griefe to open shame then God opens Conscience to tell them not onely that they are too blame for their grosse sinnes but for the root of them Atheisme prophanenesse loosenesse which are sinnes against the first Table This is an aggravation of sinnes against knowledge when our knowledge hath beene holpen and strengthened by education by example of others running into our eyes which is a more familiar â—eaching than that of Rule â—nd strengthened also by observation and experience â—f our selves and the forâ—er strength we have had â— against the sinne we now commit and sweetnesse we have found in the resisting of it None are worse than â—hose that have been good and are naught and might be good and will be naught When there is more deliberation and fore-knowledge of the dangerous issue and this also joyned with the warning of others As Reuben said unto the rest of his brethren Spake I not vnto you c So may Gods Spirit and conscience say to men Did not I acquaint you with the danger of sin You are now in misery and terrours of conscience but did you not sleight former admonitions and helps and meanes Conscience is an inferior light of the Spirit to do things against conscience is to do them against the Spirit God spake to me and I heeded him not how doth God speake When conscience speakes and saith this is good this is bad then God speakes conscience hath somewhat divine in it it is a petty god it speakes from God especially when the Spirit joynes with conscience then God speakes indeed then there is light upon light Vpon divers respects some sin may grieve more or lesse than another As the â—oly Ghost is a Spirit so â—pirituall sinnes grieve most â—s pride envy imprinting â—pon the soule as it were a â—haracter of the contrary ill â—â—irit Carnell sinnes whereby the soule is drowned in â—elight of the body may â—â—ore grieve the spirit in aâ—other respect as defiling â—â—is Temple and as taking away so much of the soule â—ove and delight carry the soule with them and the more deeply such sinnes enter into the creature besides the defilement the lesse strength it hath to spirituall duties grace is scaâ—ed in the powers of nature now carnall sinnes disable natureâ— and so sets us in a greateâ— distance from grace as taking away the heart Hos 4. Hereupon the Apostle sets being filled with wine contrary to being filled with the Spirit And hence it is the Apostle forbids in the former words uncleane communication the holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth hates hypocrites being painted sepulchers but as a spiritâ— of purity hates foule â—ivers and foule-mouth'd speakers as open sepulchers They cannot therefore but much grieve the spirit that feed corrupt lusts and studie to give contentment and pay tribute to the flesh to which they owe no â—ervice and are no debters â—nd by sowing to the flesh from which we can reape nothing but corruption When our thoughts are exercised to content the outâ—ard man to contrive for â—â—e things of the world oneâ—â— this is to pay tribute of â—â—e strength and vigor of our affections to the utter enemy of Gods Spirit and our owne soules when our thoughts runne deeply into â—arthly things we become â—ne with them Who will thinke himselfe well entertained into an house when there shall be entertainement given to his greatest enemy with him â—nd shall see more regard had and better countenance shewed to his enemy than to him when the motions of corrupt nature are morâ— regarded then the motions of the Spirit The wisedome of the Spirit which is from above is first pure and maketh us so and rayseth the soule upward to things above Christians indeed have their failings but if a true Christian examine himselfe his heart will say that every day he intends the glory of God and the good of the state he lives in he hath a larger heart than a base worldling that keeps within the sphere of himselfe spending all his thoughts there and consults onely with flesh and bloud with profit and pleasure to heare what they say Such basenesse cannot but grieve the Spirit as coÌ„trary to our hopes and heavenly calling which are glorious It is a dangerous grieving of the Spirit when instead of drawing our selves to the spirit we will labour to â—raw the spirit to us and â—â—udy the Scriptures to countenance us in some corrupt course and labour to make God of our mind that wee may go on with the greater libertie When men get to themselves teachers after their owne lusts as many do especially if they be in place Ahab shall not want his 400 false Prophets When men cut the rule and standard to fit themselves and not fit themselves to it You have some that are resolved what to do and yet will bee asking counsell and if they have an answer to their minds then they rest if not then their answer is This is your judgment but others are of a contrary opinion and thus they labour to make the Spirit of God in his Ministers to serve their turne so did the Iewes in Ieremies time Some will father those sinfull affections that arise from the flesh and are strengthened by Sathan upon the holy Spirit counting wrath that is kindled from hell to be fire of holy zeale comming from heaven Thus the enemies of Religion thinke they doe God service in their massacres such are those that wickedly oppose the wayes of God and yet are ready to say Glory be to the Lord such men study holinesse in the shew that they may overthrow it in the power and will countenance an ill course by Religion Such also are faulty who lay the blame of an uncomfortable life upon Religion when men are therefore uncomfortable because they are not religious enough The wayes of wisedome are the wayes of pleasure In these times being the second spring of the Gospell we must take heed of sinnes against the Gospell Benefits the greater they are being neglected or abused bring the greater judgement The office of the holy Spirit is by the Ministery to lay open the riches of Christ and the glory of Gods grace in him by neglecting so great salvation and by thinking this favour of God to be a common favour we sinne against both Father Sonne and holy Ghost and in that they desire most to be glorified Such therefore as say to the clouds Drop not and to the winds blow not and to the Prophets prophesie not that study to keepe out the light and sin against it as discovering them and awakening them and hindering them from taking that solace in carnall courses of the world as peâ—ing the eyes of others to know them further than they would be known and so to lose that respect they would have in the hearts of men This cannot but grieve â—he Spirit of God and move â—im to take away that truth â—hat we are so far from â—hinking a
A FOUNTAINE SEALED OR The Dutie of the sealed to the SPIRIT And the worke of the Spirit in Sealing BY Rich. Sibbes D. D. the 2 d Edition Printed for L Chapman are to be sould at his shope at Chancery Lane end in Holborne Will Marshall sculpsit 1637. A FOUNTAIN SEALED OR The duty of the sealed to the Spirit and the worke of the Spirit in Sealing Wherein Many things are handled about the Holy Spirit and grieving of it As also Of assurance and sealing what it is the priviledges and degrees of it with the signes to discerne and meanes to preserve it Being The substance of divers Sermons preached at Grayes Inne By that Reverend Divine RICHARD SIBBES D. D. and sometimes Preacher to that Honourable Society LONDON Printed by Thomas Harper for Lawrence Chapman and are to be sold at his shop at Chancery lane end in Holborne 1637. TO The truely Noble and much honoured Lady the Lady Elizabeth Brooke Wife to Sir Robert Brooke Madame BEsides that deserved interest your Ladyship held in the fections and esteem of this worthy man more then any friend alive which might intitle you to all that may call him Authour This small piece of his acknowledgeth a more speciall propriety unto your Ladyship For though his tongue was as the Pen of a ready Writer in the hand of Christ who guided him yet your Ladyships hand and Pen was in this his scribe and Amanuensis whilest hee dictated a first draught of it in private with intention for the publique In which labour both of humility and love your Ladyship did that honour unto him which Baruch thogh great and Noble did but receive in the like transcribing the words of Ieremiah from his mouth wherin yet your Ladyship did indeed but write the story of your owne life which hath beene long exactly framed to the rules herein prescribed We therefore that are intrusted in the publishing of it deeme it but an act of Justice in us to return it thus to your Ladyship unto whom it owes even its first Birth that so where ever this little Treatise shall come there also this that you have done may bee told and recorded for a memoriall of you And we could not but esteeme it also an addition of honour to the worke that no lesse then a Ladies hand so pious so much honoured brought it forth into the world although in it selfe it deserveth as much as any other this blessed wombe did beare The Lord in way of recompence write all the holy Contents of it yet more fully and abundantly in your Ladyships heart and all the lineaments of the Image of Iesus Christ and seale up all unto you by his blessed spirit with joy and peace to the day of Redemption Madame we are your Ladyships devoted THO. GOODWIN PHILIP NYE THE CONTENTS GRieve not the holy Spirit of God The Holy Ghost why called a Spirit page 3 Why holy page 5 From the Apostles disswasion these foure presupposed truths 1 That the holy Ghost is in us page 8 2 And is as a guide to us page 12 3 The best of us are apt to grieve him page 13 4 Therefore wee should bee carefull of it page 14 § 1 Of grieving the Spirit I What it is to grieve the Spirit page 16. how the Spirit worketh in us page 20 II Wherein doe we especially grieve the Spirit 1 In our selves and that in these particulars 1 In walking contrary to and in neglecting of its motions page 25. and comforts page 27. seeking comfort from the flesh page 28 2 By unkindenesse page 29. the sinnes of Professors and those that have most acquaintance with the Spirit grieve most page 30 3 By presumptuous sinnes page 33 sinnes against knowledge of two sorts ibid. why voluntary sinnes are so great and grieve the Spirit so much page 36 the reason why sinnes of the second Table grieve most page 39 upon divers respects the same sort of sinnes may grieve more and lesse page 44 4 By worldlinesse and paying tribute to the flesh page 45 5 Abusing spirituall things to our owne ends page 48 and fathering the workes of the flesh upon the spirit page 49 6 By sins against the Gospell page 49 slighting ordinances page 51 7 Sinnes plotted and contrived page 57 8 By false judgement of things page 55 9. By not using the helpes we have page 58 10 Cavilling against the truth page 59 11 By doing duty in our own strength page 61 12 Thrusting our selves into over-much worldly imployment page 61 whence 13 Omission or slight performance of duty page 63 2 In others many wayes as 1 Neglecting the grace in them page 65 2 Sharpe censures page 65 3 Superiours by unjust commands page 66 4 Inferiours by untractablenesse 5 By evill examples page 68 III How we may know when we have grieved the spirit page 69 and what is the danger of it page 71 How farre a childe of God may grieve the Spirit page 76 Of the sinne against the Holy Ghost page 81 and a twofold miscarriage about it in censuring page 82 IIII What course we should take to prevent grieving the Spirit page 84 in divers rules 1 Give your selfe up to the government of it page 84 2 Subject constantly to the Spirits motions they are knowne from other motions 1 By a speciall strength in them by which they are raised to higher ends page 87 2 By their constancy page 88 3 They proceed from a changed heart page 89 4 They are seasonable ibid. 5 A selfe evidēce in thē page 90 6 Orderly in respect of both Tables of the law ibid. 7 Dependant upon God page 91 3 Ioyne and co-operate with the Spirit page 92 4 Turne motions into resolutions page 94 and resolutions into practise page 95 5 Depend on ordinances and get a heart suteable to them page 96 6 Observe the Spirits first withdrawing and search the cause page 100 7 Take heed of such sinnes as we terme little ones page 102 and looke upon all sinne in the rise and root of it page 104 8 Get spirituall wisedome to know what is pleasing and displeasing to the Spirit page 105 9 Vpon breaches renew repentance page 108 10 Avoyd corrupt communication page 109 Whereby you are sealed § 2 Of the sealing of the Spirit 1 Christ is sealed page 122 2 So are Christians page 125 I What this sealing is and how it is wrought page 125 II The privileges of it A seale serveth for 1 Confirmation page 131 2 Distinction page 132 3 Appropriation page 139 4 Estimation page 141 5 Secrecy page 144 6 Security page 146 III Degrees of sealing 1 The worke of faith page 149 2 Sanctification page 150. yet not without a new act of the Spirit page 153. the reasons page 155 3 Ioy page 156. which hath its degrees also page 158 being from the spirit page 159 Of the three witnesses on earth 160 their order page 164 Of the witnesse of the Spirit immediately from
it selfe which is the highest and that which bringeth most joy page 166 Of such joyes and raptures of the Spirit and how they are knowne from illusions page 169. as 1 By what goes before them as 1 The word imbraced by faith page 171 2 Deep humiliation page 172 3 Selfe-denyall page 174 4 Comfort victory page 175 5 Spirituall strength put forth in duty page 176 2 By what accompanieth them as 1 Pryzing ordinances page 177 2 Liberty boldnesse with God page 179 3 And for the most part Sathans malice page 180 3 By what followeth them 1 More humility page 180 2 Increase of spirituall strength page 181 3 A joyfull expectation of Christ page 183 4 Other degrees of sealing from the divers degrees of revelation page 185 Vnto the day of RedeÌ„ption § 3 Of the day of Redemption 191 From the consideration of what formerly hath beene spoken some generall conclusions are collected page 202 I Concl. Wee may attaine to the knowledge that wee are in the state of grace page 203 All that have faith have not assurance page 209 II Concl. Vpon knowledge of our state of grace for the present we may be assured of our future full redemption page 215 Why we pray for forgivenesse of sinnes notwithstanding page 218 This assurance we have page 221 that first God may be glorified 222 secondly our soules comforted page 223 III Concl. This assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit page 224 IIII Concl. The sealing of the Spirit unto salvation should bee a prevailing argument not to grieve the Spirit page 228 1 To those that are not as yet sealed page 230 2 To those that are sealed either in a lower page 233. or higher worke of sealing page 236 and that from 1 Ingenuity page 237 2 Benefit received from the Spirit page 239 3 A kinde of necessity page 240 4 The nature of love page 241 5 And other graces as faith and hope that worke by assimilation page 242 The doctrine of assurance is no doctrine of liberty page 243 But of deepe and sweet ingagement page 244 Therefore we should preserve the worke page 247 FINIS Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are â—ealed unto the day of redemâ—tion WHether the words bee a Command ensuing from authority or counsell from wisedome or a caveat from Gods care of our soules it is not materiall considering both Counsell and Caveats of the great God have both force of a Command with some mixture of the sweetnesse of love the Apostle as his manner is from the largenesse of his Spirit riseth from a particular disswasive from corrupt communication in the verse before to this generall advise of not grieving Gods Spirit by sinne especially against conscience inlightened and this disswasive from evill is inforced from a dangerous effect of grieving the spirit of God and the danger of grieving ariseth from this that it is the Spirit of God and God himselfe whom we grieve and a holy Spirit holy in himselfe and holy as the cause of all holinesse in us and hee that after he hath wrought holinesse in us sealeth and confirmeth us in that act of grace untill the day of our glorious redemption so that the grounds of not grieving are from the greatnesse and goodnesse of the person whom we grieve and from the greatnesse and constancie of the benefits we have by him To speake something of the person the holy Spirit is called a Spirit not onely by nature as being a spirituall essence but in regard of his person and office he is both breathed from the Father and the Sonne as proceeding from them both and by office breatheth into all that God hath given Christ to redeeme and him to sanctifie he is so the spirit of God in proceeding from God as that he is God which who so denieth deny their own Baptisme being as well Baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost as into the Father and the Sonne and no lesse a person then God is needfull to assure our soules of Gods love and to change our nature being in an opposite frame who can reveale to us the minde of God but the Spirit of God and herein we may see the joynt forwardnesse both of the Father and Son and holy Ghost when both Father and Sonne joyne in willingnesse to send so great a person to apply unto us and to assure us of that great good the Father hath decreed and the Son performed for us That attribute the Spirit delights in is that of holinesse which our corrupt nature least delights in and most opposeth holinesse is the glory and crown of all other excellencie without which they are neither good in themselves noâ— comfortable to us It implies a freedome from all impuritie and a perfect hatred of it an absolute perfection of all that is excellent What is it then to grieve such an holy Spirit before whom the heavens themselves are impure and not onely the Divels tremble but the Angels cover their faces what shall wee thinke then of them which doe not onely neglect but despise yea oppose this holinesse and indure any thing else what is hated in the world with keene and perfect hatred but holynesse without which yet we shall never see God nor enter into that pure place into which we all professe a desire to enter There was planted in man by nature a desire of holinesse and a desire of happinesse the desire of happinesse is left still in us but for holinesse which is the perfection of the image of God in us is both lost and the desire of it extinguished and that men might the better drive it out of the world under a forme and shew of it they oppose the truth of it and that with the greater successe because under that great colour the Divell and his Vicar carry all their divellish policies under a shew of holinesse We see in Popery every thing is holy with them but that which should be holy the truth of God and the expression of it The man of sinne himselfe must have no worse title then his Holinesse a shew of devised holinesse pleaseth mans anture well enough as being glorious for appearance and usefull for ends But the truth of it being crosse to the whole corrupt nature of man will never be entertained untill nature be new moulded by his holy Spirit in the use of holy meanes sanctified by himselfe for that end it is this that makes a man a Saint and civill vertues to be graces which rayseth things that are otherwise common to an higher degree of excellency this is that to a Christian which reason is to a man it gives him a being and a beauty different from all other it makes every action we doe in obedience to God a service and puts a religious respect upon all our actions directing them to the highest end Now that which the Apostle disswades from is from
grieving so holy a Spirit These truths are presupposed First that the holy Ghost is not in us personally as the second Person is in Christ man for then the holy Ghost and we should make one person nor is the holy Ghost in us essentially only for so he is in all creatures nor yet is in us onely by stirring up holy motions but he is in us mystically and as Temples dedicated to himselfe Christs humane nature is the first temple wherein the Spirit dwels and then we become temples by union with him The difference betwixt his being in Christ us is that the Spirit dwels in Christ in a fuller measure by reason that as a head he is to conveigh spirit into all his members Secondly the Spirit is in Christ intirely without any thing to oppose the Spirit alwayes findes something in us that is not his owne but readie to crosse him Thirdly the Spirit is in us derivatively from Christ as a fountaine we receive grace at second hand answerable to grace in him The holy Ghost was in Adam before his fall immediately but now hee is in Christ first and then for Christ in us as members of that bodie whereof Christ is the head it is well for us that he dwels first in Christ and then in us for from this it is that his communion with us is inseparable as it is from Christ himselfe with whom the Spirit makes us one The holy Spirit dwels in those that are Christs after another manner then in others in whom he is in in some sort by common gifts but in his owne he is in them as holy and as making them holy as the soule is in the whole body in regard of divers operations but in the head onely as it understandeth and from thence ruleth the whole bodie so the holy Ghost is in his in regard of more noble operations and his person is together with his working though not personally and though the whole man be the temple of the holy Ghost yet the soule especially and in the soule the very Spirit of our minds as most suteable to him being a Spirit Whence the Apostle wishes the grace of Christ to be with our Spirits the best of spirits delight most in the best of us which is our spirits in the Temple the further they went all was more holy till they came to the holy of holiest So in a Christian the most inward part the spirit is as it were the holie of holies where incense is offered to God continually What a mercy is this that he that hath the heaven of heavens to dwell in will make a dungeon to be a temple a prison to be a paradise yea an hell to bee an heaven Next to the love of Christ in taking our nature and dwelling in it we may wonder at the love of the holy Ghost that will take up his residence in such defiled soules The second thing presupposed is that the holy Spirit being in us after hee hath prepared us for an house for himselfe to dwell in and to take up his rest and delight in he doth also become unto us a Counsellour in all our doubts a Comforter in all distresses a Solicitor to all dutie a guide in the whole course of our life untill we dwell with him for ever in heaven unto which his dwelling here in us doth tend he goeth before us as Christ did in the pillar of the cloud and fire before the Israelites into Canaan being a defence by day and a direction by night When we sinne what doe we else but grieve this guide The third ground is that we the best of us are prone to grieve this holy Spirit what use were there else of this caveatâ— we carrie too good a proofe of this in our owne hearts we have that which is enmitie to the spirit within us sinne and an adversarie to the spirit us Sathan These joyning together and having intelligence and holding correspondencie one with another stirre us up to that which grieves this good Spirit The fourth thing presupposed is that we may and ought by Christian care and circumspection so to walke in an even and pleasing course that we shall not grievously offend the spirit or grieve our owne spirits We may avoid many lashes and blowes and many an heavy day which we may thanke our selves for and God delighteth in the prosperity of his children and would have us walk in the comforts of the holy Ghost and is grieved when we grieve him that then hee must grieve us to prevent worse griefe The due and proper act of a Christian in this life is to please Christ and to bee comfortable in himselfe and so to be fitted for all services These things premised it is easie to conceive the equitie of the Apostles disswasive from grieving the holy spirit For the better unfolding of which we wil unfold these foure points First what it is to grieve the Spirit Secondly is wherein we specially grieve the Spirit Thirdly how we may know when wee have grieved the Spirit Fourthly what course we should take to prevent this griefe For the first The holy Ghost cannot properly be grieved in his own person because griefe implyes a defect of happinesse in suffering that we wish removed It implyes a defect in foresight to prevent that which may grieve It implyes passion which is soon raised up and soone laid downe GOD is not subject to change it implyes some want of power to remove that which we feele to be a grievance and therefore it is not beseeming the Majestie of the Spirit thus to bee grieved Wee must thereâ—ore conceive of it as befitâ—ing the Majestie of God â—emoving in our thoughts â—ll imperfections First then we are sayd to grieve God when we doe that which is apt of it selfe to grieve as we are said to destroy our weake brother when wee do that which he taking offence at is apt to misleade him and so to destroy him Secondly we grieve the Spirit when wee doe that whereupon the Spirit doth that which grieved persons doe that is retireth and sheweth dislike and returns griefe againe Thirdly though the passion of griefe be not in the holy Ghost yet there is in his holy nature a pure displicence and hatred of sinne with such a degree of abhomination as though it tend not to the destruction of the offender yet to sharpe correction so that griefe is eminently in the hatred of God in such a manner as becomes him Fourthly wee may conceive of the Spirit as hee is in himselfe in heaven and as hee dwels and workes in us as wee may conceive of God the Father as hidden in himselfe and as revealed in his Son and in his word and as we may conceive of Christ as the secoÌ„d persoÌ„ as incarnate so likewise of the holy Ghost as in himselfe and as in us God in the person of his Sonne
mover the Spirit leaves not us till wee leave the Spirit When the Spirit suggests good motions turne them presently into holy resolutions Is this my duty and that which tends to my comfort certainely I will doe it Let not these motions dye in us How many holy motions are kindled in hearing the Word and receiving the Sacraments c. which dye as soone as they are kindled for want of resolution therefore let us not give over till these motions be turned into purposes and those good purposes ripened to holy actions that they be not nipped in the blossome but may bring forth perfect fruit Let us labour to improve these talents to the end for which they are sent are they motions of comfort let us use them for comfort are they motions tending to duty let us make conscience to doe our duty let not our despairing hearts crosse the Spirit in his comforts nor stand out stubbornely as enemies against our duty for that is to crosse God and to nip his motions in the bud Let the Spirit have full scope both in the ordinances and in the motions stirred up by the ordinances this is the way to make the ordinances and the times glorious but the liberties of the Gospell are contrary to the liberties of the flesh it turneth all things upside downe and men out of themselves Hence is it that there is nothing so much opposed by the spirit of the world as the purity and power of the Gospel which is a sufficient prejudice of an ill condition that all such men are in But there is another spirit in gracious men they are the children of light and love it If wee would not grieve the Spirit we must be willing to bring our selves under all advantages of the Spirits working as conversing with those that are spirituall and especially attending on those ordinances wherein the Spirit breatheth wherein we may meet the Spirit The walkes of Gods Spirit are in the meanes of salvation hearing the Word preached and holy communion one with another the Word Spirit go together therefore if we will have the comforts of the Spirit we must attend upon the Word Men grieve the Spirit by neglecting the Word and holy conference c. It is with the Word and Spirit as with the veynes and arteries the veynes have arteries that as the veyns carry the bloud the arteries carry the spirits to quicken the bloud The Word is dead without the Spirit and therefore attend on the Word and then wait on the Spirit to quicken the Word that both Word and Spirit may guide us to life everlasting Motions of this kinde come from the Spirit as it is said of old Simeon that he came by the motion of the Spirit into the Temple Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day our Manna fals most then Christs Spirit and Word dwell together in the heart therefore the Apostle useth the dwelling of Christ in us and the Word indefinitely Faith wrought by the Word layes hold upon Christ and brings him into the soule and keepes him there It is a blessed thing when the Spiâ—it in the ordinance and the Spirit in our hearts meet together this is the way to feed and cherish the Spirit in us and to put oyle as it were into the Lampe because the Spirit as it is in us is thus nourished even as the fire though in its own element feedeth upon nothing yet with us here below it is maintained with fuell otherwise dyeth and goeth out Take heed of slighting any helpe of faith that God affords us as wicked Achaz GOD offered him for the strengthening of his faith a signe from heaven or from earth or any other creature oh no he would not tempt God hee seemed a pious man hee would not tempt God but what saith the Prophet Is it little for you to despise mee but you will grieve God insinuating that when we despise those helpes God hath given we grieve the Spirit of God Those that neglect the Word and Sacrament what doe they despise a poore Minister and neglect bread and wine no they despise God himselfe who knowes better then our selves what need wee have of these helpes Againe when we finde the Spirit not assisting and comforting as in former 〈◊〉 it is fit to search the cause which we shall finde some slighting of holy motions or the meanes of breeding of them or yeelding to some corruption which we are more especially addicted unto or some sinne unrepented of which we take no notice of It is good therefore to search our soules to the bottome there may be some hidden corruption lying in the soule which may undermine our grace comfort there may be a privy thiefe that robs us of all And besides beloved and secret sinnes it is good to bethinke our selves of old sinnes which perhaps hitherto wee have but outwardly thought of and God is willing by some deadnesse and trouble of spirit to minde us of renewing of sorrow for them for want of strict accounting with our selves God cals us to these arrerages and backe reckonings as we see in Iosephs Brethren If we finde not that sweetnesse of communion with the Spirit that formerly we enjoyed bethink our selves when and wherein we lost it that we may meet the Spirit againe in these waies wherein we found him before we lost him and take heed of those courses in the entrance of which we found the Spirit leaving us Againe take heed of little sinnes which we count lesser sinnes perhaps than God doth We weigh sinne in our owne ballance and not in his whereas no sinne is to be accounted little for if it were once set upon the conscience and the wrath opened due unto it It would take all comfort from us And therefore we must judge of sinne as the Spirit doth if we would not grieve the Spirit as the communion of the Spirit is of all the sweetest so the preserving of it requires most exact watchfulnesse and through understanding of our selves Take heed of the beginning of sin when any lust ariseth pray it downe presently say nay to it let it have no consent be presently humbled otherwise we are indangered by yeelding to grieve by grieving to resist by resisting to quench by quenching maliciously to oppose the Spirit sin hath no bounds but those which the Spirit puts whom therfore we should not grieve And let us look to the head and spring of sinnes whereby we grieve the Spirit of God not to the sinne so much as to the root Wee are angry with our selves for being passionate but what is the cause of passion It comes from pride Ionas was a passionate man in that measure that he was passionate he was proud he was loth to be shamed when he had said Niniveh shall bee destroyed he thought upon the sparing of them he should be discredited and he preferred his credit before the destruction of a populous Citie So
he is a Spirit of consolation Are we in perplexity and know not what to do he is a Spirit of wisedome Are wee troubled with corruptions He is a sanctifying a subduing a mortifying Spirit in what condition soever we are he will never leave us till he hath raised us from the grave and taken full possession of body and soule in heaven he will prove a comforter when neither friends nor riches nor any thing in the world can comfort us How carefull should we be to give contentment to this sweet Spirit of God No Christian is so happy as the watchfull Christian that is carefull of his duty and to preserve his communion with the holy Spirit of God for by entertaining him he is sure to have communion with the Father and the Sonne It is the happiest condition in the world when the soule is the Temple of the holy Spirit when the heart is as the holy of holies where there be prayers and prayses offered to GOD. The soule is as it were an holy Arke the memory like the pot of Mannah preserving heavenly truths It is an heavenly condition a man prospers to heavenward when the Spirit of God is with him You know Obed-Edom when the Arke was in his house all thrived with him so while the Spirit and his motions are entertained by us we shall be happy in life happy in death happy to eternity For it is he By which you are sealed to the day of redemption The Apostle sealeth this grave admonition by an argument taken from the Spirits sealing of them to the day of redemption We are all by nature in bondage to sinne and corruption we all are redeemed from sinne by the first comming of Christ and are to be redeemed from corruption by the second There is a day appointed for this glorious worke In the meane time GOD would have us assured of it aforehand This assurance is by sealing And this sealing is by the Spirit none else need do it no meaner person can doe it And what respect is due to the Spirit for doing so gracious a worke that wee grieve him not and not onely so but that we indevour so to please him as he may with delight goe on with this blessed work that it hath pleased him to take upon him As the dutie is spirituall so the arguments that inforce it are spirituall and the argument here is fetched from that which hath a most constraining force love expressed in the sweetest fruit of it and the stability of it sealing and sealing to the day of redemption as if the Apostle should reason thus God the Father hath ordained you to salvation by the redemption of Christ his Sonne and that you might have the comfort of it in the way to it against all discouragements you may meet with the holy Ghost hath assured you of it and set his seale upon you as those that are set apart for so great salvation that the sence of this love might breed love in you againe and love breed a care out of ingenuity not to offend so gracious a Spirit The holy Spirit by which you are sealed THe holy Ghost delighteth to speake in our owne language we cannot rise to him therefore he stoopeth to us This sealing is either sealing of persons or of good things intended to the persons Sealing is not onely a witnessing to us but a work upon us and in us carrying the Image of him that sealeth us whereby we are not onely assured of the good promised to us but fitted for the receiving of it God prepareth no good for any but whom he prepares and fits for that good There is not only an outward authorising of the great grants we have by promise oath and Sacrament but an inward by the spirit perswading of our interest in them and working that which doth authorise us to lay claime unto them after the use of a seale both in confirmation and representation and resemblance of him that sealed The persons sealed are first Christ and then those that are given to Christ Christ is sealed 1 By the Father Christ was ordained by him to be a Saviour in our nature predestinate to be the head of the Church Wherefore he often saith he came to do his Fathers will Him hath the Father sealed Ioh. 6. 27. anointing him calling him setting him forth sanctifying him by the spirit and every way fitting him with all grace to be a Saviour 2 He was sealed by the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in flesh abased and exalted for us so as his flesh is the flesh of the Son of God and his bloud the bloud of God 3 Sealed by a testimony from heaven of all three Persons by the Father This is my welbeloved Son by the Holy Spirit descending like a dove by himselfe to his humane nature dwelling in all fulnesse in it Christ is sealed by miracles done upon him and by him by his baptizing and installing into his office and by giving himself up to shed his bloud for sinne by which bloud the Covenant is established and sealed 4 In being justified in the spirit being raised from the dead and declared thereby to be the Sonne of God mightily with power and then advanced him to the right hand of God that through him our faith and trust might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 14. and appearing there for ever for us sheweth not onely his habilitie and willingnesse to save us but that it is done already Wee may see all what ever wee can looke for to our selves performed in our head to our comfort As Christ was sealed and fitted for us so we are sealed and fitted for Christ There is a privy seale in predestination this is knowne onely to God himselfe The Lord knoweth who are his And this knowledge of God of us is carried secret as a River under ground untill his calling of and separating us from the rest of men When first by his Spirit hee convinceth us of what wee are in our selves and of our cursed condition and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for sinne as the greatest evill And then a pardon is more to us then a Crowne then we will wait for mercy and continue so and begge for mercy and that upon Christs own condition by denying and renouncing any thing of our owne then Christ is Christ unto us Indeed after this it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a doore of hope and give some hints of mercy and to let in some beames of love and withall to raise up the soule by a spirit of faith to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit whereby the soule sealeth to the truth of the promise Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is true It is strange that GOD should stoop so low as to receive as it were confirmation by our beleefe but thus GOD condescends in the phrase of Scripture As we are
uncertaine condition wherein a man knowes not but he may be a reprobate Wherefore came our Saviour into the world and tooke our nature upon him why became he a curse for us why hath he carried our nature into heaven and there appeares for us till he hath brought us home to himselfe but that he would have us out of all doubt of his love after oâ—ce by faith we have received him whence procâ—â—ded those Commandements to beleeve those checks of unbeleevers the commendation of them that did beleeve those upbraidings of doubting as springing from unbeliefe to what use are the Sacraments but to seale unto us the benefits of Christ if upon all this we should still doubt of GODS love especially when besides the sealiâ—g of the promises to us we are sealed our selves by the Spirit of promise Object This is true if wee know we doe beleeve Answer It is the office of the Spirit as to worke faith and other graces so to reveale them to us every grace of GOD is a light of it selfe comming from the Father of lights and it is the property of light not onely to discover otâ—er things but it selâ—e too and it is the office of the Spirit to give further light to this light by shining upon his owne grace in us an excellent place for this is the 1 Cor. 2. 12. Wee have received the Spirit that is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every thing bee confirmed one witnesse is the Spirit of man which knowes the things that are in man the other witnesse is the Spirit of God witnessing to our spirits that we are the children of God Here is light added to light witnesse added to witnesse the greater witnesse of the Spirit to the lesse of our Spirits the Apostle joynes them both together My conscience bears me witnesse through the holy Ghost Obje Mans heart is deceitfull Answ But the spirit of God in mans heart is not deceitfull it is too holy to deceive and too wise to be deceived in this point of assurance wee plow with the Spirits Heifer or else we could not finde out this Riddle where there is an object to be seene and an eye to see and light to discover the object to the eye sight must needs follow In a true beleever after he is inlightened as there is grace to be seene and an eye of faith to see so there is a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to that inward sight in the bottome of a cleare River a cleare eye sight may see any thing where nothing is nothing can be seene it is an evidence that the Patrons of doubtings have little grace in them and much boldnesse in making themselves a measure for others Those that are bâ—se borne know their mothers better than their fathers the Church of Rome is all for the mother but the babes of Christ know their father the remainder of corruption will indeed be still breeding doubts but it is the office of the Spirit of faith to quell them as they arise We are too ready in time of temptation to doubt we need not helpe the tempter by holding it a duty to doubt this is to light a candle before the divell as we use to speake Question May not there be doubtings where there is true faith may not a true beleever be without assurance Answ There be three rankes of Christians first some that are yet under the spirit of bondage that like little children doe all for feare Secondly those that are under the spirit of adoption and doe many things well but yet are not altogether free from feare these are like those children that are moved with reverence to obey their Parents and yet finde their commands somewhat irkesome unto them The third are such as by the love of God shed into their hearts by the Spirit of adoption are carried with large Spirits to obey their father and herein like unto those children that not onely obey but take a delight in it upon a judgement that both obedience and the thing wherein they obey is good this we ought to labour for but we finde many Christians in the second ranke many truely beleeve in Christ by some light let into their hearts by the Spirit of adoption who are not yet fully assured of the love of Christ There is the act of faith and the fruit of faith the act of faith is to cast our selves upon Gods mercy in Christ the fruit of faith is in beleeving to be assured of this we must know that faith is one thing assurance another they may have faith and yet want a double assurance first assurance of their faith being not able to judge at all times of their owne act likewise secondly assurance of their state in grace as in time of desertion and temptation a soule at such a time casts it selfe upon Christ as knowing comfort is there to be had though hee be not sure of it for himselfe and this the soule doth out of obedience though not out of feeling as the poore man in the Gospell Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe the soule often times out of the deepe cryes and in the darke trusts in GOD and this is the bold adventure of faith the first object whereof is Christ held out in a promise and not assurance which springeth from the first act when it pleaseth God to shine upon the soule and is a reward of glorifying Gods mercy in Christ by casting the soule upon his truth and goodnesse Assurance is GODS seale faith is our seale when we set to our seale by beleeving he sets to his seale assuring us of our condition we yeeld first the consent and the assent of faith and then God puts his seale to the contract there must be a good title before a confirmation a planting before a rooting and establishing the bargaine before the earnest Some would have faith to be an over-powring light of the soule wherby undoubtedly they beleeve themselves to be Christ and Christ to be theirs which stumbleth many a weake yet true Christian for this is rather the fruit of a strong faith then the act of a weake which struggleth with doubting untill it hath gotten the upper hand True it is there must be so much light let in to the soule as the soule may relye upon Christ and this light must be discovered by the Spirit and such a light as shewes a speciall love of Christ to the soule And againe it is true that we are not to take up our rest in the light untill the heart be further subdued as many are too hasty to conclude of a good condition upon uncertaine signes before they have attained unto fuller assurance but yet we must not deny faith where this strong assurance is wanting so farre as to conclude against our selves if there be desires putting on to endeavour with conflict against
given up to a carelesse security A second is feare of some judgement 〈◊〉 which God stirres up in the heart to 〈…〉 we feare because feare stirs up care and care stirres up diligence to avoid what we feare a third is feare lest we have committed the sinne against the holy Ghost which shewes we have not committed that sinne it is never committed but without feare and with delight In these cases we need feare them least that feare themselves most The fourth point is what course wee should take to prevent this grieving of the Spirit Let us give up the government of our soules to the Spirit of God it is for our safety so to doe as being wiser then our selves who are unable to direct our owne way it is our libertie to bee under a wisedome and goodnesse larger then our owne Let the Spirit thinke in us desire in us pray in us live in us doe all in us labour ever to be in such a frame as we may be fit for the Spirit to worke upon as Nazianzen saith of himselfe Lord I am an instrument for thee to touch A musicall instrument though in tune soundeth nothing unlesse it be touched let us lay our selves open to the Spirits touch Thus Saint Paul liued not but Christ lived in him this requires a great deale of selfe-deniall to put our selves thus upon the guidance of the Spirit but if we knew what enemies wee are to our selves it would be no such hard matter Secondly study to walke perfectly in obeying the Spirit in all things which requires much circumspection in knowing and regarding our wayes and then we shall finde the Spirit ready to close with us and tell us This is the way walke in it and upon obedience wee shall finde the Spirit incouraging us by a secret intimation that this or that is well done Thus Paul was said to be bound in Spirit the Spirit so put him on that he could not withstand the motions untill the execution of it We must take especiall heed of slighting any motion as being the Spirits messenger they are Gods Ambassadour 〈…〉 for God into our hearts therefore give them entertainement Many men rather then they will be troubled with holy motions stifle them in the birth as harlots that to avoid the paine of childe-birth kill their fruit in the wombe let us take heed of murthering these births of the Spirit But seeing Sathan will oft interrupt good motions by good motions that he may hinder both How shall we know from whence the motions come When two good motions arise seeming divers the Spirit of God carries strong to one and that is from God more then to the other Good motions are either raised up in us or sent unto us by the Spirit both these if they bee raised by the Spirit will carry us to God they will rise as high as the Spring is whence they come what ariseth from our selves endeth in our selves Those motions that the Spirit stirs up from within come from sanctified judgement and estimation of what they are moved to other motions are hasty and gone before they have their errand holy motions are constant as strengthened from constant grace within till they see the issue of what they are moved to other motions are like lightening and sudden flashes that leave the soule more darke and amazed then before Holy motions are answerable to the duties of our calling other motions oft leade us out of the compasse of our calling The Spirit moveth in the godly first by a dwelling in them and working in them gracious abilities and then drawes forth those abilities to good actions But the Spirit dwelleth not in others nor produceth any sanctified abilities in them but onely moveth them sometimes to good actions without changing of them The holy Spirits motions are seasonable other motions oft presse upon us to disturbe an holy duty The breath of the Spirit in us is suteable to the Spirits breathing in the Scriptures the same Spirit doth not breath contrary motions Motions of the Spirit when they come in favour carry their owne evidence with thē as light doth The motions of the Spirit are sweet and milde and leade us gently on they are not ordinarily violent raptures Removing the soule from it self but leave in the soule a judgement of them and of other things Againe the Spirit moveth us so to duties of Religion as agree with civill honesty and charity to our neighbours Those therefore know not what spirit they are of who under a pretence of zeale will be uncivill and cruell shewing they are not led by that spirit that appeared in the shape of a dove Both Tables in this are one that they come from one spirit and the second is like the first and require love And because all graces and duties come from the same spirit therefore one duty never crosses another but the wisedome of the Spirit moves to all holy duties in their severall and suteable places Motions for the matter good yet may be carnall in regard of selfe-confidence from whence they come That which Peter resolved upon was good but confidence in himselfe marred it those motions which the Spirit stirres up are carryed along in relying upon assisting grace So much for that question Againe if we would not grieve the Spirit let us take heed of being wanting to the Spirits direction The flesh here will make a froward objection We can doe no more then we can Answ The Spirit is alwayes before hand with us preventing us with some knowledge and some ability which if we joyne with the spirit in putting forth the spirit is ready to concurre with us and leade us further And our conscience will tell us so much that if we doe otherwise it is not for want of present assistance or privitie that the Spirit will deny us strength if we put our selves upon it our own hearts though deceitfull will tell us that we doe what we doe out of willingnesse preferring some seeming good before the motion of the Spirit Herein wee carry in our conscience that which will quit God and condemne our selves There is not the worst man whose heart runnes away from God but God followes him a great while with sweet motions though such be the invincible stubbornesse of the heart that it will not yeeld this will take away all excuse as Saint Austin argues well If I had knowne saith a wicked man I would not have done thus saith hee the pride of thy heart suggests that hadst thou not motions and admonitions that told thee the danger of it if the Spirit even in the worst actions concurre so farre as they are actions and motions may we not thinke that he is much more ready to concurre with holy motions stir'd up first by himselfe if the Spirit be willing to concurre in naturall actions much more in spirituall whereunto it selfe is the first
no vertue in them neither is it intended they being only put on to serve a turne Two men may doe the same things and yet there bee a grand difference the one doing them from the seale of the Spirit from a deeper dye and stamp of the Spirit the other if from the Spirit yet it is but from a common work at the best Some dyes cannot beare the weather but alter colour presently but there are others that having something that give a deeper tincture will hold The graces of a true Christian hold out in all kinde of weathers in winter and summer prosperity and adversity when superficiall counterfeit holinesse will give out thus we see the seale of the Spirit serves for distinction The use of a seale is likewise for appropriation Merchants use to seale their wares they would not have others have any right unto A Christian is Gods in a more peculiar manner than others there is not onely a witnesse of the Spirit that God is his but the Spirit workes in him an assent to take God againe there is a mutuall appropriation I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine when the soule can say thou art my God it is not frustrate because God saith before I am thy salvation where the Spirit seales God appropriates GOD chooseth the righteous man to himselfe And wee may know this appropriation by appropriating God againe Whom have I in heaven but thee and what have I in earth in comparison of thee There is no action that God works upon the soule but there is a reflect action by the Spirit to God againe If God chuse and love us we chuse and love him againe God appropriates us first we are his and wee are Christs we are Gods because hee hath given Christ for us we are Christs because hee hath given himselfe for us we are as the Apostle saith a people of acquisition A people purchased purchased at a deare rate by the bloud of CHRIST those that are Christs the Spirit appropriates them this appropriation is by sealing Againe we use to set our seale onely upon that wee have some estimation of set mee as a seale saith the Church in the Canticles upon thy right hand have mee in thy eye and minde as a speciall thing thou valuest The witnesse and worke of the Spirit shews Gods estimation of us the Scripture is abundant in setting forth the great price that God sets on his children they are his Children his Spouse his Friends his Portion his Treasure his Coyne he sets his marke his likenesse on them they are things hallowed and consecrated they are first-fruits Israel is a holy thing their titles shew the esteeme that God hath of them he values them more than all the world besides which are as chaffe and drosse The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour As there is a difference of excellency betweene pretious stones and other common stores betweene fruitfull and barren trees so there is amongst men and in this regard God sets a highâ—â— esteeme upon some and thence it is that they have those honourable and glorious titles in Scripture of Sonnes Heires Kings and co-heyres with Christ when others are termed drosse and dung and thornes and have all the base termes that may be Now this estimation by sealing is knowne to us by the grace God workes in us common gifts and priviledges and favours of the world are no seale of Gods estimation If God should give a man kingdomes and great Monarchies it seales not Gods love to him at all but when God makes a man a spirituall King to rule over his base lusts this is a sealâ— of Gods valuing him above other men Therefore we should learne how to value others and our selves not by common things that cast-awayes may have but by the stampe of God set on us by the Spirit which is an argument that God intends to lay us up as coyne for another treasury for heaven It is the common grand errour of the times to be led with false evidences Many thinke God loves them because hee spares them and followes them with long patience and makes them thrive in the world Alas are these fruits of Gods speciall love What grace hath hee wrought in thy heart by his Spirit he gives his Spirit to them that pray insinuating that next the gift of his Sonne the greatest gift is the Spirit to fashion and fit us to bee members of his Sonne this is an argument of Gods love and esteeme Seales likewise are used for secresie as in Letters c. so this seale of the Spirit is a secret worke GOD knoweth who are his they are onely knowne to him and to their owne hearts The white stone is onely known to him that hath it and the hidden Mannah none so infallibly can know the state in grace as those that have the gracious worke themselves Holy men in some degree are knowne one to another to make the communion of Saints the sweeter there is a great deale of spirituall likenesse in Christians face answereth to face that one hath strong confidence of the salvation of another but the undoubted certainty of a mans estate is knowne onely to God and his owne soule nay sometimes it is hidden from a mans selfe there are so many infirmities and abasements and troubles in the world that this life is called a hidden life in Scripture our life is hidde with Christ in God it is unknowne to the Saints themselves sometimes and the world alway they neither know him that begets nor them that are begotten Hence likewise the use of a seale is to shew that things should be kept inviolable hereupon the Church is as a sealed fountain sealing shewes a care of preservation from common annoyance hereupon likewise it is that sealing is the securing of persons or things sealed from hurt No man will violate a Letter because it is sealed the Tombe where Christ was buried was sealed and the Prison doores upon Daniel that none might meddle with them so the Spirit of God by this worke of sealing secures Gods children as the bloud sprinckled upon the posts of the doores of the Israelites secured them from the destroying Angell In Ezek. 9. there was a marke set upon those that were to be preserved that secured them and in Revel 7. the sealed ones must not be hurt So where this seale of the Spirit is it is an argument that God meanes to preserve such a one from eternall destruction and from prevailing dangers in this world They are Gods sealed ones no man can hurt them without wrong to God himselfe Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme And likewise from devouring sinnes and dangerous apostasie a man that is truely sealed by the Spirit of GOD hee never becomes a member of Antichrist a stigmatized Papist for Antichrist hath his seale too hee is kept from soule-murthering errors he hath this
security upon him by the work and witnesse of Gods Spirit Whatsoever the use is or can be of a seale in mans affaires that God will have us make use of in his heavenly intercourse betwixt him and us Whereby you are sealed Now there are divers degrees of the Spirits sealing 1 Faith Hee that beleeves hath the witnesse in himselfe 1 Ioh. 5. 10. he carries in his heart the counterpane of all the promises This grace is first planted in the heart and answereth to Gods love and purpose towards us of giving eternall life the seale and first discovery of election is manifested to us in our beleeving Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved This beleeving is also a seale to us in that it is of those gifts that accompany salvation of which God never repents him by calling back againe it is a seed that abideth for ever 2 The worke of sanctifying grace upon the heart is a seale whom the spirit sanctifieth hee saveth The Lord knoweth who are his but how shall we know it By this seale Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie not onely in heart and affection but in conversation and that shall bee a seale of his Sonneship to him none are children of God by adoption but those that are children also by regeneration none are heires of heaven but they are new-borne to it Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath begotten us a new to an inheritance immortall c. This seale of sanctification leaves upon the soule the likenesse of Iesus Christ even grace for grace But because in time of desertion and temptation we are in a mist and cannot reade our owne faith and our owne graces it pleaseth Christ after some triall and exercise to shine upon his owne graces in the heart whereby we may know we beleeve and know we love untill which time the heart sees nothing that is good and seemes to be nothing but all objections and doubtings Wee may be sometimes in such a state as Paul and his company was in the ship Act. 27. 20. when they saw neither Sunne nor starres many dayes together almost past all hope So a Christian may for many dayes together see neither Sunne nor starre neither light in GODS countenance nor light in his owne heart no grace issuing from God no grace carrying the soule to God though even at that time GOD darts some beame through those clouds upon the soule the soule againe by a Spirit of faith sees some light through those thickest clouds enough to keepe the soule from utter despaire though not to settle it in peace In this darke condition if they doe as Saint Paul and his companie did cast Anchor even in the dark night of temptation and pray still for day God will appeare and all shall cleere up we shall see light without and light within the day-starre will arise in their hearts Though by reflecting upon our soules we are able to discerne a spirit of faith GOD may hide himselfe from the soule in regard of comfort Nay a Christian may know himselfe to bee in the state of grace and yet bee in an afflicted condition As in Iobs case hee knew his Redeemer lived and he resolved to trust in him even though he killed him hee knew he was no hypocrite he knew his graces were true and for all the imputations of his friends they could not dispute him out of his sincerity you shall not take my uprightnesse from me Yet for the present hee saw no light from heaven till it pleased GOD to reveale himselfe in speciall favour to him There is alwayes peace and joy in beleeving yet not in that degree which gives the soule content untill by honouring God in beleeving and waiting still his good time hee honoureth us with further sence of his favour and powreth forth his Spirit to us manifesting his speciall love towards us and this is a further degree of sealing of us confirming us more strongly then before The reason why we can neither have grace to beleeve nor know wee beleeve nor when we know we beleeve enjoy comfort without a fresh new act of the Spirit is because the whole carriage of a soule to heaven is above nature where the Spirit makes a stand we stand and can goe no further we cannot conclude from right grounds without some helpe of the Spirit some doubts some feares will hinder the application to our selves even as those that live in some damnable sinne cannot but grant that those that live in such a sinne shall never inherit heaven and their conscience tels them they live in such a sinne yet selfe-love blindes them so that they will not conclude against themselves that they shall be damned so true beleevers cannot conclude for themselves without divine light and helpe It pleaseth God thus to keepe every degree and act of sealing in his owne hand to keepe us in a perpetuall dependance upon him and to awe us that wee should not grieve the Spirit of grace and cause him to suspend either act of grace or comfort Ioy and strong comfort come from a superadded seale of the Spirit The works of the Spirit are of a double kinde either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace or upon us by shining upon our soules in sweet feelings of joy what the Spirit worketh in us is more constant as a new nature which is alwayes like it selfe and worketh uniformely but comfort and joy are of the nature of such priviledges as God vouchsafe that one time and not another to some and not to others This degree of sealing in regard of joy hath its degrees likewise sometimes it is so cleare and strong that the soule questioneth not its state in grace ever after but passeth on in a triumphant manner to that glory it lookes for Sometimes after this sealing there may be interrupting of comfortable communion so farre as to question our condition yet this calling into question comes not from the Spirit which where it once witnesseth for us never witnesseth against us but it is a fruit of the flesh not fully subdued it is a sinne it selfe and usually a fruit of some former sinne For howsoever wee should not doubt after a former witnesse of the Spirit yet there will bee so much weakening the sence of our assurance at there is yeelding to any lust The knowledge of our estate in grace and comfort thereupon though it may bee weakened by neglect of our watchfulnesse yet still it hath the force of an argument to assure us when the Spirit pleaseth to direct us to make use of it because Gods love varies not as our feeling doth and a fit doth not alter a state The childe in the wombe stirres not alwayes yet it lives and that may be gathered from the former stirrings This degree of sealing by way of witnesse and comfort is appropriated to the holy Spirit every person
from corruption as he came to work the redemption of our soules from sinne and death and he that will redeeme our bodies out of the grave he will redeem his Church out of misery he will call the Iewes he that will doe the greater will doe the inferiour When we heare of this let us thinke with comfort of all the promises that are yet unperformed Secondly full redemption is not yet What need I bring Scripture to prove it It is a point that every mans experience teacheth Alas let our bodies speake we are not free from sicknesse and diseases nay what is our life but a going to corruption the sentence is passed upon us earth returneth to earth till death we are going to death so besides sicknesse and weakenesse here we must dye and after death bee subject to corruption The Apostle in this respect calleth our body a vile body As for our soules though they bee freed from the guilt and damnation of sinne yet there are remainders of corruption that breed feare and terrour and though they be freed from the rule of Sathan yet not from his molestation and vexations by temptations In a word our whole state and condition in this world is a state and condition of misery we are followed with many afflictions so that there is not yet perfect redemption whether we look to body soule or state the body being subject to diseases the soule to infirmities the state to misery But there is a day appointed for it By a day wee are not to understand the time measured by the course of the Sunne in 24. houres but in the Scriptures meaning a day is a set time of mercy or judgement As there was a solemne day the fulnesse of time for the working of the first redemption so there is a solemn time set for the second redemption when all the children of God shall bee gathered those that lye in the dust shall be raised and for ever glorified It is the day of all dayes that day that by way of excellency is called THAT day in the Scriptures and the day of the Lord. The day that we should thinke of every day especially in sicknesse and trouble and crosses and molestations from the wicked world and in sense of the remainders of corruption There is a day of redemption to come that will make amends for all The frequent thoughts of that day would comfort us and keepe us from shrinking in any affliction and trouble it would move us to a carriage and conversation answerable to our hopes and also it would helpe to fit us it would infuse a desire of qualification to be prepared for that great day But how little of our time is spent in thoughts this way If we could oft thinke of the day of redemption our lives would be otherwise both in regard of gracious as also of coÌ„fortable carriage should we be disconsolate at every losse and crosse at sicknesses and the thought of death when wee shall be turned into our first principle the earth if wee did thinke of the day of redemption when all shall be restored againe all the decayes of nature and the Image of God be perfectly stamped the thought of this would make us goe willingly to our graves knowing that all this is but a preparation for the great day of redemption The first day of redemption when Christ came to redeeme our soules and to give us title to heaven It was in the expectation of all good people before Christ they are said to wait for the consolation of Israel that was the character to know those blessed people by And what should be the distinguishing character of gracious soules now but to bee such as wait for the comming of Christ how oft in the Epistles of Saint Paul is it There is a Crowne of righteousnesse for mee and for all that wait for the appearing of Christ There was a yeare of Iubile among the Iewes every fifty yeares then all that were in bondage were set at liberty So at this blessed Iubile this glorious day of redemption all that are in bondage of death and under corruption shall be set at everlasting liberty No question but the poore servants that were vexed with hard masters they thought of the Iubile and those that had their possessions tooke away they thought of the Iubile the day of recovering all So let us oft thinke of this everlasting Iubile when we shall recover all that we lost for ever to keepe it and never to lose it againe as we did in the first creation Let us oft thinke of this day it will infuse vigour and strength into all our conversaâ—ion Indeed to the ungodly it is not a day of redemption but a day of judgement and the revelation of the just wrath of God when their sins shall be laid open and receive a sentence answerable Alas there is such a deale of Atheisme in the world and the seeds of it in the best unlesse it be wrought out daily that we forget the God of vengeance and the day of vengeance Would men goe on in sinnes against conscience if they thought of this last day It is impossible such couâ—ses come froÌ„ this abhominable root oâ— Atheisme and unbeliefe foâ— had they but a slight faith it would be effectuall to alter their course in some measure therefore the Scripture gives them the name of fooles though they would be thought to be the onely wise men The foole hath said in his heart there is no God and what followes Corrupt are they and abhominable The cause of all is the foole hath said in his heart he will needs force it upon his heart that there is no God hell nor heaven nor judgement thence come abhominable courses Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption FRom the consideration of all that hath beene formerly spoken of the sealing of the spirit to the day of Redemption there ariseth these foure conclusions First that we may attaine unto a knowledge that we are in that state of grace Secondly that upon knowledge of our state in grace for the present we may be assured of our future full Redemption Thirdly that this assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit Fourthly that the consideration of this assurance wrought by the Spirit is an effectuall argument to disswade from grieving the Spirit For the first wee may know wee are in the state of grace first because the Apostle would not have used an argument moving not to grieve the Spirit from a thing unknowne or guessed at it is an ill manner of reasoning to argue from a thing unknowne 2 Again sealing of us by the Spirit is not in regard of God but our selves God knoweth who are his but we know not that we are his but by sealing 3 The scope of the Scriptures indited by the Spirit is for comfort the Apostle saith so directly and what comfort in an