The Object This is Salvation As there is the the matter the manner and the subject so the object and this is Salvation This Assurance is an internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation Is not Salvation a great thing it is made up of Grace here and Glory hereafter Is not Salvation a great thing it is Grace and that is Glory in the bud it is Glory and that is Grace in the flower Is not Salvation a great thing it is Grace and that is Glory militant it is Glory and that is Grace triumphant Salvation is the object We believe Acts 15.11 that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they The Motive This is free-grace This Assurance is an internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation through free-grace By grace ye are saved There is no reason to be given of Grace but Grace There is not any other motive with the God of Grace but the Grace of God As free-grace is mans mirror so it is Gods motive The Argument that prevailed with the God of Grace was the Grace of God So God loved the world so there is the Emphasis and it is an Emphasis unto wonder yea an Emphasis above wonder So God loved the world Joh. 3.16 that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life The Medium or Means The meritorious cause is the Blood of Christ. The moving cause of Salvation is the Grace of God but the meritorious cause of it is the Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 3.18 who suffered without the gate Who suffered for sin the just for the unjust In that he died he died unto sin once but in that he lived he lived unto God Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin Rom. 6.10 11. but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So that Soul Assurance or Evidence for Interest in Christ is that internal and infallible Certainty which a believing person hath of Salvation through free-grace written in the Blood of a crucified Christ It is true Assurance may be reduced to three heads Civil Corporal Spiritual Civil This is an Assurance for Fields Lands Houses Jer. 32.9 10. c. The Prophet bought a field of his Vncles Son subscribing the evidence sealing it taking witnesses and weighed him the money in the ballances Corporal Thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life Deut. 28.66 Spiritual To the full assurance of hope unto the end It is a metaphor taken from Ships which have all their Sails up Heb. 6.11 and all these filled with wind This is the Assurance I have described But why is Assurance attainable in this Life Quest 3. Sol. If we reflect Precept President and Promise Assurance is attainable in this Life Precept What is Prescribed is attainable but Assurance is Prescribed Wherefore the rather Bretheren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give diligence the word signifies Study and Diligence As if the Apostle had said be Studious 2 Pet. 1.10 and Diligent or be Studiously Diligent But about what About your Calling and Election Make your Calling and Election sure Vocation is a Comment upon Election and Evidential to Election No man can know that he is Elected until he be called but being effectually called he may know that he is eternally elected President What is exemplified is attainable but Assurance is exemplified If ye turn over the leaves of the blessed Bible that Book of Books from the beginning of it to the ending of it ye shall read of some persons in all Ages that have been assured As there is a distinguishing favour a favour proper and peculiar to the Saints and Servants of God so these Saints and Servants of God have been assured of this proper and peculiar Favour That there is a distinguishing Favour is evident Romember me Oh Lord Psa 106.4 with the favour thou bearest unto thy people Oh visit me with thy salvation That the people of God have been assured of this Favour is as evident Psa 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Promise What is Promised is attainable but Assurance is Promised As God hath Promised to keep his People so he will keep his Promise Isa 61.1 2 3. As Christ hath Promised to assure his People so he will assure his People by a Promise The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the Meek to bind up the Broken-hearted to comfort them that mourn c. But unto what is Assurance attributed Quest 4. and ascribed which is attainable in this Life This Assurance is attributed to the Spirit Sol. Assurance and the sealing work of the Spirit are Synonoma's In whom after ye believed Eph. 1.13 ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise The nature of a Seal is to make things sure A writing when Sealed is firm among men men also set their Seals on things to note their Propriety in the things that are Sealed As Faith may be without Assurance so it is alwaies before Assurance There is the Faith of Affiance and the Faith of Assurance There is the direct act of Faith this is an assenting and consenting that Christ is the Sinners Saviour and for the Sinner to cast himself at the feet of this Christ for Salvation this is Faith and the Soul that thus believe shall not perish for he that commeth unto Christ he will not Joh. 6.37 not cast out There is also the reflect act of Faith for the Soul to say this Christ is my Christ my Saviour my Surety my Sacrifice this is the Assurance of Faith this is the sealing work of the Spirit Grieve not the Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 whereby ye are Sealed to the day of redemption The Spirit here is set forth with very great Energy and it can hardly be expressed fully according to the Greek Here are three words which have three Articles each word hath its Article And grieve not the holy the Spirit of that God This is not spoken properly but tropically for the Spirit is incapable of Grief but we are said to grieve him when by sin we obstruct his Operation But what course shall I steer for this Assurance Quest 5. which is attainable in this Life Would ye be assured Sol. 1. Be much then in private prayer Is ever thy Heart more in consort than when thou art in a Closet Psa 51.4.12 Against Thee Thee only have I sinned According to the Dimension of the Person is the Dimension of the Transgression against whom we trespass But what course doth he now steer He sets upon prayer Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation uphold me with thy free Spirit Would ye be assured watch then
another but I and no other That Paradise is under promise for Converts Thou shalt be in Paradise Glory is entailed upon Grace Happiness is entailed upon Holiness and the Crown is appointed for the Converts Head Thou That this person was convinced appears in the Context Luke 23.40 41 42 Doest not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amiss And he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom That this person also was converted appears in the Text or Christ would not have laid Paradise under promise 1 Cor. 6.9 for Paradise is for none but Converts of his own making Thou shalt be in Paradise The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God The unrighteous as unrighteous and in a state of unrighteousness Mat. 18.3 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not not so the Greek enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Persons must be converted as well as convinced and changed as well as called or they cannot be passed thorough the Gates into the City Ye shall not not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Not not two Negatives strengthen an Affirmative That which makes Paradise a Paradise indeed is to be with Christ there With me Thou shalt be with me in Paradise What would a Paradise be without Christ What would Heaven be though Angels be there and the Spirits of just men made perfect be there if Christ were not there Whom have I in Heaven but thee As if the Psalmist had said Heaven would not be a Heaven to me were it not for thee Christ's being with the Soul here makes a Heaven here and the Souls being with Christ hereafter makes a Heaven hereafter Would not Heaven be a Baca a valley of tears A Bochim a house of mourning if the Soul were not to find Christ there John 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me in my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also That the Soul of a Convert is a Blossom of Eternity and hath a Stamp of Immortality As the Mortality of the Body so the Immortality of the Soul is legible in this Text and Truth Thou shalt be with me and that in Paradise Though thy Body dye yet thy Soul shall live yea live with me Fear not them which kill the Body Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the Soul Though the Body dyes the Soul lives That when Time goes into Eternity then the Converts Soul shall go into Glory To day Thou art upon earth to day and thou shalt be in Heaven to day Thy Body is upon a piece of timber this morning but thy Soul shall be in a place of Triumph before night To day To be in Paradise is much but to day to be there is more The time accents the mercy For Christ to speak in the Future Tense to a graceless Soul is not so amazing and amusing as for Christ to speak in the Present Tense For Christ to say He that believeth not shall be damned is sad but to say Thou Fool this night shall thy Soul be required of thee this is sadder For Christ to say He that believeth shall have everlasting life is much but for Christ to say To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is much more Though thou hast been sinning to this day yet after this day thou shalt never more sin All persons are bound for Hell or for Heaven for there is no Purgatory but what is in the foolish fancy of the blind and bloody of the barbarous and butchering Papists This cruel Crew cast all men into three Ranks Some are Apostles and Martyrs persons eminently godly these they say go immediately to Heaven Some are Apostates and Persecuters of the Faith these they say go immediately to Hell There is a middle sort of ordinary sinners that immediately after death go neither to Heaven nor to Hell but to Purgatory where they say they must bear the punishment of their sins until they be prayed out Luk. 16.22 23. But all Souls are bound for Heaven or Hell The poor man dying arrived at Heaven the rich man dying arrived at Hell The Soul of this Convert was to be where the Soul of Christ was to be and did not his Soul go into Glory Ought not Christ to have suffered these things Luk. 24.26 and to enter into his Glory Was not the Soul of this Convert in Heaven before his Body was in the Grave Stephen dyed in this Faith that the Soul of a Convert goes into Glory when his Time goes into Eternity or he would not have prayed Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit They stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Art actually in Christ Cordial V. Triumph also for Death will grave and that at once all thy Cares and Snares all thy Fears and Tears all thy Temptations and Tribulations Art actually in Christ Death then will grave all thy Cares Martha was careful and troubled about many things As it is said Luk. 10.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 10.41 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She was cumbred about much serving cumbred The Greek word to cumber or be cumbred signifies to be drawn or wried round and round about so it is said Martha Martha thou art careful and troubled about many things Martha Martha she is named twice and the name signifieth Bitter as if Christ had said Bitter Bitter 1. Bitter to her self in making her self a Drudge and neglecting the Word 2. To her Sister in chiding and accusing her Thou art careful The word signifies excessive and sinful Care 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Solicitude And troubled The word seems to signifie anxiously to be wreathed with the difficulty of a thing to be accomplished Martha was excessively and forbiddenly careful and thoughtful yea anxiously wreathed she had too much Care and Trouble when she was upon earth but she hath no care upon her now she is in Heaven Is not this the cry here Bread for the day Bread by the way Is not this the Cry here Bread for me and Bread for mine A little meal in my Barrel Eccl. 9.10 and a little Oil in my Cruse Oh says the Widow I am going to bake this Cake for me and my Son and then to dye But now Soul Death will grave all thy Cares for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goest This life is a day of working but death is a night of resting This life is
give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Interest in Christ cannot be lost Interest is a great thing and will not lie Interest some way other at some time or other byass persons As Thou hast Interest in Christ so Christ hath Interest in Thee Joh. 17.12 and this cannot be lost All that thou hast given me I have kept and none of them are lost A Being in Christ cannot be lost Inheritance with Christ cannot be lost Art in Christ then though thou mayest leave the Earth yet thou shalt not lose Heaven To an Inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you Would ye prepare for Death be then in the reflection of Eternity Time passeth Eternity standeth Eternity is a fixed Now. Of Eternity there is no Finis Xeuxis Aeternitati pingo A famous Painter being asked why he was so curious and long in drawing his Lines answered I paint for Eternity Thus what we do we should do for an Eternity we should meditate and pray for an Eternity we should preach and hear for an Eternity Should any one ask me what Time is might I not answer it is nothing else but a meditation of Eternity Psa 27.13 Job 10.22 There is a Land which is called the Land of the living so there is a Land which is called a Land of darkness as darkness it self There is a two-fold Eternity that of the Blessed that of the Cursed There is a two-fold life after death a life in eternal Triumph or a life in eternal Torment a life in eternal Gain or a life in eternal Loss Mat. 25.46 And these the Goats shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous the Sheep into life eternal It is prudential therefore in this short life to think upon that life which will be endless Trismegistus Plato Drexelius of Eternity p. 3 4. Ex hoc momento pendet Aeternitas The Soul saith one is the Horizon of Time and Eternity What another saith of God that I may say of Eternity what God is that I know not what God is not that I know So what Eternity is that I know not what Eternity is not that I know It is good in Time while we are sailing to have an Eye still upon our Compass and think upon Eternity Cast but an eye upon some Dials and you may find this Inscription Vpon this Moment hangs Eternity Our Glass is running our Time will go into an Eternity be therefore much yea much more in the reflection of an Eternity Would ye prepare for Death improve then the Spirit As the Soul is the Life of the Body so Christ is the Life of the Soul and his Spirit the Soul as it were of our Souls Light is in the Air but dwells in the San Good if Christ be thine is in the Flesh but dwells in the Spirit It would argue great power to convert Clay into Gold and a Pebble into a Pearl a greater change is wrought in the Soul and requires greater power It is as great a Miracle to see Grace growing in the carnal and corrupt heart of man in the dark and dead heart of man in the treacherous and timpanious heart of man in the wanton and worldly heart of man as to see the Stars growing upon the Earth and yet this the power of the Spirit doth The Spirit is the principal Verb in the Sentence be much then in the improving of this Spirit But what manner of Spirit is this Spirit Quest Sol. There are three Divine Subsistences in one Divine Essence Father Son Spirit As there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water 1 Joh. 5.7 8. and the Blood and these three agree in one so there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word the holy Spirit and these three are one They are not three Gods but one God A Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity looks like the Mystery of Mysteries 'T is called the eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God 'T is also written The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is 2 Cor. 3.17 there is Liberty I am writing of this Spirit Officially and the Offices of this Spirit follow 'T is an enlivening Spirit All men in their Naturals are dead dead in Sin Persons in red Letters while they live in the Region of depraved Nature are dead they are at most and at best but imbalmed Jacobs and Josephs lifeless and loveless motionless and actionless There may be an artificial Motion but there cannot be a natural Motion without natural Life Joh. 6.63 A Watch may go a Clock may go a Jack may go but these go not as a man goeth It is the Spirit that quickeneth 'T is an enlightening Spirit As God and Christ so the Things of God and Christ are out of the Viow of a person Godless and Christless It is the Spirit of God that unmasks and unveils God that discovers the things of God The Apostle speaking of those things which were invisible inaudible and inconceivable connects 1 Cor. 2.9 10. and connexes this But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God In these words there is an Assertion and the Reason for that Assertion The Assertion God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit The Reason for that Assertion Now herein ye have the Conclusion and the Comment The Conclusion The Spirit searcheth all things The Word here search is metaphorical taken from such as search in Mines for Gold and Silver they will dig deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will break the several Clods and Clots of the Earth all to pieces to find out the Golden Ore The Comment Yea the deep things of God the Depths of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek Some men are born naturally blind but all men are born spiritually blind and cannot see the Depths of God without the Spirit of God 'T is a bearing Spirit The Spirit is not a barren but a bearing Tree Gal. 5.22 23. it bears Variety The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law no law of Condemnation 'T is a Witnessing Spirit He that believeth hath the witness in himself Evidences quoad extra 1 Joh. 3.24 Rom. 8.16 He that hath the Fruit hath the Tree that hath Faith hath the Spirit for Faith is a fruit growing upon this Tree There are many things subordinately evidential but the Spirit is primarily and principally as well as infallibly evidential as to interest in Christ. By this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit that he hath given us The spirit himself witnesseth together with our Spirits that we are the
but also for ever gone I am left by a God and it is better to be left by all the world than to be left by God But Soul there is that laid and lodged in the Promise that will weigh down this Fear Is there such another Promise which according to the Greek for there are five Negatives in it may be read thus For he hath said I will not Heb. 13.5 not leave thee I will never not not forsake thee May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the geatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Faith Faith if I may so write is mighty and can do mighty things What cannot Faith do Faith can do more than Force As it is true to believe is very difficult it is as true unto him that believeth all things are possible Heb. 11.30 33 34 35 36 37. Read but that Scriptural Martyrology which is the Book Martyrs epitomized and there you may find the noble Acts of Faith It is Faith that overcometh the world This is the victory that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5.4 even our Faith Yea it is Faith that maketh a Conquest upon the God of this world Resist the Devil Jam. 4.7 and he will flee from you But how shall he be resisted In the Faith Whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1 Pet. 5.9 Oh the mighty power of Faith But I dare assert that you are not to take the Act of Faith without Christ the Object of Faith What can the Instrument do without the Hand Indeed the Faith of Believers can do much but Faith can do nothing unless it be laid in the Bosom and Bowels of the Promise Abrahams Faith was exceeding great He was very gray and so was his Consort but what made his Faith so strong He had the promise of a strong God and this gave strength to his Faith He staggered not at the promiso through unbelief Rom. 4.19 20 21. but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Is there not now a greatness in the Promise and is not the preciousness of it legible in the greatness of it Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Corruptions Consider the evil of Sin and that will appear to be exceeding great Sin hath Evil all Evil and nothing but Evil in it Sin is only evil altogether evil alway evil Rom. 7.13 That sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful or that Sin by the Commandment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might become hyperbolically sinful or that Sin by the Commandment might become a Sinner to a wonder a Sinner above wonder beyond comparison Sin is a darkening of the Glory of God a defacing of the Image of God a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and a wroâ—ging of the Soul of man There is Evil enough in Sin to undo all the world Is not Sin the cry of the damned in Hell and should not Sin be the cry of the dead upon Earth Is there not a world of Sin within Thee and within Me yea a world of Sin within Thee and within Me not yet seen by Thee and by Me Now though Sin be so great an Evil that nothing is so great yet the Greatness and Goodness of God wrapped up in the Promise Isa 1.18 is greater than Sin Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wooll This Promise is great and precious as well as great Divine Promises they are as great as divine Commands The Commands of God are great exceeding great Acts 16.31 Is not Faith a great Command Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Spira sound it so who said Ye call upon me to believe I tell you I cannot believe Oh! how fain would I believe but I cannot It is as possible to keep the Moral Law as to believe for it is natural to work for Life but supernatural to believe for Life Faith is a great work Joh. 6.29 but now he that wills it works it This is the work of God that ye believe in him whom he hath sent Faith is the work the work that God esteemeth in stead of all works But Faith is not only a work so esteemed by God Col. 2.12 but it is also the work of God It is called a Faith of the Operation of God God commands the making of a new heart and a new spirit and might he not as well have commanded the making of a new Heaven Ezek. 18.31 and a new Earth Make ye a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die oh house of Israel But what God commands his to do in one place he promiseth to do for his in another place Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them I will give you Legs and lead you too I will habituate the Soul with Grace and actuate Grace in the Soul and for the Soul As the Habit so the Act of Grace shall be from me May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Divine Promises are as great if not greater than Divine Threatnings Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Darkness and Death He hath promised to the Believer light and life Rom. 5.21 Hath God threatned the Vnbeliever with Damnation he hath promised unto the Believer Salvation Doth Sin reign unto Death the second Death Grace reigns thorough righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Is the wages of Sin Death the first and the second Death all manner of Deaths the portion of a Christless Soul is nothing else but Death Rom. 6.23 Exod. 20.5 6. his whole estate lies in the valley of the shadow of death But now though the stipend of sin be death yet the gift of God is eternal life thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Hath God visited Iniquity to the third and fourth Generation He sheweth mercy unto thousands of Generations May not now the preciousness of the Promise be read in the greatness of it Jer. 10.6 Divine Promises they are like unto God Himself God is great exceeding great There is none like unto thee Jehovah thou art great and thy name is great in might Now whatever is great in God he hath made it over by promise unto Believers Take a Taste His Power The Lord can do whatsoever he will though he will not dâ— whatsoever he can His Power hath no Patent but â—s Pleasure Power belongeth to God God is as much acted in making a Flie as in making an Elephant The Power of God is greater than the power of Sin Nah. 1.3 than the power of Men than the power
As God is faithful who hath promised so God hath laid his faithfulness under promise I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail or lie His Counsel As God hath laid his Spirit and Gâ—odness Consilium malum Consultori pessimum and Faithfulness so his Counsel under promise Counsel is the Spirit and Quintessence of Reason Reason drops out and distills it self into Counsel It is an old Adage or Proverb That bad Counsel is worst to the Counsellor Princes formerly used to have learned men about them whom they called Remembrancers Themistocles had his Anaxagoras Alexander his Aristotle Scipio his Panaetius and Polybius but David in all his straights asked counsel of the Lord Psal 119.24 and consulted him as his Oracle Thy Testimonies also are my delight and my Counsellors or the Men of my Counsel The Orator said Men of Counsel are to a Commonwealth Margent as the Mind Reason or Vnderstanding is to any particular man Young mens Counsels Cicero Descriptio are very dangerous Jeroboam lost ten Tribes by following them Counsel is good Advice given and ought to be taken about things to be done The Grecians in matters of great importance did resort in respect of Counsel to the Temple of Apollo Ex. 18.26 The small matters were judged by the Heads of the People but the hard Causes were brought unto Moses God did speak by a Mâ—ses but now he speaks by a Messiah Heb. 1.2 whom he hath appointed Heir of all things Of old also they enquired of Abel 2 Sam. 20.18 They plainly spake in the beginning saying Surely they will ask of Abel and so make an end Abel was a City the Inhabitants thereof in former times being reputed just and pâ—udent were in affairs of weight resorted unto for Counsel whence it grew into a Proverb That they who needed Advice should ask at Abel Others think that this City-Matron puts Joab in mind of the old Law which commanded Deut. 20.10 11. that a City should be summoned before besieged and a Cessation of Arms upon embracing Conditions of Peace But to a Christ should the Soul now go for counsel and him should the Soul now consult as an Oracle who infallibly thus speaks Counsel is mine Prov. 8.14 Luk. 12.10 11 12 and sound wisdom I am understanding I have strength The highest and the holiest counsel is laid and left under promise When they bring you unto Synagogues Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer or what ye shall say for the holy Spirit shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say His Conduct As God hath laid his Counsel so his Conduct under promise He shall feed his flock like a shepherd There is feeding but is there all no Isa 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs with his Arm There is gathering but is here all no He shall carry them in his Bosom There is carrying but is here all no there is leading also and that gently those with young or that give suck Oh saith the Soul the way to Hell is so much beaten and the way to Heaven is so little beaten that I know not how to go without leading Oh saith another the way to Hell is down-hill but the way to Heaven is up-hill that I know not how to go without leading But Soul leading is laid and left under promise I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not Isa 42.16 I will lead them in paths that they have not known Himself God hath laid himself under promise Ye shall be my people Ezek. 36.28 and I will be your God Who is able to say what God is One being asked what God was answered He must be a God that can give a Solution to this Question Now God Himself hath laid Himself under promise 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Thus there are four things recorded and transmitted to Posterity in the preciousness of them There is a precious Soul As the Redemption of the Soul is precious so the Soul that is redeemed is precious The precious sons of Sion comparable to fine gold Lam. 4.2 how are they esteemed as earthen Pitchers the work of the hands of the Potter These are precious in the eyes of God but vile in the eyes of the world There is precious Faith Faith is a precious Plant an outlandish Plant a Plant of God's own planting and of a divine Extract Faith is not a Native but a Donative it is Heaven-born and not a Slip growing in our own Garden 2 Pet. 1.1 To all that have obtained like precious faith There is a precious Christ Pearls are precious Christ is a Pearl yea the Pearl the Pearl of great price of greatest price It would puzzle and pose Lam entius not onely all the Saints but also all the Angels to bring in the worth and the weight of this Pearl He can never dye a Bankrupt worse than nothing nor a Beggar worth nothing that hath this Pearl 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious Or Honor Greek One thinks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Abstract is put for the Concrete Honor for honorable and precious There is a precious Promise Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 So that here is a precious Saint thorough precious Faith closing with a precious Christ in a precious Promise DIRECT VI. ART actually in Christ Direct 6. Drink then of the Brook by the way and lift up thy head Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 yea from henceforth saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them In this Bundle of Myrrhe in this Text and Truth so sweetly-sweet there is the Subject and the Predicate The Subject This is Blessing Blessed The word seems to signifie greatly blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and happy The Predicate Now this is referrible to two Heads the Pronunciation of it and the Amplification of it The Pronunciation of it Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord yea from hencesorth saith the Spirit Wherein there are these things The Persons The Dead The without Heart so the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Primum vivens ultimum morienâ— Arist for as Life beginneth so Death endeth in the Heart One therefore calls the Heart the first living and the last dying The Dead blessed are the Dead or the without Heart A Description of these Persons which dye in the Lord. In Christ Jesus the Lord in the Faith of Christ Jesus the Lord. Which dye in the Lord or for the Lord for the Lord Jesus for the sake of the Lord Jesus so Beza and Mede that pass thorough a violent death that suffer death for Christ and
lay down their Blood on this side the Grave But I rather understand it with others which dye in the Lord in the Faith of the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 for the One is blessed as well as the Other All these dyed in Faith According to Faith so the Greek that is these dyed in the Faith of the Person of Christ that was to come but Believers now dye in the Faith of the Person of Christ that did come that had his Veins breathed and his Vitals let out upon the Cross The Blessing pronounced upon these described persons Those that dye in the Faith of Christ are blessed The timing of this pronounced Blessing upon these described persons From henceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From this time so the Greek The Soul of a person living and dying in a Christ goeth not to Purgatory but to Glory when Time goes in to Eternity Luk. 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and that Paradise the Heaven of Heavens The infallible Testimony concerning the blessedness pronounced upon these described persons From this time yea saith the Spirit The Amplification of it That they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Now this Amplification falls under a twofold Notion Rest and Reward to these distinctly Rest That they may rest from their labours That they may rest from the labour of their particular Callings from their Afflictions and Persecutions from their Sins and Sorrows from their Temptations and Tribulations from their Distresses and Desertions The Grave is the House and Bed of the Body to all that dye Heaven is the Rest and House of the Soul to all those who dye in the Lord. Psal 19.11 Saints here have a Rest in their labours in the keeping of them there is great reward but Saints hereafter shall have a Rest from their labours that they may rest from their labours Reward And their works do follow them Not in a way of Debt but in a way of Grace not in a way of Merit but in a way of Mercy Their works follow them go with them for the words saith one well weighed sound so Leigh in loc Works here are put metonimically for the wages and reward of their works which reward is not in a way of merit but in a way of mercy Every one shall receive according to what he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 They shall follow their works no more who are followed by their works And their works do follow them Not in kind the very same individual works which they have done here follow them not for they are transient Acts and have no subsistency but the Blessing which lie in the promise for such works when Believers die their works follow them thorough free-grace in glorious rewards when Vnbelievers dye their works follow them thorough divine Justice in everlasting torments Mariners carry Glasses of Spirits along with them in their dangerous and difficult Voyages Art actually in Christ Then the Cross is the way to the Crown and the Wilderness is the way to Canaan thou art for ought I see going back into the Wilderness take therefore these comfortable Cordials along with thee in thy progress to the Holy Land Art astually in Christ Cordial I. Phi. 1.21 Triumph then for thou shalt be no loser but a gainer by Death To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain A Soul in Christ is a great gainer by Death but a Soul out of Christ is a great loser by Death he loseth these lesser and lower things we brought nothing into this world and it is as certain we can carry nothing out this man loseth his company a carnal and a cursed crew a drinking and a damning crew this man takes leave of all his Relations at once Father and Mother Wife and Children yea this man living and dying out of Christ loseth his Soul Matth. 16.26 and that is a considerable loss an universal loss an irreparable loss a kind of an infinite loss for it is the loss of an infinite God and this God a God of infinite love Saul dying lost his Kingdom and I fear his Soul too Hered dying lost his Crown and I fear his Soul too But now a Soul living and dying in Christ is a greater Gainer than Loser by Death for Death will be an Out-let to Sin and an In-let to Glory Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an Out-let to Sin Sin is a fatal Monosyllable As Grace is the best so Sin is the worst Monosyllable as Love is the best so Lust is the worst Monosyllable now will it be any loss but a gain to lose sin where is the Soul that would keep it who knows that every thing less than Hell is less than Sin A Soul living and dying in Christ leaves his Bags Rom. 6.7 and his Barns his Friends and Relations but he leaves his Sins also which is a greater Gain than the other a Loss Death gives a Bill of Divorce to Sin He that is dead is freed from Sin The Body sins not without the Soul Here every Soul in Christ cries out of one Sin or another Oh the pride of my Heart saith one and the passion of my Heart saith another Oh the darkness of my Heart saith one and the deadness of mine saith another Oh the treaâ—hery of my Soul saith one and the tympany of mine saith another Oh the wantonness of my Spirit saith one and the worldliness of mine saith another But there will be no complaining in the Grave when thy Head hath a pillow of Dust As there will be no working in the Grave so there will be no sinning in the Grave when the Soul takes leave of the Body then Sin takes leave of the Soul and of the Body too and that for ever Art actually in Christ Then Death will be an In-let to Glory If Christ be thine and thou beest Christs then Death to thee will be the beginning of life Thou layest down one life to take up another and that which thou takest up is far better than that which thou layest down Phi. 1.23 Lend an ear to the Apostle I am in a straight between two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is far better For I am in a strait the word is very significant and a metaphor not onely from the straitning of the Body by diseases but also of the coangustation or straitning of a City on every side besieged a metaphor taken from the straitness of places where we are intercepted by an enemy Leigh Cri. sac in loc shut up not finding an issue Yea it signifieth also the straitning and perplexity of the mind when one knoweth not what to do and whither to turn him As if the Apostle had said I am drawn divers ways this way with the desire of Christ that way with the
Eternity then Grace shall go into Glory There is a twofold Perfection a Perfection of the Truth of Grace and a Perfection of the Growth of Grace but suffer a distinct discussion of these There is a Perfection of the Truth of Grace The wise Virgins Mat. 25.4 took oil in their vessels with their lamps Oil onely in the Lamp is onely aâ— blaze of Profession Oil in the Vessel is Truth oâ— Grace in the Heart This is a Perfection of parts Since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in truth Col. 1.6 Thus a Child is a perfect Child having all the parts of a man The Soul which hath the Truth of Grace hath something of every Grace There is a Perfection of the Growth of Grace Till we all come into the unity of the faith Eph. 4.13 and knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. This is a Perfection of degrees when Grace is swailowed up in Glory Heb. 12.23 To the spirits of just men made perfect Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Peace Pax Bello potior Nomen Pacis desiderabile Esto bellando pacisicus Aug. Greg. Nyssen Peace is better than War yea the very name of Peace is desirable Peace is a confluence of all good things the Jews therefore when they wish a man well salute him thus Peace be unto thee The effect of War is waste It is said of the Turkish-War that where the Grand Seigniors Horse sets his foot no more Grass will grow he makes havock of all Every Seat of War becomes a Seat of Wrath an Ire-land In War saith One seek Peace Another saith Both the name and nature of Peace is sweet Outward Peace is the chiefest of outward Blessings inward Peace is the chiefest of inward Blessings Peace upon Earth is imperfect but Peace in Heaven shall be perfect Heaven is called the Joy of the Lord Mat. 25.21 23. because there is Joy and nothing but Joy is there Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Vision Potter 's Compendious View p. 54. Vision on Earth is imperfect but Vision in Heaven is perfect In the most Northern part of Tartaria they have Day for six months together and Night also for the other six months together It is thus with some Souls if they have Day the shines of God for a considerable time they also have Night the Frowns 〈◊〉 God for a considerable time A Christian is â—â—ke the Marigold that opens with the shining and â—â—uts with the setting of the Sun God often leaves â—â—e brightest men in an Eclipse to shew That they â—rrow their light from his Reflection It is said Clark's Mirror p. 190. â—hat over the top of the mountain of Potosi there â—ways hangs a Cloud even in the clearest day Unâ—er the greatest Calm thou may'st be near a Storm â—nder the greatest Vision be near Desertion Aug. It was â—â—e desire of One to see three things 1. Rome in â—s Flower 2. Paul in the Pulpit 3. Christ in â—he Flesh Did Alexander lay up Homers Iliads in 〈◊〉 Cabinet embroidered with Gold and Pearls Certainly then a deserted Soul will lay up reciâ—us Promises in the Cabinet of his heart as choice Treasure The Saints on Earth cry out of Deâ—artures Eclipses c. but in Heaven there shall â—e Vision without Amission and Intermission In Heaven there shall be Vision without Amission There will be no loss of Vision in Heaven Here â—he Cry is Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Can. 3.3 Do you â—ee him for my part I have lost sight of him but â—o such Cry in Heaven as the loss of Vision In Heaven there shall be Vision without Intermission As it is the felicity of a Person upon Earth that God always beholds him so it is the felicity of this Person in Heaven that he always beholds God Upon Earth the Sun goes down upon thee and it is often Night to thy Soni but in Heaven it shall never go down upon thee but shall be always Day to thy Soul If once arrived at Heaven thou shalt never more lose sight of the Tree of Life when once there no Cloud will at any time interpose beeween thy Soul and thy Saviour Blessed Mat. 5.8 are the pure in heart for they shall see God The pure in heart here see God and then lose sight of him but the pure in heart hereafter shall so see God as never more to lose sight of him Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter perfect Freedom A threefold Freedom shall these have Those actually Christs shall be indulged here after a perfect Freedom from Satanical Suggestion Now Satan rages ranges roars for his time is short Who is able to enumerate now the temptations of those who are Christs Satan always goes about like a Lyon to devour or like a Serpent to deceive and delude Are not the best tempted most But Satan being once cast out of Heaven shall never come there more he is confined to the Aireal part Eph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the Prince of the Power of the Air. He tempted in the terrestial but he cannot tempt in the celestial Paradise yea under the Personality of Christs Reign upon Earth the thousand years Rev. 20.3 according to the Greek Satan shall be chained up Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Communion The Cry of a Christian here is Wo to me that I live in Mesech Ps 120.5 with a barbarous People and dwell in the tents of Kedar with the Sons of Ishmael The Cry of Christians in this world may be like the complaint of the Prophet The Princes of the Nations are like the Princes of Sodom and the People of the Nations like the People of Gomorrah but there are no Nero's and Nebuchadnezzars in Heaven no Pharachs and Pilates in Heaven no Cains and Caligula's in Heaven no person living 1 Cor. 6.9 Heb. 12.22 23 24. and dying in his sin shall inherit the kingdom of God There is in Heaven a holy God and a holy Christ there are in Heaven holy Angels and holy Saints but not an unholy Soul there Those actually Christs shall be indulged hereafter a perfect Freedom from sinful Corruption I know none save those that are perfect strangers to their own hearts but complain of Sin some of one Sin some of another Oh how fain would the Soul which is actually Christs lay down this body of Sin and Death Oh says the Soul when shall I go home when shall I go to my Fathers house where I shall never sin more He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 5.12 Death came in by Sin and Sin goeth out by Death the Death of the Body freeth us from the Body of Death Art actually in Christ Cordial VII
of Devils The Lord is slow to Anger and of great Power and will not at all acquit the wicked Now the Power of God Jer. 39.18 is made over by promise unto the People of God who make him the Object of their Trust I will surely deliver thee and thou shalt not fall by the sword but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee because thou hast put thy trust in me saith Jehovah His Presence As the power so the presence of God is made over by promise unto the People of God What would the Joys of Heaven be were it not for the presence of God there but as a Funeral Banquet Psal 16.11 where there is much provision but no meat In thy presence is fulness of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore To be with the Lord for a moment is a Heaven upon Earth but to be with the Lord for ever is the Heaven of Heavens The presence of God is the Heaven of Heaven the Joy of Heaven the Life of Heaven and of All that shall arrive there Now the presence of God Isa 43.2 is made over by promise to the People of God When thou passest thorough the waters I will be with thee and thorough the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorough the fire thou shalt not be burnt nor shall the flame kindle upon thee God is with his in the fire and in the water though these be amazing and amusing elements and his presence is more than deliverance If God be with his though all evil be upon them yet no evil toucheth them The presence of the chief Good is banishment to all evil His Pardon Pardon of Sin is a singular mercy of the plural number if a convinced or deserted Soul may speak The Pardon of Pope Alexander the Sixth Heb. 8.12 was for Thirty thousand Years but this Pardon notwithstanding the prodigious length of it was not worth the having worth the hearing for God onely can forgive Sin I will be merciful unto their unrighteâ—◠〈◊〉 their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Here are three words unrighteousness sins and iniquities to indicate and intimate that God will forgive all kinds and degrees of sins Ex. 34.7 The number of words imply the number of sins The Scripture in propounding Gospel-Immunties sometimes useth three words Jer. 31.34 forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin sometimes two words I will forgive their Iniquity Jer. 33.8 and will remember their Sin no more sometimes but one word I will cleanse them from all their Iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their Iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me His Providence The works of God are distinguished into two sorts of Creation and Providence It is not good to out-run Providence Perkin ' s Golden Chain Acts 17.28 Isa 43.1 4. and it is as bad to loyter and lag behind it God's Providence saith one is either General which extends it self to the whole world in whom we live and move and have our Being or Special which he sheweth towards his Church Oh Jacob and Israel Fear not I have called thee by thy name thou art mine I will give men for thee and people for thy life All Creatures have a teaching Voice and read us Divinity-Lectures of Divine Providence Is not that a true Axiome in Divinity Gen. 22.14 Providence is a Creation continued Abraham called the name of the place where the Ram was caught Jehovah-jireh the Lord will see or provide noting the special Providence of God in Distresses as it is said unto this day In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen Now this Providence of God is his most wise just Descriptio and powerful discerning disposing and preserving of all things and persons according to his eternal and immutable knowledge and will for such ends as himself hath purposed from everlasting Mat. 10.29 30. Are not two Sparrows sold for a Farthing the tenth part of a Roman Peny and of our Coin an Half-peny Farthing and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are all numbred The hairs of our heads are innumerable to Vs but they are numerable to God These words at once intimate God's Care of all and Satan's Malice against all God will have an Account of every Hair The Enemies cannot pull off a Hair but God will call them to a Reckoning for it The Efflux of his Spirit As the Power and presence of God the Pardon and Providence of God so an Efflux of the Spirit of God is laid and left Isa 44.3 under promise I will pour water upon the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring Is not deadness of Spirit the Grave as it were of many Graces The Spirit of God is not the light within every man God the Father Son Faldo 's Key c. p. 85. and Holy Spirit without distinction as a Generation of a late Edition not for want of Ignorance or being too much proselited and become the Spawn of the Romists assert The Soul without the Spirit and its Gales is like a Ship without Sails and Wind. Now Joel 2.28 a greater dimension and efflux of the Spirit is laid and left under promise And it shall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh His Goodness God is good very good and doth good Psal 27.13 He is abundant in goodness and truth I had fainted had I not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Had not the goodness of God been laid under promise how should it have been believed For as the Precept is a Rule for Obedience so the Promise is a ground for Faith The goodness of God is unto wonder and this is the matter of the Psalmist's wonder Psal 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for those that fear Thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men His Faithfulness Man is unfaithful but God is faithful 2 Tim. 2.13 Though we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself This is not spoken of Vnbelievers but of persons that might be very unbelieving Though our Faith be reduced to a low ebb though Fear hath taken the wall of Faith though Fear be at flood Pontius Centurio Clark ' s Mirror p. 206. and Faith at ebb yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself One of Caesar's Captains taken by Scipio had his life proffered him with an honourable place in Pompey's Army if he would leave Caesar and serve Pompey but he answered I will rather dye than falsifie my Faith to Caesar Did man thus say Psal 89.33 What may God then say