of all Saints he disclaimes all his own righteousnesses and accounts them as rotten raggs and abominable things in reference to Justification before God He forgets all that is behind if he cast up his parts his gifts and his graces he concludes Circumcision is nothing nor Vncircumcision is nothing his faith his love his repentance his obedience all put together nothing he brings in the totall summe in meer ciphers I am nothing yea worse then nothing saith this soul Can a man be profitable unto his Maker I am unprofitable to God and man When saw I thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and cloathed thee c. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool saith this soul. 3. A man graciously poor or blessedly poor in spirit is a man of a contrite spirit a man that trembleth at the Word of the Lord To him will I look saith the Lord that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word Isa. 66.2 In this Text poverty of spirit contrition and the effect of it trâ—mbling at the Word of the Lord are joyned together as linkes of a Chain so as he that hath one of them hath all of them in some measure As for contrition it hath been already spoken of from Pag. 56. to Pag. 64. to which I refer the Reader 4. A man graciously poor in spirit as he sees a fullness of sinne and an emptiness of grace in himself and bewailes it so he sees a fullness of grace in Christ a fullness of mercy with God in Christ to pardon him and heal him to justifie him and sanctifie him and fill him with all grace and this is attended with some hopes to be made a partaker of it The truth of this is evident in the poor Publican He saw a fullness of sinne in himself and an emptiness of grace and he saw a fullness of mercy in God and merit in Christ to take away his sinne and garnish his soul with all grace and had some hopes to attain this otherwise he would never have gone to God for mercy A man graciously or evangelically poor in spirit hath some hope of obtaining mercy 5. And this makes him very industriously to seek after the Lord in a conscionable use of all those means which he hath appointed I will arise and go to my Father c. saith the poor Prodigal When once this poverty of Spirit had seized on his spirit he thought no labour too much to attain what he sought Draw me we will runne after thee saith the Spouse graciously poor in spirit Cant. 1.4 6. A man graciously poor in spirit esteems spirituall riches the best riches and for them he will with the Merchant-man give the best price for thâ—m he will part with all carnall things and count them but dung he doth hunger and thirst after righteousness more than after riches after the riches of grace more than after the riches of the world 7. A man graciously poor in spirit is a man of a humble spirit if God dispense his gifts liberally unto him or make greater discoveries of himself his mind and will unto him than he doth to others he will humbly and thankfully and really ascribe all the glory thereof unto the Lord and his free grace and say as Daniel As for me this is not conferred upon me for any Wisdome or goodness that I have more than other but of free grace for Christs sake bestowed upon me therefore to him be all the glory Who am I or what is there in me that God should shew such favour unto me above what he doth unto other This is vigor fit and â—â—t fit to give the denomination of a man graciously poor in spirit 8. A man graciously poor in spirit is the contentedst man with his condition of all others I went out full but the Lord brought me home empty saith a soul gratiously poor in spirit and yet she was contented with her condition Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus It is the Lord let him do with we as seemeth good to him This is the lanâ—uage of soules graciously poor in spirit Such a soul lookes upon every thing as a mercy that is on this side Hell and how bad soevâ—r his condition be thinks it too good for him 9. A man graciously poor in spirit justifâ—es God in all his dealiâ—gs even under his sadest providences and dispensations of Justice The Lord is righteous in all his Wayes saith this soul I am justly under this condemnation for I receive the due reward of my deeds for I have rebelled against his Commandmenâ—s c. 10. The soul gracioâ—sly poor in spirit grâ—anes under that privy pride which he finds in himself as that which is the great burdâ—n on his spirit and that which he longs to be delivered from Oh wretched man that I â—m who shall deliver me and when shall I be deliveâ—ed â—rom this corrupt nature of mine which exalts it sâ—lf against God and hinders the influence of his grâ—ce in me These Appearances of gratious poverty of spirit may serve to disâ—ry a soul graciously and blessedly poor in spirit Try thy spirit by them and if by what hath been said thou findest this Qualification in thy self in any measure bless God for it labour to grow in it and remember the words of our Lord Jesu Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven Death to Sinne. Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne But the Spirit is Life because of righteousness IN these words the Apostle lays down two great Characters of our Union with Christ or Christ resident in us The first this The body is dead because of sinne The second this The Spirit is Life because of righteousness Christ is in you saith the Apostle except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 If Christ be in you it will appear thus The body is dead because of sinne The Body here spoken of is not a body of flesh not a body Celestiall nor a body Terrestiall but a body Diabolicall a body of sin as the members mentioned Col. 3.5 demonstrate and likewise the language of the Apostle Rom. 7.24 where he calls corrupt nature the body and more plainly Rom. 6.6 stiles it The body of sinne Ephes. 4.22 The old man This is the body here meant The body of sinne is the depravedness and corruption of our whole nature by reason of which we are naturally averse to all good and prone to evill continually and so liable to all misery and therefore the Apostle calls it A body of death The body is alive in all those in whom Christ lives not but where Christ lives this body dies If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. Death to sinne is
dead because of sinne That is the desire and bent of the soul which is naturally to sin and for sinne is turned from sinne and against sinne so that the body of sinne cannot without much reluctancy and opposition bear sway where Christ dwells 1. The body of sinne whilest alive makes a willing sinner but when dead a nilling sinner I do that which I would not saith the soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.16 The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would do but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which it would not do 2. The soul alive to sinne allows it self in sinne in some sinne or other every soul in whom this body is alive allows it self But the soul dead to sinne allows not it self in any known sinne What I do I allow not saith a soul dead to sinne Rom. 7.15 I do this and I do that which I should not through humane frailty and the violence of temptation from without and from within or true necessity but I allow not what I do I do not resolve in cold bloud that thus and thus I will do but the quite contrary The soul that is truly dead to sinne allows not it self in any one known sinne The soul that is alive to sinne is in league with finne it makes leagues with sinne as the Israelites did with the inhabitants of Canaan there is no unregenerate person but he is in league with some sinne or other and though he lay some tribute upon his sinne or upon himself for his sinne yet he continues his league with sinne still and intends not the ruine of sinne nor the utter extirpation of sinne But the soul that is dead to sinne doth not make a league with any one sinne but his design is to ruine sinne all sinne he will not covenant to sinne as Iudas and the chief-Priests did but covenant against sinne as Iob did Iob. 3 1. â— This is the second Character of a foul dead to sinne As Saul should have dealt with Amalek so doth the soul dead to sinne deal with sinne it spaâ—es none it warrs against the whole body of death against every sinne 3. The soul alive to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he loves but the soul dead to sinne in sinning doth the evill which he hates What I hate that do I saith a soul dead to sinne Rom 7.15 The soul alive to sinne though he refrain from sinne yet he loves it still But the soul dead to sinne though he fall into sinne and be many times overpowred by sinne yet he doth not love sinne but hates it so farre forth as regenerate Object But conscience may here reply in some soul and say I cannot by this conclude that I am one dead to sinne but rather that I am one alive to sinne for I find much inclination in my will to sinne and much adhering in affections to sinne Answ. 1. If this alone were sufficient to give the denomination of a soul alive to sinne then no soul living in a body of flesh could conclude that he were truly dead to sinne for their is no soul inhabiting this earthly house no not the best alive but hath cause thus â—o complain 2. But secondly Every soul dead to sinne doth bear the image of a double person he beares the image of the first Adam and the image of the second Adam he is partly flesh and partly spirit and he is thus in every faculty of his soul there is flesh in every faculty of his soul sinne dwelling in every faculty this therefore doth not render the soul alive to sinne 3. Then thirdly Thou speakest in this as one seeking after a perfect death to the power and being of sinne in thy self But the Apostle in this Text points only at a true death to sinne and truly dead to sinne he may be and is to whom sinne is a burthen So much for â—â—swet to this Objection 4. In the fourth place The body of sinne iâ— truly dead wastes and decayes there is a decaying in this body and a wasting away as in the natural body when once dead therefore saith the Apostle I die daily thereby implying that where there is a true death to sinne there is a true decaying of sinne Object But conscience in some may here reply again and say I cannot hence conclude that I am one truly dead to sinne but rather see cause to conclude on the contrary for I do not find that corruption doth decay and wast away in me but rather that it grows stronger and stronger Answ. Strong apprehensions of corruption are no argument of the strength of corruption at least if they be accompanied with loathing of them and warring against them in the strength of Christ but rather symptomes of a new Life This therefore should not cause any to conclude That there is no death to sinne in him but rather excite him to cleave closer to Christ who hath begun this death in him and will at the length perfect it 5. In the fifth place The soul that is truly dead to sinne is universally dead to sinne he is dead to every sinne and he is dead to sin in every faculty of his soul though but in part yet in every part of soul and body This and no less then this will serve to demonstrate a man truly dead to sinne in a Gospel-sence 6. Finally The soul that is truly dead to sinne is alive to righteousness the soul that is dead in sinne is alive to sinne and the soul that is dead to sinne is alive to righteousness If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne But the Spirit is Life because of righteousness This is the next thing to be spoken of and it is the second Character laid down by the Apostle to demonstrate Christ resident in us The Spirit is Life because of righteousness By Spirit in this Text is meant as I conceive the regenerate part of man and nothing else to wit that which is born of the-Spirit in this sence I take the word Spirit here because it is set in opposition to the forementioned body which body as is evident is the unregenerate part or old man So this word Spirit is used by the Apostle unto the Galathians The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh The regenerate part lusteth against the unregenerate So Christ useth the word Spirit Joh. 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit but the Spirit is Life because of righteousness It is as if the Apostle had said If Christ be in you it will appear by this the Spirit is Life because of righteousness that is the regenerate man is alive because of righteousness he is alive because of a double righteousness or because of righteousnes in a double sence 1. He is alive because of the righteousness of Justification And 2. Because of the righteousness of Sanctification That man is truly and perfectly alive
because of the righteousness of Justification which hath Christs righteousness imputed unto him for righteousness A man thus alive to righteousness lives either the life of hope the life of faith or the life of sence and this life Satan doth labour much to deprive him of Where the soul is thus alive because of the righteousness of Justification that soul is alive indeed because of the righteousness of Sanctification and this is that life which this Text points at If Christ be in you c. the Spirit is Life because of righteousness If Christ be in you as a justifier He is in you as a sanctifier If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is Life because of Righteousness The truth of this assertion doth further appeare thus Whom he justisieth them he also glorifieth saith the Text Rom. 8.30 But without holinesse no man shall see the Lord therefore it follows by necessary consequence That he that is justified hath this qualification in him to wit sanctification otherwise he could not see the Lord or be glorified To whom Christ is made righteousness he is made sanctification also 1 Cor. 1.30 This may suffice for the confirmation of this Truth That man is alive because of the righteousness of sanctification which hath the righteousnesse of the quickning spirit imparted unto him for the inlivening and regulating of his whole man A Christian in this world is alive because of the righteousnesse of sanctification truly but imperfectly his spirit is alive because of righteousnesse that is his understanding will and affections c. all the members of his body his whole nature so farre forth as regenerate is alive because of the righteousnesse of sanctification I say so farre forth alive that is so farre forth he approves of righteousnesse imbraceth righteousnesse and lives in the practise of righteousnesse out of Love to the God of righteoufnesse This is evident in the Apostle Paul as soon as Christ had taken up his dwelling in Paul and he was once alive to righteousnesse his whole man so farre forth as regenerate was turned about to another point he had another judgment of the things of God than he had before and accordingly imbraced what he before refused his heart was warmed with a love to the will and wayes of God and desire to walk therein Lord What wilt thou have me to do saith he command what thou wilt I am ready prest to obey thy will And his great care was to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man as himself affirms Act. 24.16 And thus it is with every man alive to righteousnesse he hath the same frame of spirit that Paul had the same grace that he had as a man alive to righteousnesse though not in the same measure Every man in whom Christ lives is alive because of righteousnesse but every one is not alike alive every one in which Christ lives is truly alive because of righteousnesse but every one is not strongly alive to righteousnesse some are more vigorously alive then others As Christ is more or lesse in a man so is he more or less alive to righteousnesse A man truly alive to righteousnesse hath these appearances 1. He is of all other men the most sensible of his own unrighteousnesse he sees more unrighteousnesse then righteousnesse in his best actions more flesh then spirit in himself as appears in Paul Rom. 7. 2. The body of sinne which is dead stinks in the nostrils of him which is truly alive to righteousnesse as the dead Corpse of a man doth in the nostrils of him that is alive in a natural sense 3. Lastly a man truly alive to righteousnesse is a new Creature of whom I shall speak in the next place Wouldest thou then know whether Christ be resident in thee yea or nay Consider seriously what the holy Ghost doth in this Text affirm If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sieâ— but the spirit is life because of righteousnessâ— and go through what hath been here said on this â—ubject and if it hereby appear that thou are one truly dead to sin and alive to righteousnesse concluâ—e thou mayest safely That the Lord is thy portion that Christ is resident in â—ny soul who having once taken possession there will not be â—uted Christ in thee the hope of glory will assuredly bring the soul and bâ—dy to live with him in glory If we be dead with him we shall also live with him saith the Text 2 Tim 2.11 therefore iâ— we be dead with Christ and risen again with him we shall assuredly live together with him in glory A New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a New Creature EVery one that is out of Christ is ouâ— of the root of life out of the stock of grace out of the way the only true way unto eternal happiness and thus are all the posterity of Adam by nature It mainly concerns every one therefore to consider seriously what he bottoms upon the old Adam or the new one of these two all flesh standeth on How we shall come to the knowledg of this this Text tels us If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature These words as they are in themselves an intire sentence contain in them a true and lively description of a man in Christ in them the Apostle lays down positâ—vely one great Character of a soul resident in Christ He is a new Creature This he layes down indefinitely if any man c. as if he had said If any man of what Nation station quality rank or condition soever be in Christ it will appear thus He is a new Creature Quest. But what is it to be in Christ Answ. To be in Christ according to the meaning of this Text is to be truly and really united unto Christ or ingrafted into Christ as a sience is into the stock incorporate into it and made truly one with it and every one that is thus in Christ is a new Creature Quest. But what is that may some say what is a new Creature Answ. A â—ew Creature according to his formality is a Creature wholly new I say a Creature wholly new so saith the Apostle in this Text Old things are past away all things are become new By a Creature wholly new I do not mean a Creature void of humane frailâ—y nor a Creature totally freed from the being or power of corrupt Nature not a Creature exempt from the exercise of temptations but a Creature renewed in every part though but in part and freed from the evil of temptations His appearances are many for a new Creature according to the meaning of this Text is one that is born again born of the Spirit as Christ speaks He is one in whom Christ is formed one in whom Christ lives He is one that is sanctifiâ—d throughouâ— in soul and body and spirit of his mind as
Demonstration I shall speak something from this Text as God shall enable me and somewhat of the other to wit the seal of Confirmation from another Text if the Lord permit and so conclude this work Before I speak further of this seal of Demonstration or the appearances of it I will here premise six things First That as a Merchant sets his seal upon his wares by which he demonstrates such and such wares to be his and distinguisheth them from all other so God sets his seal upon his people to wit this seal of regeneration by which he demonstrates them to be his and distinguisheth them from all the people in the world profane morall hypocriticall This I may call Gods broad-seal sealing a soul to the day of redemption Secondly This seal God sets upon all his wares all his adopted children are sooner or later sealed with this seal every reall Saint every one that is effectually called hath this seal of Demonstration set upon him regeneration wrought in him Gods Image stamped upon him But all the children of God have not this in like measure the impression is not alike visible in all neither to the parties themselves nor to others some bear this impression as babes others as men grown up to some maturity all Gods adopted children bear this impression truly but none of them perfectly in this life The third thing premised is this That this seal of Demonstration to wit true regeneration is of absolute necessity unto salvation for Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 No man shall ever inherit the kingdome of glory that hath not this seal set upon him in the kingdome of grace Christ will own none of these wares for his in that other world whom he doth not thus seal in this world it stands not with his justice to own such The fourth thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration demonstrates to God to man to others and to a mans self except in some cases that he is Gods He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 2 Thes. 2.13 Fifthly This seal of regeneration is such as others may discern therefore I call it a seal of demonstration The Image of God if once stamped in truth upon the soul cannot be hid no more than fire in a mans bosome the love of God in the heart will shew it self in the outward man Nay this seal of regeneration is many times more obvious unto others than unto the parties themselves This seal is so lively stamped on some of Gods people that it shews it self very eminently in the eies of others when they that have it cannot nor will not behold it in themselves The sixth and last thing premised is this That this seal of regeneration whereever it is truly stamped by the holy Spirit of God is Gods mark and the soules earnest for Heavens eternity The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Psal. 4.3 The person thus sealed is a sequestred person sequestred for the Lords use sealed unto the day of redemption Where note That this seal of regeneration doth confirme and make sure the love of God unto the person on which it is set as well as the other though not alwayes to the apprehension of the person Object But Satan doth many times counterfeit this seal and thereby cheats and cosens many a soul He counterfeiteth holiness and perswades the soul that is but seemingly regenerate that he is truly regenerate and him that hath but civill holiness that he hath saving holiness and by this sophistry of his cheats and undoth many a soul How shall I then come truly to discern whether the demonstrative seal set upon my self be indeed the seal of the holy Spirit of God or but the counterfeit set by Satan Answ. 1. Wheresoever there is true regeneration wrought by the holy Spirit of God Satans seal which is upon our soules as we come into the world is cancelled corruption is not barely restrained but mortified The body is dead because of sinne as the Scripture speaks the soul is bent against every sinne it allows not it self in any known sinne it hates all sin but where Satan counterfeits this seal corruption is but restrained the heart loves it still and cherisheth some one sinne or other 2. The soul â—hus sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God the Image of God is stamped upon it as the seal is so is the print which it makes the Spirit of God is a holy Spirit and the soul that is sealed by it is a holy soul He is renewed in the spirit of his mind Holiness is stamped upon his heart and spirit and from thence spreads it self through the whole man and through the whole life from the time of conversion regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God makes the heart pure and holy as well as the outward man therefore the Apostle calls it Holiness of truth Ephes. 4.24 and saith in another place The Spirit is Life because of righteousness Christ makes it a note of a good man that he can derive goodness from within Luk 6 45. Therefore I may safely pitch upon it That Holiness engraven upon the heart and spirit of a man and from thence declaring it self in the whole man and in the whole life is vigor fit and but fit to give the denomination of a soul thus sealed regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God is begun in the inward man it is universall and goes through every faculty of the soul and every part and member of the body through the whole life and conversation he that is truly sanctified is sanctified throughout and holy in all manner of conversâ—tion he that is sealed by the holy Spirit of God beares the Image of God in all these But Satans counterfeit seal of Demonstration stamps his own image he is seemingly an Angel of light whilest really a Devil and he that is thus sealed by Satan resembles him in this he is a seeming Saint a reall Devil So Christ spake of Iudas Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil He that is thus sealed by Satan hath Holiness painted on his outside but wickedness graven on his heart as is evident in the Scribes and Pharisees who were thus sealed by Satan they were outwardly holy as Christ shews at large Mat. 23. but inwardly very ugly and rotten and therefore calls them whited sepulchres not sealed soules Civill Holiness may and many times doth enable a man to carry himself civilly and holily in the eies of men but saving Holiness makes a man studious and carefull to approve himself unto God in his very thoughts and affections and in the motions of his heart as well as the motions of the outward man yea this is that which he is most carefull of and industrious about that is sealed
He is no servant of sinne he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to obey any sinne in the lusts thereof as an unregenerate person doth with free consent Law taken in this latter sence is that which I think this Text points at by the scope of this Chapter and all the passages of it and taken in this sense I am sure it is most for my purpose therefore I pitch upon it He that is led by the Spirit of God as a sanctifier is in great measure freed from this Law of sinne When this Law to wit lust leads as commander in chief the person is soon led away with a spirit of errour and inticers thereunto as the Apostle shews â— Tim. 3.6 2. But he whom the Spirit of God leads as commander in chief beleeves not every spirit but tries the spirits whether they are of God as the Apostle exhorts all Christians to do 1 Ioh. 4.1 He makes the written Word his touchstone to try them by He knows that whatsoever is revealed contrary to the Word of God is not of the Spirit for the Spirit of God doth not dispense things contrary unto but agreeable with the Word of God as Christ affirms Ioh. 16.13 14 15. The Spirit saith Christ shall not speak of himself but he shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you He shall take of mine and shew it unto you which language plainly shews That the Spirit of God doth make use of the Word of God and revealeth the meaning of it but never contradâ—cts it Note this all you that boast of the Spirit and yet slight and contemn the Word 3. He whom the Spirit of God leads after a special manner he leades into all truth as Christ affirms Ioh. 16.13 He shall guide you into all truth that is into all truth necessary for you in such a sphere and condition as God hath assigned you unto truth in judgment in heart in practice But here note That although the Spirit of God doth lead into all Truth yet the Spirit doth not this all at once neither doth the Spirit this ordinarily without the reading and preaching of the Word but by it specially where it may be had 4. He whom the Spirit of God thus leads he fits and inables to walk with God under Ordinances as appears by Ezek. 36.27 where God gives his Spirit he gives him for a leader and whom the Spirit of God leads it inables to walk with God in the use of his Ordinances as that Text plainly shews even in the most glorious times of the Gospel for of these the Prophet here speaks Note this all you that boast of the Spirit and think you are led by the Spirit and yet cry down Ordinances 5. He whom the Spirit of God thus leads he quickeneth in some measure Rom. 8.11 where the Spirit of God dwels as a leader he dwels as a quickener he quickeneth our souls even while they dwell in houses of clay in mortal bodies he quickeneth them in every faculty and to every holy duty though not all in like measure nor to all duties at the same time Note this all you that not being under a Temptation to distrust think you are led by the Spirit of God and yet find no quickening at all by the Spirit neither desire any nor feel want of it 6. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God worships God in spirit and in truth he doth serve God in newnesse of spirit as the Apostle affirms Phil. 3.3 he doth inwardly and sincerely worship and serve God as well as outwardly and formally He knows his leader is not pleased with any outward performances severed from the service of the spirit to wit the inward man and therefore he strives with all his might to exercise all the powers of his soul and act and improve all his graces in and by the service of God being exceedingly desirous to serve his leader acceptably Note this all formal and persunctary servers of God that think you are led by the Spirit of God and all Gods People that think you are not led by the Spirit of God and yet exceedingly desire and labour thus to do 7. He whom the Spirit of God thus leadeth he helpeth his infirmities The Spirit saith the Apostle helpeth our infiâ—mities meaning theirs to whom he is a leader But how doth the Spirit that Why by discovering our infirmities unto us and supplying what is wanting in us out of Christs fulnesse which he holds up and applies to us The Text doth not say That the Spirit perfectly cureth our infirmities but he helpeth our infirmities He helpeth them by doing that for us which we cannot do our selves Rom. 8.26 this each mans experience which is thus led by the Spirit will tell him 8. He that is thus led by the Spirit finds so much sweetnesse in his leader that he still desires to be more led by him to be filled with the Spirit as the Scripture speaks He never thinks he hath enough of the Spirit but still desires more and his soul follows hard after the Lord in Prayer and in the use of all meanes by him appointed for the attaining a greater measure of the Spirit than he yet hath 9. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God is led by the written Word of God the revealed Will of God which is the instrument rule and demonstrator of the Spirit of God in reference to man and he that hath the Word of God or might have and will not be led by it hath no ground to conclude that he is led by the Spirit of God as it is evident by Isai. 8.20 These leaders to wit the Word and the Spirit are never opposite one to another 10. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God is chary of the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and fights with it against all his spiritual enemies the World the Flesh and the Divel this is evident in the natural Sonne of God Jesus Christ Mat. 4.4 7 10. and in many of the adopted Children of God of whom we read in Scripture Note this all you that slight the Worâ— of God and fight not with it but against it and yet make your boast that you are led by the Spirit 11. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God doth walk in the Spirit and he doth walk after the Spirit But what is it to walk â—n the Spirit or to walk after the Spirit These expressions I think differ not much To walk in the Spirit saith Luther is to wrestle in spirit against the flesh and to follow spirituall motions Walking in the Spirit saith Mr Perkins is to order our lives according to the direction and motion of the Spirit A man may then be said to walk after the Spirit saith Ios. Exâ—n when in respect of the trade and course of his life he walks not according to the guidance and motion of his corrupt
compassion on soul and body when he beheld Ierusalem and thought on her sinne and sufferings he pittied her prayed for her admonished her and wept over her Luke 19.41 42. All which were reall testimonies of his compassionate Spirit and the Texts in the Magin illustrate this 5. Christ was of a holy and Heavenly Spirit He was holy saith the Author to the Hebrews his Spirit is called a holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Christs Spirit was Heavenly he was all for the things of the other World his thoughts words and works all steered their course thither-wards which evidently declared his Heavenly Spirit 6. Christ was of a publique and industrious Spirit He sought not his own but our good when on Earth he was still doing good to soul or body Mat. 4.23 He minded not himself his own ends or ease but his Fathers businesse and that he followed industriously as appears by Luk. 2.46 49. compared with Ioh. 4.34 which plainly shews he had a publique and industrious Spirit 7. Christ was of a soft and flexible Spirit he had a Spirit pliable to all his Fathers Will a Spirit easie to be intreated a sympathizing Spirit In all their afflictions he was afflicted saith the Prophet Isai. 63.9 he had a broken and a contrite Spirit a Spirit broken with sorrow for our sinnes all which were reall testimonies of his soft and flexible Spirit 8. Christ was of a lively Spirit and of a descerning Spirit he had a Spirit directly opposite to that Spirit spoken of Isai. 29.10 he had a spirit spiritually alive hence it was that he was of quick understanding in the feare of the Lord as the Prophet speaks Isa. 11.3 9. Christ was of a patient Spirit he had a Spirit slow to anger and long suffering he took all patiently from God and Man without repining in heart or tongue He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth saith the Prophet c. Isa. 53.7 When he was reviled he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 These were reall testimonies of his patient Spirit 10. Christ was of a loving Spirit even towards his very enemies he prayed for his enemies Luk. 23.34 died for his enemies Rom. 5.10 and all this out of love to them which was a reall testimony of his loving Spirit 11. Christ was of a Praying Spirit he spent much time in Prayer as the Evangelists shew with much delight and industry as appears by Mar. 1.35 Mat. 14.23 Luk. 6.12 Ioh. 17. chap. which shews he was of a praying Spirit 12. Christ was of an obeying Spirit of a self-denying Spirit he denied his own Will as man to do his Fathers Will as appears by Luk. 12.14 compared with Ioh. 5.30 The last words Matth. 26.39 Phil. 2.8 By all which it is evident That Christ was of an obeying Spirit 13. Christ was of a thankfull Spirit that which was matter of joy to him he made matter of praise and thanksgiving to his Father as appears by Matth. 11.25 Mar. 6.41 Christ had a Spirit thankfull to God and thankfull to man whatever kindnesse was shewed unto him returned upon the head of the doer with abundant recompence and this lively domonstrates his thankfull Spirit 14. Christ had a Spirit delighted in the exercise of all Gods Ordinances and all holy duties as his frequent exercise therein and exhortation thereunto do fully evince he was still ready to take every opportunity to instruct the people as appears by Mat. 5.1 Mar. 2.2 6.34 Luk. 5.1 3. and he exhorted his Disciples to duty Mat. 9. ult By which it is evident that his Spirit was delighted therewith 15. Christ was of a world contemning Spirit as his Birth Life and Death did fully declare and evince for in all these he shewed his contempt of the World both in the good and evill of it 16. Christ was not of a time-serving but of a God-glorifying Spirit He sought not his own but his Fathers glory in all times and things as his own Language Ioh. 12.28 17.4 shews Christ sought his Fathers glory in all things and above all things which evidently declares he had a God-glorifying Spirit 17. Christ was of a faithfull Spirit he was faithfull to God in all things He was faithfull to him that appointed him saith the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 3.2 He was a faithfull High-Priest He is called Faithfull and true Rev. 19.11 The faithfull and true witnesse Rev. 3.14 By all which is evident that Christ was of a faithfull Spirit 18. Christ had an elivated Spirit his Spirit was raised above the World and the things of the World his Spirit did sore aloft and solace it self in the things of the other world it did solace it self in God in what he did injoy in God before he left the bosome of his Father and what he should injoy with him again when he had finished the work which his Father gave him to do This is evident by the Language of Christ Ioh. 17.5 and by that which is spoken of him Heb. 12.2 19. Christ was of a stable Spirit he did not stagger in Spirit or reel up and down from one opinion to another but his Spirit was stedfast with God and unmoveable in calmes and in storms He was yesterday and to day and the same for ever How variable soever the world was in their opinion of him yet he was still the same as appears Heb. 13.8 Which evidently demonstrates his Spirit was stedfast with God 20. In fine Christ had a Spirit full of all Divine excellency and beauty he had a Spirit of Wisdome and Vnderstanding a Spirit of Counsell and Might a Spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord a Spirit indued with all Divine excellency as the Prophet shews Isa. 11.2 All these qualifications were in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ and he that is joyned unto the Lord he that is ingrafted into Christ and made new by him is one Spirit with him He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit saith this Text. Here note That this Text doth not say that he that is joyned unto the Lord is equal with him but that he that is joyned unto the Lord is one with him He that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit Christ and he that is joyned unto him are one in spirit The particulars fore-mentioned shew what Spirit the Lord Jesus Christ was of and this Text tels us what spirit he that is one with Christ is of what spirit a new Creature is of He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit he is one spirit with the Lord. As face answers face in water so doth the heart of man to man saith Solomon As a Picture answers to the Life so doth the Spirit of a new Creature answer to the Spirit of Christ saith the Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Wouldest thou then know thy self and thy
Answ. It is for inward fins as well as outward Note Luk. 1. Note It makes the soul to justifie God in all his dealings as appears by Neh. 9.33 Lam. 1.18 Luk. 23.41 Luk. 15.19 Ezek. 16. Note Eze. 6.9 Ps. 51.4 Hos. 14 2. Ps. 25.18 Psa. 39 8. Psa 51.2 9. Note Note Psal. 4.6 Cant. 1.2 Psal. 4.7 Psa. 63.1 Psa 42.1 Paul mourned for his sin after he was justified from his sinne This is fruit fit and but fit for real Repenâ—ance Pro. 28.13 2 Chron. 7.14 Isai. 1.16 17. Act. 3.19 Ezek. 14.6.18.30 2 Cor. 7.10 Ier. 24.7 1 Kin. 8.48 * Gal. 2.20 Love the Lord thy God and walk ever in his wayes are joyned together Deu. 19.9 Note Deut. 30.2 Act. 3.22 Thus did Zacharias and Elizabeth obey God Luk. 1.6 Psal. 119.6 a Ps. 119.72 b Iob. 23.12 c Act. 20.23 24. d Deut. 19.9 Deut. 5.29 Iohn 8.31 e Ruth 1.16 f 2 King 2. g 2 Sam. 2. ver 19. to the 24. Note 2 Cor. 8.12 Eph. 3.8 He trembleâ—h at the Word when it is rightly applied yea sometimes when it is wrongfully applied by Satan Conscience or Mâ—n Dâ—n 2.10 He thinks not the better of himself for what he doth or for what Gâ—d doth by him Ruth 1.21 Lam. 1.13 Luk 23 40 41. Rom. 7.24 Heb. 10.14 * 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 When sin is sentenced to death and dying then is it dead in Gods account and in Scripture phrase Note Gal. 2.20 Rom. 7.17 Rom. 6.16 The evill which I would not v. 19. Note Note Caution A Creature universally wed The appâ—arances of a new Creaâ—ure A new Creature doth not allow himself in any one known sin nor in omitâ—ing any known duty He is one that doth not follow after sinâ— but after grace * To clense himself from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit 1 Ioh. 5.4 a Numb 14.24 b 1 King 14 8. c Ruth 1.16 d 2 Kinâ— 2. e 2 Sam. 2. veâ— 19 to the 24. Jesus Christ formed in thee the first demonstration of thy new Creation 1 Sam. 28.14 13. The new man is renewed in knowledg Col. 3.10 Renewing light ishumble and humbling Iob 24.5 6. 1 Col. 1.6 Persons savingly inlightened walk as Children of light Eph. 5.8 2 Cor. 3.18 Note A new heart the second demonstration of a new Creature Note Note The newness of the heart consisteth not in the substance of it but in the quality of it when the heart is made new the substance is not altered but the quality isaltered A renewed heart is in Scripture called a new heart Job 19.28 Such as the heart is such is the man A new heart is in Scripture called by divers names and set forth by divers properties some of which I will here speak of as God shall inable me Note Note Note Note A heart wherein there is no guile reigning Prov. 16.17 Psal. 19.12 13. An uprightheart goes not after any known sâ—n but pâ—â—ys and fights against all sinne Ps. 101.3 Conscienciousin private duties as well as exact in publique duties An upright heart makes a man studious and carefull to walk uprightly Psa. 29. â— Psa. 63.1 Ps. 53. â—6 Hab 2.4 Ps. 125.4 This it doth because God delightsin uprightness more then in any other qualification Iob 13.23 Iob 16.19 Iob 13.6 Uprightnesse if once in the heart will never out Iob 27.10 Iob 15.33 Iob 18.16 Mat. 13.5 6. Iob 23.11 12. Hence it is that the Scripture calls for renovation in Spirit in professors of religion Eph. 4.23 The third demonstration of a new Creature is living in Christ and bringing forth fruit in him Col. 1.10 This he finds by experience 1 Sam. 13.8 Note Luk. 6.45 A new Creature is â—ne that doth not commit sin This is his fourâ—h demonstration Therefore an unregenerate person is said to be the servant of sin A regenerate person is not a servant of sin but a captive to the law of sin He that is born of God doth not commit that sin unto death the sin against the Holy Ghost This body of death is worse to a new Creature and this is his fifth demonstration Iob 3 21. A new Creature minds the things of the Spirit and is led by the Spirit this is his sixt Demonstration Psal. 4.6 Ps. 63.3 Cant. 1.2 Note When a man may be said to be led by the Spirit Note Note Nor at all times alike Note And according as the burdens which he goes under beheavior or lighter Note A new Creature is one joyned to the Lord Jesâ—s Christ and one Spirit with him This is his sevenâ—h demonstration A regeâ—ative and sensitive sâ—ul is comprehended under a rationall so is a joyning to Christ under a being in Christ. Ioh. 7.18 Spiâ—iâ—uall Pâ—iâ—stâ— Col. 2.12 Note Note Job 19.28 His goverment is spirituall yet external and internall Mat. 26.41 Mark 6.34 Mat. 9.36 Mat. 15.32 Mat. 14.14.27 Isai. 42.3 Luke 23.34 Act. 10.38 Heb. 5.7 Luk. 22.44 Prov. 8.30 Note Thus from providences 1 Cor. 11.32 To them that love God Cant. 1.5 6. Gâ—n 32. Mic. 7.9 Thus did Pauls bonds operate in him Phil. 1.23 Heb. 12.11 Note Pâ—al 89.30 31 32. Gospell-doctrine Gospell-Discipline Gospell-Conversation Note 1 Pet. 2.21 23. Divine patience What a Ja. 1.2 b Mat. 5.12 c Lu. 6.23 Divine joy What Hab. 2.17 18. d Mar. 8.38 e 1 Pet. â— 16 f 2 Tim. 1.8 g 1 Pet. 3.14 h Mat 10.26.28 31. Rev. 2. â—0 i Cant. 1.9 Note Christian courage k 1 Tim. 1.2 Rom. 1.16 l Dan. 3.18 Thus did the three Children we read of in Daniel declare their courage Rom 2.7 m Rev. 2.10 n Mat. 24.13 Perseverance Notâ— o 1 Pet. 2.19 I think it not fit here to define Conscience and therefore will pass by that Note This Christ inâ—â—â—nated to Peter Joh. 13 8. and plainly told Nicodemus Joh. 3.5 * Viz. In case of Ignorance Temptation Desertion Such a seal was set upon those mentioned Phil. 4.3 whose names the Apostle judged were in the Book of Life The saving graces of the Spirit are called The earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 5.5 Hates fin for its evil nature and because God hates it Eph. 4.23 Saving Holiness springs from divine principles He is still fighâ—ing against these and at last overcomes them all Note Note Joh. 16.13 14 15. Note All Gods adopted Children have Hannah's portion love speciall love but all of them have not Beâ—jamin's double portion to wit love and the assurance of it This is a choice favour a high priviledg He hath the spirit ofprayer though not the gift of prayer Note Note Sound assurance makes the soul to triumph over death the king of terrors as appears in Paul Rom. 8.38 39. 1 Cor. 15.55 Note Some singular doing or suffering for God or from God by means of sin or Satans or men * Prov. 14.26 a Follow the counsel that Moses gave to Israel Deut. 4.9 Take bred to thy self and keep thy soul with all diligence c. Negative Rules b Ps 85 8. Sin not away thiâ— blessinâ— give not râ—ines to any lust keep thy self from the accused 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.17 Remember that God never gave any man any qualification how glorious soever to the end he should glory in it Gods People may often say of their pride as Iephâ—â—â—â— did of 〈◊〉 daughter Alas my priâ—e thou hast brought me very low Walk according to the ruls of the Scripture * 2 Col. 2. Labour to grow in grace daily Mat. 25. Pray that the Spirit of God may still bear witnesse with thy spirit of Gods Love towards them
EVIDENCE FOR HEAVEN CONTAINING Infallible Signs and reall Demonstrations of our Union with Christ and Assurance of Salvation With an Appendix of laying down certain Rules to be observed for preserving our Assurance once Obtained Published by Ed. Calamy B. D. and Pastor of the Church at Aldermanbury London PHIL. 2.12 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling 2 PET. 1.10 Give Diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 COR. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Staâ— in Pauls Church-yard toward the West end 1657. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER THere are two things which ought to be the chief aim of all those who desire to live holily and dye happily The one is to get an interest in Christ the other to get an assurance of their interest in him The first of these is absolutely necessary to Salvation The second is absolutely necessary though not to our Salvation yet to our Consolation Without the first we cannot dye happily Without the second we cannot dye comfortably It must not be denied but that a man may have true Grace and yet want the Assurance of it he may be a Child of Light in darknesse he may have the direct act of Faith and yet want the reflect act he may have the Sanctifying work of the Spirit and yet want the witnessing work Though no man can have the witnessing work who hath not the Sanctifying yet a man may have the sanctifying and yet want the witnessing work of the Spirit Ioseph may be alive and yet his Father Iacob may think him dead true grace may be in us and yet we may not only not know it but beleeve the contrary This condition though it be sad yet it is not damnable For as a wicked man is never the nearer Heaven because he presumptuously conceits he is in the way to Heaven no more is a Child of God the nearer Hell because he thinks he is in the way to Hell Christ was not therefore a Gardiner because Mary thought so neither was Ioseph therefore dead because Iacob imagined him to be dead He that beleevs shall be saved whether he knows it or knows it not he that walks in Heavens way shall certainly at last come to Heaven though he thinks himself out of the way Notwithstanding all this though the Grace of Assurance be not simply and absolutely necessary yet it is a most precious jewell without which we can neither â—e comforted while we live nor willing to part with life It is a Heaven upon earth a Heaven before we come to Heaven The Prelibation and Pregustation of Heaven It is the hidden Manna Abraham's bosome the joy of the Lord and the peace of God which passeth all understanding It is to be laboured after with all labour And therefore the Apostle perswads us to give diligence to make our calling and election sure The subject of this ensuing Treatise is to direct and teach us how to get an infallible assurance of salvation Here are severall Marks and Characters propounded of a man in Christ the work is very weighty and of great concernment for whosoever undertakes to lay down marks of a Child of God must be carefull of two things 1. That he doth not propound evidences of Grace which are proper only to eminent Christians as belonging to all true Christians least herein he makes sad the hearts of those whom God would not have made sad 2. That he doth not mention such Characters of a true Child of God which may be found in an Hypocrite least he makes glad the hearts of those whom God would not have made glad The Author of this book hath brought very many marks of a true justifying faith of a distinguishing Love of God of of repentance unto life and of a new Creature c. Now though thou canst not apply all of them as thy portion yet if thou canst apply many of them and sincerely labourest to be capable of applying the rest thou art in a happy condition There are two wayes by which a man may come to know his interest in Christ. The one is by the witnesse of his own spirit The other by the witnesse of Gods Spirit There are some who say there is but one witnesse the witnesse of Gods Spirit This I grant is the chief witnesse but I conceive that the Scripture doth also hold forth the witnesse of a mans own spirit as well as of Gods Spirit Rom. 8.16 It is not said the Spirit witnesseth to our spirits but with our spirits that we are the Sons of God Wherenote that a mans own spirit is a co-witnesse This witnesse of a mans own spirit is nothing else but the testimony of an illightened andrenewed conscience reflecting upon its grace and assuring the soul that it is in Christ c. Of this way of assurance the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Iohn 2.3 1 Iohn 3.21 Heb. 13.18 Act. 24.16 When a mans conscience bears him witnesse upon Scripture grounds that he doth beleeve and repent and that he is a new Creature this is instead of a thousand witnesses and it is a continuall feast in the worst of times But now because the voice of conscience is sometimes so low a voice as that the spirit of a man cannot heare it especially when it is disturbed and distracted with the voice of sin accusing and condemning him and because the voice of conscience is sometimes uncertain so as the soul knoweth not what the verdict of it is And because also the eye of conscience is sometimes blind through ignorance and cannot see the garces it hath and is ready to beare false witnesse against it self and to say it is not justified when it is Or if not blind yet it is many times dimme and cannot see the happy condition it is in And sometimes it is infested with melancholly which makes it look upon its own condition with black spectacles And because the graces of Gods Spirit in his Children are sometimes so small and little or at least so blotted and blurred that conscience cannot read the graces God hath given it Hence it is that God out of his great goodnesse hath afforded us another witnesse besides the testimony of conscience which is the witnesse of his own Spirit witnessing with our spirits that we are the Sons of God This indeed is the great and the infallible witnesse therefore it is compared to a Seal whereby we are sealed to the day of Redemption and to an earnest and it is called the comforter and the Spirit of adoption by which we are enabled to cry Abba father Of both these witnesses this Treatise speaks to very good purpose One thing more I must add which will unto many seem very wonderfull and almost incredible The Author of this Book is a Gentlewoman belonging
the world that sooner deceives us or so much abuses us as our own hearts they are not to be consulted with nor trusted to without the Word but tried by it therefore search the Scriptures and search thy self If we go to the Creatuâ—e for assurance and go from Creature to Creature for it as the Bee goes from flower to flower the Creatures may all reply in the language of Job and say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me it cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof Honour may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and riches may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me gifts may say it is not in me and learning may say it is not in me neither is it to be found in me and thus may all the Creatures reply But where then is assurance to be found and where is the place thereof seeing it is hid from the eyes â—f the most and kept close from many of Gods Iewels The world sayes we have heard of the fame thereof but know not what it is Gods People say we thirst after it but know not where to find it Thou that thus complainest go to the word and it will tell thee in the Word and in the wildernesse assurance is usually found go thou to the Word to seek it follow the counsell of Christ thou that longâ—st after assurance but knowest not where to find it Go thy wayes forth by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy kids beside thâ— sheepherds tents Frequent the Word preached read the Word Printed Seek for Evidencâ— in grace and not in gifts in renewing grace not in morall grace seek it in the narâ—ow way These are the paths wherein the flock of Christ have gone before us and which they have trodden out unto us follow their foot steps if thou wouldest attain assurance go not in untroden paths to seek it it is a pearl that is not to be found in every place seek it therefore where it is to be found This is the first branch of the second Rule 2. The second is this He that would get assurance must seek it as it is to be sought after He must seek it according to the Scripture directory that is diligently orderly humbly perseveringly First He must seek it diligently Give diligence to make your calling and election sure saith the Text He that would get assurance must seek it diligently and industriously he must seek it as Solomon teaches us to seek wisdoms and understanding seek for it as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure It is treasure which lies hid and lies deep in the Bowels is the Scripture and he that will obtain it must dive deep for it and dive with his eyes open as the Indians are said to do for pearl he must labour for it industriously as labourers do in silver-mines Secondly He must seek it orderly he must follow the vein He must not begin where God begins but where God ends he must not begin at the root to fiâ—d the branch but by the branch discry the roote my meaning is he must not begin with Gods decree in predestination which is the root of salvation But with regeneration and justification which are branches issuing out of this root other wayes he may destroy the tree ere he is aware I mean himself and all hope of Heaven and salvation as I have known some do and fall into utter desperation The truth is he that will not beleeve untill he read God's decree in Heaven must never look for any assurance of Heaven here nor fruition of it hereafter If you will not beleeve you shall not be established saith the Text He that will reach to Heaven by Jacobs Ladder must begin at the lowest step this is the Scripture way to get assurance Christs directory prescribes it when Iesus Christ would instruct Nicodemus about his spirituall and eternall estate he did not send him to Heaven to read the records of the celestiall court but sent him to read himself over to search his own heart and life to consider whether he were regenerate and born again whether he were ingrafted into Christ and made a new Creature yea or nay Christ directs him to the effect to find out the cause not to the cause to find out the effect which teaches us that he that would get some good Evidence of the Love of God and his own salvation must begin at home with the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider what work the Spirit of God hath done in him what sight of sinne what sense of sinne what sorrow for sinne what lâ—athing and forsaking of sinne he hath wrought in him what grace or desire of grace or prizing of grace the Spirit of God hath wrought in him The Father himself Loveth you saith Christ. But how shall that appeare Why the next words tell us Ye have loved me and beleeved c. The Father himself loved you because ye have loved mâ— and beleeved that I came out from God It is as if Christ had said your faith to me working by love to me demonstrates it for Christ doth not here make our Faith or our love the cause of Gods love to us but the discoverer of it And the Apostle tells us That whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne and ver 30. saith that whom he did predestinate them he also called to wit inwardly and effectually according to his purpose by giving them saving grace and whom he thus calleth them he also justifieth and whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth And here the Apostle followeth the example of his Lord and Master leading us to the cause by the effects and to the end by the meanes hence it is evident That he that would get assurance of his Election must seek it in the workings of God in and upon himself he must consider how his justification iâ— evidenced by his sanctification and his election by both Sanctification is Gods work in us justification is Gods work upon us both together are certain pledges of his good will towards us In the third place He that would seek assurance as it is to be sought after must seek it humbly with feare and trembling the Scripture calls upon us so to do Work out your own salvation with feare and trembling a seeker of assurance must seek humbly upon his knees and he must seek tremblingly with a holy feare and jealousie least he should mistake and miscarry for though it be possible for a Child of God to know his estate yet it is very difficult Fourthly He must seek perseveringly he must never give over asking untill he receive never give over seeking untill he find what he seeketh He must follow the example of the Spouse seeking
her Beloved inquire of the watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel where and how to find what he seeketh and followeth Christ by earnest prayer as the woman of Canaan did untill he obtaine his suit and he must not rest satisfied with the beginnings thereof but still labour for increase The Scripture speaks of assurance and full assurance of hope of assurance and sull assurancâ— of faith of the riches of full assurance of understanding and of great boldnesse in the faith to be attained in this life and this the Apostle prayed for for the Ephesians and laboured to beget in the Colossians as appears by the forecited place and this the Scripture exhorts all Christians to labour for and saith That he that doth these things shall never fall but an entrance shall be ministred unto him abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ which one would think were argument enough to perswade any Immortall soul to seek after it Thus of the second rule propounded for the getting of assurance The third is this He that would get assurance of the Love of God must work by the help of the Spirit of God who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as the Scripture saith And beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God the Word cannot without the Spirit the Spirit will not without the Word assure us oâ— eternall happinesse therefore he that would get assurance must work by the help of the Spirit he must try himself and his graces by the Word through the help of the Spirit In the fourth place He that would get assurance must carefully avoid all the hinderances thereof in the generall he must shun and avoid all sinne more especially these sinnes Ignorance Atheisme Prophannesse and Hypocrisie Vnbelief and Impenitency Erronious Opinions Presumption and Desperation neglect of the meanes of Grace formall Vse of them and Rebellion against them strangnesse with God and Iesus Christ. Fifthly He that would get assurance must labour for all those qualifications and graces which may render him capable â—f it and which God usually imparts this blessing to First he must become a new Bottle I mean a new Creature for assurance is new wine and Christ will not put it into an old Bottle for it would burst the Bottle Labour therefore for grace trush of grace every renewing grace But more especially these graces Knowledg Faith Sincerity Heart-humility Contritition accompanied with Convertion and new Obedience Assurance will not dwell in an Ignorant Vnbelieving Hypocriticall Heart therefore he that would attain it must labour for those graces which are contrary to these vices God dwels as a reviver in the heart of the humble and contrite sinner He revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones Iesus Christ puts the strongest wine in broken Bottles I do not say into old but into broken Bottles he binds up the broken hearted He therefore that would get assurance must labour for an humble and broken heart A wise father will not assure a prodigall and disobedient Child of his inheritance while he continueth such no more will our Heavenly Father He therefore that would get assurance of inheritance with the Saints in light must come home to his Heavenly Father with a submissive and obedient heart with a heart obedient unto all his Heavenly Fathers Will. It is not every one that hath truth of grace that attains assurance but he that hatâ— truth of grace and strength of grace true faith and strong faith Therefore in the second place labour for strength of grace strength of faith and every other grace It is not every one that hath truth of grace and strength of grace that attains to assurance but he that hath grace and knows that he hath it Therefore if thou wouldest attain assurance labour to know the grace of God in thee In the third place Labour to know that thou haâ—â— grace that thou hast a true justifying faith that thou hast sincerity c. Grace in Gods Children is many times hidden from themselves and that is the reason why they reap so little comfort of it so little evidence by iâ— they do not know that they have received an earnest penny of God they do not know Gods ingagements of himself unto them Therefore if thou wouldest get assurance try and prove all thy graces whether they be true and reall Evangelical and renewing yea or nay especially these graces Faith Lovâ— Repentance Obedience Poverty of Spirit Sincerity c. that thou maist know thou hast truth of saving grace such grace as is crowned with glory and pray to God for sensâ— of grace Fourthly Get Righteousnesse Evangelicall Righteousnesse Righteousnesse of Iustification and Righteousnesse of Sanctification Assurance is an effect of Righteousnesse though not an inseparable concomitant of it The work of Righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of Rrighteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever Labour therefore to get Christs Merit for thy Iustification and Christs Spirit for thy Sanctification Fifthly Labour to beleeve as if there were no law to condemn thee and to live as if there were no Christ to save theâ— Labour to beleeve stedfastly and walk exactly with God and Man When Stephen beheld the glory of God The Text saith He looked up stedfastly into Heaven and it 's certain that though a weak faith may bring a man to Heaven and glory yet it will not bring a man to behold the glory of God whilst he is here below it will not bring him to the riches of full assurance therefore if thou wouldest attain this labour for a strong and stedfast Faith joyned with a holy life These qualifications he must labour for that desires assurance Sixtly he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of finne and in point of righteousnesse First he must deny himself in point of sinne he must not spare a right hand nor a right eye but if it offend cut it off pluck it out as Christ speaks he must deny himself in his darling finne he must not allow himself in any one known finne nor in the omission of any one known duty towards God or towards man want in this is that which Satan usually makes his great battering Ingen to overthrow if it were possible the Faith and Hope of Gods Elect and that whereby he hinders them from getting or keeping this rich jewell of Evidence Allowance of sinne and assurance cannot stand together they are as contrary as fire and water the one will out the other Therefore he that would get assurance must deny himself in point of sinne Secondly He must deny himself in point of righteousnesse he must renounce all his own righteousnesse in point of justification before God and count them all losse and drosse and dung and build upon a sure Foundation viz. the Rock Christ. He
him saith a believing Soul By all these places it is evident That it is the property of a true faith highly to prize Jesus Christ a true believer prizeth Christ in all things places persons and conditions above all things and beyond all time In the eighth place This Faith relyeth wholly on the Merit of Christ for Salvation for justification disclaiming all confidence in the flesh and excluding all boasting in our selves As appears by the Language of the Apostle Act. 4.12 and Phil. 3.3 9. And have no confidence in the flesh Not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ. Where is boasting then it is excluded By what Law of works Nay but by the Law of Faith Rom. 3.27 This Faith opposeth the Mercy of God in Christ against all sinne as greater then all The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sinne saith a believer speaking of believers 1 John 1.7 Because God hath said He shall Redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal. 130.8 All manner of sins and Blasphemies shall be forgiven unto the sons of men but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 This Faith as it lays hold on the promises of God so it makes him that hath it carefully observe the Conditions of the promises on his part Lord I have hoped in thy word and done thy Commandements saith a true believer Ps. 119.166 thereby intimating That it is the property of a true faith thus to rest on Gods promises A true believer applies Christ unto himself and himself unto Christ the promises to himself and himself unto the promises unto the conditions of them It is the property of this Faith to adhere to Christ even when it cannot see him nor apprehend one jot of love from him when he hideth his face from the soul and speaks bitter things and doth bitter things unto the soul Behold saith Job I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him He hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him He writeth bitter things against me and maketh me possess the iniquities of my youth He putteth my feet in the stocks c. But concludes Though he slay me yet will I trust in him When God hid his face from Iob and he could neither apprehend his love in his Providences nor in his Promises yet he adhered to him still This the Scripture cals for Isa. 50.10 Therefore it follows that this a true believer in some measure doth It is the property of a true believer to adhere to Christ as Asahel adhered to Abner and Elisha to Elijah Asahel would not turn aside from Abner though he dyed by his hand Elisha would not leave Elijah what ever became of him As the Lord liveth and as thy Soul liveth I will not leave thee said Elisha to Elijah and so saith a true believer to Christ Take from me what thou wilt do with me what thou wilt I will not leave thee I will cleave unto thee still though I cannot see thee I will trust in thee I will dye in thine arms In the Twelfth place this Faith is a working Faith it is not idle but operative and working as the Apostle intimates Iam. 2. ver 20.14 Faith without works is dead and cannot save living Faith is working Faith justifying Faith though it do not justifie by working yet is still working It purifieth and clenseth and that not the outward man only but the heart also Act. 15.9 It Sanctifieth Act. 26.18 to wit sincerely universally soul and body and the spirit of our mind as the Scripture speaks It spurreth on to Obedience Active and Passive sincere universal and constant as appears at large Heb. 11. Where all those worthies there spoken of are said to have done and suffered all those admirable things there mentioned by Faith This Faith makes a man patiently wait on God for the accomplishment of all that good which he hath promised in his Word in a conscionable use of all those meanes which he hath ordained warranted sanctified and affordeth for the serving of his Providence and accomplishing of his Promises The former part of this assumption is evident by the Language of the Prophet Isai. 28.16 He that believeth maketh not haste And by that which is spoken of believers Heb. 6.12 The latter is as evident by the practice of the Saints David believing the Word of the Lord concerning his Sonne Solomon and his building of the Temple was very instant with the Lord to make good his Word and what he had Promised very carefull and conscionable in instructing his Son to walk with God in uprightness of heart according unto all the Commandements of the Lord and in providing materials for the Work of the Lords House and encouraging his Son to the Work as appears by the 2 Sam. 7. compared with 1 Chron. 28. and 29. Chapters Daniel believing the Word of the Lord concerning the return of the Captivity of Iudah was very instant with the Lord by fasting and prayer to accomplish what he had promised as appears Dan. 9.2 3. Hezekiah believing the Word of the Lord concerning his recovery out of a dangerous sickness diligently used the meanes that the Prophet directed him unto 2 Kings 20.7 And Paul to instance in no more beleiving that grand promise That the seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head And that the God of Peace would Bruise Satan under his feet and that sin should not have dominion over him When buffeted by Satan Prayed frequently and Prayed fervently he besought the Lord thrice when the Law of his Members rebelled against the Law of his mind and led him Captive to the Law of sin He groaned under this burden bewailed his condition sought the Lord by Prayer for help exercised Faith on Christ And beat down his body and kept it under as appears Rom. 7.23 24. compared with 1 Cor. 9.27 The same Apostle believing the Word of the Lord concerning the preservation of himself and his companions in a dangerous voyage at Sea diligently exhorted them to use all good meanes tending unto their preservation sounded the depth cast Anchors abode in the ship c. Act. 27. All these meanes these Worthies used to serve the divine Providence and these examples plainly evidence That it is the property of true faith thus to depend on God for the accomplishment of his Word This Faith makes a man open-hearted and open-handed towards his Brethren in misery and want mercifull according to the Divine Rule ready out of a fellow-feeling of others misery bountifully cheerefully and constantly to do good unto all in misery according to ability but specially to the Godly not for his own glory but Gods for the honour of Christ and the Gospel as appears by the Language of the Apostle Iam. 2.15 16. Compared with
Spirit of God in the soul whereby a sinner is so much touched in heart for his sinnes that he truly turns from them all unto the Lord. I think it not necessary nor meet for me to discuss the termes or genus of this description But here Noâ—e 1. That repentance unto salvation is an Evangelical grace a Gospel-grace The Law knows no Repentance cals for none nor works none it is the Gospel and the Gospel onely that knows Repentance cals for it and works it Moses cals not for Repentance but Christ doth Mar. 1.15 That this Repentance consisteth of two Essentiall parts to wit contrition and conversion humiliation and reformation therefore he that would make a true trial of his Repentance must have recourse unto both of these That it is Evangelical contrition and not legall that is the first Essential part of Repentance unto life it is cordial reformation and not feigned that is the second Essential part of Repentance unto life But what is this Evangelicall contrition and how may I discern whether I have it or no Evangelical contrition is a godly sorrow of soul for all sinne arising from the apprehension of a gracious God displeased by sinne and thou maist discern it by this which here follows 1. Evangelical sorrow springs out of the Love of God and hatred of sinne and increaseth the Love of God and hatred of sinne in the soul the Love of Christ constraineth the soul to hate sinne and to mourn and grieve for sinne and the bitterness of this sorrow and grief for sinne sweeteneth the Love of God in Christ unto the soul and inbittereth sinne And hence it comes to pass that the soul loves Christ more and hates sinne more after it hath once felt this sorrow and been soked in it then ever it did before 2. Evangelicall sorrow is mixed with faith The Evangelical mourner bewailes his sinne and rests on the mercy of God in Christ and the promises which are in him yea and in him Amen for the pardon of his sinne and the mortification of his corruptions and grace to amend Faith of adherence is an inseparable concomitant of Evangelical sorrow although faith of evidence be not so He that sorrows for his sinne and rests not on Christ for the pardon of his sinne his sorrow is legal and not Evangelical desperation and not contrition 3. Evangelical sorrow is mixed with hope The Evangelical mourner mourns not without hope he hath hope of obtaining mercy even in the deepest of his sorrow for sinne as appears by his carriage in his mourning He despaires not but seeks to God for mercy his sorrow drives him to God and not from God as is evident by the example of the Prodigall in his deepest distresse he despaires not but goes to his father for mercy but had he not had hope of obtaining mercy he would have despaired had he not had hope of obtaining mercy he would never have gone to his father to seek it 4. Evangelical sorrow is mixed with Joy being mixed with Faith and Hope the Evangelical mourner looks upon his sorrow as a sacrifice with which God is well-pleased and therefore Joys that he can sorrow that he can offer this Sacrifice to God The Sacrifices of God are a broken and a contrite heart and spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise saith the Scripture Psal. 51.17 And this the contrite heart beleeves and therefore Joys when it can sorrow 5. Hence it comes to passe that the Evangelical mourner is an agent as well as a patient in the action of mourning He strives to provoke and quicken his dull heart and soul to mourn and thinks no labour too much to bestow to bring his soul to a godly manner of mourning He desires nothing more then to turn his Carnal mirth into Godly mourning Be afslicted and mourn and weep saith the Scripture Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Jam. 4.9 This this soul labours wonderfully to do and nothing grieves him more than that he cannot more grieve for sinne He labours to make his carnall mirth the matter of his spiritual mourning and wishes O that mine eyes were a fountain of tears that I could weep day and night for the sinne of my nature and the sinne of my life and the iniquity of my People 6. Evangelical sorrow is a heart-mollifying sorrow it softeneth the heart and makes it very tender and pliabâ—e sensible of the least sinne and the least displeasure of God for sin Hearts broken with evangelicall sorrow are like broken bones very sensible of every touch Hearts broken with Evangelical sorrow are very pliable to the will of the Lord above all other Lord what wilt thou have me to do saith a contrite soule Act. 9.6 as if he had said declare thy will Lord and I am ready to obey it to the utmost of my power whatever it be Such as the measure of this sorrow is such usually is the softness of the heart and the pliability of the will the more of this sorrow the soul hath the more tender is the heart made thereby and the more pliable is the will the less of this sorrow the soul hath the less softening hath the heart and the less yielding is there in the will to the Will of the Lord. 7. Evangelical sorrow is a heart meekening sorrow it meekeneth the heart and maketh it humbly stoop to the yoke of Christ and patiently bear the Chastising hand of Christ during the good pleasure of Christ. I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute judgment for me saith the contrite soul Mich. 7.9 It moderateth anger and maketh all calm within and without 8. Evangelical sorrow is a heart-humbling sorrow it maketh the heart humble and lowly The more of this sorrow there is in the heart the more humble it is and the less of this there is in the heart the prouder it is the more fearless and careless it is of sinne I am no more worthy to be called a Sonne make me as a Servant or any thing the meanest imployment in my fathers house is too good for me saith the contrite soul. I am but a walking-dunghill and fitter to be set on a dunghill then on a Throne saith the contrite soul. 9. And hence it is that the soul evangelically contrite admires free grace in every favour that it receives spiritual or temporal and is the thankfullest soul of all others for mercies received What shall I render unto the Lord for all his mercies towards me saith a contrite soul This soul speaks to it self in the language of the Lord to Ierusalem I was polluted in my blood and cast out to the loathing of my person and no eye pitied me to do any office of love unto me And then the Lord had compassion on
me and washed me with water yea with blood with the blood of his Sonne he throughly washed away my filth and annoynted me with oyl indued me with his Spirit and his grace c. I had forfeited all right to Heaven and earth into the Lords hand and he hath given me all back again freely and put me in a better condition than I was in before O the deepnesse of the riches of the Justice and Mercy of God! 10. In the tenth place Evangelical sorrow is a sorrow that keeps the soul in a sweet heavenly frame for all holy and heavenly duties it sweetly fits the soul for all holy performances Sorrow that flowes from the apprehension of Love in God is fresh and lively and full of spirits so that a man never performs any holy duty better then when his heart is filled with this sorrow Set a soul filled with this sorrow to pray and he will pray sweetly and heavenly fervently and effectually to wit in faith and so prevaile much with God Set him to hear and he will hear humbly and the whole Word of the Lord will be sweet unto him every precept and every threatning of the Lord every bitter thing will be sweet unto him every crum that fals from his Table will he gather up as precious food Set a soul filled with this sorrow to Divine Meditation and he will do it with great delight and freedome set him to receive the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord and he will do this action in its beauty He will looke upon him whom he hath pierced and mourn for his sinne that hath pierced him and every other holy duty will he perform with a more heavenly mind than others which have not felt this sorrow or not in that measure which he hath done 11. The soul Evangelically contrite sorrows not so much for suffering as for sinning not so much for being displeased as for displeasing and dishonouring God by sinne it is grieved for its sinne because the holy Spirit of God is grieved by its sinne and broken with its whorish heart as the Prophet speaks and is melted by the consideration of the incomparable goodness of God and his kindnesse and love in Christ towards its self abused by its self rather then broken with horrour threatnings punishments or slavish feare Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight saith the contrite soul and this is that which pierceth his soul. 12. The soul Evangelically contrite longs after freedome from sinne more than freedome from suffering it saies with the Church Lord take away all mine iniquity not with Pharaâ—h the plague Lord look upon my affliction and my pain saith the contrite soul and ease me of that if it be thy blessed Will but however forgive all my sinnes deliver me from all my transgressions Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities O wretched man that I am Who shall deliver me and when shall I be delivered from the body of this death This is the language of contrite souls The soul Evangelically contrite counts sin the worst Evill and Christ the best Good the guilt of sinne the power of sinne and the being of sinne is of all burdens the heaviest unto a contrite soul and that which of all other it longs to be freed from 13. The soul Evangelically contrite priseth Christ as the chiefest Good as the only true Good it is not satisfied with any thing without Christ it is not fully satisfied with any thing but Christ Christ in his Blood Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances Christ in his Ministers Christ in whomsoever his Image is stamped is precious above all earthly things unto the contrite soul Thou art my beloved and my desire is towards thee saith the Contrite heart to Christ. To the soul Evangelically Contrite the light of Gods Countenance and the sense of his love in Christ is more worth than all the treasures and pleasures in the world Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me thy love is better than wine better then Corn and Wine it strengthens more it comforts more it puts gladness in my heart more then Corn and Wine more than the choicest Creatures in the world saith the Contrite soul. When once this contrition had ceazed on Davids heart his soul did thirst for God as the thirsty land for rain and as the chased Hart for the water-brooks And not after God only in his immediate dispensations but in his mediate also after God in his Ordinances in his Sanctuary as appears Psal. 63.2 84.10 27.4 and thus did Mary Magdalen and Paul and other Saints under the New Testament when once this contrition had ceazed on their hearts they were very industrious seekers of God in his Ordinances By which it is eminently evident that it is the nature of Evangelical Contrition of hearts Evangelically contrite to prize highly communion with God in his Ordinances As it was with David and Mary and the other Saints here so it is with every soul Evangelically Contrite he hath the same judgement of and affection towards Gods Ordinances in truth though not in the same degree Such as the measure of contrition wrought in the soul is such usually is the measure of his affection to and thirst after these Divine excellencies forementioned 14. The soul Evangelically Contrite disclaims all righteousnesse of its own and rests wholly on the merit of Christ for justification before God We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs saith the Contrite Church Isai. 64.6 What things were gain to me those I counted loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord and do judg them but dung that I may winne Christ saith the Apostle Phil. 3.8 9. When once this Evangelical contrition hâ—d ceazed on the heart of Paul he renounced all his own righteousnesse all before conversion and all after conversion his old man and his new in matter of justification and rested wholly upon the merit of Christ which plainly demonstrates the truth asserted 15. Evangelical sorrow is a lasting sorrow and a wasting sorrow When once it hath ceazed upon the heart of a Christian it doth not pass away as the morning cloud and early dew or a land-flood but continueth and riseth up as a spring and is never exhaust till sin the cause of it be wholly taken away and not only the guilt and punishment of sinne but the very being of sinne till total deliverance from this body of death be granted This is evident in the Apostle Paul when once this sorrow had ceazed on his heart he did not cease to bewail his proness to sinne till his being in this world ceased as appears Rom. 7. ver 14.24 And as it is a lasting sorrow so it is a wasting
action Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes c. How faire is thy Love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy Love then Wine c. Cant. 4.9 10. I conclude this therefore with the saying of a worthy man A Christians affection is his perfection in this fraile condition The final cause of cordial Obedience is the Glory of God He that cordially obeys the Will of God propoundeth the pleasing of God and the glory of his Name for his direct chief and ultimate end in all that he doth in way of Obedience according to the direction of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 And these two the efficient and the end denominate the action 1. The properties of cordial Obedience are these Cordial Obedience is free and willing Obedience voluntary and not forced To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are saith the Apostle Rom. 6.16 It is willingnesse in Obedience that is the beauty of Obedience and that which God chiefly looks to in Obedience If you be willing and Obedient or willingly obedient then so and so ye shall eat the good of the Land Isai. 1.19 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 If I do this thing willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 By all these places it is evident That cordial Obedience is willing Obedience This was that which rendered Abraham's Obedience so lovely in the eye of God he rose early to go about the offering up of Isaac which shews he did it willingly He whose Obedience springs from Love to God hath his heart first warmed with the sense of Gods Love to him and he that aims principally at the glory of God in his Obedience hath his heart humbled when he hath done the best that he can for that he cannot bring more glory to God and hence it comes to pass that he is willing and ready to obey He consents to obey and that without grudging or repining even when he comes short of doing what he desires to do What I would that do I not saith a cordial server of Christ. 2. Cordial Obedience is universal Obedience and that both in respect of the Subject and in respect of the Object it is yielded of the whole man to the whole Will of God the soul according to all the powers and faculties thereof is only and wholly for Christ in its scope and bent the understanding the will and the affections are in their scope and bent only and wholly for Christ therefore saith the Apostle of such as were cordial servers of Christ Ye have obeyed from the heart c. Rom. 6.17 The body and all its members are yielded up wholly and only to Christ to the service of Christ for the magnifying of Christ shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot saith the cordial server of Christ God forbid 1 Cor. 6.15 God requires the whole man soul and body to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods saith the Text 1 Cor. 6.20 God requires soul and body to wit the whole man to be wholly yielded up unto him unto his use and service in Obedience in obeying all his revealed will touching beleeving doing and suffering Take diligent heed to do the Commandement and the Law which Moses the Servant of the Lord commanded you to Love the Lord your God and walk in all his wayes and to keep his Commandements and to cleave unto him and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul Josh. 22.5 And again Exo 23. ver 20 and 22. Behold I send an Angel before thee if thou shalt indeed obey his voice in all that I speak then I will be an enemy unto thy enemies c. saith the Lord. Go ye and teach all Nations saith Christ to his Apostles What should they teach them Why teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mat. 28.19 20. The Apostle useth the like phrase 2 Cor. 2.9 where he cals for Obedience in all things Here is universal Obedience unto the whole Will of God required in the whole man and he that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys according to this Rule of God to wit universally He yeelds up his whole man to the Obedience of the whole Will of the Lord without picking and chusing in the wayes of God without reservation or exception or desire of dispensation However he failes in his Obedience and comes short of what he ought to do and desires to do yet he determines not to reserve any part of himself from Christ nor to stand out against any part of his holy Will but hath his heart and mind ready prest to obey every of his Commandements which he knows as well as any the least as well as the greatest and the greatest as well as the least He thinks not tithing of Mint and Comin too small a precept to make conscience of nor a right hand nor a right eye nor an only Isaac nor Life it self or whatsoever may indeare it unto him too much to sacrifice when Christ shall call for it at his hands He resolves to obey those precepts which cross his corrupt nature most and the sinne of his constitution as well as those which it can better brook He resolves to obey both Law and Gospel in every precept Negative and Positive to his utmost power his Obedience is of as great a latitude as the whole Will of God He hath respect unto all Gods Commandements as the Psalmist speaketh 3. Cordial Obedience is conscionable Obedience He that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys not out of by respects but for conscience sake Conscience of duty leades him to the performance of duty so that he as of sincerity as of God in the sight of God obeys the will of God as the Apostles phrase is 2 Cor. 2.17 He that obeys the Will of God out of love to God and conscience of duty esteems all Gods precepts concerning all things to be right and hates every false way one as well as another even vain thoughts he consents to the whole will of God that it is good and delights in the whole Will of God after the inward man and with the mind serves the Law of God even when the flesh is captivated by the Law of sinne His heart inclineth to perform the Statutes of the Lord alwayes even unto the end and he wisheth that his wayes were so directed that he might keep all the Statutes of his God The Will of his God is deare unto him above all things Above Silver and Gold Above necessary food Above Life and all the
comforts of it And he is tender of it as of the Apple of his Eye according to that of Solomon Prov. 7.2 To him The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light His Commandements are not grievous for he delights to do his Will 4. Cordial Obedience is constant and persevering it holds out in all times and seasons and variety of conditions as Moses and Christ intimate And true it is That he which cordially obeys Christ continues to obey him in prosperity adversity in time of peril as well as in time of praise when multitudes disobey and oppose the Will of Christ as well as when they seem to stand for the Will of Christ when all formal servers of Christ forsake him and cry Crucifie him as well as when they followed him and magnified him with Hosanna He resolves with Peter to follow Christ though it be alone and labours to follow Christ as Ruth followed Naomi as Elisha followed Elijah and Asahel followed Abner and doth it as is evident by many â—â—â—mples in holy Writ Noah Ioshua and Elija◠〈◊〉 Mary Magdalen and other Wome◠〈…〉 followed Christ were notable examâ—â—◠〈◊〉 in their time Here note these four things 1. That opposition doth not take off but rather spur on a cordial server of Jesus Christ. 2. That he that cordially obeys the Will of Christ is conformable unto Christ in Obedience He obeys the Will of Christ as Christ obeyed the Will of his Father for kinde though not for measure and degree to wit freely universally constantly even unto the death In all which respects cordial Obedience may be styled singular Obedience 3. And thirdly note That notwitâ—standing all this one that cordially serves and obeys Christ may and sometimes doth desist for a time through strong Temptations and humane weaknesse according to outward appearance This was Peter's case when he denyed his Master yet his heart still moved towards his Master his affections still yerned towards Christ even whilst his tongue denyed him as appeares by the consequence 4. Lastly note That he that cordially desires and really indeavours to obey the Will of the Lord if it were possible exactly and perfectly from right grounds and for right ends doth this in Gods account God who will accept the will for the deed accepts this desire and indeavour in and for Christ as Obedience He that consents to obey doth obey in Gods account To get a sure testimony to thy self then of the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul and of thy eternal salvation by Christ examine thy Obedience 〈◊〉 these rules of trial and if it be correspondâ—â—â— with them know that it is such as 〈◊〉 â—â—â—onstrates the holy Spirits saving operatâ—â—◠〈◊〉 thee and thy eternal salvation by Christ and give him the glory of all and humbly and beleevingly seek to him to better thy Obedience daily that God may have glory by it Poverty of Spirit Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the Poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven THis is Jesus Christs own position therefore it needs no proof but cals for belief Christ in these words bequeathes the Kingdom of Heaven not 〈…〉 only but by deed of gift if I may so 〈◊〉 to the Poore in Spirit Blessed are the Poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven c. By the Kingdom of Heaven in Scripture is sometimes meant the Kingdom of Grace and sometimes the Kingdom of Glory Both these as Christ here affirms belong to them that are poor in Spirit Blessed are the Poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven c. The Poor in spirit are a generation mean and base in their own eyes and in the eyes of the world too but a generation very precious in the eye of Jesus Christ a generation very blessed and highly honoured by Christ himself a Kingdom of Grace and a Kingdom of Glory is here by Christ assigned to them Blessed are the Poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven For the better understanding of these words note That a man may be two wayes poor in spirit He may be gracelesly poor or graciously poore in spirit gracelesly poor are all the posterity of Adam as they come into the world but this is not a blessed but a cursed poverty of spirit Graciously poor in spirit are all those in some measure in which Christ is formed graceless poverty of spirit is natural but gracious poverty of spirit is supernatural Evangelical and Divine Natural poverty or graceless poverty of spirit is cursed but gracious and Divin poverty of spirit is blessed Blessed are the poor in spirit fortheirs is the Kingdom of Heaven It is a gracious poverty of spirit and not graceless poverty of spirit to which Christ assigns the Kingdom of Heaven The frame of his spirit which is gracelesly poor is lively pictured Iob 11.12 Man is born like a wild asses-colt Job 39.7 8. He scarneth the multitude of the City He regardeth not the crying of his driver the range of the mountains is his pasture and he searcheth after every green thing A proud impudent silly vain Creature These words declare man gracelesly poore in spirit to be Thou sayest thou art rich and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 This is Gods description of man graciously poor in spirit but this is not that poverty of spirit which I am seeking after not that on which Christ pronounces Blessed not that on which the Kingdom of Heaven is intailed therefore I pass by it Quest. But what is that poverty of spirit which Christ pronounceth blessed and on which he entailes the kingdome of Heaven How may it be described Answ. It is a speciall work of the sanctifying Spirit in the soul whereby a man is brought to see and feel his own emptiness of grace and Christs fulness and is truly humbled in regard of the one and in some measure comforted in regard of the other as one that hopes to receive of his fullness grace for grace This is that gracious poverty of spirit which Christ pronounces blessed and on which he intailes the kingdome of Heaven and the appearances of it are these which follow 1. A man graciously poor in spirit abhors himself and loaths himself because of all his abominations he is worse in his own eies than he can be in any mans else he sees a fullness of sinne in his nature and a fullness of sinne in his conversation and yet not such a fullness as he would see Iob 13.23 He is in his own account the chief of sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 2. A man graciously poor in spirit sees in himself a great emptiness of grace he sees that he is not sufficient of himself to think a good thought He is in his own account the poorest man in the best things of all that look after them Less than the leâ—st
the 〈…〉 one holy 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 He is 〈…〉 from the 〈…〉 old thing◠〈…〉 new as this Text speaketh He is one whose heart and spirit principles and practises are all new and holy He is one who having received a new life from Christ desires and endeavours to live as a new Creature unto Christ only one that in every condition labours to live for the honour of Christ and so as he may truly say To me to live is Christ to me thus and thus to live is for the honour of Christ he is one in whom the name of Christ is glorified and the Gospel held forth one who in all things whatsoever he doth in word or deed labours to do all in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ to the glory of God by him one who desires and endeavours to have his whole conversation such as becometh the Gospel of Christ and to have every thought brought in subjection to the Obedience of Christ. He is one who though he have fleshly lusts in him doth not make provision to fulfill them he doth not habitually design and take thought how to fulfill them but how to mortifie them he is one who though he walk in the flesh doth not warre after the flesh but against the flesh He makes not his liberty an occasion to the flesh He is one who though he cannot live without sinne doth not allow himself in any known sinne but hates every false way and groans under the remainder of the old man in him as his greatest burden He is one that carries a holy jelousie over hâ—mself and all his wayes and thence labours to keep a spirituall watch within and without He is one that worships God in the Spirit and puts no confidence in the flesh one that servs God in newness of Spirit not in the oldness of the letter one that labours to be filled with the Spirit He is one whose conversation is in Heaven whilst he is on Earth one that delights in the Law of God after his inward man he delights to do the will of God He is one of another Spirit then the world hath one that walks by another rule then the world doth to wit the Word of God He is a growing Creaâ—ure he grows in grace He forgets what is behind and reacheth forth to that which is before He aims at perfection and presseth towards this neark He is one that lives in Christ as a branch in the Vine and brings forth fruit in him He is one in whose Nostrils the whole body of death and every part and member of it stinks one that labours to abstain from all appearance of evill and to be holy and blameless before God out of Love to God He is one that minds the things of the Spirit is led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit He is a world-contemning and a world-overcoming Creature He is one that labours to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Christ as Caleb did to wit fully and as David did of whom God saies He followed me with all his heart to do that only which was right in mine eyes And as Ruth followed Naomi as Elisha followed Elijah and Asaebel followed Abner he would not leave Abner though he died by his hand A new Creature is one that counts himself a stranger and a pilgrim in this world and lives like a stranger a and pilgrim in this world one whose Conversation here declares that he minds desires and seeks after a better Country then this world affords to wit an Heavenly He is one that makes it his chiefest work to glorifie God and save his soul one to whom the Talent of time is very precious one that labours to use every Talent wherewith he is inâ—rusted according to the will of his Lord and for the honour and glory of his Lord one that labours so to walk before God here that whether present or absent he may be accepted of him one that labours to Honour God by using lawfull things lawfully as well as by shunning things unlawfull in themselves He is one that labours so to keep his account here that he may give it up with joy when the day of account comes He is one that doth not commit sinne one that seeks not his own but Christs and his Brothers good one whose affections are set on things above more then on the things below He is one to whom the Preaching of the Cross of Christ to wit the Gospel is the wisdom of God and the Power of God one who being born again as a new born Babe desires the sincere and nourishing milk of the word that he may grow thereby one that hears the voice of Christ speaking in his word by his Ministers knows it and obeys it and declines the voice of a stranger He is one to whom the whole Word and Will of God is sweet every bitter thing in it sweet He accounts no truth gall and wormwood as some phrase it He is one to whom all Gospel-Ordinances are sweet and delectable He is one that deserts not old truth to follow new light but makes it his sunne to discover the verity of it He is one that receiveth the Ambassadors of Christ to wit the lawful and faithful Ministers of the Gospel as Christ himself and esteems them very highly in love for their work sake He is one that delights in the Law of God after his inward man one that labours to live by saith in every condition prosperity and adversity one to whom the yoke of Christ is easie and his burden light one to whom none of Christs Commandements are grievous He is one that continuâ—th in the word of Christ in the love of it in the belief of it in the obedience of it He is one faithfull unto the death He is one which how high soever he be in place in parts in gifts or grace is low in his own eyes little in his own fight his heart is lowly still hence it comes to pass that when he hath done his best to follow the rule of righteousness he abhâ—rs himself for his unrighteousness and accounts himself a wretched man Finally he is one that is joyned to the Lord Iesus Christ and one spirit with him All this and much more then this the Scriptures affirm to be in a new Creature as all that are acquainted witâ— the holy Scriptures know Who so desires to be better informed touching a new Creature may consult learned Dr Preston on a new Creature but a prefect enumeration of all the qualifications of a new Creature is no where to be found but in the holy Scriptures which indeed do picture him to the life and to them I refer the Reader for full satisfaction herein and for the benefit of those which are unacquainted with the Scriptures or want time or ability to collect a cleare and sound evidence of a new Creature from the Scriptures I will reduce this
said of such an one in Ier. 17.8 That he shall not cease from yielding fruit and Luk. 8.15 He brings forth fruit with patience and Psal. 1.3 He bringeth forth his fruit in his season By all which it is evident That a branch truly in the vine hath this priviledg and Character beyond the best meer moralist or formalist whatsoever how little soever his fruit of righteousnesse seems to be either in his own eyes or the eyes of other men yet his fruit remaineth and kindly ripeneth it cometh to perfection at the length Eleventhly A man fruitfull in righteousnesse from naturall and morall principles brings forth fruit to himself only as Israel did Israel is an empty vinâ— he bringeth forth fruit to himâ—elf Hos. 10.1 Israel was a fruit-bearing vine yet but an empty vine how comes this to passe why the next words tell us he brings forth fruit to himself Thus it is with a man whose fruitfulnesse springs from naturall and morall principles only he brings forth fruit to himself to his own base ends his own honour profit and the like but he that is fruitfull in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine bringeth forth fruit unto God to the glory of God as the Scripture speaks Rom. 7.4 His fruitfulnesse springs from and depends upon Christs conjunction with his soul and tends chiefly to the advancing God in Christ God is both the efficient and finaâ—â— cause of his fruitfulnesse Lastly A fruitfull branch in the vine is usually most pulled and cudgelled â—ressed and oppressed Ioseph was a fruitfull branch in the vine even a fruitfull bough by a well whose branch runs over the wall yet the Text tels us That the Archers sorely grieved him they shot at him and hated him Gen. 49.22 23. As it was with Ioseph so it is usually with other fruitfull branches in the vine Satan and men stirred up by Satan do impugne molest and trouble them more than they do meer moralists this Jesus Christ hinted to his Disciples when he told them In the world ye shall have tribulation Lay all these together and make a touch-stone of them to try thy fruitfulnesse by and according as thou findest it agree or disagree with them make up the conclusion A fourth Character or appearance of a new Creâ—ture is this he is one that sinneth not one that doth not commit sinne so saith the Text 1 Ioh. 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and ver 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne This assertion is a touch-stone of the holy Ghosts making therefore it must needs be both necessary and safe for a Christiaâ— to try himself by and this I thiâ—k is such as if rightly understood may afford much comfort to a poore Child of God when many other appearances of his new birth are hidden from him though in the letter I confess it seems one of the unlikeliest Texts in Scripture so to do Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not saith the â—ext what shall I hence conclude That a branch in Christ a true beleever a new Creature is totally freed from the power act and being of sinne so that he doth not nor cannot sinne actually God forbid this were to give the Scripture the lye which saith That in many things we sin all even we that are born again And if we say that we have no sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Ioh. 1.8 And Rom. 7.23 a new Creature saith I see a Law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the Law of sinne which is in my members He doth not say I saw as one speaking of the time past before conversion but I see as one speaking in the present Tence and of the time after conversion he doth not say bringing me into captivity to the Law of sinne which was in my members but unto the law of sinne which is in my members by all which it is evident That this Text means no such thing as immunity and freedom from the motions act or being of sinne He therefore that shall hence conclude That he is totally freed from the power and being of sinne so that he doth not nor cannot sinne no more than the glorified Saints or Christ himself doth make of a touch stone a mill-stone to grind him to powder Object But if this be not the meaning of this Scripture what then is the meaning of it Answ. The meaning of it â—s I humbly conceive is this That a true beleever one that lives in Christ and Christ in him one that 〈◊〉 again and made a new Creature sinneâ—â—ot as an uâ—regenerate person doth he giveâ— not himself over to the commission of any known sinne neither allows himself in the omission of any known duty He is not a willing slave to any sin He sins not knowingly without damping and quenching in some measure for some time the actings of grace and the Spirit of God in him He doth not commit sin He doth commit sinne in the Apostles sense as I conceive which doth sin of purpose and with the consent of the whole will and with the whole sway of his affections this every one in the state of nature doth he sins with the consent of the whole will and with the whole sway of his affections and must needs do so because he hath no principle fastened on those faculties to cross him therefore in sinning he doth the evill which he would do the evill which he loves But it is quite other wayes with a Child of God who is born again and made a new Creature put in a state of grace He doth not so sin neither indeed can he because his feed to wit the grace of the Spirit remaineth in him though he sinne and sinne in many things yet doth he not sinne with the consent of his whole will nor with the whole sway of his affections in any thing The evill which I would not that do I saith a new Creature What I hate that do I. The will as all other faculties of the soul is but in part renewed Christ is formed in it imperfectly it hath in it at the best estate here a regenerate part and an unregenerate part and so far forth as it is renewed it doth nill the evill which the unregenerate part doth chuse therefore a regenerate man saith It is no more I that do it and so the Apostle here He that is born of God doth not commit sin because he doth it not as regenerate but as unregenerate So for the affections a renewed man cannot sinne with the whole sway of his affections because the renewed part of them doth decline and oppose what the unrenewed part of them doth imbrace and cleave to This contradiction in the same faculty of the soul is proper and peculiar to a Child of God in his state of imperfection and may therefore well serve to decipher him out and distinguish between a new
Creature and a meer naturalist For although there may be and oftentimes is a contradiction and combate in an unregenerate person between severall and distinct faculties of the soul the appetite against reason the will or affections against conscience yet there never is a contradiction in the same faculty of the soul in an unregenerate person neither indeed can there be for there is nothing in it to oppose This combate is peculiar to a new Creature where there is flesh and spirit in the same faculty and what the one chuseth the other refuseth it may therefore well be a Christians touch-stone to try himself by There is yet another way whereby a man may be said to commit sinne which is far more dangerous than the former yea remedilesse and that is when a man doth wilfully and obstinately oppose that which the Word of God and the Spirit of God doth throughly convince his conscience is the Truth and ought to be followed out of meer malice scorn and contempt and this is that which I think this Text points at chiefly but thus a Child of God a member of Christ a new Creature cannot commit sinne because his seed remaineth in him as the Apostle here speaks He that thus commiteth sin is of the Divell and sealed by him to Hels eternity 1 Ioh. 3.8 ch 5.16 Mat. 12.32 In the fifth place a new Creature is one that groans under the remainder of the old man in him to wit the naturall propensity which he finds in himself to all evill the inticing tempter of corrupt nature which makes him a verse to all good and prone to all evill as that which spoiles all his good dutyes as that which is his greatest burden bewailes it as that alone which makes his condition wretched and miserable longs earnestly for a total deliverance from this burden of corrupt nature prayes earnestly for strength against all the inticings thereof and rests of Christ by Faith in the use of all lawfull meanes by him appointed for a total deliverance at length and strength against all the inticings thereof until total deliveraâ—ce be granted all which is evident in Paul Rom. 7. And truly I never yet found any burden like this burden though I have born many this burden alone had not Christ borne the heavior end of it had sunk my soul in despaire or driven it upon desperate attempts the time hath been when to have been freed from the power of natural corruption My soul hath chosen death rather than life and longed for dâ—ath more then for hid treasures as Iob speaks yea when it would have joyed in that which nature abhors an untimely death by the hand of man would have infinitely more joyed me than the acquiring of the whole earth with all it affords only for the freeing of my soul from the power of corrupt nature which was so potent that my unbeleeving heart did often conclude That I should one time or other fall by it and by it be undone to all eternity yet the Lord was my stay and prevented what I much feared and out of this deep the Lord at length delivered me to the glory of Christ my keeper and deliverer and the incouragement of others in the like case I speak this much more I could speake on this subject experimentally but I forbeare In the sixt place a new Creature is one that minds the things of the Spirit is led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit These expressions tend all to one and the same end namely to denominate a new Creature therefore I put them together A new Creature is one that minds the things of the Spirit so saith the text Rom. 8.5 They that are after the slâ—sh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit As carnall hearts mind carnall things so spirituall hearts mind spirituall things a new Creature minds the things of the Spirit after the rule of the Spirit the Word of God He minds the things of the Spirit in the first place he minds them savourly chiefly and principally more than the things of the flesh and declares it by following after them industriously The apprehension of the love and favour of God and that which leades thereunto to wit the pure Ordinances of God are the only jewels which he esteems and follows after and for the acquiring and retaining of these he will part with all the good of the world and count it but dung as is evident in the parable of the merchant-man who sould all to buy the pearl A new Creature his great care desire and indeavour is to be more new O that I were more dead to sinne more alive to righteousnesse that I were lesse in the flesh more in the spirit lesse in my self more in Christ saith a new Creature And these are the things which he minds and follows after He is led by the Spirit of God so saith the Apostle Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God This language plainly shews who are the Adopted Sonnes of God and so consequently who are new Creatures for to be such a Sonne of God as this Text speaks of and to be a new Creature is all one in effect and he that is such is led by the Spirit of God That is his mark set by the holy Ghost by the hand of the Apostle The Spirit of God may be said to lead man two manner of wayes more generally or more specially as a qualifier only or as a sanctifier and that leading of the Spirit which denominates our son ship or the Creature new is not the more generall but the more speciall leading of the Spirit to wit the Spirit leading as a sanctifier as an inward sanctifier as well as an outward A man may then be faid to be led by the Spirit of God according to the meaning of this Text as I humbly conceive when hâ— by a speciall work of the Spirit of God upon his soul is inabled voluntarily and cordially to resign up himself in all things to be guided by the Spirit of God and cordially and couragiously to decline all other leaders contrary unto this 1. He that is thus led by the Spirit of God is not under the Law saith the Apostle Gal. 5.18 If ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law by Law in this Text some Divines take to be meant the moral Law and so taking it conclude That he that is led by the Spirit is freed from the curse of the moral Law which is very true of this mind was Mr Perkins others by Law here understand the domineering power of corrupt nature that which the Apostle cals The Law of sinne Rom. 7 25. of this mind was Luther Law thus taken the conclusion is That he that is led by the Spirit of God is not under the domineering reigning power of sinne
with him in this Christ and a new Creature are one in their ends and aimes Lord What wilt thou have me to do saith a new Creature I desire thy Will should be the rule of my action I desire Christ may be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death This is the language of one joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ and one Spirit with him He that seeketh the glory of him that sent him the same is true saith Christ and he that seeketh the glory of Christ according to the rule and exampâ—e of Christ the same is new say I. 3. Thirdly Christ and a new Creature are one in function Christ is a Prophet and he that is joyned unto him is one with him in this Chrisâ— is a Prophet to teach his members and his members are one Prophet with him to exhort and build up themselves and one another in their mâ—st holy faith but with these differences Christ hath the Spirit of Prophesie as a fountain and without measure in all fulnesse but hâ—s members as streams issuing from that fountain by gift and of his â—ulnesse Châ—ist is an universal Prophet to teach all his Peâ—ple without limitation of persons or place but all his members are not so they are limited Propheâ—s and mâ—y not go beyond the bounds of their proper spâ—ere not beyond the bounds set by this great Prophet in his Word Christ is a Priest and he that is joyned to him is one with him in thiâ— Christ hath made all â—is Members Priests to God Rev. 1.6 to offer up spirituall Sacrifice to God Christ hath offered up himself to God he dyed and sâ—crificed himsâ—lf to God And he that is jâ—â—ned unto him is made conformable unto his death he hath sacriâ—iced all to Christ his whole self his own reason will righteousnesse and wickednesse all within him and without him he is become dead to sinne dead to his own righteousnesse dead to the World dead to all by the body of Christ They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts saith the Apostle Gal. 5.24 Christ is a King to rule over his People and over his enemies and he that is joyned unto the Lord Christ is one with him in his Kingly Function He hath made us Kings saith the Text Rev. 1.6 Kings in a spiritual sense to rule over our thoughts affections words and actions over all our lusts so as sin doth not rule nor reign in us within nor without as an approved Lord Christ and a new Creature are one in Life and conversation A new Creature is one dead with Christ and risen again with him to newnâ—sse of Life he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Christ is formed in his Life and Conversation by transforming him in hiâ— Life and Conversation and conforming him in his Lise and Conversation to the Image and Example of Christ so as he may truly say with the Apostle It is no more I that live but Christ that dwelleth in me Christ was holy and harmlesse in his Nature Life and Conversation Heb. 7.26 He wâ—s inwardly holy as well as outwardly holy holy in his Thoughts in his Affections in his Words and in his Actions Holy in all mannâ—r of Conversation in all places in all company in all times and variety of conditions holy in Life and holy in Death and he that is joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ is holy as he is holy but with this difference Christ our head was holy by nature but we his members are holy by grace only Christ our head was holy with a perfect holinesse but we his Members have only a sincere holynesse in this Life our conformity unto Christ is in kind not in degree Christ our head had a derivative holynesse he could derive holynesse into his Members and infuse it into them which had none but this is proper and peculiar unto him this cannot the best of his Members do He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit one holy Spirit dwelleth in the head and in the Members in the head without measure in the members as it seemeth good unto the Head to infuse it Christ and his have one heart and they have chosen one way one way of holynesse leading to a place of perfect holynesse and happinesse they speak one language mind one thing aim at one end one they are in the state of grace and one they shall be for ever in glory He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit A new Creature a true Member of Jesus Christ is better known by his Spirit then his outward man for the root of the matter as Iob speaks is within him his Circumcision is inward in his heart and spirit he is one Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ. Ye know not what Spirit ye are of said Christ to his Disciples Luk. 9.55 But this Text shews what Spirit a new Creature a true Member of Christ is of he is one Spirit with Christ He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit A new Creature one joyned to the Lord in grace is very watchful over his outward man over his words and deeds but especially over his heart and spirit to keep them stedfast with God Thus was Christ and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Quest. But what Spirit was the Lord Iesus Christ of Answ. 1. The Spirit of Christ was a Spirit of Truth it is so called Ioh. 14.17 16.13 We read of a lying spirit in the 2 Chro. 18.21 22. and this is powred out in these dayes wherein so many lyes and slanders are daily broached to the dishonour of God and the Truth but this Spirit is not one with Christs Spirit but with Antichrists Christs Spirit is the Spirit of Truth but Antichrists Spirit is the Spirit of falshood error and all deceiveableness as appears by the 2 Thes. 2.10 2. Christ was of a humble meek and lowly Spirit as himself affirms Matth. 11.29 And the Prophet Zechariah of him Zech. 9.9 Of this Christ gave many reall testimonies when here on Earth He was not only humble meek and lowly in his carriage and in shew but in Heart and Spirit He was really such as his Birth Life and Death did testifie 3. Christ was of a just and righteous Spirit so saith the Prophet Zech 9.9 He is just Christ was not only morally just but he was Divinely just as is evident by his Government the revealed Will of God is the Cannon by which he rules they which walk contrary unto it sooner or later he punisheth and they which walk according to it he sooner or latter rewardeth He doth judg with righteousness and reprove with equity saith the Prophet Isai. 11.4 4. Christ was of a mercifull tender and compassionate Spirit he had compassion on the souls of his enemies as that Text Ezek. 16. ver 4 5 6. with many others shew He had
by the holy Spirit of God his chief work is within doors his principall care desire and endeavour is to approve his heart unto God and so walk that he may be accepted of him and glorifie him Then again civill Holiness springs from morall principles good education and the like but saving Holiness springs from love love to God is the root out of which it springs as the Apostle shews Eph. 1.4 The soul that is thus sealed by the Spirit of God his Holiness springs from love to God The love of Christ constraineth him thereunto The soul that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God dares not sunder what God hath coupled together to wit Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards men a man truly regenerate is carefull of both witness Paul Act. 24.16 He makes conscience of all sinne and of all duty he warrs against all sinne and hath râ—spect unto all Gods Commandments The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one in whom sinne dwelleth as a Rebell and ruleth as a Tyrant only He is one that is of all men the most sensible of and affected with carnallity in himself I am carnall saith he sold under sinne Rom. 7. He is one that serves the Lord with all humility of mind Act. 20.19 The more holy and the more righteous a soul sealed by the holy Spirit of God is the more humble he is Christ and Paul were notable examples of this He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is a world-overcoming creature a flesh-overcoming creature and a Devil overcoming creature He is more than a Conquerour over all these through Christ that hath loved him and sealed him by his Spirit He is one that is a new Creature and of this something hath been already spoken in this Treatise to which I refer the Reader for a farther discovery of a regenerate person In fine He that is thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is one that holds on his way and grows in grace I joyn these together so doth Iob The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 This seal of the holy Spirit of God hath this priveledge above and beyond all other seales the impression which it makes remaineth and increaseth This seal of Demonstration if once truly stamped by the Spirit of God on a soul abideth there the impression never weares out This annointing abideth as Iohn speakes 1 Ioh. 2.27 Truth of grace in the heart and it abideth there and the heart abideth in the truth When God gives a man truth of grace he gives it him to have and to hold for ever the soul thus sealed beares in it the marks of the Lord Jesus unto the death and most eminently after death in glory This seal of the holy Spirit of God is lasting and everlasting True regeneration seales a man to the day of redemption but this it could not do were it not a lasting substance This may suffice to discerne the reality of this seal of Demonstration by to wit true regeneration and to distinguish it from that counterfeit set by Satan I do not intend an innumeration of the qualifications and appearances of a regenerate person here but only endeavour to discry him and distinguish between him and one but seemingly regenerate and therefore strik◠〈◊〉 and proceed to the other seal of the holy Spirit of God to wit the seal of Confirmation mentioned before and for this purpose shall pitch upon Rom. 8.16 Spirits witness with our spirits Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God THis is the last but not the least evidence that a child of God hath in this life for Heaveâ—s eternity of this I â—ay say as David said of 〈◊〉 sword There is none like that give it me There is no testimony to that of the Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits to satisfie conscience to resolve all doubts remove all scruples and end all controversies about our eternall estate When the Spirit of God beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God to wit by grace and adoption the soul then enjoys heaven upon earth and hath meat to eat that the world knoweth not of It is sealed unto the day of redemption indeed with a seal of Confirmation and it knoweth that it is so The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God Hence it is evident That no mans own spirit can truly assâ—re him of the love of God towards him nor â— his adoption unless the Spirit of God concur and bear witness with his spirit no more than a mans own Deed or Seal can assure him of what is delegated or assigned unto him by another Neither is it the Spirit of God alone simply and singly considered that doth this but it is the Spirit of God concurring with our spirits the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that doth assure us of the love of God and our adoption When the Spirit of God by a speciall work of his upon our soules convinces them of the speciall love of God towards us of our Justification and Sanctification and we by faith assent thereunto then doth the Spirit bear witness with our spirit according to the meaning of this Text as I conceive then is the soul sealed unto the day of redemption with a seal of Confirmation And this is that seal which I am now to speak of and that which this Text points at This may be called Gods privy seal sealing a soul unto the day of redemption Of this seal the Apostle speakes Ephâ—s 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise c. Before I speak of the appearances of this seal of the Spirit of God I shall here note two or three things This seal of Confirmation God sets upon some of his people but this he doth not set upon all his people the Spirit of God doth â—hus bear witness with our spirits in some of Gods children but it doth not thus bear witness with our spirits in all Gods children Neither doth it thus bear witness at all times in those in whom it doth at some the Scriptures afford frequent examples of this 2. This testimony or witness of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is proceedeth from and dependeth on free grace and is a token of royall favour to whomsoever it is granted it is Christs golden Scepter held up to the soul. 3. This seal or testimony of the holy Spirit of God though it be the ratifier of our Redemption and Salvation in our hearts yet it is not the meritorious cause of it neither is it absolutely necessary unto salvation 4. This seal of the holy Spirit of God on whomsoever it is set is an earnest and but an earnest of that inheritance which he shall one day be
possessed of with the adopted children of God in heaven This is evident by the language of the Apostle Eph. 1.14 Obj. But Satan doth sometimes counâ—erfeit this seal too he perswades the soul that it is in a good condition and highly favoured of the Lord and draws the soul to presume upon it when as it is indeed in the very gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity How shall I then discern a true and well-grounded perswasion and the testimony of Gods Spirit from a presumptuous conceiâ— and the Devils delusion Answ. We must try the Spirits try the testimony that we have if any so saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4.1 Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God Object But how shall I do that How shall I try the testimony that I have whether it be of God or no Answ. By the rule of faith the written word of God as the Lord directeth Isa. 8.20 Luk 16.29 The written word of God to wit the holy Scriptures is the only true touch-stone that we have to try the Spirits and their testimony by And it affirms First That a true testimony of the holy Spirit of God is ever agreeable and exactly answerable unto the written word of God Gods witnesses do never disagree in their testimony the word of God and the Spirit of God speak the same thing As a pair of Indentures do exactly answer one another so doth the testimony of the Spirit of God exactly answer to the testimony of the word the word of God and the Spirit of God speak the same thing To the law and to the testimony saith the Lord if they speak not according to this word it is because therâ— is no Life in them Isa. 8.20 Heâ—ce it is evident That if the written word of God do not concur with the testimony that thou hast that testimony is not the testimony of the holy Spirit of God but a meer delusion of Satan a dead and counterfeit thing it is not a sealing unto the day of redemption but a sealing unto the day of destruction Secondly The word affirms that whosoever is sealed by the holy Spirit of God with this seal of Confirmation is first sealed by him with a seal of Demonstration this seal of the holy Spirit of God is not an antecedent to but a subsequent of the other seal of Demonstration it doth not precede but follow after faith and sanctification In whom after ye believâ—d ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise saith the Apostle speaking of this seal Eph. 1.13 Hence it is evident That a man is first a true believer he hath first a true faith a true and reall interest in Christ He is justified and sanctified and made a new Creature before thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God Here I desire the Reader to note two or three things First That it is a true believer only that is capable of this seal of the holy Spirit of God He that believeth on the Sonne of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 He only that believeth aright hath this witness of the Spirit of God in himself he only that hath a justifiing faith is thus sealed by the Spirit of God Secondly note That this testimony of the Spirit of God is one of the kisses of Christs mouth which the Church prayes for Cant. 1.2 But Christ doth not thus kiss and embrace his Children when they be all filthy and nasty he doth first cleanse them by his blood and by his Spirit justifie them and sanctifie them renew and heavenlize them Thirdly note this That the Spirit and the water and the blood do concur in their testimony where the Spirit of God doth beâ—r witness so saith the Scripture 1 Ioh. 5.8 There are three which bear witness in the earth the Spirit and the water and the blood and these three agree in one Fourthly note That the blood and the water may and sometimes do bear witness where the Spirit of God doth not thus bear witness with our spirits that we are the adopted children of God But the Spirâ—t of God doth never thus bear witness where the blood and the water do not bear witness Christs blood doth satisfie for sinne and his Spirit cleanse from sinne wheresoever his Spirit doth thus bear witness He therefore that thinks he is sealed by the Spirit of God with a seal of Confirmation and yet is not sealed with the seal of Demonstration is but deluded and bewitched by Satan and in a fools Paradice In the third place whomsoever the holy Spirit of God doth seal with a seal of Confirmation whomsoever he doth assure of the fatherly love of God towards him he doth qualifie with the disposition of a son to wit love to his heavenly Father fear of offending him desire care and endeavour to walk before him in all wel-pleasing obeying his voice out of love mourning for its offences and depending on God its heavenly Father for all things The soul thus sealed apprehends much love in God and this generates much love in it towards God again and the things of God this saith this soul is no common favour but a singular all of my Brethren eat not of this bread wear not this raiment this is Benjamin's portion and it calls for much love from me much filial fear and care more duty and better done And hence it comes to pass that this soul grows not careless and fearless but more carefull and conscionable in duty and tender of doing any thing that may displease God grieve the holy Spirit of God whereby he is sealed quench the motions thereof or cause him to suspend his testimony The soul thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God is never better pleased with it self than when it can weep over Christ whom it hath pierced and find Christ bleed over it it is never well but when in this frame it desires nothing more than such a frame of spirit as cannot look upon sinne but it sighs for sorrow nor upon its Saviour but it smiles for joy When Christ thus imparts himself to the soul this soul speaks to Christ as God once spake to Abraham Now I know that thou lovest me seeing thou hast not with-held from me thy sonne thine only sonne whom thou lovest said God to Abraham So saith this soul to Christ now I know that thou lovest me seeing thou hast not with-held from me this grace that is so lovely in thy sight but when it cannot find Christ thus present with it it is troubled Fourthly The soul that hath this seal or testimony of the Spirit of God hath a spirit of prayer in whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of adoption he is also a Spirit of supplication whomsoever the Spirit of God doth assure of the fatherly love of God towards him he enables to cry Abba Father and maketh request for him with unutterable Rhetorick he enables the soul to pour it self
God or not The Poor mans Physitian and Chirurgion The Idol of Clowns The Christian moderator in 3. parts The Golden Fleece or a discourse of the cloathing of England Duodecem Doctor Smith's practice of Physick The Grammer War Posselivs Apothegmes Faciculus Florum Crashaw's Visions Helvicus Colloquâ—es The Christian Soulder his combate with the three arch enemies of mankind the world the flesh and the devil In 24. The New Testament The third part of the Bible Plaies The Ball. Chawbut Martyr'd Souldier Is. 50. â—0 Iob 13.15 2 Pet. 1.10 Laetitia bonae câ—nscientiae est Paradisus animarum gaudium Angelorum Hortus delicia rum â—ger benedictionis Templum Solo monis Aula â—ei Habitaculum Spiritus Sancti Bernard Eph. 4.30 Eph. 1.14 Ioh. 16.7 Rom. 8.16 Mat. 21.1 2 Cor. 12.9 Socratis Historia li. 1 ca 16. Act 18.24.26 Rom 16.23 Phi. 4.2 3 Rom. 16.1 6 12. Con 1. Con. 2. Con. 3. Quest. Answ Rule 1 Joh. 16 2â— Iosh. 2.12 The second Rule Jer. 17.9 Iob 28.14 15. Cant. 1.8 In the use of all means 2 Pet. 1.10 Isa. 7.9 Iohn 3. Ioh. 16.27.29 Rom. 8. Phil. 2 1â— a Heb. 6.11 b Heb. 10.22 c Col. 2.2 d 1 Tim. 3.13 e Eph. 1.18 f 2 Pet. 1.10.11 Rule 3. g 1 Cor. 2.10 Roâ— 8.16 Rule 4. Rule 5. A true beleever only is capable of assurance Isa. 57.15.66 2. Labour to do thy duty Isa. 32.17 Act. 7.55 Hab. 12.14 Mat. 5.8 Rule 6. Rule 7. 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7.3.18 Luk. 6.47 48. Rule 8. 1 Can. 13. Quest. Answ. He that is in Christ chosen in him before the foundation of the World Eph. 1.4 Object Answ. Note Thiâ— Union is 〈…〉 bâ—t Mystical As an inward sanctâ—fier Renewing grace is the earnest of the Spirit Thâ— donation or â—â—mmunication of this grace by the Spirit of God is the inward and effectuall call of God whicâ— demonstrates our election By this Faith Châ—ist dwels in our hearts Christ is become the end of the law for righteousness to every true believer Rom. 10.4 All that believe aright are justified from all sinn Act. 13.39 Rom. 3.26 Believers do eater inâ—o rest Heb. 4.3 Although a reprobate may have Faith and divers kinds of Faith yet he never hath this Faith Note Quest. Sol. Justifying Faiâ—h described Property 1. a Cant. 5.10 b Ps. 45.2 c Cant. 5.16 d Cant. 2.3 e Cant. 5.16 f Cant. 1.2 g Ps. 63.3 h Psal. 73.25 i Phil. 3.7 8 9. Job 23.8 9. Job 13. â—6 27. ver 15. 2 Sam 2. 2 Kin. 2.4 The Holy Ghost originally as the Author Faith instrumentally as the meanes sanctifieth 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Good Faith is full of good Workes 13. Property Faith oveâ—cometh not at once but by degrees it is still overcoming and at length overcometh 1 Sâ—m 3.18 Note Luk. 17.5 Mark 9.24 Ioh. 8.31 Matt. 24.13 Col. 1.23 Note Iob 19.28 1 Iohn 3.8 19. Psal. 145.20 a Prov. â— 17 b 1 Ioh. 4 19. c 1 Ioh. 3.23 24. d 1 Ioh. â— 16 Ibid. v. 12. 1 Ioh. 4.7 e 1 Ioh. 3.14 Ioh. 13.34 35. Quest. Answ. Sincere Love to God What. Mat. 22.37 Prop. 2. He that loves God aright loves him for himself f 1 Pet. 1.3 â— Cor. 5.14 It makes a man tender of offending God Gen. 39.8 9. 1 Sam. 24.4 5 6. Ps. 97.10 Psal. 119.127 128. Note g Ioh. 14.23 h 2 Ioh. 6. 1 Ioh. 2.5.1 5 3. Dan. 3.12 18. Act. 4.19 1 Ioh. 5.3 Psal. 119 158 Psal. 51.4 Psal. 38. Psal. 4.6 7. Cant. 1.2 i Psal. 4â— 2 k Psal. 63.1 2. l Phil. 1.23 m Rev. 22.20 Note n 1 Ioh 4.16 o 1 Cor. 13.8 He that fears God aright feates him for nought 〈◊〉 the lanâ—â—â—ge of â—â—can concernâ—ng 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—mates Ioâ— 1.9 so he that loves God aright loves him for nought p Phil. â— 12 q Psal. 63 8. v. 1. r Cant. 3.1 2. s Joh. 20.1 Mat 28.1 Ubi amor ibi oculus Cant. 5.10 to the end Cant. 8.7 Exod. 32.19 20. Act. 17.16 c. Note 2 Sam. 12 Noâ—e Mat. 24.12 Therefore Ioshua and Iude exhort us to look to our love Iosh. 23.11 12. Iude v. 21 Note As we thriâ—e in love so we thâ—ive in all grace that issâ—es out of love Note This was Peter's câ—se Note 1 Joh. 4.20 Sincere love to man what 1 Ioh. 5.2 Note a Col. 1.4 b 1 Thes. 3.12 c Mat. 5.44 d Rom. 13.10 e Prov. 3.29 f 1 Cor. 13.5 g Luk. 6.30 h 1 Ioh. 5.1 i 1 Pet. 2.17 k Rom. 16.3 4. l Joh. 13 34 Mat. 10.8 m Luk. 6.35 n Rom. 12.16 o 1 Thes. 3.12 13. 1 Joh 2.10 p 1 Joh. 3.17 18. Jam. â— 15 16. q Luk 3.11 r Col. 2.2 s Act. 4.32 Prov. 10.12 1 Pet. 4.8 It is an everlasting love 1 Cor. 13.8 * And is thereby distinguished from a carnall love which oftentimes doth Christian love and carnall love herein differ Note This me thinks is very observable b Jam. 4.11 c Gal. 5.15 d Prov. 3.29 e 1 Thes. 4. â— f 1 Thes. 5.15 g Prov. 24 29. h Exod. 20.16 i Prov. 24 28. k Prov. 24 15. l Prov. 22.22 m Prov. 24 17. n Levit. 19.17 o verse 16. 1 Joh. 3.12 * Gain was wicked and slew his brother yet was he not so impudent as to give God thanks for it when he had done much less did he call out Adam thereunto Obadiah ver 12 13 14. p Rom. 14.13 10 21. q 1 Cor. 10.32 r Rom. 12.18 s Eph. 4.31 t 1 Joh 3.23 u Ioh. 15.12 * 1 Pet. 3.8 x Rom. 12.9 y 1 Pet. â— 22 z 1 Ioh. 3.18 a Ephes. 5.2 b 1 Thes. 3.12 c 2 Pet. â— 18 d Ephes. 4.15 e Gal. 5.13 f Heb. 13.1 g Râ—m 12.10 h ver 15. i Rom. 12 10. k 1 Pet. 3.8 l Ibid. m Eph. 4.32 1 Tim. 6.18 o Rom. 12.8 p Gal. 6.2 q Rom. 15.1 r Act. 20.35 s Col. â— 13 t Heb. 10.25 u 1 Thes. 5.11 * Col. 3.16 x Heb. 10.24 y James 5.16 1 Tim. â— 1. †Matth. 5 4â— a Gal. 6.10 b Rom. 1â— â—â— c Luke 〈…〉 1. Matth. 7.12 d 1 Thess. 5. â—â— 13. e Rom. â— 5. 1 Tâ—â—ss 5.13 f Lev. 19.16 g 1 Cor. 10.24 h Rom. 14.21 i Rom. 15.2 k Lev. 19.18 Mat. 22.39 l Lu 6.35 m Lev. 19.17 n Mat. 18.15 6. o Ib. v. 17. p 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thes. 3.6 14. Mat. 18.17 or in case of Heresie 1 Tim. 6. v. 3 5. q Rom. 16.17 r 1 Cor. 5.2 s Ia. 5.16 t Gal. 6.1 u Phi. v. 12. * 2 Cor. 2.7 8. x Mat. 18.35 y Luk. 17.4 Mat 18 2â—.22 z Col â— 13 Eph. 4.32 Object Answ. This and no less then this is vigor fit to give the appearance of a sincere Love The Gospel joines Repentance and remission of sins togeâ—her Luk. 2â— 47 Act. 5.31 Repentance unto salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 Note Quest. Sol. Note This is evident by the words in the proclamation of the King of Nineve Ion. 3.8 Quest.