THE BELIEVERS DUTY Towards the SPIRIT And the SPIRITS OFFICE Towards BELIEVERS OR A Discourse concerning Believers not Grieving the Spirit AND The Spirits sealing up Believers to the day of Redemption Grounded on Ephes 4.30 Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is in us Rom. 5.5 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 LONDON Printed for SA GELLIBRAND at the Ball in S. Pauls Church-yard 1665. A PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader HOw needfull it is to have a right belief of the Holy Ghost appears not only from the Ancient Creeds which in how few words soever comprehended did alway make mention of Him but also from the wretched Socinians who blasphemously denying his not onely Deity but also Personality and in their Catechism roundly asserting the no-necessity of any operation of his in order to our assenting to the Gospel have been so filled with a Spirit of Delusion that they retain not truth enough to denominate them either Christians or Hereticks The text upon which the ensuing discourse is founded afforded very fair opportunity of proving the Personality and Deity of this blessed Spirit and of shewing that our natural corruption cannot be cured but by his inhabitation But contenting my self to wave or slightly to touch these matters I mainly insist on our being by this Spirit sealed to the day of redemption a phrase which as most others that are metaphorical hath had the hap to be many ways interpreted Bellarmine who seems to have read holy writ onely to serve a design applies it to that indeleble character supposed by the Romanists to be imprinted on all that are baptized but how vainly appeareth 1. By his own Cajetan who saith Sacramenta imprimere characterem ex scriptura non habetur sed ex Ecclesiae authoritate non multum antiquâ 2. By the miserable shift he is put to before he can find any imaginable foundation for this Chymaera in the words He is fain to read with the vulgar Latine in the day though against the Greek and Syriack yea and against sundry latine Manuscript copies as Estius tells us yet this very writer Ephes 1.13 when he thought it would be more for his turn forsaking the vulgar Latine which readeth in whom believing flyeth to the Greek after ye believed 3. Besides how absurd is it that any indeleble character or cognizance of Christianity should be imprinted on all in Baptisme when as we see that many after Baptisme do utterly and maliciously renounce Baptisme and all the Principles of Christianity Other Pontifician writers do refer the phrase not to the Sacrament of Baptisme but Confirmation So Estius so our Country-men the Rhemists who have this note on Ephes 1.13 Some refer this to the grace of Baptisme but to many learned it seemeth that the Apostle alludeth to the giving of the Holy Ghost in the Sacrament of Confirmation by signing the Baptized with the sign of the Cross and holy Chrisme But they are well told by the judicious Dr. Fulk That rhe learned men they speak of must needs be Masters of the new learning for the ancient learning had no such interpretation instancing in Chrysostome Ambrose Theodoret Augustine Primasius Hierome Oecumenius Theophylact who carry the text quite another way All Protestant Writers are not agreed what may be intended by this Sealing of the Spirit sure it is for our credit that we can allow our selves to differ one from another in expounding a place of Scripture I refer it not to the Holy Ghosts regenerating or renewing us but to his assuring us of the adoption of sons his creating in us a sense of Gods Paternal love towards us and of our filial love towards him in so doing I follow not onely sundry learned sons of our own Church but also Cornelius a Lapide whose comment on Ephes 1.13 being translated is this As by the impression of a Seal the Letters of Kings and publick tables are sealed that those which are authentick may be distinguished from doubtful those that are genuine from false and it may be certainly manifest that these are the Letters and Tables of the King So ye Christian Ephesians as it were The Epistle of Christ written not with ink but the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of your heart are signed with the Holy Ghost as it were with a Seal that it may be manifested that ye are the not feigned but authentick Epistle of Christ that ye are truly the people and Church of the true and high God Having thus descanted on the text he frames against himself this objection If this be so then may Believers be certain that they are in the true faith and grace of God and for answer denieth the consequence because this Seal is not altogether and physically certain and evident to them for who certainly knows who dares swear that he is sealed with the Holy Ghost as with a seal but onely probable and morally as it were certain from signs and conjectures so in like manner it is not to them clear and certain that they are in the true faith and grace of God For the further clearing of this doubt He refers us to what he had said on Rom. 8.16 Consulting him on that place I find him to give this note That the testimony of the Spirit by which he witnesseth that we are the sons of God is not certain with certainty of Faith nor certain with infallible certainty as Catharinus and Cajetan would have it but onely with a conjectural certainty which certainty yet increaseth with Holiness so that Vega and Ruard and Pererius following them think that some men very holy without the special revelation of God from the signs and effects of the Holy Ghost which they find in themselves very frequent clear and efficacious have a certainty not indeed infallible so as they dare swear that they are in the grace of God but yet such and so great as excludes all fear of the contrary not onely from the affection and confidence but also from the understanding and perswasion so as such do as certainly know and believe that they are in the grace of God as we certainly know and believe that there is such a place as Constantinople or Alexandria Let the Papists read this and if they have not lost all ingenuity acknowledge that some eminent Writers of their own go as high or higher then we do For we do not say that we are certain with a certainty of faith that we are sanctified or pardoned or if any do so say it is onely a Philosophical mistake for they do not intend that it is to any one revealed by any vocal or written testimony that he is sanctified or pardoned but onely that seeing these Conclusions do arise from Premises the one whereof is Scripture though the other be known onely
waters and when he had so done put it on his own head he had a talent for his pains but lost his life for setting it upon any head but his Soveraignes so they shall have honour for contending for the truth but their souls shall God require of them because they gave not him the glory of all their zeal Wherefore as you would not grieve the Spirit when you see a drunkard say Who made me to differ or say as the Holy Martyr Bradford was wont to say God be mercifull to me a miserable sinner When you hear of one denying the Divinity of our Saviour say Nor could I have said that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit of God If either men or devil suggest that thou hast done well say It was not I but the grace of God in me I have nothing but what I have received and must not boast as if I had not received but ascribe all to him who worketh in me both to will and do of his own good pleasure 5. Fathering on him the ugly and monstrous brats of the spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience How much was the mother in Solomons time grieved when her living child was taken away and a dead one laid in room of it More must the Spirit be grieved when Humility Obedience Subjection to higher powers his natural issue are taken away and instead of these disobedience and rebellion laid at his door To do wickedly and to say that we do it by the impulse of the Spirit is to make God such a one as our selves and what a provocation that is you may learn from Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Nor shall they fare better who do not father their impieties on the immediate impulses of the Spirit but yet on the Word revealed by the Spirit For causa causae est causa causati whatever is found in Scripture is conceived of the Holy Ghost if we do wrest and torture Scripture to salve our Phaenomena we do thereby injure and lie against the Holy Ghost This is the honour of Christian Religion that it can wound all other religions with their own weapons and principles They rob it of this honor who go about to fight against is also with its own Sword quoting texts of Scripture to authorize such actions as are perfectly destructive of Christianity No sin so hainous as theirs who pretend to sinne by authority from God 6. The ascribing that to the devil and his instruments which is the work of the Spirit This is not onely to grieve him but also to blaspheme him What was the unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost mentioned Mark 3. but the Pharisees ascribing that to the Prince of Devils which was done by the finger of God Every work of the Spirit hath not so clear an impression of the Spirit on it as had the miracles of Christ and therefore to mis-call them renders not ones case so desperate as was the Pharisees But yet sure after God hath by the conversion of so many discovered himself to be in the ministers of the Gospel of a truth for any to say that they were all literal legal antichristian which was the language of the late times was a blasphemy of a very high nature and I have observed that such men mostly have waxed worse and worse deceiving and being deceived nor can I conceive much hopes of their repentance who do so far wrong the Spirit as to ascribe all his works of conviction and contrition to the predominance of the melancholy humor or to a cracked brain and all the fervent importunate expostulations of Gods devoutest supplicants to sauciness such speeches do greatly dispose tot he unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost We may hence inferr against the * I say the Judaizing Socinians because this seemeth to have been the opinion of the Jews that the Holy Ghost was nothing but the afflatus or energy of God and therefore Lactantius who denied the substantiality of the Spirit is said by Hierome to symbolize with Jews Epist 55. Yet the ancient Doctors of the Jews acknowledged and believed the Son to be an eternal person of the Divine essence and worthy to be called Jehovah as they who want other books may see proved by Julius Conradus Ouho lib. 1. Gul. Razia cap. 4. Judaizing Socinian the personality of the Holy Ghost Grief is a personal affection How a person should be grieved we can understand how a Divine person should have that done against him which would grieve him were he capable of griefe is not inexplicable but how a quality a power or an operation should be grieved is unconceivable 2. Hence may be inferred the love and tender care the Spirit hath for us and of us Had he not graciously condescended to take on him the offices of Advocate Intercessor Comforter he would not have so far concerned himself in our miscarriages as to be grieved for or by them 3. If we are not to grieve the Spirit then sure we are not to blaspheme or offer despight unto him which cannot be done but by sinnes of the greatest and most hellish malignity and in the highest degree wilfull 4. This will also inform us what to think of them who take up their pleasures in sin which grieves the Holy Spirit of God we may think that either they never were partakers of the Holy Ghost or if ever partakers that now he hath quite forsaken them and an evil Spirit from the Lord hath seised on them If Christ at his second coming would spare all other sinners yet doubtless he will damn all those that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.12 But the main I intend to dwell on is the counsell of the Text propounded indeed negatively but yet must be supposed to include in it many affirmative duties indeed all by which that good Spirit can be pleased and delighted I will first propound some motives to perswade men to abstain from all sins by which the Spirit is grieved they shall be drawn from the person and office of him whom they grieve from their own estate who do grieve him from the sad and wofull effects of greiving him I. Consider who it is you grieve Were he but some created Angel you ought so farr to respect his ministry as not to grieve him The woman is to keep a covering on her head because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 lest the contrary indecency should offend those pure Spirits Nay were He but a Saint compassed with flesh and blood we must not no not by the use of a lawful thing grieve him unless we will walk uncharitably Rom. 14.15 which would be to break the bond of perfection But he is greater then any holy man or Angel even an uncreated divine person I know this
is denyed by Socinians nor do I purpose fully to refute their blasphemy onely I shall take notice of one Scripture because it not onely proves the Deity of the Holy Ghost but also sheweth the exceeding sinfulness of doing any thing against him seeing he is God Wend. p. 248. Posteriora haec exaggerant declarant priora ut quando mentitus est Spiritui sancto intelligeret peccati magnitudinem quod Deo esset mentitus siquidem Sp. S. est deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadem sensu dicitur Synonymum in eodem loco est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5.3 4. Why hath Sathan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost thou hast not lied to men but to God There are here three assertions 1. Ananias lied to the Holy Ghost 2. That in so lying he did not lye unto man 3. That he lyed unto God Our argument lies in the opposition of which no fair account can be given if the Deity of the Holy Ghost be not supposed for if so be the Spirit had been an Essence distinct from God the Apostle after he had said Thou hast lied to the Holy Ghost would not have said Thou hast lied not to men but to God but thus Thou hast lied neither to men nor to the Spirit but to God Nor will this argument be evaded by saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third verse is joyned with an Accusative case and should be translated to counterfeit the Holy Ghost for besides that in some Copies 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the propositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make it all one as if a Dative did follow besides this 't is most certain that sometimes with an Accusative it signifieth to deceive or cheat and it must here so signifie because this sin is called a tempting the Spirit of the Lord How violent would it be to expound that phrase by counterfeiting of the Spirit of the Lord every time we grieve the Spirit of God we grieve God And is that a small matter in our eyes Can there be a greater aggravation of sin If one man sin against another the judg shall judg him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him 1 Sam. 2.25 but this would also further be considered by us that though there be no difference as to the Essence of the Persons yet there is a difference in the oeconomy he that grieveth the Spirit grieveth that divine person against whom alone such a sin can be committed as is unpardonable Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this life nor in that which is to come Mat. 12.32 To sin against Father or Son is not so dangerous as to sin against the Spirit because he acting not in his own name but in the name of Father and Son from both of whom he is sent to sin against him is to sin against all the authority of God all the love of the Trinity the lowest condescention that divine goodness ever did or can make II. Consider we how little the Spirit hath deserved to be thus grieved by us Many good works saith Christ John 10.32 have I shewed you from my Father for which of them do ye stone me Many good works hath the Spirit from the Father and the Son done you O Christians for which of them do ye grieve him Did I say many I might have said all there is no good gift that is either wrought in you or for you or by you but it is to be ascribed to this Spirit Is Christ precious to you he was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary he descended upon him in his Baptism and anointed him to all his offices raised him from the dead bears witness of him and pleads his cause against the unbelieving sinful world Is there any sweetness in the Scriptures why these are all from this Spirit Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Are you taken with those admirable gifts that you see in your Ministers All that diversity of gifts is from the same Spirit 2 Cor. 12.4 called all therefore the manifestation of the Spirit vers 7. Or are you more affected with the works of God in you they are all the fruits and effects of the Spirit whether conviction or contrition or humiliation or regeneration or consolation they are all wrought by the Spirit this is the argument made use of in the Text Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed to the day of redemption In calling him the holy Spirit of God he meaneth not onely that he is of essential original indefectible sanctity but also because he worketh all the holiness that is in any of Gods servants And when we are said to be by him seaed up unto the day of our redemption by that phrase is signified that he doth all that which answereth to the nature and various ends and uses of Sealing But with that phrase I am not to meddle as yet nor list I to run over all his works but pitch on that of comforting and press that to keep men from grieving him The Spirit is the Comforter sent from the Father upon the prayer of his Son to supply the absence of his corporeal presence to open those wells of Salvation that were hid and did lie under ground in the days that the Messiah did dwell among men In some Churches they have an officer who is called Consolator Aegrorum whose work is to put the brests of consolation into the mouths of those who have received within themselves the sentence of death should any whilst this Officer is at his bed-side labouring to take out the sting of death vex him with untoward language and not to give over till he had forced him to depart his room would not all say that this man were either in a phrensie or else in the very gall and bitterness of spiritual death The wickedness of those who do grieve the Spirit of God is far greater For 1. This sick Comforter cannot alway be with those whom he visits but is now discoursing with them and anon gone either to some other languishing person or to his own relations But the Spirit is a Comforter alway abiding with you John 14.16 Not that he actually comforts at all times but that he always preserves the root of comfort alway tenders comfort were not Christians either so sullen or so stupid as not to receive it 2. The Comforter of the sick may endeavour to comfort and not be able to comfort Men may not be so wise as to open to him the root of their
do receive the Holy Ghost therefore they ought to be honoured and had in esteem for their office and work sake Obj. But doth not the anointing teach us all things and so teach us as that we need not that man should teach us at all Answ So indeed it is said and that by some pretending so much to the Spirit as that their usual compellation to others is Flesh but we are not to believe every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God and I heartily wish the spirit from whence this Objection ariseth did not too manifestly discover it self not to be of God The Spirit that Christ promised was to be sent from the Father in the name of Christ and was not to speak of himself but whatsoever he had heard he was to receive of Christ and glorifie Christ John 16.13.14 But the men who make this objection do dishonour and decrey Christ setting up Christ within them in opposition to him that suffered at Jerusalem the Spirit inspired Prophets Apostles Evangelists to deliver down unto us a rule of faith and life but these men do vilifie this written word and ministration of the Spirit and call on their proselytes to follow that light within them and make that sufficient for salvation For my part I am so far from desiring that any should envy for our sakes that I could heartily wish that all the Lords people were prophets and that his Spirit were on them Were there a Seculum Spiritus to be expectted I hope I should as sincerely pray for it and as much rejoyce in the approaches of it as another but so farr am I form finding in the Scriptures any time in which the Ministry shall cease and be useless that I rather find the Spirit is to be received by the hearing of faith and that it is one great work of the Spirit to quicken and give life to the publick Ordinances as dispensed by the Ministers of the Gospel 't is the Holy Ghost that maketh them overseers of the flock Acts. 20.28 As for that place 1 John 2.29 it carrieth it's answer in its own bowels You shall not need that any one teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you i. e. not other things nor in another way then the same anointing teacheth you but do any ministers pretend to teach other things or in another way then this anointing teacheth If they do not as it is most certaine they do not why is this Scripture so frequently urged against ministerial teaching For ever let us abhor those who cry up the Spirit so as to justle out that forme of found words which hath been delivered unto us by menguided by the Spirit Be sure you quench not the Spirit but have a care you despise not prophecyings God having put those two counsels together let no man put them asunder The Spirits Office towards Believers Whereby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption THe old Interpreter reads in the day of Redemption and by it Oecumenius and some others understand the day of Baptisme but because in the Greek t is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we have no reason to think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall by this day understand the day of Judgment as most Interpreters do and as we are led to do by that twin-place Chap. 1 13.14 where the Holy Spirit of promise is said to be the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession The price of a Believers Redemption is already paid and accepted by God and they are redeemed from their vain conversation but their day of redemption cannot be said to be fully come till this corruptible have put on incorruption at least not till this life be ended for till then 1. Their Redemption from the power and dominion of sin hath not its full effect even a Paul as long as he is in the body hath occasion to complain that he is sold under sin and that the law in the members warreth against the law of the mind and leadeth him captive to the commission of Sin and omission of Duty II. Till then our Redemption the forgiveness of sin Ephes 1.7 is not perfect I know that upon our first closing with Christ our transgressions are blotted out as a mist and as a thick cloud and our iniquities thrown into the bottome of the Sea there is no condemnation to us no obligation to Eternal wrath but yet I am also sure that we are bid repent that our sins may be blotted out when the daies of refreshing shall come from the Lord Acts. 3.19 Whence it may be inferred that a Penitents sins are not so blotted out as then they shall be blotted out indeed upon the first conversion a man is put into a state of justification which is inconsistent with obligation to Eternal death yet is he not freed from all punishment nor from all obligation to punishment for where there is no obligation to punishment there is no justice in punishing The want of the Spirit is one of the punishments we have brought on our selves by sin this punishment is not taken away but by restoring of the Spirit now though the Spirit be so restored as to prevent the dominion of Sin and damnation for the time to come yet is it not given in such a measure as to prevent all sin nor the contracting of new guilt nor shall He be so given in this world III. As to the Redemption of the Body that is so far from being compleat before the Great Day that till then it may seem not to begin While it is joyned to an imperfect soul 't is vile and mortal when separated from it then it becomes yet viler is thrown into a grave and preyed upon by worms and maggots at the Resurrection it begins to be spiritual incorruptible powerfull and like to the glorious body of Christ Jesus The Adoption the Redemption of the Body we do not now enjoy but by Faith and Hope we do wait for it Rom. 8.23 On all these accounts there is reason why that Day should be called as it is The manifestation of the sons of God Rom. 8.19 For though we be now the sons of God it appears not what we shall be 1 Joh. 3.1 The best use that can be made of this Appellation is that which is made of it by the whole Creation The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for this manifestation that it may be delivered from that bondage and vanity unto which it is subject and under which it groaneth much more should you who have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within your selves waiting for the adoption 'T is utterly a fault among Christians that they groan so much under the burden of a few Taxes and Impositions and so little under the burden and body of Sin which they carry about with them They should much and frequently bless
hateth his brother is a murderer and hath not eternal life I hate my Brother Therefore I am a Murderer and have not eternal life These are all of them conclusions quite contradictory to the vain principles that did dwell in the secure sinner which being set home by the Spirit must needs make him fear what shal become of him In like manner doth the Spirit bring the heirs of the promise to the assurance of hope by some such practical Syllogisms as these He that loves the Brethren is passed from death to life I love the Brethren Therefore I am passed from death to life Or He that repents and believes shall be saved I repent and believe Therefore I shall be saved Now the Spirit hath revealed and inspired holy men to leave upon record to us the Propositions in these two Syllogisms the same Spirit also works in us that Faith by which we are enabled to believe those Scripture Propositions to be divine infallible truths he also worketh in us every gracious habit and exciteth those gracious acts which be the evidences and marks of our conversion justification and title to glory he also helpeth to feel and discover those acts in our selves and by comparing them with the rule to find their sincerity which is his concurrence with Conscience in making the assumption and lastly he helpeth sanctified reason from the premises to inferr the Conclusion whatever is beyond this is not essential to assurance but something separable from it Sometimes our assent to the premises and conclusion is stronger sometimes weaker hence the different degrees of assurance sometimes upon this assurance peace of Conscience we are marvellously enlarged with consolations called joy in the holy Ghost sometimes nor Obj. Some may say Is there no other way of working assurance but this doth not God sometimes testifie without any such discourse and ratiocination hath he confined himself to Syllogisms doth he not sometimes make some impressions on us by which we are assured that we are the children of God without the help or use of any argumentation Answ I have been alway apt to think that there is no other ordinary way of assuring the soul partly because the Scripture no where encourageth us to look for assurance in any other way and partly because to grant an immediate testimony seemed to me to open such a gap to Euthusiasme as it was impossible well to shut and I am somewhat imboldned in that sentiment by the concurrent judgment of a sober judicious Divine Mr. Tho. Blake who in his Treatise of the Covenant thus expresseth himself They that go about to assert an immediate testimony in any will never secure the soul from delusion Sathan will soon find an artifice to counterfeit this testimony and bear witness in the Spirits stead and when we think that we have the Spirit of truth to assure us we shall have the father of lies to deceive But in regard many of eminent piety and learning do assert an immediate testimony it may not be amiss to enquire a little what they mean by it and how they do bound it and then to shew what may be thought of it By this immediate Testimony they tell us that they do not mean any proper whisper or voice such as young Converts mistaking such Scripture phrases as Say unto my soul thou art my salvation are apt to wait for but they say it is a perswasion impressed upon a man suddenly and he knows not how quieting all his doubts and fears and making him chearfull and comfortable If you ask them How a Child of God who is to try all things dare adventure to take any such comfort how he knows it not to be a delusion of Satan they tell us that as there is in the eye a certain in-bred light to make it discern light and colours without a sound and air within the ear to make it discerne the sounds without So there is in a godly man grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven whereby it discernes the consolations of Gods Spirit testifying that he is the Son of God some secret and inexpressible lineaments of the fathers countenance in the child that the renewed soul at the very first blush knows and owns it Moreover they tell us 1. That although the Spirit thus testifie without application of any particular word yet he never testifies contrary to the word he never speaks to those who are regenerate though they do not know themselves to be such 2. That the Spirit doth not ordinarily thus testifie but after or in attendance on some ordinance or performance of some duty or after some very great abasement of a mans Spirit and more then ordinary soul-humiliation or after some very hard adventure for God or after some great combat and conflict with temptation 3. That such of the Testimonies of the Spirit do beget but an actual assurance during the present exigence or in order to some present design that God is working thereby Now to give my sense of this opinion 1. The Authors of it seem so to bound it as that it would be uncharitableness to think that they have any ill or pernicious design in it 2. The things which they say are done by impression are not without ratiocination only the ratiocination is not so distinct and explicite as when a man comes to his assurance by that difficult work of examination Philosophers say that what is done by beasts through instinct and impulse is not done without something analogous to ratiocination they commonly give us the examples of such Syllogisms as they suppose to be made by beasts as namely lambs when they come to their dams and flie away from the wolves So I conceive that in all the impressions made on the soul whether they be by way of comfort or incitation to duty there be some characters either in the matter or manner of them either in their holiness or greatness or vehemence or unusualness by which a Christian knows them to be from God and so accordingly rests in them the which characters did he not find he would either not regard them or reject them with abhorrence 3. I would not have any one lay the stress of his hope of heaven on any such impression nor upon the account of any such impression alter his opinion in reference to any point of Doctrine or adventure upon any practice that is in the least questionable unto him If he should I take it he would give the devil great advantage against him and subject himself to infinite delusions as will soon be manifest to him that will be at the pains to read over the discourses of Dr. Casaubon and Dr. Moore concerning Enthusiasme Mr. John Fox our holy and learned Martyrologist had many impressions some of which are taken notice of by his son in the History of his life but did they not sometimes fail him and discover themselves to be neither Divine nor True Let any one judge
can give any ground of Faith Would the Papists but as freely censure the errors of their former Writers as we do the errors of ours soon would all the controversies about Assurance come to an end but that being an happiness rather to be wished then hoped for let all less judicious Christians satisfie themselves to know 1. It is the receiving of Christ that gives us a right to be the sons of God 2. That he who receives Christ shall be by God owned as a son whether he know himself to have received Christ or no. The promises run clear Whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish but have eternal life Joh. 3. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are those those that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied Matth. 5. The condition of these promises being fulfilled the promises themselves must be fulfilled else God should be unfaithful and deny himself For shall the too hard thoughts the too humble conceit of a man concerning himself wake void the faith of God God forbid scarcely among ingenuous men doth any one fare the worse for an excess of modesty and can the Father of Mercies shut a good man out of Heaven because that conscious to himself of daily weaknesses and manifold passions warting within him and frequently prevailing he cannot be firmly perswaded of his own goodness 3. That it is the office of the Spirit to make us to know the things that are freely given us of God 4. That as he is ready to witness to carnal persons that their ways are ways of sin and wrath and that they are the men who except they become new creatures are marked out for damnation so he is ready to witness to those who are spiritually minded the truth of their graces and by that their interest in the promises of Justification Adoption Glorification 5. That our work lieth in making our selves which yet we cannot do but by the almighty power of the same Spirit fit and meet to receive this testimony of the Spirit which meetness we shall then come to if 1. We well inform our selves about the terms of the Covenant of grace 2. Have frequent serious abiding thoughts about the fulness and freeness of its promises 3. Giving all diligence add to faith vertue and to vertue knowledg and to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness charity 4. By reflex acts often compare the frame of our heart and course of our lives with the rule 5. Watch and pray that we may be free from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride and prejudice which make us though so sharp-sighted as to see a mote in our brothers eyes yet so blind as not to see a beam in our own eyes That thou mayest Christian Reader have some small help in all these matters was the end aimed at in making the following Treatise thus publick The Authors name could not make it more acceptable and is therefore concealed but his prayers are that it may be effectual to beget in all those into whose hands it shall fall 1. A tender care not to grieve the Spirit of promise by which they who believe are sealed up to the day of Redemption 2. A cordial respect to all those upon whom the Spirit of the Lord is and who are by the Lord anointed to Preach good tidings to the meek and sent to bind up the broken hearted to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Jan. 25. 1664. Farewell The Printer to the Reader THough great care hath been used in publishing these Papers yet by reason of an ill-written Copy and the Authors absence some faults have escaped There is in some Pages a change of Persons which though it might be defended yet was not by the Author intended Those few Errata's that can be thought to disturb the sense thus amend PAg. 26. lin 15. r. Praeposition p. 28. l. 26. r. also that He. p. 30. l. 23. r. loose p. 32. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. l. 21. r. are the enticing p. 36. l. 7. r. more glorious p. 44. l. 28. r. yet is He. p. 86. l. 13. r. speaks but to p. 88. l. 10. r. did not they sometimes p. 152. l. 25. r. till he feel p. 157. l. 9. r. and not heard of Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption THese words are by some conceived to contain an absolute Independent counsel but the Greek Scholia's suppose them to be brought in as an argument to enforce the immediately preceding dehortation Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth as if the Apostle had said If you think it a small matter to allow your selves in such speeches as have no tendency to edification as are no way fit to minister grace unto the hearers If you have no respect to your own souls nor to the souls of others which must needs be offended by such unprofitable communication yet you will have some regard for the Spirit of God who is himself holy and the author of all holiness and he being as he is grieved by all unprofitable discourse you will account your selves ingaged to abstain therefrom If we receive this connexion as why may we not sith it offers no violence to the context and is backed with so good authority then may we observe in the Text 1. A reason by which the Ephesians are taken off from idle words lest they should grieve the spirit 2. A description of this Spirit from his Nature Office Grieve not the holy spirit of God The form of speech seems to be borrowed from the Old Testament Isa 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them But notwithstanding we have found out a parallel place yet must we still inquire Quest 1. How the Spirit can be said to be grieved for seeing he is God and so infinitely perfect how can we conceive him capable of grief which is not onely a passion but also of all passions the meanest and lowest as arising from the sense of some present evil which we cannot master And this objection is the more considerable because of the emphaticalness of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which saith Aretius complectitur omnis generis dolores and is therefore used to set out that anguish and sadness of mind which our blessed Saviour did feel in the Garden Math. 26.37 But all this notwithstanding we may give a very fair account of the phrase for 1. There are who by the spirit of God do understand the renewed part of man and indeed it is not unusual in Scripture for God to call his own work by his own name now the renewed
words of mans wisdom unto which the demonstration of the Spirit is opposed 1 Cor. 2.4 the probable discourses of Orators and Philosophers which at the utmost engender but opinion perhaps it is so perhaps it is otherwise Be it so that the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit of the joints and marrow Heb. 4.12 yet is it thus vital and operative onely as it is the Sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. out of his hand it will pierce no deeper then would the sword of Gideon in the hand of an youth Be it so that the ministration of the Gospel is more then that of the Law yet it 's greater glory lies onely in this that it is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 The Spirit withdrawing himself as it may well be thought he will do if grieved even the Gospel quickneth no more then the killing Letter did Moses put avail over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.13 14 We think this vail is taken away in the Gospel and indeed it cannot be denied but that the Pen-men of the new Testament have used great plainness of speech but there is still a vail on the hearts of men and if the Spirit of the Lord do not take away that vail as if he be displeased usually he doth not even the Gospel may be hid as much as ever the Law was to the carnal Israelites 3. Upon the grieving of the Spirit usually follow sad heart-distressing doubts and fears in reference to our present and eternal condition 'T is the Spirits office to make us know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 to witness to our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.15 16. to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5.5 he is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 If we grieve him we are lest in the dark and see no light and know not whether we go And how sad is this to be at such a loss as to say It may be I shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob but it may also be that I shall make my bed in Hell with the Devil and his Angels where there is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth but upon our grieving of the Spirit we are not onely left under doubts but also under positive apprehensions that the wrath to come shall be our portion How many have been heard to roar out I am damned I am damned which crys though they maybe acknowledged somtimes to proceed from Melancholy or other bodily distemper yet do they more frequently proceed from the grieved Spirit 's withdrawing of himself You see whether you are acted from ingenuity or from fear there 's great reason you should cease from grieving the Spirit and no less reason is there why you should not only not grieve him but also rejoice and please him the which you shall do if I. You grieve when he is grieved and vex your righteous souls at every thing that vexeth him This is an act of friendship we all owe to all those that are of the same body with us Rom. 12.15 much more to him by whom we are all baptised into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 II. If you bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit i. e. all manner of holiness but more especially those mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. Love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance When we bring forth these we not onely live in the Spirit but walk in the Spirit which whoever do fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.26 are not desirous of vain glory provoking one another envying one another And let it be observed that the Apostle reckoning up the fruits of the Spirit doth not instance in prayers and supplications though they when made with faith and humility are undoubted evidences of the Spirits dwelling in us but in meekness gentleness love and such other 〈◊〉 as are opposite to sinfull passions for by goodness we are to understand in this place kindness and friendliness or a readiness on all occasions to do good to others And by Faith not that which is called faith on our Lord Jesus Christ but fidelity or faithfulness towards men opposed to treachery and inconstancy Believe it to take all opportunities of doing our brethren good to be punctual in performing our promises patiently to bear all the injuries and provocations that are offred us by others and studying as much as in us lieth to preserve peace with all men are greater evidences that a man is spiritual then are long prayers or any thing of that nature by which some of late have been so much puffed up Believers have the Spirit in them and they are said to be in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 As he that is born of the flesh is flesh so he that is born of the Spirit is Spirit and therefore as they who are in the flesh do in nothing please God do in all times and places mind the things of the flesh so they that are in the Spirit they should do all things to please the Father they should spiritualize their very natural and civil actions doing them unto the glory of God So shall nature as it were be adopted into grace and every meals meat become an holy and acceptable sacrifice III. If we pray to him and for him and bless God for all the good things wrought in us by him We should pray to Him else how do we acknowledg his Deity how do we stick to our baptism in which we were baptised into his name We should pray for Him else how do we look upon him as the great gift and promise of the new Covenant We should bless God for Him or else how do we prize the benefits bestowed on us and wrought in us by him Shall we blesse God for some single good things and not for the Spirit who is every good thing as appears by comparing Mat. 7.11 with Luke 11.13 that were an high indignity offered to this divine person That we may do all these the more enlargedly it were good often to meditate how great a condescention it is in the Spirit to dwell where he hath the Flesh alway lusting against him to help us in all our infirmities to make intercession for us with groans that cannot be expressed to apply unto us the redemption purchased and make us meet for the inheritance of Saints in glory IV. If we honour his gifts in others especially those which are bestowed for the work of the Ministry T is the Holy Ghost which separates men to the office of the Ministry and when men are put into that Office they
indeed had his Revelations but those were not the ordinary standing lasting ground of his gloriation but the testimony of his Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God he had had his conversation in the World 2. Cor. 1.12 What that we are bid by St. Peter to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2. Epist 1.10 Which implyeth that assurance is not onely to be expected by extraordinary immediate Revelation 2. If we cannot have assurance 't is either because we cannot be sure what puts us into a state of grace or because we cannot be sure that we are in that state of grace To say that we cannot know what puts us into a state of grace or makes us children of God and disciples of Christ is too great an absurdity for the Papists themselves to swallow it doth indeed make the one half of the Scriptures needless for what doth Scripture more design then to lay down the distinguishing marks betwixt sincerity and hypocrysie faith and unbelief the power of Godliness and the form It will therefore perhaps be said that we may know what true grace is but we cannot know our selves to have true grace wrought in us because of the deceitfulness of our hearts Now that the heart of man is deceitfull deceitfull above all things will not be denied by any who either studieth Scripture or his own heart But we may well say that the deceitfulness whether natural or acquired is in part cured and removed by sanctifying grace and the Spirit also doth assist as is more to be shewen hereafter the sanctified faculty to observe and take notice of its own frame and therefore its remaining deceitfulness notwithstanding it may come to some certainty of its own condition To make short I ask Was Conscience designed by God to be a Witness and a judge did he intend it should somtimes justifie somtimes condemn If he did not design it to any such work or office why then all both Heathens and Christians have mistaken its nature and office if he did why then may not a renewed Conscience witness concerning a mans renewed and justified condition Doubtless it may witness and give such a Testimony as God will own hereafter and man may for the present comfortably acquiesce in As from our hearts condemning us we may infer that God will condemn us so from our hearts not condemning us we may collect that God will not condemn us and that with such firmness or certainty as will give us boldness in the presence of God and assure our hearts before him that we shall have the things we ask of him 1 John 3.20 21. Had the Testimony been so obscure and uncertain as Papists make it to be St. Paul would not have so rejoiced and gloried in it as we before observed him to do from 2 Cor. 1.12 3. If no assurance were attainable then some duties enjoined us would be altogether either unprofitable or impossible I instance in two or three Why are we bid to search and try our waies if it cannot be known whether they are right Why are we bid to examine our selves whether we be in the faith 2 Cor. 13. if it cannot be known whether we be in the faith How should we rejoice in the Lord and glory in tribulation if when we have done all our title to heaven must be uncertain if we may at last for ought we know to the contrary have our portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Set a man upon a very high pinacle and let him know he may fall from it and see whether you can perswade him to rejoice the possibility and much more the probability of any danger that is intolerable must needs damp all joy Much less could a Christian be earnest and vehement in his desires to be dissolved and be with Christ if he could have no sure hope that when he is dissolved he should be found in Christ Why hath God set Promises as thick in the Word as Stars in the Firmament if by no means we can clear up our interest in them If the sweetness of all the Covenant were strained into one single Promise what would that avail me if by no means I could be perswaded that I shall one day be permitted to taste of it This argument did horribly puzzle Bellarmine and in answer to it he recites three opinions of Catholicks as he calls them according to none of which he thinks men will be left under any necessity of doubting concerning their reconciliation with God and at last he tells us that all they contend against is onely a certainty of Faith properly so called but we are wiser then to lay the stress of so material a question upon a School-phrase Let it but be granted that the soul can have such a knowledge of its own sincerity as makes it certain that it is not mistaken we shall sit down under the shadow of that concession and eat the sweet fruit of it leaving it to the Tridentine Doctors to determine whether this may be called Faith Catholick and if not whether yet it may not be called Divine Faith differing from Catholick Faith differing not in certainty and exclusion of doubting but onely in universality I must needs say I understand not how any man can be said to believe that he believes and if any of our Writers have so expressed themselves which is more then I know they spoke not properly Wendeline in his larger System of Divinity propounding against himself this objection as from the Papists What is certain with the certainty of Faith is either expresly contained in the Word of God or by due consequence may be thence deduced But that this or that man I or thou do truly believe is not expresly contained in Scripture nor can by any due consequence be thence deduced therefore it cannot be certain with a certainty of Faith doth well answer The conclusion doth not contradict us for we do not in kind say that we can by a certainty of Faith be certain that we truly believe but indefinitely that we may be certain With what certainty then I answer with a certainty of inward vision or the testimony of our mind enlightned by the holy Spirit who witnesseth to our spirit that we are the sons of God and do truly believe This certainty therefore is not written in the book of Scripture but in the book of our heart and that by the finger of the Spirit Hence we believe not that we believe but see feel As we do not believe that we do think of God but know and perceive by our mind quoting for the confirmation of his answer an elegant sentence of S. Augustine lib. 13. De Trin. Fidem suam quisque qui eam habet videt in corde suo tenet certissimâ scientiâ clamante conscientia In which way if he had proceeded in answering the self same objection
when their outward man perisheth that the Psalmist speaks indefinitely mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 II. Sometimes it falls out quite otherwaies those who in their life time have had much enjoyment of the sense of Gods love and through it have comforted themselves and others have yet died with little if any assurance or actual comfort this God suffers for many holy wise ends and purposes as 1. To quicken others up to the greater preparation When death is at a distance we are apt to think it is but an easie thing to die But when we shall see that the approaches of death have startled and grievously affrighted those whom we ever judged to excel us in grace we must needs if not fast asleep begin to look about us and to consider whether we with our weak imperfect graces are able to meet with that Prince of terrors and the more importunately to pray for and depend upon some strength greater then our own 2. God may permit it judicially for the hardning of prophane Worldlings and carnallists who seeing some of their loose companions to go out of the world like lambs to have no bands in their death Psal 73. to depart quiet peaceable confident void of impatience despair or fear and others who have made greater profession of Godliness and endeavoured after greater exactness die under many troublesome disquieting thoughts presently conclude that all which conscientious Ministers press upon their followers is but unnecessary sowerness and melancholy simplicity God counts not himself any way engaged to remove such stones at which he foresees such self-deluding sots will stumble and fall and never rise more rather he may seem on purpose to order it so that they who will get no good by his Servants life shall receive no benefit by their death 3. As a punishment to his Servants for their declinings and fallings from their first love a sin big enough to provoke him to remove his Candlestick from a whole Church Rev. 2.4 5. much more not to let his candle shine on the tabernacle of some one single Christian how eminent soever As love perfects its self so fear is cast out 1 Joh. 4.18 but as love weakeneth or declineth so fear returns and tormenteth Unto which three reasons we may add 4. Such is the nature of some diseases that they do cloud the Phansie and muffle the understanding and if so it is no wonder that the best of men do make false judgment of themselves and flie away from death as if Christ had never overcome it No wonder that a mind discomposed with bodily distempers recoils at the sight of eternity rather it is a wonder that a believer when he is most himself can think of that condition without astonishment so amazing is the contemplation of it to those who are accustomed to measure all actions and perfections by time 5. The Devil at such a time will be sure to stir up and make use of all his malice and subtilty 'T is said of the natural Serpent non nisi moriens in longum producitur 't is never at its full length till it be dying The old Serpent never so much shews himself in his full dimensions as when a Christian is dying when he is just on the borders of the heavenly Canaan he will then if he he cannot trip up yet bruise his heels that he may enter in halting and uncomfortable as he would not be tormented before his time so nor would he that a Christian should rejoyce before his time hence he casts a mist before his eyes that he may not see his interest in that place of bliss unto which he is hastning apace when his time of tempting is but short then usually he comes with the greatest fury III. I think it is rarely seen that any understanding Christian walking closely with God doth run out the whole course of his life without some assurance of the love of God 'T is not likely that any one should for months and years be joined to the Lord and made one spirit with him and the Lord not let him know that he loveth him in Gods ordinary way of working the spirit of bondage doth but make way for the Spirit of adoption But yet IIII. 'T is not impossible that a Christian should live in ignorance of his own estate all his days I do not find in my best search of Scripture that God hath any where promised that every true Faith shall bud and blossom in assurance or that he who is a Believer shall some time or other know himself so to be and if God hath made no promise to work assurance some time or other in every one whom he converts nothing there can be concluded to the contrary from reason for arguing rationally why may not he who wants it one year want it ten or he that wants it ten want it all the years that he spends in the flesh If any one will contradict us in this it behoves him to shew us any thing essential to a Christian which may not in some sort be in the want of assurance Obj. This leads to laziness and idleness for if men may be in the favour of God and have a title to happiness and not know so much they will not care though they live and die in ignorance of their condition Answ 1. If such a Doctrine were delivered in another matter no such use would be made of it If I should say that bread and water were as much as is necessary to keep life and soul together would men thereupon resolve to take no care or have any thoughts for any provision beyond bread and water why should Christians then when they hear that the being of Godliness may be kept up without assurance take up there 2. 'T is a sin to want assurance We should as well have peace in our own Consciences as peace with God nor are our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience till we have so I know active desertion or Gods withdrawing of his shining manifestation is not our sin even Jesus Christ himself who though he was made sin yet knew no sin was deserted which made him to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me When he so cried out we may well conceive and most sober Divines do conceive he was under the want of the influence of actual vision and of the actual joy and comfort of union nor will I deny but that God may withdraw out of Soveraignty or for the meer trial and exercise of our graces but whether ever he did so is more then I know or should he now do so it would be but for a season if for any long time we want Assurance 't is through weakness of Faith or through spiritual sloth or some other as sinfull distemper He that bids us work out our salvation and make our calling and election sure would not let us be at
uncertainties concerning our selves did we not sleight some Ordinance or omit some Duty or give way to some Lust 3. Though one may be a Child of God who doth want this Assurance yet is there no Child of God who sits down satisfied under the want of it who doth not desire to attain to the full assurance of hope Uncertainty of our condition is not so light an evil as that a Christian can carry it as if it were no burden nay but he follows Christ with unutterable sighs and groans he travelleth from Ordinance to Ordinance till his Evidences be cleared up and his Title to the Promises of Pardon be made out If a Child should have some doubt thrown into his mind concerning his Fathers love to him would he be at rest till it were removed How then can any Believer be himself under prevailing doubts concerning the good will of his Heavenly Father Hath God promised us his Spirit to seal us up to the day of redemption hath he besides his Covenant given us his Sacraments that we might have the more abundant consolation and after all this shall we quietly sit in the dark as if nothing ailed us how then dwelleth the love of God in us Especially those who have sometimes had the light of Gods countenance shining on them and have after lost it must needs be restless till they have recovered it Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. v. 7. Troubled with a witness for it was his daily sorrow of heart yea it was as death to him for this he made his tears day and night he poured out his soul in him and his upbraidings by his enemies with this were as a sword in his bones Psal 42.3 4 10. As for the Spouse in the Canticles we do find Chap. 5. v. 6. that when her beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone her soul failed when she spake she sought but she could not find him she called but he made no answer Hereupon she goes to the Watchmen to the Daughters of Jerusalem charging them if they found her beloved to tell him she was sick of love v. 7.8 He never duly estimated the friendship of Christ who can bear his strangeness without great sorrow and heaviness of heart In answer to the third question How or in what way assurance is wrought by the Spirit I say His way of working is very dark and mysterious and assurance it self is better felt then expressed compared therefore as some conceive Rev. 2.17 to the Manna that is hid and to the white stono and the new name written in the stone which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it The Spirit working in our regeneration is inexpressible compared therefore John 3. to the Wind that bloweth where it listeth the sound whereof we hear but know not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth his working in assuring us that we are regenerate is much more inexpressible There are two kinds of Acts in the soul 1. Direct Acts such as is that by which the soul cleaves to Christ or lays hold on him or believes in him for remission of sins and salvation 2. Reflex Acts such as is that by which a man returns on himself and doth though not believe yet know that he believes believes sincerely Such reflex acts are the most noble royal operations ' the most refined Spiritual workings sufficient if we had no other arguments to prove the souls immortality But such workings of the soul usually are but weak and transient Radius reflexus languet is the rule in Opticks and which leaves us at a greater loss those places of Scripture from which we should borrow our light in this matter are so vexed with variety of descants and interpretations that it is not easie to know what to make of them It would quite tire out the patience of an ordinary Reader if I should but recite the variety of Comments on that place 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear record on earth the Spirit the Water the Blood and these three agree in one That indeed seems to be more plain Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God But first Grotius will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he brings for proof a place or two in Scripture in which it seems to be so used because it is applyed to the witness of Conscience well having no other foundation to build his conceit on we may easily rid our hands of him for the witness of conscience is a joint witness it witnesseth together with God and is therefore called as some think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But then granting that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a joint-witnessing it will not be so easie to find out what the other partner is that is joined with Gods Spirit in this action as we translate it should seem to be our own Spirit But the Rhemists translate not with our Spirit but to our Spirit which translation is put into the Margin of the English Bibles now read and was in the Text of those formerly used and then it will be a question whether our spirit be not the joint-witnesser but onely the recipient of this witness and the joint-witnesser the Son of God or that voice caused in us by the Spirit of God Yet because some do therefore want assurance because they look for it in an undue and unwarrantable manner expecting some vocall testimony to tell them that they are the children of God I shall therefore endeavour to unfold the matter as I am able And this I lay down in the first place That look in what way the Spirit of bondage doth work Fear in the same way the Spirit of Adoption doth work Hope and Assurance now the Spirit bringeth unconverted persons under fears and troubles concerning their estate by convincing them of the demerit of sin and shewing them that they are under the power of sin John 16.8 He will convince the world of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is errorem prâ—…conceptum profligare and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that fallacy in which something onely seemingly and not really contradictory to the question is proved is called ab ignoratione elenebi The secure unconsidering sinner lives in sin as if it were a very harmless innocent thing he makes a mock of it The Spirit therefore to awaken him out of his security and to put him under a necessity of enquiring after a Saviour doth joining with his conscience bring him under a three-fold conviction of Law of fact of state by some such Syllogisms Every liar shall have his portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone I am a Liar Therefore I shall have my portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Or He that believeth not is condemned already I believe not Therefore I am condemned already Or He that
seem that to take any evidence from our graces is to receive humane witness to the things of God which is incongruous Answ I understand not but we may receive an humane testimony to witness the things of God though the last resolution of Divine Faith must be into Divine Veracity But we need not enter into that dispute for the answer of this objection for our graces are not wrought in us by our own power but by the power of God and if they were yet they are only the means by which our condition is known to us the efficient cause of this knowledg is the Spirit illustrating our graces and making them visible and enabling us to conclude from them II. Here 's terror to all those wicked persons who perswade themselves that they are the Children of God though they have in them none of the marks of the children of God I know we are apt to be deceived by others and much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use St. James his word Jam. 1.22 to deceive to put a fallacy on our selves Yet a man would wonder how they who pretend to reason should be able so to impose on themselves or where they found the premises from which they inferre that conclusion that they are the children of God Doth the Scripture any where say that they who walk not after the Spirit but after the flesh shall live or that drunkards and swearers shall inherit the Kingdome of God if the Scripture say not this but the clean contrary how come they then to promise themselves peace Are they still to learn that God is not such a one as themselves or that they must be judged not according to the proverbs that pass for current among men but according to the law of liberty Sith this law doth every where condemn them how is it that their own Consciences do not condemn them also Is it not onely because they do torture and wrest the Scriptures and so to bring them down to their own humor and fancies But do they not do this to their own destruction must not the great day of necessity shake bring down this house which hath no foundation but their own imaginations exalting themselves against the knowledg of God Let all such if they be not as perfectly void of common sense and reason as they be of Divine Faith but consider these Scriptures Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reaps for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Or if they will not hearken to the stiller voice of the Gospel let them yet hearken to the thunder of the Law Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Lest there should be a root among you that beareth gall and worm wood and it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall light on him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate him for evil III. Let all that fear God be perswaded to make use of this way of getting Assurance and not think to get it by I know not what Enthusiastical injections or by going up and down with complaints against themselves but look for it in this way of trial and examination Let not any one say that the Writing of God is so blurred and blotted that he cannot tell what to make of it the Waters so mudded that he despairs of ever seeing his face in them for 1. If some signs be not visible others may and they will suffice to lead thee to the conclusion that thou art in the Bond of the Covenant if thou canst not take comfort in some Qualifications yet there are others that will afford If thou canst not find Faith yet canst thou not deny but thou fearest God and tremblest at his Word why these are marks of a child of God Isa 50.10 Isa 66.2 and so is a desire to fear God Neh. 1.11 onely be sure it be an earnest unwearied industrious desire 2. But if any man be under such sad dark temptations as that he can see no light at all if he be confusion all over such a one I advise not to examine examination at such a time is not a duty but serves onely to breed further fears and uncertainties In such a case let a man put forth the first act of Faith cast himself on God commit himself to him in well doing he hath a command so to do therefore he need not fear it will be an act of presumption he hath a promise if he do so that he shall be safe let him therefore so do and in continuance so to do he shall if by any way come to find that he hath laid hold on the Covenant and that his condition before though it was not comfortable was safe and known to God though not to himself Quest 4. What 's the reason why the children of God do want Assurance or how comes it to passe that all who have grace do not presently know themselves to have it Answ This is not one Question but two and therefore without distinction no one thing can be replied to it The word Reason all one with cause may either refer to the meritorious or final cause either the meaning of the Question is what are the gracious Intendments and Purposes of God in permitting his Children to want Assurance or what are the ways by which they do sinfully procure unto themselves the want of Assurance Of these I will speak distinctly though I take it they are but rarely separated God doth not usually let his servants be under darkness but for sin and he would not permit them to fall into sin but that he hath an intent to make those very falls and the punishments he inflicts because of them subservient to his glory and their good Quest 1. Therefore enquire we why the Father of Lights suffers the Children of light to walk in darkness why he sets the seal and impression of the Spirit so obscurely upon them that they do not know themselves to be sealed with it to the day of redemption especially seeing he doth hereby lose a very great tribute of praise and glory For how can they praise God for this though incomparable gift if they know not themselves to have received it How can they rejoyce in the hope of
throw away the bread and water appointed by God for the satisfying of those natural appetites then may he hope to perswade the experienced Christian that all his desires after Christ are but the workings of a melancholy phansie or to despise the Body and Blood of Christ the onely things that ever he found to satisfie those desires Obj. What then can the Assured Christian answer every question that a subtil diputant makes can he solve every fallacious argument of a cunning Sophister A. No perhaps he cannot answer any one of his fallacies but he hath such a sense of the reality and preciousness of the things against which the fallacies are framed that he knows them to be but fallacies and cares not much were it not for others sake whether they be ever answered or no. If a condemned Malefactor dead in Law should have his Princes pardon brought him and had accepted it and upon acceptation of it found himself restored to life again and every thing that made his life comfortable unto him how little would he matter it whether he were pardoned by an immanent or transient action or whether he did receive his pardon by an act of the understanding or of the will by one act or by many or whether the acceptation of his pardon were the instrument or the condition of his pardon As little will he who hath a sense of his faith and of his justification by faith matter it how those controversies are decided that have of late years occupied the pens and tongues of so many both learned and unlearned As little doth he matter it I say as to himself though for the sake of others he rejoyceth to see truth accurately handled and rescued from those absurdities where-with adversaries taking advantage from the less cautious expressions of her friends had loaded her What sayest thou now O Christian is this Assurance worth thy seeking after and praying for or is it not Wilt thou give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure or wilt thou still put all to the adventure and leave thy eternal condition at uncertainties Methinks after so many glorious effects of Assurance have been opened every one that nameth the name of Christ should be restless till he have it and should go from ordinance to ordinance till he could say I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Till he can see his name written in the Lambs book of life till he find the white stone in his hand till he taste the hidden Manna with his mouth and find the Spirit witnessing to his spirit that he may be of good cheer because that his sins are pardoned I would take it for granted that so it shall be were it not that the flesh will alway be drawing back from and framing objections against every thing that requireth diligence and cometh not till after many Prayers and Endeavours Endless it would be to attempt to answer all the cavils of slothfull persons against the work I have been pressing two it may not be amiss to take notice of Object We have known those who have gloried much in their Assurance whose Assurance was never found to produce any of the forementioned blessed effects Answ I have also known those who have boasted much of their great love to Christ and yet made no conscience of keeping his Commandements this did never make me think that universal Obedience was not the fruit of true Love but onely that their Love was not true Semblably when I observe any who say they have Assurance shewing forth their Assurance by none of the fore-mentioned blessed effects I conclude their Assurance to be the counterfeit Assurance or carnal confidence known commonly by the name of Presumption 't is to me so manifest that he who hath Assurance will I. Be above the tormenting fear of death 2. Despise the perishing vanities of the world 3. Sleight and despise the censures of the ungodly 4. Expresse an holy boldnesse in his prayers 5. Take comfort in the Word and Sacraments 6. Abound in Praise and Thanksgiving 7. Kindly mourn for sin and watch against it 8. Not regard cavils against the Truths the power whereof he experimentally feeleth that where I find not these I adventure to say there is no Assurance and I would have all the fore-mentioned particulars made use of in way of Examination as well as Motive that if any one do not find his perswasion of the goodness of his condition accompanied with them he may thence as he hath the greatest reason inferr that it is not wrought in him by the Spirit of God Object But is it not time enough to get Assurance hereafter Will it not suffice if some time before a man do depart out of this world he be sealed by the Spirit Answ 1. Sure he that makes this Objection doth not believe what I have been all along asserting out of Scriptures concerning the benefits of Assurance else he would be hugely desirous not to want it for one moment longer it would be death unto him to be without it till death seize on him 2. No man can have this Assurance but by the Spirit now he is a most free and arbitrary Agent blowing when and where he listeth He who now refuseth his consolations may perhaps want them everlastingly 3. The longer any one stayes without Assurance with the more difficulty will he obtain it at last The longer any one doth walk in the dark the more hard thoughts doth he insensibly take up concerning God and the more unhappily skilfull doth he grow in disputing against his own consolations the longer that the heart hardneth it self through the deceitfulness of siâ— the more unfit is it to receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit of God What-ever is brought against late death-bed Repentance may be also brought against late death-bed Assurance with this onely difference that whereas Repentance is necessary to the very being of a Disciple Assurance is onely necessary to his well-being Quest 6. What means are to be used for the attaining of this Assurance Answ Before I direct to means it will be needfull that I premise some things I. That I do suppose true solid Assurance to be intended in the Question As for Presumption 1. It is needless to prescribe any means for the getting of it 't is like some ill weeds which in some soils will grow do the Husbandman what he will or can Satan will both plant and water and also give increase unto it and so deep roots it taketh that the very approaches of Death cannot pull it up Nothing more usual then for men that live under the Sun-shine of the Gospel to drop out of a golden dream out of a fools paradise into Hell 2. If it were in the least needfull to give any Directions for the attaining of this presumptuous perswasion I durst not give them for it is the work of Gospel Ministers to throw down to the ground all those buildings that are built with
he finds not But then tell him there are absolute promises wherein God promiseth to bestow grace on the graceless here his hope begins to stir and revive The Lord hath promised to take away the heart of stone and to give an heart of flesh In that promise he hath not put my name but neither hath he excluded or put me out he may do it for me as well as for another therefore at his feet will I lie down and no longer be unwilling he should rule in my heart by his Law and Spirit and whether he ever smile on me or no which yet I have reason to hope he will I will have no other Lord or Master but himself and in the use of all good means will I wait on him and look up to him till he write his law on my heart and put his fear into my inward parts And this leads me to a fourth direction 4. Let him that wants Assurance wait upon God in the use of all good means duties ordinances till he shew his reconciled countenance to him I say all means duties c. not onely because the neglect of one may provoke God to reject our attendances on him in the other but also because 't is uncertain in which God will manifest himself 1. Sometimes in Prayer he drops the oyl of gladness into the wounded spirit and indeed in this duty as much as in any Upon the Prayers of the Church Peters bonds were loosed and could the Church be brought to as instant servent prayer for her doubting members that are fast held under the chains of their troublesome thoughts we might find them sooner delivered But as publick prayers have this advantage that by them God is most honoured so private closet prayers have this advantage that by and in them a man hath fairer opportunities to spread all his doubts before God in all their particular circumstances Look on David you would think he were not the same man at the beginning and end of some of his Psalms Before Prayer as full of fears as the night is of darkness after Prayer as full of confidence and comfort as the Sun is of light If our doubts do not prevail so far as to make us leave off praying our Prayers will prevail so far as to make us to leave off doubting Of Hannah it is said That after she had prayed her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.18 Had we more praying we should neither have so many jovial sinners nor so many dejected saints 2. Sometimes in the reading or hearing of the word of God a beam of light is let in that scatters all doubts and fears The Spirit takes off the veil that is upon the Word and the veil that is on the heart and then a man can misinterpret the Scripture no longer his title to the Promise is no longer obscure The Word it is Gods Power to Salvation 't is the instrument he maketh use of for the begetting strengthning confirming of faith it answers all the objections that carnal reason can raise against either the fulness or freeness of Divine Grace Therefore when people have been the very next door to despair by looking into this record of Gods love they have met with that which hath recovered their hope and made them to say Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity transgression and sin 3. Sometimes God appeareth in holy religious conference As Iron sharpneth Iron so doth a man sharpen the face of his friend Prov. 27.17 And therefore Christians when they meet together should encourage and strengthen one another in the service and worship of God Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3. 13. Indeed why is one comforted but that he should comfort others with the same consolations wherewith he hath been comforted When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren And that no man may despise any serious Christian though of the meanest parts let it be considered that God maketh use of the discourse of the foolish for the conversion and confirmation of those that have been in great repute for learning Thus the famous Junius was brought to be serious by hearing the hearty discourse of a Country-fellow concerning Faith and Repentance and our own renowned Bradford comforted by the discourse of an unlearned Weaver Thus will God have it to be that no flesh may glory in his presence and that no member of the body may say to another I have no need of thee 4. In the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper sometimes the Lord doth seal men up to the day of Redemption I have heard some say that they did never receive of this Banquet but they found some sensible reviving by it but they were such as made more conscience of preparing themselves then most now a days do Indeed the two main ends of this Ordinance seem to be Growth of Grace and Evidence of Grace Here the new-born babe takes in that which makes him grow up to his just and full proportion here also the soul in a swoon takes in that Wine which makes it recover and feel its own life and strength No man can open his mouth so wide but there is that in this Ordinance which will fill it for in it the whole Covenant is sealed Christ and all his benefits made over to the worthy Communicant Object None must come to this Ordinance but he who hath Assurance and therefore I do ill to prescribe it as a means to beget Assurance Answ This is a mistake men may without sin come to the Lords Table and yet have no Assurance that they are in favour with God All must examine themselves and if it be clear that they are dead in sins and trespasses they must not in that condition venture upon the sacred mysteries but if a man do upon examination find that in him which doth usually accompany true grace though he be not without some fears and doubts he may he must receive and the Sacramental Wine is the more proper for him because of those infirmities 5. Singing of Psalms also hath been much blessed by God to the quieting of mens minds and filling them with the sense of his love The Scholars of Pythagoras seem to have thought that singing had some natural tendency to procure quiet rest and freedome from ill affrighting dreams hence they used it every night And it is by the ancient Fathers much commended as very powerfull for the quieting of all passions and easing of the mind of all its perturbations Many have I read of that in singing of Psalms have been sweetly affected with the highest consolations so that it may well be wondred how this duty came in the late times to be so much difused in the Families of persons professing Religion Reasons indeed have been brought against it by some but such as could scarcely lay hold of any but those who had a
able to pay you Ye shall not fast as ye do this day to make your voice be heard on high As if he had said Never look to have your fastings accepted or your suits heard on high so long as ye continue these courses of vexation and oppression Object If we must not plead till we be meet for mercy then we must never plead for our hearts being once made meet for mercy God bestows mercy and so no need to plead for it Answ Meetness doth not consist in indivisibili but hath its latitude and degrees God doth not delay to answer when he hath brought a man to full fitness but he may and doth sometimes delay when he hath brought him to some fitness That also may be a full fitness for one that is not a full fitness for another and that a full fitness for the same man at one time that is not at another 'T is commonly said and truly that there are preparatory works to Conversion but these are not alike for degree in all those that have led orderly civil lives are usually by a less humiliation fitted for faith then those whose sins have more scandalized Religion so are those who are designed for a private life then they whom God calls to the work of the Ministry That very repentance that would have fitted a man for Assurance at first will not fit him to have it renewed after he hath by any notorious revolting lost it He also who is by God designed for exemplary strictness and eminent mortification doth commonly come by his Assurance more hardly then he who was not designed to be so choice a vessel He therefore who lives without the sense of Gods love though he have waited for it more then they who wait for the morning watch let him think that God hath some gracious end in this dispensation either to humble him afresh for former sins or to cause him the more highly to value Christ Jesus or to make him a more able experienced comforter of others yet if he be not conscious to himself of indulging any known sin let him not cease to pray that God would restore unto him the joy of his salvation nor yet humbly to expostulate with God and enquire wherefore He hides his face from him for these expostulations and pleadings are the ways in which and means by which God giveth in promised mercies and in and by which our own faith is stirred up to lay hold of Christ his Blood and Spirit We must not by our pleadings design to make any change in God with whom there is not the least variableness or shadow of turning but to make a change in our selves our wrastling is not to overcome God but to overcome our own pride and infidelity yet we are said Scripture accommodating it self to our infirmity to awaken God to prevail over God himself Hos 12.4 He prevailed over the Angel he wept and made supplication By the Angel almost every one now thinks we are to understand the Angel of the Covenant God blessed for evermore Let us see what it is from which we may so argue with God as to have power with him and prevail 1. We may argue with him from all the names suitable to our condition by which he hath called himself in Scripture Many comfortable names God proclaimes himself by Exod. 34.6 7. look what it is that best hits our condition by that we may plead with God So we find Moses to have done Numb 14.17 18 19. And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiviag iniquity and transgression Pardon I pray thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercies Scarcely can any deserted persons condition be clothed with such circumstances as that he may not be able to relieve himself and argue with God by some one of those seven names by which his good affection to repenting sinners is set out they are seven skirts by the which he would have us to lay hold of him and not let him go till he hath blessed us In Scripture also he makes himself known by the name of Father by that name the Church argueth with him Isa 63.16 Doubtless thou art our Father This was the hinge on which the Prodigals Faith did turn I will go to my Father and say Father Dulce nomen patris Let every deserted soul plead it with God Thou art my Father and can a Father shut his armes against a son formerly indeed disobedient but now intreating mercy with tears resolving to redeem the loss of former with improvement of the time to come He that shall thus with true remorse and hearty grief bespeak God shall not long be without the best robes the ring and the shoes without the most signal tokens of fatherly love Obj. If I durst call God Father then I were well enough but this is my misery that I have lost all that which sometimes made me to think he was my father and afforded me some boldness in my accesses to him A. If I should for once gratifie thee in thy hard thoughts concerning thy self yet thou canst not deny but that God is thy Father on a common account as a Creator Plead that relation for it will go a great way with God especially if we be also within the pale of his Church Isa 64.8 9. But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay thou art the Potter we are all the work of thy hands Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people An argument also used Psal 138.8 Job 10.8 9. In all the places there is an allusion to Gods framing mans body at first but perhaps something more is aimed at viz. that they had been by God not onely formed and fashioned in the womb but also formed and fashioned into a Church taken into Covenant and so made a peculiar people doubtless there is something to be made of this that we are called by Gods Name and that we are the sons of his handmaid born in his house some weight this nail will bear if we hang all our vessels on it then it must needs break 2. The very extremity of our condition is a very effectual plea with God he useth it as an argument to himself Isa 57.17 I will not contend for ever neither will I be alway wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made While no temptation hath befallen us but what is common God counts not himself so much concerned to regard us but when once we are tempted with such malice as we shall not long be able to bear God will then soon either restrain or refrain his anger When therefore our spiritual troubles are come to a true and not onely an imaginary extremity let us plead that with God so seems