite excluded out of the Covenant of grace they did not lose their sonship even in those sad transgressions and will God be more severe to a whole Church than to one person Use of Instruction what a deal of prudence and wisdome is required in every godly man under Church-pollutions To know what to do to understand how to deport himself for this he must be guided by the Word and the advise of those that are faithfull on the one hand not to be stupid or careless much less complying and communicating with the Church defilements and on the other side not to be so transported with misguided zeal and impatiency against evil as there by to rend the Church causlesly and to sin our selves because others sin SERM XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THis clause hath been fruitfull for much spiritual and edifying matter I shall conclude it at this time There are three things more which are to be deduced from this subject And First Whereas you see that the Epistle is not directed to the Magiâ—â—â— or Civil Governours of the City neither is the least notice taken of their wealth oâ— external pomp We may observe That the Church of God as it is a Church doth farre surpass all Civil Societies and temporal Dignities The Apostle owneth nothing in this famous City but their faith their profession of Christ and subjection to him A Church is a supernatural Society for supernatural and spiritual ends where God is in a more special manner present and therefore though the civil Magistrate be also of God and civil Societies they are of him yet not in that peculiar relation as a Church is Thus the Psalmist saith Psal 87. 2. The Lord loveth the 〈◊〉 of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jerusalem that is the Assemblies of his people met together in holy Ordinances above all other their civil meetings though never so pompouâ— and magnificent Therefore it 's good to consider that in all the inscriptions which the Apostle 〈◊〉 to any Churches he doth not at all speak of any civil or temporal Dignities that the places where the Churches were had but only â—…on of their spiritual titles as a Church Saints Believers Beloved of God And certainly if we do truly consider things these Titles do as farre transâ—â—nd all civil glory as the Heavens do the Earth The Apostle writing to the 〈◊〉 in all that Epistle takes no notice of the glory of that City which was the Orbis Domina and which they usually called aeterna Urbs he mentioneth their faith which was known to the whole world Rom. 1. 8. not the Roman and warlike power whereby they were so terrible to all Nations It is good to consider this for how few Churches do esteem of or judge themselves by their Church consideration but by their civil respects As they are such a City such a Corporation glorying in their Liberties and Charters whereas the consideration of themselves as a Church should far more possess their hearts Briefly to understand this consider First That the Church and Commonwealth or any civil Society are two distinct things the Church is one thing and the State another thing In the times of Heathen Magistrates and while there was outward persecution by the civil Powers which then ruled it 's plain for the City of Rome and the Church of Rome in Paul's time were wholly different So at Corinth the civil Magistracy of the Town did not seem to be Christians the Corporation of the Town was not as I may say made a Church The Christian Religion was not at this time established in Corinth by the City-Laws and Government only many in Corinth were become believers So that it 's plain The same Corinthians as they were a Church lived by other Laws and by different principles then as members of the City of Corinth As he was a Citizen so he met in their civil Judicatories so he acted according to the Laws of the City provided nothing was against Gods command but as a member of the Church there so they meet with others in spiritual communion for holy and spiritual ends Thus it is in a State while they are generally Heathenish But some have doubted Whether if a Commonwealth become Christian then there is any difference there between the Church and such a Christian State Whether then they are not all one But certainly by the first Institution and plantation of Churches by Christ and the Apostles Churches were founded and imbodied their Officers imploiment and the end of their Society appointed without any relation to the civil State and Government where they lived And therefore a Christian State doth not civilly govern nor bear the Sword punishing with death neither are there supream Governours Lords or Noblemen in it as a Church for then these should be Church-officers and instituted by Christ a Justice of Peace is not of Christ as a Pastor in the Church Neither on the other side are the preaching of the Word the administration of Sacraments the exercising of Church-censures the effects of a Christian State but as a Church So that it 's necessary by Scripture to acknowledge these two a Church and the State as two distinct Societies though the same men may be members of the same Secondly It 's a most blessed thing when the civil State and Church are
this Salutation Some think because the work of the Ministry meets with much malice and froward opposition from wicked men which made Paul pray that God would deliver him from unreasonable absurd men who are led only by humours and passions not by Reason and Religion Therefore seeing those that do faithfully discharge their trust meet with little favour and love from men hence it is that he doth in a peculiar manner pray for mercy to them Others they think the word is inserted because of the great difficulty of the Ministry it being a burden too heavy even for Angels shoulders Insomuch that Chrysostome thought Few Church-officers could be saved Seeing then the work is so great so much grace is required to manage it and the best have failings therefore they need the mercy prayed for But this by the way Come we to the Text. In that we may consider the Matter prayed for And the Efficient Cause from whom it is to come The Matter and Benefit is set down in two words which though but two yet comprehend all that a godly heart can desire the first is Grace the second Peace In the original there is a defect and therefore most do supply it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Translators Grace be to you Though the Apostle Peter in the salutations of both his Epistles expresseth the word and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be multiplied and so Estius would supply it here but there is no inconvenience to keep to the former Interpretation 2. There is the Cause of this which is two-fold God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ All these parts shall be opened as we take them in order only let us first take notice of the Manner and End of this Salutation in the general That it is not for any earthly or worldly thing but what is spiritual The Grecians they used commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Salutations as the Latines Salve and are relating only to temporal welfare And indeed the Heathens knew no better but the Apostle would lift up our hearts to higher things The Apostle James Chap. 1. 1. writing to the dispersed Tribes useth the word only Greeting which made Cajetan among other reasons reject it as not Canonical as if such a Salutation savoured of an humane spirit But this is no Argument For the Apostles gathered together in a Councel at Jerusalem sending a Letter to the Churches abroad use no more Salutation than that only in that we are to comprehend whatsoever is more expresly in Pauls Salutation Seeing then it s only spiritual things which Paul here doth wish to them Observe That spiritual mercies and priviledges are to be desired above all earthly and worldly ones what soever The Grace of God and Gospel peace is infinitely to be preferred before any outward advantage Psal 4. 6 7. when David had represented the natural desire of every man unregenerated Who will shew us any good He presently demonstrates the clean contrary disposition of those that are godly and spiritual Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and Thou hast put more gladness into my heart then they have had when their wine or oyl increaseth By David you may judge of all the faithfull they esteem more of the love of God and the sense or perswasion of this more than the whole world Let the prophane bruitish men of the world say as some did in Chrysostomes time whom he reproveth Give me that which is sweet although it choke me So let me have my pleasures my lusts though they damn me The godly on the other side if raised up to this heavenly transfiguration as it were to have the spirit of Adoption enabling them to call God Father and to walk under the light of his grace and favour they will say It is good to be here So that the desires and earnest longings of mens hearts do divide the world into two parts Some and they are only few who with David say As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so do their souls after God Yea Their souls break for the longing they have to God at all times But then others they seek the things of this world in the first place Let them have their pleasures their wealth their honours then with the Reubenites they will sit down and go no further because they see the Land is a good and pleasant Land never desiring to go into Canaan To open this Doctrine consider First That all the while a man is meerly natural and dead in his sins he is not affected with nor can he desire any spiritual mercy Even as dead men are not affected with pleasant sights or melodious sounds No wonder then though we do out of the Gospel shew such all the glory of Heaven yet they will not fall down and worship Christ because they are no wayes sensible or apprehensive of a better good Can a Worm that crawleth upon the ground live the life of an Angel or a man Alas that knoweth nothing but to crawl on the ground and feed on the dust of the earth Thus it is with every carnal man speak to him of the savour of God of the light of his countenance he knoweth no more what you mean than the bruit beast doth what reason is Besides sinne hath so infected and polluted the heart and appetite of every natural man that he calleth good evil and evil good he takes sweet for bitter and bitter for sweet That as the Swine loveth to wallow in its mire and delighteth in that more than in the sweetest garden that is Or as they say of those blind Beetles that live in muck and dung but sweet things do presently kill them thus it is with every natural man he is not only not affected but he is contrarily disposed to heavenly things Rom. 8. The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God The wisdome the best understanding parts and knowledge that he hath is as full of malice against holy things as a Toad of poison The Greek word doth not only signifie his intellectual but his practical wisdom and affection he doth not say He hath savoury knowledge of heavenly things Sapientia est sapida scientia And as Bernard Sapiens est cui res sapiunt prout sunt Heavenly things savour as heavenly earthly things as earthly But in every natural man his appetite and taste is wholly disordered he finds no excellency loveliness in heavenly things which yet to a gracious heart are matter of exceeding delight and ravishment Hence in the second place Till a man be regenerated till he be made a new creature and endowed with an heavenly heart he is no sutable subject for these heavenly things Every one then as he is affected and disposed so he judgeth if earthly then all his affections move that way if heavenly then they are turned the contrary way As you see in mixed and compounded bodies
we take Peace in the same sphere with Grace and as that did relate chiefly to spiritual things so also must this Peace in the Text. By it therefore is meant the fruit of Gods grace and favour viz. a quiet serene and calm joyfull frame of soul arising from the sense of Gods peace through Christ whereby we walk comfortably boldly and not daunted under sinne afflictions or death it self A most blessed and choice mercy it is putting a believer into an Heaven while he is on this earth his heart keeping as it were a perpetual Sabbath and rest within So that whensoever the godly find diffidence fears disquietness perplexities troubles and dejections of soul all this ariseth because this peace doth not prevail and keep all under in our hearts This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Peace and tranquillity of spirit some philosophers especially the Stoicks did greatly aim at and accounted it the chiefest good but being ignorant of Christ and faith in him they took the shadow of it for the substance Observe That peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a special and choice mercy To have an heart so evangelically affected through the apprehension of Gods love as a Father in Christ that as the young child can sleep sweetly and safely in its mothers arms So can we as boldly and comfortably by faith throw our selves into the bosom of our heavenly Father Oh why are there such tormenting fears such tumultuous conflicts such warres and confusions in thy soul when such a priviledge as this may be obtained at Gods hand But to direct you to this Peace which is a spiritual Philosophers 〈◊〉 turning all into gold if we have this peace then they are afflictions of peace exercises of peace yea death is peace then This quiets and composeth all Let us first take notice of the nature of it briefly And First This peace lieth in the favour and grace of God so that his anger and wrath because of sinne is wholly removed For where Gods wrath is upon a man where his face is set against him that man hath no peace Isa 57. 21. There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Therefore though wicked men are for a while in carnal jollity and in much security crying Peace peace to themselves as 1 Thess 5. 3. even then destruction shall suddenly surprize them The very Heathen could say of a wicked man That though he might be securus yet he was never tutus Though he might cast away all care and fear bidding his soul as Dives to take its ease yet he is never safe for in the midst of this security he heareth that dreadfull voice Thou fool this night thy soul shall be taken away Let then the wicked men tremble and quake like Belshazzar for they may see not one but many hand-writings not in a wall but in the word of God fore-telling them without repentance of their certain damnation This peace therefore begins first in Heaven and so descends into a mans heart God removeth his anger because of our sins he is become a gracious and reconciled Father and hence we have peace Therefore Rom. 5. 1. it is called Peace with God insomuch that if we had peace with all the Potentates of the world if we had peace with the world which yet Christs Disciples shall never have yet this is nothing to peace with God For how many have ventured to obtain outward peace as Spira and others by breaking this peace and thereupon have plunged themselves into a very Hell What peace can any in the world give thee if God cause his anger to break out against thee Secondly This peace as it doth consistin reconciliation with God so also it hath the sense and perswasion of this it brings a man to some comfortable knowledge and evidence of this For although Gods anger be removed our sins be forgiven and on Gods part all controversies are removed against us yet if we do not know this if we are not assured our hearts are us much troubled and disquieted as if God indeed were our adversary Hence it is that the Spirit of God is sent into our hearts enabling us to call God Abba Father For if we could not do so it would be as the Sunne though it casts forth glorious beams of light yet a blind man because he cannot see it it is all one as if it were midnight so unless the Spirit of God doth make thee to discern those gifts of the Spirit in thee as by the light of the Sunne we come to see the â—…e so also though God be our Father though we be his dear children yet if we are not assured of this still this peace is not in our hearts it must be therefore in Gods favour and our assurance of this faith Thirdly This peace therefore is not procured or wrought by our own strength If we would give ten thousand worlds when our hearts are seorched and burn like hell through the sense of Gods displeasure we are not able to refresh our souls with one drop of it That as all the men of the world are not able to make the Sunne arise if God forbid it Neither can the parched wilderness water it self till God prepare clouds to empty themselves upon it Thus it is with it â—…umble contrite heart praying groaning crying out for this blessed peace in soul Alas it cannot come till God command it Therefore he is so often called the God of peace Rom. 16 20. Heb. 13. 20. And peace is made the fruit of Gods Spirit Gal. 5. 22. Hence it is that the Apostle in this Text prayeth for it unto God as knowing the Corinthians can never have it unless it be given them from above This therefore should oâ—â— us of our selves think not to have it by any works thou doest think not outward advantages can help then to it No it must be by a lowly humble dependance upon God Descendendo in Coelum ascenditur Fourthly As it is wrought by God so it is purchased by Christ our Mediatour For although he be also the efficient cause of peace called therefore Isai 9. The Prince of peace and The King of peace Heb. 7. 2. yet he is chiefly called our peace because by him our peace is purchased Ephes 2. 14. Colos 1. 20. Hence it was that upon Christs birth those Angels sang Glory be to God on High and peace on Earth good will towards men So that had it not been for Christ living and dying to remove the curse of the Law from us there had been no more hope of peace for us than the Devils and damned in Hell Though with Dives we had called but for a drop of water yet the gulph being not removed between God and us we could not have enjoyed it It 's then a peace through Christs bloud we have it at a very dear price Hence Isai 53. The chastisement of our peace is said to be upon him
that chastisement and wounds which brought peace to us And truly this is much to be meditated on For what man considering his sinfulness his unworthiness can perswade himself that God will have any peace with such as he is Do we not see what a laborious work it is to bring the troubled and loaden soul to Christ for ease How many times ready to despair What constant qualms and swoons of soul How often with the Disciples crying out I perish I perish And is not all this because they think their sinnes have so offended God he is so provoked against them that they can never obtain reconciliation Doth not this proneness to unbelief and despair arise from not considering that the chastisements of our peace are upon Christ Were we with our tears or graces to work our peace then our estate would be incurable But Christ is our peace-maker and if peace-makers among men are blessed How blessed is our Lord and Saviour Christ who made peace between man and God Fifthly Faith is the hand to receive and imbrace this peace by believing we come to have this heavenly tranquillity Those that are strangers to this life of faith are also strangers to this life of peace Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God It 's faith that prepareth the way for peace Isai 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee in perfect peace peace peace as in the original full and universal peace But how shall he thus be kept By trusting and staying his mind on God So Isai 27. 5. God there inviteth men to believe which is emphatically called a laying hold upon God Let him take hold on me that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Take hold as we do upon a man that is turning away from us and seemeth to be offended with us but we lay hold on him intreating him to look upon us This doth faith and therefore by it we are said to have boldness Oh then acquaint thy self more with this life of faith If you see a tree wither in all its branches and boughs it is because it dieth at the root So if you see a Christian abating in his peace in his joy in his consolations it is because faith is weak within This is the breast that gives suck as it were to all the serenity we enjoy Sixthly This peace as it is thus wrought by God in us and received by faith so it is conserved and preserved by an holy and diligent attending to the exercise of all grace For although a godly life be not a cause of this peace yet it is alwayes conjoyned with it and our negligence and ungodliness will be like an Eclipse to this Sunne it will darken and obnubilate the whole soul Hence this peace and a wilfull course of wickedness can no more stand together than the Sunne and night The Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1. biddeth us Give all diligence to make our calling and election sure which is by adding of one grace to another Hence Rom. 8. 6. To be spiritually minded is said to be life and peace No wonder then if Gods own children do so seldom attain to a calm and peaceable frame they are doubting and discouraged often they are cast down and hopeless often they are full of tormenting fears often for whence is this but because Gods own people are subject to dulness slothfulness they break their peace they interrupt this communion they do not keep the oil alwayes ready to keep the lamp burning Oh then say to thy soul why am I a man of so little peace within me Why do I find like Rehekkah two strugling within me faith against diffidence joy against sadnesse hope against fear Is not all this from my own folly and vanity The way then to keep this blessed peace is to walk with all diligence in the whole course of all godliness Seventhly This peaceable calme and joyfull disposition of the soul is the proper effect and fruit of the Gospel This is the fiâ—al and Evangelical temper we under the Gospel and the Spirit of Adoption ought to walk in We may stand and wonder to see what great expressions Paul useth Rom. 8. and in other places concerning the love of God in Christ how consident and assured of it how triumphing over all difficulties as if he were in Heaven already For the glorified Saints can scarce say more than he doth And this he speaketh not in his own behalf but in the name of all the children of God they ought to have such peace assurance and filial perswasions as he hath Now alas we are like worms crawling on the ground in comparison of him We spend our dayes in tumults fears and disquietness of heart We are tossed from one temptation to another and have not this peace this joy unspeakable this Evangelical perswasion and why but because the Gospel hath not had its full work upon us Doth not the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. and in other places speak of the Ministration of the Law killing and condemning Doth he not speak of a spirit of bondage and of servants as opposite to children And as the immediate contrary to this he tels us of the Ministration of the Gospel and the Spirit of Adoption accompanying it which Spirit we are to pray for and are to be transformed more and more from glory to glory by beholding of the glory of God revealed in the Gospel Therefore Ephes 6. 15. We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace We tread among thorns and briars Now this Gospel munition is the only defence against all hinderances in our way to Heaven Oh beloved let us at last know that the Gospel doth not only consist in an holy exact and humble walking but in a chearfull peacefull and gladsome conversation arising from the sense of Gods grace to us in Christ The Apostle speaketh fully to this Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is not meat or drink but righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost You see here the Kingdome of God is not onely in righteousnesse but in this peace and joy Did the children of God possess their souls with this truth they would no more let in unbelief and discouragements into their soul then they would the prince of darkness and his Angels Know therfore that though thou hast lived so many years under the Gospel yet till thou obtainest this peaceable calm frame of soul coming from the love of God in Christ thou hast not the Gospel-work in its full upon thee Do not live as if thou hadst only received the Spirit of bondage to fear but the Spirit of adoption and consolation also And know this assuredly That the more any Christian groweth under the Gospel the more this dispensation affects him the nearer in communion and lovely imbracements by faith he cometh unto God as a
Father being able to say with the Church I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine And Cant. 8. 10. I was in his eyes as one that found favour or peace being conducted from one room of consolation unto another As therefore thou desirest to answer the Law of God in holiness and a godly walking so conform thy self to the Gospel by a peaceable and joyfull disposition The Apostle saith Rom. 10. 15. How welcome are the feet of those who preâ—ch the Gospel of peace And certainly there cannot be any truth in the world more precious and welcome to this indebted prisoner of sinne who groaneth under the burden of it then this year of Jubilee this year of peace and of a general releasment Matth. 10. 6. Our Saviour instructs his Disciples as they did go from house to house preaching the Kingdom of Heaven if they did meet with a Sonne of peace Peace should rest upon that house Oh that in our Gospel-Sermons we did meet with these sonnes of peace those hearers of peace that so it might rest upon them How can you be under the hot beams of this Sunne of righteousness displayed in the Gospel and yet be so chill and frozen with fear and unbelief How can ye be in the shop of this precious ointment and you not be full of the sweet savour of it Though the Antinomian abuse this precious Doctrine crying down the preaching of the Law and make all that do it to be legal Preachers Shall we therefore cry down a Gospel-disposition Neither of these is to be preached to the prejudice of the other SERM. XXVI A further Discovery of the Nature of true Gospel-Peace with the Effects of it and some Directions how to attain it 2 COR. 1. 2. And Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ WE are treating upon this admirable and unspeakable priviledge of Peace from God It is a Peace from God and it is a Peace with God You have heard several particulars going to the constitution of it there yet remain more In the next place therefore This peace here prayed for is a peace in heavenly considerations because our persons are justified our sinnes are forgiven therefore we have peace As Rom. 5. 1. there is an external worldly peace which the natural men of the world only desire let them live in peace and security let them have the good things of this world with the peaceable enjoying of them this is the utmost of their desire they think this is enough We see this notably Ezek. 13. 10 16. where the people desire such Prophets only that will prophesie of peace to them Peace is so loved that therefore wicked men do so extreamly hate the faithfull Messengers of God because they proclaim no peace to them they enform them of Gods wrath and vengeance against such now this cutteth them to the very heart They delight only in such peacemongers that though they go on in all wickedness and prophaneness yet you must tell them all is well sow pillows under their elbows that they may lie down in security Men that desire to sleep love not to hear any noise but the Peace in the Text is not bred from such base and low materials When the wicked man is deprived of his pleasure his profits then all his peace is gone but the godly doth many times partake in the most powerfull manner of this peace when they are in the most afflicted and wretched estate because this peace is within and upon spiritual grounds And therefore when the godly many times have most of outward troubles they do richly abound with this spiritual inward peace Hence it is that a gracious spiritual heart doth only prize it and pray for it The natural man not perceiving these things which must be spiritually discerned Secondly Whereas a godly mans trouble may arise several wayes this peace hath a proper antidote and cure in all these respects from what causes a godly mans disquietnesse and fears may arise from the contrary will his peace As for example a godly man is very frequently disturbed because of the sense of Gods anger for sinne because he is not reconciled such and such iniquities have provoked God to hide his face and this filleth him with all bitterness he will not be called Naomi but Marah but when this peace of God possesseth the soul then all these dark thoughts do presently flie away as when the Sunne ariseth the night is dispelled So that when thou thinkest of God and art troubled Thy meditation of him is not as Davids sweet but bitter this wholly ariseth from want of this peace for that will confirm and settle the soul in all references to God that will represent him to be a gracious reconciled Father Again A mans trouble may arise in his soul from the temptations and oppositions of Satan who when he cannot hinder Gods people in the exercise of their graces will in respect of their comforts So that as the Spirit of God is the Comforter one great work of his being to assure to enable to call God Father So the Devil he is the prince of darkness and he counter-works Gods Spirit As that is an holy Spirit sanctifying his people so he is an unclean spirit provoking to all sinne Again as Gods Spirit doth comfort and convince us of Christs righteousnesse being the Spirit of Adoption within us to deliver us from spiritual bondage and thraldome So the Devil he worketh oppositely to all this he filleth the heart with sad and unbelieving suggestions he endeavours to divide between God and us to make us afraid of him as being that severe Judge who will not in any wise be reconciled Thus he would perswade us that it is with us as it is with him and that there is no more hope for comfort and salvation for us than for him But this peace of God doth abundantly fortifie against this temptation also where this peace is the Devil doth not find the house swept and garnished but fortified and secured against him so that he cannot have any entrance This is the blessed effect of this spiritual peace that it overcometh the Devil he commonly entreth into the good tender heart by unbelief by fears by propounding doubtfull and anxious scruples and then draweth us into a wilderness farre off from God But this peace from God doth easily quench all his fiery-darts doth presently stop his assaults and maketh him not care for coming to us to graple with us while we have this spiritual armoury on In the third place Our disquietnesse doth many times arise from the reliques of original corruption within us The godly they find many sad discoveries and workings of the root of corruption within them They find that their hearts are not in such an uniform and heavenly way as they desire they often come short of what they endeavour after And seeing themselves thus foiled often by their lusts they begin to be full of
we look we are in strong pangs and agonies of soul The Devil also taketh his opportunity then to cast in all his fiery darts Thus when the soul of a man is filled with fear doubts seeing no way but hell and damnation at such a time God comes in with his best wine then God delights to speak to the heart of such Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul The Hebrew word signifieth perplexed thoughts like boughs on a tree intangled one with another that a man cannot part them such were his thoughts so intricate so enfolded one within another that he knew not what to resolve on what to determine yet the comforts of God did refresh his soul Thus new converts have many times more comfort then ever they shall have all their life time they needed them most then Again When the people of God have any great props and supports of comfort and joy taken away from them then commonly God comes in with more than ordinary comfort This makes him to be styled The Father of the fatherlesse and Judge of widows such who need help and comfort most When David was in danger of losing his life and Kingdom and that by his unnatural rebellious sonne Absolom when Shimei reviled him when he fled up and down with his Army with ashes on his head weeping and wailing as he went up the hill yet even at that time Psal 4. 6. he saith God had put more gladnesse into his heart then they could have in their harvest joy So the Disciples when they were to be parted from Christ he was not to be corporally present with them upon this how greatly did sorrow fill their hearts What should the sheep do without their Shepherd the Chickens without their Hen Yet saith our Saviour I will not leave you comfortlesse John 16. Christ would send his Spirit a Comforter in his room Thus you see Gods way when he taketh away the comfort of an Husband a Father a Friend he will be in stead of all these to us Those conditions which we thought would have broken our hearts he made even joyfull to us Lastly When God calleth his people to any high degrees of self-denial even to Martyrdome it felf then as their grief and fears would superabound so also their joyes ond comforts will be above them The Martyrs never felt such joy and delight in all their lives time as they did in a dark dungeon and in the flames of fire Therefore Gods children should not sinfully torture their souls with thoughts what if God should call them out to suffer to be imprisoned to be burnt at the stake Oh they should deny Christ over and over again prove wretched Apostates They must not judge thus according to their present disposition but remember that God will proportion strength and comfort to their exercises and give them Giants strength if he lay a Giants burden on them Fourthly God doth not only do good to his people in giving them joy but to shew how ready and willing he is the Scripture saith That it is a joy to God to do any good for us he rejoyceth to bestow his mercy upon us This is spoken after the manner of men to denote with what willingnesse he vouchsafeth his favours to us See what a wonderfull expression the Prophet useth Zephan 3. 17. while God is said to be in the midst of his people saving of them even because he doth thus he is said To rejoyce over them with joy to rest in his love and to joy over them with singing By this we see that while God giveth us grace and other mercies whereof joy is a chief one he himself rejoyceth therein Even as Aristotle observeth of a liberal man That he takes more joy in giving than he that receiveth the benefit can do in receiving of it God then giveth thee grace and joy not unwillingly not difficultly but he himself rejoyceth in making thy heart joyfull See a sweet place to confirme this also Isai 61. 5. At the Bridegroome rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Fifthly This joy God giveth believers is a spiritual joy Worldly joy is like the culinary fire which goeth out if it have not daily fuell but this is like the elementary that needeth no pabulum but continueth of it self without such additaments Though friends die though the creatures break under us yet this joy abideth the same still It is a spiritual joy because seated in the spiritual part of a man most So that we do not speak here so much of a sensible bodily joy but of that which is rational and seated in the soul It is true when the soul is greatly affected by way of sympathy and redundancy it doth overflow even to the bodily part of a man also but the Subject wherein this joy is immediately and properly seated is in the soul and heart of a man Hence it is that the heart is so often said in the Scripture To rejoyce in the Lord which is the mind and the will Therefore as a godly soul may truly repent when yet it cannot shed bodily tears so it may truly rejoyce when it hath not a bodily gladnesse upon it So that as the Wiseman saith of carnal laughter that even in that the heart may be sad So also though in bodily sadnesse yet the conscience of a man may have great tranquillity and joy It is also a spiritual joy because the motives of it are chiefly from spiritual objects It 's joy in the Lord and joy in the holy Ghost Luke 10. 10. Our Saviour commanded his Disciples Not to rejoyce in that they could work miracles and cast out Devils but because their name was written in Heaven It 's spiritual also in its operations For whereas worldly joy enters into men as the Devils did into the Swine hurling them headlong into Hell This makes the heart more active more fruitfull It 's like the Spirit to Ezekiel's wings like the wind that made the dry bones gather together and live It 's like Elisha's fiery chariot mounting him up into Heaven whereas grief and sorrow are like the wormes that eat into the wood and devour the strength of it Lastly This joy is given by God to believers though formerly great and grievous sinners For we might think such as have been the chiefest of many thousands in sinning and blaspheming against God though God should have pity and mercy upon them yet he should never give them any comfort in this life You would think their former lusts pride uncleannesse and excesse of riot should be like a mill-stone alwayes about their neck They should go mourning to the grave never able to remove their sinnes out of their sight but thinking they pursue them as close every moment as Asahel did Joab to damn us Yet even to such after God becomes reconciled with them God it may be giveth more comfort than to others Great
Christ what would become of a poor humbled sinner What terrour would compasse him about This powerfull effect of Christs death for death overcometh death is notably spoken of Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage A learned man Cocceius understands this of the Jewes especially who because of those many Ceremonial Lawes they were in bondage to were in continual fear of death because the transgressing of many of those Lawes God made capital they were to die for it hence they could not be but in constant fear of death But it seemeth more genuine to interpret more largely as an effect of Christs death to believing Gentiles as well as to the Jewes It is from Christ only that the terrible thoughts of death can be mitigated otherwise to a man not in Christ it is the beginning of hell But in the fourth place Though to the godly thus death is changed in its Nature The Serpent hath its sting taken out Moses need not runne from it it is only turned into a rod of a fatherly chastisement yet Nature cannot but tremble at the approaches of it The heart of that man who is most heavenly though he would gladly be in Canaan yet he is not willing to passe through this wildernesse to it he would be cloathed with immortality but is unwilling to put off this garment of the body We would be happy but we would not die As children cry for a new garment to have it on and yet cry while it is putting on so greatly is the love of life and the fear of death engraffed in the very heart of a man And so farre as this fear of death is only natural not immoderate it is of great use For First Hereby men do more patiently abide under their afflictions As long as it is not death they do the more willingly bear it Lament 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain If a man be greatly punished for his sinnes yet if God keep him alive he hath cause to be more patient Thus Satan thought Job 2. 4. Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will give for life Therefore he would have Job tryed in that Fear then of death is a mercy because hereby men may the more readily sit down under other afflictions that are not so bad as death When therefore men come to such high discontents as Ahitophel because his counsel was neglected or such despairing terrours of conscience as Judas did that they choose to die yea to make away them selves This as it is an heavy temptation and desertion from God so it argueth that by the fear of death men do patiently abide under their distresses but when they care not for this they voluntarily throw themselves into the flame of hell Secondly The natural fear of death is of great use in this respect That it doth keep men from the committing of many sinnes which otherwise they would securely offend in Hence God appointed in the Law the punishment of death for many sinnes And Rom. 13. the Apostle biddeth him that doth evil be afraid of the powers Because they bear not the sword in vain It is therefore the fear of death that maketh men keep within bounds of righteousnesse and honesty It is not the fear of God nor the fear of hell nor the fear of sinne it self but a bodily corporal death that restraineth men from sinne So that if men come to that height of obstinacy as not to fear death they are prepared for any impiety Vitam qui contempsit suam tuae Dominus est When the Devil would perswade Eve to sinne he telleth her She shall not die he giveth her hopes of life Thirdly The natural fear of death is thus farre advantagious That it maketh a man more thankefull for the mercies of his life for his food and raiment which go to the preservation of his life Therefore a godly man doth make advantage of this fear of death to stirre up himself to all thankfulnesse to look up unto God as knowing That in him onely we live move and have our being It is also from this fear of death that the godly are more quickned to improve the day of grace to be working while it is called to day Those that had made a Couenant with death they grew desperate Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die whereas rather to have concluded Let us pray mourn rnd repent lest to morrow we die If therefore the godly are at any time greatly dejected with the fear of death the thoughts of it are a great temptation they sadly complain that they cannot conquer those slavish thoughts the memory of death is bitter to them they cannot take any joy when they think of it Let them among other things remember to turne this water into wine by faith Let them make an advantage of this natural infirmity Doest thou fear to die Then be more thankfull to God for the dayes and years he hath given thee in this world Doest thou fear to die Oh then be fruitfull live holily make a good use of thy health that so when death shall come it may be only death thou shalt grapple with not death and sin also death and the anger of God with it Death enough is terrible do not thou make it fuller of horrour Fifthly This natural fear of death is very difficultly kept from being a sinfull fear It is very hard to regulate and order it aright so that in some respect or other it doth not go beyond its bounds It 's hard so to fear and not to over-fear Even the most godly have found this fear of death to be a great snare to them They have not done the good they should have done because of this fear They have gone against conscience wounded their spirits because of fear Abraham though he was the Father of the faithfull yet did use sinfull equivocation with Abimelech about Sarah from which many sad evils might have been committed and all was this sinfull fear of death Though a godly man be allowed to have a natural fear of death yet he must take heed of a sinfull fear This hath brought many into such grievous sinnes that the fear of their consciences about Gods anger about hell and damnation have quite swallowed up the fears of death at last the greater fear hath devoured the lesse To whom are woes and wounds of conscience by apostasie and forsaking of Christ but to those who have too excessively been afraid of death As we see in Peter and many others Our next work therefore is to shew when the natural fear of death goeth beyond its bounds and becometh sinfull SERM. LXV Of the natural and sinfull fear of Death How to discern between them and from whence the sinfulness of that fear proceedeth 2 COâ— 1. 8. So that we despaired even of life THis last aggravating
right testimony of conscience within them they have seared stupid consciences or they have deluded ones that make them trust in other things then Christs blood Do not most men rest in this that their conscience telleth them they are baptized they are made partakers of the Ordinances of God and this is all the witness they have But the Apostle Peter layeth an Axe to the root of this 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptisme saveth but then by a rhetorical correction addeth Not the putting away of the filth of the body but an answer of a good conscience It is generally thought to be an allusion to a Covenant or contract for so Baptism is wherein the person is asked Do you take God for your God Renounce the Devil and all the lusts of the flesh Now if a man can unseignedly and with a good conscience answer that he keepeth to baptismal ingagements this will save SERM. LXXXVII A Believer may be assured of the Uprightness of his Heart in the Performance of Duties What is required to such an Assurance 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity THe third part of the Text as it stands divided cometh under our consideration and that is the Declaration in particular of what was spoken in the General The General was The testimony of his conscience Now he sheweth the Specials wherein this is manifested and that is set down Positively and Negatively and Oppositely 1. Positively In simplicity c. 2. Negatively Not with fleshly wisdome 3. Oppositely But by the grace of God Before we come to the particulars and open the Greek words we must take notice of the certainty and sure knowledge Paul had of his sincerity For how could Paul glory and rejoyce in his sincerity if he did not know it yea so know it that his conscience with the Spirit of God did witness it to him And therefore this is one of those places that is brought in the controversie between Papists and us about the certainty of our being in the state of grace which Bellarmine indeed would enervate But his labour is in vain For what can be clearer then that Paul had a certain knowledge of his upright heart seeing he did make this publick testimony of it and take so much joy therein Neither doth Paul in this pretend to any extraordinary revelation as if he had some peculiar priviledge in this above others as when he was rapt up into the third Heavens but he avoucheth the testimony of his conscience which must be in an ordinary way From this we observe That a Believer may have a certain knowledge not only that he performeth those gracious duties God requireth but that he doth them with an upright and sincere heart Paul did not only know that he was diligent in preaching of the Gospel that he was faithfull in dispensing of the word of God but also that all this was done with faithfull and sincere respects We do not only know that we believe that we repent but that we do these things in the uprightnesse of our souls Bellarmine urgeth this much Though we do discharge the duties God requireth yet how can we know that we do them with an whole heart with a sincere spirit Many hypocrites say they are sure Yea saith he among the Protestants one is assured of his way and another of another Sect but we are assured that they are all deluded So that he concludeth Seeing all the Hereticks of this age boast of this certainty yet saith he even in their opinion many are deceived and in ours all are But we are to walk by the Scripture-light in this case And indeed this being a truth the knowledge whereof is obtained both by Scripture and experience the savoury work of grace and sense of Christs Spirit dwelling in us doth more to perswade of this truth then voluminous controversies This Question is best answered by diligent prayer and an heavenly life and therefore practical experimental Christians can speak more to this point then the most learned speculative Doctors unless they have a gracious broken heart as well as a learned profound head That a believer may be assured of the truth of grace appeareth by several examples and general assertions of Scriptures Examples as Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 2 King 20. 3. In Job who though under sad temptations both from God and his dear friends who charged upon him hypocrisie yet he would never let go the perswasion of his integrity David how often doth he professe his love of God with all his heart Peter when Christ asked him again and again he answered Thou knowest Lord I love thee John 21. 17. As for those places which affirm this truth I shall name one or two John 14. 17. Ye know the Spirit for he dwels with you and shall be in you And vers 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you What is clearer then As where the Sunne is there is light to see it so where the Spirit of God dwelleth and worketh in a man there is an evident discovery of it 2 Cor. 2. 11 12. What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man within even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God that we might know the things freely given to us of God By this we see that as the soul by its rational powers doth discover and feel the workings of reason and understanding within it self so also by those supernatural principles of grace infused into it it is able to discern and feel the divine and heavenly motions of a supernatural life within him The first Epistle of John doth in many places speak of this knowledge whereby we perceive that God is in us and we in him But I intend not to enlarge on this subject Let us explain this truth and consider What is required to cause this certain knowledge in us that we are sincere and in a state of grace and so by consequent that we are justified elected and shall assuredly be saved And First There is required A firm assent and faith of the truth of Gods promises which are in the general revealed in the Word as such as these He that believeth hath passed from death to life By faith we have remission of sinnes through the blood of Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven The promises also to such as do confesse and forsake their sinnes we are strongly to assure our souls of Yea not only the promises but the whole truths revealed in Gods word we are firmly to assent to by a vigorous faith For the lively actings of faith to its general objects do wonderfully conduce to the application of it to particular and special objects As men of quick animal actions are thereby more enabled to rational for seeing what is in
our estate For we see by the Popish objections yea and of many others against this way as if it did nourish security as if it were the great wisdome of God to keep every man in this life uncertain about his spiritual estate that so he may be kept in humility and fear I say by such plausible objections as these are a man hath made a good progress that can despise them all that is convinced it is his duty to press after this certain knowledge and also that God hath promised to give his Spirit to work this in us And that therefore if we complain of our fears and uncertain doubts we are to blame our selves who like the people of Israel do peevishly keep our selves in this wilderness if we consider those places which speak so universally that God hath given his Spirit to all those that are his sons whereby they are inabled to call him Father Is it not disputed Whether all that are truly godly have not this certain knowledge especially considering how the first Reformers went very high this way Hence is that expression of Calvin which may startle the Reader Lib. 3. Institut cap. 2. Sect 16. Verè fidelis non est nisi qui solidâ persuasione c. He is not truly a believer who being not perswaded by a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and mercifull Father to him from whose benignity he promiseth himself all things who doth not upon the confidence of the promises of Gods good will to him assuredly conclude of his salvation which he repeateth again But this will be better considered at vers 22. For the commands to this duty I shall only commend two places unto you 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of an unsound mind that have no spiritual skill and experience to know what is of God in you and what of the Devil what is of the Spirit and what of the flesh and nature in you Here you see this duty is commanded and that earnestly with ingemination and the Greek words do signifie that the truth of grace and the life of Christ in us is not easily found out We must take pains and exactly distinguish the bottom may be copper when the superficies be gold There are many resemblances of grace which are not grace That expression of Calvins is true though so much abused by Papists Reprobi simili ferè modo afficiuntur c. Calvin Institut lib. 3. cap. 2 do Sect. 11. That even some reprobates are affected almost with the same experimental sense and feeling as the elect are and therefore they must have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil As the Gemmary by his skill can find the difference between true metal and counterfeit The second Text is 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure Give all diligence This supposeth That the Christian who liveth carelesly and negligently who is not servent in spirit and vigorous in the actings of holiness is subject to many doubts and uncertain disputations about his estate Now it would be a vain exhortation to bid us Use all diligence for the attaining of that which is impossible This may suffice to shew it is our duty and truly we may be the more encouraged in the pursuance of this if we do consider the blessed and happy effects of such a certain knowledge of our selves For 1. Hereby we shall live With a quiet peaceable frame of heart David doth often professe the great tranquillity of his soul Ps 4. That he will lay him down and sleep because the Lord taketh care of him And Paul Rom. 8. doth confidently triumph That nothing shall separate him from the love of God in Christ This is an Heaven upon the Earth Oh the blessed estate of that man whose soul is alwayes on this Mount as it were of transfiguration This man is alwayes safe in the haven while others are tossed up and down with various temptations 2. This peace doth also breed joy and unspeakable comfort which the Gospel often doth speak of For want of this the people of God live not suitably to Evangelical principles They walk as if they were to be justified by the Law as if they were to look for righteousness by the Covenant of works whereas we are to consider that the Spirit of the Gospel is the Spirit of Adoption and that subdueth tormenting fears and overcometh disturbing doubts making him to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord. 3. This joy causeth Thankefulnesse filleth the heart and mouth with Hallelujahs unto the Lord. How can a child of God be thankfull for that which he questioneth whether it be in him or no The wonderfull effects of Gods grace converting of thee and discriminating thee from those millions of persons that on thy right hand and left hand fall into hell should overwhelm thee by amazing thoughts thereat But all this goodness and free grace of God is neglected not take notice of whilest thou sittest in the darkness and feelest no light Lastly This will be a great quickner of thee in the wayes of holinesse This will be wings and legs and all to thee The joy of the Lord is your strength Neh. 8. 10. If then thou complainest of thy barrenness thy deadness and lukewarmness in holy things examine whether this be not the root that lieth undiscernably under ground as it were that causeth all thy unprofitableness The Devil he labours to cut these Conduit-pipes that would convey all consolation to thee It 's against sense and experience to say This certain knowledge will breed laziness and carnal confidence as if the Sunnes beams would cause coldness No it cannot be Who laboureth more abundantly than Paul Who was more active in the wayes of godliness being like a spiritual Joshua subduing all the enemies of the Gospel before him And did not the love of Christ which he felt in his bosome thus constrain him Only take a Caution or two to prevent mistakes 1. This certain knowledge is never so glorious that it removeth all doubts and temptations neither is it alwayes permanent and abiding in us The people of God have their nights as well as dayes and the Devil is not only watchfull to deprive believers of their graces but also of their consolations Therefore be not discouraged if thou find the flesh combate against the Spirit in the way of comfort as well as of duty The second Caution is That although our constant and strict walking be not the cause of our assurance yet it is maintained and preserved in the lively exercise of grace To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manua and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which none knoweth but â—e that hath it
salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and afterwards was confirmed by others God bearing them witnesse by signes and many wonders So that now the things of Religion cannot be more abundantly confirmed to you than they are you are not to expect more powerfull means to convert you than have been used and this will make Hell seven times hotter for all ungodly and prophane persons who are so under these Gospel-dispensations SERM. XCIX Of the convincing Nature of Godliness in Ministers and private Christians 2 COR. 1. 13. For we write no other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust that you shall acknowledge even to the end THe Apostle having formerly asserted the sincerity and holy simplicity of his conversation and that more abundantly to the Corinthians lest this should be a vain boasting of himself and that in giving testimony of himself that would not be valid or sufficient He doth in this verse appeal to the very consciences of the Corinthians likewise So that not only the testimony of his own conscience but of their consciences also must needs justifie him And indeed this is a good demonstration of that uprightness which is within us when we can appeal to the consciences of others For although men especially such as are prejudiced and alienated from us may suffocate and smother as much as lie in them that they have any such convictions of our integrity yet secretly their consciences cannot but bear witness to us The matter then wherein he doth appeal as it were to their own consciences is set down in the beginning of the verse For we write no other things unto you c. There is one expression in this passage that hath much perplexed Interpreters and made them go different wayes it is that we write no other things unto you then what you do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read so we translate it and likewise many others Now this is wondered at by some yea by Calvin accounted Nimis fligidum ne dicam ineptum saith he in loc It is too frigid and absurd to make this the sense I write to you no other things then what you read c. For who doubted of that And how could any man read otherwise than he wrote saith Musculus Estius also doth confess that the rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye read did cause great perplexity to Expositors and therefore sheweth that Theophylact when he could not satisfie himself about that sense of the word did runne to another Yet there are learned men that endeavour to make a good sense of it though it be translated Ye read For Beza though he taketh notice of what Calvin saith against it yet followeth this translation and would make this Paul's meaning That he did not write cunningly artificially what they did read in the plain letter of the words that he did write he had no equivocations nor intended any delusions by his words Cajetan in loc he maketh this expression to referre to the former Epistle and also to this part of the second which we are now upon We write no more now then what ye have read formerly Therefore some render it in the preterperfect tense Others they make the general sense to be this Our words and our actions do agree we write no more than what may be read and acknowledged by all Though these interpretations may passe very well yet because the expression is not so full and proper to say We write no other things then what you read I shall rather go with those who say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it many times signifieth to read yet it doth also to take notice of to know to remember c. Indeed I find it not in this sense used in the New Testament but constantly for to read yet Varinus he maketh it to signifie as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To know to call to mind to remember to be convinced of a thing So that the meaning is We write to you no other things then what you know what you remember yea what ye are experimentally convinced of And thus it differeth from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which followeth and signifieth more For a man may know and remember yea and be convinced of many things which yet through some corruption within he will not acknowledge for that is when we do with a ready and willing consent approve and own such a thing The Pharisees were often convinced about Christs Doctrine yet they would not acknowledge it But the Apostle attributeth both these to the Corinthians for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Or Erasmus suspects it crept in for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things Vorstius preferreth that reading which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so paraphraseth If so be you do acknowledge but there is no necessity of this From the words thus explained we observe That a godly convincing life in a Christian especially in a Minister is of special advantage for many excellent effects Every Christian and much more every Minister are by their lives and examples so to convince that others may acknowledge verily God is with them verily the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in them This is no more then what our Saviour expresseth Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5. 16. that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Some make this exhortation given to Christians in the general Others to the Ministers of the Gospel in particular However by this we see that God cannot bear meer titles names and opinions unlesse there be an holy life accompanying of them he saith That they may see your good works not titles not professions not your ceremonious and instituted worship but good works good works then are necessary but such as flow from men enlightned by the Gospel-truth Many mistake about good works not knowing what the nature of them is and then Christ sheweth the end of these good works That they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven not that they may glorifie you and honour you We are not to do good things for applause and esteem neither doth he say that ye may merit a reward in Heaven Vain-glory and merit with self-confidence are the end why pharisaical men cause their light to shine before others but the Evangelical Christian he doth it That God may be glorified But let us cause the light of this Doctrine also to shine before you And First We are to know That godlinesse and exact holinesse hath a convincing and converting effect with it The sincere practice of it doth awe and conquer the conscience even of the vilest men Godliness is the image of God Now when God created man in that he gave him dominion over all the beasts of the field they stood in awe of him And thus where the image of God is repaired there it hath a convincing work upon the conscience of the
our knowledg true when it is conformable to the thing it self but then is the thing true when it is conformeable to the knowledg of God So that herein is the Infiniteness and excellency of Truth as it is in God manifested above that which is in man So that man may well respectively to God be called a lyar There is no truth in him Now because truth as it is in God is invisible and the same with his Essence and we are never able to cown to know Truth but by God Hence we have the Scriptures given to the Church as the rule of truth All truth is from God whether it be natural or supernatural When any of the Heathens have found out Truth it was from God even as all fashood is from the Devil so that when the Godly do lye 't is from the Devils temptation the Father of lyes Thus when wicked and ungodly men have uttered truth it hath been of God Now because Supernatural truth could not be discerned but by Divine Revelation and pacefaction Hence it pleased God to make known in his Word What is that truth which will lead us to Salvation So that seing we are not able to behold truth as it is in God we must look upon it as it is in his Word for God is the hidden Truth as it were the Word is the revealed truth Therefore whatsoever is Scripture we may conclude of it as sure and firm Truth coming from the supream truth If then ye ask as Pilate did another way What is truth I answer thee The Scripture is truth No men are true any further than guided by Scripture and led by the Spirit of God accordingly Oh that therefore you did more aw your hearts with the truth of Gods Word If that say sin will be bitter in the latter end though it may bring profit and pleasure for a while believe it against all the wicked men in the world and say I do more believe this Text this Place of Scripture than all which the wickedness of men may oppose against it 3. In that God is true Herein he differeth from man and is thereby opposite to the Prince of darkness He differeth from man Therefore it is said Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or Repent To trust in man is to lean upon reads Yea hence it is that because God only is Truth no pastors or Officers in the Church are to be believed any further than they bring the Word of God It was Christ alone God and man that could say I am truth Neither Austin nor Luther nor Calvin can say I am truth Not that therefore the Ministers of God are therefore to be laid aside because they are not infallible For God hath commanded us to hear them and to submit to them only we are not ultimately to depend on them The Church is called the Pillar of truth because she doth declare and hold out the Truth but she is not the Author of it We are then to conclude of all men that of themselves they have no Truth they need the Spirit of God to guide them therein And then hereby is an Opposition in God to the Devil As God is true so the Devil is the Father of Liés John 8. 44. when he speaketh of his own he speaketh a lye Now then consider how inexcusable every wicked man will be For on the one side Christ who is Truth it self he speaketh to the sinner to repent to reforme promising Everlasting Happiness to him Christ saith Thy sinnes have no pleasure no profit in them thou wilt finde them prove a lye to thee On the other side The Devil he tempteth thee contrary to Christ he telleth thee sin is sweet it is good and profitable to sin he biddeth thee follow the lusts of thy soul thou shalt not be damned for all that and now thou believest this Devil this Father of lies rather than Christ Oh how unsufferable is this how great is the Patience of God towards thee What hearken to the Devil before God But even thus Eve did at first she believed the Serpent more than God and thereby brought ruine upon her self and Posterity Oh that we could convince you enough herein that you may see with what madness and folly your sinnes carry you away while you listen to the Father of Lies who is the Adversary of your soules rather than Christ who mourneth over you saying Oh that such a sinner did know the things that maketh for his peace 4. From this truth of God Hence it is that we are so much commanded in Scripture to believe on him to trust in him and to depend upon him which indeed is a quiet and blessed life For what is that maketh thy heart like a Sea What is it that causeth one wave to rise up after another in thy soul Is it not because thou dost not depend upon this truth of God Were thy soul more assured here in the frame of thy spirit would be more joyfull Two Temptations amongst others there are wherein the soul cryeth out as in a Whales belly not knowing what to do◠whereas the confidence of Gods truth would presently satisfie the soul The first is In matters to be believed about the Doctrine that is delivered there For because that is wholly supernatural above our humane reason though not contrary to it hence it is that we have many fluctuations of spirit and our understandings are with difficulty captivated unto the Word of God Though these temptations about the Truths of Christian Religion are not incident to all the Godly and it is a special mercy to be preserved from them yet upon some they have come like a violent storm and therefore there is no way to stand disputing and arguing but to say God is true the Word is true I believe when I cannot dispute as one Martyr said But then a Second temptation which is like a continual thorn in the sides of the Godly is their Diffidence and distrust about the Promises of God They do not live and walk as if they were true So that never did any Heretick more subtilly cavill against the Doctrine of the Scripture than they do argue against the Promises of the Scripture Whether they be such as belong to the Church or to themselves To the Church when they read the Scriptures they finde such glorious and excellent Promises that they exspect she should alwayes have Halcyon dayes that her enemies should alwayes be vanquished but alas they finde experimentally the contrary They cannot see how Gods Words and his Works how his Promises and Providences do concurre together But the reason of this is from themselves They do not take a right way to understand the truth of God in this particular for these three Causes which commonly make the sense to erre about the Object although to speak properly the sense doth not erre but the judgment of a man discerning according to sence for
then Say Lord though I am noworthy to be helped yet thy promise is worthy to be made good O Lord though I have sinned yet thy promise hath not sinned But more of this in the next particular which is the Predicate in the Proposition SERM. CXXVI How all the Promises are confirmed in Christ 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us HAving dispatched the Subject in this Proposition we proceed to the Predicate that which is affirmed of the promises of God and that is their stability and immutability they are Yea and Amen with the meritorious or fundamental cause In him that is Christ Some indeed take the latter clause viz. in him they are Amen with relation to the final cause and so explain it of our duty that we are to set our Amen to the truth of Gods promises In the former expression is denoted the certainty and firmnesse of the promises when they are said to be Yea. In the latter our duty and what obligation lieth upon us in reference to them viz. that we should set to our seal of Amen giving our assent of confirmation and this will greatly redound to Gods glory Calvin goeth in this latter explication as being most congruous and adapted to the Apostles meaning Though he confesseth he will not be contentious if the common path be trodden in I shall therefore follow our Translators which seem to go the genuine way It is affirmed of Gods promises that they are Yea by that you heard the Apostle meaneth a constant affirmation and verity Hath God promised any good thing to an humbled soule This will alwayes be Yea God will alwayes grant it he will say Yea yea How comfortable would this meditation be to a gracious heart How often doth thy trembling desponding soul go into his presence fearing that God will give a Nay to thee Because thou art apt to change and to be mutable therefore thou fearest God will be so also Now the Apostle for the greater certainty sake doth double his expression to the same sense In him they are Amen In him they are Yea In him they are Amen The one is a Greek word the other Hebrew and it is to shew that both to Jew and Greeke the promises are confirmed in Christ For whereas the Jewes perswasion was That the Messias should come onely to their Nation therefore the Apostles dared not to preach Christ to the Gentiles till Peter was confirmed by a vision from above By Christ this partition wall is broken down so that the promises of grace are made to the believing Gentile as well as the believing Jew To the Gentile the promises are Yea to the Jewes they are Amen To this purpose the Apostle also Galat. 4. 6. speaking of the Spirit of Adoption which is sent into the hearts of believers addeth That thereby we are enabled to call him Abba Father Father for the Gentile Abba for the Jew So that whereas the believing Gentile might have doubted whether he being as a dog the childrens bread should belong to him Hereby is certified that Christ is a Christ to them the promises are promises to them as well as to the Jewes The word Amen is used sometimes nominally Thus Christ is called the Amen Revel 3. 14. These things saith the Amen well then may the promises be Amen in Christ seeing Christ is the Amen Sometimes it is used adverbially and so is to be understood by way of desire and wish Let it be so or by way of attestation and confirmation It is so Hence translated by the Interpreters of the Old Testament sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When it beginneth a speech it is a note of affirmation as often our Saviour Amen Amen I say unto you c. When it concludeth then it is a note of confirmation and in this sense Calvin and others take it as our duty by way of consent confirming the promise as you heard The Rabbines speak of a two-fold Amen a perfect Amen and an imperfect The imperfect Amen they make three-fold Amen Pupillum when one saith Amen to the prayer he doth not understand Amen subreptitium when a man saith it before the end of a prayer Amen sectile when a man saith Amen but distracted and divided in his thoughts so that he doth not attend to what he saith Amen And certainly this latter Amen most are guilty of that use to say it The words being thus explained the Observation is That in Christ alone all the promises of God are confirmed and made good Thus you have also at another time asserted by the Apostle Rom. 15. 8. I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promises made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy This is a notable place which the Apostle affirmeth with much vehemency This I say and the matter is this that by Christ all promises both to Jewes and Gentiles are confirmed The Jewes they were apt to thinke that by their own workes the promises were confirmed Yea how secretly doth this Pharisaical sinne lodge in our breasts as if the promises were performed not for Christs sake but our own sake This is that Ivy-sinne which adhering so close to our natures doth secretly consume and devour all Insomuch that we may say the whole Gospel consisteth in this truth and that the whole treasure of Christian consolation is bound up in this And therefore that we may both understand and be affected with it consider these things First By the promises of God we mean the promises of grace onely There is no grace to a sinner but through Christ and hereby we exclude the promises by works or the Covenant of works of which we spake the last day Although the Law doth continue still in its force to us Christians as it is a Rule to order our conversation by yet as it is a Covenant so it is abolished No man being able to plead eternal life by a Doe this but by believing and therefore the Law as a Covenant is so farre from being established or made good by Christ that it is directly opposite to him So that the Law and the promise are made by the Apostle two contra-distinct wayes of justification He that seeketh to be justified by the Law falleth off from Christ and maketh him to be of none effect Thus the promise by workes is contrary to the promise of grace through Christ yet there have been some alwayes in the Church who have endeavoured to joyn those things which God hath put so farre asunder and that is the Law and the Gospel the promise of works and the promise of grace by which confusion they have made void the grace of God For if Gods promise be not solely of the grace of God and every way of grace then it is not
if you ask Have all the sanctified persons of God this sealing Have none the sanctification of the Spirit but they must also have the witnessing of the Spirit I answer this Question because of great practical importance shall God assisting be handled by it self after the description hath been explained That which I shall here take notice of is That sanctification is necessarily presupposed to this sealing A great Prince will not set his seal to dung to make an impression there neither will God to an heart unsanctified For as in matter of Doctrine God will not vouchsafe miracles to confirm that which is a lie neither in practicals will the Spirit of God witnesse to that heart which is not made holy For indeed it should witnesse a lie in such a case informing such they are the sonnes of God when indeed they are the children of the Devil This order of Gods Spirits first sanctifying and then sealing is clear Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed Those eminent Divines who defined faith to be assurance making it the same with the sealing of Gods spirit are gravelled at this Text and therefore make this Objection If faith be assurance be the sealing how doth the Text say After we believed we were sealed To this therefore Piscator answereth not yeelding that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred Having beleeved as of a thing past but beleeving as in the present but there is too much forcing in this interpretation Others they consider of faith as it hath two parts Illumination of minde and fiducial assurance Now say they the Apostle meaneth by faith the former work of faith and so the meaning is After you were enlightned to know the truth you were confirmed and assured but that opinion making faith justifying to be an assurance that Christ is mine is justly refused It is plain then that when the Spirit of God hath in order of nature for in time they may be both together sanctified a man throughout whereby he is made a new creature then the Spirit of God maketh this glorious stamp upon him then he giveth him this seal as an honourable priviledge whereby he may know himself to be the Lords Even as in antiquity none might have seals but persons of honour and dignity So that the natural and unregenerate person is to stand aloof off thou hast nothing to do in this priviledge thou art not the man whom the great King of Heaven and earth doth purpose thus to honour We proceed in the Description and there we meet with the formal Nature of it wherein it doth essentially consist with the object thereof The Nature of it is In confirming and establishing the heart of a man For this is the chief and usual end of seals to ratifie a thing and to make it no longer uncertain and doubtfull And to this property doth the Scripture chiefly attend For whereas the soul though sanctified is apt to be in daily fears and doubts about Gods favour and grace towards it it fluctuateth up and down having no subsistency the Spirit of God cometh and consolidateth the soul inabling it to rest satisfied in this that God is his God that his sinnes are pardoned that he is become a reconciled Father in Christ And if you say Why do we not need the Spirit of God to do this Cannot we by our graces by our repentance and holy life sufficiently establish our own souls in peace No by no means we need the Spirit of God to comfort as you heard as well as to sanctifie and that for these Reasons First It is very hard for a man whose guilty conscience doth presse him and condemn him daily telling him that he hath deserved at Gods hands to be eternally tormented in hell not to thinke because God may doe thus that therefore he will do so In such terrours and affrights we look more to what we have deserved we look more to what God may do then what he will we are naturally suspicious and think the worst of God even as we doe to man If we have offended a man greatly and it lieth in his power to undo us we are never quiet we cannot but think when ever the opportunity is he will be avenged and therefore we dare not trust him Yea though we have given no just cause if others have taken up an unkind spirit towards us we expect nothing else from them but our ruine when it is in their power Therefore for all Saul's tears and good works to David yet he would never trust him Now although there be no cause for us to have such suspicious thoughts about God for he hath graciously promised that he will receive us insomuch as not to believe him herein is to give more credit to a man whose words many times satisfie us than to God who is truth it self yet the heart being guilty and full of fears doth work in this doubtfull manner about God How hard is it to bring the afflicted sinner to good perswasions about God and that though by promises and other wayes God hath so abundantly provided against such distrust Here then is the reason why we need the sealing of Gods Spirit we cannot perswade our selves but God will doe what he may do and what we have deserved And A second Reason followeth upon the former We can hardly be perswaded that the great and good things which we stand in need of God will ever bestow upon us who are so unworthy of them Can a beggars daughter be perswaded that a great King will marry her But here is a farre greater disproportion What will the great God of Heaven so holy so full of majesty look graciously upon me and not only forgive me my sinnes but advance me to eternal glory These things are very improbable Shall Joseph be freed not only from the prison but promoted to the greatest honour in the Land next to the King Who would have believed it And thus it is here the soul having low and humble thoughts of it self cannot be perswaded that the great God of Heaven will look upon such despicable wretches as they are 3. The way of evangelical confidence with the comfortable effects thereof are wholly supernatural And therefore no wonder if we need the Spirit of God to help us therein Not only holinesse and grace is supernatural but assurance and joy are likewise supernatural As we cannot pray without the Spirit helping our infirmities so neither are we able to call God Father If faith in Christ by which we are justified be supernatural then also is the comfort and peace flowing from the knowledge thereof As the Doctrine of the Gospel is by divine revelation flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto us that Christ is the Sonne of God so neither can flesh and blood enable us to the perswasion of this Mediator as loving me and giving himself for me Certainly if it be the gift of
God to have a dogmatical faith to be kept from heresie it 's no lesse to have this fiducial application with the sense thereof upon our souls Wonder not then if we make it the Spirits worke to have this assurance 4. We need the Spirit to confirm us because the flesh within us is full of objections and bringeth many plausible arguments against it Insomuch that what Bellarmine and other subtil Papists bring as Engines to demolish this foundation are very sutable to the corrupt heart For they think the heart is very deceitfull there is much hypocrisie I may think I do that for God which I do for vain-glory that I am humbled for sinne when worldly motives only afflict me Again flesh doth doth suggest there may be much unknown evil in thee thy heart may be worse than thou takest it to be Though the Sea seeme calme sometimes yet there are dangerous Rocks under the water and thus though outwardly there may appear much tendernesse yet there may be a rock in the bottome Furthermore the flesh may suggest Wilt thou be perswaded of Gods favour to thee in particular Is not this to enter into Gods secrets Is not this to climb up into Heaven in an arrogant manner Yea is not this the way to nourish security in thee and make thee presume of Gods favour though thy iniquities be never so many and grosse Lastly The flesh telleth thee of former sins thou didst once wallow in as also the present failings that thy own soul doth frequently condemn thee for Now are not these very plausible Do they not importune to diffidence And certainly these would overwhelme thee did not the Spirit of God overcome all and support thee against them Yea 5. We need the Spirit of God to seal us because the Devil is very busie and active in destroying this perswasion He knoweth that those who enjoy this priviledge walk with joy peace thankfulnesse with strength and activity in the wayes of God therefore to weaken them herein that their graces may wither he tempteth about their comforts that they may wither thus the Devil as he opposeth the Spirit of God in its holinesse called therefore the unclean spirit so he doth also in its comforting effects and therefore is called the tempter Yea 2 Cor. 2. we reade how active he was to have the incestuous person humbled for his sinnes even swallowed up with too much sorrow And do not many of Gods people feel this experimentally Doe they not see they should sink and fall into all horrour and despair did not the Spirit of God support Little doe the natural men of the world apprehend what the agonies and spiritual conflicts are which a tempted soul endureth in this case Lastly The Spirit of God must seal us because this assurance is not obtained in a natural way as if we had perfectly obeyed the will of God and therefore we merited pardon but it is by the gracious promises of God made to a believer though accompanied with infirmities Indeed if it were thus that we could purge out all sinne from our selves and be perfect in every good work then assurance would naturally follow as the Saints in Heaven because cleansed from all sinne cannot doubt of Gods favour but our establishment is more upon the promises of grace without us than any thing that is within us while we behold our own unworthinesse and are deeply humbled under it yet even then are we inabled to assure our selves of the grace of God towards us SERM. CXXXVI Of the Object Manner and End of the Spirits sealing 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe next particular considerable in this Description of the Spirits sealing is the Object about which it is conversant and that is said to be the Promises of Grace as belonging to a sanctified person in particular and herein doth the most expresse and efficacious effect of this sealing appear that it particularizeth the Promises of grace what is spoken generally that it doth bring home in a peculiar manner to our own breast What is it to hear of health if it be not thy health What of wealth if not thy wealth So what comfort is it to hear of a Christ if not thy Christ To know there are blessed and precious promises if they doe not belong to thee Doe not the Devils know in the general that Christ is a Saviour that there are excellent promises declared in the Word But they are miserable and wretched howsoever because not applicable unto them We may therefore divide Faith according to the object thereof First Into a general Faith whereby we are carried out to believe the whole word of God upon a divine motive whether it be the historical or comminatory part as well as the promissory Thus whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture though it be but an appendix to any History as that Sauls father had asses though we cannot call it an Article of the faith yet when sufficiently propounded to us then not to believe argueth a wicked and an obstinate spirit because we despise the authority of God and his testimony in that particular though but little Secondly There is a special Faith and that I call The worke of Gods grace for all faith is the gift of God whereby a man is enabled to believe the promissory part in the Scripture whereby he believeth this truth that Jesus Christ is a Saviour to those that believe in him And this the Papists yea and others too make all the faith that is required of us that this is it which doth justifie us but very absurdly Thirdly There is a particular Faith and that is When the Spirit of God doth enable us to receive Christ as our Christ to apply the promises as belonging to us in particular To say with Thomas My Lord my God And with Paul Galat. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me Such a particular faith is not onely possible but a duty of which much excellent and profitable Discourse might be made but I forbear because I am to treat of it God assisting upon another account Therefore for the present you are to know that this worke of Gods Spirit in confirming and sealing of us is especially manifested in this particular and appropriating way of the promises of grace as our portion Therefore it is said to cause us to call God Father which implieth our peculiar interest and propriety in him Doe not then be discouraged from this Canaan because of the Anakims that are in the way Fear not to call God thy Father though thou findest many discouragements within thee The Devil would not have thee taste of this honey But I proceed and the next particular in the Description is the Manner how the Spirit of God cometh thus to witnesse unto us how we come to be sealed and that is said to be First By the meanes God hath appointed thereunto This is very observable
the Rock followed the people of Israel in the wildernesse to refresh them this man may say verily God is here verily God is with me Lastly The Spirit of God doth give us Consolation by the antecedent workes of sanctification Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his But the godly they have received the Spirit of God And if the soul which is the spirit of a man manifest it self present in the body by its operations shall we not much rather thinke that the Spirit of Christ where it dwelleth in a man will make knowne it selfe Shall we have these coales of fire in our bosome and not perceive them Now there is an order in the works of Gods Spirit which we also must attend unto and not think to have one before the other The order is this the Spirit of God doth 1. Enlighten the minde 2. It doth sanctifie the will and affections 3. It doth witnesse and seale to us these blessed effects To looke therefore for consolation before sanctification is preposterous Oh how happy is it when the childe of God earnestly seeketh after all these effects upon his soule and that in the order God hath appointed These few qualifications may suffice by these and the like the Spirit of God doth confirme Onely you must know these doe but objectively offer themselves if the Spirit of God doth not rightly constitute our inward man and enable us all these blessed effects may be upon our soules and yet we be disconsolate as if we had them not Even as there may be pleasant flowers in a garden yet if we have not light we cannot see them So that the cause of assurance is more from the Spirit of God efficiently establishing the heart than from these qualifications which doe objectively onely declare themselves Even as in faith dogmatically assenting to divine truths the work of Gods Spirit is more upon the understanding giving firmnesse and stedfast adhesion than upon the motives of credibility in the truths themselves But what is necessary to a fuller clearing of this will upon another occasion be considered I proceed to the last thing in this Description and that is the final cause which is That under the sense of this we might live boldly c. I say under this sense For this sealing of Gods Spirit doth make such a divine impression upon the soule that we feele it and perceive it not indeed bodily as we doe the fire that burneth but rationally and spiritually in our inward man So that not onely grace is from Gods Spirit but the experimental feeling of it is likewise from the same Hence it is not to be called an humane but divine sense For a gracious constitution is required to feele what is grace and to discerne the effects thereof But I hasten This sense and apprehension of Gods sealing being thus experimentally in us we find a three-fold advantage thereby First We walke boldly confidently Insomuch that we can cry Father Ephes 3. 12. We have boldnesse and accesse with confidence There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are able to speake any thing in the presence of God whereas in fears and doubts our prayers are interrupted we question whether we may say this or that Secondly Hereby we walke comfortably Yea it is called Joy unspeakable 1 Pet. 1. 8. and Rom. 14. 17. Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The Kingdome of God is there said to consist in this Alas how contrary doe the people of God walke to this Text for want of sealing as if godlinesse lay in doubts in fears and dejections of spirit Surely the people of God are to bewail their ignorance and low principles in these things Thou makest thy self to be like an heir under age as the Apostle alludeth Gal. 4. 1. and so not differing from a servant whereas the Gospel-light and Evangelical principles set home by the Spirit of adoption should fill thee with liberty and exceeding great joy Lastly Hereby we also live thankefully never satisfying our selves with admiring and commending the unspeakable and unsearchable riches of Gods grace Two great gulphs the Spirit of God hath delivered thee out of the sinfull lusts and corruptions thou didst once wallow in and the slavish sad tormenting feares thou wast once almost overwhelmed with Oh what cause is here of thankefullnesse How sorry art thou that thou art no more enlarged That thou hast but one heart and one tongue to be exercised in this matter And the aggravation of all this is that we may be thus bold joyfull and thankfull notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary for they are many and dreadfull How many failings within How many temptations without What fiery darts from Satan And yet a sealed Christian is able to looke upon these with as much joy as the Israelites did upon the Aegyptian carcasses that lay dead upon the Sea-shore But if God should let open these flood-gates upon the most sanctified person he would be immediately swallowed up with them as Dathan and Abiram were suddenly in the earth And then Lastly You have the terme till which this sealing shall last and that is Till we are made happy compleatly in Heaven So Ephes 4. 30. We are sealed till the day of redemption This way of faith and assurance will then cease it will be turned into the immediate vision and fruition of God Then there will be no feares no doubts any more than lusts and corruptions How mercifull then is God that giveth us such manna in the wildernesse which will cease when we come into Canaan SERM. CXXXVII Whether all the People of God are his Sealed ones 2 COR. 1. 21. Who hath also sealed us THe nature of this sealing being largely described I shall conclude with an answer to that Question Whether all sanctified ones are Gods sealed ones for it might seem to be true of all seeing the Apostle speaketh universally in the person of beleevers who hath sealed us and Eph. 1. 13. those that beleeved were sealed there is no difference made neither are any exempted And not only by Scripture but by the testimony of many learned Protestants it should also seem so especially of such who defined faith to be an assurance for then if no assurance no faith To this purpose Calvin seemeth to speak on this very Text which Stapleten looketh upon as depraving the meaning of the Apostle Whosoever saith Calvin hath not the spirit of God a witnesse within him so that he can say Amen to God calling him to the certain hope of salvation he doth falso Christianum nomen obtendere pretend only to a Christian name not being so indeed To the same sense also in his Institutions lib. 3. cap. 2. par 16. Vere fidelis non est c. he is not truly a beleever who is not perswaded with a solid perswasion that God is a propitious and reconciled Father to him whereby he doth promise to
himself all things from his bounty By these passages you would think that unlesse a man hath this assurance that he is not truly godly yea that the very difference between an hypocrite and a true beleever lyeth in this particular about a solid perswasion of Gods love in Christ Then on the other side if you do consult with the experiences of these whom we have cause to judge truly godly we shall meet with few that say they have this sealing They have good hopes they will tell you in the favour of God and sometimes they finde such supports of soul that they walk with much peace and comfort but to say that they have ordinarily this sealing of Gods Spirit that they dare not what then shall be answered to the Objection I shall not in this place enlarge on it only I shall speak some things to satisfie the doubting soul in this Point And first You are to know That this priviledge of sealing is spoken of in the Scripture as belonging to all the godly There is none excluded It is the duty of every one to endeavour after it to make all diligence in prayer and in other means to obtain it We are not to conceive as Papists do that some may have it by a speciall revelation as Paul and other eminent Saints although we grant that whosoever hath this sealing hath it by a speciall revelation but not in the Popish sense that is the Spirit of God doth in a special manner evidence unto a beleever by the fruits of faith that he doth belong unto Christ This sealing then the Scripture speaketh of as a mercy vouchsafed to every sanctified person at least that he may be made partaker of it for not only the Texts fore-mentioned but that also Gal. 4. 6. doth demonstrate this truth Because yeare Sons he hath sent the Spirit of Adoption into your hearts Because you are Sonnes now a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia is a known Rule and Rom. 8. The Apostle speaketh generally The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God You are not then to think that this admirable favour is destined only for some choice servants of God No this scepâ—er is held out to every beleever such honourall his Saints may have But yet in the second place It is no wonder if the primitive Christians who lived in the Apostelical daies did partake of it more powerfully and plentifully then beleevers generally do in this latter age The Apostle in his Epistles might speak of this sealing as partaked of by all because then beleevers had a greater measure not only of extraordinary gifts many of them I mean but also of the sanctifying graces of Gods spirit They lived up to higher degrees of fervency of zeal of heavenly-mindednesse then ordinari y we do Again their conversion was more eminent and remarkable and that by the Apostolical Ministry which was accompanied by signes and wonderful miracles so that as their dogmaticall faith had greater means to heighten it then ours so likewise their salvifical and speciall faith They were wonderfully coverted from Gentilism both from idolatry and prophanenesse whereby their change was the greater and so were more sensible of Gods Spirit working upon them Lastly They were exposed to great persecutions they lived under constant tribulations there were no outward encouragements for them Now it's Gods way to vouchsafe this inward comfort and peace most to those that are bereaved of all outward Thus the Martyrs even in these latter daies did in a great measure enjoy this Sealing of Gods Spirit else they could not have been carried through those bitter trials with such unspeakable joy and consolatton as they were These things considered no wonder if the primitive Christians might have an higher measure of this sealing then we have although it must be confessed that even in those daies there were many hypocrites and several temporary beleevers who had only vanishing apprehensions in these great things not solid perswasions Thirdly Although this sealing be propounded in the Scripture as common to all yet it is not of the same absolute connexion with eternal happinesse as sanctification is without holinesse no man shall see God without this sealing a man may Insomuch that the promises of pardon and glory are not made to this assurarce and consolation but to grace and holinesse It is not said Thou shalt not be saved unlesse thou have this for if it were so then many of Gods Children had cause to be greatly amazed but it is not in the same way of necessity as sanctification is Seeing therefore it is more than a temporall mercy and yet not so high as an absolute spirituall mercy to salvation it is to be reckoned in the number of such mercies that are spirituall but yet not of peremptory necessity such are degrees of grace These are promised to the godly but not as absolutely necessary for then all beleevers should be equally godly but they are distributed according to the wisedom of God Thus it is also in this matter of sealing Hence in the fourth place Sealing doth not follow sanctification as a naturall necessary property but by divine appointment and order It is not as when there is fire there must necessarily be heat or as when there is the Sun there might be light only God hath appointed such an order There is a great aptnesse and fitnesse for sealing to follow sanctifying Hence it is commonly Gods way to make one follow the other but yet this chain may sometime be broken if God sometimes hinder naturall agents from their effects as when the fire did not burn the bodies of the three Worthies No wonder if in meer positive and instituted waies of God sometimes there may be an interruption made so that experience doth unquestionably demonstrate this that many truly sanctified ones may yet for a season at least want this sealing yea go bowed down and afflicted with thoughts clean contrary as if they had received the spirit of bondage only Their love is so farre from casting out tormenting feaâ— thâ—â— their slavish fears do cast out Evangelical love But how may this honey-comb cease to drop how may this Conduit of wine come to be stopped I answer First On Gods part for some speciall and peculiar reasons not known to us alwaies The Lord hath wisâ— and just reasons to leave his people in darknesse To bring them into the Whales belly as it were out of which they cannot finde any escape It was thus with Christ his only begotten Sonne that he might accompish the bitter work of redemption for us he was left to those strong agonies and fears the Scripâ—ure speaketh of he had not consolation nor joy when he cried out My God My God why hast thou for saken me his enemies gave him gall to drink and his soul tasted of gall within his enemies set a crown of thorns upon his head and he had sharp thorns
true but because it is the spirit that doth apply the promises to the soul and make us assured of them as he is called the holy spirit because he is the authour of holinesse But then Eph. 4. 30. there we are said to be sealed by the spirit denoting the spirit of God to be the efficient cause of it So that it is a blasphemous wresting of the Scripture by a Socinian when by the holy Ghost thus sealing unto us is saith he Smal. disp de promisso spiritus sancti meant no more than a sure hope of eternal life He denieth the holy Ghost to be God and a Person it is only saith he a sure hope within us but this is to confound this effect with the cause faith and love and hope are the effects of Gods Spirit they are not the spirit it self So that from hence viz. because the spirit of God doth seal us we may gather a sure argument that he is truly God for the spirit is said to confirm us and God is said to confirm us whereby it is implyed that to confirm our hearts is a divine operation as well as to sanctifie it It is true how the spirit of God is God and how it proceedeth from the Father and Sonne cannot be comprehended by reason It is enough that by faith we are to beleeve so for no wonder the doctrine of the Trinity is inexplicable seeing the nature of God is ineffable To this purpose Austin having discoursed about the Trinity concludeth that he perceived only he had spoken something of God Si autem dixi non est hoc quod dicere volui hoc unde scio nisi quia Deus ineffabilis est Quod autem a me dictum est si ineffabile esset non esset dictum ac per hoc ne ineffabilis quidem dicendus est Deus quia hoc cum dicitur aliquid dicitur fit nescio quae pugna verborum quoniam si illud est ineffabile quod dici non potest non est ineffabile quod velut ineffabile dici potest De Doctrinâ Christianâ lib. 1. But that by the way Lastly Here is the subject wherein and that is said to be in our hearts So that as God doth write his Law in our hearts Thus he doth also infuse his comfort and assurance which doth demonstrate the soveraign power of God over our hearts he can make them holy when he pleaseth he can comfort them when he pleaseth No Potentate in the world can do thus That heart of thine which is not in thy own power which no man can tame the grace of God can tame it that heart which thou desirest may be filled with holinesse and consolation God alone can do it The Observation is That grace wrought in the heart is a sure earnest of glory hereafter He that is holy here must needs be happy hereafter If thou canst finde grace in thy soul thou hast found the Pearl thou maist rejoyce not doubting but heaven will be thine hereafter The people of God are not only to look upon grace as grace but as it is an earnest of a greater happinesse yet how often do the children of God consider it without thiis respect what courage joy and holy boldnesse would it work in thee to think thou hast within thee that which assureth of eternal glory as if thou wert already in heaven This is a reviving truth that grace is an earnest of glory thou mindest grace as it subdueth thy corruptions as it maketh thy heart to be carried out more holily and delightsomely to God but then thou dost not attend to it as an earnest There is a great deal of difference between a shilling as a single peece of money and as an earnest it may be of twenty pound more to come Thus it is very much rejoycing to finde grace at all in thy soul as it is grace but it doth much more rejoyce as it is an earnest of more fulnesse Adam had grace the angels had grace but grace was not given them as part of an inheritance for they fell from it Let us consider two Texts of Scriptures where we have this earnest spoken of The first is by our Apostle in this Epistle cap. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of his spirit What is that self same thing he speaketh of it is a groaning and an earnest desire after immortality we would gladly be out of this burden here and in heaven yea as we groan and desire so we are assured and know that when we shall dye we shall go to heaven But now because these are things far above the power of nature we naturally are afraid of death we are unwilling to be taken from our relations we have not such assurance of heaven Therefore saith the Apostle He that doth work us frame and polish us for this great thing it is God We could never do it without his supernatural assistance But then how doth God work this admirable frame of heart it is by the earnest of his spirit we have the beginnings of heaven already So that as the Israelites by the bunches of raisons had some foretast of Canaan so have beleevers some taste of heaven by what they feel already and as Moses from Mount Pisgah could behold Canaan though he did not enter into it thus thou hast a sight of heaven and an entrance into it by the grace begun in thee The other Text is Eph. 1. 14. where the Apostle having said That we were sealed by the spirit of promise he addeth which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession We are not yet brought into heaven into Canaan We are yet in the wildernesse we meet with many dangers and temptations threatning us that we shall never come there but only this earnest doth assure us and satisfie us So that as among the Israelites an inheritance was not to be alienated from the Tribe in the year of Jubilee it would return again to the true owner Thus this inheritance of heaven will never be taken from thee Thou maist be in some dangers and fears of losing of it by thy unwise carriage but shalt not be deprived of it Before we enlarge on this subject it is good to take notice of the dissimilitude as well as the similitude for though grace wrought in us be compared to an earnest in this respect as it doth assure us of future glory yet in other respects it greatly differeth from earnest among men As in the first place An earnest in bargains is to assure the buyer that giveth it as well as the seller they mutually hereby are confirmed so that the buyer cannot honestly fly off any more than the seller But now when the spirit of God worketh this earnest in us it is only for our good it is that we may be assured and
weakest believer as well as the strongest Christ to be prayed to for grace and peace Jesus Christ is a Lord. Of a threefold blessing spoken of in Scripture It is a Christians duty to be much in praising God What goeth to the making up a thankfull spirit Motives to be more affected with spiritnal mercies than temporal Motives to bless God for all his mercies God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Propositions explaining how Christ is the Son of God How Christs being the Son of God is the foundation of a Christians comfort God is a mercifull Father to all his children What is implied in Gods being called the Father of mercies Of the multitude of Gods mercies Of the variety of Gods mercies Of the Properties of Gods mercies Who are the fit objects of Gods mercies God is a God of all comfort to all his children What is comprehended in that expression God is the God of comfort What is implied in the word consolation How he is a God of all consolations Propositions obviating practical and doctrical objections about the mercy or comforts of God Of the Calvinists Doctrine concerning Gods absolute Decrees and how they stand with the mercy of God God not only can but doth comfort his children How God comforteth his people God is a God of comfort only to believers God will comfort his children in all their affliction whatsoever Propositions explaining the Observation Several sorts of soul or spiritual troubles in all which God comforts his children How God comforteth his people in outward tribulations No Philosopher ever had the true grounds of comfort Gods children deficient in a two-fold respect concerning Gods comforts What are these good things that God hath prepared for those that love him to comfort them What grounds of comfort the Scriptures afford unto us Psal 102. 13. How God comforreth his children in all their tribulations though they often may be disconsolate Comfort not absolutely necessary to salvation There is a two-fold joy direct and reflex Joy is either spiritual or sensitive and corporeal Gods spiritual works upon his people are not only for their own but for others spiritual advantage Of the distinction of the Schoolmen of spiritual Gifts 1. Gratiae gratis datae 2. Grattiâ— gratum facientes The Gifts of Gods Spirit are better distinguished into Dona Ministrantia and Sanctificantia Gifts are encreased by being improved What are those â—…ice things wherein more particularly we are to be serviceable to others 1. Humiliation 2. The Knowledge of God and true saith 3. Temptations 4. Consolations Those only can make fit applications to others who have the work of Gods Spirit upon their own souls A two-fold knowledge of spiritual things 1. Speculative and Theoretical 2. Practical and experimental This speculative and practical knowledge of spiritual things differ in the whole kind All knowledge that is accompanied with some kind of affections is not an experimental knowledge All experimental workings upon the soul are to be tryed by the Scriptures How our experiences are to be judged by the Word 1. Are they from Scripture rightly understood 2. Are they from the Spirit of God 3. Do they make thee more holy and humble Reasons confirming the Doctrine 1. They that have not this experimental knowledge they have no skill to cure others 2. They can have any sutablenesse of of pity and compassion 3. Because such only are found reall and in earnest 4. Because such alone are faithfull It is a special duty in a right manner to comfort the afflicted Propositions clearing the truth 1. There are two sorts of troubles 1. Spiritual and inward 2. Outward 2. The afflicted need the help of others to comfort them though themselves be never so skilfull in the comsorting others Reasons 1. Because remptations darken the judgement 2. Because the sense of their grief doth wholly possesse them 3. Because the most eminent when in troubles are subject to much unbelief and frowardness 4. Because the Devil is then most busie Lastly God hath appointed Ministers and Christians as a means to comfort others 3. The dispensation of comfort to the afflicted is either Charitativè or Potestativè 4. What is required to the comforting others in a right manner 1. Knowledge of the temptation and disposition of the person 2. The discovery of sin and then the application of comfort The same grounds of comfort that revive the heart of one godly man may do so to another too 1. There are both general and particular grounds of comfort What are the general grounds of comfort 1. All afflictions come from a Father 2. The end is good 3. The advantages that come from Christ Of the special and particular grounds of comfort The grounds of the point 1. Because all godly men are of the same nature 2. Because all have the same spirit 3. Because promises are made alike to all The sufferings of Christ abound in us What is meant by the sufferings of Christ What is meant by the sufferings of Christ abounding What be these sufferings abounding in us The true and faithfull owing of Christ is sometimes accompanied with great sufferings Propositions declaring the truth of the Doctrine 1. A Saints sufferings may be as extensive as his comforts 2. At some time their sufferings abound more then others 3. To suffer for Christ is very grievous to flesh and blood 'T is a glorious and blessed thing to own Christ in the midst of sufferings What it is to suffer for Christ 1. Ex parte Objecti 1. It must not be for any sin 2. It must be for the name of Christ 3. For righteousnesse sake 4. For a good conscience What are the qualifications of those who suffer truly for Christ 1. Faith 3. Spiritual â—ortitude and heavenly courage 4. Holy wisdom and prudence 5. Patience 6. An heart mortified to all earthly comforts 7. Pure and holy motives As our sufferings are for Christ so are our comforts by him How our comforts abound by Christ 1. Efficiently 2. Meritoriously 3. Objectively How many wayes Christ makes his comforts to abound to those that suffer for him 1. By perswading them of the goodness of the cause why they suffer 2. By sorewarning of their sufferings 3. By informing us of his Sovereignty and conquest over the world 4. By vertue of his prayer put up in that very behalf 5. By instructing them of the spiritual advantages which come from such sufferings God doth proportion our comforts to our sufferings Christ alwaies accommodates himself to the capacities of his people The mercies of God do often overflow Reasons 1. Because God in all his administrations doth still regard his own glory not our desert 2. Because of Gods faithfulnesse to his Promises 3. Otherwise God in his expressions of mercy would be exceeded by man 4. Because otherwise Gods glorious and in his afflicting could not be obtained Object Answ Why God often denies comfort in trouble 1. To teach us that comforts are his gifts 2.
is it How slavish and unbelieving Hence is it that the people of God need so many instructions and informations Hence is it that they are often in prayers and groans unutterable ere they can truly and cordially call God Father They fear him as a Judge and flie from him rather as an enemy Even as if there be never such glorious and delightfull objects to refresh the eyes with yet if a man be in the dark he cannot take any pleasure therein Thus many of Gods dear children who walk with a tender conscience who are diligent in all the wayes of holiness yet have not this testimony of conscience to comfort them it is hid from their eyes only because the Spirit of God doth not enable them thereunto Now the Apostle telleth us 1 Cor. 2. 17. It is the Spirit of God whereby we know the things that we have freely received of God 2. The Spirit of God doth witness unto us Objectively as I may so call it and that is by some effects and fruits of his grace upon our hearts by which we gather as by so many sure signes that we are in the state of grace and not hypocrites But because this will come in more fully in the ensuing particulars I shall only touch upon those effects by which the testimony of our conscience is rightly guided in witnessing to us And First By having a full and serious purpose to avoid all sinne as it shall become manifested to us As David professed That he did hate every evil way Psal 119. 104. He that doth allow and indulge himself in any known sinne cannot have the testimony of this good conscience It is true as is to be shewed there is no man living though never so holy but his conscience convinceth him of much sinne and many infirmities and this maketh him so highly esteem Christ and a Gospel-righteousness but yet it doth not witness to him that he liveth in the customary acting of grosse sinnes if it doth the Spirit of God never witnesseth with such a mans conscience that he is the child of God No if thou livest quietly without the smitings and condemnations of conscience it is because it is stupid and the Devil hath deluded and hardened thee for Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience and by this effect that we have a tender respect to avoid all known sinne Secondly Another effect is A zeal for the glory of God to honour him to magnifie Christ and to set up his Kingdome as much as we are able The more zeal and fervency men have had for Gods honour the more powerfull testimony of a good conscience they alwayes enjoyed As we see in this Paul in his whole ministerial course with what burning zeal did he flame forth continually and on the contrary so much remisness so much negligence and lukewarmness so much is the abating of consciences testimony Thirdly An holy confidence and boldnesse in our approachings to God And of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. The Spirit of Adoption removing our fears our unbelief and dejection raising us up also with an holy confidence and humble boldness doth hereby testifie with our consciences that we are the children of God Hence the more distrustfull fears the more tormenting doubts that we groan under the weaker and more feeble is the witness of our conscience yea if those prevail and are predominant then our conscience is set against us and witnesseth against us and then the child of God is in sad desertions when his heart witnesseth against him that he is an hypocrite that he did serve the Lord without integrity For though this be false yet till Gods Spirit remove this darknesse and fill thee with an Evangelical confidence thou art not able to hold up thy head Fourthly Another effect by which Gods Spirit witnesseth with our conscience is An unfeigned love to the brethren a delight in all those that love God Where this is that thou lovest godly men for their godliness sake this demonstrateth thou art born of God and hast the same Image in thee as they have And if thy love also extend to thy enemies if thou findest that thou canst pray for them that curse thee do good to them that revile especially thou pitiest their souls and wouldst be helpfull to them in the way to Heaven though they are enraged adversaries to thee and that without cause By this frame of heart the conscience doth give a full and precious evidence Fifthly In daily and faithfull exercises of self-denial in the wayes of God doth the Spirit of God greatly assure the conscience In sufferings for Christ in enduring the losse of name liberty and liâ—e it self for Gods cause is the clearest testimony of our conscience Hence the Martyrs had so much serenity of spirit such unspeakable consolations because they found they loved Christ better than all things As they gave a testimony to the word of God called therefore Martyrs so God also gave them a testimony within whereby they did glory in tribulations and triumph over all aduersaries We see that if men suffer in false wayes if they be Martyrs for the Devil if they die for that which is highly offending God they many times glory in the comfort they have from the testimony of their conscience Now if a deluded conscience if deluded joyes can do so much what shall not the Spirit of God do sealing and confirming his love to us by our patient sufferings for him Thus when happily the world doth witness against thee wicked men they condemn thee and lay many heavy accusations against thee as the false Apostles did here concerning Paul yet this testimony with in will answer all and God doth come in with fuller evidences of his love in such passages of self denial Lastly The Spirit of God doth witness to our spirit in this blessed effect viz. When we do with delight and joy meditate think and speak about heavenly things when the Ordinances of God are matter of pleasure to us David doth often proâ—efs what delight he had in the Ordinances of God how the word of God was more precious than gold more sweet than the honey-comb Now when the heart is thus affected to holy things that they find more joy as David professeth Psal 4. in the things of God then worldly men do in their corn and wine when these increase By this excellent heavenly temper the Spirit of God witnesseth with our conscience that we are the children of God But I shall enlarge no more on this because the Doctrine of Assurance will follow upon the next words We shall now lay down some distinctions to clear this truth to you because it is plain That many times the people of God being cast down with black thoughts that cannot say with Paul The testimony of our conscience is our rejoycing And on the other side many heretical pharisaical and self-deluded persons will at least outwardly boast