sweet fruits even that by carnall men so much despised holinesse is the image and beauty of God stamped upon a christian the divine nature infinitely therefore above all earthly excellencies which perish with the using But what is the fruit of divine punishment when the visitation of the judge comes upon them either in that generall day of those great Assises or the more particular of his private Sessions some despaire as Caine Saul Iudas some murmure as the rebellious Israelites some blaspheme the name of God who hath power over these plagus some call to the mountains rocks to fal upon them cover them HeÌ„ce ariseth much comfort to every afflicted Christian even our affliction it selfe if we well consider it wil afford us no little help against the grief smart of it CHAP. V. What comforts a Christian soule may gather from affliction it selfe FIrst therefore is it a small comfort that this evil coÌ„meth not only from God as a Father but from the wisdom love faithfulnes of such a father The Lord in his gracious love determineth to do us good maketh an everlasting covenaÌ„t with us not to please our flesh blood but to do us good putteth his feare into our hearts that we shall never depart from him yea to delight in us to doe us good and in his wisdom knowing that there is in us naturally a deceitfull heart starting aside like a broken bow an evill and unfaithfull heart readie to depart from the living God such as when it was at the best soone turned out of the way which hee maÌ„ded he appointed his chastisemeÌ„ts as thongs to bind us to his feare and to settle us in his covenant in which consisteth our onely happinesse Can we thinke that God taketh any pleasure in the smart of his children If we which after our owne pleasure have no delight in the griefe of our infants oh then let our owne affections teach us that hee who is love who is infinit love doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men were not our necessity more then his pleasure wee should never taste of chastisement How then should we rejoyce if not in the smart of the correction yet in the love of the Correctour Shall a little Sugar sweeten and make pleasant to our taste many things which in themselves are sower and bitter and shall not the love of Christ which is better than wine which is better than life it selfe sweeten a light nay the most grievous affâ—iction Iustly may wee blame our taste that there is much flesh and little savour of the Spirit in it if Christ Iesus who is wholly delectable and his love which to us is the most delectable thing in him cannot take away the bitternesse of some gentle nay the most sharpe correction Secondly how soveraignâ— a Cordiall is it to an afflicted Spirit when hee remembers that all his troubles are eyther such as the world layeth upon him to draw him from God to it selfe or God layeth upon him to draw him to himselfe from the world Seeing both of them are the very portion of Gods children For the former persecutions of wicked men slanders reproches and the scofs of the world are ranked among chiefe blessings and are bequeathed by Christ as his legacie See Mar. 10.30 and we in such a case commanded by our Saviour to rejoyce and to dance for joy as being a most happy blessed estate For the other should wee not as much rejoyce in it For in these afflictions God is offered to us so is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as unto Sonnes Is there any gift in the world or is the world it selfe a gift comparable to God Seeing then that God offereth himself to us in these chastising afflictions how welcome should they be unto us and how great pleasure should wee take in them not for any thing indeed in them but for that which they bring unto us Is not their estate wofull who being in the visible Church and making no other account but to share the inheritance shall at length be found bastards and thrust out of doores like scornfull Ismael to their eternall shame and confusion Now such are all they who receive no chastisement from the hand of God who then would not comfort himselfe in that correctioÌ„ which is indeed for the time unpleasant to the flesh but yet even then to the spirit an evidence of an happinesse beyond all thought or time who would not with Moses rather choose to suffer affliction with the children of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season Another especial comfort we may receive from the end or purpose of God namely that his grace which he hath given us may be tried and so himselfe glorified Now this triall implyeth not onely the proofe or manifestation of it that others might take example by it and God might have glory but also a defaecation as I may say or purifying it taking away the rust soyle and filth which it gathereth by our corruption Thus in the first sense the Lord tried Ioseph by his affliction Thus Abrahams faith thus the faith of those three royall young men was proved or tryed Likewise that other kinde of tryall whereby as gold is purified in the furnace so grace in affliction is mentioned by the Apostle That the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold though it beâ—ried by fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory So Iob He knoweth my way and tryeth mee and I shall come forth as gold A speech worthy to be as indeede it is eternized for ever and fitly written down by the finger of that blessed Spirit by whose mouth it was also spoken The Lord saith that holy Patient knoweth all my wayes hee knoweth how dearely more than my appointed food I have occounted his Word hee knoweth that I have followed his steps yet he trieth me not because he is ignorant of any thing in mee for hee knoweth all my wayes but first that as in a furnace the most precious mettal leaveth behind it some drosse so I from this tryall might come forth much more purified and clensed from my sinfull steynes and pollution and secondly that I might be current in his kingdome even a patterne as well of his powerfull grace in upholding me as of patience to them which shall be herafter exercised by like afflictions A Christian who hath seene and loathed the filthinesse of his sinfull heart what will hee not bee willing to doe or suffer that he may have it cleansed Many weake women will endure much to mend some deformity in their bodies and shal not a Christian suffer the divels image to bee scoured off although it bee with smarting water that the beauty of God may be imprinted upon him But especially it should much refresh us to know that hee who hath guided us
complaine I know well that fervent prayer prevaileth much but I have no heat no life no fervour of prayer but in such duties find a wonderfull coldnesse dâ—lnesse and even deadnesse of spirit But let such know and continually remember that these feelings are very common to Gods dearest Saints on earth I am afflicted verie much saith David quicken mee oh Lord according to thy Word Nine severall times doth that holy Prophet call for quickning grace in that onely Psalme which evidently argueth much sense of spirituall dulnesse and deadnesse At such times therefore because the Word quickneth us let us shake ouâ— this heavinesse by some meditations on those grounds of prayer which we finde in the Word Now these grounds are either such as are within or without us Those within are first some feeling of a grievous defect and want secondly some apprehension of good in the things desired The outward are first the ability secondly the bounty of those whom wee aske Now as where in much want there is no feeling of any defect or if there bee sense yet no desire of supply there no man will seeke out for helpe So when all these concurre yet will wee not aske where either there is wrll but no power or much power but no wil to succour us But when a man findes at home nothing but want and beggery as wel want of all necessaries as want of strength in himselfe to procure them and this want stirreth up hunger hee will soone leave his owne bare walls to get reliefe of some rich and bountifull person And according to the measure of these grounds will be his diligence in using meanes and seeking help where there is much sense of much want strong desires of supply certaine knowledge of great ability and bounty in some neere neighbour there also the putting forth of meanes to procure relief wil be answerable Now then let a Christian whâ— desireth to sharpen his voyce in prayer wheâ— his heart with serious meditations 1. Of his desperate wants want of all necessary grace want of all power to supply it of himselfe Consider that thou art poore wretched miserable blind and naked no sufficiencie in thee to thinke one good thought 2. When thou hast taken a good view of thy many and grievous wants ponder well the necessity of the grace which thou wantest Remember the profit the sweetnesse the excellency of it that All things are dung and losse in comparison of the excellenâ— knowledge of Christ the vâ—rtue of his resurrection and comformitie to his death By this meanes thou wilt finde thy desires to bee kinâ—led within thee Then â—et before thine eyes that Father of Lights from whom as beames from the Sunne flow out infinite streames of grace and goodnesse toward his creatures weigh diligently that hee is rich infinitely rich to all that call upon him gracious infinitely gracious to those who seeke him in Christ. Men grow poore by much giving but hee the more hee gives the more he may No end of his store no end or beginning of his goodnesse insomuch that where hee once giveth there he ever giveth one grace ever making way for anotherâ— and the more thou desirest and askest the more welcome and the more excellent the things which thou beggest the more sure thou aâ—â— to receive them If Salomon aske wisedome hee shall have it with advantage of other blessings which he asked not how much more when thou askest holinesse Oh if thou aske Give mee thy selfe to be my Father give me thy Sonne to be my Head and Saviour give me thy holy Spirit to bee my life and quickner give me obedience to all How shouldst thou misse Thou which art a parent how willingly canst thou being thy selfe evill give good things to thy child though the more thou givest the lesse thou hast but if hee aske wisely things that are truly good not toyes and trifles how art thou delighted in his petitions how gladly dost thou give him with increase whatsoever hee intreateth How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to those that aske him Remember the example of blind Bartimeuâ— Hee feeling the great misse of his eyes and the discomfort of perpetuall darkenesse and knowing well that as in himselfe there was no helpe so in Christ as being the light of the world there was both infinit power and grace as denying none that came unto him laden oppressed never ceased crying Iesus thou sonne of David have mercy on me They discourage and rebuke him that he should hold his peace what then Did he sit downe and cease No but whetted with the remembrance of his own misery and Christ his mercy Cried out so much the more a great deale Iesus thou sonne of David have mercy upon mee Remember how earnestly and uncessantly he sued remember how he prospered in his suit Now goe thou and doe likewise Sharpen thy desires with serious meditatioÌ„ on thy wants set before thine eies this power and bounty of the Lord and then intreat beg sue importune his favour and never give him over till hee give thee in thy request Nor let thy spirit faint but know thou shalt obtaine as sure as God is true Thou canst not faile because he cannot be unfaithfull CHAP. XV. The application of this comfort by meditation NOw then when thou findest thy Spirit cast downe within thee rowze it up with some such meditation How is it my Soule how is it oh thou of little faith that thus in the day of trouble thou refusest comfort Hast thou not good leave yea a precious liberty nay a sweet command from thy gracious Lord Is any man afflicted let him pray Oh my my Lord Shall all flesh come unto thee because thou hearest praier And shall not I who have had so much experience how often thou hast enclined thine eare unto me shall not I call upon thee as long as I live In the verie day that I cried thou hast answered mee and strengthenest mee with the strength of thy right hand in my soule Can I then want comfort who have thine eare to heare me thy compassion to pitty me thy strong hand to relieve mee Is there no time untimely in prayer no season unseasonable but the time of affliction the very set howre of audience Psa. 50. 15. and shall I not then take hold of this privilege and use it with cheerfulnesse Oh my heavenly Father even I a sinfull wretch wil give any good thing to the childe of my body when he asketh But if he desire me to teach him things profitable his book his trade his duty to thee to my selfe and others how joyfully doe I heare him how gladly doe I instruct him how willingly reward him How then shouldest thou so infinitely good so beyond all that I can thinke gracious bountifull deny me thy poore creature begging of thee any thing that
and to thy glorious Father so that I poore worme dust dung even I might be one even as thou art in the Father and the Father in thee that I might be one in both Ob height depth bredth and length of thy love how incomprehensible is thy grace how heavenly my consolation And how hast thou wrought all this for me O my God my Lord my gracious Redeemer where shall I seek words or thoughts to set out this mercy wonderfull is thy love in all the rest and that my soule knoweth right well but in this how farre beyond all possibility of apprehension all expressions of wonder That my miserable mortality might be clothed upon and I be borne anew in the divine nature thou didst strip thy selfe of those robes of divine Majesty in which thou knewest it to be no robberie to be equall to God and wast borne in my weake nature and found in the servileforme of my fleshly infirmities Thou gavest thy body thou gavest thy soule for my sinne thou wast bound thou wast mockt thou wast scourged condemned nailed and dead on the crosse Thou oh mirrhor oh infinite miracle of mercy thou the love of the Father didst taste not onely gall and vineger but even wrath hel for me the child of wrath and brand of hell Oh my dead soule canst thou see all this and want coÌ„fort Can one cup of wine cheere thy heart and shall not such fruit of such a Vine fill thee with joyes unspeakeable and glorious Oh what is thy portion wheÌ„ such is the price what thine inheritance when such the purchase Rejoyce then oh my soule rejoyce evermore in such a Lord and such a love for whatsoever thou hast lost thou hast gained Christ lost but dung with him thou receivest whatsoever is truly good and partest for him with nothing but what in some respect is evill Have I lost Parents Children friends lands livings yet I have not lost Christ nor my Lord will not lose mee If I lose my life with the rest yet shall I not lose the life of Christ he is my life hee in life and death is my advantage Let Father Mother Brother Sister Wife Children forsake and hate me yet the Lord Jesus will never leave me never cease to love me and hee is better than a world of friends and kindred Oh my Lord to be in heaven without thee were exile but a sicke bed a loathsome prison with thee is an heavenly Paradise Why then should I be troubled seeing thou hast made mee to dwell in thee by faith and thou vouchsafest to dwel in me by thy blessed Spirit Onely thou my Saviour who hast loved mee to death make me ever to live in thee and in thy love thou who hast dyed for mee plant thy death in mee and burie my corruptions in thy grave Tho who wast crucified for me crucifie the world to me the flesh in mee and graft in mee the life of thy resurrection make oh make me to reâ—oyce in the fellowship of thy sufferings and in thy good time change this crowne of thornes into that of glory CHAP. XXI Comforts which flow from the holy Ghost AGaine with those former drawn from the two first persons of the blessed Trinity annexe the consolations of Gods holy Spirit who dwelleth in the faithfull Sweete and excellent are these comforts Neither is it in vaine that in specialty the holy Ghost is called the Comforter as being that person who is sent by the Father and the Sonne by himselfe to worke this effect in us Let us then remember that this blessed Spirit doth not onely dwell in us by his gifts faith love c. but personally which is evidently expressed Ephes. 1.13,14 You are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which or rather who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke cannot in ordinarie construction of Grammar agree with that of Spirit the one being of the neuter the other of the masculine but the gender purposely changed against use to shew that the person of the blessed Spirit is with us in us and so continues and stayes as an earnest of our inheritance and our full redemption in which respect wee are called his Temples 1 Corinth 6. 19. Thus also when the holy Ghost is promised us Ioh. 16. 13 14. our Saviour alters the gender and useth the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee the Spirit of Truth and againe he not it shall glorifie me to shew that the very third person of Trinitie is given us yet hee dwels not in us as sometime in the Temple made with hands but as the soule rather dwels in the body so doth the holy Ghost dwel in the faithfull quickening sustaining leading them on to the rest of their soules and Lieging with us Look as in the body the hart and Head produce life sense and motion by the vitall and animall spirits which being sent by them and diffused into every particular member quicken and move it So the Spirit of Christ flowing from him into his mysticall bodie fils every part with life sense and motion It is the Spirit saith our Saviour so his Apostle that quickens Therefore is he called our life and they that live in the Spirit walk also or move in the Spirit There is also spirituall sense a taste whereby wee perceive the sweetnesse of God of the grace of God and the word of his grace whereby the spirituall man savours the things of the Spirit a spirituall touch and tendernesse when the Lord takes away the heart of stone and gives an heart of flesh a spirituall eye whereby the spirituall man discernes all things a spirituall hearing delighting in the Word and promise of God more than any musicall harmony a spirituall sent whereby the verie name of Christ is as an Oyntmeâ—t powred forth Now the holy Ghost doth not onely worke this comfort in us by faith giviâ—g us power to apprehend things absent or to come but applieth them more immediately by this verie sense so that the soule shall even feele with joy unspeakeable the consolations of God flow into it Thus the blessed Spirit doth first speake peace unto us from God and then gives oâ—r spirits an open eare to heare his voyce and know our peace that so we may come to finde our selves children of God and heires with Christ. Thus he doth not only spread a Table for us and there sets forth that Bread of heaven in the holy Ordinances of God but gives us power to eate making them more sweete to us than the hony-combe and thus brings us on to more fulnesse of growth and eternall life thorough Christ. Hence commeth it that a Christian can rejoyce in tribulation because this holy spirit sheds abroad in our harts that love of God which is better than life and gives us so palpable a sense of it that it beareth downe all other feelings before it See
eyes of an afflicted Spirit dimmed and deluded in the mists of Satan True it is that the Adversary and his Antichristian Popish Teachers wrest streine al their wits to perswade men that this assured knowledge of thir election and salvation by ordinary means is a dangerous nay so provdly peremptory are they without all warrant a damnable doctrine encouraging men to all presuÌ„ption fleshly liberty HeÌ„ce the CouÌ„cil of Trent fastens an anathema upon it no marvel For that subtill Serpent knowing well how much labour of love and even contention in all holy obedience what readinesse to serve and fervour in their service this certainty of Gods favour brought forth in all the Saints contrarily what uncheerefulnesse and heartlesnesse in all duty springeth from distrust and doubtfulnesse strives with all his might either utterly to roote out or much weaken this assurance of faith whereby they hold fast the profession of their hope without wavering So his false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ joyne issue with him as knowing this Doctrine would not only quench their Purgatory but which is worse wonderfully coole their kitchin In the Epilogue therefore and conclusion of this discourse I will very briefly as in such a subject I may lay downe and handle these three propositions First That the faithfull by ordinary revelations may attaine the certaine and infallible perswasion of their salvation by Christ. Secondly That it is a Christian duty to labour for it Thirdly That this assurance is the gift of God which every one of his children doe not presently receive nor so retaine but that the sense of it sometimes may faile them And lastly I will set downe some meanes whereby wee may secure our soules in this assurance of our happinesse which is the Sunne of al comfort First then that a faithfull Christian may by ordinary without extraordinarie revelations by visions Angels c. bee fully assured of the life of grace already in his possession and of glory certainly reserved for him will appeare first by divers cleare Testimonies of Gods word secondly by the examples of the Saints thirdly by evident reason CHAP. XXIIII Proofe of Scriptures testifying in the faithfull a possibilitie to assure their salvation by ordinarie meanes FOr the evidence of this truth consider that discourse of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9,10,11,12 verses â— a place much wrested by Papists and grosly abused but as all the words of Wisedome Pro. 8. 9. plaine to him that will understand Thus you shal finde the Apostle affirme 1. That no eye hath seene eare heard or ever entered into the thought of man those things which God hath prepared for his chosen 2. God hath revealed even these things unto us by his Spirit for because no man can know the minde of man save the spirit of the man which is in him and those to whom hee unfolds himselfe in evident expressions much lesse can anie man know the things of God but the Spirit of God and they to whom that Spirit reveales theÌ„ therfore because our dull understandings cannot pierce into the secrets of God the Lord hath given us his Spirit to this very purpose that we might know the things which are given us of God Observe hence that God doth not only preordaine his children unto glory such as eye hath not seene c. but by a second gift of his Spirit manifesteth this his decree unto them which blessed Spirit openeth their eyes to discerne this grace bestowed not on otheâ—s onely but themselves To this testimony in the next place adjoyne that also in the Rom. 8. 15,16,17 which will both cleare and much confirme the former You have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but you have received th Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit himselfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ. Where marke a double grace and gift of God 1. That dignity and unspeakeable honor of being children and heires to himselfe and joynt heires with Christ which is conferred on all the faithfull not onely Apostle and others of eminent gifts and place in the Church but commonly on all those true Beleevers at Rome 2. That Spirit of bondage cauâ—ing feare is cast our and the Spirit of adoption even the Spirit of God is given themâ— but to what end even to witnes unto thâ—ir consciences that they are sonnes and heires of God and joynt heirs with Christâ— Now this is such a witnesse as neither can deceive or be deceived and this Testimony of the Apostle so cleare that even the great Cardinall the late Champion of Rome hath no shift for any defence which every childs eye will not easily pierce through Take a third from 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee kâ—ow if this earthlie house of our Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God not made with hands but eternall iâ— the heavens For in this wee groane earnestly desiring to bee cloothed upon with our house which is from heaven And in the 9 ver the Spirit gives us this reason For wee walke by faith not â—y sight where as the Apostle speaketh generally of the faithfull so also he mentioneth no conjecture no ghesse or flickering earthly hope but a plaine evident knowledge full of heavenly confidence even groaning in desire of dissolution that so they may bee cloathed upon And how commeth this knowledge by some extraordinary revelation no walking by faith not by sight and sense Lastly not to be as were very easie too copious in a matter often cleared see that testimony of another Apostle 1 Iohn .3 1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the sonnes of God c. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved now are wee the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but wee know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Carefully attend the Apostle Hee magnifies the wonderfull love of God and calleth us out with joy and admiration to take view of it especially in two effects 1. The glorious dignity to which he preferreth us namely To be his children 2. The manifestation of this our happy estate not indeed to the world which thinketh us the most abject of creatures but to our owne consciences so that we now perceive our selves to be children and though yet wee know not the parcels and particulars of that excellent estate untill wee come to enjoy it yet so much already we know not ghesse that when Christ appeareth wee shall appeare with him in glorie and be like unto him by that beatificall vision of God seeing him face to face Adde onely to this a further confirmation from the mouth of the same Spirit by the hand of the same Pen-man
mouth as the dissembler Ezek. 33. 31. when indeede his soule hates it at least some part of it but in thy heart He receives not the love of the truth 2 Thes. 2. 10. and therefore rejoyces not in the truth of God but in the lyes of Satan promising life without reformation but thou out of love to the Word even because it is a purifying word rejoycest in it especially that power of it whereby thy soule is washed and clensed from thine owne wickednesse The upright and dissembler both burne in zeale but thou findest thy heart angry and grieved not with some but al sins not with others only but most with thine owne whereby God is dishonored Lastly the hypocrite can thirst for Christ at sometimes when he is in the furnace as iron his heart for the present is softned but as soone as it is out of the fiery triall returnes to his hardnesse and indeed was onely troubled never changed But thou findest a deepe and unquenched thirst of Christ and his righteousnesse ever burning in thy soule so that even in the dayes of peace thy heart is ever sighing after him and esteemest him as the onely medicine for thy sicke spirit so the onely food when thon art healthy and strong In all of these may the faithfull soule easily perceive that hee hath outstript the hypocrite and left him farre behinde and is certainely entred into the true way of grace to glory CHAP. XXXII Removing that tentation which riseth from comparison with other Christians ANother ordinary tentation of Satan is when he worketh the humbled soule to compare the graces of some other with their owne and the meanes either common and equall to both or perhaps lesse to others who yet as he conceives outstrip him in grace and so to discourage and overthrow this worke of faith in him Oh sayes a dejected spirit I have had more time more seed more labour bestowed on mee farre more than such or such a Christian and yet how fruitfull are they But I how barren and bare in knowledge in faith in love c. how wonderfully have they outgrowne me But first let such a troubled heart observe that this depressing despising and condemning our selves in respect of unfruitfulnesse whereby we seeme to come short of others is an eminent grace of God unto which by promise he hath tyed all his other graces God gives grace to the â—umble And this is a certaine fruit of true humility Sâ—condly they are often deceived in their judgements For know this and remember it as a sure truth the more thou hast profited in grace and art enriched in this durable substance the more covetous will thy heart be of spirituall gifts When a worldling begins to taste the sweetnesse of earthly lucre oh how greedily doth hee thirst after it And though hee lay up treasure as dust gulp downe sinfull pleasure as water yet a dry dropâ—ie possesseth him The more he drinks the more he thirsts so is it with that soule which being weaned from this and in love with that world to come is fired with an holy and heavenly covetousnesse of spirituall riches The more he bags up of those evelasting treasures the more poore will he seeme to himselfe oh how good a signe is it when the riches of grace make thee poore in spirit when Christ speakes unto thee as somtime to the church of Smyrna I know thy tribulation and poverty but thou art rich For as it is a certaine signe that he who supposes he knowes beleeves loves much knowes nothing as hee ought to know that when we thinke we are increased in goods and want nothing then there is nothing which we want not Wee are wretched poore miserable blinde and naked so when the desires sayling to the heavenly Jerusalemâ— filled with the breath of that holy Spirit are carried so swiftly that they thinke the actions stand still and either move not or goe backeward certainly that heart which sends forth these desires is strong and fervent in the life of grace Thirdly if those whom thou thus preferrest before thy selfe were asked their opinion thou shouldst heare them heartily and earnestly professe and protest with sighes their many infirmities as farre preferring thee as thou them But withal and above all remember and apply to this purpose that common axiom That truth or substance is not capable oâ— more or lesse Suppose thy mis-conceit true that thou wert farre inferiour in grace to many who are farre younger in the life of grace than thou this hinders not but that thou hast the true life of Christ and his Spirit as well though not so full as they Neither in this life nor in the other the eldest are ever the strongest But as a childe or weake man troubled with much sicknesse hath as true and very life as hee that is strong and never tasted one sicke houre so the weake Christian held downe intentation hath as verily the life of God as they who have out-wrastled Satan and sinne and enjoy much liberty and enlargement of spirit Who doubts but that Paul after conversion though borne out of time excelled in grace many of the Apostles themselves yet were they not onely living but eminent members of Christ. Apply these things to thy soule and so cast out this wavering in spirit and those feares whiâ—h breed painfulnesse And then endevour to ground thy assurance and establish thy soule by some infallible and evident signes of thy election and â—alvation CHAP. XXXIII Containing some infallible signes of our Calling and Election MAny sure and evident markes hath the Lord Jesus Christ set upon his Sheep which as by the hand of his Spirit in the Scripture he hath graven so hath he by the same hand printed them upon us that considering our selves marked out by them we may come not onely to a probable hope but full assurance of faith that we are his chosen Flocke and Sheepe of his pasture who shall never perish never be plucked out of his and his Fathers hand Of very many I will insist onely upon some few First then read advisedly that Scripture 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should bee called the Sonnes of Godâ— And we know that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Hence in the first place it is evident that those whom the Father hath made children unto himselfe hee hath most dearely and everlastingly loved see also Ier. 31. 3. And againe that when wee know our filiation when wee are made Sonnes wee know also that when Christ shall appeare wee shall see him as hee is and bee glorified with him This then is cleare that when wee are children of God wee are eternally beloved by him and shal reigne with him in eternity But how shall wee know that we are made children Looke into the 9 verse of that chap.
IOY IN Tribulation OR CONSOLATIONS FOR AFFLICTED SPIRITS By PHINEES FLETCHER B.D. and Minister of Gods Word at Hilgay in Norfolke PSAL. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all LONDON Printed for Iames Boler dwelling at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1632. TO THE TRVLY HONOVRABLE MY MOST HONOred Cousins Sir WALTER ROBERTS Knight and Baronet and to his gracious Lady everlasting Consolaâ—ioâ—s of the Eternall Comforter SIR your very ancient Gentry doth not so enoble you in the eyes of the world as your new man in the sight of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that ancient eloquent Father The new birth is the noblest birth In the Creation Man was the first and last creature last in time first in place and dignily being made the Sonne of God and the great Favourite of heaven And now the New Creature though last borne as Iacob yet as Iacâ—b obtaines the birth-right and over-tops the elder The best Herald Gods blessed Spirit preferres the Beraeans as more Noble or best borne who received the Word with all readinesse of minde c. And surely if high bloud of Generous parents sets us aloft in the eye of the world how much more lustre among Christians will that immortall seede give you whereby you are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Now though I well know that the neare relation of fleshly Alliance and bloud which is betwixt us beside many other knots of friendship have tyed my heart long since unto you both in all unfeyned affection yet this spirituall kindred is a much dearer and nearer linke uniting my soule unto you in the bond of the Spirit so that I can truly say with that blessed Apostle I am affectionately desirous of you and willing to impart to you not onely this slender fruit of the Gospell but mine owne soule bebause you were deare unto mee I am confident you will receive this pledge of love with the same afâ—ection with which it is presented and therefore leaving these few Consolations to the application of that great Comforter and your selves with all your Olive branches unto the Vnction of that holy one and perfect growth of the blessed Spirit I commend the weake Author to your Christian love and prayers who while hee is shall ever be Your willing servant in the Lord Iesus PHINEES FLETCHER TO THE POORE in SPIRIT CHristian Reader Whosoever thou art who mournest and art humbled under the sense of spirituall povertie to thee belongs that blessednesse of the heavenly kingdome and strong consolations of that great Comforter witnesse he that bought it for thee and by his owne mouth hath bequeathed it to thee in his Testament But how cunning Satan is to hide this evidence from thy blubbered eyes wâ—ll neede no other testimonie then thine owne unquiet and dejected spirit The height of grace is rejoycing in the Lord and this is a joy unâ—peakeable and glorious and indeede a lesser heâ—ven upon earth Now that cursed enemie envies thee that thy future heaven but is raging mad that thou should'st even here also enjoy an heaven of joy in this vale of teares therefore employes all his policies and fallacies to hinder thy rejoycing and to hold downe thy heart in distrustfull feares and sorrowes Thou maist easily observe that none have beene more câ—st downe in this uncomfortable mourning then those who thou wilt confes have had most cause of rejoicing That Princely Prophet had the oath of God attesting by his holinesse that he would not faile David And I know thou wilt acknowledge that he was in the deepest mourning a blessed Saint and had great cause to rejoyce alwaies in the Lord yet was there a time when his soule lay groaning under an intolerable burthen of heavie discomforts He that when hee walked in darkenesse and had no light when not one sparke of earthly consolation shined forth unto him could yet stay himselfe on the Lord and could fill his heart in this wane nay ecclipse with the borrowed light of his countenance â—ven this Saint found a time when his soule refused comfort when even the remembrance of â—od his maine cordiall became his speâ—iall coâ—asive so that his spirit was overwhelmed with it Reade carefully that 77 Psalme and thou wilt confesse that thy troubles of spirit doe not equall at least cannot exceede his It is a constant practice of Satan to hold and rocke a carnall heart in all presumptuous quietnesse and rejoycing and if he may to keepe downe the beleeving soule in continuall unchearefulnesse and mourning I have desired therefore to publish this little Treatise which God hath blessed to some in private that if he be pleased to glorifie his power in great weakenesse thy wounds may be suppled if not cured and to give occasion to some Brother who hath more gifts and lesse employment to enlarge this excellent subject Remember thou that the joy of the Lord is thy strength Oh let not thy sorrow no not for sinne drowne thy rejoycing in that Saviour who is become sinne for thee that thou mightest bee the righteousnesse of God in him I know when thy soule is farre from peace thou wilt be readie to say My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord but remember the Lord is thy portion Remember It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And let thy heart be assured and in that assurance comforted that The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soule that seeketh Waite for thy Lord for hee will come and will not tarry Hee that testifies these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Jesus If you receive any profit let mee have some use of it in thy prayers Thy compassionate Fellow-member P. F. CHRISTIAN CONSOLATIONS FOR THE AFFLICTED SPIRIT CHAP. I. The necessitie of comfort in this life AS in this estat of mortalitie our weak bodies stand in coÌ„tinual need of reparation as well by Phyâ—icall purgations to dissolve and cast out ill humours which through distemper either of ayre or dyet have crept in upon us as continually by seasonable refreshings and some exercise to gather maintaine strength and health so and much more our weaker Spirits in this sinfull world so subiect to backsliding have much necessity of continuall comfort as well to raise up our fainting soules when they are staggering through unbeliefe as to under-prop and hold them fast when they stand by faith For Comfort in the large sense being nothing else but the fortifying the heart against the assault of evill it cannot be denied but that malicious enemy of man especially of Christian men holds every one in a straight siedge and failes not to make battery by all manner of engines against soule
and body with temporall and spirituall evils The most have most need of comfort but no sense of their need for they suppose they are strong and have need of nothing They are lusty and strong they are not in trouble as other men nor are plagued as other they conceit themselves all whole as those proud Pharises see no use of a Physitian but this strength is meerly imaginary and as a dreame only in their fancy and therefore but a castle in the ayre Even in earthly much more in the spirituall estate no man is so weake indeede as hee who is strong in his owne conceit this very conceit being as a traiterous warder to open a doore of security betray all to the enemie Others feele much want of comfort but want not so much as they feele for being strongly assaulted and finding great weaknesse they think all lost or very desperate and utterly forget that then they are strong indeed when they are weake in their owne feeling sense of weakenesse thrusting out importunate prayers to seeke for helpe and importunity of prayer never failing to bring in strength and succour But Comfort in the stricter sense being nothing else but a â—enitive plaister for a wounded Spirit is by our heavenly Physitian prescribed onely to an heart sicke of sinne and broken with godly sorrow To apply that Balme of Gilead to any other Patient we his Apotheâ—aries have no warrant but to administer it unto these wee have strait charge and commandement Certainly our most blâ—ssed Saviour purposâ—ly tooke upon him our infirmities that being himselfe touched with the â—eeing of our weaknesse he might be a mercifull high Priest most unlike those Pharisaical Priests by himselfe condemned They bound heavie burthens and gâ—ievous to be borne and laid them on mens shoulders but would not touch them themselves with one of their fingers But his yoake is light his Commandements not grievous and yet he beareth it first himself and receiveth the whole weight upon his owne shoulders As hee therefore commaÌ„ds his Disciples to take up their crosse and follow him and shuts out of his company all such as refuse as being unworthy of him so he takes it up first himselfe and either proportions the crosse to their strength or measures strength to them according to the cross which they beare First the curse he taketh altogether upon himselfe and beareth it off wholly from them Secondly he sendeth in that Comforter to them who shall sustaine and strongly carry them through and when by reason of sinfull infirmity they are ready to faint shall put new spirit into them And to this end he doth not only command his Messâ—ngers to rebuke sharpely that men may be sound in the faith the dead rotten flesh of our corrupt nature may be cut out but chargeth them to comfort for so signifies all that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordinarily translâ—ted exhort And as David sent his servants to comfort Haâ—â—n sâ— the Sonne of David our most gracious Savior sends his Embassadours to every afflicted and dejected soule and commandeth them comfort you comfort you my people Speake comfortably to Ierusalem As therefore wee are most willing to bring so must thou who art a Christian be as ready to receive this mâ—ssage I am one the least and lowest yet one of these Messengers and who are the Israel of God and his true suppose never so weak servants but those that desire to fear his name who shall be refreshed but hee that is laden wherefore hath God given a tongue of the learned but to minister a seasonable word to hâ—m that is weary and if wee are weary why doe we not accept nay greedily take hold of the refreshing offered whosoever thou art who groanest under the burthen of sinne and sighest to feele the fetters of thy strong corruptions whosoever breakest thy heart disquietest and vexest thy spirit in the sight and sense of thy rebellious flesh crying out Who shall deliver me from this body of death When wilt thou enlarge my heart that I may runne in the way of thy CoÌ„mandements know the Lord Iesus was purposely annointed for thee even to heale the broken hearted to set at libertie them that are bruised know that all the comforts of the blessed Spirit are thy portion and not onely the Minister but every member of Christ upon occasion bound to reach it forth to thee and charged to comfort the feeble minded Now therefore as the Lord hâ—th given mee an heart and hand desirous to distribute a word of comfort unto anâ— fainting Christian so the same God of all mercy and compass on give every weary soule an hand to take fast hold of it and to hold it fast to receive it reâ—dily and stedfastly to retaine it Verily to this end the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies God of all comfort doth comfort us in all our tribulation that wee may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Let not therefore the Consolations of God seeme a small matter unto us Comfort then in every respect is very needeful needfull for the Stewards of Christ faithfully to deale this portion to the afflicted and no lesse need have they to receive it But where saith the sicke soule oh where shold I finde it CHAP. II. Where comfort is to be found even in all things and first in affliction it selfe SUrely it is not the least of our miseries which sinne brought in upon us that with the losse of all spirituall comfort wee lost also all knowledge where to seeke finde it How easily can we by our taste discerne the best meates and drinkes how easily can we learne where and how to procure them but in what consisteth our true comfort the strength and solace of our poore naked miserable Spirits and where to search for it we are wholly ignorant blind as stones nay worse wilfully blinde What foole will let downe a nett for fish in the mountaines or set a toyle for Deere in the Seas Doe men looke for grapes of thornes or figs of thistles yet this madnesse is common to natural men who thinke to finde strength in vanity and comfort in vexation when seekes a rich man for shelter against the evill day His wealth is his strong City an high wall in his conceâ—t Where doe worldlings search for and hope to finde joy and solace in their Wheate and Wine The Epicure comforts and cheers up his soule Eat drink and be merry thou hast goods laid up for many yeeres Nay the drunken Hog thinks to drinke downe sorrow in his swil-tub Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall dye Come and I will bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as
The Prophet knowing this confesseth I know that of very faithfulnes thou hast afflicted me Contrarily the punishment of the wicked is from the wrath of God as an Enemy The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men which with-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse Vpon them that disobey the truth shall be indignation and wrath Thus when the Lord had set down the great provocations of that rebellious people he infers Fire is kindled in my wrath and shall burne to the bottome of hell I will make thee to passe with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not for a fire is kindled in mine anger whâ—ch shall burne upon you The second difference is in the subject Divine chastisement is proper to the children of God but punishment bâ—longeth to rebels God scourgeâ—h every son whom he receiveth but bastards are without correctâ—on which is more evideÌ„tly taught us in that word of the original there rendred chastise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sonne or childe Reason also will further confirme it For correction being the cutting off the offence that the offender may be reconciled belongeth therefore to children But punishment is the cutting off the offender that others may take heede and beware and therefore is due to rebels and traitors The third difference is the finall cause or end unto which these afflictions are aymed The end of chastisement is amendment of life whence it receiveth the mine of corrâ—ction which signifieth to set righâ— or strait Before I was afflâ—cted I went astray but now I keepe thy wordâ— As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Another end is trial and exercise of our faith love patience and other graces Hence afflictions called a fiery triall to prove us So another Apostle calls tentations The triall of our faith Consider also that saying of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1.6.7 Looke as by some paynefull worke in putting forth the strength of the armes legges c. for the overcomming of some difficulties the body is exercised the sinewes and other organicall parts much confirmed the vital and all the members not a little strengthened so when our faith love patience or any other member of the new man is employed in any spirituall actions wherein some fleshly Combatant is vehemently opposed certaine is it that howsoever for the present there may follow some sense at least of weaknesse yet even the grace so tried and the whole inward man gathers much comfort and activenesse from such fiery trials For it is the very exercise of the spirituall man yeelding excellent fruit to those that are exercised by it For as trees shaken with the winde are better rooted so grace after a storme is more firmly setled PatieÌ„ce is wroght out perfited by tribulatioÌ„ grows fruitful in experieÌ„câ— wheÌ„ we grow highin our own conceit and begin to be exalted above measure then this affliction as a pruning knife tops our pride abaseth us in our owne eyes and humbles us under the mighty hand of God Remembring the gall and wormewood my soule is humbled within mee Thus when Peter arrogantly preferreh his faith and love above all his fellow Apostles and all men If all men be offended because of thee yet will I never bee offended strooken downe with that triall and sifted hee left his swelling conceit behinde him in the sieve and laying aside his comparisons answereth in a more modest streine Simon lovest thou mee more then these Lord saith hee thou knowest that I love thee So also that choice vessell of God was kept downe by the buffeter of Satan nay even the assurance and increase of our glory is intended and wrought by afflictions But hath the Lord any such end in the punishment of the ungodly No but for this cause have I appointed thee that I might shew my power in thee The fourth difference is in the adjunct The assistance of Gods holy Spirit with streÌ„gth comfortably to beare whatsoever is imposed is ever adjoyned to chastisement God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able but will give the issue with the temptation that you may be able to beare God comforteth us in all our tribulations This we evidently see exemplified in Iob who being assailed with al maner of temptations yet was even mightily supported by that powerful Spirit by whom in the middest of that fiery furnace which like that of Nebuchadnezzar was heated seven times more than usual he was strongly sustayned in faith Though he slay me I will trust in him He shall be my salvation I know I shall be iustified I am sure my Redeemer liveth Contrary the punishments of the wicked are no way lightned by this blessed Comforter and therefore they instantly sinke under them as Saul Caine and Iudas Observe this truth in one instance Peter is apprehended imprisoned bound with two chains between two souldiers All this breaketh not his rest he sleeps stroÌ„g light could not awake him till he was smote on the side by the Angell hee knew the next day was his last yet see how soundly he sleeps when he awakes he sees a sudden great light but without any feare This rest came not from flesh and bloud but that blessed Spirit speaking peace to his soule in Christ gave him power to say and doe with David I will both lay me downe in peace and sleepe for thou Lord only makest me dwel in safety On the otherside Saul was at liberty had a stroÌ„g army had ofteÌ„ vaÌ„quished those enemies yet no sooner hard of death that by the divel the father of lies but fals along on the earth was sore afraid and there was no strength in him and though he could not but be very hungry as having eaten no bread all day and night yet refuseth to eate Whence came this feare from naturall cowardise nay certainly Saul was a man used to dangers and naturally of more courage than Peter a poore Fisher-man but the cause was The Spirit of the Lord even in his ordinary gifts as valour c. was departed from Saul how then could any strength be in him The last difference betweene chastisement and punishment is in the fruits of them There is no fruit comparable to that of divine chastisement He chastiseth us for our owne profit that wee may be partakers of his holinesse It bringeth forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnes to them that are thereby exercised This momentarie light affliction causeth unto us a most excelling excellent so is the original eternall weight of glory Now what can all the world boast of in the least degree comparable to this I call every christian soule to witnesse that all is dung and losse in comparison of these
mysteries which we ordinarily call Sacraments Thirdly Prayer all of them fitted by his wisedome to our necessity and excellent helpes as well to preserve the sound as to heale the bruised heart For Prayer is as the opening of a festered wound and letting out the filth of the soule that corrupt core of the old Adam which filleth it with payne anguish The Word is as the playster which applying the death and resurrection of Christ unto the sore as well rotteth and draweth out the sinful matter as also quickneth the sounder part and causeth the spirit to grow and wax in health and strength The Sacraments are as Roulers binding on keeping close and fast the playster to the paâ—â— affected Of all these something would be noted severally but briefly To begin with the Word I purpose not to gather thence all those comforts which are every where stored up in it this taske would take up al the time of Methuselah It shall be sufficient evidently to demonstrate first That God hath given his Word to be a comfort to his chosen and secondly wherein generally it may be applyed unto us as a soveraigne Cordiall Neither doe I intend to distinguish between the Word written and preached the substance being in both the same aud the difference onely in the meanes and manner of conveyng it unto us the one being as the Salve in the lumpe the other as the same Salve spread and applyed Sufficient is it that whether it bee delivered by hand or mouth it is our comfort in affliction and that which quickneth us When wee are ready to perish in afflictâ—on it is our delight Oh when the spirit of a man is wounded with the sting and vexed with the smart of sinne when being strucken with the curse of the Law it is sicke at the heart striving and strugling for life with hellish agonyes How sweet then are his promise unto our mouth more then honey unto our taste Looke as a weary and fainting Traveller stifled with dust and melted with heat is revived with a coole streame and gentle breath of ayre so the soule of an humbled sinner tyred and tormented with fiery temptations is wonderfully refreshed with those sweet breathings of the blessed Spirit and these waters of Life flowing from the Sanctuary As are cold waters to a weary soule so are good newes from a farre Countrey Never did the chased and embossed Hart so longue for the rivers of water or more greedily plunge or bathe himselfe in them when he had found them as the afflicted Conscience pursued by Satan and hunted by the cryes of his owne lowd sins thirsts pynes and even faynts for those joyfull newes of peace brought downe from heaven Now to this very end was the Word written That wee might have comfort from the Scriptures And therefore are wee commanded to comfort one another with those words To this end was it put into the mouthes of Gods Messengers That they might administer a word in season to him that is weary who are therefore with a fearefull adjuration straitly charged to comfort for so signifieth that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English exhort And verily therefore themselves are ordinarily more exercised with afflictions and in them sustained and comforted by the blessed Spirit that they may be the better experienced and more able to comfort the afflicted so that their affliction is for others consolation Certainly whether we consider the Word of God without us either as a Torch or Lamp going before us in these darke and slippery wayes or as a Guide behinde us when we are ready to turne out of the way to the right hand or left or whether we consider it as a Seed within us immortall to beget us unto eternall life and fruitfull to feed and sustayne us in it how great in all these particulars is the consolation which a weary soule receiveth by it Is it a small comfort to a weake and sliding fooâ— travelling in a darke and dangerous way to have a light before him directing where to step and tread safely Is it not a great vexation when wee are journeying in a vast and perillous desert that wee neyther know the way nor have any hope of direction Oh when wee are wandring as Ioseph seeking for his Brethren travelling in a search for the Lord Jesus stragling in a solitary way seeing no print of any foot before us how welcome then would any man of God be unto us who would set us in the path which leadeth to Life and that Lord of Life Can we account it a light blessing that the Lord went before his people in a pillar of a Cloud by day and a piller of fire by night through that roaring wildernesse till they arrived at that land of Canaan But how much greater a mercy doth God vouchsafe us in allowing us so perfect a Guide which shall never leave us till wee are brought unto himselfe and to our eternall and glorious rest which is not onely a piller of fire or cloud to point out the way unto us but a store-house also filled with all needefull helpes to supply us in the way and furnish us in all our wants and necessities Are we hungry it is our food Are we thirsty it is a Well of Life Are wee stung with that fiery Serpent it holdeth out the braâ—en Serpent unto us Are we assaulted with strong enemies It is the sword of the Spirit wounding that crooked Serpent and keeping off those Principalities powers and spirituall wickednesses in high places Are wee resisted in our possession by these cursed Canaanites whose stature and wals were up to heaven our sinfull corruptions It is the mighty ordinance of God to batter downe these strong holds and high towers exalted against the knowledg of God and to bring every thought in subjection to Christ. But above all the rest how sweet a comfort is it that even in the horrours of death and agony of temptations we comfortably finde and feele it in us as a powerfull seede of life quickning and repayring our fainting soules so that when wee are sunke in the depths of tryall and seeme even inclosed in the belly of hell it underproppeth the weary hand sharpneth the voyce of our drooping faith saying yet God is good to Israel Surely when I heare the Lord with his owne voyce testifie That when this better part is chosen it shall not bee taken away when his holy Spirit witnesseth to our spirits you are borne not of mortall but immortall seed the Word of God All flâ—sh is grasse and the glory of it as the flower of grasse The grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and againe strongly assureth us that we cannot fall wholly or finally away by sinne because the Seed of God remaineth in us I cannot conceive what any soule could wish to it selfe
more comfortable on earth Riches have wings as an Eagle and flye away Hell hath opened her mouth wide to swallow the glory pompe and joy of the mighty Beauty is vanity and favour deceitfull All our strength but sorrow and labour Children if good our continuall feares if evill our perpetuall griefes and in a word Every man in his best earthly estate altogether vanity Life decreasing by the growth of it the earth yea even the heavens also passing away but this blessed Word never passeth never but as the truth of God in his covenant with Christ hath eviâ—â—ntly expressed My Spirit and my Word which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth saâ—th the Lord for ever Verily were there no other comfort to a Christian but only that word of Truth the seed and food of everlasting life begetting him to God and still remayning and waxing in him it were sufficient if the ballance be even and the hand steddy which weigheth it to sinke downe all the discomforts of this world and to establish a Christian heart with strong consolations and glorious rejoycings CHAP. VIII More speciall comforts from speciall parts of the Word LEt us descend into some few specials and insist a â—ittle upon the mayne parts of these holy writings Now the Scriptures as I conceive may not unfitly bee divided into these foure generall heads First the Doctrinall wherin the blessed Spirit teacheth and instructeth us in all necessary truths Secondly the Historicall in which as wel the good examples of the Saints and their happy successe as also the perverse behaviour of wicked Rebels and their miserable issues are set before us Thirdly the Propheticall so more specially called where the men of God encourageâ— strengthen and excite us to walke in that good way which is pleasing and acceptable to the Lord. Fourthly Practicall as the Psalmes c. wherein the constant practice of the faithfull and their actions as well within as without are lively represented to our eyes Now what great helps and comforts in every one oâ— these doth that holy Spirit reach forth unto us Consider our estate and their use Wee are Travellers through this wildernesse of sinne toward the heavenly Jerusalem ignorant and wandring soone weary and faint How usefull then how helpfull are all these unto us The first is as an open Kings high-way to conduct us The second is as a Guide treading and beating a path before us The third as goads nayls to rouze up our sluggish nature and hold fast our slippery feete from back-sliding The fourth as chearefull company heartning refreshing our drooping spirits when our weake hearts begin to tyre and those good wayes wax tedious to sinfull flesh Let us now handle some of these particulars in severall Surely whatsoever comforts a wayfaring man could wish in his journy are in these helps offered and given him The first thing that a Traveller desires is a good way oh when the wayes are first plaine and easie not hard to finde Secondly when they are cleane not deepe and miery Thirdly when they are even not mountaynous and rocky Fourthly when they are strait not crooked and winding then are they accounted very good and are no little helps comforts to any Traveller Nay in such wayes we goe not only with patience but with delight Thus the wayes of God in his Word are first plaine to him that understandeth not onely a plaine way but light too in the way Psal. 119. 105. not like these earthly but that heavenly way For as that via lactea or milkey path as it is called in heaven which by the infinite lights stucke very thicke in it embrightens it selfe so the path of the just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day Secondly they are cleane and pure very pure Psa. 119.140 not a spot of sinful mire in them so farre from entangling and encombring our feet that they rather hasten and quicken us Thirdly they are very even smooth not stony and troublesome Vallies filled mountaines plained and roughnesse smoothed Very easie and light Mat. 11. 30. no way grievous 1 Ioh. 5.3 nay very pleasant and sweet above the honey and honey-combe Lastly they are right and strait no crookednesse or perversenesse in them See Prov. 8. 8 9. Luk. 3. 4 5. And what marvell then if they who have walked in those wayes have beene wonderfully delighted and even ravished in such paths They are wayes of pleasantnesse and paths of peace in which we finde all the rich treasures and jewels of wisedome eternall life and perfect blessednesse A second comfort that a Traveller would wish in his journey is a perfect Guide Now then when we remember our stupid and more than beastly ignorance that even when the way is plaine and strait yea pleasant yet we can make no progresse without a Guide as is manifest by the coÌ„fession of that good Eunuch Acts 8.31 and the experience of every good Christian what a comfort is it that God hath given us so many directions and excellent Guides walking in every good path before usâ— If wee desire to travell in the way of faith the Father of the faithfull will lead us the way and chearefully call us after him Who against hope beleeved in hope and being not weake in faith considered not his owne body now dead nor the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe He staggered not in the promise through unbeleefe So likewise that Guide and Captaine of Gods people who went before them from AEgypt unto the land of Canaan will march before us in that way of faith to the land of Promise whose piercing eye of faith beholding him who is invisible and fastened on the recompence of the reward despised the wrath of the King and chose the afflictions of Gods people before the pleasures of sinne esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Would we walke in love We have choyce of excellent Guides In that love of Christ how chearfully will that holy Penitent converted Mary point and tread out that path for us Who having much forgiven her loved much and thought nothing too deare oâ— precious for the beautiful feet of that great Apostle and Prince of peace Oh how powerfully will that chosen Vessell draw us after him in this tract of love to the Lord Jesus and to all his members How did the love of Christ constraine him How did hee rejoyce in tribulations bonds and death it selfe for Christ How did his heart burne and flame in charity who could willingly spend and â—e spent for them whom the more abundantly hee loved the lesse hee was loved againe Who weying the profit of the Churches with his own glory in Christ was in a strait
these Sacraments and nature of these seales what rivers of comfort must needs flow into the heart of him who rightly partaketh them Look as Princes grave their owne portraitures in their seales sitting in state upon their Thrones invested with their royall apparell adorned with their Crownes and Scepters So the Lord Jesus Christ in these his Signets hath lively represented himselfe in his death conquering triumphing and leading captive all our enemies and even trampling them under our feete But Princes can grave nothing on their seales but their dead Images Not so here For in these the very person of the Lord Jesus is given us as being not onely represented but presented and exhibited to the faithfull The body of Christ feeding and strengthning the blood of Christ washing and more than wine cheering up our fainting spirits is there offred and given us who reach out the hand of faith to receive him Now how hee should be unhappy who hath Christ or misse of comfort whose soule is filled with the Lord Jesus it is not possible to conceive But let us consider them a little severally Baptisme is that Sacrament wherein God applyes the bloud of Christ to wash us from all the pollution of our sin and to communiâ—â—te unto us his own glorious purenes Let us therefore take some notice first as well of the filthinesse of sinne as our filthinesse by it and then of this excellent purenesse Certaine is it that our created understanding cannot find power in it selfe to conceive much lesse words to expresse the infinite loathsomnesse of sinne Hence is it that in Scripture the wisedome of God resembleth it to all those things which are to our senses most abhorred sinne to stinking mudde a sinner to aswine wallowing in that mire sinne to a loathsome vomit a sinner to a dogge licking up his vomit in a word sinne to death a sinner to a rotten carkasse and his throat to an open Sepulchre exhaling and belching out stench and putrefaction so infectious that one sinne entring into the world tainted and slue the whole world with sinne turning Saints into swine Angels into Divels so loathsome that even both the materials of man in the very touch defile and the most pure and holy duties passing through a sinfull heart are altogether abhorred and abominable It staineth the very righteousnesse of the Saints who are not on earth yet absolutely clensed from it so that in it selfe it is no better than a filthy clout This is our estate from which by Christ applied unto us in Baptisme wee are delivered Secondly ponder well what is this image of Christ which Baptisme imprinteth upon us It is even the Divine nature that glorious beauty of holinesse which in God the blessed Angels above all other attributes admire and prayse Esa. 6.3 Surely if any thing can be in God more excellent than other then holinesse is it As the face is in the body so is holinesse in the Lord the very beauty of the Divine Nature And as a passionate Lover is even ravished with the presence and sight of his beloved so is it the compleate happinesse of the creature to behold that face of God shining with that ravishing bewty of holinesse Men sweare by the greater but because none is greater than God therefore God sweareth by himselfe but in himselfe by nothing that I remember but his holinesse Oh then how unspeakeable is the comfort of this holy Ordinance which clensing us from such a filthinesse washeth us into such a beauty Againe the Lords Supper is that holy Mysterie wherein the Spirit perfecteth this worke which hee hath begun in us and throughly assures us Christ. Looke as when the wax is hard the first impression changeth the forme and makâ—th some though no perfect print of the Image ingraved in the seale so that Image of God which by Baptisme is stamped upon us but by reason of our sinfull hard hearts as yet in part onely is by often applying the Lord in that other Seale more perfectly expressed and more lively pourtrayed in us So being entred into life by Baptisme wee are nourished by the Lords Supper and more strengthned till wee attaine unto full growth and ripenesse CHAP. XII Meditation in these comforts given in the Sacraments NOw here againe let us commune with our owne hearts and say Why oh my soule art thou so distracted and rent with doubts and distrustfull feares Hast thou not the seales of Gods Covenant for thee yea in thee If hee will doe thee good shall any creature bee able to hurt thee If he will knit my heart to him in his feare what shall separate it from his love Oh be perswaded for which thou hast so strong evidence and assurance That no tribulation nor anguish nor life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to seperate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now therefore cast thy burthen upon his truth leane and stablish all thy hopes upon these his sealed Promises Oh let perfect love cast out all distrust and feare Assure thy selfe hee will not nay in his truth cannot faile thee in such assurances How should not he pitty his owne though never so weake life in thee who pittied thy death in sinne How should hee hate thee now his childe who loved thee once an enemy Oh my God as thou hast given me an eye in some measure to see my sinfull filthinesse so hast thou given me an heart in the same measure to loath my selfe so polluted and filthy Lord thou hast made mee to know and I desire with more feeling to acknowledge that I am beyond measure beyond mine owne apprehension in nature horrible and lothsome my roote rottennesse my stalke corruption my fruit contagion more vile than the earth I tread on more polluted than the dung I scorne to tread on But oh incomprehensible heigth depth bredth and length of thy grace those thine infinitely pure eies could even then with compassion behold this unmeasurably impure and infectious mire when no eye pittied me when I had no pitty on my selfe even then hadst thou compassion on me When I was cast out as the execrable and loathsome dunghill of the world even then dâ—ddest thou not despise me I was dead in sinne stinking in the grave of my lusts yet even then didst thou say unto me Live Thou washedst mee with the water of life the Blood of the Lord Jesus annoyntedst me with the oyle of thy gracious Spirit and diddest set thine owne beauty upon me Thou hast nourished me with the true Manna That bread of heaven which giveth life unto the world And daily dost thou vouchsafe to renew mee after thine image and to strengthen thy life and nature in me And now my God is there any thing like this to be like to thee Oh what an honour what a Crowne is this unto me In all other
endowments every creature may excell me Stones more durable Plants more vegetative Beasts more sensible even Divels more wise and understanding But herein hast thou magnified thy grace toward me thy abject Creature that I excell other workes of thy hands in that wherein thou my glorious God excellest thy selfe that thou hast printed thy holinesse thy Divine image and beauty upon me and crowned me with thy glory and honor Rejoyce then oh my soule in the Lord and dance for joy His grace hath prevented and farre out-runne thy wishes As the first Adam lost all his happinesse by his ambitious desires to bee like unto God in knowing good and evill so the second Adam hath restored all happinesse by satisfying our ambition in making us like himselfe in loving good and hating evill The life and estate which thou enjoyest in Christ the nourishment of that life and the assurance of that estate equalleth and transcendeth thy most ambitious desires and wishes Rejoyce then in the Lord againe I say rejoyce for the world is thine things present and to come are thine life and death are thine nay the Lord of life is thine thy portion the seale of thy portion and of thine inheritance in glory CHAP. XIII Comforts arising from Prayer A Third Ordinance of God in which hee yeeldeth us much consolation is Prayer wherein whether we consider the privilege which wee enjoy namely that we dust and sinfull ashes may speake unto the glorious Lord of heaven and upon all occasions at any time of need boldly through Christ approach unto his presence and make all our wants knowne unto him or the power and efficacie of Prayer that we never speake in vaine but prosper in all our suits what can bee a greater consolation to an afflicted Spirit What Hath God opened an eutrance for us unto his grace through the meditation which is in Christ Hath he set out the Sonne of his love to be our Intercessour Clothed him with our infirmities that he might be an high Priest for us mercifull sensible and tender of our weaknesse Hath he appointed this Angell of the Covenant to incence and perfume our praiers with his most fragrant mediation so to bring them into his presence Hath hee exempted no time but made every howre every minute a season for this holy Ordinance so that the oftner wee come the more welcome and the more importunate our suit the more sweete and pleasing Hath hee not permitted but commanded Call upon mee in the day of trouble and instantly promised and I will deliver thee Hath he not bid Aske ◠and assured us you shal receive Doth hee wish us Be carefull for nothing but in all thiugs let your requests be shewne to God in prayer And because we know not how to pray as we ought hath hee given us his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and to make intercession for u◠with grones which cannot be uttered And can any man want comfort who enjoyeth this privilege of Gods children and of the favourits of the King of heaven But some perhaps will reply here Doe not wee see many Saints complaine and have not I found by experience that God doth not alwayes grant what wee aske Ans. The Rules here of that Ancient Father are good Sometimes God giveth in wrath what is asked of him sometimes denieth in love And againe The Lord is gracious who often giveth not what we aske that hee may give what wee should aske And yet againe God alwaies heareth us not alwaies our wils but alwaies our profit God giveth the Israelites flesh in wrath and with store of flesh leanenesse of Spirit He giveth a King in anger when they aske him but hee denyed Paul in love that hee might keepe downe his heart from rising in pride and stablish it with sufficiency of grace Sometimes our Children aske of us things which are no way good and sometimes they aske things that are good but out of due time wee give them neither Thus often doe we and therefore receive not But fully to answer this objection we must by no means forget that in all petitions there is both a generall intention and purpose of asking good and a desire of some particular which we suppose to be good but through our dulnesse in understanding and want of a discerning Spirit may bee good or evill Againe wee must remember that in God there is an infinite wisedome which clearely and perfectly discerneth what either in it selfe or to us is evill or good Now then if the Lord should satisfie us in our mistake granting the particular which we cōceive to be good and he knoweth evill and so should deny us the good which he knoweth we intend and purpose this under a seeming grant were a plaine denyall whereas the contrary seeming a deniall yet is and wil hereafter plainly appeare to be an evident grant though not of that which wee ignorantly aske yet of that which in truth we desire Certaine is it that by reason of our great ignorance in asking every faithfull Christian prayeth with al subjection to Gods will and wisdome so we are taught as well by precept Thy will be done as by practice Not my will but thy will be done and as certaine that what wee so aske we shall without faile receive For hee that gave Christ unasked to us when we were enemies will not deny any grace when hee is entreated to them who are reconciled in Christ and aske in his name This then is sufficient for a Christian that he first knoweth that God hath willed and decreed to give him Christ and with him all good things secondly that whatsoever he asketh according to that will he shall without all faile receive 1 Ioh. 5.14 CHAP. XIV An Answer to some further objections BUt some weake dejected Christian will bee ready to reply All things indeed are possible to him that beleeveth but alas I have no faith to pray True it is that prayer is but the speech of faith And how can they call upon him in whom they beleeve not Faith saith that excellent Father gives life to prayer and praier gets strength for faith For answer let an humble soule well consider how a man with griefe should sensibly feele want of faith if he had not some faith to give him sense and feeling How should spiritual sense be without life or spirituall life without faith As he in the Gospel first found his sight in the defect of it that hee saw men like trees So might weake Christians easily discerne some measure of true faith even in this griefe and complaints for want of faith Againe we shall easily perceive in these Complainers much detestation of sinne not onely in others but especially in themselves and passionat desires to glorifie God in all faithfull service And from what root can these fruits arise but from that faith which purifieth the heart Some others
is truly good especially when longing after thee thy righteousnes in this barren and thirstie land my soule panteth and fainteth for thy presence and for that holy Spirit wâ—ereby I call upon thee Abba Father Oh how shouldst thou not according to thy Covenant delight in me to doe me good and as thou hast promised rejoyce over me to give me my hearts desire Now then thou my gracious Father who art more ready to give thy Spirit than wee to aske him even that Spirit of Prayer and supplication Thou who hast commanded Call upon mee in the time of trouble and hast promised I will heare thee Heare now rhe supplication of thy servant and when thou hearest be mercifull Thou who commandest Seeke my face and hast given thy servant an heart to answer Lord thy face will I seeke oh hide not thy face from me nor cast thy creature away in displeasure Yea oh my God quickeÌ„ thy servant in the sense of my want and miserie and in the knowledge of thy powerfull grace and mercy alwaies to pray and never to faint So though I walke in the midst of troubles thou wilt revive me and perfect that which concerneth me CHAP. XVI Comforts arising immediatelie from God himselfe And first in generall LOoke as a vessell which is coutinually driven downe by the current of any River will at length fall into the maine Sea which being the common store-house of waters both supplieth the want and receiveth the over-plus of lesser streames So when our soules have beene carryed along within these narrower bankes of comforts they will easily bee wafted into that wide Ocean whence every consolation floweth and into it ebbeth againe and emptyeth it selfe Certainly the final comfort of a Christian soule into which all the rest are resolved is God himselfe infinit in all goodnes unchangeable in his love and therefore an unexhausted Well a standing overflowing fountaine of infinite consolations Hence as hee challengeth this title and calleth himselfe The God of patience and consolation nay The God of all comfort so his faithfull servants from their experience confesse him every where their strength joy portion inhâ—ritance their Rocke Towre Shield Fortresse c. Well might David rejoyce and glory in the Lord My flesh saith hee faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever How strong and invincible was that faith and by it that comfort of Iob Although he kill me yet will I trust in him and hee shall beé my salvation And how answerable was their practice to this their profession Doe but consider what wee read of these holy men David being driven from his native Countrey and from his Fathers house in disgrace with the Court and in displeasure nay deadly hatred of his Prince deprived of all his deserved honours the just recompence of his noble service by the malice and tyrannie of Saul and which he accounted farre above the rest the greatest miserie banished from the holy Assemblies and the house of God affamished and even starved for want of that Word which hee preferred above all the earth not onely thrust out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord but by the rage of his Adversaries inforced to seeke Sanctuary in idolatous Countries where hee might have beene seduced to serve other gods had yet at length hid his head under the protection of an Heathenish King and found that favour from an enemy a Heathen which he had lost among his friends and Gods people There he placed himselfe in a forraigne City with his wives and some few loose men who for their owne advantage had followâ—d him But when hee retireth thither he findeth the City burned his wives and all his substance the wives children and all the goods of all his followers carried away Nothing now was left him but his souldiers and they grieved and vexed at the heart for their losse take all against him conspire intend and speake to stone him Look out now into all the world and see where you can finde upon earth one spark of comfort for this Saint of God yet even then when he was utterly desolate and forlorne he could send up his dejected soule to heaven and there did finde and feele infinite comfort in the Lord his God See the 1 Sam chap. 30. from the 1. to the 7. vers Doe we not find the like nay more in Iob His estate was lost and for outward blessings goods and children hee was stript as naked as he was borne His wife left him but as a snare His friends come to comfort him but through the craft of Satan shake him more thau all the rest of his afflictions His life was yet whole in his body but his body broken and wounded with sore plagues from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot But yet the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie True but a wounded spirit who can beare The inner-man embroyled by Satan and terrors of the spirit joyned to griefes and troubles of the body without plagues continually renued changes and armies of sorrowes set against him within and without the arrowes of the Almightie shot at him sticking in him and their venime drinkâ—ng up his spirit the terrours of God fighting against him made him the most afflicted and if it were possible for the faithfull to be miserable the most wretched man on earth But even then his poore soule over-wrastled with temptations cast downe within him and almost smothered with this load and heape of afflictions could lift up the head to search out the Redeemer and find unspeakable comfort in him I am sure my Redeemer liveth and I shall see God in my flesh c. What was left to those three royal young men Dan. 3. in that burning anger of the Tyrant and that seven-fold heated furnace What to the Apostle persecuted by Jewes disgraced by Heathens stoned by the consent of both and as a dead carrion dragged and cast out of the City yea too little esteemed nay judged by his owne children in the Spirit yet were they then even full of comfort in God Oh consider with what noble courage those three noble Captives defie the roaring of that Lyon even the fiercenesse of that proud King and tell him to his Beard Our God can and will deliver us out of thine hand With what Christian valour could that great Champion of the Lord Jesus compassed in and pressed downe with all the most bitter persecutions of this world cry out Victory and sing his Triumph not onely saying with the Heathen How light are all these things how slightlie doe I weigh them nay These light momentarie afflictions cause to us an excelling excellent eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 but In all these things wee are more than Conquerors through him that loveth us So right is it oh
seeme full of sorrow yet cause much rejoycing they threaten poverty but fill with riches The evill is in seeming onely but the good and profit reall It was a prerogative not proper to the Apostle but common to all the members of Christ that they are as dying but certainly nay eternally living as sorrowfull yet alwaies rejoicing as having nothing but indeede possessing all things Read 2 Cor. 6. 9,10â— CHAP. XVIII Applying these comforts by Meditation NOW when wee have throughly beheld considered and by faith applyed this truth to our hearts let us by some short meditation stir up our fainting spirits and quicken them in remembraÌ„ce of this great priviledge given us by God Let us take words with us turne into our owne soules and say Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hath not the Lord commanded thee doubled and often repeated that command Rejoyce in the Lord againe I say reioice Reioice evermore none in earth with thee And hath not he said unto thee as to them I will not faile nor forsake thee And wilt not thou then conclude If Father and Mother and all the world forsake me yet the Lord will gather me up Hath not thy gracious Lord and glorious creatour adopted thee unto himselfe brought thee home into his house setled thee in his Family Hath he not cast into thy heart that immortall seed of his Word and so begotten thee unto himselfe Hast thou not found his almighty power put forth in this quickning word to raise thee up from that grave of lusts in which thou layest dead in sinnes and trespasses rotting and even crawling with the wormes of hell Is the Lord then of heaven and earth the Father of Christ the Father of lights become thy Father and canst thou want any thing that is good were there not much more good in this conflicting and afflicted state then evill nay were not this by his over-ruling hand coÌ„verted wholly to thy good how should it come from him who is infinite goodnesse to thee whom he hath infinitely loved True oh most true his love is better then life and nothing caâ— proceed from that love but good but I cannot see that love through these teares through this thicke cloud of earthly sorrowes But oh his love is not more sweet then evident see oh see it in his gifts He hath not spared his onely Sonne but given him to the death even to the cursed death of the crosse How then shall hee not with him give thee all things also He hath given thee his holy Spirit the life of thy life and his owne glorious selfe and can he with himselfe the infinite incomprehensible good give any thing which is not good Assure thy selfe whatsoever is given by and with him cannot but be through him good exceeding good beyond that which thou dost or canst conceive Now therefore remember It is his covenaÌ„t to do thee good Know then know it of a truth and throughly perswade and settle thy selfe in it that as now thou art under the rod because it is good for thee to be afflicted so when it shall be good for thee thou shalt rest from al thy troâ—ble and shâ—lt bâ— satisfied with abundance of peace Oh then my soule bee not thou of an hasty spirit For he that beleeveth wâ—ll not make hast Hâ—d Ioseph appointed the time of his deliverance Had the oppressed Israelites set out the limits of their AEgyptian bondage or those three young captive Champions prescribed their fiery triall how would they all have hindred their owne happinesse and Gods glory If my righteous Brethren smite me it is a kindnesse their reproofe is an excellent oyle What then is the rod of my heavenly Father but his fatherly love What his rebuke but a rich perfume and precious balme clensing my defiled nature preserving it from all fleshly pollution Rolle then thy way upon the Lord and hee shall bring it to passe wait upon his hand and remember hee is not alwaies chiding For a smal moment hee may forsake but with great mercies he will gather me In a little wrath hee may hide his face for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will hee have mercie upon me Oh then my heavenly father who vouchsafest to wait that thou maist be gracious to me give me power with patience to waite upon thy grace Thou who makest it thy exaltation and glory to shew me mercy oh give me an hart to attend thy mercy till thou receivest mee to thy glory CHAP. XIX Comforts taken from the second person of Trinity AS God the Father hath vouchsafed us that unspeakeable comfort and honour to be our Father so the Sonne yeeldeth us no lesse in that hee undertakes to bee the Saviour of all the faithfull and not in part but an entire and perfect Saviour from all evill For evill may be considered either in the roote or fruit of it and our Saviour hath utterly abolished both for us The greatest evill and the very root of all other is sinne and the fruit of sinne is principally as including al the rest the wrath of God and death Now our Lord saves his people first from sinne in being a perfect sacrifice Heb. 10. 14 and consequently a propitiation for all their sinnes I Ioh. 2.2 Secondly he delivers his people from wrath and the curse by bearing the curse and wrath for them In a word he hath redeemed the faithful from all enemies of body soule See Luke 1. 71. 74. Death Sinne and the curse of the Law hee hath swallowed up into victorie 1 Cor. 15. 55 56,57 But some weake Christian perhaps will here sigh out an objection How hath Christ delivered mee from sinne when I still finde this cursed law of my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne How am I delivered from death when nothing is more sure to me than death I dye daily Ans. First observe that the Apostle who in the person of the faithful uttereth those words was even then devered froÌ„ sin by Christ and gives thanks in the words instantly following for his deliverance Hence it is apparent that even theÌ„ wheÌ„ sin rebelleth in us nay by strong hand carrieth us captive wee are delivered from it delivered first from the usurping power and dominion of it whereby we were enslaved and served it with greedinessâ— and againe from the guilt of it It shall not bee imputed or accounted to us but wee reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 Insomuch that where the Apostle confesseth plainly his sins both of omission and commission yet in this regard hee dares confidently and doth truly affirme It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me Sinne in the faithfull is as sicknesse in the body getting up now againe and having overcome yet not
wee hold fast what is harder to beleeve If God dyed for man shall not man live with God Shall not a mortall live aeternally for whom hee dyed who liveth aeternally Verily the afflictions of this life are so farre from being worthy of the glory which is purchased for us in the life to come that rather they are nothing to those comfortable nay glorious privileges which wee presently enjoy For what can any earthly misery which at the furthest proceedeth to a temporall death shew comparable with this union with God and glorious fellowship with the Father through Christ Wee are united to God by affinity by a spirituall and therefore indissoluble bond of marriage he hath married our nature nay our persons hath set his owne image on us given us his even the divine nature and so as he is our flesh so we flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone We are united to him by a spirituall consanguinity to the Father as our father Ioh. 20.17 to the Sonne as our brother Heb. 2.11 nay as members to the Head Eph. 5. 30. And because all fleshly and mixt union is no way comparable to that simple union of Spirits We are one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 that as there is no union like that of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God-head so wee also should be united spiritually to our God That as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father so wee may bee one in them Goe to now Let all the world conspire against us to load our harts with affliction let sinfull flesh joyne with the world and all the infernal spirits with both if thou hast tasted this cordiall if ever thou hast truly relished the sweetnesse of the Lord Jesus the strength of thy heart all they shall effect is but this somewhat the sooner and closer to knit thy soule unto God in Christ and by with-drawing earthly sensuall to heap upon thee spirituall and eternall comforts CHAP. XX. The more close applying of this comfort by meditation NOw that wee may thoroughly digest this cordiall and finde some heart and strength in it let us quicken it by some such meditation Oh my soule is there any thing to bee compared unto the Lord Jesus Is not al in the world nay all the world and a world of worlds in respect of him losse and dung Hadst thou received no other pledge of Gods love no other comfort but Christ alone were noâ— this sufficient abundant nay an infinite testimony of his eternall love and a conâ—â—lation beyond all miserie But when hee is given thee what is not given thee when thou hast him who is Lord of all thou hast all things with gim Oh if thou hadst knowledge of this love of Christ which passeth knowledge what trouble what earthly griefe coâ—ld dismay thee how wholsome how pleasant how delectable how heavenly is the least tast of it O sweete gracious glorious Saviour whether I look up to thee my head in heaven or down to my selfe thy most unworthy meÌ„ber on earth whether I consider what great things thou hast done for my poore soule or how thou hast done theÌ„ I cannot but find infinit love in thee infinit coÌ„fort in thy love Thou art that true light all other borrowed from thee Thou art the brightnesse of thy fathers glorie making and sustaining all things Thou art the expresse Image of thy fathers person God equall to thy father The mighty God the everlastâ—ng Father the Prince of peace Thou art the King of glorie the King of Kings and Lord of Lords how faire how pleasant how full of ravishing delights is thy love Thy cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers thy lips like Lillâ—es dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe thy mouth most sweet Thou art altogether lovely How is it then that I have found favour in thy sight who although once framed by thee after thine image yet wilfully giving up my selfe unto sinne and Satam became the most deformed the most abject the most polluted and silthy off-scouring of the world Oh my Lord I am â—nfinitely unable to conceive either thy glorious excelleÌ„ce or my lothsome vilenesse yet hast thou set thine heart upon such an one to love mee and expressed that love by such effects that neither I can finde words to utter it nor thoughts to apprehend it yet faine would I kindle and inflame my cold heart in the sight and sense of it If I cast downe mine eye to look upon my bottomlesse miserie I see my selfe shut up and imprisoned in unbeleefe bound in the chains of death condemned to hell where the pit had shut her mouth upon me my lifâ— consuming in poasting vanity my soule deligâ—tiâ—g in â—he service of such a mastâ—r whose wages is endlesse misâ—ry a slave in the world to Satan by disobedience and after in the other worlâ— a companion to him in infiniâ—e torment Snares fire brimstone and an horrible tempest this was the portion of my cup. And as my state was infinitely fearefull so altogether helpelesse No creature had either power or pitty to succour mee nay mine owne soule so farre from compassion of it selfe that it rejoyced and triumphed in this depth of hellish misery From this and farre greater calamitie then in this or any word can be expressed hast thou graciously rescued me Thou reachedst forth thy hand and hast plâ—cked me out of the belly of hel Thou hast drawne me out of the horrible pit where no stay was hast set my feet upon the rocke in a large place Now if I lift up mine eyes to take view of that glory to which thou hast so graciously advaÌ„ced me I find my tongue and heart yet farre more unaable to utter or conceive it Hadst thou left me to my self now after this deliveraÌ„ce in health and safety yet oh how wonderful had thy grace bin But this great this infinit mercy was a smal thing in thine eies O Lord God but hast promoâ—ed me to an inappeheÌ„sible height of glory with thy selfe Thou hast preferred mee to thy service and thy service is liberty nay thy service is a kingdome even to reigne on earth And as if all this were too little thou hast made me a sonne with thee to the same Father the Father of lights and what estate is any thing but dung to this Thou hast annexed me as an heire with thy selfe who art the heire of all things so that by thee I the most base drudge of sinne and Satan am lifted up to a throne crown to an immortall crown of glory such as never eye saw neuer eare heard neuer entred into the heart of man Thou hast washt me set thine owne beautious image upon me thou hast reconciled justified fully redeemed me raised and set mee with thy selfe in heavenly places and with all this and above all this thou hast knit and united me to thy selfe
acquit him How can a man bee heartily thankefull to God for Christ and blesse him for such a gift when he is altogether in doubt whether he hath any portion in his meditation how can he poure out his soule in blessing the Lord Jesus for his love and fruits of it when he is uncertaine whether he shall be built upon or dasht against this rocke What strong consolation can arise from a wavering opinion or flickering hope whether the Lord hath appointed us unto glory with himselfe or torment with the divell Secondly that which God offereth us in his Word confirms by oath conveies by his seales and above all the rest unchangeably assureth by his Spirit as a very pledge and eaâ—nest unto this end that estate not onely is firme and irrevocable but ought with all laborious endevor and vehement contention be sought and made fast and sure upon us Now it is most apparent that by all these meanes the Lord offereth the assurance of salvation to the faithfull and offereth them to this very end that they might bee stablished in the assurance of his gracious purpose as even in earthly covenants wâ—itings oathes â—eales pawnes are given for no other purpose but to confirme the intent of the giver and the state of the receiver Be this then throughly setled in us that we ought to give all diligence to make our election and calling sure CHAP. XXVII That this assurance is the gift of God the feeling of it sometimes with-held sometimes with-drawne from the faithfull LAstly that this full perswasion of faith assuring our election and salvation is the gift of God cannot be denied and therefore shall not neede any copious or exact proofe For we all know and acknowledge that everie good and perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Among which gifts even the Giver himselfe is the chiefe and the very summe of all the rest namely that blessed Spirit given by the Father Ioh. 14. 16. who testifieth to our spirits that we are Sonnes of God and Heires with the Lord Jesus Christ and who bringerh with him as wel that gift of faith 1 Cor. 12. 9. and the fulnesse of it as also that spiritual life and sense whereby wee see and feele the exâ—ellent things which are given us by God things which eye hath not seene eare hâ—th not heard nor ever entred into the heart of man Secondly as it is manifest that it is the gift of God so is it as apparent that it is not given at all times to all Beleevers For first when wee are new borne Babes wee finde our faith so farre from any full assurance that others discerne our life in our earnest longings after the Word and our fervent desires that wee could beleeve rather than our selves in feeling that wee doe beleeve For whereas it is impossible to come to any assurance of our salvation without a spirit of discerning whereby being able to try things that differ wee can examine and prove our faith in God and love to his Saints and so come to the knowledge of our dwelling in Christ and that wee are translated from death to life this spirit of discerning is not ordinarily given to Infants in understanding Looke as the Children of great Princes yet in their infancy much rejoyce in their costly Robes Coronets c. but have not yet discretion to gather thence their Noble parentage and dignity to which they are borne so Christian Babes though they see themselves richly adorned with those heavenly graces of God and doe not a little rejoyce in the preseut estate which they feele yet cannot in this their infancy by a reflected act of the judgement gather thence their sure title and claime to all those precious promises of God and their future glorie which depend on the former Secondly yet further when the children of God 〈…〉 up to sâ—me maâ—u 〈…〉 yeâ— iâ— pleaseth the Lord as for many reasons best knowne to his owne wisedome so certainly for his own glory in them and their glory in him to exercise them with many temptations and manifold trials so that being encumbred with much wrastling against unbeleefe and other corruptions they cannot for the present attaine this certainty But when the eye of faith is strengthned and these mists of tentation over-blowne the faithfull soule seeth cleerely the love of God in Christ by his holy Spirit leading him to salvation and evidently discernes his everlasting happinesse sealed up to his soule in the new Covenant And yet even then wee are subject to lose though not the favor of God yet the sense of his favour and consequently that comfortable perswasion of our eternal life For as some men by much neglect of seasonable refreshings decay in bodily strength and livelinesse of spirit and some other by great distemper fall into sicknesse and weaknesse so the strongest Christian who could say as David Though I walk through the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life yet either by neglect or coldnes in the means Word Prayer c. or by some grievous sinne may finde that joy of his salvation utterly hidden and clouded as did also that holy Prophet Psal. 51.12 after he had committed that foule sinne upon Vriah and his wife CHAP. XXVIII What meanes must be used for obtaining this assurance SUrely the land of Canaan was the glory of al lands that garden of God which he had allotted and bequeathed to Abraham Isaac Iacob and their seed even to his owne deare children on earth As a father therfore intending some portion for his beloved childe will build plant furnish and adorne it with all commodious helps convenient pleasures for his good so the Lord cared for this land his eyes were continually upon it from the beginning of the yeere to the ending Hence as it flourished with Corne Balme Oyle c. so was it watered with showers and flowing Rivers of Milke Wine and Hony yet was this earthly but a darke shadow of that heavenly Canaan which land of eternall life the Lord legacâ—ed onely to his heires even the joynt-heires with Christ. How rich therefore is it in glory how ravishing in divine pleasures If the outward courts of heaven dazle the strongest eye with surpassing beautie and brightnesse Oh what is the inward retiring and Presence of that great King How unspeakeably how incomprehensibly bright and glorious No marvell then if the Children of God having tasted some fruits of this heavenly Countrey labour for full assurance in the conveyance of this purchased possession Now then in the next and last place let us consider by what meanes a Christian may attaine this security and finde his soule firmely instated and setled in it Verily as in the material so is it in this spiritual building hee
that will build sure must digge deepe and casting out loose â—ands lay a fast and strong foundation and then set up the walls and roofe So hee that would build up his soule in assurance of his heavenly Mansion must first fling out loose waverings of a distrustful heart and doubtful appearances cast into his mind by Satan and then lay his ground upon the Rocke the sure and unmoveable promises of God in Christ. I have often observed divers of the faithfull strong in many graces and in this only to sight weake who have by the plaine evidence of the Spirit in the Word bin clearely convinced that the Lord hath planted and rooted the life of grace in their hearts and so have beene for the present not a little cheered aud comforted yet after by some tentation to have bin wholly disheartned and cast downe againe in themselves from all their joyes and consolations concluding that all their religion was meere hypocrisie and themselves bare forms and images without life This I am perswaded proceeds especially from want of a thorough-grounding their perswasions much suspense and unsetlednesse remaining in them Now then it will be very needefull and expedient as briefly as may bee to set downe how farre the way of hypoâ—risie in appearance lyes in our way to life and the period of it where it stops First then it cannot be denied but that a man of meere shewes without the life of God may in his outward carriage to the Word and ordinance of God keepe way with a faithfull and sincere Christian heare frequent invite others honour thâ— Word and the Messengers of it Most of these are found in Herod a stinking Fox a rancke-smelling Dissembler Hee heard Iohn and knowing him a just and holy man feared and observed him when hee heard him did many things So those hypocrites Ezek. 33. 30,31 32. come to the Word as Gods people sit there as the people of God and call on others to the same dutie Thus farre they seeme to hold way with the Saints where doe they part 1. In the ground and end of this their frequent hearing 2. In the effects and issues following their attendance The ground and end of hearing the Word in an hypocrite is sometimes his carnall delight when his lustfull eare is tickled with the soft eloquence and sweet tongue of the Speaker and his itching heart clawed with carnall wisedome Sometimes he is driven by the cryes of his yelping conscience His best end is by further informing his understanding to set a faire glosse upon his profession and that he may not sit as a mute stand as a Cipher when matters of Religion are in discourse and handling But the faithfull soule out of a deepe loathing of sinfull matter in himselfe an unflaked hunger and thirst of righteousnes knowing the word to be both the physicke of the soule whereby it is throughly clensed and the food whereby it is nourished presents himselfe before the Ordinance of God that hee may finde it Gods power to his salvation in purging out all sinfull filthinesse and filling him with the fruits of righteousnesse Thus are they described Esa. 2. 3. They shall say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord and hee will teach us his wayes and wee will walke in his paths Where the faithfull plainly expresse their end of comming to God in his Word not onely that it may be a light to teach and point out the right way but that it may give strength to their feet and enable them to walk in every good path Secondly they differ in the effect and fruit of hearing For where the heart thus drawes neare to God as that holy Cornelius to heare as in the presence of the Lord all things commanded by him the Word is a mighty weapon to beat down all strong holds and every thing exalted against the knowledge of God to bring every thought in obedience to Christâ— it wil work effectually when it is thus received see 1 The. 2. 13. so that the faithful soule can truly say I know no sin which my heart doth not loath desire to expel I know no coÌ„mand of Christ in which I do not unfeinedly desire endevour to walke with God This cannot stand with hypocrisie because as in a Tombe there must be both a beautifull front without and a dead heart within An hypocrite must have a shew else hee is an heathen and but a shew else a true Beleever But he is a neuter to both Not a plaine Infidell for hee hath a forme of godlinesse not faithfull indeed for his heart still cleaves to much sinfull filthinesse and is not purified from the whorish love of some darling-sinnes Many things as Herod he may all not onely he doth not but he will not doe CHAP. XXIX Containing other markes differencing the true from the seeming Christian. NOr onely in the walls without but in some more inward roomes we shall finde the hypocrite fairely dressed and painted If wee looke to his understanding we shall see it often very live-like portrayed with the forme of knowledge so that the braine may bee even printed with the Word that he may be a light and Teacher of others Rom. 2.19,20 Secondly in the affection also there may bee some joy in hearing And thus farre in the inward man the dissembler may keepe companie with the faithfull where doe they break 1. The knowledge of an hypocrite is at least in some points meerely speculative ann workes not upon the will and affection to chose and love the good which hee knowes Much of Gods will hee knowes and hates as Ahab and Herod I hate him a Prophet indeed of God saith that wicked man sold to worke wickednesse of whom wee may inquire but I hate him for hee speakes not good to mee but evill Yet could this King in some things humble himselfe rent his clothes put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted So also that other incestuous beast hated the reproving Word and kild the reprover Contrary the knowledge of the faithfull seasons the heart drawes the will and affection nay the actions also after it 2. The difference in their joy is plain and palpable For the formall mans joy ariseth not from the word indeed or any love to the truth of God but from his owne fancies and dreames falsly collected from the Word witlesly and wilfully and therefore strongly conceived in his owne deceitfull hart For when he hears mercy glory proclaimed to sinners upon condition of beleeving he builds a presumption of pardon salvatioÌ„ upon that saÌ„dy faith of divels carnally as Papists at this day coÌ„cluding theÌ„ce raiseth up al his that faith consisteth onely in the understanding partly in an action of the apprehension conceiving what is the object of faith partly in an action of the judgement consenting to it and approving it as a truth of God hee thinkes not of the maine and
The seed of God remaineth in them who are borne of God he begetteth us by the Word of truth That immortall seede brings forth in us an immortall life Hence also is it manifest that when God hath powerfully and effectually sowne this seed in the heart of any man then the life of God that eternall life is given him in which regard the Gospell is often called the power of God to salvation But some will say Now I plainly see my estate were sure if I could infallibly know that the Word were effectually applied unto me by God Oh how should I be sure of that how should I be certaine that the Word is made to me a seed of life Reade 1 Pet. 2. 2. and compare with it the three last verses of thâ— former chapter We are borne not of mortall but immortall seed the word of God this Word endureth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospell is preached unto you Wherefore laying aside c. As new borne babes â—esire or thirst for the sincere milke of the Gospell that you may grow thereby From all these Scriptures linked together observe how plainly and necessarily beyond all contradiction these two concluâ—ions are gatheredâ— 1. Whosoever thirsteth for the sincere milke of the Gospell to grow up by it in grace and all obedience hee is certainely new borne and a babe at least in this immortall life 2. Whosoever is borne of God by this seed of his Word is everlastingly beloved of God and shall appeare with Christ in glorie When therefore we finde that whereas heretofore being full we loathed this hony-combe but now feeling our selves empty and hungry even the most bitter part of Gods word is sweet unto us so that wee can truly say All the words of God even his commands and judgements as wel as his promises are pleasant unto our taste more than home unto our mouth that frequently as the Infant for the brest wee longue for it not for custome feare or knowledge onely but to grow up in all obedience to God then may we without all question conclude Seeing God hath effectually applied this Word unto my soule and in his eternall love begotten mee as a childe and heire to himselfe joynt heire with Christ I know that nothing shall seperate mee from the love of God which is in Christ nothing shall plucke mee out of the hand of my gracious Saviour and my Almighty Father Againe whosoever is partaker of the victory of Christ so that now not sinne but Christ reignes in him is certainly a true member of the Lord Jesus and one of them for whom Christ hath dyed See Rom. 8.37,38 We are more than Conquerors through him that loved us I am perswaded therefore that nothing shall seperate us c. God hath given us victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. So then when by the Word the strong holds of Satan are battered and beaten downe in us every thought subdued to the obedience of Christ when the dominion of sinne is deposed in us and the Scepter of Christ and his Throne set up in our hearts we are in the state of grace Rom. 6.14 and members of his mysticall body baptised into his death quickened in his resurrection as is apparent in the whole course of that chapter But how should I be assured that Christ reigneth in me and not sinne Why Know you not that to whom you yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants yon are to whom you obey Marke then obedience in service must bee from a yeelding willingnesse and love With good will doing service If then thou obeyest thou yeeldest up thy selfe not forced with love and good will to do what is commanded See then and conâ—ider not so much what thou doest but what thou wouldst doe and whom thou obeyest Thou doest the evill thou wouldst not doe thou doest not the good thou wouldest doe Then this is no obedience when it is done but not with good wil nay so far art thou from obeying that it is not done by thee but by sin in thee Sin doth it in thee thou doest it not in sinne But when the inward man delighteth in the law of God howsoever the command of the Lord is not done as it ought yet because out of love to it the giver of it thy wil puts on the outward man to obedience hence is manifest that the law of God is written in thy heart see Psal. 40.8 and that thou livest in obedience not to sin but Christ. Hence it is clearly evinced that thou art not a servaÌ„t of sin whose yoak thou hatest Thou yeeldest not up thy selfe with love and cheerfulnesse to obey it but sighest under the burden of it a captive then thou maist be to sin but no servant Remember thisâ— He is not a member of Christ and his faithfull servant who either for feare of law anger of superiours or some such outward respect is driven inforced to Christian duties yet the hand or foot which by reasoÌ„ of some sore breeding in it or some weaknesse by a blow or fal thorne sticking in it festering cannot doe the office of it is notwithstanding a member and a servant not throughly recovered of a deadly malady nor able to do perfect service is yet a faithful servant So neither is he a servant to sin who overwrastled by strong tentations detesting this body of death is carried captive sending up his spirit in grones unutterable and crying out oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me And hee certainly is a servant and member of Christ who pressed with sinfull weakenesse would doe what hee cannot and doth what hee can Take a more through view of this truth in a familiar and confessed instance Spaiâ—e is truly said to be under the dominion of the Spanish King because the people acknowledging theÌ„selves Subjects willingly live under his lawes but Holland is as truly said not to be under his dominion because having shaken off his yoake they live not under his lawes nor will heare of his service And although sometime in fight they are overcome yet doe they renew their forces and both openly professe and behave themselves as enemies Thus is it with the faithfull They were the servants of sinne but now from the heart they have obeyed that forme of doctrine which was delivered them They hate and reject the Law of sinne in their members But doth not sinne fight against them Yes and they against it And this is a signe of enmitie not obedience But it often prevailes also True but it prevailes as an Enemie therefore they renew their strength by prayer plucke up their hearts and set themselves in order to resist and subdue it No signe of dominion in all this but rather of that deadly feod mentioned by the Apostle The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit and these two are
dwell in Christ and Christ in us by that holy Spirit Hence also may a faithfull soule surely gather God himselfe hath most clearely testified that if I love the Brethren I am translated from death to life that I am borne of God and therefore love the children of God because being my selfe his childe I love my Father Christ hath set his badge and cognizance upon me in that love and that holy Spirit is â—hee which by his presence hath brought my heart into obedience of this precept Certaine then is it that this love to the Saints is proper onely to the Saints even to those whom God hath begotten by his Word saved by his death and sanctified by his grace Seeing then I finde this love to the Saints rooted in my heart that my soule cleaves to their persons delights in their fellowship admires their excellencies sure am I that the same grace which I love fâ—ourishing in others is planted in my selfe that their Father is my Father their Head my Head and that Spirit which dwels in them resteth on me and will abide with me forever CHAP. XXXIV Recollecting and applying these things by short meditation NOw then in the last place let the troubled soule in some inward conference underset and prop up his shaken faith by applying these assurances unto himselfe Say then in thy heart How long oh my soule how long wilt thou suffer this feare which hath torment to hold thee downe in continuall affright and vexation how long shall it keep out that spirituall joy which is thy only Paradise on earth Search oh my Spirit search ouâ— in these heavenly Records those sure evidences whereby thy Lord hath graciously convâ—yed unto thee this happy and blessed estate Are they not layed up in the middest of thy heart See here first divers strong assurances that God hath clensed thee from reigning hypocrisie that hee hath given thee a thirst of righteousnesse not onely a desire to know him but to walke with him in all sincerity of obedience That hee hath given thee an unfeined delight and joy not onely in the Promises but in every Commandement of thy Lord liking and heartily loving that purifying fire of the Word whereby thou art refined as gold and seperate from this sinfull drosse which is so mixed and incorporate with thee A zealous anger and griefe burning within thee detesting every sinne whereby thy Saviour is dishonoured and above all thine owne in which thou unthankefull wretch too often forgettest that incomperable incomprehensible love wherewith hee hath compassed and embraced thee A continuall longing after the Lord Jesus after his death that thou maist be buried in it after his resurrection that thou maist be quickened by it and not only justified in that other but sactifiâ—d in this life and renewed after that his glorious image and divine beauty True indeed my weake soule too true thou art full of infirmities very unfruitfull very unprofitable every one out-strips thee and those who have set out long after thee in this heavenly race are now much before thee But yet comfort thy selfe for even in this estate thy gracious Saviour leaves thee not altogether comfortlesse but still affords thee some token of his eternall love for seeing thy weakenesse thou art humbled within me and broken with griefe of thy barrennesse Remember that he as much delights in the low feat of an humble spirit as in the loftiest Throne of his glorious heavens But rise my dejected soule oh rise up in strong consolations and glorious rejoycings See here oh see thou hast an infallible evidence that the Father of lights hath begotten thee through the word of Truth and that thou art borne anew not of mortall but immortall seede the Word of God and therefore entred not into a corruptible but eternall life For seest thou not that seede of thy Father abiding in thee feelest thou not an unslaked thirst of that sincere milke of the Gospell not that thou mightst have it in thy mouth for discourse but in thy heart for growth growth in all obedience growth in all holinesse and perfection Behold also behold with joy unspeakeable Thy Saviour hath assured his victory unto thee and hath already throwne downe the dominion of sinne in thee It is indeed an enemy a strong a grievous encombring vexing and ah too often prevailing enemy but an enemy thou professest no obedience but proclaimest open warre to every sinne how much more will he who conquered it reigning subdue it rebelling in thee yea certainely the Lord Jesus hath set up his victorious Crosse in thee and he that now hangs out a flagge of defiance will shortly set up his banner of triumph trample all thine enemies and bruise under thy feet both sinne and Satan Consider also that the bleâ—sed Spirit the life of thy spirit dwelleth and continually worketh in thee It cannot bee that uncleane spirit the Prince of disobedience it cannot bee the spirit of the world or that fleshly sinfull spirit within thee which is ever washing thee from uncleannesse seperating thee more and more from the world and the corruption which is in the world through lust which drawes and frames thy desires and actions to all obedience unto the Lord Jesus which gives thee no peace in sinne suffers thee not to rest in any imperfection discovers thy corruption causeth thee to groane under it puts thee forward in thy race enflames thy affections and orders thy feet to turne out of the evill into the good way and to runne in it Dost thou not finde in thee an unfeyned love to the Brethren Doth not thy judgement highly esteeme them Doth not thy will doe not thy affections entirely love and honour them Doth not thy whole soule blesse them How dost thou cleave to them in heart How dost thou admire those that excell upon the earth in holinesse How doest thou delight in them and art ravished with their heavenly fellowship Looke now to thy evidence sworne by the Father written by the Spirit sealed by the bloud of thy Saviour Is not hee borne of God who loves the children of God Is not hee a member who loves a fellow-member Is not hee quickened by the same Spirit who is united in the same spirituall love to those who live walk in the Spirit Rejoyce then oh my sonle rejoyce in the Lord and in these assurances of his everlasting truth and favour Cast out this spirit of bondage this servile this tormenting feare Bring in that joy of the Spirit seat it in the midst of thy heart There let it abide there let it reigne making thee to delight in the Lord to turne and tune thy grones and sighs to hymnes and spirituall songs ever blessing him who never ceaseth to blesse thee to love his glory and glory in his love to serve him in joy and rejoyce in his service CHAP. XXXV Conâ—luding all with Prayer OH glorious Trinity of persons in the unity of one God draw mee nearer