scandall or contempt of the Churches lawfull constitutions and censures or in case he cause divisions or offences in the Church contrary to the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures mourns for his brother and praies for him in such cases Labours to restore his brother in the spirit of meekness when overtaken in any fault and returns to him when he turns to the Lord. Forgives him and comforts him and confirms his Love towards him He forgives his brother his trespasses from his heart as often as he offendeth and repenteth freely as Christ forgave us For Christ's sake and as God hath forgiven us All these qualifications the Scripture cals for in my Love towards my Brother as these quotations in the Margin do manifest Therefore that Love towards man which is congruous to the holy Scripture must needs have these qualifications in it ergo But here the soul conscious to its own wants and failings will be ready to reply as the Disciples did to Christ when he told them how hard a matter it was for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven who then can be saved said the Disciples so the soul will be ready to say here if all this be in that Love which is congruous to the rule of God who then can say his Love is congruous to the rule of God surely none for in much of this we faile all He that truly wills desires and indeavours to do all this that Christ may have the honour of it doth it in a Gospel-sense and in Gods acceptation who accepts the will for the deed where ability is wanting this must be granted otherwise no Child of Adam could conclude on the affirmative Now for other appearances of Love they are these What a man Loves he prizes accordingly What a man loves he delights in accordingly What a man Loves he desires to enjoy what a man loves he cannot hear reproached reviled and spoken against but with grief of heart This needs no proving every ones experience will testifie the truth of it Wouldest thou know whether thy Love to God and thy Love to man be sound and such as demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul or not then go through what hath been said in this little Epitomie touching Love to God and Love to man and consider whether thy Love be truly such yea or nay and if thou findest it truly such though but weakly conclude thou maist safely to thy comfort that thy Love is such as really demonstrates thou art beloved of God and indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly For Love indeed and in truth argues that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him as the Apostle affirms 1 Ioh. 3.18 19. Therefore if thou upon a true tryal findest by this that hath been said that thou hast any truth of Love to God and thy Brother argue not against thy self or thy Love but bless God for that Love thou hast and labour to grow and increase in Love to God and man daily REPENTANCE ANother grace of the holy Spirit of God demonstrating his saving habitation in the â—oul is Repentance to â—â—t true Gospel-Repentance I sâ—ith the Lord will pour upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and supplications And they shall look upon him whom they have prâ—â—â—ed and they shâ—ll mourn for him c. Zach. 12 10. This Text plainly points out unto us two things 1. That wheresoever the holy Spirit of God dwelleth savingly in what soul soever he resideth as a sanctifier there he worketh true faith and Repentance 2. That in whomsoever these graces are wrought they are a true and real testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in that soul â—or as much as it is proper and peculiar unto the Spirit of God alone to work these in the heart of man Here Note three or foure things 1. That the grace of Repentance though it be a distinct grace from faith yet is it an inseparable concomitant of justifying faith coupled with it in infusion and he that totally wanteth either hath neither Secondly Note That faith and love and Repentance and every other renewing grace habitually considered are coequal the habit of every grace being infused together So that where there is one grace in truth there is every grace in truth in the habit of it in some measure And thirdly That although every grace of the Spirit habitually considered be coequal yet these actually considered and according to their manner of working and appearing in us precede each other faith precedes love and faith and love precedes Repentance Repentance being a fruit of faith and love Fourthly That grace to wit renewing grace and glory are inseparably linked together He that hath the one shall certainly have the other for this grace is the earnest of our inheritance Lastly Nâ—te That this grace of repentance is a renewing grace a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man aâ—d a grace that he worketh in all that truly beleeve and love That Repentance is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by those special promises which are made unto it in holy Scripture of spiritual and eternal blessednesse He that confesseth and forsaketh his finne shall have mercy Prov. 28.13 If my People which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and turn from their evill wayes then will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sinne c. 2 Chron. 7.14 And the Redâ—emer shall come to Sion and to them that turn from transgression in Iacob saith the Lord Isa. 59.20 Again When I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely dye if he turn from his sinne and doe that which is lawful and right He shall surely live he shall not die none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him he hath done that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live Ezek. 33.14 15 16. All sins all manner of sinns and Blasphemies shall be forgiven unto him Mark 3.28 Matth. 12.31 compared Though your sinnes be as Scarlet they shall be made as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll Isai. 1.18 and Act. 11.18 True Repentance is called Repentance unto life By all which it is evident That it is a renewing grace a special work of the Spirit of God in man Repentance being a special work of the Spirit of God in man and an inseparable concomitant of a Justifying faith is therefore a true touchstone to try our selves and our spiritual estate by and such an one as all must try themselves by that will gather to themselves a true testimony of their eternal happiness by Christ and make their Calling and Election sure in the subject But what is this grace of Repentance How may it be defined Repentance is a Divine quality wrought by the
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
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.
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
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
dwell in you But without Christ without Vnion with Christ there is no Salvation sor Man therefore it follows by necessary consequence That he that hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him according to the meaning of the Apostle in this text hath undoubtedly Union with Christ. Here note That the first and radicall Union between Christ and his Members is by conjunction This Union by Conjunction is a true and reall uniting of our persons bodies and souls to the Person of Christ God and Man To the Person of Christ as our Mediator And it is then effected when the Lord is joyned to the Soul and the Soul to the Lord so as they are made truly one This Union between Christ and his Members is made by the Spirit of God whose office it is to joyn Christ and his Members together it is the Spirit immediately on Christs part but the Spirit mediately on our part that makes this Union Christ by an actuall habitation of his Spirit in his Elect really joyns himself unto them and becoms truly one with them Christ by his Spirit works unfeigned faith in the hearts of his elect by which they habitually abide in him joyn themselves unto him and become truly one with him Christ and his Members thus joyned together are one by Conjunction To get assurance of thy Union with Christ then thou must of necessity begin here viz. with a diligent search whether thou art indued with the Spirit of Christ yea or nay and in searching after this take notice That the Spirit of God is said to be given Either Essentially or Virtually Essentially unto Christ onely virtually unto us So as when the Scripture speaks of giving the holy Spirit of God to man of the receiving of the Spirit by Man and of the dwelling of the holy Spirit in man In these texts and the like we are not to understand the essence of that Person in Trinity But the vertue efficacy and operation of that Person Secondly Note that the Spirit of God is virtually given unto man either as a qualifier only or as a sanctifier As a restrainer or as a renewer and that reception of the Spirit and dwelling of the Spirit which the Scripture makes an Argument of ouâ— Union with Christ is not that common efficacy and dwelling of the Spirit whereby he is a restrainer and qualifier onely But that speciall Efficacy and Virtue of the holy Spirit of God whereby he becometh a renewer and sanctifier of us To get assurance of the Union with Christ then thou must diligently and seriously examine thy self touching the spirituall virtue efficacy and operation of the holy Spirit of God in thy Soul manifested in and by those speciall graces which the holy Spirit of God works in the hearts of the Elect and of them onely thence called by Divines for distinction sake saâ—ctâ—fying or renewing grace The Spirit of God as a sanctifier the world cannot receive as the Language of Christ intimates Ioh 14.17 Sanctifying or renewing grace Christ bestows upon his Spouse onely it is his love-token to her in her military life though Christ be liberall in bestowing gifts upon all sorts of people yet he keeps these Jewels for his Spouse and bestows them on her onely on whom he bestows himself well may they therefore serve to demonstrate our Union with Christ and the habitation of his â—pirit in us after a speciall manner wheresoever they are bestowed hence it is that this gâ—ace and glory are coupled together Psal. 84 11. Amongst those speciall graces which demonstrâ—â—â— the holy Spirits saving habitation in â—s the first which I will here speak of is Faith to wiâ— justifying Faith We having the â—ame Spirit of Faith we also believe saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.13 Hence it is evident that whosoever is indued with the holy Spirit of God savingly beleives he beleives with a justifying faith For as much as the Spirit works this true justifying faith in all those in whom he dwelleth savingly Therefore if thou wouldest get a true testimony of the holy Spirits dwelling in thee after a speciall and saving manner thou must diligently try and examine thy self whether thou hast this grace of faith true justifying faith wrought in thee or not If thou hast this grace of justifying faith thou hast that which is an infallible Character and a reall testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation and operation in thee of thy Union with Christ and eternal salvation by him as the Apostle intimates 1 Iohn 5.10 where he saith he that believeth in the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself The truth of this assertion will more clearly and fully appear by that which follows This faith is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle Eph. 1.19 20. Where the Apostle speaks of it as a work of Gods Almighty Power No less then that which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in Glory And in that it accompanieth predestination and is a grace proper and peculiar unto the elect as appears by 2 Thes. 2.13 compared with Tit. 1.1 He that with this saith beleiveth in Christ eateth the Flesh of Christ and drinketh his Blood and Christ saith He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him John 6.56 And hath he not then Union with Christ surely yes for he lives in Christ and Christ in him Really Spiritually he is one with Christ and Christ with him Of this faith Christ affirmeth that it is accompanied with salvation Iohn 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath Everlasting life and John 6.54 He saith wheso eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternall Life He that believâ—th on me hath Everlasting Life Joh. 6.47 This faith is called an evidence Heb. 11.1 the evidence of things not seen And true it is that this faith alwayes is an evidence though it do not alwayes give evidence to the subject in which it is beleeve and be saved are coupled together Luk. 8.12 Finally unto this faith is annexed in Scripture many special and absolute promises of salvation the Scripture faith that whosoever beleiveth in Christ shall not be ashamed Rom. 10.11 Beleive in the Lord Iâ—sus Christ and thou shalt be saved Act. 1â— 31 Christ saith He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Joh. 11.25 He that liveth and believeth in me shall never die ver 26. He shall never dye eternally He that eateth me shall live by me He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever Joh. 6.57 58. Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and beleiveth in him that sent me shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Joh. 5.24 By all which it is evident that justifying faith for of that these texts speak is a sure earnest of our
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
holds out unto the death and ends in fruition it can never be totally nor finally lost and this indeed is it's distinguishing property and it is the property of every renewing grace every renewing grace holds out unto the end that grace which weares the the Crown of Glory is persevereing Revel 2.10 It is not alwayes so in appearance but in truth A true beleever may at sometimes and in some cases seem both to himself and to others to have loft his faith and his other graces as many examples in Scripture shew but yet as Ieb speaks The root of the matter is within him still Truth of grace in the inward parts and it abideth there However a true beleever may and sometimes doth for a time lose the comfort of his grace and the fight of his grace and the power of acting of his grace yet he hath this priviledg above all formalists he never totally loseth the habit of any renewing grace these gifts of God are without repentance Wouldest thou then know whether thy faith be sound and saving and such as consequently demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soule try and examine thy saith by these properties and Scripture-Characters of a true jusâ—ifying faith and if it hold correspondency with them know for thy comfort that it is such as really demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation and special operatâ—on in tâ—y soul thy Union with Christ aâ—d eâ—ernal salvation by him whatsoever Satan or thine own conscience abused by Satan may at any time hereafter say to the contrary and give the Lord the praise The end of thy faith shall be the salvation of thy Soul as the Scripture speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 LOVE ANother grace demonstrating the holy Spirits saving habitation in us is Love to wit sincere Love God is Love and where God dwelleth by his Spirit he worketh Love to wit sincere Love to God and sincere love to man for Gods sake And this Love is a speciall work and fruit of the holy Spirit of God in man as appears by the language of the Apostle My little Children let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him and Gal 5. â—2 it is said The fruit of the Spirit is Love More particularly That sincere Love to God is a special work of the Spirit of God and such as accompanies salvation is evident by the great good that this grace is attended with both here and hereafter here all things how bad soever in themselves work together for good unto them that love God Rom. 8.28 And many promises of temporall and eternall good are made unto this grace Psal. 91.14 15 16. A Crown of Life is promised unto it Iam 1.12.25 Much good attendeth this grace here but as it is written Eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Such is the happiness joy and glory which God hath prepared for them that love him that it cannot enter into us till we shall enter into it It must therefore needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in us and a sure pledg of salvation He that sincerely loves God hath that in him which is a sure argument that he is greatly beloved of God I love them that love me saith Christ We love him because he first loved us saith the Apostle And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of Gâ—d in man which strongly argues the special Love of God towards man surely yes But sincere Love to God strongly arguâ—s special Love in God towards him that hath it therefore sincere Love to God must needs be a speciall work of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is That sincere Love to man for Gods sake is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in man is evident by that which follows Sincere love to man for Gods sake in whomsoever it is is a real testimony of his Union with Christ Regeneration and New-birth and that he is indeed a true Disciple of Jesus Christ as these Scriptures following plainly evidence This is his Commandement that we beleeve in the Name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement and he that keepeth his Commandement dwelleth in him and he in him He that dwelleth in love dwellth in God and God in him If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his Love is perfected in us c. These Texts cleerly demonstrate this Love to be a real testimony of Union with Christ Love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God We know that we are passed from death unto life because we love the Brethren saith the Apostle And these Texts plainly evidence this love to be a true testimony of our Regeneration and New birth Love one another saith Christ as I have loved you meaning for the kind of Love By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you have love one towards another These Texts plainly demonstrate this Love we speak of to be a true Character of a true Disciple of Jesus Christ And must not that needs be a special work of the Spirit of God in man and a true testimony of his saving habitation in us which is a real testimony of our Union with Christ and Renovation by him and dependance on him Surely yes But sincere Love to man for Gods sake is eminently all this therefore this Love must needs be a special work of the Spirit of God and a sure testimony of his saving habitation in whomsoever it is Sincere Love is a grace without which all profession of Religion is but guilded Hypocrisie where Love is God dwels but where it is not the Devil dwels the more Love the more like to God the less of it the more like the Devil Wofull experience shews That those men which have great parts and gifts and little or no Love shew more of the Devils nature then of Gods and act more like the Devil then God where they have power Love is the sweetest flower in all the garden of God but it is a flower which the Devil cannot indure the smell of because he is not capable of it and knows that where Love dwels he must vanish and therefore it is his main design to destroy Love if possible in all sorts and sects and to root it up and banish it from the hearts of all men The Devil is well content that men should pray preach read hear Sermons and make a faire shew outwardly provided this spring not from Love nor tendeth not to the increase of Love to God nor man but if he see Love be the root and fruit of mens services then he goes cunningly and Serpent-like to
work to make breaches in this wall that he may get in and destroy this flower he deviseth wayes to divide mens judgments to the end he may destroy this affection of Love out of their hearts if he prevaile not this way then he will raise up jealousies to destroy Love and Charity yea sometimes render the best of graces the worst of vices and as in tempting a Carnal man he sometimes stiles lust Love so in tempting a spiritual man he somtimes stiles sincere Love lust and by these wiles makes a breach on Charity to the end he may get into the garden of God and root up this sweet grace of Love Seeing then that this grace of sincere Love to God and man is a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God and a grace that he worketh in all those in whom he dwels savingly to get a true testimony of the holy Spirits saving habitation in thee thou must diligently examine thy self touching thy Love to God and touching thy Love to man 1. Examine thy Love to God see whether that be sound and sincere yea or nay 2. Examine thy Love to Man and see whether that be such as the Scripture makes a note of the holy Spirits saving habitation in us yea or nay But how shall I know whether my Love to God be sound and sincere yea or nay By Considering 1. What sincere Love to God is And 2. what the properties and effects of it are Sincere Love to God is a spirituall affection causing a man to prize God more and obey him rather then any thing in the world besides The properties and effects of sincere Love to God are these 1. Sincere Love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and it carryeth the whole heart and soul to God in obedience as well as the whole outward man That sincere love to God is seated in the heart in the midst of the heart and carries the whole heart to God will appear thus That which God in his Word requires and commands that true grace doth in its measure and in a Gospel way give unto him But God in his Word requires that we should Love him with the heart with the whole heart and soul and Therefore this Command doth sufficiently intimate this truth to wit That sincere Love to God is seated in the heart and carries the whole heart to God c. Here note 1 By the whole heart is meant every faculty of the soul the whole inner man the heart wholly sincerely so as it is not divided between God and the world between God and sinne between God and Satan as the hearts of all Hypocrites are but is downright and wholy for God 2. My whole heart may then be said to be carried to God when I cleave to him in affection more then to any thing besides account him my chiefest happiness from a due consideration of his perfection rejoyce in him above all things feare his displeasure more then all persons or things depend upon him for all things and aime at his glory principally in all things Secondly sincere Love to God is fastened upon God principally for that Divine excellency and spirituall beauty which is in him and which he doth communicate unto his People Because of the savour of thy good Oyntments thy name is as Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee saith the Text Cant. 1.3 Spirituals and not temporals as this Text shews are the principall attractives of a sincere and virgin-Love to Christ. 3. Sincere Love to God is not guided by sense but by faith as the language of the Apostle intimates therefore saith the Apostle Whom having not seen we Love whom having not seen with Corporall eye nor invisible favours you still cleave to in affection This is further evidenced in holy Iob who continued to love God and obey him even when he could not see one glimpse of his countenance neither within him nor without him as appears by Iob 23.8 9 10 11. verses And this plainly shews That his Love was guided by faith and not by sense as it is the property of sincere Love to be 4. Sincere Love to God is a very strong Love Love is strong as death Cant. 8.6 Sincere Love to God will make a man to resolve â—â—augre all opposition to obey unto the death it will constrain a man to do or suffer any thing that God shall see good to impose upon him for tryall-sake without repining in toung or in heart against God it will make a man serve God with all his might therefore saith the Apostle The Love of Christ constraineth us It beareth all things it endureth all â—â—ings 5. Sincere Love to God is an indearing affection it indears Christ unto a man above all things in the world besides so as he will willingly part with all things else rather then Christ Christ in his Merit Christ in his Spirit Christ in his Ordinances and in his Ministers and People is deare unto a sincere lover of Christ above all things here below This is lively set forth unto us in the Parable of the merchant man Mat. 13.44 45 46. He left all for the Pearl the Pearl was dear unto him and he was in Love with it hence it was that he slighted all in comparison of it That Love is an indearing affection is further evident by the language of the Spouse in Love with Christ Cant. 5.10 He is the chiefest of ten thousand saith she meaning of all and likewise by the practise of the Saints which have sincerely loved Christ they have willingly parted with their fine cloathing for his sake and worn sheep-skins and goats-skins they have parted with fine dwellings and lyen in dens and caves they have parted with all even to their precious lives Nay these also they have willingly laid down for his sake in the cruellest way that bloody persecutors could invent refusing base deliverance to advance the honour of Christ when he called them forth to suffer as appears Heb. 11. their Love to Christ did indeare Christ to them above all things Here Note 1. That sincere Love to Christ is strong in all but not in all according unto the same equal degrees it indears Christ unto all that have it above all things But makes not all to declare it with the like forwardness and courage nor to declare it at all times alike as many instances in Scripture shew According to the measure of our faith so is our Love if a man beleeve only as a bruised reed as a weakling in Christ his Love will only smoak as flax towards Christ but if he be strong in faith his Love will flame it will declare it self with much zeale and fervour of spirit 2. That that Love to Christ which preferrs any one thing whatsoever before Christ or subjoyns any one thing in the world coequal with Christ is no sound sincere Love neither is it
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
and ye shall be my People Jer. 31.33 What doth the Lord require herein on our part but to take him for our God and yield up our selves unto him as his People to apply Christ unto our selves and our selves unto Christ as aforesaid This is the Obedience of faith this is Evangelical Obedience the Obedience which the Gospel cals for and which it only accepts What shall we do that we might work the Works of God said some to Christ Ioh. 6.28 Christ replyes ver 29. This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent In these few words is comprehended the whole work of Obedience the whole work assigned us by God This is the Work of God c. It is as if Christ had said you naturally seek Heaven by works but altogether mistake that work of works which is only acceptable and effectual to attain its end Beleeve on him whom he hath sent Beleeve on him who hath fulfilled the Law for us and will fulfill the Law in us This is the work of God assigned to us and a work which God worketh in us and this is unto flesh and blood of all works the hardest Here note these Corollaries Corol. 1. That the Obedience of Faith is of all works the most difficult unto flesh and blood this requires a man to deny himself totally which flesh and blood will rather deny God himself then do We rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh c. 2. Our Souls naturally had rather dye and put off their immortality and everlasting being then put on the Lord Jesus Christ. They will not come to me 3. We all naturally dote upon works and say as the young man in the Gospel that came to Christ What shall I do that I may inherit eternall life But the work of works Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ we are of all other the farthest from till the Spirit of God work in us These from our Saviours mouth I have deducted This is the Work of God that ye beleeve in him whom he hath sent 4. Man naturally is so proud That he will not seek after God saith the Psalmist that is God in Christ for no otherwise can God be approached unto He thinks himself rich and to need nothing and knows not that he is poor and blind and miserable wretched and naked and therefore scornes to seek to God in Christ for wealth He will rather make a covering of Figg-Leaves than of Christs righteousnesse rather cover himself with rotten raggs than be beholding to Christ for his robe 5. Man regenerated so far forth as carnal is very unwilling to be beholding to Christ wholly for all the good he stands in need of hence it is that many regenerate persons will rest on promises no further than they can find themselves to obey precepts weary themselves out with labouring to fulfil the Law and never study the Obedience of Faith which is to renounce all that we can do To put no confidence in the flesh but rest only on what Christ hath done and suffered for us beleeving that every promise shall be made good to us so farre forth as may be good for us for Christ's sake This is to apply Christ unto our selves And our selves unto Christ According unto all his precepts This is the latter clause in the description of Evangelicall Obedience A Christian by the Obedience of faith Opens the everlasting doors to the King of Glory to come in and take possession and rule all in his heart and in his life He resigns up all to be ordered by him who so loved him that he gave himself for him so that not he but Christ liveth ruleth and ordereth all Every thought is yielded up unto the Obedience of Christ with desire that he will bring it into subjection 2 Cor. 10.5 Faith doth both receive and give it is faith that applies Christ to the man and the man to Christ as appears by Ioh. 1.12 compared with 2 Cor. 8.5 Faith makes him ours who makes all happiness ours Faith makes him ours in whom we are compleat and generates Love in our souls to him that hath loved us and given himself for us and this love constrains us to live not unto our selves but unto him which dyed for us and rose again 2 Cor. 5.14 15. and this is that Obedience which the Gospel cals for and which only it accepts and this if fincere and cordial is very acceptable with God though many wayes deficient It is the Gospel and the Gospel only that cals for this Obedience the Law doth not require us to apply our selves unto Christ no more than it doth require us to apply Christ unto our selves but barely saith Do this and live Transgrefse this and dye The Gospel doth not barely call for this Obedience of Faith but promises to give it and works the heart unto it yea freely gives it us as a gift They shall looke on him whom they have pierced c. Zach. 12.10 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes saith the Lord c. Ezek. 36.27 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to beleeve on him but also to suffer for his sake saith the Apostle Phil. 1.29 These things premised I proceed to the tryal of Obedience and for the more perspicuity propound this Question Quest. How may I discern whether my Obedience be sincere and cordiall Obedience yea or nay Answ. Thou mayest discern it by the efficient cause by the final cause and by the properties of cordial Obedience The efficient cause of cordial Obedience is the Love of God the final cause thereof is the Glory of God 1. The efficient cause of cordial Obedience is the Love of God cordial Obedience springs out of Love to God and he that cordially obeys the Will of God obeys it in Love to God not slavish feare nor self love nor vain glory But Loâ—e to God is that which leades him to obey the Will of God Therefore saith the Apostle The Love of Christ constraineth us 2 Cor. 5.14 Here note these two things 1. That whatsoever a man doth in way of Obedience to the Will of God be the action never so good or glorious in it self is no wayes acceptable unto God except it spring from Love a pregnant proof of this we have 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. where the Apostle shews at large That all Obedience without Love comes to just nothing all parts and gifts all Faith and Obedience though it be to the death and the cruellest death that possibly may be without faith working by Love without Obedience springing from Love comes to just nothing at length It profiteth me nothing saith the Apostle On the other hand though we can do but little for God if that little we do issue out of Love to God it is very pleasing to and acceptable with God who looks more on our affection than our
condition truely I know no rule in Scripture more infallible than this in this Text He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Consider what hath been said on this Text Consider what Spirit Christ was of and then examine thy self whether thou art one Spirit with him Consider whether the spirit that is in thee do truly answer to the Life to the Spirit of Christ if so know that it argues thy state good thy Creation new Christ and thee truely one Object But I find so much Hypocrisie so much pride so much hardnesse of heart and unholinesse in my self may a poor soul say here that I cannot hence conclude that I am one joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him but rather that I am joyned to the Devill and one Spirit with him I cannot hence conclude that I am a new Creature but rather that I am in the state of nature still Answ. This Text doth not say that he that is joyned to the Lord is totally freed from these corruptions but that He is one Spirit he is one Spirit with the Lord Iesus Christ he is one with him in Spirit And this a man may be said to be when he hath these Divine qualifications of spirit forementioned truely wrought in him though weakly and imperfectly and much flesh much corruption remaining in him This must be granted otherwayes no man in this life could be said to be joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him 2. But secondly A true sense of these corruptions accompanied with a loathing of them and warring against them in faith is so farre from rendering thee such as the Objection speaks of that it strongly argues the clean contrary to wit That thou art indeed joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him that thou art incorporate into Christ and made new by him For it is from Christ and that new quality of grace which he hath infused into thy soul that this sense of corruption and antipathy springs hence it is that corrupt nature becomes a burden on the spirit naturally it is not so The Apostle Paul when joyned to the Lord and one Spirit with him when ingrafted into Christ and made new by â—im then and never till then did he groan under this burden then and not before did he complain of this body of death and the motions of lusts that warre in our members Wouldest thou then know from Scripture-grounds what thy condition is Whether Christ be in thee and thou in Christ go through what hath been said on these two Texts If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne c. and this we are now upon If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Consider whether thou art become dead to sinne alive to righteousnesse a new Creature Consider whether Christ be formed in thee whether thou hast a new heart whether thou livest in Christ as a branch in the vine and bringest forth fruit in him whether thou art one that doth not commit sinne in a Scripture sense Whether thou art one that groans under the remainder of the old man in thee as thy greatest burden Whether thou art one that minds the things of the Spirit that art led by the Spirit and walks after the Spirit Finally whether thou art one Spirit with the Lord Iesus Christ and if upon a true tryall of thy self thou findest by what hath been said that it is thus with thy self conclude thou maist safely as I conceive to thy comfort with the Church in the Canticles My well-beloved is mine and I am his That thy estate is good thy interest in Christ true and real and thy Title to Heaven such as no enemy whatsoever no not Satan nor sinne shall be able to deprive thee of it whatever Satan or thy own conscience abused by Satan may say to theÌ„ contrary Fatherly Chastisements Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth IN these words the Apostle fetcheth an argument of Divine and Fatherly Love from a Rod and concludes sonneship by adoption from Chastisement Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth The Position of the Apostle is confirmed by a plurality of witnesses both Solomon and Christ concurre with Paul herein Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a father the son in whom he delighteth saith Solomon Prov. 3.12 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith Christ Rev. 3.19 The truth of this position hath been experimented by a cloud of witnesses by all the Sonnes and Daughters of God that have gone before us unto Glory and will be by all that shall follow after us and therefore needs not much proving The Apostle tells us That through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God And in ver 8. of this Chap. saith that if ye be without Chastisement whereof all are partakers then are ye Bastards and not Sonnes Immunity from correction is rather a Character of a Bastard than of an Adopted Son of God it is rather a note of an Ismael than of an Isaac it is rather the mark of a Goate than of a Sheep it is rather a demonstrator of a child of this world than of a Disciple of Christ for the Crosse is a reculicen which all Christs Disciples must weare as he himself tels us In a word it is rather a badge of an heire of Hell than of an heire of Heaven of a reprobate rather than an elect and adopted Child of God for Chastisement is the universal lot of all Gods Children as this Text tels us Whom the Lord loveth he Chastiseth yea scourgeth The most people in the world fetch their evidence of Gods Love from Gods liberall dispensations of his gifts either natural or supernatural eternal or internal transient gifts I have this gift liberally dispensed to me of God saith one and I have that gift liberally dispensed to me of God saith another I have health saith one and I have wealth saith another I have no changes but constant prosperity through my pollicy in winding with the times I have esteem in the world and successe in every thing I go about ortake in hand therefore doubtlesse God loves me Ergo. Another looks higher than this and saith I have natural parts and supernatural gifts liberally dispensed to me of God above what many others have I have wit and understanding c. more than many others I have knowledg and I have utterance and herein excell many I have esteem among the Godly wise and a name to live I have a form of Godlinesse and a shadow of every grace of the Spirit many Talents in my hand and hence conclude God doubtlesse loves me whoever he hates Ergo. But neither of these argue well for their sonneship nor their eternal estate for no where doth the Scripture make any of these signs of Gods special love or our adoption It is evident by Scripture That a
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
inheritance with the Saints in light in joy unspeakable and full of Glory Whosoever hath the one here shall certainly have the other hereafter On this ground the Apostle exhorts all Christians that would make sure for Heaven and get a good evidence of their own Salvation to examine themselves whether they be in the faith yea or nay and prove themselves 2 Cor. 13.5 It is as if the Apostle had said Make sure of this that your faith is right and make sure of all if you have this grace you shall have Glory also Faith is the grace and the only grace whereby we are justified before God by it we eate of the Tree of Life Jesus Christ and live for ever It is therefore the fittest grace of all to satisfie Conscience in this weighty matter and to make up conclusions from about our eternall estate This Satan knows full well and therefore when he would flatter a man to Hell he perswades him that his faith is right good when indeed there is no such matter and when he would overthrow all hope of Heaven in a man and drag him into despaire he perswades him that his faith though never so good is but a feigned and counterfeit thing and the poore soul is ready to say Amen It mainly concerns all persons therefore that would here get a good Evidence for Heaven throughly to try their faith whether it be a shield of Gold or but a shield of Bâ—asle whether it be an unfeigned or but a feigned faith whether it be a justifying or but a temporary faith whether it be a faith that justifies before God or but only before men In the searching of thy Soul for this grace of faith or any other renewing grace thou art to have respect to the truth of it more than to the measure and strength of it Christ hath so he absolutely requires truth of belief but not strength of belief Nay he so esteems truth of belief that wheresoever he findeth it in the least measure he will accept it and reward it with Eternal Life he will not quench the smoking flax He will not suffer that soul that hath but the least grain of true faith to miscary But you will say What is this faith you speak of and how may it be discerned from a Temporary faith I will first describe it and then descry it as God shall inable me Justifying faith is a speciall work of the Spirit of God upon the Soul causing a man to lay hold on the speciall promises of Mercy and Salvation by Christ and all other promises which are in him yea and in him Amen and rest upon him that hath promised for the accomplishment of his word I judg it not necessary nor meet for me to take this description asunder or speak of the several terms of it and therefore pass it by In a word or two only I will briefly declare why I call this faith a work of the Spirit and why a speciall work of the Spirit 1. I call this faith a work of the Spirit of God because it is not natural were it natural it would be common but all men have not faith as the Scripture saith 2 Thes. 3.2 2. Few have this faith as the parable of the seed shews Mar. 4.2 to 9. it is a work supernatural and divine 3. I call this Faith a speciall work of the Spirit to distinguish it from that common work of the Spirit which is in unregenerate persons Having thus briefly described this Faith I am in the next place to descry it and distinguish it from all other this I shall do for brevity sake positively This Faith then as I humbly conceive may be discerned and differenced from all other kinds of faith by these concurrent and essentiall properties of it which here follow This Faith is bred fed and nourished ordinarily by the word preached as appears by Rom. 10.14 17. Secondly this Faith as it is begotten by the word so it is grounded upon the Word upon the written Word of God Not fancy but the Word is the ground of it It gives firm absolute and unlimited assent to the whole Word of God promises threatnings and commandements so farre forth as it doth apprehend it to be of God simply because it is of God the whole Word of God is the generall ground and object of it I consent to the Law that it is good holy and just and good saith a true believer Rom. 7. ver 16 12. Believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets Act. 24.14 But the more special object of it is the promises of the Gospel This Faith is seated in the heart the heart is the most proper subject of it With the heart man believeth unto righteousness saith the Scripture Rom. 10.10 Justifying Faith is not barely notionall but reall it is not a bare head-assenting But a heart-consenting what the understanding saith is true the will saith is good and embraceth it This Faith is an unfeigned Faith as is evident 1 Tim. 1.5 and 2 Tim. 1.5 An Hypocrites faith is but feigned faith but justifying faith is unfeigned how weak soever it be it is true and real it carrieth the whole heart to God in obedience as well as the whole outward man This Faith is a Christ-receiving faith it receiveth and embraceth whole Christ Christ as a Saviour and Christ as a Lord in all his offices Prophet Priest and King and it causeth him that hath it to give up himself wholly to Christ to be ruled by him in all things according to his Word Thus the Gospel tenders Christ and thus a true beleever receiveth Christ My Lord and my God saith believing Thomas of Christ and it is the property of justifying Faith thus to embrace Christ They gave themselves unto the Lord saith the Apostle of some true believers 2 Cor. 8.5 And this is universally true of all that are true believers they give themselves unto the Lord as aforesaid and that freely and voluntarily This Faith puts a price upon Christ above all things and cleaves to the Mercy of God in Christ as better then life both Positively and Comparatively To you which believe he is pretious 1 Pet. 2.7 He is the chiefest of ten thousand Fairer then all the Childrenof men He is altogether lovely As the Apple-Tree amongst the Trees of the Forrest So is my Beloved among the sonnes His mouth is most sweet His Love is better then Wine Thy loving kindness is better than Life saith the believing Soul to Christ Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire upon Earth in comparison of thee What things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Iesus my Lord and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in
sorrow it consumes the body of death it brings a consumption on sinne it weakeneth the power of naturall corruption and warreth succesfully against the most Giant-like corruption it comes from the heart of a sinner and it goes to the heart of sinne 16. Finally Evangelical sorrow is a reforming sorrow it makes a man truly turn from sinne from all sinne unto the Lord and this is indeed the great distinguishing Character of it and that which demonstrates the truth of it contrition without conversion is not Repentance unto life He that sorrows for his sinne and turns not from his finne unto the Lord his sorrow is but a sorry one Humiliation without Reformation saith one is but a foundation without a building and reformation without humiliation is but a building without a foundation a building which will not stand Humiliation and Reformation God hath coupled together in his Gospel-Promises wherein Repentance is fully described Therefore Repentance unto life must needs consist of both these Evangelical Contrition and true Conversion are so coupled together that they cannot be sundered wheresoever sorrow for sinne is found it is attended with true turning from sinne unto the Lord. And this is the second essential part of true Repentance And this the Scripture cals conversion Repent and be converted saith the Apostle in the forecited place Act. 3.19 it is as if he had said mourn for sinne and turn from sinne if ever you would have your sinnes to be done away He that truly turns from sinne turns from all sinne He that turns not from all sinne doth not truely turn from any sinne God requires a sinner to turn from all his transgressions and he that truly turns from sinne doth this He turns from all sinne in affection in purpose and resolution he allows not himself in any known sinne he loaths all sinne and conscionably indeavours to forsake all sinne and get every corruption mortified therefore saith the Apostle Godly sorrow worketh Repentance unto salvation his meaning is it produceth Reformation to wit a true turning from all sin unto the Lord. He that truly turns to the Lord doth it not feignedly as Hypocrites do but unfeignedly cordially with his whole heart as the Prophet speaks with full purpose of heart to walk in all the wayes of God This the Apostle cals Repentance unto Salvation and this is attended with carefulnesse and circumspection for time to come cleering of our selves or apologie for our selves of our detestation of our fact indignation or exceeding anger with our selves for our offences Feare to wit feare of relapsing into our former sinnes again vehement desire to wit after strength and assistance from Christ for the present and future time Zeal to wit in the performing of all good duties contrary to our former special sinnes Revenge to wit a holy revenge on our selves subduing of the body and keeping it under lest it should hereafter be an instrument of sinne as it hath formerly been All this is evident by the language of the Apostle in the forecited place 2 Corinth 7.11 Wouldest thou then know whether thy Repentance be Repentance unto Life or no whether it be such as truly demonstrates the holy Spirits saving habitation in thy soul and the truth of thy faith yea or nay thou must then have recourse to both the parts of true Repentance fore-mentioned to wit contrition and conversion and if by what hath been said it appears to be truly such know that it is a sure argument of thy eternal happinesse bless God for it and labour to grow in it OBEDIENCE ANother work of the holy Spirit of God on man demonstrating his saving habitation in man and a mans eternal salvation by Christ is Obedience to wit sincere and Cordial Evangelical Obedience to the revealed Will of God This Obedience and this onely God requires and accepts of his Elect in and through Jesus Christ. That this Obedience is a work of the Spirit of God in man appears both by Argument and by Scripture 1. By Argument thus Naturally the heart of man is obstinate stubborne and disobedient to the Will of the Lord deceitfull above all things and Hypocritical in all its wayes doting on Legal and never minding Evangelical Obedience and nothing can make such a change in the heart and soul of a man as of stubborne and disobedient of Hypocritical and deceitfull to become sincere and Cordial in Obedience and of a doter on Legal to become an Evangelical obeyer of the Will of the Lord But the Almighty Spirit of God whose proper office it is to renew the Image of God in fallen man Therefore this Obedience must needs be the work of the Spirit of God in whomsoever it is By Scripture this is evident likewise I will put my Spirit within you saith the Lord and cause you to walk in my statutes and keep my Iudgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 Hence it is evident That it is the Spirit of God which works the heart of man to Obedience That this Obedience is a work of the Spirit of God in man demonstrating his saving habitation and sanctifying operation in man is evident by the language of the Apostles We are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to wit savingly to them that obey him to wit Cordially and Evangelically Act. 5.32 And by that of Peter We are Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience 1 Pet. 1.2 That this Obedience is such a work of the Spirit of God in man as demonstrates his eternall salvation by Christ is farther evident by these Scriptures following Christ being made perfect became the Author of eternall salvation unto all them that obey him Heb. 5.9 Obey my voyce saith the Lord and I will be your God and ye shall be my people Jer. 7.23 If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people and ye shall be unto me a kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Exod. 19.5 6. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 7.21 He that doth the Will of God abideth for ever 1 Joh. 2.17 By these Texts it is evident That thâ—s Obedience is such a work of the Spirit of God in man as lively demonstrates his eternal happiness Quest. But what is this Obedience you speake of How may it be defined Sol. It is a special work of the Spirit of God in man whereby he is inabled to apply Christ unto himself according unto all his promises and himself unto Christ according unto all his Precepts Under these two general heads the whole work of Obedience is comprehended as is evident from the words of the new Covenant I saith the Lord will be your God
of the World that we should be holy and blamelesse before him in love Eph. 1.4 This therefore is vigor fit and but fit to give the appearance of a new heart of a new Creature Thus much of the second appearance of a new Creature he is one that hath a new heart 3. In the third place A new Creature is one that lives in Christ the new ftock as a branch in the vine And brings forth fruit in him That a new Creature is one that lives in Christ the new stock is evident by the Language of the Apostle in this Text If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature hence it is evident that he is in Christ or else he is not a new Creature first in Christ and then a new Creature as Dr Preston doth well observe A new Creature is one that hath his abiding in Christ one that lives in Christ as his stock If you ask him the question that the two Disciples asked Christ Master where dwellest thou He may say in Christ. That a new Creature is one that lives in Christ and hath his abiding in him as his stock is evident by the language of Christ Ioh. 15.6 If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch withered c. That he bringeth forth fruit is evident by the Language of Christ in the 5 6. verses of that Chapter He â—hat abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foâ—th much fruit And not only beareth fruit but beareth fruit in Christ as a branch in the vine as the Language of Christ in the 2 v. of that Chap. implies Every branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away Hence it is evident That a new Creature is one that beareth fruit in Christ as a branch in Christ the true vine and this is that which distinguisheth him from a meer morall Creature both may be fruitfull in righteousnesse and bring forth much fruit as appears in the Scribes and Pharisees who were a generation fruitfull in righteousnesse and brought forth much fruit and so do many others which have but morall grace as appears Mat. 7.22 23. But herein lyes the difference as to this point between a meer morallist and a new Creature A meer morallist brings forth fruit in himself that is from his own principles by a common assistance from Christ he being but self and in the state of nature still and he brings forth fruit to himself as Ephraim did to his own honour and praise and glory self is his utmost end in all he doth but a new Creature brings forth fruit in Christ he is fruitfull in righteousnesse as a branch in Christ the true vine his fruitfulnesse issueth out from supernatural and Divine principles from a special work of the Spirit of Christ in him Quest. But how may I discern whether my fruitfulnesse in righteousness issue from a common assistance of the Spirit of Christ to wit naturall and moral principles only or whether I be fruitfull in righteousnesse as a branch in Christ the true vine Sol. 1. Fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse issuing from natural and moral principles only is not universal but partial but he that is fruitful in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine is fruitful in every good work at least in his aime and indeavour 2. Fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse issuing from moral principles is usually more exemplary in circumstantials then in substantials more in mint and annise then in judgment and mercy but he that is fruitfull in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine sunders not what God hath coupled together but places substantials in the vant-gard in the first place 3. Fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse issuing from morall principles is usually more in the eyes of men than in the eye of God Such as are fruitfull in righteousnesse from their own principles are more studious to make all things seem good and glorious in the eyes of men than they are to approve the righteousnesse of their hearts or wayes to God but he that is fruitfull in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine is more studious and carefull to approve the uprightnesse of his heart and actions to God in all things than to make things seem good in the sight of men He is more desirous to be fruitfull then to seem fruitfull 4. Fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse proceeding from naturall and morall principles is usually attended with much pride inwardly in heart if not outwardly in expression and the more fruitfull this man is the more proud he is contrarywise fruitful in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine is attended with much humility a man that is fruitful in righteousnesse as a branch in the vine sees that he hath no sap but what he hath from the stock into which he is ingrafted no sufficiency in himself to any good he sees that his good motions affections and actions flow all from Christ and therefore he humbly ascribes all to Christ The glory of all his fruitfulnesse he layes on Christs shoulders he shall beare the glory saith this soul he dares take none to himself though tempted thereunto by Satan but sayes of Christ as Mephibosheth did of Ziba Let him take all who is all in all Who am I and what am I that I should offer after this manner Thus his being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse redounds to the Glory of Christ who is his righteousnesse The more fruitfull a branch in the vine is the lower he is That fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse proceeding from natural and morall principles only is attended with these forementioned effects is evident in the Scribes and Pharisees who were men very fruitfull in righteousnesse from their own principles yet did pick and chuse in the wayes of God Tythe mint and annise and omit the weightier matters of the Law and of the Gospel too strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel as Christ tells them Mat. 23. were very industrious to make all they did feem good and glorious in the eyes of men but cared not how rotten their hearts were the more fruitfull they were the more proud they were all this Christ taxes them with Mat. 23. and thereupon cals them not new Creatures not fruitfull branches in the vâ—nt but whited Sepulchers graves fools blind Hypocrites c. That fruitfulnesse in righteousnesse proceeding from Divine principles from a Christian as a branch in the vine doth produce effects contrary to these forementioned is evident in David and Paul and other fruitfull brancheâ— of the true vine They were not partiall in the wayes of God but had respect unto all Gods Will Psal. 119.128 their great care was to approve their hearts and their wayes to God as appears Psal. 139.23 119.80 compared with the 2 Cor. 5.9 Their fruitfulneffe did not produce pride but humility as appears by the language of as fruitfull a branch as ever was Eph. 3.8 Less than the least c. In the fifth place Fruitfulnesse
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
nature but of the holy Spirit Hence I conceive a man may then be said to walk in and after the Spirit when he walks not after the flesh as the Apostle speaks but after the rules of the Spirit given in the Word of God and according to the motions dictates and guidance of the Spirit which are never contrary unto but agreeable with the Word of God when he doth not voluntarily and approvedly obey the dictates of corrupt nature but the Word and Spirit of God when he doth walk according to the rule of the written Word at lest in his aim desire and endeavour Here note two or three things He that is thus led by the Spirit of God walks after the Spirit more strongly or morâ— weakly as he is more or lesse new He walks after the Spirit more swiftly or more slowly as Chrisâ— by his Spirit draws him more strongly or morâ— weakly some Christ by his Spirit draws more strongly and they run after him as the Church speaks Cant. 1.4 They follow their leader vigorously unweariedly witâ— delight others he draws more weakly 〈◊〉 they walk more slowly after him according to the different dispensations of the Spirit of God so doth man move more strongly or more weakly more swiftly or more slowly in the wayes of God Then again note this Man at his best estate here follows his leader walks after the Spirit but as a blind lame impotent Creature if at one time he runs after his leader and follows him vigorously at another time he is weary and walks slowly now he stumbles and anon fals and were it not that his leader is very able wise and watchfull he would give over quite and fall irrecoverably 12. In the next place A man that is thus led by the Spirit of God is a curagious and resolute opposer of all leaders contrary unto this leader if the World tempt and strive to be his leader he opposes that if the flesh tempt and strive to be his leader he opposes that if the Divell tempt and strive to be his leader he resisteth him and all this he doth in the strength of the Spirit of God whom he hath chosen for his leader all this is evident in Paul a man led by the Spirit of God after a special manner his courage and resolution was such that he maintained a constant warre with these three enemies on this ground that they would have been his leader they had led him before would have led him again but this he had rather dye then yield to when once led by the Spirit as his own testimony in divers places proves He that thus doth may be and sometimes is led captive by some one or other of these enemies This the Apostle Paul sadly complains of as an experimented truth Rom. 7.23 13. Finally he whom the Spirit of God thus leads he leads so long as he needeth leading He will lead us over death unto glory Psal. 48.14 compared with Psal. 73.24 He whom the Spirit of God once leads as a sanctifier he never totally nor finally gives over leading but leads him through grace unto glory Lay all these things together and consider whether it be thus with thy selfe yea or nay and if upon a true tryal thou findest it thus with thee conclude thou mayst safely That thou art one led by the Spirit of God after a special manner and so consequently a sonne of God by Adoption an heir of Heaven a new Creature The seventh and last appearance of a new Creature which I will mention here is thiâ— he is one that is joyned to the Lord Jesus Chrâ—iâ— and one spiriâ— with him That he is one joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ is evident from the words of this Text If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Here it is granted That a new Creature is in Christ Eâ—go it must needs then be granted That he is joyned to Christ for to be in a thing is more then to be joyned to it and the greater doth necessarily comprehend the lesser but according to the meaning of the Apostle here these expressions of being in Christ and being joyned to Christ I conceive comes all to one That he that is thus united to Christ is one Spirit with Christ is evident by the Language of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit In these few words we have a compleat description of a new Creature in his conjunction with Christ and in his conformity to Christ in his Union with Christ and Communion with him of this Union with Christ what it is and how effected the Reader may see more in Pag. 2 3. this only I will add here and so proceed That the joyning to the Lord here spoken of is not a bare joyning in nature only by Christ's participation of our humane nature neither is it a joyning in glory but it is a joyning to the Lord in grace A new Creature is one then that is joyned to the Lord in grace And he that is thus joyned to the Lord is one Spirit that is he is one Spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ he is one with Christ in every thing one with Christ in affection one with him in action one with him in function one with him in life and conversation Christ is formed in him in all these and he thereby made one spirit with Christ. 1. He is one with Christ in affection Christ is formed there he loves what Christ loves and hates what Christ hates Christ loves righteousnesse and hates iniquity all iniquity Heb. 1.9 and so doth he that is joyned united and married to the Lord and so become a new Creature He loves righteousnesse and hates iniquity as truly though not so strongly as Christ doth as the Language of such an one declares Psalm 119. verse 127 128. 2. He is one with Christ in action Christ is formed there he walks by the same Rule he obeys the same Law that Christ doth to wit the Will of the Father the rule of Christ's action was the Will of his Father I saith he came down from Heaven not to do mine own Will but the Will of him that sent me Joh. 6.38 I seek not mine own Will but the Will of the Father which hath sent me Joh. 5.30 My meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and finish his Work Joh. 4.34 Not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 Christ and a new Creature walk by one and the same rule the head doth not walk one way and the members another the head doth not walk â—y one rule and the members by another but both by one and the same rule to one and the same end to wit the glory of the same God Christ's Rule was the Will of the Father Christ's ultimate end of all his actions was the glory of the Father and he that is joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ is one
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
a grace which keeps a man quiet within when all things are troublous and very unquiet without it is a grace which possesses a man of himself when dispossessed of all earthly comforts it is a speciall work of the Spirit of God in the soul enabling a man not stupidly but quietly to bear whatsoever God lays upon him without feeling murmuring or repining against God or man in heart or in tongue or fainting under his chastising hand When it is thus with a sufferer for Christ then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular to wit patiently 4. Christ requires joy in sufferers for his will Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Rejoyce and be exceeding glad saith Christ. Rejoyce in that day and leap for joy It is divine joy or the joy of grace that Christ here calls for in sufferers for his will it is that joy which Nehemiah calls The joy of the Lord. And this is a holy passion of the soul issuing out of the apprehension of what Christ hath done for it and will do for it reviving elevating and strengthening the soul and carrying it above it self It is a wing grace which whiles the soul is actually possessed of is thereby carried above it self above the world and above Satan Faith and joy are the two wings of the soul which bear it up both in doing and suffering If either of these be câ—ipt the soul is much hindered thereby and exposed to many dangers Joy as all other graces of the Spirit hath different degrees in different times and subjects and is usually greatest in the greatest sufferers and sufferings for Christ. When a man is spoiled in his estate spoiled in his good name spoiled in his body or any thing respecting the preservation or felicity of this life for his faithfullness to the word and will of Christ and yet with the good Prophet Rejoyces in the Lord and joys in the God of his salvation then may he be said to suffer joyfully then may he be said to suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 5. Christ in his Word calls for courage in sufferers for his will the will of Christ is that he that suffers for a good cause should not be ashamed of his cause nor of his sufferings If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of me his prisoner saith Paul to Timothy The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should not be afraid If ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour nor be troubled Fear them not saith Christ thrice in one Chapter Fear noâ— them that kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Phil. 1.28 Christ compares his Church to a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots which in all probability were the best in Egypt and like to the war-horse which the Lord describes to Iob Job 39. very couragious in the hottest battell Christ by this metaphor hints unto us That his will is that we should be very bold and couragious in whatsoever we do or suffer for his sake and that he expects it at our hands his will is that we should be like a company of horses in Pharaohs Chariots full of spirits and courage in doing and suffering and not like a company of Jades in a Dung-Cart spiritless and unfit to bear any thing for his sake It is Christian-courage that Christ requires in sufferers for his will Christian courage is a grace of the â—pirit whereby a man resolves through the help and assistance of Jesus Christ to cleave close to his word and will and boldly to stand for it mauger all opposition and chuses rather to suffer any thing than omit any thing or commit any thing that should derogate from the honour of Christ. A man doth then declare Christian courage when he is not ashamed nor afraid to own a good cause or appear in it because of suffering when he can suffer for the Gospel or any Ordinance of God and truly say with the Apostle Though I suffer these things neverthelâ—ss I am not ashamed I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ nor of the cause of God And when with the three Children he slights the torment and the tormentor resolving in the strength of Christ to do his duty whatsoever he suffer for it and to cleave close to the word and will of Christ whether deliverance or no deliverance arise here when he is more afraid to displease God than man when he is more afraid of losing things spiritual and eternal than of losing things temporal when he chooses to suffer rather than sinne when he endureth the Cross and despiseth the shame when he refuseth base deliverance and yeeldeth his body rather than his cause his cause being good into a Tyrants hand When a sufferer for a good cause doth thus declare his courage he declares it in a high degree and suffers according to the will of Christ in this particular 6. Christ in his Word requires perseverance unto the end in suffering for his will and it is unto the persevering sufferer that this great reward of reigning with Christ is promised Be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the Crown of life He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Christian perseverance is a conftant holding out in the Truth to the last breath in the belief love profession and practice of the Truth And this he may be said to do that doth never totally nor finally apostatize from the Truth once received It is possible for one that perseveres in suffering at some time and in some kind and measure to desist from his former forwardness through strong temptations and humane frailty witness Peter who through fear denied his Master and forsware him and yet did after suffer for him 7. The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will wrongfully should do it for conscience sake For conscience towards God conscience of his duty should be the principall motive inducing him to suffer I do not say the only but the principall motive A man may then be said to suffer for conscience towards God when conscience of his duty is the thing that puts him upon suffering when he to avoid sinne or performe duty exposes himself to suffering when he out of scruple in conscience of the lawfullness or unlawfullness of a thing commanded or forbidden by Authority refuseth it and chooses rather to suffer in his outward man than to baffle his conscience or displease God by rebelling against lawfull Authority which is Gods Ordinance He that doth thus suffer doth suffer for conscience towards God and according to the will of Christ in this particular 8.
The will of Christ is That he that suffers for his will should aim at his Honour and Glory therein This appeares thus Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God saith the Text 1 Cor. 10.31 That is do it so that God may have glory thereby do it aiming at the Honour and Glory of God therein Hence I argue thus If it be the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do then it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I suffer for suffering is doing But it is the will of Christ that I should aim at his Honour and Glory in all that I do Therefore it is the will of Christ that I should aim at it in all that I suffer A man may then be said to aim at the Honour and Glory of Christ in suffering when he makes that his direct chief and utmost end in all that he suffers when he makes the Honour and Glory of Christ the finall cause of all his sufferings when he suffers not out of vain glory but that Christ may be magnified thereby when a man doth thus suffer for the will of Christ then doth he suffer according to the will of Christ in this particular 9. Finally the will of Christ is that he that suffers for his will shoulâ— glorifie God for suffering If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on thiâ— behalf 1 Pet. 4.16 A man doth then glorifie God for suffering 1. When he boldly and thankfully acknowledges the favour of the Lord towards him in calling him forth and enabling him to suffer for his sake 2. When he makes his sufferings the matter of his joy and thanksgiving when he rejoyces and praises God that he is counted worthy to suffer in any kind for Christs sake 3. When he doubles his diligence in duty upon this account thus did the Apostles glorifie God for suffering Phil. 1.29 Act. 5.41 42. Art thou then a sufferer Consider whether thou sufferest as a Christian yea or nay whether thou sufferest for the will of Christ and whether thou sufferest according to the will of Christ And if thou canst truly conclude on the affirmative thou hast good ground to conclude that thou art one that shall reign with Jesus Christ in his everlasting kingdome If ye suffer ye shall also reign with him and not only reign with Christ but reign with him in greater glory For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Suffering as a Christian is a reall testimony of a reall Christian and suffering as a Christian is a high evidence of Gods speciall love towards a person Dost thou then suffer and suffer as a Christian Thou maist then safely conclude I shall reign with Christ Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness An exceeding and eternall weight of glory A kingdome that cannot be shaken A Crown that cannot be taken Glory that cannot here enter into my heart to conceive Glory that cannot be measured Glory that fadeth not away but remaineth through all eternity Glory that cannot enter into me I shall one day enter into I now suffer with Christ and for Christ I shall one day be glorified with Christ and by Christ whatsoever Satan or the world may say to the contrary Sealing by the Spirit Ephes. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Whereby ye are sealed c. THat which I pitch upon in this Text as most for my purpose is this That the holy Spirit of God doth seal the Elect unto the day of redemption The whole Trinity doth concur in this work of sealing soules to eternall happiness but sealing is here attributed to the third Person in Trinity to wit the holy Spirit of God because it is a work most proper to his Office It is the holy Spirit of God that sealeth soules to the day of redemption as the Apostle here tells us The persons sealed by the holy Spirit of God are the Elect of God true believers as the Apostle intimates by that particle Ye whereby Ye are sealed speaking of true believers These all these and none but these the holy Spirit of God doth seal unto the day of redemption unto the day of the full manifestation of our redemption unto the day of the redemption of our bodies from corruption and the fruition of the redemption of our souls and bodies from Hell by Jesus Christ. Sealing is a metaphor taken from Merchants who use to seal their own wares for speciall ends The divine seales of God are of a double kind and of a double use they are of a double kind they are either externall or internall outward or inward â— Externall or outward and such a seal was Circumcision in the time of the Law it is so called by the Apostle Rom 4.11 And such are our Sacraments Baptism and the Lords Supper now in the daies of the Gospel 2. Internall or inward the internall or inward seal of God is the seal of the holy Spirit of God metaphorically so called and this is that which this Text points at Seales are of a double use they serve to demonstrate and to confirme they signifie and ratifie I speak after the manner of men Gods seales do no less they demonstrate they confirme But Gods externall seales without the internall seal of the Spirit of God cannot assure any soul of the speciall love of God nor of his Adoption many outwardly sealed go to Hell the outward seales alone cannot seal any soul unto the day of redemption It is the inward seal of the holy Spirit of God that seales us unto the day of redemption as this Text tells us Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption The internall or inward divine seal of the Spirit of God is twofold Demonstrative or Confirmative The holy Spirit of God seals the Elect to the day of redemption two wayes 1. With a seal of Demonstration 2. With a seal of Confirmation The seal of Demonstration set by the Spirit of God I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God whereby a sinfull soul is truly regenerated and the Image of God stamped upon him The seal of Confirmation I call that a speciall work of the holy Spirit of God within us whereby we are perswaded and assured after an immediate manner that we are the children of God adopted in Christ and beloved with an everlasting love Both these seales agree in their efficient cause for they are both the speciall workes of the holy Spirit of God whereby the soul is marked for and assured of eternall happiness when this life is ended Of the first of these seales to wit the seal of
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
forth to God in supplication and thanksgiving this is evident by Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 26. The soul thus sealed by the Spirit of God longs after and delights in approaches to God and God approaches to it in all his holy Ordinances Let me see his countenance let me hear his voice saith the soul thus sealed for sweet is his countenance and his voice pleasant it delights to meditate on and walk with its God it doth not leave off duty but performs it more conscionably and spiritually In the fift place sound assurance produces fruitfullness the soul that is by the Spirit of God assured of the grace and favour of God towards it is usuâ—lly the fruâ—tfullest in righteousness as is evâ—dent by the language of the Apostle Col. 1.6 After the Colossians knew the grace of God in truth they were more fruitfull in righteousness than ever Sound assurance of the love of God produces care and industry in the work and wayes of God as is evident by the language of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 8. We know we are confident saith he of himself and other Believers and what follows Therefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him ver 9. These mens assurance produced not carelesness and sloth but care and industry and it is the property of good assurance so to do This condemns that Popish Tenet That assurance of salvation is the destroyer of all piety and charity And it condemns that assurance that is fruitless or careless In the sixt place Sound assurance produces joy 1 Pet. 1.8 Faith of evidence and joy are inseperably united they are Twins born at once and if assurance die joy dies with it In whomsoever the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Confirmation he is a Spirit of Consolation the soul that is assured of the love of God towards it cannot but rejoyce in it spiritual Consolation doth not spring so naturally from any thing as it doth out of the witness of the Spirit joy may be I mean some kind of joy where assurance is wanting but assurance never goes without joy spirituall joy There is a generation as Solomon tels us which in the midst of laughter their heart is sad and there is a generation which in the midst of sadnesse their heart rejoyceth And those which are thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God are they such is the power of sound assurance that it will make I mean instrumentally the heart to joy whilst the outward man sorrows it will fill the heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory whilst the outward man is filled with shame and contempt yea sound assurance is for the most part then strongest and shews it self with most vigor and light somenesse within when the greatest damp of outward discomforts lye upon the person and the world most frowns upon him or persecutes him for his frowardnesse and faithfulnesse in the cause of God When Paul and Silas had much cause to sigh for their usage amongst men they then sang and rejoyced Act. 16.25 When the Apostles did suffer shame for Christ then did they most rejoyce Act. 5.41 When the People of God were spoiled of their goods and spoiled in their persons then did they rejoyce and whence sprang their joy in this disconsolate condition but from their assurance They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing that they had in Heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10.34 Assurance of Gods favour produceth joy according to its measure and degree assurance of hope produceth joy assurance of faith produceth more joy The riches of the full assurance of understanding most of all The joy that springs from assurance is a heart strengthening joy a life lenghtening joy and a joy that no man can take from us it is a soul inlarging a shame despising a God-glorifying a world-overcoming and a sin-overcoming grace In the seventh place Sound assurance produceth humility this seal of confirmation when set by the Spirit of God doth work the soul to more humility of mind then usually is in others The Apostle Paul is a notable instance hereof he was thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God when he said I am perswaded that neither Death nor Lfe Angels Principalities nor Powers nor any other thing shall be able to separate me from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and then did be serve the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears as himself saith Act 20.19 Sound assurance is heart-humbling heart-molifying Sound assurance leaves not the soul without a holy jelousie of it self nor without a Christian watch This is evident in the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.38 39. compared with 1 Cor. 9.26 27. I am perswaded saith he that neither Deaâ—h nor Life nor any other Creature shall be able to separate me from the Love of God c. Yet was he not hereby taken off from but rather incited to a holy jealousie of and watchfulnesse over himself and all his wayes as appears by the forecited place Sound assurance and holy jealousie may well stand together and he whose assurance is void of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse hath great cause to be jealous of his assurance Sound assurance is not the destroyer but the Nurse of holy jealousie and watchfulnesse Neither is holy jealousie an enemy to but a preserver of sound assurance In the ninth place Sound assurance works the heart to more contempt of the world and the things of the world then others usually attain to and it doth mightily quicken and spur forward the soul to more holinesse hatred of sinne and zeal and courage in the cause of God Moses and Paul are pregnant examples of this of the effects of this seal in Moses we may read in Heb. 11. v. 24 25 26 27. Exod. 32.31 32 and in Paul Phil. 3. v. 7 to 15. Act. 20. v. 19 to 25. In the tenth place Sound assurance will bide the trial and it is willing to be tried it shuns not the light but comes to the light that its reality might be made manifest Sound assurance is not usually injoyed long without some buffetings of Satan the soul that is tâ—us sealed by the Spirit of God hath uâ—ually some thorne in the flesh some messenger or other of Satans to exercise it and humble it thus it was with the Apostle Paul when thus sealed by the holy Spirit of God as appears by 2 Cor. 12.7 and thus it is with other of the Children of God who are thus sealed by the Spirit of God as each mans experience will witnesse to this I set a probatum est Sound assurance of the Love of God makes the soul long for the full fruition of it this seal of the holy Spirit of God moves the soul nothing more to desire to be dissolved to be with God how long Lord saith this soul come Lord Iesus come quickly I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ