complaine I know well that fervent prayer prevaileth much but I have no heat no life no fervour of prayer but in such duties find a wonderfull coldnesse dâ—lnesse and even deadnesse of spirit But let such know and continually remember that these feelings are very common to Gods dearest Saints on earth I am afflicted verie much saith David quicken mee oh Lord according to thy Word Nine severall times doth that holy Prophet call for quickning grace in that onely Psalme which evidently argueth much sense of spirituall dulnesse and deadnesse At such times therefore because the Word quickneth us let us shake ouâ— this heavinesse by some meditations on those grounds of prayer which we finde in the Word Now these grounds are either such as are within or without us Those within are first some feeling of a grievous defect and want secondly some apprehension of good in the things desired The outward are first the ability secondly the bounty of those whom wee aske Now as where in much want there is no feeling of any defect or if there bee sense yet no desire of supply there no man will seeke out for helpe So when all these concurre yet will wee not aske where either there is wrll but no power or much power but no wil to succour us But when a man findes at home nothing but want and beggery as wel want of all necessaries as want of strength in himselfe to procure them and this want stirreth up hunger hee will soone leave his owne bare walls to get reliefe of some rich and bountifull person And according to the measure of these grounds will be his diligence in using meanes and seeking help where there is much sense of much want strong desires of supply certaine knowledge of great ability and bounty in some neere neighbour there also the putting forth of meanes to procure relief wil be answerable Now then let a Christian whâ— desireth to sharpen his voyce in prayer wheâ— his heart with serious meditations 1. Of his desperate wants want of all necessary grace want of all power to supply it of himselfe Consider that thou art poore wretched miserable blind and naked no sufficiencie in thee to thinke one good thought 2. When thou hast taken a good view of thy many and grievous wants ponder well the necessity of the grace which thou wantest Remember the profit the sweetnesse the excellency of it that All things are dung and losse in comparison of the excellenâ— knowledge of Christ the vâ—rtue of his resurrection and comformitie to his death By this meanes thou wilt finde thy desires to bee kinâ—led within thee Then â—et before thine eyes that Father of Lights from whom as beames from the Sunne flow out infinite streames of grace and goodnesse toward his creatures weigh diligently that hee is rich infinitely rich to all that call upon him gracious infinitely gracious to those who seeke him in Christ. Men grow poore by much giving but hee the more hee gives the more he may No end of his store no end or beginning of his goodnesse insomuch that where hee once giveth there he ever giveth one grace ever making way for anotherâ— and the more thou desirest and askest the more welcome and the more excellent the things which thou beggest the more sure thou aâ—â— to receive them If Salomon aske wisedome hee shall have it with advantage of other blessings which he asked not how much more when thou askest holinesse Oh if thou aske Give mee thy selfe to be my Father give me thy Sonne to be my Head and Saviour give me thy holy Spirit to bee my life and quickner give me obedience to all How shouldst thou misse Thou which art a parent how willingly canst thou being thy selfe evill give good things to thy child though the more thou givest the lesse thou hast but if hee aske wisely things that are truly good not toyes and trifles how art thou delighted in his petitions how gladly dost thou give him with increase whatsoever hee intreateth How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to those that aske him Remember the example of blind Bartimeuâ— Hee feeling the great misse of his eyes and the discomfort of perpetuall darkenesse and knowing well that as in himselfe there was no helpe so in Christ as being the light of the world there was both infinit power and grace as denying none that came unto him laden oppressed never ceased crying Iesus thou sonne of David have mercy on me They discourage and rebuke him that he should hold his peace what then Did he sit downe and cease No but whetted with the remembrance of his own misery and Christ his mercy Cried out so much the more a great deale Iesus thou sonne of David have mercy upon mee Remember how earnestly and uncessantly he sued remember how he prospered in his suit Now goe thou and doe likewise Sharpen thy desires with serious meditatioÌ„ on thy wants set before thine eies this power and bounty of the Lord and then intreat beg sue importune his favour and never give him over till hee give thee in thy request Nor let thy spirit faint but know thou shalt obtaine as sure as God is true Thou canst not faile because he cannot be unfaithfull CHAP. XV. The application of this comfort by meditation NOw then when thou findest thy Spirit cast downe within thee rowze it up with some such meditation How is it my Soule how is it oh thou of little faith that thus in the day of trouble thou refusest comfort Hast thou not good leave yea a precious liberty nay a sweet command from thy gracious Lord Is any man afflicted let him pray Oh my my Lord Shall all flesh come unto thee because thou hearest praier And shall not I who have had so much experience how often thou hast enclined thine eare unto me shall not I call upon thee as long as I live In the verie day that I cried thou hast answered mee and strengthenest mee with the strength of thy right hand in my soule Can I then want comfort who have thine eare to heare me thy compassion to pitty me thy strong hand to relieve mee Is there no time untimely in prayer no season unseasonable but the time of affliction the very set howre of audience Psa. 50. 15. and shall I not then take hold of this privilege and use it with cheerfulnesse Oh my heavenly Father even I a sinfull wretch wil give any good thing to the childe of my body when he asketh But if he desire me to teach him things profitable his book his trade his duty to thee to my selfe and others how joyfully doe I heare him how gladly doe I instruct him how willingly reward him How then shouldest thou so infinitely good so beyond all that I can thinke gracious bountifull deny me thy poore creature begging of thee any thing that
acquit him How can a man bee heartily thankefull to God for Christ and blesse him for such a gift when he is altogether in doubt whether he hath any portion in his meditation how can he poure out his soule in blessing the Lord Jesus for his love and fruits of it when he is uncertaine whether he shall be built upon or dasht against this rocke What strong consolation can arise from a wavering opinion or flickering hope whether the Lord hath appointed us unto glory with himselfe or torment with the divell Secondly that which God offereth us in his Word confirms by oath conveies by his seales and above all the rest unchangeably assureth by his Spirit as a very pledge and eaâ—nest unto this end that estate not onely is firme and irrevocable but ought with all laborious endevor and vehement contention be sought and made fast and sure upon us Now it is most apparent that by all these meanes the Lord offereth the assurance of salvation to the faithfull and offereth them to this very end that they might bee stablished in the assurance of his gracious purpose as even in earthly covenants wâ—itings oathes â—eales pawnes are given for no other purpose but to confirme the intent of the giver and the state of the receiver Be this then throughly setled in us that we ought to give all diligence to make our election and calling sure CHAP. XXVII That this assurance is the gift of God the feeling of it sometimes with-held sometimes with-drawne from the faithfull LAstly that this full perswasion of faith assuring our election and salvation is the gift of God cannot be denied and therefore shall not neede any copious or exact proofe For we all know and acknowledge that everie good and perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Among which gifts even the Giver himselfe is the chiefe and the very summe of all the rest namely that blessed Spirit given by the Father Ioh. 14. 16. who testifieth to our spirits that we are Sonnes of God and Heires with the Lord Jesus Christ and who bringerh with him as wel that gift of faith 1 Cor. 12. 9. and the fulnesse of it as also that spiritual life and sense whereby wee see and feele the exâ—ellent things which are given us by God things which eye hath not seene eare hâ—th not heard nor ever entred into the heart of man Secondly as it is manifest that it is the gift of God so is it as apparent that it is not given at all times to all Beleevers For first when wee are new borne Babes wee finde our faith so farre from any full assurance that others discerne our life in our earnest longings after the Word and our fervent desires that wee could beleeve rather than our selves in feeling that wee doe beleeve For whereas it is impossible to come to any assurance of our salvation without a spirit of discerning whereby being able to try things that differ wee can examine and prove our faith in God and love to his Saints and so come to the knowledge of our dwelling in Christ and that wee are translated from death to life this spirit of discerning is not ordinarily given to Infants in understanding Looke as the Children of great Princes yet in their infancy much rejoyce in their costly Robes Coronets c. but have not yet discretion to gather thence their Noble parentage and dignity to which they are borne so Christian Babes though they see themselves richly adorned with those heavenly graces of God and doe not a little rejoyce in the preseut estate which they feele yet cannot in this their infancy by a reflected act of the judgement gather thence their sure title and claime to all those precious promises of God and their future glorie which depend on the former Secondly yet further when the children of God 〈…〉 up to sâ—me maâ—u 〈…〉 yeâ— iâ— pleaseth the Lord as for many reasons best knowne to his owne wisedome so certainly for his own glory in them and their glory in him to exercise them with many temptations and manifold trials so that being encumbred with much wrastling against unbeleefe and other corruptions they cannot for the present attaine this certainty But when the eye of faith is strengthned and these mists of tentation over-blowne the faithfull soule seeth cleerely the love of God in Christ by his holy Spirit leading him to salvation and evidently discernes his everlasting happinesse sealed up to his soule in the new Covenant And yet even then wee are subject to lose though not the favor of God yet the sense of his favour and consequently that comfortable perswasion of our eternal life For as some men by much neglect of seasonable refreshings decay in bodily strength and livelinesse of spirit and some other by great distemper fall into sicknesse and weaknesse so the strongest Christian who could say as David Though I walk through the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life yet either by neglect or coldnes in the means Word Prayer c. or by some grievous sinne may finde that joy of his salvation utterly hidden and clouded as did also that holy Prophet Psal. 51.12 after he had committed that foule sinne upon Vriah and his wife CHAP. XXVIII What meanes must be used for obtaining this assurance SUrely the land of Canaan was the glory of al lands that garden of God which he had allotted and bequeathed to Abraham Isaac Iacob and their seed even to his owne deare children on earth As a father therfore intending some portion for his beloved childe will build plant furnish and adorne it with all commodious helps convenient pleasures for his good so the Lord cared for this land his eyes were continually upon it from the beginning of the yeere to the ending Hence as it flourished with Corne Balme Oyle c. so was it watered with showers and flowing Rivers of Milke Wine and Hony yet was this earthly but a darke shadow of that heavenly Canaan which land of eternall life the Lord legacâ—ed onely to his heires even the joynt-heires with Christ. How rich therefore is it in glory how ravishing in divine pleasures If the outward courts of heaven dazle the strongest eye with surpassing beautie and brightnesse Oh what is the inward retiring and Presence of that great King How unspeakeably how incomprehensibly bright and glorious No marvell then if the Children of God having tasted some fruits of this heavenly Countrey labour for full assurance in the conveyance of this purchased possession Now then in the next and last place let us consider by what meanes a Christian may attaine this security and finde his soule firmely instated and setled in it Verily as in the material so is it in this spiritual building hee
thou Eternall Truth which thou hast spoken I even I am hee that comfort you who art thou that thou shouldst feare a mortall man the son of man which shal be made as grasse Sure is it God cannot but be the greatest comfort to them whom enjoy him because he is the greatest good For even those heathens as truly observed that most judicious Divine and learned Father who consider him by the eye of the understanding and not by sense preferre him above all visible and corporall above all intelligible and spiritual natures Nor can saith heâ— any man be found who thinketh God to be that than which any thing can be better In this all men consent that they advance him above all things Let us therefore from this incomprehensible Sea of consolation draw out some especiall and particular comforts CHAP. XVII The more speciall comforts which are in God And first in the Father NOw as that glorious one God is distinguished into three persons so may we discerne in Scripture a threefold relation betweene us and every person full of unspeakable joy and sweetnesse God the Father vouchsafeth to bee our father God the Sonne hath undertaken to be our Saviour The blessed Spirit giveth himselfe unto us to be peculiarly and in more specialty our Comforter First then God the Father maybe considered in this relation either to God or the creature In the first kinde he is a Father onely to the Sonne by an essential communication of his substance In the second he is a Father either generally to all reasonable creatures by creation to Angels Iob 1.6 who are there called the children of God to men Thou art our Father and wee the worke of thy hands and hence Adam stiled the Sonne of God or else more particularly he is a Father to the faithfull by grace and that as well by adoption as by regeneration For the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ culleth out from amoÌ„g the families of worldly men those whom before hee hath predestinated and bringeth them into his owne family setteth out for them and instateth them into a portion of grace and inheritance of glory Read Gal. 4. 4,5,6 and Ephes. 1.4,5 and then by that immortall seed of his Word begetteth them to that divine nature Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us Of his own will the Father of lights hath begotten us It is altogether impossible in this land of darknesse to behold the infinite light of heavenly comfort which floweth from this relation For what comparison betweene any earthly estate and our adoption into heaven The children of Nobles and of the greatest Princes in revolution of no long time fall backe into as meane a condition as the lowest Ioseph and Marie lineally descended from David a great and potent Monarch how soone could they slide downe in the current of this world into a very low estate Hee a poore Carpenter Shee his Spouse Thus is it in all earthly creatures Looke as in plants many little threeds grow up into a bigge roote and that shoots forth into a strong and mighty body which yet being divided into many armes and branches at length endeth in small twigs So is it with all the glory of this world gloriously it seemeth to glister for a short time in a fleshly eye and to flame and glitter to the admiration of silly men but as it is blowne up from a poore sparke so it quickly sinketh into a little dust and ashes But in this spirituall estate there is no measure in the glory or time but as their Father and elder Brother so are they Kings for glory unspeakeable for durance eternall For when the Almighty All-wise God accepteth and adopteth us for children unto himselfe he entreth into an everlasting Covenant with us of grace and love and bindeth up our unstable starting and warping soules in the bundle of life with a double tye first of his love to us secondly of our love to him I will never turne away from them to doe them good yea I wil delight in them to doe them good and I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Doe but consider what Spring-tides of infinite consolations flow into our empty soules from this Sea of comfort Certainly children recejve some comfort from bad parents much more from good But what earthly comfort can that child waÌ„t which is in the power of maÌ„ to give whose Parent aboundeth in love wisedome and riches Were a Father onely loving or onely rich or wise onely yet even from any of these â—ingle in a parent some benefit would be reaped by the children but when they all meet sed with much evill in this world nay are any men so full of wants and griefes Surely they neither want any true good or are oppressed with any thing which indeed is evill whose wants on earth are richly supplied with excellent treasures of grace and glory and evils of sense made fruitfull in all spirituall blesâ—ings For this is an especiall privilege of Gods children that as the wicked are ever cursed even in their blessings Mal. 2.2 so the faithfull are ever blessed even in earthly curses all things working together for their good and that they know Phil. 1.19 Doe but observe what a strong foundation is here laid for every faithfull Christian to build up his soule in unspeakeable comfort and to solace himselfe even in his worst estate Can any reasonable man deny but that such a condition is good comfortable nay best and most happy for a man which commeth to him from infinite love assisted with infinite power and wisedome Now then thus will a faithful Christian conclude in his most grievous affâ—ictions crosses Have not I a sure word and infallible that all these things come unto me not only from Gods power aud wisedome but from his love He maketh the heavens by his wisedome In wisedome hath hee done all his workes Come not all his chastisements from love from his fatherly love So againe an afflicted soule will hence cheere up it selfe in the midst of all troubles Howsoever these grievances are bitter in the mouth and seeme when they are tasted by sense and carnall reason very unpleasant and evill yet indeede if I better consider them their nature looking on them with a spirituall eye I shall discerne nothing but an outside and shew of evill but full within of much sweetnesse and precious treasure As that Heathens staffe which hee dedicated to his Idoll made of horne without but within filled with gold or as some fruites bitter in the rine but pleasant in the pulpe of them So is there here an appearance of evill covering a world of good when I have taken away the paring I shall taste the fruit very delightfull and wholesome they seeme messengers of death but they bring life they
and to thy glorious Father so that I poore worme dust dung even I might be one even as thou art in the Father and the Father in thee that I might be one in both Ob height depth bredth and length of thy love how incomprehensible is thy grace how heavenly my consolation And how hast thou wrought all this for me O my God my Lord my gracious Redeemer where shall I seek words or thoughts to set out this mercy wonderfull is thy love in all the rest and that my soule knoweth right well but in this how farre beyond all possibility of apprehension all expressions of wonder That my miserable mortality might be clothed upon and I be borne anew in the divine nature thou didst strip thy selfe of those robes of divine Majesty in which thou knewest it to be no robberie to be equall to God and wast borne in my weake nature and found in the servileforme of my fleshly infirmities Thou gavest thy body thou gavest thy soule for my sinne thou wast bound thou wast mockt thou wast scourged condemned nailed and dead on the crosse Thou oh mirrhor oh infinite miracle of mercy thou the love of the Father didst taste not onely gall and vineger but even wrath hel for me the child of wrath and brand of hell Oh my dead soule canst thou see all this and want coÌ„fort Can one cup of wine cheere thy heart and shall not such fruit of such a Vine fill thee with joyes unspeakeable and glorious Oh what is thy portion wheÌ„ such is the price what thine inheritance when such the purchase Rejoyce then oh my soule rejoyce evermore in such a Lord and such a love for whatsoever thou hast lost thou hast gained Christ lost but dung with him thou receivest whatsoever is truly good and partest for him with nothing but what in some respect is evill Have I lost Parents Children friends lands livings yet I have not lost Christ nor my Lord will not lose mee If I lose my life with the rest yet shall I not lose the life of Christ he is my life hee in life and death is my advantage Let Father Mother Brother Sister Wife Children forsake and hate me yet the Lord Jesus will never leave me never cease to love me and hee is better than a world of friends and kindred Oh my Lord to be in heaven without thee were exile but a sicke bed a loathsome prison with thee is an heavenly Paradise Why then should I be troubled seeing thou hast made mee to dwell in thee by faith and thou vouchsafest to dwel in me by thy blessed Spirit Onely thou my Saviour who hast loved mee to death make me ever to live in thee and in thy love thou who hast dyed for mee plant thy death in mee and burie my corruptions in thy grave Tho who wast crucified for me crucifie the world to me the flesh in mee and graft in mee the life of thy resurrection make oh make me to reâ—oyce in the fellowship of thy sufferings and in thy good time change this crowne of thornes into that of glory CHAP. XXI Comforts which flow from the holy Ghost AGaine with those former drawn from the two first persons of the blessed Trinity annexe the consolations of Gods holy Spirit who dwelleth in the faithfull Sweete and excellent are these comforts Neither is it in vaine that in specialty the holy Ghost is called the Comforter as being that person who is sent by the Father and the Sonne by himselfe to worke this effect in us Let us then remember that this blessed Spirit doth not onely dwell in us by his gifts faith love c. but personally which is evidently expressed Ephes. 1.13,14 You are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which or rather who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greeke cannot in ordinarie construction of Grammar agree with that of Spirit the one being of the neuter the other of the masculine but the gender purposely changed against use to shew that the person of the blessed Spirit is with us in us and so continues and stayes as an earnest of our inheritance and our full redemption in which respect wee are called his Temples 1 Corinth 6. 19. Thus also when the holy Ghost is promised us Ioh. 16. 13 14. our Saviour alters the gender and useth the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee the Spirit of Truth and againe he not it shall glorifie me to shew that the very third person of Trinitie is given us yet hee dwels not in us as sometime in the Temple made with hands but as the soule rather dwels in the body so doth the holy Ghost dwel in the faithfull quickening sustaining leading them on to the rest of their soules and Lieging with us Look as in the body the hart and Head produce life sense and motion by the vitall and animall spirits which being sent by them and diffused into every particular member quicken and move it So the Spirit of Christ flowing from him into his mysticall bodie fils every part with life sense and motion It is the Spirit saith our Saviour so his Apostle that quickens Therefore is he called our life and they that live in the Spirit walk also or move in the Spirit There is also spirituall sense a taste whereby wee perceive the sweetnesse of God of the grace of God and the word of his grace whereby the spirituall man savours the things of the Spirit a spirituall touch and tendernesse when the Lord takes away the heart of stone and gives an heart of flesh a spirituall eye whereby the spirituall man discernes all things a spirituall hearing delighting in the Word and promise of God more than any musicall harmony a spirituall sent whereby the verie name of Christ is as an Oyntmeâ—t powred forth Now the holy Ghost doth not onely worke this comfort in us by faith giviâ—g us power to apprehend things absent or to come but applieth them more immediately by this verie sense so that the soule shall even feele with joy unspeakeable the consolations of God flow into it Thus the blessed Spirit doth first speake peace unto us from God and then gives oâ—r spirits an open eare to heare his voyce and know our peace that so we may come to finde our selves children of God and heires with Christ. Thus he doth not only spread a Table for us and there sets forth that Bread of heaven in the holy Ordinances of God but gives us power to eate making them more sweete to us than the hony-combe and thus brings us on to more fulnesse of growth and eternall life thorough Christ. Hence commeth it that a Christian can rejoyce in tribulation because this holy spirit sheds abroad in our harts that love of God which is better than life and gives us so palpable a sense of it that it beareth downe all other feelings before it See
eyes of an afflicted Spirit dimmed and deluded in the mists of Satan True it is that the Adversary and his Antichristian Popish Teachers wrest streine al their wits to perswade men that this assured knowledge of thir election and salvation by ordinary means is a dangerous nay so provdly peremptory are they without all warrant a damnable doctrine encouraging men to all presuÌ„ption fleshly liberty HeÌ„ce the CouÌ„cil of Trent fastens an anathema upon it no marvel For that subtill Serpent knowing well how much labour of love and even contention in all holy obedience what readinesse to serve and fervour in their service this certainty of Gods favour brought forth in all the Saints contrarily what uncheerefulnesse and heartlesnesse in all duty springeth from distrust and doubtfulnesse strives with all his might either utterly to roote out or much weaken this assurance of faith whereby they hold fast the profession of their hope without wavering So his false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ joyne issue with him as knowing this Doctrine would not only quench their Purgatory but which is worse wonderfully coole their kitchin In the Epilogue therefore and conclusion of this discourse I will very briefly as in such a subject I may lay downe and handle these three propositions First That the faithfull by ordinary revelations may attaine the certaine and infallible perswasion of their salvation by Christ. Secondly That it is a Christian duty to labour for it Thirdly That this assurance is the gift of God which every one of his children doe not presently receive nor so retaine but that the sense of it sometimes may faile them And lastly I will set downe some meanes whereby wee may secure our soules in this assurance of our happinesse which is the Sunne of al comfort First then that a faithfull Christian may by ordinary without extraordinarie revelations by visions Angels c. bee fully assured of the life of grace already in his possession and of glory certainly reserved for him will appeare first by divers cleare Testimonies of Gods word secondly by the examples of the Saints thirdly by evident reason CHAP. XXIIII Proofe of Scriptures testifying in the faithfull a possibilitie to assure their salvation by ordinarie meanes FOr the evidence of this truth consider that discourse of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9,10,11,12 verses â— a place much wrested by Papists and grosly abused but as all the words of Wisedome Pro. 8. 9. plaine to him that will understand Thus you shal finde the Apostle affirme 1. That no eye hath seene eare heard or ever entered into the thought of man those things which God hath prepared for his chosen 2. God hath revealed even these things unto us by his Spirit for because no man can know the minde of man save the spirit of the man which is in him and those to whom hee unfolds himselfe in evident expressions much lesse can anie man know the things of God but the Spirit of God and they to whom that Spirit reveales theÌ„ therfore because our dull understandings cannot pierce into the secrets of God the Lord hath given us his Spirit to this very purpose that we might know the things which are given us of God Observe hence that God doth not only preordaine his children unto glory such as eye hath not seene c. but by a second gift of his Spirit manifesteth this his decree unto them which blessed Spirit openeth their eyes to discerne this grace bestowed not on otheâ—s onely but themselves To this testimony in the next place adjoyne that also in the Rom. 8. 15,16,17 which will both cleare and much confirme the former You have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but you have received th Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit himselfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heires heires of God and joynt heires with Christ. Where marke a double grace and gift of God 1. That dignity and unspeakeable honor of being children and heires to himselfe and joynt heires with Christ which is conferred on all the faithfull not onely Apostle and others of eminent gifts and place in the Church but commonly on all those true Beleevers at Rome 2. That Spirit of bondage cauâ—ing feare is cast our and the Spirit of adoption even the Spirit of God is given themâ— but to what end even to witnes unto thâ—ir consciences that they are sonnes and heires of God and joynt heirs with Christâ— Now this is such a witnesse as neither can deceive or be deceived and this Testimony of the Apostle so cleare that even the great Cardinall the late Champion of Rome hath no shift for any defence which every childs eye will not easily pierce through Take a third from 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee kâ—ow if this earthlie house of our Tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God not made with hands but eternall iâ— the heavens For in this wee groane earnestly desiring to bee cloothed upon with our house which is from heaven And in the 9 ver the Spirit gives us this reason For wee walke by faith not â—y sight where as the Apostle speaketh generally of the faithfull so also he mentioneth no conjecture no ghesse or flickering earthly hope but a plaine evident knowledge full of heavenly confidence even groaning in desire of dissolution that so they may bee cloathed upon And how commeth this knowledge by some extraordinary revelation no walking by faith not by sight and sense Lastly not to be as were very easie too copious in a matter often cleared see that testimony of another Apostle 1 Iohn .3 1 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the sonnes of God c. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved now are wee the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but wee know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Carefully attend the Apostle Hee magnifies the wonderfull love of God and calleth us out with joy and admiration to take view of it especially in two effects 1. The glorious dignity to which he preferreth us namely To be his children 2. The manifestation of this our happy estate not indeed to the world which thinketh us the most abject of creatures but to our owne consciences so that we now perceive our selves to be children and though yet wee know not the parcels and particulars of that excellent estate untill wee come to enjoy it yet so much already we know not ghesse that when Christ appeareth wee shall appeare with him in glorie and be like unto him by that beatificall vision of God seeing him face to face Adde onely to this a further confirmation from the mouth of the same Spirit by the hand of the same Pen-man
endowments every creature may excell me Stones more durable Plants more vegetative Beasts more sensible even Divels more wise and understanding But herein hast thou magnified thy grace toward me thy abject Creature that I excell other workes of thy hands in that wherein thou my glorious God excellest thy selfe that thou hast printed thy holinesse thy Divine image and beauty upon me and crowned me with thy glory and honor Rejoyce then oh my soule in the Lord and dance for joy His grace hath prevented and farre out-runne thy wishes As the first Adam lost all his happinesse by his ambitious desires to bee like unto God in knowing good and evill so the second Adam hath restored all happinesse by satisfying our ambition in making us like himselfe in loving good and hating evill The life and estate which thou enjoyest in Christ the nourishment of that life and the assurance of that estate equalleth and transcendeth thy most ambitious desires and wishes Rejoyce then in the Lord againe I say rejoyce for the world is thine things present and to come are thine life and death are thine nay the Lord of life is thine thy portion the seale of thy portion and of thine inheritance in glory CHAP. XIII Comforts arising from Prayer A Third Ordinance of God in which hee yeeldeth us much consolation is Prayer wherein whether we consider the privilege which wee enjoy namely that we dust and sinfull ashes may speake unto the glorious Lord of heaven and upon all occasions at any time of need boldly through Christ approach unto his presence and make all our wants knowne unto him or the power and efficacie of Prayer that we never speake in vaine but prosper in all our suits what can bee a greater consolation to an afflicted Spirit What Hath God opened an eutrance for us unto his grace through the meditation which is in Christ Hath he set out the Sonne of his love to be our Intercessour Clothed him with our infirmities that he might be an high Priest for us mercifull sensible and tender of our weaknesse Hath he appointed this Angell of the Covenant to incence and perfume our praiers with his most fragrant mediation so to bring them into his presence Hath hee exempted no time but made every howre every minute a season for this holy Ordinance so that the oftner wee come the more welcome and the more importunate our suit the more sweete and pleasing Hath hee not permitted but commanded Call upon mee in the day of trouble and instantly promised and I will deliver thee Hath he not bid Aske ◠and assured us you shal receive Doth hee wish us Be carefull for nothing but in all thiugs let your requests be shewne to God in prayer And because we know not how to pray as we ought hath hee given us his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and to make intercession for u◠with grones which cannot be uttered And can any man want comfort who enjoyeth this privilege of Gods children and of the favourits of the King of heaven But some perhaps will reply here Doe not wee see many Saints complaine and have not I found by experience that God doth not alwayes grant what wee aske Ans. The Rules here of that Ancient Father are good Sometimes God giveth in wrath what is asked of him sometimes denieth in love And againe The Lord is gracious who often giveth not what we aske that hee may give what wee should aske And yet againe God alwaies heareth us not alwaies our wils but alwaies our profit God giveth the Israelites flesh in wrath and with store of flesh leanenesse of Spirit He giveth a King in anger when they aske him but hee denyed Paul in love that hee might keepe downe his heart from rising in pride and stablish it with sufficiency of grace Sometimes our Children aske of us things which are no way good and sometimes they aske things that are good but out of due time wee give them neither Thus often doe we and therefore receive not But fully to answer this objection we must by no means forget that in all petitions there is both a generall intention and purpose of asking good and a desire of some particular which we suppose to be good but through our dulnesse in understanding and want of a discerning Spirit may bee good or evill Againe wee must remember that in God there is an infinite wisedome which clearely and perfectly discerneth what either in it selfe or to us is evill or good Now then if the Lord should satisfie us in our mistake granting the particular which we cōceive to be good and he knoweth evill and so should deny us the good which he knoweth we intend and purpose this under a seeming grant were a plaine denyall whereas the contrary seeming a deniall yet is and wil hereafter plainly appeare to be an evident grant though not of that which wee ignorantly aske yet of that which in truth we desire Certaine is it that by reason of our great ignorance in asking every faithfull Christian prayeth with al subjection to Gods will and wisdome so we are taught as well by precept Thy will be done as by practice Not my will but thy will be done and as certaine that what wee so aske we shall without faile receive For hee that gave Christ unasked to us when we were enemies will not deny any grace when hee is entreated to them who are reconciled in Christ and aske in his name This then is sufficient for a Christian that he first knoweth that God hath willed and decreed to give him Christ and with him all good things secondly that whatsoever he asketh according to that will he shall without all faile receive 1 Ioh. 5.14 CHAP. XIV An Answer to some further objections BUt some weake dejected Christian will bee ready to reply All things indeed are possible to him that beleeveth but alas I have no faith to pray True it is that prayer is but the speech of faith And how can they call upon him in whom they beleeve not Faith saith that excellent Father gives life to prayer and praier gets strength for faith For answer let an humble soule well consider how a man with griefe should sensibly feele want of faith if he had not some faith to give him sense and feeling How should spiritual sense be without life or spirituall life without faith As he in the Gospel first found his sight in the defect of it that hee saw men like trees So might weake Christians easily discerne some measure of true faith even in this griefe and complaints for want of faith Againe we shall easily perceive in these Complainers much detestation of sinne not onely in others but especially in themselves and passionat desires to glorifie God in all faithfull service And from what root can these fruits arise but from that faith which purifieth the heart Some others
is truly good especially when longing after thee thy righteousnes in this barren and thirstie land my soule panteth and fainteth for thy presence and for that holy Spirit wâ—ereby I call upon thee Abba Father Oh how shouldst thou not according to thy Covenant delight in me to doe me good and as thou hast promised rejoyce over me to give me my hearts desire Now then thou my gracious Father who art more ready to give thy Spirit than wee to aske him even that Spirit of Prayer and supplication Thou who hast commanded Call upon mee in the time of trouble and hast promised I will heare thee Heare now rhe supplication of thy servant and when thou hearest be mercifull Thou who commandest Seeke my face and hast given thy servant an heart to answer Lord thy face will I seeke oh hide not thy face from me nor cast thy creature away in displeasure Yea oh my God quickeÌ„ thy servant in the sense of my want and miserie and in the knowledge of thy powerfull grace and mercy alwaies to pray and never to faint So though I walke in the midst of troubles thou wilt revive me and perfect that which concerneth me CHAP. XVI Comforts arising immediatelie from God himselfe And first in generall LOoke as a vessell which is coutinually driven downe by the current of any River will at length fall into the maine Sea which being the common store-house of waters both supplieth the want and receiveth the over-plus of lesser streames So when our soules have beene carryed along within these narrower bankes of comforts they will easily bee wafted into that wide Ocean whence every consolation floweth and into it ebbeth againe and emptyeth it selfe Certainly the final comfort of a Christian soule into which all the rest are resolved is God himselfe infinit in all goodnes unchangeable in his love and therefore an unexhausted Well a standing overflowing fountaine of infinite consolations Hence as hee challengeth this title and calleth himselfe The God of patience and consolation nay The God of all comfort so his faithfull servants from their experience confesse him every where their strength joy portion inhâ—ritance their Rocke Towre Shield Fortresse c. Well might David rejoyce and glory in the Lord My flesh saith hee faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever How strong and invincible was that faith and by it that comfort of Iob Although he kill me yet will I trust in him and hee shall beé my salvation And how answerable was their practice to this their profession Doe but consider what wee read of these holy men David being driven from his native Countrey and from his Fathers house in disgrace with the Court and in displeasure nay deadly hatred of his Prince deprived of all his deserved honours the just recompence of his noble service by the malice and tyrannie of Saul and which he accounted farre above the rest the greatest miserie banished from the holy Assemblies and the house of God affamished and even starved for want of that Word which hee preferred above all the earth not onely thrust out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord but by the rage of his Adversaries inforced to seeke Sanctuary in idolatous Countries where hee might have beene seduced to serve other gods had yet at length hid his head under the protection of an Heathenish King and found that favour from an enemy a Heathen which he had lost among his friends and Gods people There he placed himselfe in a forraigne City with his wives and some few loose men who for their owne advantage had followâ—d him But when hee retireth thither he findeth the City burned his wives and all his substance the wives children and all the goods of all his followers carried away Nothing now was left him but his souldiers and they grieved and vexed at the heart for their losse take all against him conspire intend and speake to stone him Look out now into all the world and see where you can finde upon earth one spark of comfort for this Saint of God yet even then when he was utterly desolate and forlorne he could send up his dejected soule to heaven and there did finde and feele infinite comfort in the Lord his God See the 1 Sam chap. 30. from the 1. to the 7. vers Doe we not find the like nay more in Iob His estate was lost and for outward blessings goods and children hee was stript as naked as he was borne His wife left him but as a snare His friends come to comfort him but through the craft of Satan shake him more thau all the rest of his afflictions His life was yet whole in his body but his body broken and wounded with sore plagues from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot But yet the Spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie True but a wounded spirit who can beare The inner-man embroyled by Satan and terrors of the spirit joyned to griefes and troubles of the body without plagues continually renued changes and armies of sorrowes set against him within and without the arrowes of the Almightie shot at him sticking in him and their venime drinkâ—ng up his spirit the terrours of God fighting against him made him the most afflicted and if it were possible for the faithfull to be miserable the most wretched man on earth But even then his poore soule over-wrastled with temptations cast downe within him and almost smothered with this load and heape of afflictions could lift up the head to search out the Redeemer and find unspeakable comfort in him I am sure my Redeemer liveth and I shall see God in my flesh c. What was left to those three royal young men Dan. 3. in that burning anger of the Tyrant and that seven-fold heated furnace What to the Apostle persecuted by Jewes disgraced by Heathens stoned by the consent of both and as a dead carrion dragged and cast out of the City yea too little esteemed nay judged by his owne children in the Spirit yet were they then even full of comfort in God Oh consider with what noble courage those three noble Captives defie the roaring of that Lyon even the fiercenesse of that proud King and tell him to his Beard Our God can and will deliver us out of thine hand With what Christian valour could that great Champion of the Lord Jesus compassed in and pressed downe with all the most bitter persecutions of this world cry out Victory and sing his Triumph not onely saying with the Heathen How light are all these things how slightlie doe I weigh them nay These light momentarie afflictions cause to us an excelling excellent eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 but In all these things wee are more than Conquerors through him that loveth us So right is it oh
wee hold fast what is harder to beleeve If God dyed for man shall not man live with God Shall not a mortall live aeternally for whom hee dyed who liveth aeternally Verily the afflictions of this life are so farre from being worthy of the glory which is purchased for us in the life to come that rather they are nothing to those comfortable nay glorious privileges which wee presently enjoy For what can any earthly misery which at the furthest proceedeth to a temporall death shew comparable with this union with God and glorious fellowship with the Father through Christ Wee are united to God by affinity by a spirituall and therefore indissoluble bond of marriage he hath married our nature nay our persons hath set his owne image on us given us his even the divine nature and so as he is our flesh so we flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone We are united to him by a spirituall consanguinity to the Father as our father Ioh. 20.17 to the Sonne as our brother Heb. 2.11 nay as members to the Head Eph. 5. 30. And because all fleshly and mixt union is no way comparable to that simple union of Spirits We are one Spirit with him 1 Cor. 6.17 that as there is no union like that of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the God-head so wee also should be united spiritually to our God That as the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father so wee may bee one in them Goe to now Let all the world conspire against us to load our harts with affliction let sinfull flesh joyne with the world and all the infernal spirits with both if thou hast tasted this cordiall if ever thou hast truly relished the sweetnesse of the Lord Jesus the strength of thy heart all they shall effect is but this somewhat the sooner and closer to knit thy soule unto God in Christ and by with-drawing earthly sensuall to heap upon thee spirituall and eternall comforts CHAP. XX. The more close applying of this comfort by meditation NOw that wee may thoroughly digest this cordiall and finde some heart and strength in it let us quicken it by some such meditation Oh my soule is there any thing to bee compared unto the Lord Jesus Is not al in the world nay all the world and a world of worlds in respect of him losse and dung Hadst thou received no other pledge of Gods love no other comfort but Christ alone were noâ— this sufficient abundant nay an infinite testimony of his eternall love and a conâ—â—lation beyond all miserie But when hee is given thee what is not given thee when thou hast him who is Lord of all thou hast all things with gim Oh if thou hadst knowledge of this love of Christ which passeth knowledge what trouble what earthly griefe coâ—ld dismay thee how wholsome how pleasant how delectable how heavenly is the least tast of it O sweete gracious glorious Saviour whether I look up to thee my head in heaven or down to my selfe thy most unworthy meÌ„ber on earth whether I consider what great things thou hast done for my poore soule or how thou hast done theÌ„ I cannot but find infinit love in thee infinit coÌ„fort in thy love Thou art that true light all other borrowed from thee Thou art the brightnesse of thy fathers glorie making and sustaining all things Thou art the expresse Image of thy fathers person God equall to thy father The mighty God the everlastâ—ng Father the Prince of peace Thou art the King of glorie the King of Kings and Lord of Lords how faire how pleasant how full of ravishing delights is thy love Thy cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers thy lips like Lillâ—es dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe thy mouth most sweet Thou art altogether lovely How is it then that I have found favour in thy sight who although once framed by thee after thine image yet wilfully giving up my selfe unto sinne and Satam became the most deformed the most abject the most polluted and silthy off-scouring of the world Oh my Lord I am â—nfinitely unable to conceive either thy glorious excelleÌ„ce or my lothsome vilenesse yet hast thou set thine heart upon such an one to love mee and expressed that love by such effects that neither I can finde words to utter it nor thoughts to apprehend it yet faine would I kindle and inflame my cold heart in the sight and sense of it If I cast downe mine eye to look upon my bottomlesse miserie I see my selfe shut up and imprisoned in unbeleefe bound in the chains of death condemned to hell where the pit had shut her mouth upon me my lifâ— consuming in poasting vanity my soule deligâ—tiâ—g in â—he service of such a mastâ—r whose wages is endlesse misâ—ry a slave in the world to Satan by disobedience and after in the other worlâ— a companion to him in infiniâ—e torment Snares fire brimstone and an horrible tempest this was the portion of my cup. And as my state was infinitely fearefull so altogether helpelesse No creature had either power or pitty to succour mee nay mine owne soule so farre from compassion of it selfe that it rejoyced and triumphed in this depth of hellish misery From this and farre greater calamitie then in this or any word can be expressed hast thou graciously rescued me Thou reachedst forth thy hand and hast plâ—cked me out of the belly of hel Thou hast drawne me out of the horrible pit where no stay was hast set my feet upon the rocke in a large place Now if I lift up mine eyes to take view of that glory to which thou hast so graciously advaÌ„ced me I find my tongue and heart yet farre more unaable to utter or conceive it Hadst thou left me to my self now after this deliveraÌ„ce in health and safety yet oh how wonderful had thy grace bin But this great this infinit mercy was a smal thing in thine eies O Lord God but hast promoâ—ed me to an inappeheÌ„sible height of glory with thy selfe Thou hast preferred mee to thy service and thy service is liberty nay thy service is a kingdome even to reigne on earth And as if all this were too little thou hast made me a sonne with thee to the same Father the Father of lights and what estate is any thing but dung to this Thou hast annexed me as an heire with thy selfe who art the heire of all things so that by thee I the most base drudge of sinne and Satan am lifted up to a throne crown to an immortall crown of glory such as never eye saw neuer eare heard neuer entred into the heart of man Thou hast washt me set thine owne beautious image upon me thou hast reconciled justified fully redeemed me raised and set mee with thy selfe in heavenly places and with all this and above all this thou hast knit and united me to thy selfe
dwell in Christ and Christ in us by that holy Spirit Hence also may a faithfull soule surely gather God himselfe hath most clearely testified that if I love the Brethren I am translated from death to life that I am borne of God and therefore love the children of God because being my selfe his childe I love my Father Christ hath set his badge and cognizance upon me in that love and that holy Spirit is â—hee which by his presence hath brought my heart into obedience of this precept Certaine then is it that this love to the Saints is proper onely to the Saints even to those whom God hath begotten by his Word saved by his death and sanctified by his grace Seeing then I finde this love to the Saints rooted in my heart that my soule cleaves to their persons delights in their fellowship admires their excellencies sure am I that the same grace which I love fâ—ourishing in others is planted in my selfe that their Father is my Father their Head my Head and that Spirit which dwels in them resteth on me and will abide with me forever CHAP. XXXIV Recollecting and applying these things by short meditation NOw then in the last place let the troubled soule in some inward conference underset and prop up his shaken faith by applying these assurances unto himselfe Say then in thy heart How long oh my soule how long wilt thou suffer this feare which hath torment to hold thee downe in continuall affright and vexation how long shall it keep out that spirituall joy which is thy only Paradise on earth Search oh my Spirit search ouâ— in these heavenly Records those sure evidences whereby thy Lord hath graciously convâ—yed unto thee this happy and blessed estate Are they not layed up in the middest of thy heart See here first divers strong assurances that God hath clensed thee from reigning hypocrisie that hee hath given thee a thirst of righteousnesse not onely a desire to know him but to walke with him in all sincerity of obedience That hee hath given thee an unfeined delight and joy not onely in the Promises but in every Commandement of thy Lord liking and heartily loving that purifying fire of the Word whereby thou art refined as gold and seperate from this sinfull drosse which is so mixed and incorporate with thee A zealous anger and griefe burning within thee detesting every sinne whereby thy Saviour is dishonoured and above all thine owne in which thou unthankefull wretch too often forgettest that incomperable incomprehensible love wherewith hee hath compassed and embraced thee A continuall longing after the Lord Jesus after his death that thou maist be buried in it after his resurrection that thou maist be quickened by it and not only justified in that other but sactifiâ—d in this life and renewed after that his glorious image and divine beauty True indeed my weake soule too true thou art full of infirmities very unfruitfull very unprofitable every one out-strips thee and those who have set out long after thee in this heavenly race are now much before thee But yet comfort thy selfe for even in this estate thy gracious Saviour leaves thee not altogether comfortlesse but still affords thee some token of his eternall love for seeing thy weakenesse thou art humbled within me and broken with griefe of thy barrennesse Remember that he as much delights in the low feat of an humble spirit as in the loftiest Throne of his glorious heavens But rise my dejected soule oh rise up in strong consolations and glorious rejoycings See here oh see thou hast an infallible evidence that the Father of lights hath begotten thee through the word of Truth and that thou art borne anew not of mortall but immortall seede the Word of God and therefore entred not into a corruptible but eternall life For seest thou not that seede of thy Father abiding in thee feelest thou not an unslaked thirst of that sincere milke of the Gospell not that thou mightst have it in thy mouth for discourse but in thy heart for growth growth in all obedience growth in all holinesse and perfection Behold also behold with joy unspeakeable Thy Saviour hath assured his victory unto thee and hath already throwne downe the dominion of sinne in thee It is indeed an enemy a strong a grievous encombring vexing and ah too often prevailing enemy but an enemy thou professest no obedience but proclaimest open warre to every sinne how much more will he who conquered it reigning subdue it rebelling in thee yea certainely the Lord Jesus hath set up his victorious Crosse in thee and he that now hangs out a flagge of defiance will shortly set up his banner of triumph trample all thine enemies and bruise under thy feet both sinne and Satan Consider also that the bleâ—sed Spirit the life of thy spirit dwelleth and continually worketh in thee It cannot bee that uncleane spirit the Prince of disobedience it cannot bee the spirit of the world or that fleshly sinfull spirit within thee which is ever washing thee from uncleannesse seperating thee more and more from the world and the corruption which is in the world through lust which drawes and frames thy desires and actions to all obedience unto the Lord Jesus which gives thee no peace in sinne suffers thee not to rest in any imperfection discovers thy corruption causeth thee to groane under it puts thee forward in thy race enflames thy affections and orders thy feet to turne out of the evill into the good way and to runne in it Dost thou not finde in thee an unfeyned love to the Brethren Doth not thy judgement highly esteeme them Doth not thy will doe not thy affections entirely love and honour them Doth not thy whole soule blesse them How dost thou cleave to them in heart How dost thou admire those that excell upon the earth in holinesse How doest thou delight in them and art ravished with their heavenly fellowship Looke now to thy evidence sworne by the Father written by the Spirit sealed by the bloud of thy Saviour Is not hee borne of God who loves the children of God Is not hee a member who loves a fellow-member Is not hee quickened by the same Spirit who is united in the same spirituall love to those who live walk in the Spirit Rejoyce then oh my sonle rejoyce in the Lord and in these assurances of his everlasting truth and favour Cast out this spirit of bondage this servile this tormenting feare Bring in that joy of the Spirit seat it in the midst of thy heart There let it abide there let it reigne making thee to delight in the Lord to turne and tune thy grones and sighs to hymnes and spirituall songs ever blessing him who never ceaseth to blesse thee to love his glory and glory in his love to serve him in joy and rejoyce in his service CHAP. XXXV Conâ—luding all with Prayer OH glorious Trinity of persons in the unity of one God draw mee nearer