converse and delightful communication which it hath with this Love of the Lord it comes to contract a habitual similitude of it in the soul by degrees to change the soul into the same image Solomon saith He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Prov. 13.20 Which thing doubtless proceeds from a great aptness that is in men to be transformed into the disposition temper and quality of those persons with whom they much converse and delight so to do especially if superior to themselves and judging what they see in them worthy imitation And so Faith keeping such constant company with the Love of Christ to the poor soul and being so much taken with it as it is and having it self such an influence upon the soul as it hath does by degrees fetch over the soul in conformity of disposition to it This is sweetly set out by the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the spirit of the Lord. The glory of the Lord he here speaks of is doubtless amongst other things the grace or love of the Lord to men which is indeed his glory that by which he hath made us accepted in the beloved being called the glory of his grace Ephes 1.6 and is that thing which in the Gospel ministration here spoken of shines forth with greatest luster and brightness But mark now The souls intent and earnest beholding of this glory of the Lord by the eye of Faith as it is visible to it in this glass of the Gospel works this effect The soul it self is hereby changed into the same image transformed into this likeness of the Lord step by step degree by degree from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord by whose influence Faith does this thing For so Christ foretold Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Like as the flocks which Jacob kept by their looking upon the streaked rods in the time of their conception came to conceive and bring forth Cattel that were ring-streaked Gen. 30.37 38 39. even so the soul by Faith dwelling in the serious and pleasant contemplation of the glory of this love of the Lord conceives and brings forth affections and actions in the same likeness The very reason why any man comes to love God is the belief knowledg and sence which he hath of Gods love to him first 1 John 4.19 We love him because he loved us first Which is to be understood of Gods love beleeved and perceived for till then it does not work this reciprocal affection in the Soul And therefore the same Apostle concludes that if any man does not love he does not know God as he is a God of love 1 John 4.8 For if he did and had the true sence of it in his Soul he might sooner draw nigh a great fire and not be warmed than feel the warming influences of this wonderful Love playing hot upon the Soul and not in some measure be transformed into its likeness The Apostle Paul well knowing this made this Prayer for the Ephesian Saints That Christ might dwell in their hearts by Faith that they being rooted and grounded in love might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God In which Prayer you may observe first his end and scope the thing he had in his eye and that which his Soul exceedingly longed after for them and that was that they might be filled with all the fulnesse of God Which I conceive is not to be understood at least not only to be understood in a passive sence of having the Soul filled with the knowledge and sence of all the fulnesse of Gods love to it for this he had prayed for as the means of their being filled with all this fulness of God but in an active sence for their being so filled with their love back again to Christ as by which to attain the highest pitch and utmost perfection of Christianity which is wrapt up in our love to Christ to which God in Christ designed to elevate and raise the Christian And therefore when we love one another as the Lord hath loved us according to his command John 13.34 he is said to dwell in us and his love to be perfected in us 1 Cor. 4.12 viz. by way of imitation and resemblance of that divine vertue property or perfection in God to wit his love which is so wonderfully remarkable in him as that he is called Love it self 1 John 4.8 16. Now for God to dwell in men and for them to have his love perfected in them what is this lesse than to be filled with all the fulness of God But that which the Apostle prayed for in order to this their being filled with all the fulness of God was that Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith they might be able to comprehend with all Saints what the bredth length depth and height is and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge So that mens being filled with the fulnesse of that love to the Lord which his love to them calls for and designes to procure depends we see upon their comprehending by Faith the glory of his love set out in the dimensions of it upon their knowing very much of that love of Christ which in the utmost extent of it passeth knowledg Sect. 3 2. Faith raises this Heavenly affection of love in the Soul as a principle of worthy behaviour both to God and men by an effectual closing with the Doctrine of the Lord concerning Love For it is mens Faith in that word which calls for Love to the Lord to Saints and to all men that causes the word to incorporate it self with the Soul turning the doctrine of Love into a principle of Love in the Soul making it an ingrafted word James 1.21 as turning the stock into its own nature It is by Faith that all that in the Word is discerned and felt which renders it acceptable to and gives it force and authority in the soul And therefore the Word is said to work effectually in those that believe 1 Thes 2.13 And what 's that but to produce its effect reach its end and to have its errand about which it 's sent working that love it self in the soul which is the business about which the doctrine of Love is sent And therefore Love is said to be the end of the Commandement out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.5 Love to proceed from unfeigned Faith as the end of the Commandement that is I conceive it 's aim and scope the prize for which it runs and where there is Faith unfeigned first wrought
profess your selves to be of the planting of the Lord I say it remains now that I in my Heavenly Lord and Masters name do call for and demand fruit of every one of you both of this and all other the labours cost and pains which have through the Lords succour and assistance been bestowed upon you both by my self and by him who hath served with me in the same Work with what love and Faithfulness to you the Lord best knows and your Consciences I trust in part can witness It is true we have an account to give of your Souls and O the weight of such a burden and care of such a charge little does he know it whose Conscience does not feel it but then know ye and consider it that you have an account also to give of all the Heart-affecting care Godly jealousie and fear painful study and labour in the Word and Doctrine which God knows is sustained and used in discharge of our trust towards you And O that our mutual care in discharge of our duties towards each other may be found such as that both you and we may give up our accounts together to Jesus the chiefe Shepheard of the Sheep with joy and not with grief In respect of our own persons alass how little is expected from you We can and you know we can truly say We seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12.14 But that which puts you under the greater obligation to us-ward in respect of Office is that relation in which we stand between the Lord and you as being those vessels earthen ones indeed by which Jesus Christ is sending and ministring to you from time to time nourishment and Food for your Souls And what ever gifts we have or what ever labour we bestow among you they are not so much ours as the Lords it is not so much from us as from the Lord from whom we receive all and by whom we are inabled to do all and it is his care and love towards you to furnish you with any that have a mind carefully to watch for your souls From whence it is that the Lord expects fruit from you as due to him upon account of our labour and service among you and for the same reason it is that in his name I demand it of you and upon the same account that saying of the Apostle will take place 1 Thes 4.8 He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit But that which may well render this demand of mine as acceptable unto you as it is reasonable in it self is this that though I demand Fruit yet I demand fruit that may abound to your account Phil. 4.17 For however the Lord by your yielding fruit will be well pleased and his holy name and truth glorified and you shall thereby become to us also a Joy for the present and a crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Thes 2.19 yet in the issue all the glory you shall bring to God and all the good you shall procure to men by rendering unto the Lord fruit in season will return into your own bosom you shall eat of the fruit of your doing if you have your fruit unto holinesse the end will be to you everlasting life Rom. 6.22 and the more fruit in holinesse now the more fruit in happinesse then when you shall be rewarded by him who will render to every one according to their works both for kind and degree if thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self Pro 9.12 Sect. 3 Brethren I beseech you hear me if you shall but lay this thing to heart if the sense of what the Lord hath done and is doing for you to make you fruitful shall but procure from you an earnest desire and care to answer the Lords expectation herein and to yield him a crop of the seed which he hath sown you shall thereby secure unto your selves the Lords constant care of you and prepare the way of a gratious multiplication and increase of prosperous and thriving applications of the Lord to you Every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit saith Christ the true Vine John 15.2 It encourageth a man to bestow more and more cost upon his Vineyard or upon his land when he finds it to quit his cost in an answerable return of fruit And so will the Lord rejoyce over you to continue and increase the means of your growth to prosper them more more for your encrease in grace if you be but found fruit-bearing branches As he will then delight to go down into his garden to gather fruit among you so he will blow upon his garden too with a heavenly breath to cause the spices thereof to flow out and your savour shall be as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Sect. 4 And as the Lord in this case will spare for no cost that you may yield him more of that fruit which his Soul so loves so to be sure there shall be no care wanting to fence you that no wild beasts break in upon you to make havock and spoile There 's no man but takes most care of those trees that yield the best and most fruit and it s most certain that the eye of the Lord is chiefly upon those plants which yeild him the best increase both for quantity and kind Such a vineyard is indeed regularly capable of that care protection and tendence of which the Lord speaketh saying I the Lord doe keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.3 And I hope you are sensible that it s no small priviledge for you to have God to set a hedge about you and to watch over you in times of such spirituall danger as these are in which you live You know there are beasts of prey that are seeking to break in here and to creep in there Foxes little Foxes that seeke to spoyl the Vines that bear tender Grapes Cant. 2.15 Among which the Quaker is not the least active who under a pretence of singular holinesse and with two faces under one hood have overthrown the faith of some touching the excellency and necessity of the holy Scriptures touching the Resurrection of the body of our Lord and his personal session at Gods right hand and his coming again in person at the end of this world to judg the quick and the dead in many other things this you or at least some of you have proved and found though their equivocations subtile evasions and reservations of their particular and punctual opinions hereabout under general expressions have rendered their heretical deceit herein of a harder preception and a more difficult discerning which many unstable souls abroad in the world not having been able to discover have taken the hook while it hath been covered with a tempting
because it is so long before her desolation comes Surely no. For the tenor of Christs threatnings against Churches under the true Form when once they grew Formal and carnal run thus I will come unto thee QUICKLY and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2.5 Repent or else I will come unto thee QUICKLY and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Rev. 2.16 In that God therefore is wont to be so swift a witness against a people under the right Form of professing his name when provoked by unsuitable walking and yet is so slow as experience proves to take vengeance of the Harlot Church who hath broken the everlasting Covenant and changed the Ordinances the Church of Rome I mean which hath now stood undemolished for many ages well may the examples of Gods severity against some of your Profession be a rouzing admonition to you my brethren to fear and tremble before the Lord and to take heed of Formality in Religion of unfruitfulness in your way of scandalous walking and of espousing any tenent or practice dishonourable to the Gospel or prejudicial to the glorious propagation thereof the usual fore-runners of Church Desolation but may not as I conceive by any means be received as any valid argument against that part of the Form of your Profession it self wherein you differ from other Christians I mean of Baptizing after profession of Repentance and Faith as the onely Scriptural way of entring and admitting persons into visible Communion with the Church but rather as a proof of the divine original of it Sect. 12 But though as I am very sensible the many taunts and reproaches vilifyings odious representations and upbraidings of your Profession it self with the miscarriages of some Professors and Gods displeasure following such by which some seek to render both you and your way odious is very apt to provoke and the flesh would fain gain an advantage thereby to pay such in their own coyn and to render evill for evil reviling for reviling and to take all advantages to lay open their weaknesses and to set them in the very eye of all men as their manner is towards those of your way yet as I hereby beseech all other our Brethren to refrain herefrom so I am bold towards you by vertue of my charge to enjoyn you in the name of the Lord and by authority from his word to do no such thing For behold I will set before you a better pattern and that is of him who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 and of them who when they were defamed intreated 1 Cor. 4.13 and when they had mischievous things spoken against them were as a deaf man that heareth not and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth and in whose lips are no reproofs Psal 38.12 13 14. And the injunction is strong upon you 1 Thes 5.15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man and again be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 And I must needs warn you against the use of those unhandsome reflections and that broad language which I find some too apt to use towards their antagonists in their controversal writings which I utterly dislike and bear my witness against as that which is unbeseeming the sobriety and humility of Saints and which doth greatly wrong and prejudice the cause they plead in the minds of sober people It s no matter how sharp and cutting your arguments be but let them alwaies be wrapt up in soft words And if ever you would have truth to gain upon men by your mannagement of it let the manifestation of love and good-will to the men themselves prepare them to consider and receive what you have to offer And let it be and be made appear to be matter of real grief to you that darkness on either side should make you and other good men to differ Avoid as muuh as in you lies both heights and heats of spirit and language Speak evil of no man but be gentle shewing all meekness unto all men Tit. 3.2 and remember that the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2.26 25. Sect. 13 And when you have done your best to make others of your mind but cannot take heed if you have no better ground then that of questioning their integrity Remember how that the Apostles of our Lord heard from Christ but understood not a Doctrine as great as that of Baptisme and declared with as much plainness and expresness of words as ever that of Baptism was and that was the Doctrine of Christs Suffering and Resurrection see the place Luke 18.31 32 33 34. Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully intreated and spitted on and they shall scourge him and put him to death and the Third day he shall rise again And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken Why did they understand none of these things Was it because the Doctrine was obscurely delivered certainly no for neither that nor any other Doctrine could lightly be more plainly delivered then it was Or did they wilfully shut their eyes against a plain truth that I suppose no Christian can imagine But the true reason doubtless was because they were pre-possessed with a contrary notion and opinion as their Brethren the Jews amongst whom they lived and with whom they had been trained up in the tradition of their Fathers generally were and that was that the Messias should not dye and consequently not Rise again as you may see John 12.34 and 20.9 And therefore while this was rooted in their minds and their thoughts ran strongly upon it the plainest words of a contrary import could not enter into their Soul And wherefore do I present you with this but to let you know that it s not only possible but greatly propable and to me unquestionable that the disagreement of many in Judgement with you proceeds from the like cause of a preintanglement of mind and that the true reason why many who do truly fear the Lord as the Disciples under the foresaid mistake did do not receive your Allegations and grounds for your way in opposition to Infant Baptism nor can understand them to be of God though as we think plainly enough built upon the Scripture is because they are deeply prepossessed with the contrary opinion which they have drunk in under the approbation and authority of an ancient Tradition and recommended to them not only as a common custom of the most that profess Christianity but also
Israel in Jerusalem and I gave my heart to seek and to search out by wisdome concerning all things that are done under heaven This sore travel hath God given mark that unto the Sons of men to be exercised therewith And for his improvement of his great wisdome upon the best terms for others instruction and this as a fruit of his wisdome too see what he did Eccles 12.9 10. Moreover because the Preacher was wise he still taught the people knowledge yea he gave good heed and sought out and SET IN ORDER many Proverbs The Preacher sought out the matter and disposed that matter into order by which he taught the people And therefore let the Quakers baul against this way of proceeding as if an argument of the spirits absence the spirit of whose way is to undermine the way and means of sound knowledge and to introduce grosse ignorance as may easily be discerned by those that have their eyes in their heads but let those that are studious of the peoples edification make conscience of it as that in which the spirit is delighted not limitted When the Apostle saith Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all things Gal. 6.6 and that the Lord hath so ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 and the like upon what account may we think is it so ordained but as for other reasons so especially because a due attendance upon the work of that Office of Teaching will in great part take them off who are faithfully ingaged in it from those secular imployments by which others get their livings Which yet it would not do if a great deal more time were not to be taken up in premeditation and prayer preparation-wise then is wont to be expended in preaching at the times of Church-Assemblies in which the whole Church do or ought to spend as much of their time in hearing as they do in preaching Which consideration alone if there were not many more methinks is enough to perswade all those that take upon them the weighty work of preaching to make it matter of conscience to spend much of their time in making provision for the work Sect. 16 But when it lies as a duty upon the Congregations themselves to make such provision for their Teachers and Overseers as by which they may be enabled to consecrate at least much of their time to that service For otherwise how should the full tale of Brick be provided when Straw is denyed to make them with And truly I fear that some have been fain to make a vertue of a necessity to use to preach without much premeditation and study for that the necessity of getting themselves and Families bread hath cut them short of that opportunity But where ever Teachers are put upon that necessity it is the Churches sin if they have power in their hands to prevent it For what duty is more express than this of the Churches supporting their Teachers their Rulers in their work 1 Cor. 9.6 to 14. Gal. 6.6 Matt. 10.10 Luke 10.7 1 Tim. 5.17 18. And therefore in the name of God let none that seem to be tender in some things have no sense of others which are as plain as those for that 's an ill sign Would those Elders would those Churches where those neglects are I now speak of take Gods way in this as well as in some other things I doubt not but a little time through Gods blessing would render them other things concurring far more flourishing provided meet instruments be pitcht upon than now they are or are ever like to be without it Sect. 17 For while this way of a studious labouring in the Word is omitted or neglected whether through any wry opinion in the Teacher as if there were no necessity of such a thing or through his idleness and lasiness as the bottom of it or through the fault of the Church in with-holding that outward supply and support without which few have the opportunity though they should have the will I say where this omission or neglect is however it comes about this usually is among the rest one evil naughty consequence of it viz. the little and low esteem which the people have of their Pastors to their own great detriment and spiritual losse For while the Elders shall but observe the common course of daily meditation in the Word which is every common Christians duty they will be able to speak but little more to the edification of the People than other common Christians which are in no such Office can do And if the Elders preaching prove little more to the edification of the People than the common exhortations of Brethen do which cost them little or no study not to mention the mischief of such Brethrens being somtimes puft up hereby to their fall it will be a hard matter to raise an extraordinary Building upon a common Foundation it wil be hard for the People in this case to vouchsafe those extraordinary respects of singular love double honour which the Scripture with a loud voice calls for from them towards those that are over them in the Lord and which labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Thes 5.13 1 Tim. 5.17 For it is not to be imagined that that extraordinary debt of love and honour which the Lord hath imposed upon the People as due from them towards those that feed the Flock of God above what is due from them to other of their fellow brethren should be founded upon any thing lesse then the extraordinary benefit they may or doe receive by their Ministry Whiles then a course is taken either by Pastor or People or both to keep the gifts and parts of the Pastor under and his way of teaching but of a common growth a ready way is taken not only to defeat and disappoint the Will and Purpose of God in not casting that honour upon those which are sent by him which he designes them but also to hedge up the way of the peoples edification by his Ministry For where the peoples affections respects to their Leaders and Guides run low there their edification and profiting by them cannot possibly run high Christ himself could not doe those mighty Works nor advantage the people in his own Country as he did in other places more remote because they had a lower esteem of him there occasioned by their knowledge of his lowness of breeding then others had in other places Mat. 13.54 58. And when Pauls esteem fell among some of the Churches though through no fault of his upon how great a disadvantage were they cast of profiting by him And it is not to be doubted but that when the Lord so frequently cals upon the Churches to obey those that have the rule over them in the Lord Heb. 13.17 to have them in singular love for their works sake 1 Thes 5.13 and to count them worthy of double honour 1 Tim.
needest no better security for it than the Scriptures And God forbid that I should make the strait gate straiter than it is or the narrow way to life narrower than it is all my designe is to preserve my self and others from conceiting this strait gate to be wider and this narrow way to be broader than indeed God hath made them as knowing an error herein is of a dangerous tendency and such as in all likelihood hath betrayed many a man into the broad way of death whilst he hath strongly fancied himself to be in the path of life The safest and best way therefore to be kept from stumbling at the Word and from wresting these promises of grace to our own destruction will be to understand all Scriptures that promise justification and life to beleeving indefinitely as still meant of such a Faith for kinde as does directly fall in with and not cross Gods general design in offering Salvation to men by Jesus Christ For it is not to be imagined that the Lord will prevaricate his own scope and drift or clogg his design by any the least overture that may leave men under hope of attaining Salvation in any way or upon any termes which do not directly comport with his designe that reverence which we owe to the wisdom of God does with a high hand prohibit any such thought All the words of God in the Scripture in all the variety of expression whether they be promises or precepts or threatnings they all wait on Gods great design towards man and they all march on the same way like the living Creatures in Ezekiels vision who went every one straight forward whither the spirit was to go and turned not when they went Ezek. 1.12 they do neither justle nor hinder nor turn one upon another but strengthen each other in seeking the prize for which they run the Word of God in the several parts of it as relating to the Lords designe is not yea and nay 2 Cor. 1.18 19. but all agreeing to serve the great purpose of God And what is this general design of God I speak of Surely ultimately it is his own glory in the Salvation of men his honour and the Creatures good in conjunction And if his design had been to provide only for the magnifying of his grace and mercy without respect unto his holiness it 's like he would have saved all men without any more ado for the same ransom to wit Christ Jesus would have been and is sufficient for all But then would not wretched sinners have thought God to be like them according to that in Psalm 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self would they not have thought that he could endure wickedness well enough in his Creature and hold fellowship with the workers of iniquity and what then would have become of the glory of his great Name how would he have been known to be glorious in holinesse as well as in grace and power And therefore that he might bring such a people unto himself in whom he might delight and whom he might prefer to glory with himself without disparagement unto his holiness he hath in his infinite wisdom so contrived the method and termes of bringing men to his Salvation glory as that thereby his love of holiness in the Creature might be conspicuous and visible as well as his love of the happiness of the Creature And therefore all the means set on foot by God to bring about the salvation of men do all tend to promote holiness in men as well as the happiness of men The whole and intire body of means of mans salvation is called the Mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 Christ the principal Agent or rather author of eternal salvation the holy one Acts 3.14 the Gospel which is the Word of Life or glad tidings of salvation is called the doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. 6.3 Tit. 1.1 The Covenant of grace an holy Covenant Luke 1.72 the Faith by which men imbrace the Prince of Life the promise of Life and Word of Salvation is called the most holy Faith Iude 20. the calling of christians an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 for they are called unto holiness 1 Thes 4.7 the Spirit by which the means are made effectual and through which by his Workmanship men are formed into vessels of glory is the holy Spirit Ephes 4.30 In a word the very end and scope of Christ his giving himself for his Church and vouchsafeing all the means of Salvation is That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Ephes 5.27 meet for the company of the holy God and the holy Angels in the most holy place the holy Ierusalem as it is called Rev. 21.10 Now this is that which I say then that seeing Gods design is to magnifie his holiness as well as his mercy in mens salvation and to shew that he as well desires and loves their holiness as their happiness and that all subordinate means are appointed and shaped to reach the one as well as the other hence we may well conclude that the believing unto which God hath made promise of life however indefinitely exprest is yet no other than a most holy Faith and such as does dispose that soul where it is unto holiness because salvation being the great motive to perswade men unto holiness God would loose that part of his designe if he should make promise of life unto any other than the most holy Faith And therefore it is neither prudent nor safe for any man to understand or take the word BELEEVING to which the promise is made in the narrowest and strictest sence or lowest signification of the word as it imports a naked bare and barren assent for if it might the Faith of the Rulers that durst not own Christ the Faith of Simon Magus yet such a Faith as the Devils have of which you heard before would carry salvation before it But if you would lay a sure foundation then understand the word BELEEVING or the phrase beleeving Christ to be the Son of God in a more copious and comprehensive sence for such an assent of the mind as carries the will and affections along with it to reverence and love him as such as a Wife who believes her Husband to be her Husband or as a Child who believes his Father to be his Father For whosoever believes Christ to be the Son of God if his Faith be not contradictious in it self does believe all his sayings as certain verities whether precepts promises or threatnings consequently his Faith does dispose the soul to love and fear him and hearken to him In this large sence I conceive Christ is to be understood Iohn 5.44 when he sayes to the Jews how can ye believe which receive honour of one another and seek
does not carry them the same way in which the Elect have been all travelling towards that heavenly Country which is the hope of all the Saints This Doctrine touching the Saints dependance upon Gods Counsels and Commands for a guide as the proper effect and inseparable companion of their dependance upon his grace and power for the upshot of their desires might be further exemplified by its contrary viz. That mens turning aside from Gods Counsels and Wayes hath been wont to proceed from a secret jealousie and mistrust either of Gods power or love and that a mistrust of Gods way in which he hath enjoyned men to walk as if that were not the very best but another of a mans own choice to be preferred before it clearly argues a mistrustful opinion of God as if either there were not so much love in him to men as is in men to themselves or so much wisdom care and providence in God to direct them the best way to happiness as is found in their own heads or so much constancy or power as to carry thorow his design of Grace towards them in his own propounded method and way All the turnings aside runings out lustings temptings of God murmurings complainings and rebellions of the people of Israel in the Wilderness are charged upon their unbelief Deut. 1.32 Yet in this thing ye did not beleeve the Lord your God Though God had gone before them though he had born them as a man bears his Son yet when they came but a little into straits they had so ill an opinion of God were so void of confidence of his care and love as that they rather enclined to think that because he hated them and bore them ill-will that therefore he had brought them out of Egypt to deliver them into worse hands and that which followed hereupon was their refusing to venture themselves under Gods conduct they refused to go up when God commanded them so to do vers 26 27 31. The spring of all is this Yet in this thing ye did not beleeve the Lord your God Again Deut. 9.23 Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadesh-Barnea saying Go up and possess the Land which I have given you then you rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord your God and ye beleeved him not nor hearkned to his voice Either they did not beleeve that God could or else that he would carry them safe into the promised land they distrusted his power or love or both and therefore durst not trust themselves in his hands which appeared in this That they hearkned not unto his voice to do what he bid them do in order thereunto See the like Psal 78.17 19 22. In short the whole of the mis-carriage of that people in the Wilderness for which God destroyed them though it consisted in a great variety of faults is summed up in their unbelief Jude 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance though ye once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterward destroyed them that beleeved not All their other sins it seems were in the bowels of this and did indeed proceed from it as we heard before See 2 King 17.14 Heb. 3.17 18. Numb 14.11 Which things are not written for their sakes only but recorded for admonition to the Churches now under the new Testament 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5. Moreover brethren I would not have you ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all Baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them that Rock was Christ But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were over-thrown in the Wilderness Why would not the Apostle have the Church of Corinth ignorant of those things Surely he well knew That there is too much aptness in very many Professors of Christianity to bear so much upon the external Priviledges of the Gospel as because of them to think themselves in good condition though otherwise indulging themselves in some un-saint-like behaviour or other in their lives And therfore to the end none might think that because they have been Baptized are Members of the Church have some knowledge of Christ have been partakers of the Supper of the Lord that therefore they must needs be the favourites of the Lord and the people of his love he gives them to understand that the Israelites who were Gods people by Profession enjoyed that Priviledge than to which our Baptism answers now did eat and drink of that which was then a Figure of Christ as we now do in the Supper that yet for all this God was not well pleased with many of them but that because of their lusting after evil things their communion with Idolaters their defiling themselves with Fornication their tempting of Christ their murmuring and other like provocations they were so over-thrown in the Wilderness as that of six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty of the men of War that came out of Egypt there were but only two that entred the Land of Canaan Numb 1.46 32.11 12. And that which is much to be heeded is this That all these things happened unto them for ensamples or Types as in the margin and are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10.11 12. And let us therefore fear lest a Promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it for unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.1 2. Wakening items and loud warnings to carnal Gospellers and formal Church-men the Lord grant that such may be rouzed by them out of their drouse of death CHAP. X. Shewing That the power of Gods grace the strength and fulness that is in Christ the presence power and influence of the Spirit being that by which the new and spiritual Life in a Christian is maintained it is the Property of true Faith to depend upon the Lord for these And herein is an excellent difference to be seen between the Living and the dead Faith The want of this the cause of manies Apostacie A great defect in this the cause of manies dryness and barrenness in grace Sect. 1 AS in the former Chapter I have shewed you that it hath been alwayes the property of the saving Faith in all the Saints to depend upon Gods direction for the way to happiness as well as upon his grace and Promise for happiness it self So now I would also shew you that it 's another property of the same Faith in the Saints to depend upon the
terms he hath appointed they may well go without it for all his willingness to give it It is most sure that Christians are more or less healthful in soul and spiritual condition as they do more or less depend upon the Lord for his saving health for the power and presence of his grace and Spirit to renew them unto God If men had but Faith enough they might have what they would in this kind from the Lord. When there was but once ground for Christ to say O Woman great is thy Faith he presently sayes also Be it unto thee even as thou wilt Matth. 15 28. And therefore such as have but little Faith had need to make the best use and improvement of that little by depending upon the Lord for the perfecting of that which is lacking in their Faith as well as any other grace Men receive but little of this healing vertue from Christ but little hatred of sin and strength to overcome the flesh but little of the power of love and of an humble mind but little of the quick and lively savour of spiritual things because they expect but little if they were larger and stronger in their expectations from God they should have more from him he does not love to disappoint his servants of this hope especially Open your mouth wide and I will fill it saith he Psal 81.10 And those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled Matth. 5.6 If Righteousness were but desired and sought at the hands of God and he depended on for it as meat and drink is wont to be desired and sought by those that are ready to famish for want of food in which case no other thing but food will satisfie there would not be such a spiritual leanness and emptiness found among Christians as too commonly there is No it is mens indifferency about matters of this mighty moment that causes them to fall so short and to be so scanty in their receptions from God The Lord does not care to pour out abundance of inward grace and health and strength upon the soul until the soul knows the worth of them feels the want of them and desires them more than any thing in the world besides And therefore men may ask them and seek them and yet go without any great measures of them while but cold and indifferent in their desires this way but when their desires are strong their confidence strong their requests fervent and God can as it were have no rest for them but they are still following of him night and day and will have no nay then does the Lord rejoyce over them to Answer them in the joy of their heart and to cause them to inherit substance and to fill their treasures For he waits to be gracious and is alwayes ready and never unprovided of the greatest measures of grace and spiritual strength and is more desirous to give than the best of men are to receive if they would but come up to his terms which are established by him in wisdom and counsel but surely when he hath first given men Faith he does not use to bestow upon them any great addition of spiritual ability but upon the improvement and exercise of that Faith in a way of dependance upon himself for it nor does he give much in this kind to those that are but of little Faith but encreases their spiritual revenue as they encrease in the measure and degree of their relyance upon him for it Sect. 5 4. The gift of the holy Spirit by whose presence power and influence the Saints Salvation must be wrought through and they strengthened with all might in the inward man Ephes 3.16 and by whose Workmanship they are formed fashioned and fitted for that glory which is prepared for them 2 Cor. 5.5 This great gift is I say received also by Faith and consequently it is the property of true Faith indeed to be busied about the receiving of it I shall not so much stand to make this out by shewing you how the Scripture speaks of mens receiving the Spirit after they beleeved as consequential thereunto Ephes 1.13 In whom also after that ye Beleeved ye were Sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise Joh. 7.39 This he spake of the Spirit which they that Beleeve on him should receive Acts 19.2 Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye beleeved Though this also is worthy consideration hereabout For though it 's true That Faith it self in it's first act is raised by the holy Spirit in the Soul 1 Cor. 12.9 Gal. 5.22 Acts 18.27 Ephes 2.8 so as to furnish it with this divine Principle and Power for where else should man have it And so in this respect the Spirits work upon the Soul goes before the Spirits being received by that divine principle which is wrought by it yet the giving and receiving of the Spirit to remain and abide as a constant nourisher supporter comforter guide leader or teacher follows beleeving I know not how better to illustrate this thing than by this similitude A man by visits addresses and applications of Love to such or such a Woman raises in her such Affections towards him as by which afterward he is invited and drawn to become her Husband and constant co-habitant and to take upon him the care and management of her houshold affairs which he would not have done had he not been thereunto encouraged by those Affections which were but the fruit of his own Applications Even so the Spirit by his applications and visits first raises in the Soul that Faith by means whereof his company and presence is so valued and desired as that thereby he is strongly invited to come and dwell in that Soul and to undertake the management of the spiritual affairs thereof and upon which he does accordingly But that by which I would more expresly and particularly make out how the holy Spirit is by Faith invited to come and to make his usual and constant abode in that Soul that does beleeve I shall present to you under these three Heads Sect. 6 1. The First is that which I but now hinted viz. That act of Faith or Divine light by which a Christian sets a holy and very high esteem of the Spirits presence as not knowing how to live the Christian life or to do the Gospel-work without it For when the Soul enlightened and converted to God is made to know that there is no inheriting without overcoming Rev. 21.7 2.7 11 17.26 3.5.12.21 and that the reason why any do overcome is Because greater is he that is in them than he that is in the world 1 Joh. 4.4 and is made to know likewise That men cannot mortifie the deeds of the body but by the power and strength of the Spirit and yet mortified they must be or else they must die Rom. 8.13 when they shall perceive That they know not how to Pray as they ought or to do other Christian duties as
they should but that it is the Spirit that helps the Saints infirmities Rom. 8.26 I say when a Christian upon the knowledge and sense of the absolute necessity of the Spirits presence and assistance is made to value desire him more than any thing than all things in this World then is the Spirit given and then does the Spirit delight to joyn himself to such a Soul and to make his constant abode there But as for the men of the world on the other hand because they are under no such sense they know him not nor the necessity and worth of his presence nor are under any longings of Soul after him for those and the like spiritual ends before mentioned therefore is it that they are in no present capacity of receiving him See both these things set forth in Joh. 14.16 17. And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Why cannot the World receive the Spirit of Truth which Christ promiseth Even because it seeth him not neither knoweth him The antecedent being as I conceive here put for the consequent of not seeing and knowing him and that is Their not prizing nor desiring him For the men of the World who contrary to the Saints walk by Sight and not by Faith do not value and esteem such things whose worth and use are not discerned but by Faith 1 Cor. 2.14 and such is the gift and presence of the Spirit of God but such things are matters of their esteem as do accommodate the natural senses And because they do not thus desire him out of a sensible knowledge of his worth and excellency and their want of him therefore is it that they cannot receive him he being not otherwise given than upon such terms But why then do the Saints receive him So that he dwelleth with them and shall be in them The Reason is Because they know him and so highly prize him and thorowly desire him For the Particle FOR in this place but ye know him FOR he dwelleth with you hath not I conceive the force of a Cause but of an Effect not as if the Reason why they knew him is because he dwelleth with them but the Reason why he dwelleth with them is because they know or have known him The same Particle being used in this sense Luk. 7.47 And indeed the words are thus translated by Dr. Hammond But ye know him therefore he abideth with you and shall be among you And besides all this the antithesis that lies between the reasons why the World cannot and the Saints can and do receive him evidently gives this to be the right sencing of these words For if that be the reason why the World cannot receive him viz. because it knoweth him not as it is then the reason why others do receive him is that knowledge they have of him for the want of which the World cannot receive him That we see then which is said of Wisdom Prov. 8.17 is most true of this holy Spirit which is the Spirit of Wisdom I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me Those that so love him out of a deep sense of their extream want of him and his incomparable worth to them as to seek him early in the first place and before all other things with the first of their strength and desire he loves them and loves to be found of them and loves to dwell with them and to be every good thing to them Sect. 7 2. And the next act of Faith which I would speak of as prevalent for the procuring the Spirits residence in the Soul for the great and spiritual ends for which he is promised is the act of Relyance or Dependance upon the Father and the Son for it Gal. 3.14 That we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Through Faith not only concerning other Promises but also and especially touching such as concern the Father and the Sons giving the holy Spirit who because he is given and received by vertue of Promises made and embraced is therefore stiled The holy Spirit of Promise Ephes 1.13 And Faith eying Gods knowledge and sense of the Creatures condition in making such a Promise and in what need he was of the thing promised and his love and friendship to him by engaging himself in such a Promise which he needed not to have done had not his good-will been great to him and that therefore his intendment of doing the thing must needs be very thorow and real and eying also his faithfulness in keeping and power of performing Promises hereupon leans and depends upon the Lord for this Promise of the Spirit and so accordingly receives it from him Sect. 8 3. And that in the Third place which follows upon the two former is the Faith of desiring him and the hope and confidence of obtaining and receiving him digested into incessant and fervent Prayer for him For when the sense of the Spirits worth and our want of him renders him exceedingly desirable unto the Soul and when the sense of the Fathers good-will and readiness to give him by his promise of giving him and by what he hath done already in giving Christ when we needed him shall prompt the soul with confidence of obtaining him and the sense of all together shall dispose the Soul Prayer-wise and influence the Prayer with much of desire and longing with much of earnestness importunity and perseverence in begging and with much of confidence in expecting then undoubtedly will the holy Spirit be obtained as an inhabitant to the Soul for so hath our Lord assured us saying If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 Sect. 9 This Property in Faith of which I have now spoken humbly to depend on God for spiritual supplies for maintenance of spiritual life and to be strengthened unto spiritual work is I am perswaded that which puts a manifest difference between the living and the dead Faith For the dead Faith being found in that nature which never under-went such a change yet as will denominate it to be a new creature is void of spiritual sense perceives not the necessity of those spiritual supplies which are the new creatures life and nourishment nor feels the want of them and therefore cannot long after them nor depend on God for them but such an one thinks himself in excellent good condition because he beleeves Christ died for him and that he hath been Baptized in his Name and hath Communion in his Ordinances and gives Christ good Words and professes himself to be his Servant and can Discourse it may be many Points in
the Christian Religion and possibly Dispute for them too yea which is more possibly may be able to speak many things in the Theory and by Hear-say touching the Work of the new Creature and these spiritual supplies of which I now speak and yet all the while void of any true sense of the power of them upon his own heart But on the other hand the living Faith being the heaven-born principle of the new creature which is it self born from above does still dispose and encline it to look up to God the same fountain of grace for dayly supplies from which it at first received it 's new and spiritual being As God hath placed in Nature a certain instinct among the Creatures by which as soon as they are brought forth they do with a kind of dependance seek their nourishment from their Dams so hath he likewise placed a spiritual instinct in the new Creature which enclines and guides it to himself as soon as it is born from above to seek its food from God Sect. 10 And the main Reason I conceive why many Persons who have flourished like a green Bay-tree in the Christian Profession for a time have yet afterwards shamefully miscarried and fallen away of which this age affords too many sad instances hath been this they have not been close in their dependance upon God for supplie of strength to encounter the motions of the flesh and temptation from spiritual enemies they have not had or have lost the sense of their own weakness and what Children they are in the hands of their spiritual enemies if God should but a little with-draw and leave them but having received it may be many spiritual gifts and many favours from God they have grown confident bold and presuming upon the stock they have already received and being a little spiritually intoxicated with drinking too deeply of their own cup and fallen too much in love with themselves by viewing their beauty in their own Glass have forgotten themselves and their own weakness and forgotten God their strength and so have come down wonderfully God taking no pleasure in them but leaving them to fall and to be an admonition and warning to those that yet stand to take heed lest they also fall Sect. 11 Whereas others again that have been but poor and low and exceeding weak in parts and gifts yet alwayes bearing about them the sense of their own meanness and weakness and withal retaining a good perswasion of Gods supporting grace and good-will towards them and in the sense of both depending upon him to be upheld kept and maintained in grace have hereupon retained their spiritual verdure when others have withered have been holpen with a little strength and sate safely under the shadow of the Almighty when many tall Cedars in the Mountains have fallen in the stormy day These poor Souls being jealous of themselves and of their own strength dare not trust themselves with themselves or at any distance from God but follow him close begging him to help and to uphold them and to keep them from falling who in that case is willing to be intreated Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee And what of that thy right hand upholdeth me If the Soul follow him for it in good earnest it shall have it They are kept by the power of God saith the Apostle through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Mark it They are kept by the power of God and yet through Faith Why is Faith joyned with the power of God Alas it's but a poor weak feeble thing of it self but it 's happiness is it lives in the strength of another it carries the Soul out of its own shelter and leads it unto a Rock that is higher than it it takes hold of Gods almighty strength and interesseth it self and the poor creature in that and the power of God is well content that Faith should be busie with it and as confident of it and of it's improvement for such a Souls good as if it were in it's own possession and under it's own disposal Though it is the power of God by which the Soul is kept yet it is the power of God leaned upon through Faith which is the leaning and depending grace The power of God could uphold all but it is not it's pleasure so to do but only those that through Faith hold by it And as by how much the more men live out of themselves and depend upon the Lord by so much the safer are they and at the greater distance from falling so likewise by how much the more entire and close mens dependance is upon God for spiritual supplies for a spiritual frame of mind for God to write his Law in the heart and to maintain a good Savour in the Soul of God and all good things for a spiritual liberty and enlargement of Soul in Gods wayes for to be strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man and the like by so much the more does the Lord give forth of these and like good things unto such The closer they lie and the more they draw at those spiritual breasts the more they receive the more they thrive Blessed is the man said he that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out the roots by the River and shall not see when heat cometh but her leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Where we clearly see That Faith trust dependance on God puts a man under a like capacity for the flourishing estate of his Soul in respect of spiritual loveliness beauty and fruitfulness as a Tree is of the utmost prosperity such a creature is capable of by being planted by Waters and Rivers in those dry Countryes And as the more men thus depend on God for supplies the more they receive and the more spiritual they grow so on the other hand too the more spiritual and the more strong in the Lord men grow the more sensible do they grow of their own frailty and weakness and the more emptied of all self-confidence and their thoughts runing more upon the grace of God and strength of Christ and presence of the Spirit and the necessity of these prizing these more desiring these more following God more for them depending on him more to receive them at his hands And so proportionably are they the more ready and the more enlarged to attribute and ascribe all spiritual in-comes all spiritual endowments all operations of grace all strength and ability of acting and doing in the Lords work unto the Lord from whom all comes and to say with him 1 Chro. 29 14. But who am I that I should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee O Lord and of thine own have we given thee Sect. 12 And however God hath as I
and procured by the Word there the Word by means of this Faith works effectually to the raising or producing of that love which is the end or design of the Commandement It 's said of some Heb. 4.2 that the word did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it The Word is then said not to profit men when it looses it's end and design of good towards them when it does not work in them and procure from them that frame and disposition of Soul and habit of behaviour which does answer its nature and scope as when the Doctrine of Love is preached to them and yet no such thing is wrought in them But the cause of this disappointment is the not mixing the Word with Faith If men do not verily beleeve it to be a Word from the Lord or that it comes from him upon like or far better termes than hearty counsel from a Friend as both able and faithful to advise and direct upon the best termes for good or if they think themselves and their own good not much concerned in it and the like no marvel if it profit them not if it procure not that complyance from them which should give it an abiding place in the Soul to work there as seed does which is wont to bring forth Fruit according to its kind But where the Word the Doctrine of Love for example is mixed with Faith with respect to the authority power wisdom design of good in the author and the conducibleness of the word it self to the real and substantial happiness and felicity of the person himself in whom this Faith is there it prospers in the thing for which it is sent Sect. 4 Having now thus shewed how Faith works by love by contributing to its being and consequently to its motions and operations and considering that Faiths working by love is the characteristical mark and distinguishing property of that Faith which shall avail men unto salvation let us now put our selves upon the tryal of our Faith and so upon our title to life by this evidence And I will begin with that love which is wrought by Faith to the Lord. Hath then the sight and sence which Faith hath given you of the wonderfulness of the Fathers love and of the Sons love in doing suffering and designing such marvellous things for Persons so unworthy of them and so worthy of what is directly contrary to them as we are as may well astonish the rational part of the whole Creation I say hath the sight and sence of this divine fire of Love kindled upon your souls and caused a heavenly burning of affection to the Lord. Hath the sence which Faith hath given you of his love to you exceedingly endeared your souls by way of return in love to him Hath your Faith opened such a passage for Christs love to come at the Soul as that you can say with the Saints of old The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again 1 Cor. 5 14 15. Hath it such a force and influence upon you in causing you to devote your selves your lives to him as his love to you had upon him in causing him to give his life for you and himself unto you Sect. 5 1. To what degree any Man or Woman loves another to the same degree they are usually wont to be desirous and careful to please them And therefore the Apostle supposeth this to be the natural effect of that conjugal relation and affection that is between Husband and Wife viz. the ones caring to please her Husband and the others caring to please his Wife 1 Cor. 7.33 34. And there 's no doubt but it is so with all those that love the Lord indeed the more they abound in that affection to him the more desirous the more thoughtful and the more careful are they how to please the Lord in every thing they do and in every thing he would have done And therefore the Scripture measures mens love to the Lord by their care to do his commands which are indeed the things that please him 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements And again John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements And verse 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And again verse 23. If a man love me he will keep my words And yet again verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings 1 John 2.5 But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected And therefore when men are not full of thought and care about what will please and what will displease the Lord and desirous and industrious to come at his mind hereabout but are untender and do things at a venture either in his Worship their own calling or in their converse with men not laying it close to the heart to give glory to God in all it argues that things are not yet as they should be with them in their love to the Lord. Sect. 6 2. Again where the Soul by means of Faith hath had a taste of the exceeding sweetness and preciousness of the Lords love 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious and is thereby brought in love with his love as highly prizing it and the sence of it there the soul will be wonderful fearful of acting or doing any thing that might make any breach between the Lord and it that might offend or grieve him or that should cause him to turn away in displeasure or to hide his face or to with-hold the influences of his quickening and comforting grace And if at any time through want of care and watchfulness such a soul hath been surprized and drawn to speak or act yea though but in the in most parts of the soul that which tends to grieve the Spirit to provoke the Lord and to work any estrangement O what humbling is there what taking of shame what begging crying and earnest intreating that God would passe it by that it might not obstruct the course of their communion with the Lord And if it hath wrought any distance and the Lord hath hereupon withdrawn himself a little O how the poor soul is cast down how earnest in her pursuit after her Beloved that hath withdrawn himself and is gone and how restless till the breach be made up and the Lord hath smiled again upon the soul by some gracious effects of his presence there Such things as these are undoubtedly found in greater or lesser proportion where true and entire love to the Lord hath been raised by Faith in the Soul Ps 51.7 8 9 10 11 12. Cant. 5.2 8. Sect. 7 3. Furthermore to what degree Faith works by Love to