great Point Whether we lie under the aforesaid danger or have made our escape out of it the Determination of this depends upon the indwelling of Christ in the Soul Let us then put it to the Question Is Christ in us or no And if we would satisfie our selves herein we must search 1 What Freedoms we enjoy by Christ his in-being in our selves 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the Spirit of God is there is Liberty If Christ be in us by his Spirit he hath set our Souls at Liberty There is a sort of Liberty peculiar to the People of God John 8.36 If the Son make you free ye shall be free indeed This Freedom is Demonstrative that Christ is in us and by his Spirit hath set us free Now there is a twofold Freedom that the Spirit gives to all in whom it dwells viz. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Spirit 1. Freedom of Speech whereby especially in Secret they are enabled to pour our the desires of their Souls unto the Lord with much enlargedness of Heart I say especially in Secret to distinguish these enlargements from enlargements in Publick Exercises drawn out by outward incouragements A Hypocrite praying in his Family or with the Church whereof he is a Member for Ostentation sake and Affectation of applause puts forth his Parts to the utmost and is oft much enlarged But he is seldom in Closet Prayer and commonly flat and with little Life but the Children of God find their Secret Enlargements exceed their Publick Enlargements It 's in Secret that Christ and his Spouse have the sweetest embraces 2. Freedom of Spirit viz. From the Bondage of Sin and Captivity of Satan Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the Flesh if the Spirit dwell in you that is ye are not in a Carnal Estate and under the Dominion of the Flesh the Spirit of God is a pure and Powerful Spirit and will overcome the Flesh and keep it in Subjection that though Sin remain yet it doth not Reign It 's a subdued Rebel and kept under by the Spirit yet will be raising up new Rebellions in the Soul The Flesh will be Lusting against the Spirit but in the main the Spirit is the prevailing Principle and doth enable the Soul more and more to die unto Sin and live to Righteousness 2ly What Fellowship we have with Christ in his Ordinances The natural Man hath no Fellowship with Christ in his Ordinances but the Children of God have Men in the State of Nature are Strangers to Communion with God Psal 94.20 Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowship with thee No no They have no Fellowship with thee 1 John 1.6 If we say we have Fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie Such as have Fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness have no Fellowship with Christ But it 's the Priviledge of the Children of God to live in Fellowship with the Trinity 1 John 1.3 Truely our Fellowship is with the Father and the Son It 's an Assertion with an Asseveration Christians are no sooner Effectually called but they are admitted into this Fellowship 1 Cor. 1.9 God is Faithful by whom we were called unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ dwelling in the Soul doth verifie the Truth of this can Christ and a Christian live together and not have Communion together No if Christ be in us there will be Communion betwixt Christ and Us. And this Communion is a Manifestation of his abode in us Now then let us examine our selves hereby do we experimentally know what this Mistery of Communion betwixt Christ and the Soul meaneth Do we feel and find it in our selves Have we a Receptive Participation from God in our selves that Dilates Revives and Refresheth the Soul above what any sensible sublunary thing doth or can do and leaves behind it a relish which raiseth in us a singular Love to and Delight in the Ordinances how Familiarly doth God sometimes carry it towards his People he takes them into his Banquetting-House and his Banner over them is Love he Dandles them upon his Knees embraceth them in the Arms of his Love and speaks comfortably to them sometimes he gives in such a Sense of Sin as makes them weep with Grief and Godly Sorrow and dissolves their Souls into Penitential Tears And sometimes such a sight of Grace and such symptoms of Love as makes them weep for Joy and Solace If it hath been thus with us at any time it proceeds from the influence of the Spirit in us and is demonstrative of the Presence of Christ in our Souls 3ly What first Fruits of the Spirit is there in us A natural Heart is barren ground destitute of the Fruits of the Spirit but when Christ comes into the Soul he changeth the Soil and makes it fruitful And all the good Fruit that it brings forth are the Fruits of the Spirit and discover the State of the Soul and declare the goodness of the Tree Now the Fruits of the Spirit are divided into First-Fruits and After-Fruits Though the Graces of the Spirit are linkt together and are all in semine in the Seed in the Soul of a Child of God yet some of these Seeds spring up before others and are called the First-Fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8.23 We our selves have the first Fruits of the Spirit Though the Spirit it self be the first Fruit of Glory yet here something more must be understood than the Spirit it self because he speaks not of the first Fruit of Glory in the singular number but of the first Fruits of the Spirit in the Plural number and therefore the first Fruits of the Spirit must be understood of such Fruits as the Spirit causes to spring up in the Soul and there make the first visible Appearance such as saving Knowledge Evangelical Repentance Faith and Love These two last include the two first for there is no true Repentance without Faith nor any true Love without Light to discover the Loveliness of the Object Therefore I 'll confine my self at this Time to the two first Fruits of saving Faith in and sincere Love to Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us Examine then 1. Our Faith whether it be saving Faith This is the uniting Grace that knits Christ and the Soul together and all that truely believe shall be saved For saving Faith though it may be shaken yet it cannot be lost and extinguished It 's a spark that never goes out a durable Dye that cannot be washed away And if we have any Faith though in the least Degree that is of a saving Nature then for sure Christ is in us and we may Hope for Glory Now Paul tells us Heb. 11.1 2. what this Faith is he doth not define it but describe it by its Excellency and Efficacy 1. By its Excellency It 's the Substance of things Hoped for The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Word of that force that no Language can fully express It 's used in Heb.
such are assured of Glory but this I say that all such are sure of Glory and ought to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory In this Case Christ himself is the Object and Original of all true Hope of Glory But its Christ in the Soul both in respect of Union and Communion that is the off-spring of this Hope of Glory and Christ in us becomes our Hope of Glory two ways By way of Influence and by way of Evidence 1. By way of Influence as when the Soul comes into the Body it animates it and by its influence causeth such Motions as do assure the Mother that she is quick with Child and may live in Hope of being a glad Mother So when Christ comes into the Soul by his Spirit it so influenceth the Soul and changeth it that thereby the Soul comes to know and understand that it is a member of Christ and an Heir of Glory and therefore lives in sure and certain Hope of Glory 2. By way of Evidence the Spirit of Christ in the Soul is the Souls Evidence for Heaven and as great an Evidence as can be had on this side Heaven Rom. 8.9 Ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his You see that the Spirit of Christ in the Soul doth Evidence the Souls Interest in Christ and assures it that he is Christs and Christ is his and this Evidence is so Evident that it fills the Soul with Hopes of Glory The Soul thus argues with it self Christ in the Soul is the Souls Hope of Glory Now I find Christ in my Soul and therefore Oh my Soul live thou in sure and certain Hope of Glory Having now divided and unfolded the Words I extract thence these two Doctrines Doct. 1. That every true Christian hath Christ within him Doct. 2. It s Christ within us that is our Hopes of Glory 1. Doct. Every sincere Christian hath Christ within him John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me 1 John 3. last He that keepeth his Commandments dwelleth in him and He in him And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Rev. 3.20 If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him To prevent mistakes and clear up this great Truth let us enquire how and in what Sense this is to be understood when and in what manner doth Christ take Possession of the Hearts of his Elect why and for what cause and end is it that he abideth in them And how may we know the Spirit of Christ from the Spirit of Antichrist Quest 1. How and in what sense is this Doctrine to be understood Answ 1. Negatively It 's not to be understood of his personal bodily Presence his Body is now a Glorified Body and abideth in Heaven and there is to abide 'till he come to Judgment The Romanist tell us that Sacramental bread is changed into his Body and after Consecration every Wafer is the Body of Christ and is not to be eaten but to be swallowed and upon swallowing it Christ is within them but if Paul had been of their mind he would not have tould us that after Consecration it remains still bread and that it's bread that we eat and not the very body of Christ 1 Cor. 11.26.27 And our senses assure us it is bread we see feel and taste bread and yet they are so senseless as they will not believe their own eyes Nor is it to be understood of the Providential presence of Christ it is true that Christ is with us by the presence of his Providence ordering our affairs and disposing of us and our concerns according to the Councel of his good Will and Pleasure but the In-being here spoken of is of another Nature therefore I answer 2. Affirmatively That it is to be understood of his Spiritual presence viz. that Christ is in his Spouse and in every particular Member that belongs unto him by his Spirit and Grace Rom. 8.9 10. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none his and if that Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin viz. If by his Spirit he be in you It implies the Mistical union that is betwixt Christ and his Members A Mistery that is too wonderful to be made manifest to Mortals And it signifies to us our dependance upon Chriist for Light and Life What the Soul is to the body that Christ is to the Soul he abides in it by his spirit to supply its needs And is all in all to the Soul And all things else are just nothing to the Soul for they can afford it no satisfaction nor any one supply of its needs Alas what relief can Honour or Riches afford a Christless Soul none at all They oft prove snares to the Soul but never give any succour to it but Christ by his Spirit is in every true Christian and this is his Happiness and his hope of Glory Quest 2. When and in what manner doth Christ take possession of the hearts of his Elect Answ In this great transaction betwixt Christ and the Soul it is certain that Christ himself is the Author and the Spirit his Agent and his Word his usual and ordinary instrument and Faith his appointed method and means and the Work is wholly supernatural But the Modus rei the course and order that the Spirit makes use of in this great affair its intricate and hereby hath occasioned some difference in the apprehensions of the Learned In my weak Judgment they are in the right that distinguish betwixt 1. The qualifying Antecedents or Prerequisites that dispose prepare and fit the Soul for so great a Guest viz. the Grace that Christ by his Spirit conveys into the Soul in order to his entrance called the first preventing Grace this is the seed of Faith and a holy principle of Life Light and Love infused into the Soul as a holy Root and cause of all actual holiness and precedes it and puts the Soul into a capacity to put forth future acts of holiness This initial holiness sanctifies the Soul and halloweth it and makes it meet for the indwelling of the holy Spirit And till the Soul be thus seasoned I cannot see how the Holy Ghost can take up its Habitation in it What Communion can light have with darkness 2. The conveying Concomitants that usher Christ into the Soul and accompany the possession that the Spirit takes of the Soul is called subsequent Grace or the Influence of the Spirit causing the Soul freely to reduce the said seed and principle into Act and when it actually repents and believes through grace received then it is actually justified upon the account of Christ's
behind the Curtain and when he hides his Face you will be troubled Oh what Losses and Sorrow do Christians create to themselves by their Carnal Security Oh resolve against it and take warning from others and walk very circumspectly left Satan get an Advantage against you he that lets down his Watch gives place to the Devil 2. See that you live Chastly 1 Thes 4.12 Walk honestly that is not in the Lust of Concupiscence and the Reason is given in the 7th and 8th Verses God hath not called us to Vncleanness but to Holiness and given us his Holy Spirit And therefore it is not for us to be carnally Minded but to be Chast and Honest and Sober even in the Use of lawful Delights That is a notable Passage in 1 Pet. 4.6 The Gospel was preached to them that are Dead that is to the Martyrs that they may be judged according to Men in the Flesh but live according to God in the Spirit You cannot stop the Mouths of Men they will be Judging and Condemning you and say you are fleshly given and live in Uncleanness but you need not regard their Calumnies as long as you live according to God in the Spirit cleansing your selves from all filthiness both of the Flesh and Spirit 3. See that you live Charitably in Peace and Love 2 Cor. 13.11 Live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you It 's great Matter of Lamentation that such as have Christ in them should live so Uncharitably and Contentiously and all through small differences about Words and Gestures and that these Minute things should cause such distances estrangements and unkindnesses amongst them I am sure this ought not so to be Those that are right in the main ought to hold Communion one with another and that in Peace and Love bearing one with another in things wherein they differ Phil. 3.15 16. Rom. 14. begin And it 's certain also that Christ makes it one of the Characters of a true Christian to Love the Brethren 1 John 3.14 And that Love is full of Charity and Kindness and Forbearance and hides many faults And why should there not be a fair Correspondency where there is a vital Inspiration by the self same Spirit 4. See that you live Contentedly Heb. 13.5 Let your Conversation be without Covetousness and be Content with such things as you have q.d. Keep your Hearts free from the Love of the World and the Gares Fears and Discontents that thence arise and be Content with Gods allowance for God is with you and will never leave you nor forsake you if Christ be in and with you by his Spirit then the Comforter is at hand in all sad Cases to Comfort and Support you and this should Still Quiet and Content our Spirits and preserve you from Discontentedness if Christ his Being in the Soul will not Content him surely nothing will do it 2 Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on every side yet not Distressed And how comes this to pass see ver 9 That the Life of Jesus may be manifested in our Body that is that our Lives may be conformable to his Life in submissive Sufferings and that it may be manifest that the Life that we live is the Life of Jesus Christ that he lives in us and that by him we live and that contentedly under all our Calamities 5. See that you live Comfortably and Cheerfully in the Consideration that Christ lives in and with you A Melancholly drooping Life is a great Reflection upon Religion and upon Christ himself and an occasion of stumbling unto many And will you carry it so as if you served a hard Master none have more Reason to live Chearfully and Joyfully than you that have Christ in you the Hope of Glory Such as you are called upon by God himself to rejoice in the Lord always and to be of good Comfort and that under the troubles of the World you need not to be troubled at your troubles but may and ought under your Crosses to Comfort your selves in Christ in your Union with him in your Interest in him and in your Enjoyment of him and that because he is in you Incessantly Intercessively Inseparably and Incumbently He is in you 1. Incessantly in you and alway in you when you perceive it not when he hides his Face and seems to be withdrawn and you conclude be is quite departed from you yet then he is with you John 14.16 The Spirit abideth with you and shall abide with you for ever As a vital principle to preserve and keep you from Apostacy and is not this Comfortable and a sure Hope of Glory 2. Intercessively Christ in Heaven is your Intercessour with God the Father and his Spirit within you is your Intercessour betwixt Christ and your Souls Rom. 8.26 27. The Spirit pleads Christs cause with us and stands up for Christ against the Flesh and it pleads our cause in Prayer with Christ and the Father The Spirit then is in you a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication and the Spirit of Adoption enabling you to go to God boldly as to a reconciled Father in Christ and to pour out your Souls to him It 's Christ his Spirit in you that is the Spring of all your Holy Desires and Motions God-ward And that only that comes from the Spirit in you finds Acceptance with God for the Spirit moves you to ask what is agreeable to Gods Will and with a Submission to his Will And you receive Answers of Prayers in your spirits oft in inward Strength and Consolation from the Spirit of God within you Such as cry down the Spirit of Prayer have need to take heed they do not despite to the Spirit of Grace 3. Inseparably nothing can sever Christ and your Souls John 14.16 The Spirit shall abide with you for ever And Ver. 17. He dwelleth in you and shall be in you he shall be in you in despite of all Opposition All the Devils in Hell cannot with all their Exorcisms cast the Spirit of God out of the Souls of his People Satan may be dispossessed but the Holy Ghost cannot be dispossest He is in you and shall be in you Blessed be God for this Promise he is in you not as a Guest in an Inn to stay but for a Night but as an Inhabitant to abide in you and he will secure his Possession And what a strong Consolation is this once Christs and always Christs If Christ be in you he will never depart from you he may in some Cases withdraw his visible Communion but not his Union And as to Communion he departs in the Souls Apprehension but that is no real departure 4. Incumbently as one in Office to oversee your Souls 1 Pet. 2. last Ye were as Sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepberd and Bishop of your Souls Christ is the great Archbishop of the Soul and he is no Non-resident but Incumbent in the Soul as a Bishop is in his
And spiritual glorified Bodies are to be like Angels Mark 12.25 2. The next Priviledge of such as are glorified is Gladness and triumphant Joy without intermission interruption or diminution They shall enjoy fulness of Joy All the Joys that they enjoy on this side Heaven are but a taste of that full Cup of Consolation that they shall there be always drinking of Some on this side Heaven enjoy Joys unspeakable and full of Glory as much as frail Nature can bear and so much as for the present weakens them in so much as they are ready to sink under them but these foretastes of Heaven are but as drops compared to the Fountain when compared with the Joys of Heaven The Joys of Heaven are so great that Heaven is called Joy it self Mat. 25.21 Enter into the Joy of thy Lord. Heaven is Joy in the abstract and such as go to Heaven enter into Joy As he that enters into a Bath is presently compassed with Water So is he that enters into Heaven surrounded with Joy yea filled with Joy As a Vessel that is put into a Fountain is presently top full of Water Whilst on Earth the People of God have much sorrow and but little Joy many times but in Heaven they shall have no Sorrow but all Joy What then is Earth to Heaven What is this Valley of Tears to that Palace of Joy 3. Grace without the least Imperfection Here the People of God are daily complaining of their Sins the strength of Sin and the weakness of Grace fill them full of Complaints But there will be no occasion of these complaints in Heaven there is no Sin but perfect Holiness The Spirits of just Men are there made perfect Heb. 12.23 And Oh how sweet must those Praises be in which there is no mixture of Sin And in what a steady frame must the Souls of those be in that are in a sinless Condition and partake of such a measure of the Spirit that casts and keeps out all Sin How exact spiritual lively and Joyful must such be in all their Services How Concordant and Delightful will their Converse and Communion be one with another What manner of Persons are glorified Saints that enjoy the fear of God and the Love of God in Perfection what rare Services and with what enlarged Hearts do they always perform them No Weariness no Distractions no Discomposedness at all in their Souls but always full of Life and Delight in their heavenly employments 4. God Christ and the Spirit in Vision and Fruition without the least Interposition or Intermission This is the richest Jewel that belongs to the Crown of Glory and that which Crowns their Glory and how sweet and delicate must this needs be Oh what Blessed sights are always beheld in Glory that delight the Eyes and ravish the Hearts of all Beholders Oh what a sort of Communion will the Communion of Saints in Heaven be both with themselves and with the Trinity What Poor things are the Pleasures of the World compared to the delights of Heaven What a dull thing is it to be in the Courts of Princes towards what it is to be in the Court of Heaven God is the Center and Felicity of the Soul and for the Soul to live for ever in the full Fruition of God and Christ how sweet must it be Christ in the Heart is comfortable but Christ in Heaven is best of all yea all in all Thus I have given you a Glimpse of Heaven and though it be but a Glimpse yet it 's enough to set an Edge upon our Affections and to beget in us a longing after this heavenly Inheritance Quest 2. What is this Hope of Glory here spoken of Answ I will give you an Account both of the Nature and of the Necessity of this Hope of Glory that you may be the better acquainted both with the Grace and with the usefulness of it And 1. Of the Nature of it This I will lay before you in two Couples to help your Memories the better to retain them 1. This Hope of Glory is a still and a stedfast Hope 1. A still Hope under delays of Mercy it 's quiet and still and suppresseth inward fretting and vexing at these delays when the Soul begins to be disquiet it checks it and stills it Psal 42. last Why art thou cast down O my Soul Hope in God! Art thou in Hope of Glory Despond not then at the troubles of this Life it will not be long but all thy trouble will be over and a time or rather an Eternity of Triumph will come Therefore be still do not murmur nor fret 2. A stedfast Hope hence it 's called the Anchor of the Soul Heb. 6.19 Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast When the Soul is bestormed and in danger of Shipwrack tost upon the Waves of Trouble and Temptation it cleaves to the Promise and preserves the Soul from being dasht against the Rock of Distrust and Despair The Anchor doth not adhere to the Water but to the Earth under the Water So this Hope is not content with visible things but penetrates further and laies hold on God and Christ and Coelestial Things and sticks and adheres unto them 2. This Hope of Glory is a Lively and Lasting Hope 1. A lively Hope and is so called 1 Pet. 1.3 It makes the Soul Active and Lively in Duty it 's not a dead Hope but a living Hope that lives in the Soul as a Vital Principle to animate it against the Disasters of this frail Life It lives by Faith upon the Promises of the Life to come the Objects of this Hope are not the good things of this Life but of the Life to come These the Eye of Faith makes visible to the Soul and Hope lives in Expectation of and the Soul through Hope puts forth lively Operations and serves the Lord with Life and Vigour 2. A Lasting Hope it continues hoping and holds on and holds out to the end it meets with discouragements from Sin and Satan which sometimes oppress it and keep it under that it makes no visible appearance in the Soul but it like the Sun disperseth these Clouds and discovers again its radiant Beams by casting it's Eye upon the faithfulness of God and calling to Mind former Experiences and thus this Hope upholds it self and keeps its ground against all encounters and remains firm to the End Heb. 3.6 2. Of the Necessity of this Hope It 's a useful and needful Grace that a Christian cannot live without it is very necessary 1. To help us in our work for it mightily farthers and promotes it We have much work to do in the World weighty work that is not to be neglected We are to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling and there is the work of Faith and the works of Righteousness and all the works of our general Calling to be done by us And he that works not in Hope makes
in and over them to all these he promises Pardon here and Glory hereafter And such as are of this Number ought to live in Hope of Glory because they find the conditions of the Promises in themselves and have Christ in them whose inbeing in the Soul is the ground of all true Hope of Glory True Hope must have a word of Promise from God for its Foundation Psa 130. 5. I. wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope To hope for that which we have no Promise from God for is an Act of presumtion we must be able to give an account of the reason of our Hope 1 Pet. 3.15 and he can give no reason of his Hope that cannot produce a Promise for what he hopes for and prove his Title to that Promise and he cannot prove his Title to the Promise any other way than by making out the performance of the Condition of the Promise 3. The practise and method that God takes in saving Souls by Christ proves the Doctrine Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your wants according to his riches in Glory by Christ Our Souls are by nature very needy they need Light and Life and Liberty Now God by Christ supplies all their need and this is the way appointed by him and the method he useth in saving Souls It 's by Christ that he supplies all their need they need Justification Adoption and Sanctification in order to Salvation all these needs he supplies by Christ they need his Spirit to Sanctify Solace Support and to Guard and Guide them in the way to Heaven Christ by his Spirit comes and takes possession of their Souls and there dwells to supply their Need He then that wants the Spirit hath not his need supplied but remains under such Needs as must needs be supplied in order to Salvation and under these Needs cannot live in true Hope of Glory If he hope for Glory in this his needy Condition he hopes in vain God will save none but in his own appointed way and he that will not be so Saved is sure to go without it 4. The Product of all true Hope proves this Doctrine if we consider whence this hope springs how it is wrought and from whence it proceeds let us Trace this Hope to the Spring-head where it ariseth and then it will clearly appear to us that it 's Christ in the Soul that is the Hope of Glory Tho' Christ be the Object of Christian Hope and his Hope of Glory proceed from his Reconciliation with God by Christ yet it 's Christ in a Christian that is the evidence of his reconciled Estate and the sense and manifestation of this to the Soul assures him that it is not in vain that he hopes for Glory In a word It 's this that with assurance enables to live in Hope of Glory Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of Hope Here is Hope and the assurance of Hope and the full assurance of Hope and all these attainable by him that enjoys Christ in himself It 's upon evidence of this that he assuredly hopes for Glory 1. This silenceth all the fears and doubts of the Soul about its eternal Estate The Spirits first work is to convince of Sin and by conviction to awaken the Conscience and cause it to charge Sin home upon the Soul to make the Soul apprehensive of its danger and to fear and tremble Them the Spirit converts the Soul from Sin and perswades and enables it to embrace Christ freely offered in the Gospel and hereupon Christ by his Spirit takes up his abode in the Soul and after som time lets the Soul see the change it hath wrought in him and the Footsteps of Christ in his own Soul whereupon all fear and doubts vanish And as Paul says Heb. 10.2 They have no more Conscience of Sin Conscience is pacified and ceaseth from accusing and condemning them of their Sins 2. This set up hope in the Soul and the Soul sees it self in a hopeful Condition and rejoyceth in Hope of Glory Rom. 5.2 And Paul tells us v. 4. How this comes to pass and what breeds this joyful Hope and whence it Springs It 's experience that breeds this Hope the experience that the Soul hath in it self of Gods goodness in setting up Christs Kingdom in the Soul He finds something of Christ in himself some work of his Spirit that hath brought him out of Darkness into Light and from hating and opposing Godliness to Love and embrace it and to pant after Christ above all and it 's this that breeds this lively Hope whereby the Soul lives in sure and certain Hope of Glory 3. This satisfies him that he is in a justified Estate acquired from Sin and ingratiated by Christ into the favour of God And he is sure that the golden Chain cannot be broken but that whom God thus calleth he justifieth and whom he justifies them he glorifies Rom. 8.30 He finds 'em himself the Tokens of Gods special Love and is sure that God is immutable and whom he loves once he loves to the end he feels his heart endeared to Christ and Christianity and that it 's Christ by his Spirit in his heart that hath made this change in himself and hence springs this Hope of Glory 4. This shews him his Interest in the Promises These Promises he knows are secure and infallible and he that is an Heir of the Promise is an Heir of Heaven and now argues thus with himself If I am an Heir of the Promise I am an Heir of Heaven Now I am an Heir of the Promise for I have the Condition of the Promses in my self Christ is formed in me and therefore I may live in Hope of Glory I see now my former doubts were causeless and will cherish them no more but live hereafter in sure and certain Hope of Glory Thus I have cleared up this Doctrine to you and Oh that it may prove as sweet to you in the reception as it was to me in my Mediations and that some doubting Souls may receive a sight of Christ in himself attended with Hope of Glory 1. Vse Of Information This Doctrine plainly shews two Truths of great concern to us viz. That all Hopes of Glory are not true Hopes and that all hearts in whom Christ dwells ought to live in Hope of Glory I will speak to both these designedly to beat down false hopes that ruin thousands and to advance true hope in the hearts of Gods People for their Comfort in this wicked World 1. All Hopes of Glory are not true hopes How many have we amongst us in England that live in Hope of Glory that have no true hope in themselves nor any ground for their Hopes of Glory I 'le apply my self to two sorts of People 1. To Professors that profess Christianity with a seeming integrity and seriousness but all in hypocrisie Least doubting sincere
that they may awaken you and convince you of your need of Christ and provoke you to submit to the Gospel and to the way that God therein hath appointed for your Salvation and so by degrees brings you to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory 2. To such as are weak in Faith and Hope There are many precious Souls that have Christ in them and yet are weak in Faith and full of doubting and enjoy little Hope in themselves of Glory and I would willingly contribute something towards the encrease of their Hope of Glory And in order thereunto shall propound to such some means and helps that tend to the strengthening of the Hope of Glory and beseech them diligently to employ themselves in the use of them 1. See that you praise God heartily for the mercies you have already received Col. 3.15 Be ye thankful You are full of Complaints of your wants you want Peace and Joy and Assurance But are ye thankful for what you have thankfulness for what you enjoy is the way to obtain a speedy supply of what you want The thankful Soul is a Soul fitted for mercy And God will be the more ready to give when he knows that what he gives will be thankfully received Were we more thankfull he would open his hand the sooner and wider when we come to him for new supplies but when enjoyed mercies are undervalued and God wants his praise for them then it 's no wonder that he delays to give more mercies he will make you wait the longer to teach you more thankfulness A mite of Grace is of more worth than a Mountain of Gold And you have Grace and much Grace but because you want Comfort you overlook your Graces and do not own them with thankfulness and God is offended hereat and takes an effectual course to make you more thankful 2. See that you proceed in the exercise of what grace you have A Babe in time may become a strong Man and weak beginnings may have large endings A small Tallent may be doubled by good usage Mat. 13.12 He that hath to him shall be given and he shall have abundance alway provided that he husband well what he hath Therefore what Faith and Hope you have though it be weak yet exercise with Dilligence Repetition of Acts beget habits and diligent endeavors are attended with a Blessing and so you may come to have abundance Prov. 11.25 The diligent Soul shall be made fat You complain of leanness of Soul take heed that your leanness be not the effect of your own negligence exercise more diligence in the use of what Grace you have and your diligence will be blessed with fatness 3. See that you plead the Promises at the Throne of Grace This was good David his frequent Practise Psal 119.25 Quicken thou me according thy Word v. 28. Strengthen thou me according to thy Word v. 41. Let thy mercy come unto me O Lord even thy Salvation according to thy Word In this one Psalm he useth this Plea very oft no less then eleven times It s no presumptious but a profitable Plea to urge God with his Word of Promise and it is our Wisdom to reduce it to Practise It s much in use betwixt Man and Man You promised me to do so and so when will you perform it let us use the same Plea betwixt God and us It is thy promise be it according thy word It 's the Plea of Faith it is as if the Soul should say Lord thy promises are faithful Promises and here I spread one of thy Promises before thee and trust to thee for the accomplishment of it be it according to thy Word 4. See that you press the Commands of Faith and Hope upon your own Spirits This Course David took Psal 43. last Why art thou cast down Oh my Soul hope in God It 's ill done O my Soul to cast aside thy Hope and to give way to dispondency it 's thy Duty to trust in God and see that thou hope in God Hoping in God is an indispensible Duty that God requires from thee 1 Pet. 1.13 Be sober and hope to the end And it 's a very acceptable Duty Psal 157.11 The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him in those that hope for his mercy And wilt thou O my Soul cast of thy Duty a Duty that God takes Pleasure in O far be it from thee Oh my Soul hope thou in God! thus press it upon your Souls 5. See that you Parley not with Satan about the great concerns of your own Souls have nothing to do with him He is an open Enemy to Christ and Christianity and you have renounced him in your Baptism therefore reject his Temptations for Sin as well as his Temptation to Sin Enter not into dispute with him he is too crafty a Sophister to be disputed with by weak Christians it will be your wisdom therefore to take the course that Paul took 2 Cor. 12.7 8. There was given me a thorn in the flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me For this thing I besought the Lord thrice Note 1. The Case that Paul was now in There was given him a Thorn in the flesh viz. Satan was permitted to buffet him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil Angel Satan not a Menssenger of Satan but Satan himself And this is added exegetically to explain what his Thorn in the flesh was viz. The buffets of Satan his immediate Suggestions darted into his Soul which commonly are unnatural in kind suddain in motion and violent in prosecution 2. The Course he took in this case he betook himself to God by Prayer Paul had much Grace and much of the Spirit yet declines disputing with the Devil and flies to God for refuge against him and herein is an example for us to follow We must decline Disputes with the Devil and Pray him down and were this course well followed Satan could not get such advantage against Christians as oft he doth I 'le conclude this matter with the Prayer of Paul Rom 15.13 The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost It s not the words of Man that perswade the heart to live in hope but the Power of the Holy Ghost and his Power can make you abound in hope and raise your feeble hope to a full assurance of hope Now I pass to the third sort 3. To such as are waiting in hope for the Glory of Heaven There are some yea many that through Free-Grace are brought to wait in hope for the glory of Heaven my Instructions to these follow 1. Confine your Hopes to the limits of the Gospel The Gospel allows you to wait upon God in hopes of Glory in the World to come this I am sure is your Duty but as for such as extend their hopes according to their fancies and wait Night and Day and that in a Triumphant
cordial compliance with the Rules of the Gospel and herein follow your own Consent and not the custom of others Remember your Consent is to the Vitals of your Religion and your Compliance is your indispensible Duty and let not the Example of selfish men misguide you in your work Your Compliance must carry a correspondence with your Consent and a conformity to Christ your Saviour and if the Angry World frown at you for your preciseness be not discouraged Christ himself endured such contradiction of Sinners mind you your work and let your compliance be such as is blameless and set light by the Censures of such as are Strangers to sure and certain Hope of Glory Let your main care be that your Compliance be according to the Gospel and in compliance with Christ and your Christian Consent 1. Close with Christ coming up to the Terms that you have consented to Set your selves as in his Presence and renew your Baptismal Covenant Renounce the World the Devil and the Flesh and devote your selves to Christ and to his Service with penitent Hearts for your by-past Breaches of your Covenant and importunate Prayers for help from Heaven and Strength to keep close unto God for time to come Thus espouse your selves to Christ in Covenant with full purpose of Heart to be faithful therein 2. Choose a faithful Guide for your Souls to help you in your work and quicken you in your Duty The Lord that best knows your Need hath appointed by his standing Ordinance such Guides in his Church and Blessed be his Name hath provided such for you and require you to honour and obey them and to attend upon their Ministry and by his Blessing upon their Labours and your faithful endeavours in the right use of his Ordinances administred by them your Souls may come to be built up in the holy Faith and so strengthened in believing as to live in sure and certain Hope of Glory 3. Cherish your good beginnings with secret Devotions and daily Supplications for the Spirit of Adoption Secret Prayer is a great help against secret Sins and when put up by a broken and contrite Spirit then it is a special means for the obtaining sure and certain Hopes of Glory Under the secret Humiliations of the Soul before the Lord the Lord oft visits the Soul in kindness and Communicates unto it such hints of his Love as strengthen Hope and give assurance of Glory Oh make Conscience of Secret Prayer and make it your daily Practise and be serious and devout therein and you will at last arrive at the Haven of Rest for so Christ giveth the Soul of his Beloved rest rest from it's fears and doubts and quiets it with sure and certain Hopes of Glory 4. Chear up your Souls with such Tokens of Love as you receive from Christ in your Compliance with him If you be cordial in your Compliance and sincere in your Obedience you will find that your Labour is not in vain Psal 19.11 In keeping his Commandments there is great Reward Not only for keeping them but in keeping them It 's in keeping them that Gods People have fellowship with the Trinity It 's in keeping them that they receive new supplies of Grace and Mercy and such manifestations of Gods Love as fill their Souls with high Hopes of Glory Be then encouraged to carry on your Compliance with Christ and that with care and faithfulness 'till you attain to sure and certain Hope of Glory 4. Vse Of Caution To prevent mistakes and misapprehensions about this Doctrine I shall conclude with some Cautions 1 Caution Take heed of concluding against your selves that because your hopes of Glory are so low and doubtful and not sure and certain hopes that therefore you live without Christ in the World and have no hope nor any ground of Hope of Glory I would not discourage any Babe in Christ nor encrease the doubts of poor doubting Souls and therefore leave with you this Caution And that you may avoid this Snare shall lay down some Propositions to clear up your understanding in this matter 1. Proposition It 's the manifestation of Christs Presence in the Soul that breeds and feeds our Hope of Glory and when this manifestation is obscure the Souls Hope of Glory must need be dim and doubtful 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Here Paul distinguisheth betwixt Mercies freely given us of God and the manifestation of the giving them to the Soul Many have Grace and Mercy given but know it not The Spirit first gives Grace and afterwards gives the Soul to know and understand that it hath Grace given to it Now though Grace lie in the Soul yet the Soul seeth it not nor doth it know the Grace that it hath received till the Spirit of God make it known to the Soul and when the Spirit makes it known to the Soul then the Manifestation of it to the Soul puts the Soul into a hopeful condition and it hopes for Glory Now if hope of Glory depends upon the Manifestation of Grace to the Soul then there may be Grace and yet little or no hope Because there may be Grace not manifested but yet unknown to the Soul So that none can unfaint themselves or others from doubts about Grace 2 Proposition It 's the Manner and Method of God in his Dealings with his People sometimes to withhold sure and certain hope of Glory from them a long time for gracious Ends and Purposes that tend to their great advantage as 1. To put a great Value upon the Mercy that it may be more precious and welcome when it comes like Health after Sickness when they lye long under the want of it they see the worth of it and so come to have a higher esteem of it and to prize it more when they have it 2. To prove and exercise their Faith and Patience in waiting and their Obedience in seeking after it under such long delays of giving it God delights to see his People shewing their sincerity under their Trials 3. To preseve it for a more opportune season Physitians reserve their Cordials against fainting Fits and so doth God his Comforts Sure and Certain Hopes of Glory is a rich Cordial and he oft delays the giving of it till he sees a fainting fit approaching and then to support the Soul under a Crisis or under a Qualm he gives it 4. To prevent Pride and Unthankfulness He keeps the Soul under delays of Mercy to humble it that it may bear it humbly and entertain it thankfully 2 Caution Take heed of Complaining for want of high hopes for the Fault lies in your selves Lam. 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins Your want of High Hope is pena damni a punishment of loss you loose much Comfort by it But it s the punishment of your sin 1 You
THE Helmet of Hope Distinguished from the Hope of Hypocrites And Published To prevent the danger of False Hope and to promote the Duty of Living in true Hope of Glory WITH An Appendix of the Grounds of Hope Collected in a Catalogue of Promises and Experiences By A. B. A Minister of the Gospel The Hypocrite with Hope is vainly Fed His Hope 's no Helmet but a Spiders Web. But Converts know it is no Idle Story That Christ within is the true Hope of Glory London Printed by J. A. for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel And are to be Sold by Obed. Smith at Daventry in Warwickshire 1694. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Dear Friend THIS little Book now come to thy Hand calls for entertainment both for thy Saviours sake who hath provided Salvation for thee at his own cost and for thy Souls sake which therein is much concerned both in Point of Safety and Comfort Enquire not after the Author but Study the needful Matter it presents unto thee Though it come in a plain Dress without either Top-knot or Ruffles yet it 's Grave and Serious and may contribute much towards both thy Temporal and Eternal welfare It was not designed for Publick Vse when composed but proved so Sweet in the Meditation and so acceptable in the Ministration that thereby I was encouraged to send it abroad to warn the secure World against those false Hopes that lull Sinners asleep in Security And to invite all that meet with it to look after that Helmet that is of so great use for all Souldiers that fight under the Banner of the Captain of our Salvation Christ Jesus And if thou be one of this number and hast any skill in the Spiritual warfare thou wilt in thy own Experience acknowledge the account here given of this piece of our Spiritual Armour Thou art so well acquaintted therewith and finds in thy self the fore-thoughts of Glory made thereby the Joy and Delight of thy Soul That thou wilt see that thou hast met with an old Fellow-Souldier that hath been in many a Battle and still found his Helmet of Hope his Safeguard and so admires and valueth it that he would not part with it for Paris Let me entreat thee to take thy Helmet into thy Hand and compare it with the Helmet here treated of and then Mind the Vse and Advantage of the Helmet of Hope and if it raise in thy Heart high thoughts of this great Grace and more Diligence in the Exercise of it I have obtained my end and Christ his Glory who is the Object Author and offspring of this Hope with whom we Hope to live in Glory Rom. 15.13 Now that the God of Hope may fill thee and me with all Joy and Peace in believing that we may abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost is the earnest Prayer of Daventry May 21st 1694. Thy Fellow Souldier and Servant AND. BARNET COL 1.27 latter end of the Ver. Christ within the Hope of Glory THere is a vast difference betwixt the Effects of Common Providence and the Fruits of Christs Presence 1. The Effects of Common Providence extend to the just and to the unjust We in this Nation have long lived under the Gospel and hereupon come to be acquainted with the things that belong to our Peace 2 Tim. 1.10 for Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel And the Light of the Gospel shining so long amongst us by the good Providence of God hath enlightned the understandings of many with the common Notions of Christianity and the Will following the Dictates of the Understanding it hence comes to pass that a visible outward Profession of Religion abounds amongst us And great numbers there are of Professors that walk in a Track of Duty and Conform to the External part of the true Religion and have Hope in themselves that all is well with them and that they shall inherit Glory when all this is but the Effect of Common Providence and they are still of the number of the Foolish Virgins that though Virgins vaunted in their outward Behavior yet had not a Grain of the Oyl of Grace in the Soul 2. The Fruits of Christ his own Presence are enjoyed by few and are the peculiar Priviledges of the Vessels of Honour that Christ hath Redeemed by his Bloody Sacrifice John 17.2 ver 6. These that the Father gave him are they to whom he gives Eternal Life He gave his Life for them and gives himself to them He opens their hearts by his Spirit and comes in and takes up his abode with them And having cast out the strong Man armed and set up his own Kingdom in their Souls that Kingdom that consists not in Word but in Power and ruling in their Hearts by his Grace and Spirit they hereby come to enjoy in themselves sure and certain Hopes of Glory This is called in the Text a Mistery made manifest to the Saints it s a mistery in it self and to all carnal unregenerated Persons but made manifest to the Saints They and none but they understand the meaning of it and know not only who Christ is and what are his Offices and the Benefits thereof but also what it is to have Christ in them and to live in the enjoyment of so great a Blessing And this it is that is the Ground of their Hope of Glory to them God hath made known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mistery amongst the Gentiles which is Christ in them the Hope of Glory It s the Clause of these Words that I have chose to be the Subject of my ensuing Discourse Christ in you the Hope of Glory Wherein we may note 1. The Characteristical Qualification of the Persons here spoke of viz. Christ within 2. The Consequent Consolation thence arising viz. The Hope of Glory 1. The Characteristical Qualification of the Persons spoken of viz. Christ within this is the Motto of the true Christian and that that denominates him not only a Christian by Name but a Christian indeed A true Nathanael in whom there is no guile a true Israelite one by whom Christ is not only professed but also possessed Christ is formed in him and he conformed to him It s not Christ without that will serve the turn but we must have Christ within living and reigning in our Souls by his Grace and Spirit It s not Christ in Heaven but Christ in the Heart that constitutes us true Christians It s not talking of Christ but entertaining Christ as King Priest and Prophet that we must come up to if we will become true Christians 2. The Consequenâ— Consolation hence arising viz. The Hope of Glory It s Christ in the Soul that puts the Soul in so hopeful a Condition and is the true and main ground of the Souls Hope of Glory And this ground of Hope all such have that have Christ in them I do not say that all
satisfactorial meritorious Righteousness imputed to it and received by Faith and now being in a justified reconciled Estate is at that very same Moment committed to the Conduct of the holy Spirit And then and thus it is that Christ takes possession of the Souls of his Elect by his Spirit and comes in to abide with them for ever And thus a Soul becomes a Habitation of Christ through his Spirit Ephes 2. last and the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 And Christ is said to dwell in the heart by Faith Ephes 3.17 Quest 3. The 3d. Question is Why and for what cause or end doth Christ by his Spirit abide and dwell in his People Answ For several Reasons and upon several gracious designs As 1. As he is Captain of their Salvation and engaged to defend and secure them against all opposition He fought out our Salvation and obtained it by Conquest and he maintains it also by Conquest The World the Devil and the Flesh are the professed Eneof Christ and all his Subjects and stand up in opposition against his Kingdom and seek to Damn those that he seeks to Save and of whose Salvation he is the Captain And as the Captain of their Salvation he abides in them to protect them It 's for his honour and interest to safeguard them against his and their Enemies And his abode in them for this end and purpose is their safety The Captain of their Salvation is not only in Heaven personally but in their hearts Spiritually to be ready at hand in all their dangers to look after them and to aid and defend them It 's Christ in us that is our hope of Glory for his abode in us is our security from all peril and danger 2. As he is Consummator of the Work of Grace that is begun in their Souls He is not only the Author but the finisher of the Faith Heb. 12.2 And the work that he hath begun he will perform that is he will finish it Col. 1.6 He is both able and willing to finish it and is also resolved and engaged to finish it and is in them for this end and purpose to carry on his work of Grace in their Souls from one degree to another till it have attained it's gradual perfection and be consummated in Glory Our hearts are like Watches many times out of order and he sets his Spirit in us to keep our hearts in order To see how they go and to keep them in repair It 's our duty I confess to tend our hearts dilligently but we are so remiss in our Duty that if Christ did not look after us better than we our selves we should undo our selves and be undone by the Deceitfullness of our own hearts 3. As he is Comforter and the only Comforter of a comfortless Soul The People of God are oft in a drooping and dejected Condition cast down with a deep sense of Sin and sight of wrath Unbelief oft prevails and Satan is such an Enemy to their welfare that when he cannot keep them from Grace he will do all that he can to keep them from Comfort But Christ abides in their hearts by his Spirit the Comforter to disperse the Clouds of carnal discouragements that darken the Comforts of their Souls and to minister Comfort seasonably to them John 14.16 He will give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever And v. 17. He dwelleth in you and shall be in you I will not leave you Comfortless q. d. I know you will meet with many discomforts in this troublesom World but I will not leave you Comfortless but will come and abide in you by my Spirit on purpose to support you under your discomforts and to remove the causes of them and to fill your hearts with the sweet Comforts of my Spirit He is the Comforter when none can Comfort he can Comfort Others may speak Comfortably to you but yet fail in giving any Comfort to you But he is the Comforter that never fails in giving Comfort and he shall abide in you for your Comforter You will not only meet with Discomforts from your sins but from sinners they will be pouring contempt upon you and reproaching and persecuting you and from your seeming friends they will prove false-hearted and deceitful but be of good Chear you have a Comforter alway at hand and his Comforts are the best of Comforts the sweetest and most satisfactory Comforts They are Comforts that delight the Soul with joys unspeakable and full of Glory And now you see that the indwelling of Christ in your Souls is for your great advantage Christ in you is your help in all difficult cases here and your hope of Glory hereafter 4. As he is Counsellor and the best of Counsellors The People of God meet oft with such windings and turnings in the dispensations of Gods Providences towards them as put them to a stand that they know not what to do and which way to take but Christ by his Spirit abides in them to guide counsel and direct them in all such difficult cases Isa 11.2 The Spirit of Christ is called a Spirit of Counsel and Wisdom So that he that hath the Spirit in him finds assistance in many intricate cases from the Counsel of his Spirit whereby they are guided sometimes strangely and directed by special Providence to their great advantage How was Joseph in Egypt enabled by the Spirit of God to wind himself out of one trouble after another Quest The 4th and last question is How may we know the Spirit of Christ from the spirit of Satan or of Antichrist In Answer to this question I will give you both the Reasons of the question and the Resolution of it 1. The reasons of the question I have put this question for these reasons 1. Because of the prediction spoken of 1 Tim. 4.1 In the latter times there shall be seducing Spirits Yea in Pauls time Satan transformed himself into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 and there were false Apostles that boasted of the Spirit and deceived many 2. Because of the precept we all lie under of trying the Spirit 1 John 4.1 which implies that there are evil Spirits that go under the Name of the Spirit of Christ and therefore we are Commanded to try the Spirits lest we take false Spirits for the true Spirit 3. Because of the Pretences of many in our dayes to the Spirit of Christ who certainly have not the Spirit There is a Generation of men amongst us that tell us that Christ is in them and that they act and speak by the Spirit and that all others besides themselves are led by the Devil and in the Road-way to Destruction Now for these reasons I have put it to the Question How the Spirit of Christ may be known from the Spirit of Error And 2. The Resolution of the Question is easie For the Spirit of Christ is known by its Nature and by its Nurture 1. By its Nature
It 's a Holy Spirit and therefore called the Holy Ghost they then that are carnal and sensual have not the Spirit Jude 19. And the Spirit of God is a humble and meek Spirit they then that are haughty and lofty and despise and contemn the Righteous they want the Spirit 2. By its Nurture it Nurtures and trains up the Soul in the fear of God and in the Faith of the Gospel John 16.13 When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth That Spirit then that leads men into Errour cannot be the Spirit of God Now that Spirit that cries down Christs Ordinances and his Ambassadors leads into Errour The Word of God is the Dictates of the Spirit and the Standard of Truth and that Spirit that contradicts the written Word cannot be the Spirit of Christ for the Spirit of Christ cannot Contradict it self in contradicting any one part of that word that it was dictator of You must then judge of the Spirit by the Word That Spirit that doth not train up conduct and lead according to the Scriptures is a false Spirit Isa 8.20 If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Gal. 1.8 9. Such as preach another Gospel are accursed And such as preach contrary to the Gospel set up another Gospel Thus far I have spoke to the Doctrinal part now let us proceed to the practical part of the Doctrine Is the Spirit of Christ in every sincere Christian Then 1 Vse Shall be of Terror to such as live without Christ in the World be they prophane Persons or Professors God hath provided an alsufficient Saviour for us that can savâ— to the utmost and there is no Salvation in any other Person or thing to be expected And none can be saved by him but such as receive and admit him into their hearts by Faith and how few are they that have Christ in them Oh you that do make account to be saved by Christ at death and yet shut your hearts against Christ and have not embraced him as freely offered in the Gospel know that you do but deceive your selves If you keep Christ out of your hearts Christ will keep you out of Heaven A Christless Soul is a wretched Soul Oh now whilst it is said to day it concerns you above all things in the World to consider your danger the dreadfulness of your danger and the desperate Madness of such as sit down contented under their danger I pray you to consider 1. Your Danger If Christ be not in you you cannot be in safety Your condition must needs be a perilous condition you stand upon the Margin of Death and Destruction For 1. You are under the Captivity of Satan and in the snares of the Devil and are carried Captive by him at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2. last Satan possesses the Soul of all that continue in the state of Nature 'till Christ comes and dispossesseth him Eph. 2.2 Satan is the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience And you are the Children of Disobedience and disobey the Calls of the Gospel and the Commands of Christ in the Gospel He Commands you to believe and to repent and to obey his Gospel but you disobey him and therefore the Spirit that dwells in you is Satan and it 's he that works in you and Oh what sad work doth he make with your precious Souls how doth he insnare and enslave them what Tyranny doth he exercise on them it's high time for you to consider it 2. You are under the Curse of the Law and under the Condemnation of the Gospel and therefore you are in as much danger of Damnation as a condemned Person is of Execution Oh what dreadful Curses are the Curses of God and how certain in the Execution if Repentance do not intervene And these Curses of God hang over your heads like a Hurricane or violent Tempest that is ready to fall down upon you There is a Curse upony our Blessings a Curse upon your bodies A Curse upon your substance and a Curse upon your Soul And if this Curse be not removed it will certainly light upon you Your sins will find you out surely then you are in danger Now Consider 2. The Dreadfulness of this danger that you are under The greatness of this danger lies in these instances I will lay them before you in couples for the help of your Memories The dreadfulness of this your danger lies in 1. The Unavoidableness and Universality of this danger 1. It 's an unavoidable danger I mean under your Circumstances rebus sic stantibus as the case is now with you A man may be in danger and he may foresee it and avoid it David was in danger of Saul and hid himself in a cave and so avoided it But in the case you are in the danger is unavoidable not that it is so in it self but you make it so to your selves there is one way and but one way to avoid it and this way is by Christ Now this way you reject and how can ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation It 's impossible for you to escape any other way and this way you do not and will not be perswaded to take and so go about to make your danger unavoidable 2. It s an universal danger a danger of a vast extent your All is in danger your lesser and greater Concerns your Estates your Lives your Bodies and Souls Your All is under a Curse and therefore your All is in danger and is it not time to look about you when fire is got in the thatch and all your goods are in danger how are you Concerned your case is much worse your danger far greater and will you be unconcerned 2. The Dreadfulness of your danger lies in the Proximity and Perpetuity of the Evils you stand in danger of 1. In their Proximity The Judge stands at the door your danger is not a remote but a present danger you are now and alway in danger you may lose your Souls in a minute you know the uncertainty of Life that it is but a Vapour a Bubble that may burst and vanish in a moment So that upon this account you are daily and constantly in danger Now Life is so uncertain that in Temporal matters you will secure your selves because all men are mortal and will you run such a hazzard as we are now speaking of and not study your safety will you be penny wise and pound foolish secure a little Siver and let your Souls lie in such danger 2 In their Perpetuity the danger is not only present but the evils you stand in danger of are everlasting You are in danger to lose your Souls and to lose Heaven and these are irrevocable losses and such losses as will I remain to all eternity and your are in danger of Hell and of eternal Death and if the danger be not removed but it once overtake
3.14 and there Translated Confidence Faith is a Confident and stedfast Expectation of Things promised It apprehends the Promise and adheres to it and assures the Soul of the Accomplishment of it and causeth the Soul to live in Expectation thereof It realizeth the Promises and shews the Soul how substantial they are that the things promised are no Trifles or feigned things but things of Substance weight and worth really subsisting and certainly to be enjoyed and enables the Soul confidently to expect them Thus it 's the Substance of the things Hoped for And it 's the Evidence of things not seen Things not seen either because future or because invisible Faith represents to the Mind as sure and certain The Eye of Faith beholds Christ with all his Excellencies the Immortality of the Soul and the Glory of Heaven as evidently as the Eye of the Body doth visible things Now â—et us reduce this to practice can we experimentally subscribe to this Description of Faith Do we see a reality in the unseen things it is evident to our Souls that God is the chief Good and Christ the fountain of Grace and chief of ten Thousands and that all his promises are certain and infallible and do we depend upon them and live in sure and certain Hope of the accomplishment of them then we have the faith which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because it 's peculiar to them and to none but them Yet further Paul here describes faith not only by its Excellency but also by its Efficacy 2. By its Efficacy v. 2. By it the Elders obtained a good report and they are famous to this day for the Testimony that God gives of the efficacy of their faith Faith wrought in them such works as were such evidences of the Truth of their Faith It 's their works of Faith that makes their memory so Honourable Faith without works saith James is dead it is of no more worth than a dead Dog It 's our works that do shew what our faith is A working Faith is a saving Faith Let us then examine our Faith by our works are our works the works of Faith do we pray in Faith and hear in Faith and live by Faith thus much for the Trial of our saving Faith Come we to our Love let us examine 2. Our Love to Christ whether it be sincere 1 John 4.16 He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him True Love you see is demonstrative of Gods dwelling by his Spirit in the Soul Let us then try our Love 1. By its Measure Do we love Christ most and best We love many Creatures and it 's allowed us Parents are to love their Chidren and Husbands their Wives but what is it that lies next our hearts and hath the largest measure of our Love I am sure Christ deserves most love from us for he hath done most for us but do we Love him above all is Christ a Pearl in our Eyes can we say with the Spouse in our Eyes he is altogether Lovely we have other Loves but none that lies so near our Hearts as Christ he is our Beloved and our best Beloved 2. By the Motive that moves us so to love Christ What is it that hath so endeared us to Christ is it the gain we expect from him or the good we see in him Cant. 5.10 The Church professeth much Love to Christ and tells the cause thereof it was the Beauty and Excellency of Christ that had gained her heart this was the attractive of her Love is it so with us is it Christs Love to Souls and his Loveliness that draws out your Love towards him Then there is sincerity and not selfish in your Love to Christ 3. By the Might and strength of your Love to Christ Love is of a constraining Nature 2 Cor. 5.14 Now do you find your Love to Christ constrain you doth it constrain you to vindicate the Honour of Christ against all that cast open contempt upon him doth it constrain you to value the Ordinances above worldly wealth and dignity doth it constrain you to venture all for Christ in suffering and trying times doth it constrain you to avoid every thing as far as you can that is offensive to Christ what influence hath your Love to Christ upon your Hearts and Lives doth it constrain you to carry it dutifully towards Christ and to cast off your beloved Lusts because they dishonour Christ and to conform to the Laws of Heaven because they are the Yoke of Christ are the things of Christ become precious to you Oh deal faithfully with your Souls 3 Vse Of Entreaty both to such as have not Christ in them and to such as have him in them 1. You that have not Christ as yet in you Be entreated and perswaded to live no longer without Christ in the World you have heard your danger and the dreadfulness of your danger and the desparate Madness of such as do sit down in so dangerous a Condition And now in the Name of Christ I earnestly beseech and entreat you to take the matter into serious Consideration The Lord Jesus Christ the great Mediator of the Covenant and victorious Captain of our Salvation makes as it were an Ho Yes Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man open the door I will come in and Sup with him and he with me And he is now knocking at the door of your Heart and craving admission and tendering himself and the Riches of his Grace and Mercy unto you upon condition that you will receive and entertain him and accept of him as your Lord and Saviour and consent and submit to the gracious Terms of the Gospel Oh comply with his gracious offer and open to him and let him in Put off Christ no longer expect not Salvation by Christ without giving your selves up to Christ to be Governed by him according to the Gospel What shall I now say to perswade you to be over entreated to get Christ into your Souls and not to sit down still in a Christless condition the business is of great importance and I stand here in Christs stead to beseech you to be reconciled to God and to use your utmost endeavour to make sure of Christ and would gladly prevail with you for your own good to set about this great concern to this end press these following perswasives upon your own Spirits and that with the seriousness as the weightiness of the matter requires 1. The case you are in calls for speedy Help You live without Christ in the World this is your case and it is a case that you can neither live nor die in with safety or comfort As long as you live thus you live under the guilt of all your Sins and under the wrath of God and if you die thus you die in your Sins and to Hell you must go And is this a Case to be neglected and disregarded were your Estates
and Lives in danger you would be concerned and bestir you to save your selves you would cry out for help and be thankful to any one that would tell you how to escape your danger Now in your case your Souls are in Danger and in present Danger and in great Danger and will you not be perswaded to seek to save your selves 2. The Cure prescribed is a proper Cure Christ within is the Cure and this is a suitable Cure Your Disease is inward to wit the Plague of the Heart and outward Applications cannot reach it it calls for an inward Remedy Nay more Christ within is not only a suitable Cure but also a Soveraign Cure that will certainly and infallibly Cure you Yea this is the only Cure all other remedies are vain and insufficient and will you reject such a remedy It 's a remedy of Gods own prescription and cures all that make use of it and will you not use it will you chuse Death before Life Damnation before Salvation Oh then what will you do in the end thereof 3. The Cost of the Cure now offered is discharged and now freely offered It is a Costly Cure the price paid down for it is beyond Value Who can reckon up the value of the Cross of Christ Heb. 2.10 He was made Perfect through sufferings There is a twofold perfection imputed to Christ 1. Perfectio Personae His Person was perfectly qualifyed for his Offices He was perfectly Sanctified and so he was a perfect High-Priest 2. Perfectio Operis the Work of Redemption was consummated by his perfect Obedience and meritorious Sufferings He became a perfect Saviour thereby and perfected the Work of Redemption that he might be a Soveraign Redemy and save to the utmost all such as came to him He made plenary satisfaction to Divine Justice for the Sins of such as he was to Save And it cost him dear to become an infallible Cure for perishing Souls it cost him his Life he parted with his precious Blood he bore the weight of Gods Wrath and underwent the shameful and painful Death of the Cross it cost him many a dreadful Pang and will you sleight so costly a Cure do ye account the Blood of Christ a vain thing hath he been at the cost of the Cure and at so great cost and will you refuse so costly a Cure freely offered can ye put a greater Indignity upon Christ than to tell him to his Face that you account him a Physician of no Value and will have nothing to do with him nor with the Cure he offereth you is this your kindness to such a Friend 4. The Course you take is fatal and deadly You refuse to let Christ into your hearts and bolt the door against him and this will be your ruin if persisted in without Repentance You reject the remedy at your own Peril and your destruction will be of your selves and you will know hereafter what it is to reject your own Salvation Can you that refuse such rich Mercy think to escape Divine Vengance Oh how dreadful are the fore-thoughts of your Condemnation and what then will the Execution be will you not be disswaded from turning your backs upon your Blessed Saviour when he is offering and tendering Salvation to you will ye bring the Blood of Christ and the Blood of your own Souls upon your heads and wilfully run on in Rebellion against Christ 'till the Wrath of the Lord go out against you and there be no remedy then I say of all men you are most miserable It had been better for you you had never been born or had been made Moles instead of Men but I would perswade my self of better things of you and such as accompany Salvation Consider 5. The Change for the better that Christ in the heart will make in you 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God See here 1. The Agent in this change the Spirit in them 2. The Advantage of the change it was a change for the better that of bad made them good of unclean clean and brought them out of Danger into safety out of a State of Condemnation into a State of Justification out of a State of Sin into a State of Sanctity a blessed Change And Christ in the Heart will make such a Change in you He will change your Hearts and Lives and fit you to live and fit you to dy And let me tell you for your Encouragment that the change will be so Sweet to your selves that you will find such a strange unexpected content and satisfaction in it that you would not be what you now are for a World Little do you know the Comforts that accompany such a change Oh be perswaded to live and you will never repent thereof but enjoy such a Happiness in your self as the World cannot afford 2. You that have Christ in you Be you entreated to live as such as have Christ in you Col. 2.4 As ye have received Christ so walk in him See that your words and works favour of Christ Live not below your selves Is it for such as have Christ in them to mind earthly things and to make a God of the World is it for such as have Christ in them to maintain Pride in their Habiâ—s and Behaviours and to wear the Flags of Lucifer and the Dress of Flora is it for such as have Christ in them to muster up the Spirit of Contention and to cast Squibs one at another are ye not carnal herein and walk as Men as Paul doth Phrase it that is as meer Men that have nothing of the Spirit of Christ in them Is it for such as have Christ in them to manage Religious Exercises carnally and deceitfully To be Time-servers and Men-pleasers and to serve God no further than it will stand with Self-interest Oh Sirs What manner of Persons should you be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3.11 How should you strive to conform your selves to Christ and not to the World and to live according to the Laws of Heaven and not according to the vain Customs of wicked Men How should you let others see that Christ within hath changed you and made you Gospel proof that neither Profit Example nor Honour can turn you from the Principles and Precepts of the Gospel if Christ be in you be ye followers of Christ as Dear Children 1. And see that you live Circumspectly Eph. 5.15 See that you walk circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise It will be your Wisdom to keep up your spiritual Watch and to Watch carefully though Christ be in you yet there is much Corruption within you and the Flesh will be Lusting against the Spirit and if it prevail it will grieve the Spirit and occasion it's withdrawings as to Sense and Apprehension and cause Christ to hide his Face from you and to stand
Diocess to rule and govern the same or as a Pilot in a Ship to guide it or as the Soul in the Body to actuate and animate it It 's his Office to Counsel Conduct Confirm and Comfort his People and he is faithful in his Office You see what Comforts you may suck out of this Honycomb Oh Mind them much that you may live comfortably upon them in this bad World Do not pore too much upon your Troubles but oft call to Mind the Comforts that belong to you and live joyfully in Hope of Glory 2. Doct. It is Christ within us that is our Hope of Glory 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Vitam gratiae in re Vitam gloriae in spe He that hath Christ hath the Life of Grace in reality and the Life of Glory in Hope In the Doctrinal part for the Information of your Judgments and Illustration of this great Truth I shall give a brief Account of the Glory here spoken of the Hope of Glory and then prove that it 's Christ in us that is our Hope of Glory Quest 1. What Glory is this here spoken of Answ There is the Glory of the World and that is Fading and Transitory And there is the uncreated Glory of the most High and that is incomprehensible And there is the Glory of the Saints in Heaven and that is in Riches invaluable but this is the Glory that I am now to speak of And who can give an account of this so great and amazing Glory A full account cannot be expected yet there is a Glimpse and but a Glimpse thereof given us in the Gospel And as far as it is revealed so far we may endeavour a Discovery And in the Gospel it is set forth in its Properties and Priviledges And of 1. The Properties of this Glory The Term Property if strictly taken is unapt and improper and if you please you may lay it aside and instead thereof put the Praises that are given by God to this Glory It is called an Unsearchable Unchangeable Unconceivable and an Uncorruptible Glory 1. It 's an Unsearchable Glory Job 5.9 God doth great things and unsearchable And his Glorifying such worthless worms as the Children of Men are is one of the great unsearchable things that he doth for the Glory of his great Name Alas where shall we search for a full discovery of the Glory of the Saints in Heaven The Book of Nature and the Book of the Scripture give but a Dim and Dark account of it And were we admitted to take a view in the Court of Heaven and enabled to bear it it might dazle our Eyes and ravish our Hearts but we could not see into its Nature nor search out its Splendour nor utter what we saw of this unsearchable Glory 2. It 's an Unchangeable Glory the Glory of the Sun may be Eclipsed and the Glory of Princes obscured but the Glory of the Saints in Heaven cannot be changed 1 Pet. 1.24 The Glory of Man is as the Flower of Grass That if it be not nipt before ripe yet then it withers and drops off into the Portion of Weeds but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and the Glory of Heaven is established by an Immutable Irrevocable Decree of the Lord of Hosts 3. It 's an Unconceiveable Glory 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Glory that is prepared in Heaven for the Elect is beyond the reach of a finite Understanding The Saints in Heaven that have Glory in Possession do wonder at their own Glory as not being able to comprehend the Riches of it the least Jewel that belongs to any Crown of Glory is invaluable Oh the difference that is betwixt the Glory of the Crowns of Earthly Kings and the Glory of a Crown of Glory All the Glory of the World united together is but a bauble or a single Chaff if compared to it 4. It 's an Incorruptable Glory 1 Cor. 9.25 They strive for Mastery to obtain a corruptible Crown but we an incorruptible All Worldly Glory is fading this never fades nay this Fading corruptible Body of a Saint must at the Resurrection put on Incorruption and be Glorified according to the Pattern of Christ his Glorious Body Phil. 3. last And both Soul and Body united live for ever in Glory And what an Excellency doth this Word Eternity put upon this Glory to live in Glory for the Term of a whole and long Life is extraordinary But to live in such Glory to all Eternity Oh how Excellent is this Surely the Glory we are speaking of is not to be slighted especially if we further consider 2. The Priviledges of it The Prerogatives of the Crown of Glory are most Rich and Royal Prerogatives Every Crown hath its Prerogatives but the Prerogatives of the Crown of Glory are extraordinary precious Prerogatives and all the Saints enjoy them and that without any encroachment hazard or forfeiture Let us take notice of some of them 1. Great Changes both in the Form and Fashion of the Body and also in the Frame and Faculties of the Soul beyond our present Apprehensions 1 John 3.2 It doth not appear what we shall be viz. Neither by Reason nor Revelation but though this great change that will be made in glorified Saints doth not fully appear either to our Sight or Knowledge yet it appears that it will be such a State of Perfection both of Body and Soul as will make us like our glorified Head and will make us capable of seeing and holding Communion with him We know says he That when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And by this it appears that the Body of the Saints must be greatly refined and spiritualized to be fitted for glorified Souls These earthly Tabernacles that now are but Prisons to our Souls and by the straitness of the Organous render the Soul uncapable of putting forth such Operations as their noble Natures are capable of and by their feebleness cannot bear an express of Joy without overcoming the Vital Spirits 1 Cor. 15.54 These Frail Bodies I say will then be made Immortal and Incorruptible and so Active and Powerful as to be able to bear such Impressions as now they are wholly unable to bear And also the natural Faculties of the Soul will be wonderfully enlarged That so in Union with the Body they may be made meet for an Eternity of Praises and for those beatifical Visions which they must alway behold And both Soul and Body then united will be covered with such a Mantle of Glory as will make them not only amiable but as will exceed the Sun in its Splendor Mat. 28.3 It 's said the Angel that appeared at the Resurrection of Christ Had a Countenance like the Lightning
hearken to the Voice of the Devil and stop your ears at the Voice of God and so let the Devil baffle you out of the choicest Comforts of your lives and then complain 2. You harbour the sin of Unbelief as if it were a harmless thing whenas it is a provoking sin Complain as long as you please you will never attain to high hopes as long as you do Let none expect high hope of Glory till these things be wrought in their Souls 1. Till the League betwixt the Soul and Sin be broken and the heart be quite out with sin as it 's an Enemy both to Christ and the Soul whilst the Heart is indulgent to sin and deals favourably with it it cannot have any sure hope of Glory but when it s become weary of it and is willing to part with it then the Soul is under that Promise Mat. 11. last and in a fair way to hopes of Glory 2. Till the Letts that keep Christ and the Soul asunder be removed Resting in our own Righteousness rejecting the command of Faith and regarding the objections of Unbelief yea retaining and cherishing the Sin of Unbelief as a harmless thing and fit Companion for the Soul are all impediments that must be removed before hope can triumph in the Soul 3. Till the Life of Faith be set up and kept up in the Soul Unbelief must not only be suppressed but Faith must be exercised and kept to its work in the soul Gal. 3.14 We receive the promise of the Spirit through faith And it s the Acts and Operations of Faith to demonstrate to the Soul that it hath received the Spirit and therefore a faithless Soul cannot live in true Hope of Glory 4. Till the Love of God be shed abroad in the Soul Rom. 5.4 5. Experience works Hope viz. The Experience of the Love of God to the soul When his Love is shed abroad in the heart and his Love-tokens appear in the soul and the Spirit gives the soul a sight of the Demonstrations of God's Love every Grace is a drop of Divine Love and the more of these drops are shed in the Soul the more visible it is to the Soul that Christ is in it and the greater satisfaction that the Soul hath herein the greater are its hope of Glory 3 Caution Take heed of conceited causeless hopes of Glory There are some whether in Christ or out of Christ I am not to determine that pretend to high hopes of Glory from an high opinion that they have of Free-Grace though they want the manifestation of true Grace in themselves That Free-grace is to be admired I grant and would not derrogate from the honour of Free-grace for a world Yet I positively affirm that it s not Free-grace quia gratis datur but quia nobis datur not because it 's freely given but because it s given to us and abideth in us and shews to us that Christ is in us and we by him in a state of Reconciliation with God that is the Spring of all true hope of Glory 1. Because this hope of Glory is one of the Priviledges of the Sons of God and no common mercy whereas if it came from Grace as free and not as in us and from a high opinion of Free-grace and not from the fruition of Free-grace then it 's a common mercy and may be found in any hypocrite that hath such an opinion in himself 2. Because this Hope of Glory is one of the Products of effectual Vocation and a Benefit that floweth from it Col. 3.15 Ephes 4.4 and therefore presupposeth effectual Vocation We must expect nothing from Free-grace but what comes in Gods own appointed way and not create to our selves foolish fancies for hopes of Glory 4 Caution Take heed of Clouding your Hope of Glory by dangerous Relapses into sin Do you live in sure hopes of Glory prize your priviledge but beware of obscuring it You find the sweetness of it and should make much of it and avoid every thing that Eclipseth this Hope of Glory Ps 85.8 God will speak peace to his people but let them not return again to folly q. d. I returned to Folly after I received Peace and I have smarted for it I broke my Peace and lost my sensible hope and would have the world to take warning by me and to take heed of Relapses into sin for Relapses into sin are returns unto Folly Let us all take warning by David and stand upon our Guard and withstand sin in its first motion lest it get advantage and we come to return to Folly and so we loose the assurance of Hope It 's a doleful loss and depresseth the Soul with much Fear and Anguish and it 's difficult and hard to regain it and therefore it will be our Wisdom to seek to prevent and to fly sin as we would fly from a Serpent for sin deals with the sinners as the Theives did by the Person of him that is spoken of Luke 10.30 They stript and wounded him It strips the Soul of us Peace and Hope and Joy and wounds the Conscience it is like the fiery Serpents in the Wilderness that stung and mortally wounded the Israelites and the wounds of Sin are not easily healed And they are painful wounds they made David as stout a Warriour as he was to roar out Psal 38.8 When hope is clouded by the dust of sin the poor soul languishes and lives very uncomfortable and that which aggravates its misery is the state from whence it is fallen To fall from hope into Despair from Joy into Sorrow adds much to the greatness of the Grief 5 Caution Take heed of cherishing Fears of future outward Calamities and falling into bad times Under high hopes of Glory I find a great Consternation in many about approaching evils and all hope of future good to the Churches of Christ in these Nations cast off by them I have read the present Dilemma of these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland considered argued and improved that hath justly alarmed us and am under the same apprehensions with that Learned and Reverend Author But think that timorous Persons abuse the Author by awakening their distrustful fears and suppressing their hopes and Faith in Gods Faithfulness and All sufficiency under our sad Circumstances All the great experiences of Gods goodness and the provision that he hath made for our future supply ought not to be overlooked but remain as food for Faith and Hope to feed upon Nay were our case much worse than it is it is our duty with David to encourage our selves in the Lord our God and to exercise an universal trust in him not only in the concerns of our Souls but in and about the Concerns of Sion And though I have discovered my thoughts to many of an approaching violent storm yet I look upon it as a storm in mercy to the People of God as the great Design of Providence to usher in thereby the greatest Favours
accuse me of decitfulness herein It was my own good that I then aimed at and the good of others that I now aim at and had I laid it by the ensuing Catalogue would not have been so useful to the Reader But Gentle Reader make use of this Posie and please thy self in the sweetness of it and with the Bee suck out the Honey and give God the Glory And if thou art one of the faithful Servants of Christ thou hast an Interest in the Promises and may'st yea must improve them upon all Occasions for the confirmation of thy Soul in the holy Faith and for the suppressing of thy distrustful Fears and strengthening of thy Hope that thereby thou may'st live chearfully and comfortably in this troublesome World To serve the Lord with joy and gladness is our indispensible Duty and nothing can afford us more help therein then acquainting our selves with and contemplating oft on the rich and precious Promises adding thereto the Exercise of Faith To live by Faith upon the Promises and by Faith to suck the sweetness out of the Breasts of Consolation is one of the excellencies of a sincere Christian and that from which he receives profit and comfort in abundance and he that is much exercised herein lives contentedly yea comfortably under all worldly discomforts and discouragements and is freed from those Doubts Fears and Despondencies that many labour under to the dishonour and disparagement of true Religion If therefore we would pass away our Pilgrimage on Earth with a calm and quiet Spirit and carry it under our Crosses with chearfulness and alacrity to the Honour of the Gospel then we must sometimes yea spend much time in perusing the Promises of God and the godly and ponder them in our Hearts 'till we find and feel our Souls raised and refreshed thereby this would be a means to keep our Love to God warm and to make us lively in the Service of our Master and to make the said Service Easie and Delightful to us and for our encouragement herein let us observe the fruitfulness of the Promises and the faithfulness of him that is the Promise-maker 1. The fruitfulness of the Promises The Promises are our Magna Charta for Heaven and entitle us to many choice Priviledges they are a rich Garden full of sweet Flowers they are called 2 Pet. 1.4 Exceeding great and precious Promises Great yea exceeding great containing matters of great price and of great import rich Promises and fruitful Promises full of choice Fruits For 1. They the are the Food of Faith and there is enough in them for Faith to feed on and the more Faith feeds on them the stronger it groweth and the reason why many are so weak in Faith is because they do make little use of the Promises and so Starve Famish and Enfeeble their Faith 2. They are the Fort that the Soul is to flie to in ill times and in all cases of danger preserve it in safety thither it is that the Soul is to flie for refuge and there it finds safety 3. They are the fire that warms and heats our Love to God Our Love to God is but a reflexion of Gods Love to us Gods Love to us it is that kindles and quickens our Love to him And the Promises are so many Expressions of Love to his People His Precepts are the manifestations of his Will to them and the Promises the Tokens and Testimonies of his Love to them his Precepts are to excite their fear of God and his Promises to excite their Love of God 4. They are the Flaggons of Wine wherewith he treats and entertains his Spouse 2 Cant. 5. Stay me with Elaggons That is support and comfort me with the Cordials of the Promises they are the Rivers the Streams whereof do make glad the City of God and the more we bath in these Rivers and drink of these of streams the more we are refreshed Observe also 2. The faithfulness of God in his Promises Heb. 10.33 Faithful is he that hath promised And if God be God it is not possible for him to be unfaithful for unfaithfulness is a great imperfection and therefore inconsistent with his Deity To acknowledge God to be God and yet deny his faithfulness is a contradiction and this is one thing that makes Unbelief so exceeding Sinful because it denyeth his faithfulness and thereby goes about to destroy him it chargeth God with falshood and so Blasphemeth him but there can be no defect in his Nature who is infinite in Truth and Holiness great is his faithfulness The experience of the People of God in all Ages doth witness to the World that the faithfulness of God in his Promises is spotless and unstained Jos 23.14 Of all the good things which the Lord spake concerning you not one thing hath failed Psa 146.5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his Refuge Who keepeth Truth for ever Such is his faithfulness in his Promises that he hath performed such Promises as to sense and reason were improbable if not impossible As 1. Such Promises as have Crossed the course of Nature Gen. 18.10 Sarah thy Wife shall have a Son This Promise was cross to the course of Nature Sarah was barren when Young and now she was Old and it ceased to be with her after the manner of Women so that the Promise was impossible to sense and reason and yet it was acomplished 2. Such Promises as have clashed with present Providences Providence doth sometimes stand cross to the Promises and looketh up all ways that lead towards the accomplishment of them yet in this case God out of faithfulness hath performed such Promises without failing so much as in a circumstance The Isralites were to continue in Egypt 430 Years and were promised deliverance at the expiration of those Years Now Exod. 12.41 God was so exact in his faithfulness that he kept day with them though when the day of deliverance came Providence stood opposite to the Promise their bondage being then at the highest and all visible ways of deliverance lockt up 3. Such promises as have continued several Ages unaccomplished As the promise of the Messiah continued many Ages unaccomplished yet when the fullness of time was come God sent his Son according to Promise Gal. 4.4 The most ancient Promises have been fulfilled God never broke day with his People so faithful is he that hath promised Delays of Accomplishment do not nullifie nor frustrate Gods Promise but under great and long delays they continue in full Force Power and Vertue and when the appointed time prefixt by God for their performance then deliverance comes and doth not nor can it tarry Oh that we could make use of this faithfulness of God in his promises to our own advantage and the Use that we are to make of it is as followeth 1. The faithfulness of God in his Promises serves to keep up the Credit of the Promises We should account the Promises our
who shall deliver me from the body of this Death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 7.24 In all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Joseph refused to ly with his Mistress saying how can I do this great sin and sin against God Gen. 39.8 We are bound to give thanks to God alway for you Because your faith groweth exceedingly 2 Thes 1.3 The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 Which Gospel is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you Col. 1.6 Tenthly Promises of the Presence of God and of his Spirit Fear not for I am with thee I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee Isa 41.10 Fear not O Israel thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thro' the fire thou shalt not be burnt Isa 43. beg Be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 If a man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode with him John 14.23 Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my Spirit into you Prov. 1.23 It is convenient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him to you John 16.7 If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts to to your Children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 I will pray to the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14.16 18. Experiences of the Presence of the Spirit of God Though I walk through the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me Psa 23.4 Joseph was sold into Egypt but the Lord was with Joseph and he shewed him mercy Gen. 39.21 Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the son God Dan. 3.25 Solomon was strengthened in his Kingdom and the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly 2 Chron. 1.1 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 John 4.3 God which knoweth the hearts bear them witness viz. the Gentiles giving them his spirit even as he did to us Acts 15.8 The Holy Ghost fell on them which heard the word Acts 10.44 Barnabas was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith Acts 11.24 The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost Acts 13. last Eleventhly Promises of Perseverance I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 I will give them everlasting Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand John 10.28 One thing is needful Mary hath chosen the better part which shall never be taken from her Luke 10. last Who will confirm you to the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.8 I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithful is he that hath called you who will also do it 1 Thess 5.23 24. The Gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Being confident of this thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 Experiences of Perseverance The high places were not removed nevertheless Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days 1 King 15.14 I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for I have seen thy salvation Luke 2.29 The house built upon the rock though the rain descended and the flood came and the winds blew yet kept his standing Mat. 7. lat These all dyed in the faith Heb. 11.13 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 I have been young and now am old yet have not seen the righteous forsaken Psal 37.25 My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73.26 Twelfthly Promises of the Possession of Heaven Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good will to give a Kingdom Luke 12.32 Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him James 1.12 When the chief shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that faideth not way 1 Pet. 5.4 Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer ye shall have tribulation 10 days be faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 You have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting Life Rom. 6.22 Of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ Col. 3.24 Experiences of the Possession of Heaven Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the Promises Heb. 6.12 Lazarus dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom Luke 16.2 Then talked with him two men which were Moses and Elias who appeared in glory Luke 9.30.21 The Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Heaven is called the inheritance of the Saints because they do inherit it Col. 1.12 A Song of Praise THe World 's a toy let me imploy My Soul in higher things Than upon those that create woes And carry cruel Stings My Fears are great Sorrow my Meat And humane Faith is gone On Pilgrimage for in this Age Amongst us there is none Thy faithfulness O God I bless And cannot but admire That Love is cold and yet behold None warm it at this Fire But O my Soul do not condole But Triumph thou in Praise Greatly rejoice with Hearts and Voice Let Joy thy Spirits raise Mind not the Rod rejoice in God That never failed thee Thou knowest this faithful he is And so will ever be Thou hast been Low and
but poor work of it he will be quickly weary of his work it s the Hope of a good Crop that makes the Husbandman Labour hard in Seed time he Plows and Soweth in Hope and its Hope that Spurs him on and encourageth him in his Work So it is the Hope of Glory that carries a Christian through his Work Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self says Paul Wherein was it that he was so diligent in Religious Exercises why it was in Hopes of a joyful Resurrection ver 15. I have Hope towards God of the joyful Resurrection of the Just And in Hope thereof I endeavour to be of that number exercising my self in works of Holiness and Righteousness 1 Cor. 15. last Abound in the Works of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord q. d. You know your Labour shall be rewarded and live in Hope of Glory and is it for you to Loiter No no your Hopes of Glory is given you to help on your Labour that you may abound in the Works of the Lord. 2. To help us in our Warfare for it fortifies the Soul and is as needful as Arms are for Souldiers We are all Souldiers under Christ the Captain of our Salvation and fight against his Enemies And this Hope is one of our spiritual Weapons It 's our Helmet 1 Thess 5.8 Put on for a helmet the hope of Salvation It hath both the Use and Force of a Helmet As a Helmet saves the Head and Heart and stands betwixt them and danger So our Hope of Glory doth in the time of Temptation stand betwixt the Soul and the danger and put by the strokes of the Temptation When the Soul is assaulted its Answer to the Temptation is No no if I yeild I shall dash my Hope of Glory God hath promised Glory to such as hold out against Temptations and I live in Hope of Glory and prize my Hope of Glory and will not for the Pleasures of Sin that are but for a moment hazzard the loss of this Glory I am Christs Souldier and shall I fight against my own Captain and him with whom I hope to live in Glory away Satan it s not for one that lives in Hope of Glory and finds and feels the sweetness thereof in his own Soul to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness 3. To help us in our Wants for it fits us for supplies We are needy Creatures alway in want and God hath made plentiful provision for the supply of our wants if we hope in him and promised such to supply all their need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Psa 31. last Be of good Courage and he shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in the Lord Though ye be weak and need strengthening and lie under heavey Burthens and want strength to bear them yet be of good Courage God will strengthen your hearts Psal 147 12. The Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy And are they the Objects of his Delight then surely he will look after them and take notice of their needs and give them seasonable supplies and hear and answer the Prayers that they put up for these supplies Such as pray in hope are sure to speed for hope redownds much to the Glory of God It implies an acknowledment of his faithfulness and alsufficiency and it puts the Soul in a waiting Frame and meets mercy with a thankful Heart and therefore God doth take Pleasure in such and in shewing mercy to such Now lay these things together and you will see both what hope God expects from you and why you are to exercise Hope and of what use this precious Grace is God expects that your hope be of the right kind a still and stedfast Hope a lively and lasting Hope grounded upon the indwelling of Christ in the Soul and his faithfulness in his Promises made to such Souls and such a hope as this is a mighty great help to the Soul both in its Work in its Warfare and in all its Wants And now I proceed to the Proof of the Doctrine 3 Quest How doth it appear that Christ in us is our Hope of Glory Answ Though few mind it yet all shall know at the great Day that this Doctrine is a great Truth and if we will submit our judgments to the Standard of Truth the infallible Word of God it will convince us and clearly inform us that it 's Christ in us that is our Hope of Glory 1. The Provisoes we find in the Acts of Oblivion recorded in the Word exempt all such from mercy as receive not Christ by Faith into their Souls and so excludes them from all Hope of Glory There are Acts of Grace in the Gospel that grant pardon and promise Glory to all penitent Believers that receive Christ by Faith into their Souls and consent and submit to his Scepter And upon these Acts of Grace our Hope of Glory is built as upon a Foundation But these Acts of Grace have Provisoes that exempt out of mercy and favour such as continue in impenitence and unbelief and in disobedience to the Gospel and tell such that it is in vain for them whilst such to Hope for Glory But in that Estate they can expect no mercy for God hath exempted them in the Acts of Grace 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Be not deceived nither fornicators nor Idolaters c. shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Glory is promised to some but gross Sinners are exempted The Apostle thus Treats the Corinthians If any amongst you lead wicked Lives and hope to go to Heaven in their Sins be it known to them that they are deceived they do but deceive themselves by thus hoping such shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven if they live and dye in their Sins they live and die without an Interest in Christ and shall be shut out of Heaven but if any have been such and are changed and converted from Sin to Christ let such live in Hope of Glory Such as do continue in a State of Sin and are neither Justified nor Sanctified do vainly expect to be Glorified 2. The Promises that we find in the said Acts of Grace and the persons to whom these Promises are made do prove the truth of this Doctrine We find a grant of mercy in the Acts of Grace and Christ promising to Save some from the Wrath to come and to receive them into Glory But who are the Persons concerned in this Grant that are the subjects of this Grace and to whom the Promise is made it is not to all Sinners nor to Sinners as Sinners but to Penitent Sinners to such Sinners and to all such and to none but such as come to Christ in the path of the Promise with penitent Hearts and accept of him upon his own Terms and receive him by Faith into their Souls to dwell with them by his Grace and Spirit and reign