you come in his name that it is he you present to the Father when you aske any thing at his hands and thus you may come with boldnesse what objection soever there can be made they will be all easily answered in Christ. Then last of all if it be in Christ if it be put into his hands immediately then whensoever you receiue any thing let him haue the sacrifice of prayse let it adde some new loue and some new ingagement and thankefulnesse to the Sonne The Father hath done it for that purpose that the Sonne might be honoured that the Sonne might be magnified that wee might learne to loue the Sonne to serue the Sonne as we doe the Father and therefore whensoever we obtaine any thing at his hands let vs be thankfull to the Sonne Labour to see his grace abounding towards vs and our hearts abounding to him in thankfulnesse and in all the fruits of obedience So much likewise shall serue for this poynt Now we come to the next Conclusion All things come alike to all The same condition is to the iust as to the wicked and to the good and pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not such as the good is so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Hence I gather thus much before I come to speake of the application of these events to the sonnes of men That All men are divided into these two rankes either they are good or bad either they are polluted or cleane either they are such as sacrifice or such as sacrifice not There is no middle sort of men in the world all are either sheepe or goates all are either within the Covenant or without the Covenant all are either elect or reprobates God hath divided all the world into these two either they are the Lords portion or the Devils portion There are some Reasons of it One is That God hath made all men to be vessels of honour or of dishonour there is no vessell of an indiâ—â—erent or middle vse Againe Who are they that divide the world God and Sathan Either you belong to God and are his portion as Deut. 32. 9. His people are his portion or you are the Devils portion And so likewise may we reason from the two principles either a man is borne of the flesh or of the spirit if he be borne of the spirit he is spirituall and if he be borne of the flesh he is fleshly And therefore in one of these two conditions hee must needes be which I obserue for this purpose First you see hence then that there are but two places hereafter for men as there are but two rankes of men there is no middle place as the Papists affirme there is no Purgatorie or Limbus either for the Fathers before Christ or for Children now As they are all in one of these two rankes in one of these two conditions so there are but two places into which all men are divided some to the one and some to the other But secondly The chiefest vse that wee are to make of it is this If it be so if a mans condition must be one of these two that either he is within the dore in the Kingdome of God or without that though some are come neere the Kingdome of God some are farther off among those that are without And againe among those that are within the doore some are farther in some are not so farre some haue proceeded farther into the Temple some a lesse way yet there are none in a middle way but all are either within or without let vs then learne to consider what our condition is let not our perswasion and opinion of our selues hang betweene both but let vs come to this conclusion to this disiunctiue proposition Either I am in the number of those that are good or that are bad either I am within the Covenant or without and so consider in which of these two conditions we are Men are exceeding apt in this case to deceiue themselues and therefore when the Apostle hath occasion to speake of this he premiseth that still Be not deceived such and such shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and so in Ephes. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things comes the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience That is men are exceeding apt to deceiue themselues to be pure in their owne eyes when they are not yet clensed from their filthinesse to thinke their estate good when it is not and therefore beware take heede that it be not so with you What a miserable condition is it that when a man hath beene at the paines to set vp a large building he should then loose all his labour for want of a good foundation that a man should do as the foolish Virgins get oyle in their Lamps and make a great blaze for a time and when they come to the very poynt to the dore to the gate then to be excluded Nay what a folly is it for a man to deceiue himselfe in this It may be a man out of the corruption of his nature may be willing to deceiue another but for a man to deceiue himselfe it is exceeding great folly And truely as it is said of flattery none can be flattered by another till first he flatter himselfe So no man can be deceived by another till first he be willing to deceiue himselfe Therefore take heede of deceiving your selues Beloved there is a great backwardnesse in vs to come to the tryall as a crazie bodie will not indure the tryall of the weather as a weake eye will not indure the light for it is offensiue to it So when the heart is not sound this tryall this searching this examining of the heart it is tedious grieuous and burthensome but yet Beloved it is profitable it is that which makes vs sound in the faith we must come to it sooner or latter and it is best for vs to come to it while we haue time to helpe it if we finde things amisse To haue a great fraight and to make shipwracke in the Haven were a greatfolly and therefore we should looke to the Barke and see whether it be sound or no. To see in what estate we are in which of these conditions we are You will say to me how shall we know I will name you but these foure wayes of tryall that are named here the Wiseman makes this difference of men some are good and some are evill some are cleane and some are polluted some sacrifice others sacrifice not some are carelesse of an oath others feare an oath Wouldest thou know then in which of these two â—ankes of men thou art Consider then whether thou be a good man or an evill man that is one distinction Goodnesse consists in these foure things First The tree must be good
all over he is a wall of Brasse as it is expressed in Ier. 1. 18. not so onely but he is said to be a wall of fire about his children That is He is not onely a wall that keepes them safe but a wall of fire to consume all them that come against them for a fire you know doth not onely defend those that are within the compasse of it but it burnes those that come neare it Such a one is God to his children And that is one thing wherein this all-sufficiency consists that God communicates to them The second is in filling them with all comfort which is expressed in Psal. 84. The Lord will be a Sunne and a Shield he will be a Shield to keepe off evill and a Sunne to fill them with all comfort I am sayth he the exceeding great reward That is As if he should say Abraham whatsoever is in me all that I haue all my attributes are thine forthy vse my power my wisedome my counsell my goodnes my riches whatsoever is mine in the whole world I will giue it for thy portion I and all that I haue are thine And might he not well say he was an exceeding great reward Who can vnderâ—tand the height and breadth and length and depth of this reward I am thy exceeding great reward That is Thou shalt haue all kinde of comforts in me and thou shalt haue them in the highest and greatest measure And in these doth Gods All-sufficiencie consist that God communicates and deriues to vs from himselfe Now to shew that he is so you must vnderstand not onely that the Lord is wholly All-sufficient to his children on the one side That is He brings all comforts with him but this must also be vnderstood that in the creature on the other side there is no sufficiency at all It was the poynt I began to touch vpon the last day I will now open it vnto you more fully That in the creature there is no sufficiency at all and in the Lord there is All-sufficiencie We will not dis-joyne them but handle both together for it would be in vaine for me to proue the Lord is All-sufficient but the great deceit which prevailes with the hearts of men is this that they thinke there is somthing to be had in the creature of it selfe And therefore we will spend those Arguments by which we will proue this chiefly and convince you of it that there is nothing in the creature no stabilitie no sufficiencie it can doe you of it selfe neither good nor hurt as we told you the last day All the good and hurt that the creature can be supposed to do it stands in one of these two things Either in making vs happie or miserable Or else secondly in affording vs subsidiarie helpes such as we haue neede of vpon occasion In neither of them the creature of it selfe is able to doe any thing You must remember that which we then delivered that the creature is not able to doe any thing in the matter of our happinesse First Because it is inferior to vs and that which is inferior cannot adde to that which is aboue it Secondly Because the creature is accursed there is a curse lyes vpon the creature there is an emptines and a vanitie in it and that which is emptie in it selfe can giue no fulnes to vs. Thirdly The creature is vnder the Sunne and therefore you haue that phrase so often repeated in Ecclesiastes All things vnder the Sunne are vanitie and vexation of spirit Now the happines that we seeke for is aboue the Sunne which the creature is not able to reach Fourthly The creature is corporall the minde is spirituall it is a spirit and therefore it can receiue no happines from it therefore in Heb. 12. we are sayd to goe to the spirits of perfect men as if that were a sutabl converse for a spirit Fiftly It is temporary whereas the soule is immortall it is not able to run the course with it to its journeyes end but it leaues it in the middle way and therefore it is not able to make it happy Besides As I told you then the creature is finite and therefore is not able to fill the soule God is infinite and therefore is able to doe it That no creature can doe it we see in continuall experience Take any comfort that you finde in the creature and when you haue enioyed it still you want somewhat and you would haue more But when you come vnto the Lord enjoy him when your hearts are filled still there is somewhat beyond in him there is no stop there is no restraint And therefore he onely can make the soule happie Now the ground of it why he is onely able to doe it is because the soule is made for him the soule is fitted for him and therefore there is nothing els answerable there is that constitution of the minde that it will not be filled with any thing besides The Lord might haue put the minde into such a frame he might haue so constituted the soule of man that the creature might haue filled it and satisfied it and haue bin an adaequate obiect to it but he hath not done so for he made it for himselfe and therefore it is not filled but with himselfe So much for that that the creature in the matter of happines is able to doe nothing But you will say to me This is a thing of which we make no doubt But what doe you say for ordinary vses and for the vicissitudes of this life is not the creature in these able to doe good and hurt Beloved as I sayd to you the last day the creature is not able considered without the influence of the first moover to doe you the least good or hurt as the words are Ier. 10. 5. speaking of Idols they can doe neither good nor hurt and therefore feare them not As if he should say If they could doe you either good or hurt you might feare them and it is certaine if any creature were able in manner aforesaid to doe you any good or hurt you might feare the creature for God alters no Law of nature that which is in it selfe to be feared we may feare that which is to be observed and regarded we may regard it Now if any creature were able to doe good or hurt certainely it were to be feared in regard of the hurt it could doe and to be regarded and observed in regard of the good it could doe Then againe the Law of the Lord should be vnequall if the Lord should require all worship that the intentâ—oÌ„ of the mind be wholly taken vp about him and that we should haue no eye to the creature if the creature had any selfe-part with him in doing vs good or hurt for if the creature could doe vs hurt we should not onely looke to God that he should be a
the Couenant or no You shall know it by this How did Abraham know whether he was in the Couenant or how will you know whether Abraham or any other were saith the Text Abraham beleeued God and therefore God reckoned him as a man that was righteous and accepted him to bee a partaker of the Couenant and so if thou beleeue it is certaine then thou art within the Couenant but how shall a man know that Gal. 5. 5. Neither Circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue If thou canst finde this now that thou art able to take Iesus Christ to take him as a LORD and Sauioâ—r thou art able to beleeue all the Couenant of Grace thou art by that put into the Couenant But how shall a man know whether this faith be right or no for you know there is a false dead and counterfeit faith if it be right thou shalt finde it to be of a working and liuely nature but many times we may bee deceiued in that A woman many times thinkes she is with childe but if she finde no motion nor stirring it is an argument she was deceiued So when a man thinkes that hee hath faith in his heart but yet he finds no life no motion no stirring there is no worke proceeding from his faith it is an argument he was mistaken hee was deceiued in it for if it be a right faith it will worke there will be life and motion in it As Abrahams faith you see it enabled him to doe whatsoeuer GOD appointed him to offer his sonne to excommunicate Ismael when GOD bid him cast him out though hee loued Ismael exceeding dearely yet he did it and did it readily so whatsoeuer God bade him doe here was a working faith But yet a little further a man may be yet deceiued in this a mans faith may worke and an Hypocrite may doe many workes if it bee but bare working a man may bee deceiued and therefore this is added further it workes by loue Beloued a man may doe exceeding many duties as you know hee may suffer Martyrdome he may giue all to the poore hee may be a very diligent Preacher of the Gospell for Paul saith I may speake with the tongue of men and Angels I may giue my goods to the poore I may giue my body to be burned and yet if these great workes be done without loue they are nothing But on the other side if you finde this that you doe but the least worke if it be but to giue a cup of cold water and doe it out of loue if you abstaine from one sinne if you ouercome any one lust whatsoeuer that is deare and neare to you because you loue Iesus Christ if you set your selues vpon any worke vpon any imployment and endeauour and thy heart witnesseth this to thee it is because I loue the LORD and desire exceedingly to please him he is one that I would faine haue communion with my delight is in him therefore I doe these workes for it is my meate and drinke to doe his will now thou art on a sure ground now thou maist know thou art within the Couenant for thou beleeuest as Abraham did and therefore thou art within the Couenant as hee was thou maist know it because thy faith workes and then thou maist know that it workes right because it is done by loue Well yet there is another way to know this that is in thy seede saith the Text shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed if a man be then ingrafted into this seede into the Messiah once then he shall bee blessed if once he belong to him Well how shall a man know that If thou haue receiued the Spirit of the Son for whosoeuer is in Christ hath receiued the Spirit of Christ if he haue not receiued the Spirit of Christ he is not in him Consider whether you haue receiued the Spirit of the Sonne the Spirit of the promised seede that is thou art made like Christ by the Spirit for the Spirit will assimulate thee and renew this Image in thee he makes thee such another in some degree as he is yea he will not onely doe this but he will witnesse to thee that he is thy God and that thou art of those that are partakers of the Couenant and therefore that is the way to finde it out that is the thing I intend to insist vpon to finde out whether you haue this Spirit you shall finde it this is the great marke that the Apostle Paul insists vpon still in all his Epistles by which a man may know whether he be within the Couenant or no still it is this we haue receiued the Spirit and the Spirit seales vs to the day of redemption we are established and sealed by the Spirit of promise and wee haue receiued the Spirit which is an earnest c. Now to know whether you haue the Spirit I will commend these two places of Scripture to you to consider one is Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of Adoption whereby you cry Abba Father the same spirit beares witnesse with our spirits that wee are the sonnes of GOD. The other you shall finde 1 Iohn 5. 8. And there are three that beare record in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one If you would finde out whether you haue the spirit of the Sonne or no you shall know it by these three In the Antecedents the Concomitants and the Consequents The Antecedent is the Spirit of bondage beloued that of necessity must goe before so that if thou neuer hadst the spirit of bondage certainely thou hast not yet receiued the spirit of the Sonne for the Apostle speakes of it heere as the common condition to all Christians they doe not receiue the spirit of bondage againe you had it once but now you haue the spirit of Adoption I say euery man must haue this spirit of bondage and the ground of it is this because no man can come to Christ except the Law be a Schoolemaster to bring him to Christ now the Law is not a Schoolemaster it teacheth no man except the spirit of bondage worke feare except the spirit of bondage put an edge vpon the Law put a Sword into the hand of the Law to pricke the heart to wound the heart as it is said Acts 2. this is the spirit of bondage Beloued you may heare the Law and the threatnings and curses applyed to you 10000. times ouer and yet no feare be bred in you except the spirit of bondage ioyne with it that makes it effectuall Now in the Law are included iudgements and afflictions which are but the execution of the Law sometimes it goes with the Law it selfe somtimes with the iudgement and afflictions it is the spirits of bondage that must goe with both as for example when it thundred rained in
Wheat-haruest 1 Sam. 12 the people feared exceegingly and Ezra 10. when there was an exceeding great raine the people did exceedingly tremble and you know in that Earthquake though all were safe Act. 16. and there was no cause why he should be so vnquiet yet we see how the Goaler was amazed his heart was wounded this was not for these particular Iudgements there might bee a great raine there might be a great Earthquake and thunder in Wheat-haruest and yet mens hearts little moued but there went a spirit of bondage that bred a feare in them this is that I say no man can come to Christ without the Law either in it selfe or in afflictions which are but the executioners of it and these are not effectuall without the spirit of bondage and there is a very great reason for it because otherwise wee should neuer know the loue of Christ he that hath not knowne what the meaning of this spirit of bondage is what these feares are what these terrours of conscience are in some measure knowes not what Christ hath suffered for him or what deliuerance hee hath had by him besides he will not be applyable to Christ But I will not stand more vpon this Hast thou not had the spirit of bondage I say surely if thou hast not tâ—sted of this Christ hath not sowne the seed of grace in thy heart doth any man sow before he hath plowed doth any man make a new impression before there bee an oblâ—tâ—ration of the old Beloued before the heaâ—t be meâ—ted wâ—th 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage there is no sence of a new spirit to make a new impression vpon it I confesse it is different it is sometimes more sometimes lesse but all haue it more or lesse sometimes the Medicine goes so close with the reuealing of sinne and of Iudgement that it is not so much discerned sometimes againe God meanes to bestow vpon some men a great measure of grace and therfore he giues them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage because God meanes to teach them more to prize Christ he meanes more to baptize them with the baptisme of the Holy Ghost and therefore hee baptizeth them with a greater measure of the spirit of bondage they shall drinke deeper of that spirit because his intention is that they shall drinke deeper of the spirit of Adoption and therefore Christ takes it for an argument concerning the Woman when he saw she loued exceeding much surely she had a great measure of the spirit of bondage she was much wounded for her sinnes there had beene exceeding much forgiuen her in her apprehension and so was Paul exceedingly wounded you know This must goe before The things which goe together with it are these three the testimony of the blood of the water and of our owne spirits First beloued there is the testimony of the blood there are three that beare record in the Earth the spirit the water and the blood though the spirit be set first as it is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes and in the Scriptures to put the last first if a man would know now whether hee be in Christ whether he hath receiued the promised seede or no let him consider first whether hee hath beleeued in the blood that is there is a word of promise that saith thus to vs there is a Sacrifice that is offered there is the blood of the Lambeshed from the beginning of the world and this blood shall wash thee from all thy sinnes when a man stands to consider this promise beloued this promise bath two things in it there is the truth of it and the goodnesse of it a man doth with Abraham beleeue the truth of it he beleeues God and saith it is true I beleeue it but withall there is a goodnesse in it and therefore as the vnderstanding saith it is true so the will saith it is good and therefore he takes it and embraceth it and is exceeding greedy of it for when the spirit of bondage makes a man feare it empties a man of all righteousnesse as a man empties a Caske that there is nothing left in it when it puls away all other props and stayes from it it leaues a man in this case that he sees nothing in the world to saue him but the blood of Christ when a man sees this hee takes fast hold of that he will not let it goe for any thing and though it be told him you shall haue many troubles and crosses you must part with all you haue you shall haue somewhat hereafter but you shall haue little for the present he cares not though it costs him his life so he may haâ—e this blood to wash away his sins it is enough this he layes fast hold vpon Beloued when a man doth this at that very houre he is entred into Couenant he is translated from death to life he hath now receiued the promised seede and he shall be blessed for God hath said it and sworne it and it cannot be otherwise and this is the testimony of the blood when a man can say I know I haue taken and applyed the blood of Christ I rest vpon it I beleeue that my sinnes are forgiuen I graspe it I receiue it this is the testimony of the blood Now when a man hath tooke the blood What shall he continue in filthinesse now and walke after the lusts of his former ignorance No the Lord comes not by blood onely but by water also that is by sanctification that is he sends the Spirit of sanctification that cleanseth and washeth his seruants that washeth away not onely the outward filthinesse but the euill nature the swinish nature that they desire no more to wallow in the myre as before for the Lord will not haue a sluttish Church and therefore Eph. 5. he washeth his Church and clenseth it he washeth euery man in the Church from top to toe there is not one place in the soule not one place in the conuersation but it is rensed in this water and then when a man comes to finde this that he hath not onely found the blood of Christ applyed to him by faith but hath found that he hath been able to purifie himselfe and by the worke of Christs Spirit ioyning with him when he goes about to purge himselfe that helpes to cleanse his conscience from dead workes There is the second testimony Now follows the testimony of our own spirits that gathers conclusions from both these and saith thus Since I haue receiued the blood and seeing I am able to purifie my selfe I conclude I am in a good estate I am a partaker of the Couenant if a man could say this truely it is said whosoeuer beleeues shall be saued but I beleeue this is the testimony of the blood onely but when a man can say I doe labour to purifie my selfe I desire nothing in the world so much I doe it in good earnest this is the testimony of the water to
Esay 33. 14. when they are troubled they are not able to pray indeed they may haue formes of prayer that they may vse in times of peace but beloued let any great trouble come vpon them let them be put to it and then you shall finde they are not able to doe it but they runne away from God as fast as they can at that time they are not able to come and say Thou art my Father I beseech thee heare me I beseech thee pitty me and forgiue me no but they tremble at Gods presence as the Thiefe doth at the presence of the Iudge the sinners in Sion are afraid in that day when God comes at the day of visitation the sinners in Sion are afraid c. for who shall dwell with deuâ—ouring fire That is they tremble at such a day when the day of death comes when God begins to shew himselfe to them in the fiercenesse of his wrath when he begins to come neere them in the day of visitation then they fly from him as one would fly from deuouring fire they fly not to him as one would fly to a mercifull Father that is ready to heare them and helpe them but they fly from him as fast as they can as one would fly from euerlasting burniâ—g The like place you haue Iob 27. 8 9 10. For what hope hath the Hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches when God shall come and pull away his soule Will God heare his prayer when he cryes c. Will he call vpon God at all times A wicked man may make some shew of prayer to God in time of health and in time of peace but at that time saith he when he hath spent his time in gathering vp riches in heaping vp them and GOD comes vpon him suddenly and shall pull away his soule he teares and rends it from him for so the word signifies in the Originall that is he is not willing to resigne it into Gods haÌ„ds as the righteous man doth but he is busie about his wealth and God surprizeth him and rends his soule from him What will he doe in this case What will he pray saith Iob No hee giues two reasons He hath â—o delight in the Lord he neuerloued the Lord there is no such loue betweene the Lord and him as there is betweene the Father and the Childe betweene the Hâ—sband and the Wife he neuer had the spirit of a son he cannot pray for he delights not in God But he doth pray sometimes Yea for some fit he may be in some extremity he may cry as a Thiefe at the Barre may cry to the Iudge as he doth sometimes exceeding hard not because he loues the Iudge but it is a cry that comes from extremity and it is but in extremity and by that the falsenesse and hypocrisie of them is known So an Hypocrite may cry in the time of extremity but it is a cry it is not a prayer and it is but in the time of extremity it is not at all times that he doth it hee is not able to doe it for the Lord is a stranger to hiâ— he lookes vpon the Lord as vpon a terrible Iudge and therefore if you would know whether you haue the spirit of the Sonne As first thou shalt know it by that which went before and as secondly thou shalt know it by that which goes together with it the testimony of the blood the testimony of the water and of thine owne spirit So thou maist know it thirdly by this by the Consequents it makes thee able to pray and in the time of extremity it makes thee able to goe to God as to a Father when another flyes away from him as from euerlasting burnings So much shall serue for this time FINIS THE THIRTEENTH SERMON GENESIS 17. 2. And Iwill make my Couenant betweene mee and thee And I will multiply thee exceedingly THE point which we were in handling was this How a man may know whether he be in the Couenant or no I told you there are 3. waies to know it Let a man consider how Abraham came into the Couenant Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse If thou beleeue then thou art within the Couenant but it must be a faith that workes by loue if it bee a faith which workes not it is but a dead faith and if it doe worke yet if it worke not by loue the Lord regardâ—th it not it is true it is faith that layes hold vpon the Couenant but it works by loue faith is the point of the Compasse that fastens vpon the Couenant but loue is the other part that goes about that doth all the businesse it is that which keepes the Commandements it is that which quickens vs to euery good worke The second way to know whether wee be in the Couenant or no is to consider whether we haue taken the promised seede for in him shall all the nations of the world be blessed How shall wee know that If we haue the Spirit of the Sonne that is knowne by the Spirit it selfe the Spirit beares witnesse the witnesse of the Spirit as I told you it is knowne by that which goes before it by that which accompanies it and that which followes after This is the point that we were in handling and wee were broken off in the middest of it wee will recall it a little and deliuer it somewhat more distinctly to you than wee could doe then for haste First I say whosoeuer hath the Spirit of the Sonne he must haue before it the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but you haue receiued the spirit of Adoption As if hee should say there are none but first they receiue the spirit of bondage for there is no man can come to Christ except the Law be his Schoolemaster and the Law is not effectuall without the spirit of bondage neither the Law in the threatnings nor the iudgements which are the executioners of those threatnings you may heare the Law opened vnto you a hundred and a hundred times that is the particular sinnes of which a man is guilty described yea the particular iudgements yea the LORD may follow you with afflictions and crosses yet except there be a spirit of bondage to worke together with these it will neuer molifie an obdurate heart And therefore my beloâ—ed you must make this account if you haue neuer been affrighted with the terrour of God if you haue neuer bin put into any feare by this spirit of bondage be assuted that you haue not yet the spirit of Adoption If men would haue looked to the brazen Serpent without being stung of the fiery Serpents God would haue spared the spirit of bondage but beloued who doth it who is able to doe it Wee bee all in a dead sleepe and except we be wakned with the terrours of the Almighty there is no man would
seeke after Iesus Christ wee may preach the Gospell long enough and men for the most part turne the deafe eare to vs till the LORD open their eares by afflictions and especially by the spirit of bondage it cannot bee but there must be some precedent worke wee will not come home to the Lord without it Wee doe all as the Woman that had the bloody issue as long as she had mony in her purse or that there were Physicians to goe to that shee had ability to haue them shee would not come to Christ but when she had spent all when she saw there was no more hope then shee comes to Christ and was healed of her bloody issue so doe we so long as we can liue in sinne wee consider not the greatnesse nor the dearenesse of the disease but if we can but subsist with them wee goe on we come not to Christ but when wee are spoiled of all by the spirit of bondage when wee are put in feare of death that is it that brings vs home to Iesus Christ and therefore we must make an account of it as a generall rule there must be such a spirit of bondage to bring vs home we doe in this case as Ioab did with Absolon when hee liued in the Courâ— in ease and pleasure hee would not come to Absolon hee might send againe and againe but hee would not come at him till his Corne was set on fire and that brought him beloued except there be some such crosse as may make an impression vpon vs such a crosse as hath the spirit of bondage ioyned with it to cause it to wound our spirits as it is said they were pricked in their hearts when they heard Peter I say wee would not come home vnto the LORD wee must haue such an avenger of blood to pursue vs before wee seeke to the Citie of refuge And therefore consider whether thou hast tasted of this spirit and therefore you may obserue this by the way that when God doth write bitter things against a man it is not a iust cause of deiection for this is a signe that God is beginning a good worke in thee seeke not to put it off and to thinke it is a miserable thing to bee vnder such a bondage as this no but make this vse of it let it bring thee home to Iesus Christ. And heere by the way that men may not bee deceiued in this and say Alas I haue not had this spirit of bondage and feare and therefore I feare I am not right My beloued you must know for what end the Lord sends it hee sends it for these two ends and by that you shall know whether you haue it or no for if thou hast the end once if the effect be wrought no doubt but thou hast had the cause that produceth that effect One end is to bring vs home to Christ if thou finde thou hast tooke Iesus Christ it is certaine there hath beene a worke of the spirit of bondage vpon thy heart if thou finde thou art willing to take him vpon any conditions thou art willing to deny thy selfe thou art willing to serue him to loue him and to obey him And a second end is GOD sends this Spirit of bondage that thou mightest know the bitternesse of sinne and learne to abstaine from it that thou mayest learne to tremble at his Word for the time to come I looke to him that is of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my Word that euen so as parents doe with their children they would neuer afflict and correct their children for that which is past but their end is for the time to come that they may not commit the same fault againe otherwise the parent would not lay any affliction vpon the childe and beloued know that the Lord hath this very end in sending the spirit of bondage thou must not thinke it is for thy sinnes past that there may be a kinde of satisfaction made for them that is not the end but the end is that thou mightst know the bitternesse of sinne for the time to come that thou being scorched once with it thou mightst not easily meddle with it againe and therefore if thou findest this to be thy case thou hast so farre tasted of the terrours of the Almighty that thou darest not aduenture vpon sinne thou standest in awe of the LORD that thou darest not bee so bold with sinne as thou hast beene that thou darest not meddle with the occasions of it that thou darest not come neere it I say if thou finde such a tendernesse of conscience in thy selfe if thou finde that that sinne is made terrible to thee that thou diddest despise before for it is the property of a carnall man to despise his waies I say if this be wrought in thee defer not make not dainty of applying the promises because thou hast not receiued the spirit of bondage for thou hast thou hast the effect therefore thou needest not doubt but that thou hast the thing This is it that goes before that which goes together with it I shewed you then is the witnesse of the blood and of the water and of our owne spirit there bee three that beare witnesse in Earth 1 Ioâ— 4. the spirit and the water and the blood by spirit there is meant our owne spirit enlightned by blood is meant Iustification by water is meant sanctification so that that goes together with the witnesse of the spirit The first is the witnesse of the blood that is when a man is humbled when a man is broken with the spirit of bondage then hee beginnes to make out for a pardon when he sees hee is arrested as it were when he is shut vp as that phrase is vsed Gal. 3. and sees what a debt is required of him and he is not able to pay the least farthing now he beginnes to looke out for a surety now he beginnes to hunger and thirst exceedingly after Christ now he is not content onely to watch with him to serue him and to obey him but hee is willing to part with his life and all that he hath vpon that condition Now when a man is in this case then the Lord beginnes to shew him the blood of his Sonne he begins to open a little crevis of light and to shew him the New Testament in his blood that is the New Testament confirmed in his blood shed for many for the remission of sinnes I say he begins then to looke vpon the promises to consider such promises as these Come to mee all yee that are weary c. and If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate and Let whosoeuer will come and take of the waters of life freely and Goe and preach to euery creature vnder heauen and tâ—ll them if they will beleeue and take my Soâ—ne they shall be saued I say these are all promises made in the blood of Iesus Christ. now he begins to consider these
please the Lâ—â—d in all things for it is as a feast to them when Christ leads them into his Sellar as it were and makes a mans heart glad with Flaggons of Wine that is with the consolations of the Spirit I say it quickens him and makes him zealous and ready to euery good worke when he hath once tasted of this Wine his case is like Elihuds he cannot hold in but hee must breake forth into good workes into holinesse of life A man walkes in the strength of such a testimony of the Spirit for many dayes for so many yeeres so farre it is from making a man remisse in the wayes of God Fourthly that which accompanies it is peace and Ioy Rom. 15. 13. the Apostle prayes that they may be filled with peace and iâ—y through beleeâ—iâ—g as if he should say if you beleeue once indeed ioy will follow and therefore you know it is called the ioy of the Holy Ghost that is when once a man receiues this witnesse of the Spirit there followes a wondrous quiet and peaceablenesse and calmenesse in the heart Beloued it is with euery sonne of Adam as it was with Adam when he had lost the Image of GOD there followed troubâ—e and horrour in his conscience till that Image was recouered his heart was neuer fully at peace but as soone as that was recouered the heart recouers the former ioy that Adam had that former quiet and peace and comfort that Adam had in that innocency hee hath it in a measure So when the LORD returnes againe to a mans spirit that it is his returning and no delusion I say there ariseth a certaine peace in the soule and a ioy that no worldly man euer tasted of that they neuer vnderstood nor knew the meaning of a certaine peace and ioy that goes beyond all worldly ioy whatsoeuer that which Daâ—id called the sâ—ining of Gods countenance Psal. 4. and beloued one good looke of God is worth more then all the wealth in the world yea then the very corporall presence of Iâ—SVS CHRIST and therefore CHRIST tels his Disciples that they should be great gainers by losing of him for saith hee you shall get this by it I will send the Comforter the Holy Ghost and hee shall fill you with peace and ioy and this shall bee much better for you then if I should bee with you still it is better beloued that Christ should dwell in our hearts then in our houses it is better the LORD should be with vs with his spirituall comforts then with his corporall presence and this comfort I say euery man receiues as soone as hee receiues the Spirit hee receiues peace that passâ—th all vnderstanding But now in the fift place when a 〈◊〉 hath receiued this ioy and this peace wheâ— hâ— iâ— lift vp into the third heauen as it were What followes vpon this Will he be lift vp and puffed vp with all this Oh no it is impossible and therefore in the fift place this accompanies it there followes an exceeding great humility a man is neuer so humble as after hee hath receiued the spirit of promise beloued it is very exceeding certaine that no men in the world are so vile in their owne eyes as those to whom the Holy Ghost hath borne this witnesse there is a place for it that puts this out of all doubt Ezek. 36. 31. when the Lord saith he will powre out his Spirit on them and giue them a new heart and a new spirit then saith he then at that time when you haue receiued the spirit of Adoption and I haue made my Coâ—eâ—ant with you then you shall consider your owne deedes that were not good and you shall acknowledge your selues worthy to be destroyed for your iniqâ—ities and traâ—sgressions the new Translation is 〈◊〉 shall loath yâ—â—r selâ—es that is a man shall bee exceeding vile in his owne eyes Beloued presumption alwayes puffes vp a man it brings him into better conceipt with himselfe but this puts him quite out of conceipt with himselfe the neerer the LOâ—D drawes to any man the more rottennesse he findes in his bones as wee see when the Lord came neere vnto Ioâ— then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes because the Lord comes alwayes with a bright light as the Sunne doth that shewes to a man the corrâ—ptions that be in him that he neuer saw before that he wonders at himselfe that hee hath liued so long with himselfe and yet knowes himselfe no better this is the caâ—e of eâ—ery man when the LORD comes home to him it humblâ—th him exceedingly and therefore consider whether thou bee thus vile in thine owne eyes whether the spirit of humility haue gone together with it And last of all to end this point this will follow vpon it though it bee a negatiue those that haue the spirit of Adoption they neuer receiue the spirit of bondage againe Rom. 8. 16. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare as if he shâ—uld say this is the condition of all the Saints you haue tasâ—â—d of it that is the common condition and thaâ— you must looke for and saith hee this testimony you haue for it is the Apostles scope to giue them a testimony of their good estate that they were within the Coâ—â—nant that they were vnder grace saith he by this you shall know it you haue not receiued the spirit of bondage agâ—ine as if he should say should you euer receiue the spirit of bondage againe you were not vnder grace for it is impossible So likewise you see an excellent place for this Gal. 3. 25. Wherefore the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ that wee might bee made righteous by faith But after faith coâ—es we are no longer vnder a Schoolemaster There is no man comes to Christ but the spirit of bondage is first a Schoolemaster to bring him that is the Law must set him hard taskes that hee is not able to perforâ—e and then he sues to Christ as a weake Scholler doth to a Schoolemaster and desires him to performe it for him this brings him to Christ but saith hee when you are once come to Christ when faith comes wee are no more vnder a Schoolemaster a man neuer comes vnder the Law againe But you will obiect Was it not Iobs case did not the Lord write bitter things against him and he was a iust man and one that feared God Was it not Dauids case was not his bones broken as hee complaines after the committing of the sinne of adultery Doe not many finde by experience that GOD hath wounded them sometimes with the wounds of an enemie and hath seemed to cast them off euen after they haue receiued the spirit of Adoption Beloued to this I answer it is very true there are some awakings that a man may haue a man may be put into a great feare after he hath receiued the spirit of Adoption he may tremble exceedingly at the wrath of
further First we are begotten by the word of truth it is the reuelation of the truth of GOD to a man at the first that renewes him in the spirit of his minde it changeth his iudgement it makes him thinke all things in a cleane other fashion then he was wont to doe thus he is begotten to God and he is made a new man a new creature now the increasing of the same truth that is it that builds vs vp further for whatsoeuer begets the increase of that also edifies and hence it is that Salomon so exceedingly magnifies wisdome and knowledge aboue all getting saith he get that There are many things that are precious in the world Pearle Gold and Siluer but this is beyond them all Why doe you thinke the Wiseman would magnifie wisdome so much Because this wisdome brings grace with it and therefore when Christ is said to be the light of the world he is said likewise to be the life the light he was 1 Ioh. 4. and Ioh. 8. he is the true light that lightens euery man And what is that light Why it is that light that brings life together with it Therefore Eph. 5. 14. Arise thou that sleepest c. and Christ shall giue thee light Now you know life is contrary to death but the Apostle expresseth it thus CHRIST shall giue thee light because when a man hath much light hee shall withall haue much life and grace and therefore this I will commend to you as one of the principall meanes of all other to grow strong in grace and in the inward man to grow much in knowledge Beloued it is another thing then wee are aware of if we were fully perswaded that it were a thing so excellent that it would bring so much grace with it certainely wee would study it more then we doe 2 Pet. 2. 20. saith hee You haue escaped the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of Christ. That is that that deliuers you from the bondage of sinne that which enables you to escape the filthinesse that is in the world when other men are yet tangled with it it is because you know that that other men are ignorant of it is through the knowledge of Christ if you haue escaped and 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplyed through the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ. Grace be multiplyed through that knowledge as if he should say multiply you that knowledge this is that meanes whereby Grace shall bee multiplyed to you That you may see the ground of all this there is no grace that any man hath but it passeth in through the vnderstanding For example What is the reason that any man loues GOD more then another but because God is presented to his vnderstanding in another maner then he is to another hee knowes God better then others and so for other graces Why is one man patient when another is not but because his vnderstanding is enlightned to iudge otherwise of the euill he suffers than another doth hee reckons them not so great and intolerable euils he sees another hand of prouidence hee sees another end in it And so What is the reason one is temperate and sober and meeke when another is not but because he hath another iudgement of pleasures and delights he lookes vpon them as on things that are enemies to his soule he sees a vanity and an emptinesse in them that another doth not I say all the grace that a man hath it passeth through the vnderstanding and therefore if a man would be strong in grace let him labour to get much light to get much truth much knowledge in his minde for certainely all the difference betweene Christians the difference of stature betweene men in Christianity the difference of degrees as one man hath a higher degree of faith and another a lower degree it followes from hence that one is more enlightned he hath more knowledge hee hath more truth reuealed to him which truth carries grace with it What is the reason that Paul exceeded other men in grace Because there was more truth reuealed to him then to other men but still remember that I deny not but that there may be much knowledge without grace but this is a sure rule there cannot bee much grace without knowledge the reason why any man is strong in grace and able to doe that which another is not able to doe that he is able to goe through those troubles and those crosses that another shrinkes at hee is able to ouercome those lusts that another is not able to grapple with it is still the strength of his knowledge that hee hath more vnderstanding of things that hee is better and more enlightned Ioh. 16. when the Apostles were to come into the world and CHRIST tels them what entertainement they should haue they beginne to bee exceeding fearefull alas what shall we doe in the world when wee haue such things to doe wee haue men to wrastle with that shall thinke they shall doe God seruice when they put vs in prison â—aith he feare not I will send my Spirit along with you and he shall helpe you to worke he shall coâ—â—ince the world of â—inne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement The meaning is this it is true when you come into the world you shall finde mens opinions exceeding false you shall finde Satan building vp strong holds in their deceipts and errours and their euill imaginations that they haue of things and saith he if you should goe alone without my Spirit truly you might besiege the City you might vse your spirituall Armour but you should doe no good but I will send my Spirit that shall conuince the word in the Originall signifies the refuting of an opinion that men had before drunke in and were possessed of the end of the Spirit is to sanctifie men now what is that way that the Spirit vseth to sanctifie men It is to weare out those old opinions to confute them to let men know they were exceedingly deceiued Alas they did not know that they were so exceedingly sinfull as they bee but when the Spirit comes he shewes them what natures they haue and what liues they haue liued they know they are other creatures then they imagined themselues to be for the Holy Ghost refutes that opinion and conuinceth them of sinne and of iudgement that is the Spirit shall shew men the beauty and the glory of sanctification of spirituall priuiledges and shall make them in loue with it so iudgement is to bee taken as you haue it taken in tâ—at place where it is said of Christ he shall not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoking Flâ—x till hee bring forth Iudgement to victory for it shall not cease till he haue brought forth Iudgement to victory that is by Iudgement is meant holinesse and beginning of grace or sanctification he cals the first part that doth but begin to smoke Iudgement saith he the Lord
them shall the Apostles in their times be able to perswade them No sayth he They shall all be taught of God As if he should say without his teaching it will be all in vaine but if the Lord teach them once they shall be perswaded effectually they shall not onely know what their dutie is but they shall be readie to performe it The reason of which is First because God onely is the generall and vniversall worker he onely is vniversally wise he onely knowes all things and therefore he onely is able to teach all things men know but in part and therefore they are able to teach but in part now he that is perswaded of a thing but in part though he may acknowledge the thing to be good yet his heart is not wrought to practice it for there is something yet behinde some objections that are not yet answered It is onely God that hath an vniversall light that is a generall worker and therefore he is said to be onely wise for a man is not sayd to be wise except he know all things that belongs to such a busines If there be any part or corner of it hid from him he is not wise that is he is not able to proceede aright he is subject to errour but God who hath abundance of light God that knowes all things is onely wise and therefore his is onely able to perswade Hence it is that men are able to perswade that such graces are good that such wayes are excellent in themselues that it is good to take such courses but yet to answer all the secret objections of the heart to perswade fully to turne all the wheeles of the soule this is that that a man is not able to doe to enlighten all the corners of the heart he is not able to convince fully Secondly God is onely able to doe it because he onely knowes all the windings and turnings of the heart of man It is sayd in Ier. 17. 9. that the heart of man is exceeding deceit full who can know it That is no man in the world can know his owne heart much lesse can any man else know it there are so many windings so many turnings in it there is such a labyrinth in the heart such a depth in it that no man is able to search his owne heart to finde out the bottom of it oh but who is able to doe it Sayth he in the next words it is God that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reynes That is he onely knowes the severall inclinations of the will and therefore he onely is able to perswade You know if a man make a key to vndoe such a locke he must know all the wardes of it or else he may make a key that will not vndoe it he may endevour and not be able to turne the locke So the Lord that onely knowes all the wardes all the secret passages all the windings and turnings of the heart of man he onely is able to sute it and to â—it it with such arguments as shall be effectuall to perswade You see when he would perswade Moses to goe downe into Egypt there was a secret objection that Moses had in his heart if he went thither that he should loose his life God that knew Moses heart knew where that objection lay where it stucke with him he was able to bring arguments to perswade him goe thy way said the Lord for they are dead that sought thy life Last of all God is onely able to doe it because he is able to mend the heart where it is amisse A man perhaps may be able to shew an object and to bring it to light but what if the eye be amisse the man is not able to see and to discerne for all that If a manâ— oye be blind if there be any west in it he is not able to remoue it So a man may propound arguments but to make the heart capable of those arguments he may propound reasons and perswasions but to make the heart apprehensiue of them it is aboue the power of the Creature and therefore it is God onely that reâ—â—â—â— vs in the spirit of our mindes he that hath made the eye and so he that made the will and the vnderstanding he only can heale the breaches of them he onely can elevate them and put a supernaturall light into them and make them fit to apprehend those spirituall reasons of any kinde that he objects and propounds to the hearts of men So that God onely is able to perswade as of all other truths so of this that all things are in his hands that he is All-sufficient We may make this vse of it we see the reason why one man is able to see and to trust to this All-sufficiencie of God and another is not The reason is because Christ hath revealed it to one man and not to another God hath taught it to one man and not to another We see it in common experience A wise learned wittie and able man that can discerne more then many others of the vanity of outward things of the All-sufficiencie and fulnesse that is in God yet when he comes to the practice of it he is able to doe nothing On the other side wee shall finde in experience that many poore Christians that are able to say little yet when they come to practice they are able to part with their libertie with their credit with their goods and with their liues that they may cleauâ—â—o God and keepe a cleare Conscience what is the reason of it because they be taught of God they are perswaded by him therefore they are able to practice it As for the others they are taught by men they are taught by themselues and therefore they are not taught it indeedâ— they are not fully convinced of it and therfore though they know such things though they be floating in their mindes yet they haue not the vse the practice of them Wherein you shall obserue this difference That a man may know a truth and yet not be led into that truth as you see Ioh. 16. 13. when he shall come which is the spirit of truth he shall leade you into all truth Marke it he shall leade you into all truth It is one thing to preach the truth and another thing to be led into the truth The holy Ghost shall lead you into all truth as a man is led by the hand into a place for we are not onely blind but lame too wee are not onely vnable to see spirituall truthes but when we see them we are not able to follow the guidance of the holy Ghost Therefore sayth he the spirit shall not onely shew you such and such things but shall leade you into those truthes he shall leade you into the practice of them Many men they know what temperance what sobrietie and patience are who are not able to practice them that