as are taught of God Who can take away the opposite disposition of mans nature to goodness but God by his spirit who can shine into the soul and quicken the soul but Christ by his spirit who is above the heart and conscience but Christ by his spirit therefore take heed of formality submit your hearts to the great Prophet of the Church that Moses speaketh of Deut. 18. who shall be the great teacher of the Church lift up our hearts to him that he would teach our hearts and remove the naturall disposition that is in us that he would take off the veil from our hearts and teach not only what to do but to teach the very doing of them Teach us to hate what is ill teach us to believe and to resist all Satans temptations who can teach this but the great Teacher whose Chair is in Heaven therefore take heed of depending on formall things Lift your hearts to God that he would joyn his teaching with all other teaching This cannot be too much stood upon I beseech you therefore take it to heart Give me leave to add a few things more If Christ speaketh in generall to Mary she answereth in generall And when he speaks aloof to her she answereth aloof to him a far off and never gave him a direct answer till he gave a direct word to her When he said Mary she gave him a direct answer Rabboni not before I beseech you therefore let us not rest in generall promises and the generall graces that be so much stood on by some That God hath a like respect to all Trust not to that we must not enter into his secrets but let us obey his precepts and Commandements And withall remember this When we hear of a generall mercy and Commandement for all Nations to believe and that Christ came to save a world of sinners alas what is that to me unless thou by thy holy spirit speakest to my soul and saist in particular I am thy salvation and speakest familiarly to my soul Generalls are in some degrees comfortable But if I find not particular interest by the witness of thy holy spirit to my soul if thou sayst not to my soul I am thine and thou art mine all is to little purpose Therefore in the desires of our souls in prayer let us desire the Lord to reveal himself in particular We trust too much in Generalls God is mercifull and Christ came to redeem the World They be truths and good foundations for to sound faith upon but they will not do the deed till by daily prayer vve seek to the Lord that he vvould in a particular manner reveal himself to us This doth Paul pray for Ephes 1. That God would vouch safe to them the spirit of Revelation And this is the office of the holy Spirit his speciall office is to reveal to every one in particular his estate and condition to God-ward The Holy Ghost knoweth the secrets in the brest of God and in our own hearts Now the Holy Ghost only can reveal the particular love that lyeth in Gods brest to our particular souls And therefore we should desire God that the holy spirit may be sent to seal to us our particular salvation and never be quiet till we be sealed in particular assurance that we be they whom Christ came to save This we ought to labour for if we labour for it we shall have it sometime or other for God loveth to be familiar with his Children He loveth not to be strange to them if they seek his love but to reveal himself first or last And few seek it but God revealeth himself by his spirit to them before they die if he doth not they are sure of it in Heaven And therefore they that be against particulars they are enemies to their own salvation Mary regarded not while Christ spake of generalls But when he came to particulars then Rabboni and not before Jesus saith unto her touch me not I am not yet ascended to my Father c. This verse containeth Christs Prohibition or Christs Commission or Charge His prohibition Touch me not and his reason for I am not yet ascended to my Father His Charge Go to my Brethren And then directeth what to say to them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God The words be very naturall and need no breaking up to you But I shall handle them as they follow one another Jesus said to her touch me not Touch me not Why he would have Thomas not only touch but to put his finger into his side that is more then touching him But our Saviours intent is to meet with a disposition in Mary something carnall something low and mean in regard of this glorious occasion Christ being now risen and glorified for his resurrection was the first degree of his glorification And therefore touch me not She came with too much a carnall mind to touch him when we said Rabboni it was not satisfaction enough for her to answer Rabboni but she runneth to him and claspeth him and clingeth about him as the affection of love did dictate to her But saith he touch me not in such a manner this is not a fit manner for thee to touch me in now I am risen again In a word she had a thought to converse with Christ in as familiar a manner as before when she powred oyntment on his head He was the same person but the case is altered that was in the dayes of his humiliation now he was risen again and it was the first degree of his glorification There was another manner of converse due to him and therefore touch me not Thou thinkest to touch me as thou didst before but thou must not do it She was too much addicted to his bodily presence 1. It is that that men will labour after and have laboured for even from the beginning of the world to be too much addicted to present things and to sense They will worship Christ but they must have a picture before them They will adore Christ but they must bring his body down into a peece of bread they must have a presence And so instead of raising their hearts to God and Christ in a heavenly manner they pull down God and Christ to them this the pride and base earthliness of man will do And therefore saith Christ touch me not in that manner It is not with me now as it was before We must take heed of mean and base conceits of Christ What saith Paul 2 Cor. 5. I know uo man now according to the flesh no not Christ himself now he is risen Christ was of such a Tribe Stature had such gifts and qualities What is that to me Christ is now Lord of Lords and King of Kings He is glorious in Heaven and so I conceive of him I know no man after the flesh no not Christ himself I forget what
should have been in the grave to this day And then think of our dignity to be Brother to him that is King of Heaven Lord of Lords Ruler of the whole world that hath all things subject to him O that our hearts were inlarged to conceive the wonderful comfort that every Christian hath in this Relation Go tell my Apostles under the sweet tearm of Brethren Who art thou will Satan say flesh and blood a peece of earth wretched Sot wilt thou claim kindred of Christ I saith the Christian-believing soul It is true if it were my own worthiness it were another matter but shall I give him the lie when he owned me for his Brother after his Resurrection shall I deny the Relation therefore never believe Satans tempting words and sinful flesh for Satan cometh to us in our own flesh and maketh us think God and Christ to be such and such I but what saith Christ himself believe him and not Satan that cometh to thee in thy own despairing dark doubting flesh Believe the word of Christ who calleth thee Brother if thou believest in him and castest thy self upon him This sheweth the dignity of a christian when he is once in Christ the excellent super-excellent transcendent glory of a christian When they told our Saviour Christ that his Mother and Brethren were to speak with him saith he they that hear my word and do it they are my Brother and Sister and my Mother This is the excellency of a christian that he is of so near a kin to Christ When we believe Christ it is all one as if we conceived Christ as if we were Brothers to Christ as if we were of the nearest kindred to him Nay it is more he preferreth Mother before Mother Brother before Brother ther Mother in spirit before Mother in the flesh and Brother in spirit before all other Brothers Therefore an excellent thing to be a christian When once a Christian giveth himself to Christ and denyeth his own doubting despairing heart which is the greatest enemy he hath 1. Then what belongeth to him then God is his and Christ is his he must have an inheritance he is fellow Heir without all are his 2. What carrieth he in him He carrieth in him the spirit of the Father and the Son and the graces of of the spirit which make him lovely to God 3. What cometh from him Having the pretious graces of the Holy Ghost in him what can come from him as a christian but grace and comfort to others He is a Tree of righteousness and what can come from a good Tree but good fruit so far he is so So if you regard what belongeth to them what is in them the inheritance they shall have or what cometh from a christian that is Brother of Christ he is an excellent person more excellent then his Neighbour there is no man in the world never so great but is a base person in comparison of a christian What will all be ere long if a man be not in Christ these things will add to our vexation It will be a misery to have had happiness the greater will be the misery when they must be parted withall And therefore raise your hearts to consider of the excellent condition of a christian when he is once the Brother of Christ I confess it is an hidden dignity as Paul saith our life is hid with Christ in God We have a life a glorious life but it is hid It is dark sometimes under melancholy sometimes under temptations sometimes under the afflictions of the world and disgrace and so it is an hidden excellency but it is a true excellency The world knoweth us not more then they know God and Christ but it is no matter God knoweth us by name He knew Mary by name as it is said in Isaiah I have called thee by name He is a Shepheard that knoweth his sheep by name and is known of them He knoweth thee and thee and thee by name yea and the hairs of thy head are numbred and therefore it matters not though thy dignities be hid with the world yet God knoweth them he hath written all thy members in a book and he hath a book of remembrance of thee And therefore it is no matter though it be an hidden dignity it is a true dignity to be a brother of Christ Let us oppose this to the disgrace of the world and to all temptations of discouragement whatsoever What are all discouragements to this they fall all before this that we are the Sons of God and Brethren of Christ What can discourage a man that is thus apprehensive of this Excellency upon good tearms I will inlarge the point no further but leave it to your own meditations and the spirit of God work with it Go to my Brethren When doth he bid her go now after his Resurrection when he was to ascend to Heaven The first degree of his glory was his Resurrection after his lowest abasement in the grave You see that honour doth not change Christs disposition as it doth amongst men when they be advanced to great places they will not look on their old friends and acquaintance but Christ had no such disposition he owneth his poor Disciples in their greatest abasements Go tell my Brethren Now when he was in state of glory ready to go to Heaven and he giveth them a more comfortable title now then ever before In the Gospel he called them Servants and friends and Apostles and Disciples but now Brethren a word of all sweetness and nothing but sweetness Go tell my brethren presently Christ would have no delay for he saw they had present need Christs love is a quickening love and the fruits of it are very speedy There is more then angelicall swiftness in Christ when there is need of him God helpeth at need in the most seasonable time and he knoweth the time best of all He did but rise in the morning and the very same day Go tell my Brethren ye have Cant. 2. that Christ cometh leaping upon the Mountains when he was to help his Church he leaped over the Mountains as in the eight verse The voice of my Beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the Mountains skipping upon the Hills He cometh from Heaven to Earth from the Earth to the Grave and now he is risen he is all in hast he maketh no stay because his manner of dispatch is to help and comfort by the Ministry of others God quickly do not stand imbracing of me but go and tell my Brethren But why then do not we find comfort sooner that are afflicted Answ Beloved where is the fault Is it in Christ you stand out at staves end with Christ you will not imbrace comforts when they be offered or else you be not sufficiently humbled for he is wise as he is swift he knoweth which be the best times You see then that Christ as soon as
but Christ ascended to Heaven that his departure from them might not be prejudicial to them but that they might have comfort through the God of comfort the spirit of comfort the Holy Ghost I will send the Comforter And though there was no losse by the ascension of Christ they might fear by losing of Christ that all their comfort was gone I but Christ telleth them I go to prepare a place for you He goeth to take up Heaven for his Church and then to send his spirit What a blessed intercourse is there now since Christs ascension between Heaven and Earth Our body is in heaven and the spirit of God is here on earth The flesh that he hath taken into heaven is a pledge that all our flesh and bodies shall be where he is ere long In the mean time we have the spirit to comfort us and never to leave us till we be brought to the place where Christ is This is great comfort and this is the main end why Christ ascended to the Father that he might send the comforter And comfort might well come now in more abundance then before because by the death of Christ all enemies were conquered and by the Resurrection of Christ it was discovered that God was appeased The Resurrection of Christ manifested to the world what was done by death and now all enemies being conquered and God being appeased what remains but the sweetest gift next Christ the Holy Ghost And that is the reason why the holy Ghost was more abundant after Christs Resurrection because God was fully satisfied and declared by the rising of Christ to be fully satisfied and all enemies to be conquered 4. One end likewise of his Resurrection was to make a shew of his Conquest There is a double victory over the Enemy There is a victory in the field and triumph together with it And then there is triumphing in Civitate Regia a triumphing in the Kingly City So Christ did conquer in his death and shewed his Conquest by resurrection but he did not lead captivity captive and make shew thereof till he ascended and then he made open shew of his victorious triumph in Civitate Regia 5. One special end likewise why he would have this Message sent that he was to ascend was that he might appear there in Heaven for us as Heb. 9. He appears for ever in Heaven for us and maketh intercession for us When the high Priest was to enter into the holy of holies which was a type of Heaven he carried the names of the twelve Tribes ingraven in stones upon his brest Christ our true high Priest being entred into the true Holy of Holies carried the names of all his Elect in his breast into Heaven and there appeareth before God for us He carrieth us in his heart Christ doth fulfill that which in John 17. he prayeth for appearing in heaven before his Father by virtue of his blood-shed and that blood that speaketh better things then the blood of Abel it speaks mercy pardon the blood of Abel crieth for vengeance justice but the blood of Christ saith here is one that I shed my blood for And when we pray to God God accepts of our prayers and by virtue of Christs blood-shed there is mercy and pardon and favour procured which is sprinkled by faith upon the soul God manifesting to the soul by his spirit that Christ dyed in particular for such a soul which soul praying to God in the name of Christ that blood not only in Heaven but sprinkled upon the soul speaketh peace there The spirit saith that to the soul which Christ doth in Heaven Christ saith in Heaven I dyed for such a soul the spirit saith in the soul Christ dyed for me and the blood of Christ is sprinkled on every particular soul As Christ in Heaven appears and intercedeth for me so the spirit intercedeth in mine own guilty heart that always speaks discomfort till it be satisfied with particular assurance Christ dyed for me and God is mine and Christ is mine Thus particular faith sprinkleth the blood of Christ upon the soul So that now my sins are not only pardoned in Heaven but in my soul There is not only intercession in Heaven but in my soul My soul goeth to God for pardon and for mercy and rejoyceth in all the mercies it hath and hopeth to have What is done in Heaven is done in a mans soul by the spirit in some measure 6. The last end is that he might shew that our salvation is exactly wrought that God is perfectly satisfied to the full else he should never have risen much lesse ascended to Heaven And therefore if we once believe in Christ for forgiveness of sins and yet say I doubt of salvation it is all one as if you should go about to pluck Christ from Heaven The doubtful distrustful heart till it be subdued by a spirit of faith saith who shall ascend to Heaven to tell me whether I shall go to Heaven or who shall enter into the deep to tell me I am freed from hell I am afraid I shall be damned saith the guilty heart till the spirit of God hath brought it under and perswaded it of Gods love in Christ Say not who shall ascend up to Heaven for that is to bring Christ down from Heaven And what an injurious thing is it to bring Christ from heaven to suffer on the Crosse This is a great indignity though we think not of it to doubt of our salvation and not cast our selves on his mercy For as verily as he is there we shall be there He is gone to take up a place for us he is there in our name as the Husband taketh a place for his spouse And if we doubt whether we shall come there or no we doubt whether he be there or no. And if we doubt of that we doubt whether he hath wrought salvation or no and so we bring him down to the Crosse again Who shall descend to the deep that is to bring Christ from the dead again such is the danger of a distrustful heart So that by Christs ascending into Heaven we may know all is done and accomplished all our enemies are subdued God is appeased and fully satisfied Heaven is taken up in our room and therefore labor for a large heart answerable to the large unchangeable grounds we have for faith to pitch and bottom it self upon Therefore make this further use of this ascension of Christ and thereupon his intercession in Heaven for us He is there to plead our cause he is there as our surety to appear for us and not only so but as a Councellor to plead for us and not only so but one of us as if a Brother should plead for a Brother and not only so but a favorite there too all favorites are not so excellent at counselling perhaps but we have one that is favorite in Heaven
into Christ by a spirit of adoption and have the stamp of the Father upon them The likeness of the Father and of Christ whom God begetsto his own likeness that are in a word like Christ Christ is the first Son and in him and for his sake we are Sons He is the natural Son and they may say our Father that labor to express the disposition of Christ who is the first Son See this disposition of Christ in the Gospel how marvellously patient he was under the hand of his Father obedienâ— to the death of his Crosse humbled full of love full of goodness He went about doing good Do we thâ—n walk as Christ did carry we the image of the second Adam have we the patient humble meek disposition of Christ in our measure do we love Christ in his members God in his Image do we love the Ordinances and the power of Reâ—igion this sheweth what we are and is our conversation sutable to our inward disposition do we walk in light do we shew by our conversation whose Children we are do our speeches give a Character of the inward man If this be in us though in never so small a measure with comfort we may say our Father But may not another man that is not in Christ come to God under the sweet name of our Father yea he may come to him as his Father by creation and providence or sacramentally a Father or as brought into the Church and having God to create him and to provide for him Lord thou hast shewed thy self a gracious Father thus far though I cannot from any inward perswasion say My Father Thus far as I can I say my Father strive against our spiritual infidelity believe God and cast our selves on his gracious promises in Christ God will meet us at the same time and he will send us his spirit to make us his Sons And therefore let no man that hath been a wicked liver be discouraged from going to God in the name of a Father in that wherein he is a Father Lord thou hast created me and preserved me and it is thy mercy I am not in Hell yet thou offer'st to be my Father in Christ thou hast made gracious promises and invited me and upon this when the heart yieldeth to the gracious apprehensions of God as a Father there is a spirit of faith wrought in the heart presently therefore think of the name of a Father and the very thoughts of it will bring the spirit of adoption Only it speaks no comfort to the bitter malicious satanical enemies of Christ and the power of Religion they be Children of the Devil But now poor souls that groan under the burden of sin let them think that God is a Father and of the mercies of God though they do not see they be interested in them By the very contemplation of the mercies of God in Christ and his inviting them to receive them the spirit of God will be wrought in the soul whereby they may have confidence to come to God as a Father I desire you therefore to remember this it is the first Sermon of our Saviour Christ after his Resurrection and therefore forget not to think of God as a Father and Christ as a Brother Indeed whatsoever comfort is in any relation God and Christ have taken it on them A Father is more comprehensive then any other Title Christ is Father and Husband and Spouse And God is our Rock and Shield and whatsoever is comfortable he hath taken on him and in Christ we may command him to be so And if we had ten thousand Worlds they could not be compared to the comforts that arise from hence that we can call God Father It is more to us if we could improve it in our spiritual Trade for Heaven then if we had a thousand worlds especially in dayes of affliction and in the hour of death For it improveth whatsoev er is in the bowels of God for poor distressed souls When nothing else will comfort this will comfort if we can say to God Father Though we cannot make a distinct prayer yet if we can say Father God can pick matter out of our broken Language Now Christ is ascended up to Heaven he doth us more good then he did when he was upon the earth The Sun in the Firmament yieldeth us heat and comfort but if it were nearer it would do us hurt or if further off it would not do us so much good God hath placed it being a common light of the world high to inlighten inferior bodies and to convey influence by means into them And so Christ the Son of righteousness being ascended and advanced to Heaven doth more good then on earth And therefore saith he it is for your good that I ascend It is for our good that we have Christ in Heaven to appear there for us I ascend to my Father and to your Father Father is here taken personally not essentially though it be true in that sense to my Father as the first person of the Trinity especially Christ might well say I ascend to my Father now for he was risen again and was mightily declared to be the Son of God by his Resurrection from the dead Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee that is this day have I declared thee It is said of things fiunt cum pate fiunt they are done when they be open and declared to be done Christ was the Son of God when he rose again because he was discovered by his glorious Resurrection to be so indeed And therefore Christ may well say after his Resurrection I go to my Father and your Father Observe from hence That God in Christ is our Father We say Relations are Minimae entitatis they are little entities founded on others but they are maximae consequentiae of great concernment I beseech you before I leave the point give me leave to go on a little further in this to shew that wonderful mercy that admirable goodness which the tongues and hearts of all the men in the world and Angels in Heaven are not able to express that love of God which is contained in the Relation he hath taken on him in Christ to be our Father 1. Consider who and whom Who the great God that hath the Son to solace himself in he did not adopt us because he wanted Sons he had Sons of his own and Sons of his love to sollace himself in what need he have took Traitors Rebels enemies to make them his Sons Oh it is a marvellous advancement of our nature that God should in Christ become our Father It is said Psalm 113. God abaseth himself to behold things below and indeed so he doth with reverence be it spoken to his great Majesty he abaseth himself in regard of things below In regard of us worms of the earth that be enemies yea Devils by nature For
such a transcendent nature The heart of man is so distrustful so faithless and the conscience is such a clamorous thing and therefore he cannot think this is too much I beseech you therefore do not lose the comfort of it that in Christ God is our God though we can say of nothing else it is ours perhaps we cannot say great houses are ours or great friends are ours or Inheritances ours that is no matter we can say that is ours which is infinitely more then that We can say God is ours in Christ Nay being exhorted to say by the spirit of faith that God is ours in Christ all things in the world are ours As you have it in that place of Scripture All things are yours why because you are Christs and Christ is Gods Whether things present or things to come Paul Apollos Cephas life death all is yours you are Christs and Christ is Gods that is all things must by a command from God conspire to make us happy affliction or Satan or death or trouble of conscience or desertion or every thing to help us to Heaven The curse is taken away and there is a blessing hid in every thing that befalleth a Christian to bring him to Heaven therefore it is a comfort of infinite extent All is yours because God is yours You shall see the extent of the comforts further by retail as it were If God be ours then all is ours too what be they the Scripture telleth you and I should spend too much time in unfolding of them 1. If God be ours his wisdom must needs be ours to find out wayes to do us good for his infinite wisdom hath found out a way in Christ by satisfaction of his justice to bring us to Heaven He can make us go beyond all the policy of our Neighbors for his wisdom is ours 2. If we be in danger his power is ours to bring us out 3. If we have sinned his mercy is ours to forgive us He himself being ours his mercy must needs be ours The whole being ours it followeth out of the strength of reason that the parts also must be ours 4. In any want his allsufficiency is ours to supply it or to turn it to good and make it up in a better kind 5. In a word God being ours whatsoever is in God whatsoever God can do whatsoever he hath is ours because himself is ours And therefore I beseech you make this use of it to get into Christ by faith to be one with Christ that so God may be our God Get faith above all graces the grace of union and the grace of communion that being one with Christ we are one with him God being ours all is ours yea the worst thing in the world is ours If God be not ours it is no matter what else is ours Alas all things must be taken from us we know not how soon and we taken from all things else What if we ha d a Kingdom as Saul had if we be forsaken of God as he was What if we had Paradise if we offend God we shall be cast out What if we had the dignity to be Apostles if with Judas we have not God what will all come to What if a man should enjoy all the world if out of Christ it would yield him no comfort As the Emperor said I have gone through all varieties of conditions Et nibil mihi prodit but it hath done me no good If we had all what is it but vanity of vanities and not only so but vexation Now when we have God to be our God he is able to fill the soul He is larger then the soul and he is able to quiet the soul he is the rest of the soul the soul is quiet in him is the Center as the place of quiet If God be ours then the soul resteth in it for God filleth the soul and quiets the soul and hath alwayes fresh comforts for the soul infinite still to all eternity There is nothing in the world but we do as it were deflorare take away the flower of it by use and it becometh stale Though a man continue many thousand years in the world yet he will be weary of all things in the world because there is no freshness in them It is finite and the soul is larger then the comforts of the world But in God is a spring of fresh comforts to everlasting Consider the things that inable him to be our God to fill the soul and to be larger then the soul to quiet and calm the soul in all the troubles of it and then to have fresh springs of comforts what a comfort is this to have God for our God Let it therefore raise up our souls to labor after our God and never rest till we have some interest in this great portion of God to be our God When we can by faith go out of our selves to Christ and lay a right and just claim to God to be our God this is a comfort that reacheth from everlasting to everlasting It giveth us forgiveness of sins when we had lost our selves because we are in Christ he hath forgiven us In all extremities and troubles when no creature can comfort us it is his glory to shew himself a God It reacheth to the Resurrection of the body God is Abrahams and Isaacks and Jacobs God when dead because he was the God of whole Abraham Isaack and Jacob and therefore of soul and body And it reacheth from all favours of this world so far as is for our good to all eternity being our God he will protect us from all extremities in this world he will speak comfort to our souls which nothing can do but God When we be dead he will raise up our dust because he is our whole God the God of our souls and bodies and we shall be for ever with the Lord. It is a comfort of wonderfull extent Vse 1. Let us therefore make this use of it Labour to make him so to us for as he is to us so God by his spirit is our comforter who being satisfied giveth us his spirit We must make God our God and then he will be a God unto us These be mutual wheresoever they be wheresoever God is God to any they by the spirit obtained by Christ have grace to make him so to themselves What is it for us to make God a God to us It is this to set up God a throne in our hearts and to give him a Soveraignty over all things in the world that we may say in truth of heart God is our joy God is our comfort God is our rock God is all in all to us When we give him supremacy of affection above all the world we esteem nothing above him we value him above all esteem his loving kindness is better then life it self for else we do not make him a God to us and then it is no comfort
can say this is mine so that every Saint can say of God he is mine in solidum though he were alone he may say God is mine If ten thousands have him yet God is his God god careth for all as if there were but one and for one as if none but he God offers himself not only to his whole Church but to every one in particular and therefore of every one he ought to be apprehended This is founded in all the great points and mysteries of Religion As for instance what is the ground of all the Petitions in the Lords Prayer Our Father What interest have we to all the Petitions and to every Article of the Creed if there be not a particular application I believe God the Father to be my God Jesus Christ my Saviour the Holy Ghost my Sanctifier remission of sins and life everlasting is mine We do no more then the Devils Now every truth in Scripture is written for our comfort and shall it be no more comfort to us then to the Devils doth the Scripture intend us no more comfort then the Devils yes but the Devil may say for the Church there is remission of sins and a God and Saviour but not for me and that is his torment he cannot come to particulars So the Sacraments are to seal a particular faith as every one in particular taketh the bread and wine so by a particular faith every one may say Christ is mine his death is mine blood-â—hed mine remission of sins and interest of Christ is mine It doth not seal a general faith in the Clouds but a particular assurance that it belongeth to every one And so in the words of the Catechise the ministerial questioning of sinners is intended that every one that believeth should apply it If thou believest and if thou believest thou shalt be saved and thy sins shall be forgiven thee So that if we regard prayer and faith if we regard the Sacraments or the use of the Catechise all inforce a particular faith If we have not particular faith we lose the vertue of all So it is for the Commandements put case no man is named in particular yet every one ought to ply in particular that they ought to abstain from such a sin and perform such duty if they do so they shall be glorified if not they shall be punished And there is the same reason in faith as in obedience A man is condemn'd in Law though not named in Law because the general is set down here and every man ought particularly to apply it I ought not to have done so and so So that it overturneth the end of all if a man labor not for a particular faith To go farther Now if I disablethis interest of particular faith of Gods love and Christs love â— loose the comfort of weak faith where it is true What condition were they in now when Christ biddeth them go had not some of them denyed Christ and had they not all forsaken him and yet notwithstanding go tell Peter and tell them all I go to their Father and their God So that the interest that a soul hath in Christ who hath true faith though a weak faith joyned with many infirmities the interest he hath in Christ is not broke off as you see by the example of the Apostles And therefore I beseech you let us comfort our selves in this labouring for a particular faith and then labor to maintain our interest notwithstanding our infirmities and faults notwithstanding our sins past Let not Satan rob us of our claim that God is our God and Father in Christ Let us learn of Christ we cannot have a better pattern What doth Christ on the Crosse when he had the sins of all the believing world upon him and had there been ten thousand times more it had been all one to so infifinite a person God-man he had made full satisfaction to Gods justice But having so much upon him did it take away his claim of God as his God It did not but still he said my God my God Was it a claim that did him any good was it a useful claim yes for it was made good by his Resurrection and Ascension and therefore he might well say I go to my God and your God I have overcome the wrath of God due for sin and therefore when I that had all the sins of the world upon me acknowledged God to be my God and underwent the burden of Gods wrath and satisfied for all sin you may well say my God not only from the pattern of Christ because he did so but as a cause I may say so now because Christ said so then for he hath fully satisfied his Father who had laid that burden on him you therefore that have particular burdens of your own sins and have not that other but have a conscience troubling you it is for good because if you believe that is taken away But put case you had the guilt of your own sins and of many sins beside what is that to this of Christ who had the guilt of all sin And therefore let no guilt hinder you from a spirit of faith to say my Father and my God Is Christ ascended to Heaven to be a mediator of intercession to appear before God for whom is it not for sinners what work is there in Heaven for a mediator if we were not daily sinners Christ that hath satisfied for sin biddeth us after satisfaction to think of God as a Father and to think of his ascension even for this end to appear before God for us as our High-Priest to make daily peace for us His blood is of everlasting efficacy And if Abels blood cried for vengeance the blood of Christ crieth for mercy As the appearing of the blood of Abel spake for vengeance so the very appearing of Christ speaks enough for mercy to the sinner It is a comfortable clause that in Hosea 2. 19. where God saith He will marry them in everlasting mercy so that mercy is part of the joynture of the Church God will marry them in mercy in what mercy in pardoning mercy as the Husband is to bear with the wife the weaker Vessel not to put her away for infirmities Shall we attribute mercie to men and not to God Can a friend bear the infirmities of a friend and a Huband of a Wife cannot Christ bear the infirmities of his spouse and therefore never think that our infirmities may hinder our claim you see it did not here But go to my Father and your Father This comfort we shall be driven to make use of sometime or other therefore make use of it now But you will say this is not comfort for common sort of Christians it is not and I intend it not for them It is Childrens bread and it must not be cast to Doggs therefore they that have not God for their God and live in any sin
they can lay no claim to him for they serve another God in their hearts their vile courses are instead of their God and in their affections above their God and therefore let them not think any promise belongeth to them in that course Let them think of God as a consuming sire as everlasting burnings while they be such and that their peace is as the peace that the soul hath when the strong man holdeth all in possession When the conscience is speechless and God hath given them up to hardness of heart which is a desperate peace This belongeth to them that are resolved not to live in any sin that have given themselves up to God and yet by reason of the remainder of corruption are driven to make use of that Petition which Christ bids them to pray forgive us our daily sins Hence issueth this truth that a Christian may be assured of his salvation in this world For first of all grant that we ought particularly to apply as God offers himself to us and that no infirmities nor sins hinder this claim then what followeth but a Christian believing and repenting of his sins daily may be assured that he is in the state of grace because there be grounds of particular application that therefore which seems to disable that interest hinders not at all And therefore labor to maintain that comfortable state of assurance by all means the grounds of it is particular application notwithstanding all sins and infirmities whatsoever because Satan envieth it most because it is a state wherein we honor God most I will not enter largely into the point because I have spoken of it in other Texts but for as much as concerneth this time we must labor for that without the which we cannot go through that which God calleth us to 1. There be many duties and dispositions that God requires which we cannot be in without assurance of salvation on good grounds what is that God bids us be thankful in all things how can I know that unless I know God is mine and Christ is mine can I be thankful for that which I doubt of and think I ought to doubt of therefore it is such a state without which I cannot perform other duties and particularly the grand duty of thankfulness And what a pittiful state is this that a man should not be thankful for Christ nor Heaven nor for the state of another world that there should be such great matters and yet they cannot thank God for them 2. Again God enjoyneth us to rejoyce Rejoyce and again I say rejoyce Can a man rejoyce that his name is written in Heaven and not know his name is written there The Disciples were very weak now and yet notwithstanding all their infirmities they loved Christ they cast themselves upon him and had not chosen another Saviour Therefore rejoyce that your names are written in Heaven and how can a man rejoyce that knoweth it not to be so By Gods writing of the Law in a mans heart he may know his name is written in Heaven Can a man alwayes rejoyce if he hath not grounds why 3. Again God requires chearfulness God loveth a chearful giver and a chearful doer It is the disposition that is required in every thing give me thy heart in every thing thou dost Alas how can I perform chearful service to God when I doubt whether he be my God and Father or no shall not I labor for a heart to yield chearful obedience doth it not come deadly off surely it doth We ought to comfort our selves and how can a man comfort himself in a condition full of uncertainties no comforts are comfortable without this That God is our God and our Father unless we know this comforts themselves are not comfortable unto us None of the comforts we have the comforts of this life are not comforts to us when the soul saith perhaps God feeds me to slaughter and perhaps I have these mercies as my portion in this world and how can he be comfortable when he apprehendeth not that they issue from a spring of love alas comforts themselves are uncomfortable And therefore shall not I labor for that without which I cannot be comforted especially it being a disposition for our good to be thankful and chearful and joyful and large hearted 4. God requires a disposition in us that we should be full of incouragements and strong in the Lord and that we should be couragious for his cause in withstanding his enemies and our enemies How can there be courage in resisting our corruptions Satans temptations how can there be courage in suffering persecution and crosses in the world if there be not some particular interest we have in Christ and in God it cannot be so unlesse we will denie obedience to all duty injoyned we must have this assurance which enters into all which is the spirit that quickeneth and enliveneth all Therefore labor for it 2. Else we shall take away the grounds that God inforceth good duties from in Scripture as he doth inforce duty from this ground As Elect see ye put on bowels of compassion I beseech you by the mercies of God Rom. 12. offer your selves as a sacrifice to God Alas I know not whether I shall have mercy or no why take away your ground and overthrow your principles And therefore shall not we labor for that state of soul wherein we are fitted to be in that disposition and to perform duty as God would have us I therefore beseech you labor for assurance of salvation That we may maintain it the better see the grounds of it It is not in our perfection for then the poor Disciples where had they been Alas they had dealt unfaithfully with Christ but the ground of firmness is on Gods side the certainty is on Gods part not ours Tell them I go to my Father and my God and their Father and their God Though we make breaches every day yet God breaketh not as Mal. 3. Verily I the Lord am not changeable and therefore you are not consumed We change ebbe and flowe are to and fro up and down every day varying in our dispositions though there be some root and seed of grace in us alwayes yet there is a change in our dispositions every day but it holdeth on Gods part and therefore Christ nameth not any qualification in them to build comfort on but my God and your God will yet maintain the relation of a Father to you that have not dealt as you should do and maintaineth the relation of a God notwithstanding your fall So that we maintain not our assurance on any part in us but on Gods love Whom he loveth he loveth to the end Our God unchangably loveth us in whom there is not so much as a shadow of change And therefore in the last of the Hebrews it is called an everlasting Covenant The God of peace that brought
Comfort in that Christ is our Brother Christ in glory owns his Churches Cause Use of exhortation by faith to labor to be one with Christ John 1. 16 Faiths usual work Christs calling his Disciples brethren adds much to our comfort Faith presents things to come as present Love teacheth what it knowes Humility will be instructed in what it knowes not Christ ascended into glory forgets not his people in debasement It is the highâ—st honor to be a member of Christ By faith in Christ both sin death and hell are overcome The freedom of a Christian The Christians dignity Satans Objection The Christians Reply Christ to be believed and not Satan Mother and brother in spirit is preferred before mother and brother in the flesh Christians are fruitful Trees of righteousnesse The world knowes not the excellency of Gods people and therefore regards them not The constancy and humility of Christ Christ speedy in comforting Object Christ takes his owâ— time to comfort the humble soul Christs love constant Question Resol Gods love is constant because grounded on his own eternall purpose Fuâ—damenta taâ—en stant inconcussâ— Syoâ—is Christ by death reconciles us by his life he saves us Obj. Answ Trusting in Christ takes off trouble The links of salvation hold firm on Gods part Gods love â—n Iterable In darkest times Christ is near to comfort Simile Note The Churches care to find her beloved Christs sweet and comfortab e spâ—ech â—o his beloved Christs high commendations of his spouâ—e Note Reason 1 Kindnesse shewed after dejection is very seasonable Reason 2. Christ deals not with us after our deserts Reason 3 Satan by laying guilt to our charge labors to carry us further fâ—om God Comfort to those that sh me themselves John 2â— 15 16 17 We are not so ready to come as Christ is to receive Well mâ— when Christ and the soul mâ—et together Presumptuous sinners The most humble Christian most subject to be discouraged Rom. 5. 20. Object Answ Jer. â— 1. Comforts against great sins Our comforts fail not because he is God and not man Note Difference between a carnal and a gratious heart Sin imputed to Christ as our surety Faith makes things absent present Saints look forward as Christ did Till we come to Heaven our desires are unsatisfied Simile Notes of our spiritual Resurrection Heavenly mindednesse Converse with the world be not defiled with the world Heaven injoyed on earth Quaere Reasons of Christs ascension Our enemies conquered and God appeased by Christs resurrection Victory triumph Heb. 9. 24 Christs blood speaks mercy and pardon The spirit hâ—râ— and Christ in Heaven here together His Resurrection ascension declares the Father to be satisfied to the utmost Rom. 10 6. 7. Christs intercession Apoc. 12. 9 Christ more skilful to save then Satan is to destroy The super excellent advantage of Gods people above the world 1 Joh. 21. Rom. 8. All Scriptures are for consolation The flighting of the Ministry is the havock of conscience Faith makes all present Fath the Christians priviledge Think on Christ as ascended with him Ephes 5. 20. 1 Joh. 2. 1. Mat. 6. 12. Go to God for pardon of sinners in the name of Christ To rely on Christ is to feed upon him God is first Christs God and Father and then our God Father How God is the Father of Christ Christ coequal with his Father Joh. 20. 28 1 Col. 20. God a Father All comfort is from God reconciled to us in Christ Mal. 3. 17. Father is a tearm of indulgence Luk. 15. 18 Gods infinite love to a sinful man Heb. 12. 6. A name of provision Luk. 12. 32 Luk 12 30 Father is a name of protection Pro. 18. 20 What we owe to God as a Father Fear God for his greatness love him for his goodness Gods wisdom and love God keeps the best things till the last Esay 49. 15 16. Psal 121. 4. Faith and prayer fetcheth all from God Mat. 7. 9. 10. Mat. 6. 8. God not a Father in Christ to the wicked The Hypocrite disposition To whom God is a Father Christs disposition The Character of a gratious Christian Quaere Solution No sin should hinder us from going to God as our Father The name of Father speaks no comfort to the malitious enemies of Christ Simile Rom. 1. 4. Heb. 1. 5. Gods unexpressible and wonderful love to mankind Psal 113. 6. Our nature advanced in Christ as high as can be God a Father to his discâ—nsolate Disciples Psal 117. 11. Job 42. 6. 8 Gods love to us is from his own bowels not from our goodnesâ— If mercy were not shewed to sinners none could be saved Comfort in afflictions Mat. 27. 46 God Christs Father in all his persecâ—tions The Law necessary to be teached Contentation in all conditions to be laboured for Humility a lesson to be learned from Brotherhood 2 Cor. 5. 16. Love to the Saints the highest mark of sincerity Notes of adoption God may be our God though we cannot alwayes make it Even sighs groans pierce through thick Clouds get to God Good things connatural to good men How to go to God in prayer Ephes 1. 3. 1 John 17 Mans insinite happiness by Christ Clay and dust taken into unity of the person of God Ephes 2 6. All we have or can expect to have must be obtained through Christ Use Blesse God for Christ as well as for our selves Luk. â— â—8 Christ as man the object of Gods love and predestination as well as we 1 Pet. 1. 4. How God is Christs God God our God in the state of grace 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. The Covenant of grace founded on Christ By vertue of Christs resurrection God is not only our Father but our God God our God in covenant with Christ Interest in God great comfort Even afflictions Satan himself conspires to make us happy Eccles 1. 2. Eccles 2. 17. Never rest till God be made our portion God our joy our comfort our Rock our all Examine our hearts what we make our God It is of eternalconcernment to make God our God Exo. 20. 2. Do all for God in obedience God gives us our being and wel being and doth all for us till we come to Heaven Humane nature nearer to Christ then the nature of the Angels Doct. What God is whâ—t he is able to do what he hath all is ours Answ Want it self is for the good of Gods people God all in all immediatly in Heaven Use Simile Pro. 18. 20 Go to God in things of extremity by faith and prayer Exo. 9. 28. The wicked outwardly make a shew to feaâ— God but hate him in their hearts A carnal man professes hiâ— own safety before the advancement of Religion Rom. 7. 8. The fearful condition of a wicked man at the hour of death Who are Gods enemiâ—t A Christian is a good man in his own particular Quest Answ The humble man more excellent then the proud Peace of conscience inward joy and comfort signs of love Mark 9. 24 Psal 73. 25. Arguments of Gods shining upon the soul Caution To call God our God when he is not so is an usurpation full of danger Psal 50. 16 17. Simile Propriety by â—itting our natures for communion with God Heb. 12. 29 Esa 33. 14 Comfort in our interest in God Particular exigencie supplyed by his all-sufficiency Religion is to know God â—nd to make use of him for good to honor him and to be thankful Sacrament seals God to be ours Man by some sins worse then the Devil Gods spirit both a severing spirit and an uniting spirit Friendship in mutual office of duty Doct. God to be apprehended as he offers himself Particular application of Christ how grounded Sacraments seal a particular faith Failings do not cut uâ— off from Christ If Christ hath satisfied for us notwithstanding our infirmities we may call God our God Heb. 12. 24. Mercy part of our mariage portion Object Answ Use Assurance Joy springs from knowledg Luk. 10. 20 Gods service must be performed with chearfulnesse No worldly comforts can satisfie the soul Assurance earnestly to be labored for 3 Col. 12. Grounds of assurance Assurance maintained to us on Gods part John 13. 1. Heb. 13. 20 Hos 2. 18. Ruleâ— to know how God is our God Simile God and Christ the Objects of faiâ—h and love Interest in God an argument against sin The flesh a Devil within us That God is our God â—nd our Father is ground of infinite comfort Assurance that God is our God wrought by the sealing of the spirit and the spirits sanctifying Conscience is a little God within us 1 Joh. 3. Respect with God preserved with much industry holiness 2 Pet. 1. 20 Psal 2. 11. The fearful condition of those that have not God to be their God The office of the Ministry is to prâ—ach life to all repentant sinners God preventeth us by his mercies God our comfort in the losse of all things 1. Glorie under hope of glory 2. Glory in affl ctions 3. Glory in God 2 Pet. 1. 10