nor so violent upon it but only reflects upon the conscience to wit when a man is troubled not so much with the sence of guiltinesse as with the sence of want which also comes back upon the conscience for finding the sence of his manifold wants and seeing himselfe thereby in misery and not sure of the remedy as he supposed he feares exceedingly and is put to that What shall I do to be saved so that the main thing indeed that troubles him is the same with the first to wit feare of guiltinesse and punishment though the thing most sensible to him is sence of want for his wants would not trouble him but for this nor would he take them to heart but for this to wit because finding by his wants that he is not in the estate of grace as he supposed he finds himself at least fears himself to be under the estate of guiltinesse and misery and this is it that troubles him To bring the point then neerer unto you this your case is a very ordinary dealing of the Lords with many of his own Children to wit to begin the work of them wakening and humiliation with the sence of want more then with the sence of guiltinesse I say more directly with the one then with the other for the one as the two is included in the other the reason of this his dealing seems to be this the Lord is wise and sees what is the main ground of mens security and sleeping in sin without humiliation and whence it ariâ—es even from this to wit their presumption they think they are in Christ and so leap oâ—er all that the Law can say to them or threaten them with which otherwaies should be the meane of their wakening and then the Lord wisely fits the remedy to this malady discovers their wants unto them and by them their presumption lets them see that they are not what they thought they were puts them out of this their starting hole and sends them back again to the Schoole of the Law even to the curses of the same and so works the work of humiliation in them Now observe that although the direct and immediate work be the sence of their wants yet this sence of want is not without the sence of guiltinesse for otherwaies why would the sence of thy wants trouble thee but onely because of this thou seest that by reason of thy sins thou art guilty and under the curse of the Law thou knowest that there is no remedy but by Christ thou didest sometimes think thou hadst interest in him but now by thy wants thou dost think thy selfe deceived and hence iâ— thy trouble and humiliation So if thou wilt marke well the ground of all thy trouble and humiliation and that whereupon it reflects is from the sight and feare of thy own guiltinesse so that the sence of thy want is not without the sence of guiltinesse for were it otherwayes that thou wert not troubled with the fear of thy guiltinesse the sight of thy wants would not trouble thee nor wouldst thou take them to heart as the case of the most part is who are deeply fleeping in security they are never affected with this sort of doctrine touching the Marks and Evidences of grace they regard not whether they finde or misse have or want this indeed is a token of deep securitie of utter want of humiliation and that there is no sense of guiltines at all But when thou not onely seest but doest take to heart thy wants art greatly affected with this sort of doctrine concerning the marks and evidences of grace nothing fears and grieves thee more then to misse nothing in the world rejoyces thee more then to finde Here is certainly some freedom from securitie some sight and sense of guiltinesse and in a word an happie wakening at least the case stands thus What shall I do to be saved So to thee Now to such who acknowledge their sight of corruption and wants and their being affected in some measure therewith which is called the sense of want but cannot finde in themselves the sense of guiltinesse and so cannot think that they are truly humbled I would say three things to them laying aside the comforts whereof I spake in the beginning to wit that in regard of the sight and taking to heart their corruptions they have interest in that The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick In regard of their seeing their wants their interest in that Biessed are the poore in spirit they are in some better case and further advanced then these of Laâ—dicea for they acknowledge that they are pâ—ore miserable wretched But laying aside these which thou oughtest to prise and be thankfull for I say I have these three things to say unto thee for thy comfort in this point 1. Thou hast the sense of thy wants and under it of thy guiltinesse although thou cannot see it as I have been shewing unto thee so that as thy being aâ—â—cted with thy wants cieerly evidences then art wakened out of thy securitie thou art solicitous for thy salvation working it out with fear and trembling and art come to this What shall I do to be saved and consequently art in that same case of humiliation as was the Jaylor and those that were converted at Peters preaching Act. 2.2 Hast thou not that tender conscience before spoken of warning thee before sin checking thee after the commission of sin of the very least sin least omission or failing in the manner of doing Then a tender conscience is awakened and at some time and in some measure a wounded conscience thou hast one of the main ends wherefore the Lord works humiliation in his own and consequently hast had humiliation it self thou hast thy interest in that Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Behold what fear what care c. 3. Tell me what it is that makes thee that thou dare not commit the most secret and smallest sins nor omit the most secret duties what is it that puts thee on and holds thee in such a constant course of obedience if it be not at least the spirit of bondage and fear Now the spirit of bondage is the very spirit of humiliation when thou dare not entertain a sinfull thought dare not omit thy times or dyatts of devotion makest conscience of every known sin of every known dutie possibly more then many others who have gone far on in the course of Christianitie yea and perhaps then sometimes thy self afterwards will what is it that holds thee so waking but even thy wakened conscience the spirit of bondage at least the spirit of fear the fear of God put in thy heart a point and part of the Covenant which is the very work of humiliation wrought in thy soul If it be any other thing that stirs thee up as the love of God it is well thou art further advanced in grace but at least thou cannot deny that the work of
THE TOUCH-STONE OF CONVERSION OR Marks of true FAITH WHEREIN The Impenitent sinner is rowsed True Beleever discovered And Doubting Saint resolved BY That excellent Man of God now in Heaven Mr. ARTHVR MORTON Scotch man LONDON Printed by Fr. Neile for Tho Vnderhill at the Signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1647. To the Reader NOw are the dayes wherein Atheisme and profanenesse abound many giving themselves up to commit all manner of sins with greedinesse as lying swearing uncleannesse drunkennesse injustice neglect of Gods worship as if there were no God no Saviour no Day of Judgement no Heaven no Hell Also now are the times wherein thousands place all Religion and happinesse pharisaically upon their injoyment of the publick Ordinances or their externall performance of such duties civil and religious as the Lord requires they are spiritually blinde knowing nothing experimentally of Gods gracious presence in his Ordinances as the soul and life of them nor of any gracious work the Spirit hath wrought in their own hearts by the use of them as the spring fountain within a man from whence all his actions should flow these know not experimentally what to live by faith the life of a Christian to repent to be born again to injoy communion with Jesus Christ to have the Spirit Means These are they that having but a form of godlinesse deny the power thereof and are in a deplorable and damnable condition There are in the last place many that having their eyes opened are convinced of their sins and deeply perplexed with fears and terrors whose very life is a burthen to them because of the frowns of the Almighty who hereupon if they split not themselves upon the rock of desperation are in danger either of betaking themselves to the fore-mentioned by-path of their own fancied righteousnesse duties and performances the very way to hell or of being in such a sad uncomfortable condition though the sons daughters of God through beleeving as that they have as little comfort and joy within them as God and the Church service from them by reason they have not the assurance of Gods love and are alwayes doubting that the promise belongs not to them so that the joy of the Lord is not their strength As an excellent help to all these three sorts of men read this small and excellent Book compiled by the late Reverend Evangelicall Preacher of Gods Word in our Sister Nation Mr. Arthur Morton my great desire of thy good prevailed with me to Print it and so to make that jewell common which was before communicated but to a few in Manuscripts Here are such excellent things concerning the mysteries of sin and the Gospel concerning the wofull estate of the wicked and the happinesse of the godly counterfeit graces and true Mortification and Vivification the freenesse and fulnesse of the love of God of the righâ—eousnesse of Christ wherein the impenitent sinner is rowsed the true beleiver is discovered and the doubting Saint resolved as I am confident will be acceptable to those that have the spirit of discerning to know the things that differ and prise the things that are more excellent especially if they confider that in such times of fears and danger as these are it behooves every man to use all deligence to make his calling and election sure to get clear evidence of his interest in and union with the Lord Jesus Christ Which spirituall condition is above the world both it's smiles and frowns and is reall happinesse It 's priviledges are for greatnesse and lastingnesse unspeakable of many this is not the least namely the assurance of Gods love and fatherly care over beleevers that in every estaâ—e he will save and uphold them even when his wrath doth burn against his enemies he will teach them the good way which they ought to walk in give his Angels charge over them carry them in his bosome cause all things to work together for their good this very one Priviledge hath these prerogatives attending it viz. peace with God or stable tranquillity and sweet calmnesse of minde which passes all understanding free accesse unto the throne of grace with boldnesse and confidence Christ as it were leading us by the hand into the presence of God and joy in the holy Ghost unspeakable and glorious which doth so lift the faithful above the heavens being cheared with the presence of Gods favours and contented with Christ alone that they despise the world and the base things therein and can be content in poverty suffer with joy the spoyling of their goods and be willing to dye for the Name of the Lord Jesus Certainly if the men of the world did but know what peace what joy yea what a heaven there is in a godly mans breast he would either have no rest within himself untill he could attain unto the same happy condition or else like a devill that is without any hopes of ever attaining to it would out of envy and hatred exceedingly persecute them as Apostates usually do to whom hath been discovered some things of Christ and grace in the soul Thus earnestly desiring that this little excellent Book may be somewhat helpfull for the advancement of Christs kingdom I rest Tho Vnderhill The Contents THe dreadfull case of those that want Faith p. 2. The fewnesse of those that have or shall have it p. 2. 1. The Marks of Faith Are such as go before that accompany and follow after Faith p. 7 1. The Marks that goeth before Faith is Humiliation p. 9. The parts and Markes of it p. 9. to the 15. The Meanes of it p. 92. to 148. 2. The Marks that accompany Faith p. 152. to 156. 3. The Marks that follow Faith p. 157. to 185. 2. The Means of Faith Generall Means p. 188. Speciall Means p. 211. Doubts resolved Whether a Reprobate may not have all the parts of Humiliation in him p. 29. A Doubt is resolved about the measure manner degree and kinde of Humiliation p. 38. O then I cannot have Faith for I finde my heart swarving with wicked and impure thoughts many great and grosse corruptions and some of them very strong and indeed very predominant p. 165. I do not finde the hatred and loathing of sin and this doth pusle me in this point I find that I do not entertaine it but I think it to be more out of fear of punishment then out of hatred p. 167. I find not my self right in this point of obedience but rather do because I dare not do otherwise p. 173. If this be a token of true faith I have need to fear for I find not these rejoycings especially that joy unspeakable and glorious I am far from it p. 181. I find much diffidence and impatience in time of adversity much haste p. 187 O happy most happy is the case of that soul whose conscience bears it testimony that it hath these Marks of Faith it hath certainly great matter of rejoycing yea were it in
c. that being wearied and laden they may run to him to be eased Math. 11.28 which otherwaies they would not do No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him Secondly that for time to come they may stand in owe and sin not Psal 4.4 that the feare of God may be before their eies that they sinne not Exo. 20 20. that they may be the more plyable to all duties of obedience and that being thus meek and lowly they may take the Yoake that Christ prescribes them Math. 11.29 and try then if ever thou hast found such a change as this if ever thou hast trembled at Gods word if ever thou didst apprehend the Lord in his justice didst feare his anger against thy sinnes if ever thou wast pricked in thy heart by the threatnings of the word Acts 2.37 and if all these have wrought such a Impression in thy soul that still thou findest that twofold effect before spoken of to wit that for thy by-past sinnes thy heart flies for a refuge and seekes to Christ Heb. 6.16 that he is savoury unto thee and then that still thou findest the fear and aw of God in thy heart Jer. 32.40 that thou fearest alwaies and hast a respect to all Gods Commandements Psa 119.6 and judgest of thy self accordingly II. The Second great change that is wrought in a man by this work of humiliation is by reason of his being convinced and having discovered unto him his own sinfulnesse and corruptions as also his manifold wants great unrighteousnesse for whereas before this work of humiliation sometimes he had a great conceit of his freedome from sin at least in any great measure the waies of a man seemes good in his owne eyes untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull I thanke God I am not like this Publican O but when this work of humiliation comes that a mans sinfulnesse be discovered unto him he sees afar other sight thinks farre otherwaies feeles farre other things nothing but sin and corruption raging in him sinne revives and taking occasion by the Commandement works in him all manner of concupiscence Ro 7.8 9. he being now stirred up the dregs of his corruptions work abundantly so that instead of thinking that he is not like such a man he thinks that for sinfulnesse and strength and number of corruptions there is none like unto him and that he is the chief of sinners so likewise in regard of his wants and gracelesnesse and unrighteousnesse there is the very like change for wheras before he thought well of his owne righteousnesse both of the righteousnesse of his person that he had all sorts of inward graces faith repentance the love and fear of God and that he was rich and increased in all things and had need of nothing Rev. 3.17 as also well of the righteousnesse of his actions insomuch that although with the Pharisee perhaps he did not glory in them in his praying hearing fasting c. nor perhaps with the Papist did think to merit by them yet neverthelesse with the Hypocrite he did rest upon the outward worke and was satisfied therewith and regarded not the manner of his doings the waies of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart now he sees a quite contrary sight nothing but wants that he is poore miserable naked for inward graces Rev 3.17 and that for outward practices all his righteousnesse is as a menstruous clout Isa 30. now this work of humiliation or this part of the work is also for notable good ends to wit 1 to drive and chase a man out of himself to put him out of conceit with himself to make him deny himself that so he go not about which naturally all are prone unto to establish his own righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 And he who attains once to this work and part of humiliation may be assured that he shall never be Arminian Papist or Pelagian never stand for free-will or merit A second end of this part of the work of humiliation is that hereby the whole glory of mans salvation may be given unto the Lord that all boasting may be excluded and he that glories may glory in the Lord Rom. 3.27 Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be the glory Psal 115.1 Not for your sakes be it known unto you O house of Israel for ye are a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people but for his Names sake 3. That Christ may be further cleaved and clinged unto and that nor onely for justification but also for sanctification for the sight of a mans own sinfulnesse makes him flie to the sufferings and intercession of Christ the sight of his own unrighteousnesse how all is but as a menstruous cloth makes him flie to and to prise the righteousnesse which is through faith Gal. 5. the sight of his corruptions and spirituall diseases chases him to the Physitian The whole needs not the Physitian but they that are sick Matth. 9.12 the sight of his wants makes him flie to the fulnesse of Christs grace to receive of that fountain and fulnesse Joh. 1.16 the sight and sense of his spirituall weaknesse makes him flie to Christ for grace Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 Fourthly and lastly that the Spirit of God the holy Ghost may be the more made use of and fled unto for it is by him that 1. our sinfull natures must be renewed Vnlesse a man be born again by the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Joh. 3.3 2. It is by him that we must mortifie our corruptions and the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 3. It is by him that all grace must be shed abroad in our hearts and souls Rom. â— 3 4. It is by him that we must be strengthened in the inward man for all duties of obedience yea that must lead us and guide us in all the wayes of God Ephe. 3 16. Psal 143.10 And lastly it is the holy Spirit that must go out with and powerfully accompany all the means of grace to make them effectuall for all these ends in our souls Prov. 1.23 So we see the great benefit of this change or of this part of the work of humiliation both in regard of a mans life and also in respect of all the Persons of the Trinity Appl. Here also see and try thy self 1. Concerning thy sinfulnesse and corruptions try if thou doest see and perceive them if thou be convinced of them and they be discovered unto thee and not onely those grosser ones which a naturall eye may perceive but try if thou seest thy inward spirituall subtile and most secret corruptions as thy hypocrisie infidelitie spirituall idolatrie a whoring of thy heart c. for then mayest thou comfort thy self that the Lord hath performed that his promise in some measure toward thee to wit that he hath sent his
but a menstruous cloth Thou I say who seest and doest acknowledge all these art not to deprive thy self of the comfort of this point for any sight of sin and corruption the wicked have for thus far thou shouldst not have seen unlesse thou hadst gotten the eye-salve unlesse thy eyes had been opened and consequently thy spirituall blindnes removed unlesse the Sun of righteousnesse had frined into thy soul unlesse thou hadst gotten the Spirit of illumination and hadst been translated from darknesse and made one of the children of light Thou art in a better case and hast made a further progresse then these of Lâ—odicea who yet neverthelesse are counselled and advised to come to Christ for all true spirituall graces he that counsels thee to come will not refuse thee when thou comest thou art poor in spirit and in the sight of thy spirituall povertie doest hunger and thirst for that which is wanting in thee Now blessed are such as our Lord himself testifies thou seest the diseases of thy soul and so art in some sort fit for the Physitian The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Lastly for the third point the wicked and unregenerate may be also and that greatly touched with the sense and sight of their own guiltinesse they may be made with fear and trembling to feel the justice of God against their sins to have their woundings and wakenings horrours and terrours of conscience and yet not have a right work of humiliation But yet herein is a difference between the wicked and unregenerate and Gods own children and that in a three-fold respect 1. The first which is a very clear and sure one is this the wicked by their terrours and horrours are further driven away from God and do betake them to the wrong means of remedie sometimes to Satan and his instruments sometimes to other worldly delights and imployments thereby striving to benumnie and lull asleep their consciences striving rather to quench the work of humiliation then rightly to entertain it and cure it as is clearly to be seen in Saul and Cain the one betook himself to the witch in Endor the other to the building of cities Whereas Gods children by their horrours and terrours draw the nearer to God and are stirred up by Gods Spirit to betake themselves to the right means which God hath appointed as Prayer the Word Gods Ministers and such to whom he hath given the tongue of the learned c. as is to be seen in Paul betaking him to prayer going to Ananias the Jaylor and those that were converted and humbled Act. 2. they strive not to quench and to smother this work of humiliation but labour to entertain it and increase it so far as is necessary and then to cure it by the right remedies 2. Secondly the horrours and terrours of the wicked in regard of their end and issue drive them often to despair because they are not mingled with any measure of comfort or hope as is to be seen in Judas and Cain Whereas Gods children in their greatest terrours are still upholden with some secret hope of salvation and conceive at least some possibilitie of pardon as is to be seen in Jonah Chap. 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple In David Psal 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes yet neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplication So fares it with all Gods children in their humiliations and terrors there is ever some secret thing upholding them and makes them not altogether to quit their hold 3. A third very clear difference is when the work of humiliation is over the naturall and wicked man if he escape despair and his horror weare out he is so far from being bettered by it that he grows sensibly worse he returns with the sow to the puddle the unclean spirit enters with seven worse then himself he may well fear for a time but he fears not alwayes Whereas the godly grows sensibly better and remains so after his horrours are over the impression and stamp which he had in his humiliation and sorrow is not like the morning dew but being made by the seal of Gods Spirit it abideth he feareth alwayes the Lord puts his fear in his heart in such a sort that he never departs from him before he was afflicted he went indeed astray but now he keeps the Lords statutes even afterwards and when his horrours are over he brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse The Application of these particulars are easie Hast thou ever any work of humiliation and did it 1. chase thee to God and the right means 2. Wast thou upholden under it by some secret hope from despair 3. Now after it art thou not worse then before but on the contrary undenyable better Blesse the Lord for it for thy humiliation hath been of the right sort and stamp especially take comfort from this last clear mark that thou searest alwayes for the Scripture pronounces such a one blessed that the Lord hath put his fear in such a sort in thy heart that thou shalt never depart from him seeing thou fearest him when thy horrour is over as well as when it was upon thee this is a token that thou art in Covenant with the Lord for this is an Article of his Covenant Jer. 31. Thy humiliation muâ—â— be a sanctified humiliation for it doth even afterwards bring forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse thou canst say with the Psalmist Before I was afflicted I went astray But as for such who have had any horrours and terrors this way and have not betaken themselves to the right means to cure them but have rather laboured to quench them then rightly to entertain them and remedie them rightly and since the having of them have returned to their former sinfulnesse and security such have no interest in this comfort Q. This may give some good satisfaction to any about the kinde of their humiliation but as for me to be plain with you I have such fears about the degree of my humiliation that it makes me greatly to doubt of the kind of it that it hath not been deep enough that it hath been but a flash and that I am far off from that measure thereof that many of Gods children have had A. Understand first for thy comfort and resolution that all Christians have not nor are to have 〈◊〉 of them alike degree of humiliation and â—hat for these reasons 1. All haâ—e not sinned alike but some by great sinâ— long lying in them have so benâ—â—â—me their own consciences that they require a more sharp awakening wheâ—eas others not being guiltie of so great sins nor continuing so long in the course of sin but receiving grace in their tender yeers will not find such a measure of humiliation 2. Some are to be put upon more eminent imployments and therefore must be more
humiliation is wrought in thy soul and therefore thank God for this and go forward to perfection get faith and love which casteth out fear the Spirit of adoption instead of the spirit of bondage Goon then to beleeve for thou both mayst shouldst having the fear of God thus in thy heart and being in a constant course of obedience according to thy abilitie that faith was never boldnesse nor presumption that is joyned with fear and obedience and that keeps to the precepts as well as to the promises It is an ordinarie policie of Satan and we should not be ignorant of his wiles but observe his stratagems that those who have no interest in the Promises as being void both of fear and obedience these I say he puffes up with Presumption and makes them boldly to claim and lean to that wherein they have no right As long as a man makes no conscience of his wayes he lets him beleeve his fill such a belief as it is when indeed he should not lay hold nor claim to the Promises as is clear by that Psal 50.16 17. But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee When a man again hath forsaken his wicked wayes and thoughts makes conscience of his courses and begins to fear the Lord at which time he may should lay hold on the Promises as is clear by that remarkable and comfortable place Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is a clear warrant and a sweet invitation for a person in such a case to beleeve and lay hold and yet I say no sooner fares it thus with a man but Satan and his own corruption incontinently bear him back from beleeving Observe this then and resist the devill and the corruption of infidelity that is in thine own heart bear back no longer If bearing back and withdrawing were an allowable cause for thee in such a course thy heart would not be so much given unto it we are ever to suspect the way of our own heart and to judge it wrong that we are most given unto namely the point in hand infidelity being so sibbe to us and which hangs so fast on thee as thou wast given in the time of thy securitie through the way of thine own heart to presume and lay hold when thou shouldest not now this way of thy own heart was clearly wrong So now the way of thy own heart being to misdoubt and draw back why shouldst thou not suspect it and resist it Hold to thy comfortable warrant thou fearest the Lord at least thou desirest to fear his Name for even to such the Scripture allows comfort thou obeyest the voice of his servants or art willing to obey so far as thou art able then obey this also Trust in the Lord and go on in a constant course of fear and obedience and fear not to beleeve this is the Lords seal to depart from iniquity Make your calling and election sure by well doing If ye do these things an entrance shall be ministred unto yâ—u a undantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1.11 If thou fear yea desire to fear if thou obey yea be willing and obedient even willing to be obedient Finally for thy further comfort and for the comfort of all those who are troubled because they are not satisfied in this point about the sense of their own guiltinesse let this be considered and examined as towards the promiâ—es there is a true faith and beleeving of them without sense which gives rest to the soul and produces good effects So may there also be a tâ—â—â— faith of the threatnings producing a true fear and câ—re and consequently a true humiliation although it be not joyned with sense All this is spoken not that you ought to rest upon this degree of humiliation for as you ought to go on from faith to faith and from grace to grace so from humiliation to humiliation Moreover the work of humiliation namely in regard of the sight and sense of our own guiltinesse and deservings is the very ground-work of the work of our salvation and sanctification and therefore should be well layed greatly laboured for and we should strive to have it deeply seated and stamped in our hearts and memories For as any may feel by experience according to the lively sense of this point goes on the livelinesse of all other points of Religion this point being lively unto us to wit the sight and sense of our own deservings it makes us accordingly hearty to confesse our sins and humbly to walk with our God it chases us earnestly to lay hold on the means of our deliverie to lay hold on the mercie of God the promises the Covenant c. It makes us flie in to the very bosome of Christ for shelter as to our City of refuge our horn of salvation And lastly faith being on foot and lively withall it is a whetstone and serves to quicken and set an edge upon our love and consequently upon our godly sorrow our zeal our obedience c. for then do we love most when we are most sensible how much is forgiven us so great are the consequents of this point So then I say what I have spoken for your comfort in this point is not that I would have you rest altogether upon the degree of humiliation alreadie acknowledged by you Onely this I would not have it hid from your eyes what you have received but that you should see it and acknowledge it that the Lord may not want his thankfulnesse nor you your comfort And that Satan may not prevail against you by that great and admirable policie of his as he hath done with many to bear you back from faith and laying hold on the Promises without the which there can be no comfort in a Christian soul yea no cheerfull no acceptable service to the Lord Without faith it is impossible to please him yea the heart wants courage to do it either to pâ—eâ—se him to praise him or to honour him Now his policie is this which is the doubt and hold-back to many Obj. I am not sufficiently humbled and therefore should not beleeve nor lay hold on the Promises for humiliation going before faith and beleeving Ans To this I say thou art not indeed sufficiently humbled in regard of and in reference to the work of thy sanctification nor ever shalt be so long as thou art here but I say the case standing so with thee as we were speaking that is thou fearing and obeying c. thou art sufficiently humbled to lay hold upon the Promises and to be bold to believe them and claim thy interest in them thou fearest the Lord
thou harbourest some sin and wilt not submit thy neck to the yoke of some duty or other O then thy desire thy care thy wakening thy wound hath not been serious hath not been deep enough to bruise out all corruption thou shalt be ashamed and disappointed of the Religion thou hast because thou hast not respect unto all Gods Commandments He that offends in one is guilty of all thou regardest iniquitie in thy heart the Lord will not hear thy prayer thou art but counterfeit coyn for thou wantest the Lords stamp and seal to wit to depart from iniquitie even every iniquitie thou givest not all diligence to make thy calling and Election sure by well doing even every sort of well doing Adde to thy faith vertue c. which thou wouldst do were thy desire and care but serious Lastly be thy thoughts heart affections otherwayes taken up all the day long and run more upon other things then upon the plealing of God the making of thy own calling and Election sure the keeping of a good conscience And doth thy contentment or discontentment thy grief and joy peace or unquietnesse arise from other grounds at night Then be sure some other thing goes nearer thy heart then God or Christ or thy own soul thy care is not serious thou fulfillest not the rule thou seekest not first the kingdom of heaven thou art not herein exercised alwayes to keep a good conscience thou doest not set the Lord alwayes before thee and so canst not conclude that he is at thy right hand and so shalt not be moved MEANS OF HUMILIATION VVE have already spoken of the generall directions concerning the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his children how we ought to carry our selves upon the discovery of the want or weaknesse of any grace or work of Gods Spirit in our souls to wit not to give place to despair but first of all by earnest and frequent prayer to have our recourse to God who gives liberally to all and upbraids none and who hath promised not to deny his holy Spirit to them that ask it Now although this be a good and main way to obtain what we want yet we must not rest here but to prayer must joyn the use of the means or else we shall not speed pray we never so diligently The Lord will have us put to our hand and therefore commands us work out c. And to this we are commanded even to humble our selves although it be the work of Gods Spirit I tell you that a point very much to be taken heed to was that in using the means it is not enough to use the means in generall the Word and the Sacraments but we should consider the particular means the fittest and nearest means to beget or strengthen such a grace and for want of this we may take very great pains in generall and we shall hardly speed and therefore we should see how far the work is proceeded in c. And as what our wants be and where the stop lyes and then to pray and to use means most diligently and to use the particular and neerest means and therefore I thought it most needfull to lay out the nearest and most particular means of this work of humiliation that so we using them the Lord blessing and concurring by his Spirit those who have not found this humiliation at all as yet may have it wrought in them and such of us who have found it in some measure may get it increased and strengthened and so all of us may be taught how to give obedience unto this exhortation Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God I. The first and indeed a main mean to work humiliation in us is seriously to miditatâ— upon the law the threatnings thereof and to apply them to our selves in particular considering withall the truth of him that hath pronounced them This by the concurrence of Gods Spirit will be a notable meane both to bring us to a right sight of our sinnes and to humiliation for them for as the Apostle saies By the Law is the knowledge of sinne it is the glasse and mirrour that only can let us see the foule spots of our souls And again to consider the threatnings will bring us to humiliation While I was without the Law I lived but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed would you then take a course to get this worke of humiliation wrought First of all get the cleere knowledge of Gods Law and examine thy self by it lay the rule of the Law to thy own heart and so see how great a transgressour thou art for want of this the most part of men and women live in sin without knowing that they sin and so without either repentance or amendment which is both pitifull and dangerous pitifull in regard of the Lords holy will dangerous to your own souls all will say they are great sinners but I fear they see not wherein and so can neither repent nor amend O but if thou wouldest apply the law to thy self thou wouldest see that thou hast bin and still art an exceeding great transgressour Consider the first Command and see if thou dost not sin exceedingly against it if thy heart does not whore and commit spirituall adultery with the creature delighting and trusting more in it then in the Creator God blessed for ever and thou shalt find also that thou puttest thy self most frequently in Gods place making thy self the utmost end of all thy actions which how horrible sins they be I leave to thy self to judge Was not this last Herods fault whom the Lord destroyed Consider the second Command and thou shalt see there be many points of Gods worship that thou I fear dost altogether neglect as that of meditation and conference and that all of them are for the most part superficially and slightly discharged by thee and that thou comest within the compasse of that curse Wo be unto them that do the work of the Lord negligently Consider the third Command and not to speake of thy frequent prophaning of Gods name see what either thou hast done or spoken to the honour of Gods name notwithstanding it is the many things that thou wast made for Look to the 4th Command and see how thou hast sanctified the Sabbath in thy thoughts and discourses yea see if thou hast not done in this point against thy light and even refused to return and hast hated to be reformed chosen rather to displease the immortall God then mortall men chosen rather to follow thy own will then the will of God and that notwithstanding he hath recommended it as a special point of his will unto thee and hath bidden thee remember to keep it holy Consider the fifth Command ye that are superiors whether ye render to those that are under you that which is just and equall And ye that are inferiors if ye give your superiors that honour and respect in your hearts
Covenant of reconciliation even he shall intercede for him that he be not cast out of it again Jesus Christ our Saviour is the Mediator of the New Testament in such a sort not onely to enter us once in the Covenan with his Father but which is most comfortable when we fail he is ready to intercede for us He sits at the right hand of the Father making request for us And hence is it that this Covenant is so sure and so everlasting a Covenant This point is also notably and clearly set down and made good by that style that Daniel Nehemiah Ezra give unto God O Lord who keepest Covenant and mercie A sweet saying and style for both on his own part he keeps Covenant and then for us when we break and sin he hath mercie for us So in the Scripture we have it more then once that sweet combination of mercy and truth Psal 57. He will send out his mercie and his truth Psal 25. all his wayes are mercy and truth c. His truth is to perform his promise his mercie is to cover our sins and to pardon them that they be no impediments for him to perform his mercie towards us Had he onely truth our comfort would be but small for we make the first breach and fail in the condition so that the Lord may without any breach of his truth and justice break his promise with us but when he joyns mercy with truth and is a God that keeps Covenant and mercie in this stands our comfort and happinesse and this is it that makes it an everlasting Covenant As also in that notable Psal 89. My faithfulnesse and my mercie shall be with him And again notably v. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him His mercy endureth for ever How often repeated in Scripture a notable comfort against our renewed sins But of all most notably clearly and expresly is this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant set down in that same Psalm where the Lord professes which is indeed most wonderfull and sweet that although sin and the devill should have so far prevailed against us as to make us forsake Gods Law that though he may well visit our transgressions with the rod and our iniquitie with stripes so to bring us to repentance yet His loving kindnesse he will not utterly take from us nor suffer his faithfulnesse to fail so that he will not break his part of the Covenant for all this O the wonderfull goodnesse of God in his Son Christ who although we change every moment yet he changeth not whom he loves he loves to the end his gifts and his graces be without repentance Q. I hear that upon my repentance I shall have accesse to this precious Covenant though after seventy times seven times yea infinitely often for Gods wayes are not like mans wayes but are above them as far as the heaven is above the earth which is very comfortable and also that the Lord will take pains with me to bring me to repentance will visit me with the rod c. O but what if I continue in sin without repentance if I be not to be reclaimed no not by rods and so fall away altogether A. Thou shalt not get leave to do this for this is a part and a clause of this precious and sure Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their heart that they shall not depart from me to wit altogether or without returning this puts on the very top-stone of the surenesse of the Covenant That place is worth the noting for in it the Lord undertakes both his own part and ours This point is also notably and clearly set down Heb. 8. where the Apostle setting down the difference between the old Covenant and the new he saith of the old indeed they abode not in that Covenant but for this he saith I will write my Law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts So Ezek. I will put my Spirit within them and cause them to walk in my statutes to do them So ye may see that this is still a most sure and everlasting Covenant Q. But may it not be objected that this doctrine of the surenesse everlastingnes and steadfastnesse of the Covenant is ready to faster security and to prove an obstruction to Christian obedience A. It may well make one relent of that slavish or at the best selfish obedience flowing from fear and arising from self-love and self-respects But as for that acceptable obedience which flows from Faith and from the love of God The love of God constraineth me surely it doth greatly advance and fortifie it for why as ye see it fortifies faith exceedingly this point of the surenes of the Covenant and everlastingnesse on Gods part now faith produces this acceptable obedience faith which worketh by love the more faith the more working and that by love the more heartie and cheerfull obedience So whatsoever doctrine serves to increase faith in us to breed in us the full assurance of faith is so far from rendring us carnally secure and so sluggish as on the contrary it renders us spiritually secure it makes us the more working and diligent it addes spirit and life heart and courage to work Faith which worketh by love it both increases and rectifies our obedience whereas faith which is the tree being weak good works which are the fruit must be few as the assurance of Faith rouses up the soul to go on in a cheerfull and right course of obedience with an eye to God whereas otherwise all our obedience is at the best felfish if not slavish Do ye fast unto me saith the Lord and even for this restraint of fear to stand in aw and not to sin This Covenant for all the sweetnesse of it hath sufficient ground for as ye hear although the Lord for the main take not his loving kindnesse away yet neverthelesse he visits with the rod and with stripes even with sad and sore chastisements even where he is favourable he takes for all that vengeance for transgression even where he corrects in measure he suffers not altogether to passe unpunished Hence is that complaint Thou hast wounded me with the wound of an enemie and chastised me with the chastisement of a cruell one And again The Lord hath chastised me sore but hath not delivered me over to death There was never so much pleasure in thy sinning as thou who ever thou art shalt find bitternesse in thy chastisements for sin even although the main thing and the punishment be remitted so that thou hast need to stand in awe and not sin So that this Covenant though full of confidence yet hath some place also for fear and aw Obj. When I consider this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant surely I must think them happie that have propriety and interest in it but I fear that I have none that it belongs not
civill actions his praying is sin and so all his religions exercises yea every Iâ—agination of his heart is evill continually thus is it wiâ—h the person or perâ—ons that want faith 2. Again for temporall Judgements though he may be for a time without them yet it is but for his further conviction and more fearefull torment in the life to come nor is he sure of a freedom from them in this life they are hanging over his head as it were by a haire he knows not how soon they shall overtake him for they come suddenly as travell on a woman with child as a whirlwind or as an inundation of waters as the Scripture expresses it he knowes not when the Angell will poure out the viall of Gods wrath upon him yea the Angel may have the sword already drawn though he like blind Balaam does not see it And then lastly for eternall judgments when this life shall have an end which may be in a moment there is nothing attending him but instantly utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth everlasting burnings the lake that burns with fire and brimstone everlasting fiâ—e prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25 41. Revel 21. this is the dolefull and dreadfull condition of the person that wants true faith which consideration alone might serve to awaken us out of our security and to stir us up without delay with all diligence to prove try whither we be in the faith or not But for your further stirring up II. In the second place consider how that notwithstanding the case of these that want this true saving faith be most lamentable yet neverthelesse there be but very few that either have or shall have this pretious jewell of faith unfained this to be true the Scriptures the ground of all truth make cleerly good Many are called and few chosen Strait and narrow is the way that leads to life few there be that enter therein Christ when he shall come shal scarcely find faith on the earth this seriously considered would make men looke more narrowly to themselves then they do III. To stirre you up yet further to this triall consider that notwithstanding the Scripture be cleere in this point that true faith belongs to very few yet every one thinks he hath it whereby alas it is most evident by comparing the truth of Scripture with the opinions of men that the most part are pitifully deceived in this matter of highest concernment and that the faith of most men is but a fantasie and surely there is nothing more incident to us then presumption that by reason of the blindnesse which is in our minds the deceitfulnesse of our hearts and that self-love which is in our affections as is to be seen in the Pharisee the Laodiceans yea in those who preached prophecied and wrought miracles in Christs name which is fearefull yea the very grossest sinners think they truly believe which is strange and shewes the great power of presumption Q. I grant you that all this should stir us up to be about this present duty of trying whether we be in the faith or not and that both diligently and duely least we be deceived with so many others and also without delay the point being of so great consequence and our life of so short and uncertain continuance and not to be at a point in a point of such importance which betokens wonderfull security madnes yea spirituall deadnes tell me therefore I pray you some of the cleerest and surest markes of faith that I may try my selfe thereby A. For your better remembering of them you may take them up in 3. sorts to wit they be either taken from these things which goes before faith or from these things that accompany faith or from these things that follow after it from the antecedents from the concomitants and from the effects or consequents Q. What be the marks that go before faith A. First of all in the generall where the Lord hath a purpose to worke true faith in the hearts of any before it he works in them that preparatorie and ground-work of humiliation in the soule and consequently a very sensible change a work indeed painfull not joyous for the present but most necessarie for those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses as all by nature be this he doth by sending his spirit according to his promise thereby to convince them of their sinfulnesse guiltinesse and wants Iohn 16.8 and it is usually called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. v. 15. Now this work of humiliation I say is a very sensible work and makes a great and a sensible change in the soule for it puts a stirring in the soule an awakening in the conscience which before was dead in sins and trespasses so needed some strong allarme it is the very pains and pangs of the new birth which cannot choose but be both painfull and sensible it is the casting out of the strong man who although while he holds the house all things be at peace yet will not be cast out without sensible unquietnesse seeing then the change is great and sensible see and consider if ever thou hast found any such change in thy soule or not Qu. But what be the particular changes that be wrought upon a man by this work of humiliation A. They be many but these three chiefly as both Scripture and the experience of Gods own children do testifie I. The first great change that is wrought upon a man in the work of humiliation is by reason of the discovery of his guiltinesse and of his being convinced thereof for whereas before his mind heart was filled with false presumptions apprehensions of Gods mercy nothing but mercy before his eyes and no seeing of God in his Iustice now be they quite contrary in this worke of humiliation the case is changed nothing so much before his eyes as the Iustice of God and his anger against sin the sight of mercie almost being quite ecclipsed he being upholden onely with a glimering as it were thereof a possibilitie of pardon and hanging as it were by a very hair of hope Jona 2. v. 4. nothing sounds in his eares so much as justice and wrath hence these sayings Lord rebuke me not in thine anger enter not into judgement c. His former and forgotten sinnes are brought to rememberance as we see it fared with the sons of Jacob and they are set in order before him Psa 50.21 he trembles at Gods word Isa 66.2 the threatnings of the word like as the arrowes of the Almighty trouble him and write bitter things against him as it fared with Ioh. Now all this is done for very good ends to wit these two especially first for their by-past sinnes that they may be driven to Christ the horne of salvation Luke 1.69 that they may fly earnestly or at least in sincerity unto him for a refuge Heb. 6.18 to his merits righteousnesse intercession
asleep by them in such a sort that the trumpet of the Law and thundrings cannot awaken you 1. The first is that people do not consider duly of the patience and long suffering of the Lord and therefore they come to mistake and misdoubt his justice and the truth of his threatnings they see no such thing they have been living in their sins so long and never found that things went otherwise then well with them no dint of any such threatnings yea they see others so also none living more pleasantly nor more prosperously then those who take very great liberty to themselves to break the Law of God and this certainly hardens the heart of many a sinner as the Scripture bears witnesse Because sentence is not executed against the wicked speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to do evill because men are not presently punished and taken out of hand as we say but get leave to go away and escape with their sins for a time therefore both themselves and others take the greater liberty to sin and surely we have need to take heed to this for we have all a tang of it were sin but instantly punished we would stand more in aw to offend then we do But this the Apostle meets with exceeding well and peremptorily Rom. 2. at the beginning first he layes down a peremptorie conclusion against such persons Thinkest thou this O man that thou shalt escape the judgement of God No think thou what thou wilt saies he we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them who commit such things O but saies the other I feel I fear no such thing I have lived long but have not found it so and others have lived out their life and dyed peaceably and have had no bands in their death To this he replyes two things the one is the reason that thou art not dealt with according to Gods justice and judgment and threatnings is not from thy deserving but from the riches and the goodnesse long suffering and patience of the Lord waiting upon thy repentance which if thou despise when the date of it is run out thou shalt find the truth of his threatnings and the debt of his justice so much the greater The other thing he replyes is this although thou shouldst escape the Lords justice and judgement all thy life time here what of that is there no other place for justice for judgement for the accomplishment of Gods threatnings then in this life is not the chief in the life to come Alas thou considerest not fare it with thee here as it will that yet thou art treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the just judgement of God O that you would consider this now that ye are not a haires breadth further off or at least the freer from the curses of the Law that they are not instantly powred out upon thee what of that yet surely as the Lord is true they do abide thee and when the Lord hath given a sufficient proofe of his patience towards thee they shall come upon thee when thou least expectest as pains on a woman in travell if not in this life yet in the life to come and therfore be not the securer for this that they are not yet come upon thee but if thou wilt prevent this humble thy self under the mighty hand of God The other main impediment hindering the Law with the threatnings of it to have the due operations of it upon the hearts of people as any may see is their presumption both in misapplying the Lords mercy and Christs merits to themselves when as indeed they have no interest in them and yet this is it that makes them secure against all the threatnings and also mistaking the manner of obtaining mercy First then I say they presume and misapply Gods mercy and Christs merits to themselves this is the thing that makes many a soule to perish and therefore I beseech you take heed unto it they acknowledge that they are sinners and that the curses of the Law does belong to them O but they believe in the mercy of God and in the merits of Christ in him who hath freed them from the curse of the Law and so they leap over the threatnings of the Law O but deceive not thy self this is the way that many perish in see that thy relying upon Christ and the mercy of God be upon good grounds sure warrants do all beleive that say or think they beleive come to any almost will they not say they beleeve as well as others but the Scripture saies that Many are called and but few are chosen it saies that many are deceived and why mayest not thou be deceived among the rest Indeed if thou hast ever been humbled for thy by-past sins and so hast fled unto Christ and striven to rest upon him If thou hast broken off the course of thy iniquity and turned thy back upon thy sins and art endeavouring to repent of what is past and to abstain for time to come if the Spirit of God hath made any work in thy soul then thou mayest be bold O but if none of these be no work of the Spirit in thee whereof I was speaking hast thou not broken off the course of thy iniquities but still walkest according to the imagination of thy own heart and yet doest blesse thy self notwithstanding the curses of the Law Be thou sure it shall be true which the Lord saies Deut. 29. all these curses shall come upon thee Walkest thou in darknesse that is to say after the dictates of thy own corrupt heart and the courses of the wicked world doest thou as thou seest others do and as thy own heart gives thee leave and takest no heed to order thy wayes according to the lantern of Gods Word for this is to walk in darknesse then beguil not thy self this shift will not serve the turn it will not free thee from the curse of the Law Christ it 's true is able to do it but thou hast nothing to do with him as yet What saies the Apostle He that saith he hath fellowship with him and walks in darknesse he is a lyar and the truth is not in him For these again who deceive themselves by mistaking the manner of obtaining mercie they think that when they have sinned all their life time that a God have mercie upon them shall serve their turn and then think that they may beleeve repent and get mercy when they will and for a word O but let me tell such these things are not so easily gotten and none so far from getting mercy as they that presume upon it yea did not many of Gods children find it hard enough all their whole life to get faith repentance and mercy and wilt thou come so easily by them and thinkst to get mercie for a word of thy mouth And finally to end this point
sin and serves much for aggravation see if thou hast not sinned against thy knowledge and if thou hast done so thou art worthy of and shalt receive double stripes Knowest thou and was it not often told thee that thou shouldst keep the Sabbath in thy thoughts and discourses that thou shouldst renew thy repentance that thou shouldst what ever thy other employments be grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou shouldst apply thy heart unto spirituall wisdom that thou shouldst not onely hear and read but go apart and meditate upon Gods Word and as occasion serves and thy abiâ—itie shall permit to speak of it I say hast thou known these things and have they been oft-times told thee and yet because they were painfull thou hast forborn to do them O how many stripes mayest thou look for 2. See if thou hast not sinned against thy conscience for this is yet more then to sin against knowledge to wit when not onely one knows a thing in generall but when by his generall knowledge of it his conscience gives him particular warning to do or to abstain the Spirit of God prompts him to it and yet notwithstanding he goes his own way this is a most heavie sin it is a wounding of the conscience and a grieving of the Spirit of God yea and in a degree of that which the Apostle saith Hebr. 10. a despighting of the Spirit of grace See then if ever thou hast sinned this way against the motions of Gods Spirit and warnings of thy own conscience that the Spirit of God and thy own conscience have suggested unto thee that such a thing was to be done and yet thou didst it not or such a thing not to be done and yet thou didst it and certainly if thou hast thou hast need greatly to be humbled this is to sin stubbornly and rebelliously 3. See if thou hast sinned out of presumption that is to say presuming upon the Lords mercy many sin this way and conclude with themselves the Lord is mercifull and easie to be intreated readie to forgive and therefore although I sin I shall get pardon yea although I should sin all my life long I shall get mercie easily at last this is a grievous kind of sinning and an uncouth way of conclusion and it is a dangerous conclusion for thy own soul for none so readie to refuse mercie as those who have thus sinned presuming upon mercy turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse for what saith the Lord Deut. 29. If any man hearing the words of this curse shall neverthelesse blesse himself in his own heart c. I will not spare that man saith the Lord and if ever thou get mercie think on it thou shalt not find it so easie to be gotten nor the Lord so easie to be intreated Gods children find it hard enough all their life time to get and wilt thou get mercie for a word of thy mouth as it were And as it is a most dangerous conclusion in regard of thy own soul so is it a most ungratefull and unnaturall conclusion in regard of the Lord thy God to say that because he is good and gracious and mercifull and readie to forgive thee that therefore thou wilt continue to sin against him to provoke him to wrath shouldest thou not rather conclude Is he so gracious indeed Alas that ever I should offend him I will no more do so by his grace and assistance were it not a wicked thing for a man to use another so to wit to abuse his lenity and goodnesse and clemencie and kindnesse fye upon such a conclusion 4. See if thou hast sinned scandalously either by thy sin being an evill example unto others and strengthening them in their sins whereby certainly thou must not onely be accountable for thy own sins but for others also Or else by thy sin hast given others occasion to think and speak ill of thy profession and so hast been a scar-crow to Religion Or else by thy sin hast made these thou hast had to do with to take such a prejudice at thee that neither thy words nor thy works can any thing further their edification there is no sin more to be taken heed to then this scandalous sinning and therfore be carefull against it And if thou hast been guiltie of it humble thy self greatly for it 4. Consider the means against which thou hast sinned Now under means I comprehend both the means of Gods Word and of his works whereby he labours to reclaim us See then how thou hast sinned against his works and that both against his benefits and favours and also against his judgements and afflictions whereby he studied to reclaim thee And first for the first Certainly this is no small aggravation of thy sin in Gods sight that thou hast sinned against so many benefits and favours Thus we see the Lord by Nathan aggravates Davids sin I took thee from the sheepfold when thou wast small in thy own eyes I made thee king over my people and have given thee the throne of thy Master and thus and thus have I done unto thee and yet thou hast sinned against me The like catalogue will the Lord present thee with unlesse thou prevent him and judge thy self he will say unto thee I have bestowed upon thee such gifts and perfections of bodie and minde which I have denyed to others and such a measure of outward things appertaining to contentment as many would think themselves well dealt with if they should have but the half of these things I have kept thee from many grievous inconveniences which I have inflicted upon others I have further delivered thee from many distresses and carried thee through difficulties yea I have done so and so unto thee made thee eminent in regard of many others and yet for all this thou hast sinned against me thou wouldest not for my sake renounce thy pleasures to resist such a corruption nor thy ease to discharge such duties what a just challenge thinkst thou will this be how will thy own conscience subscribe to it and thy countenance blush at it Consider also if thou hast not finned against the Lords judgements and afflictions which he sent to reclaim thee and fairly to warn thee and so hast kicked against the pricks Isaiah or the Lord by Isaiah makes this aggravation Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more And Jer. 5. Thou hast strucken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have not received correction This is also a great aggravation of sin The Psalmist saith Be not like the horse or the mule which cannot be holden in but by bit and bridle but this is to be worse then horse or mule even us to be holden in with bit and bridle Both these aggravations Ezra puts together Chap. 9. v. 13 14 And after all that is come upon us for our evill deeds and for our great trespasses
much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tryed with the fire may be found to praise and honour and glory The sufficiencie of an Anker is onely known in a storme if it hold out in a great tempest Even so is the sufficiencie of the anker of hope which flows from faith onely best known by it's holding out in the time of great adversitie for at such a time as this the fleshly presumption of the hypocrite doth fail him his hope doth perish it is like a Summers brook which dries up when there is most need Will the hypocrite pray alwayes when it comes to this his faith proves to be but fantasie Whereas the faith of the true beleever though it be in such a case much weakned and over-layed yet it fails not altogether it may make a great halt but his faith doth not fail him it stands out and carries him through the storme of adversitie See then if thy faith hath been a standing-out faith a carrying-through faith in the time of adversity if it did not make thee make haste that is put thee upon unlawfull shifts but that thou still didst cleave to God and the means that he hath appointed that is the Word and Prayer didst call upon God alwayes never giving over and depending upon the Word Were it not for thy Word I had perished in my affliction and so in some measure of hope and patience didst wait the Lords will and leisure this is a token of true faith a tryed faith a faith that maketh not haste Obj. I find much diffidence and impatience in time of adversitie much haste A. So doth all Gods children No tentation hath overtaken you but that which is common to men and therfore I said in some measure of trust and patience We see even David had his haste Psal 116. I said in my haste all men are lyars And Job had his great impatience and yet the Spirit of God saith Ye have heard of the patience of Job the Lord pities his own in their infidelities and impatiencies when they are sore assayed as it were above strength and above measure and as it were in their raving fits he imputes not these unto them he counts not narrowly with them he sees this is their infirmitie and that when the feaver is over they will come to themselves and therefore when they as it may seem both to themselves and others have lost their hold yet he looses not his hold so gracious is he Psal 3. When I said my foot slipped thy mercy O Lord upheld me My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my hope for ever So then even the best of the Saints have had in adversitie their own great haste infidelitie and impatiency which the Lord did pitie and passe over So will he thine if thou hast done as is aforesaid not giving totall place to infidelitie nor impatiencie but ever hast had some hope trust and wrestling against it like that of Jonah I said in my haste I am cut off from thy presence yet I looked again towards thy holy Temple We know not what to do but our eyes are towards thee So then in a word although in thy adversitie thou hast found great diffidence and impatiencie yet if thou hast been striving against it and wrestling with it if thou hast been calling upon God alwayes if when thou couldst not pray sighing and sobbing to him Rom. 8. If thou hast been ever looking towards his holy Temple through faith when through infidelitie thou hast thought thy self cast out of his presence If thy soul hath been cleaving to the Word which upholds us that we perish not in our afflictions even when all sense is gone yea when sense is to the contrary hoping against hope and hath thy faith thus wrestled and brought thee through then be sure it is an upright faith a tryed faith that hath abided the triall of affliction a faith that makeeh not haste Of the Means of Faith following the Doctrine of the Marks of Faith Q. O Happy most happie is the case of that Soul whose conscience bears it testimonie that it hath these Marks of Faith it hath certainly great matter of rejoycing yea were it in the hardest condition that can befall it for what are other crosses which are to be but for a moment and what are other comforts so long as the main is wanting that soul hath more then good reason cheerfully and carefully to serve the Lord who hath bestowed so precious a pearl upon it but alas I misse all or the most part of these Marks and so my case is most dolefull A. I told you how you should carrie your self upon your missing after triall to wit not to give place to despair and utter infidelitie but by constant and earnest prayer to go to the Anchor and finisher of faith who counsels us to come to him and for our counterfeit wares promises to give us fine gold tryed in the fire who hath promised to draw all men unto him yea who hath made many precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine Nature concerning all these things thou missest as repentance the love of God the fear of God c. Now what he hath promised he is both willing able and faithfull to perform Faithfull He is faithfull who hath promised Willing He gives liberally to all and upbraids none yea so willing that he counsels us to come unto him Able Able to make all grace to abound towards us to do exceeding abundantly above all that thou art able to think or ask If ye being evill will not deny good things to your children how much more will be who is good yea goodnesse it self give his holy Spirit unto those that ask it Now having his Spirit we get the supplyer of all our wants when he prevents us with his temporall blessings and bestows them many a time unrequired upon us shall we think that he will deny unto us spirituall things tending to the advancement and fulfilling of his glory kingdom and will We may see by the acceptablenesse of Solomons suit that he is far more ready to bestow the one then the other Let these notable props then uphold thy heart untill the Lords good time come of working these things in thee Seek earnestly for the Lord will be sought for these things Ezek. 36. and then wait the Lords good time for by faith and patience we must inherit the promises do this and be not discouraged I am glad how well thou art wakened by thy sensiblenesse of thy securitie which is the main miserie of all souls even of Gods own children for the most part but let not this drive thee to despair Q. Indeed I may justly accuse my self that my praying hath not been so frequent nor so fervent so constant nor so earnest as it ought to be yea I cannot get it done but I have often prayed and as earnestly
as I could and yet finde but little increase either of faith it self or of these Markes of Faith A. Whereas ye say that ye have not prayed so frequently nor so fervently as ye should this is a great and ordinary fault and should be helped for the Lord doth greatly require fervency Iames 5. in praying seeking with the whole heart asking seeking knocking yea the matters themselves requires it also for these things concerne both the Salvation of our own soules the making of our calling and election sure the good holy and acceptable will of the Lord our God and can there be matters of greater consequence and importance Whereas you say that you have thus prayed and so fear that seeing the Lord will be sought for these things and that he hath promised them upon the condition of seeking and of fervent seeking that therfore ye shall want them consider that the grace of seeking he promiseth it also Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and supplications and Rom. 8. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities yea for thy comfort he is found of them who seeke him not much more will he be found of thee who seekest him though weakely But for the last a main point that you say you have prayed often and fervently but finds no successe Remember that thou must not limit the holy one of Israel how often did he call and ye did not heare By Faith and patience we inherit the promises But one thing I would inquire If with praying thou hast joyned the using of the meanes for otherwayes pray thou never so much thou shalt not obtain for as in things that concernes the naturall life it were but idlenesse and scorne to pray and in the mean time not to use the meanes even so is it in things concerning the spirituall life the Lord will no more work without meanes in regard of the one then in regard of the other to pray and to neglect to use the meanes in either of these is to tempt God and to put him to the working of wonders and miracles It 's true that prayer is the main thing and brings a blessing upon our using the meanes use we the meanes never so diligently unlesse by prayer we get the Lord to blesse them he that buildeth buildeth in vaine But on the other side as our using of the meanes cannot serve the turn without the Lords blessing and working of his Spirit obtained by prayer So the Lord although he can yet will he not give any grace without we use the meanes for ordinarly he works by meanes Hence is it Work out your salvation Plough up the fallow ground of your hearts Edifie one another in your most holy faith which is the point in hand Q. If I did not with prayer use also other meanes I were greatly to be blamed but I use them according to my power I frequent the word Sacraments c. A. This is good and commendable to use the means in generall but if thou think to speed in that great work thou must not onely do so but shouldest in speciall take heed to this point to wit not onely to use the means in generall but to observe what be the proper peculiar particular most fitting and convenient means of that grace that thou dost want to beget and entertain it and carefully to be meditating about them and feeding upon them especially so feeding your self with food convenient for every grace both the own proper peculiar means this is to be as the Apostle speaks a wise master-builder As we had need of wise master builders so we had need our selves to be wise builders One that is building an house or wall he will not take any stone that is neerest by him but he will look what stone will fit such a place and this he takes Even so we should not think it enough in the working of the work of our own salvation we should not think it enough I say to use the means in generall for thus want of wit may make much work and we may be long enough ere we come to the point but we should use the neerest most commodious and most convenient means for the begetting of that grace we stand in need of For example feel we want or weaknesse of the love of God then should we meditate upon his goodnesse kindnessâ— bountie patience pitie truth mercie and the rest of his amiable properties his favours deliverances benefits In a word how good he is in himself and how good he is towards thee Or doest thou find the want of the fear of God or of reverence towards him meditate seriously of the glory majestie of God and the rest of his awfull properties especially if thou hast found any touch of his justice So find we that the work of humiliation is but small and weak this is the ground-work and should be well looked to you feed upon the threatnings and curses of the Law the severitie of them and their universalitie how none escape them being guiltie of the same sins My heart trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid because of thy judgements Upon the fiercenesse of Gods anger against sin who knows the power of his wrath the infinitenesse and strange extent of his justice His judgements are past finding out especially hast thou found a touch of these by experience And to come to the point in hand fearest thou the want or feelest thou the weaknesse of Faith then betake thy self to the particular means of faith as namely the precious promises of the remission of sins the sure invitations to accept of mercie the pregnant passages of Gods mercifull nature the Covenant Oath c. this is properly and wisely to work out the work of your salvation to work and to work it out even first of all to search and try how it fares with thee in regard of this work whether this work be at all begun in us or not if the ground work be layd or not the ground-work of humiliation and if that be layed how far is it gone on whether we have gotten faith love c. and where we find it at a stand or stay there I say we should set too carefully and advance the work then we should pray most earnestly and use the means most diligently I mean the proper and particular and most convenient means as wise builders And as in building so in repairing our spirituall building we are to take the same course for what we have got before the stamp of them will be ready to slip out of our hearts and memories and we are not busier in building then Satan is in breaching and therefore as we are builders so we must be repairers also And surely whosoever will keep this course of diligence using feeding and meditating upon the particular means not leaning to them but upon the blessing of the Lords Spirit procured by prayer no doubt shall find an happie progresse in the
and shall not be found a sweet place Micah the last He will cast them into the depths of the Sea Psal 103. As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressiens from us We are not to think that it is for nought that the Spirit of God uses so many so different and so emphaticall phrases even because all is little enough to bear up a cast-down soul and to make it fasten upon the Promises and our hearts being as weak powder whereinto many sparks may light that some one of them at least may kindle the fire of faith at least raise the smoak thereof Now the Lord will not quench the smoaking flax but blow upon it by his Spirit Q. These be indeed very pregnant exceeding great and precious promises were I sure that they belong unto me but alas what warrant have I for that A. This is another of Satans depths and fiery darts whereby many are holden back many hearing of the pregnancie of the promises of forgivenesse and how that there is forgivenesse for great and many sins conceive some hope but still they fear that these precious promises belong not to them that the offer of reconciliation is not made to them and so stick in the application of the promise to themselves Now a notable help for this is to consider in the second place the largenesse the indefinitenesse and the extent of the promises for they are conceived in such generall terms that in effect there is left roome sufficient for every one to come to subscribe his name and to set to his seal that God is true by so doing to honour God and save his own soul so that none is excluded to whom the offer is made unlesse they exclude themselves and that it be through their own default The Promises I say and offer of reconciliation is set down in very generall terms although mens names be not set down which were needles God so loved the world that whosoever beleeveth c. Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sins of the world Behold I bring you tydings of great jâ—y to all people But above all pressing and notable is that place Acts 2.29 even answering as it were your objection viz. I know not that the promises belong to me Yes saith he To you and to your seed to all that are neer and afar off and to as many as our God shall call even by his outward calling for else the words were to no purpose And indeed were it otherwise with the Lord we should make him a mocker did he offer that to any which did not belong to them this generalitie of the offer is the very ground and warrant of faith and therefore should be well looked unto Obj. But the Scripture is clear that all who are called shall not have the benefit of the promises for directly Many are called and few are chosen and why may not I be of the number of these A. This shews indeed that all shall not reap the benefit of the promises to wit through their own default but not that the promise and offer did not belong to them Further thou makest the wrong use of this sort of doctrine for it is set down in Scripture not to feed thee in thy infidelitie but to terrifie thee from the same and to stir thee up to beleeve All this I will clear to you by a familiar similitude Suppose a number of prisoners being imprisoned for some great crime there were a generall Proclamation and offer of liberty made unto them all who would before such a time make use of it from the free and gracious favour of their Prince suppose likewise that it could be foreseen and conjectured that for all this generall and gracious offer that yet there would be sundrie that would not make use of it some of them through aziâ—esse and sloth drinking or playing or sleeping losing the opportunitie 2. Others again despising it as thinking by their power abilitie to get free when they please or leaning to former merits or good service done which they think may well counterpoize any fault they have committed And 3. others a thing to be took notice of quite contrary to the former through the conscience and greatnesse of their fault should misdoubt and misbeleeve the truth of so gracious an offer Suppose I say that all this could be foreseen that all these sorts of persons upon severall considerations should loose the opportunitie of the offer and that therefore for the further weal of the prisoners and the prevention of all this with the generall Proclamation an intimation were made to them that there would be such persons among them that so they might being fairly fore-warned slie such impediments would we not in such a case think him a very foolish person who either would not accept of the Proclamation in generall because his name was not set down expresly or who because of the intimation made for his further weal and fore-warning and avoiding of such inconveniences would through their own default loose the opportunitie of the offer would upon groundlesse suspitions conclude that he may be one of that number and so keep off and loose the benefit of the offer and so indeed make himself of that number whereas being fairly fore-warned he should labour to beware of all these lets that may hinder him from embracing the opportunitie of the offer Even so to apply this the Spirit of God in Scripture hath made a gracious generall Proclamation and promise of our libertie from the prison and punishment of hell through the Lords tender mercie and free grace in Christ Jesus and not onely so but fore-seeing that for all this gracious and generall offer many will not reap and take the benefit of the offer some slipping and neglecting it being loath to quit their sloth and sinfull pleasures of whom speaks our Saviour Mat. 7. Many are called and few are chosen Strive to enter in at the strait gate Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. Others again leaning to and going about to establish their own righteousnesse slight the righteousnesse which is by faith And 3. which thou shouldest take heed to others through the great conscience and sense of their own guiltinesse are made to misbeleeve so gracious an offer and what through the power and wiles of the devil and their own bad heart of unbeleef greatly prejudice themselves through infidelitie of them speaks the Apostle Heb. 4. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeleef departing from the living God And more cleerly let us fear that lest a promise being made c. The Spirit of God I say fore-seeing all this with the gracious general offer and proclamation for our further fore-warning doth also intimate unto us that notwithstanding of the gracious and generall offer yet many through their own default upon the aforesaid impediments shall never reap nor enjoy the
Now would such persons consider that these very conditions be promised to be wrought in them and that so the Lord hath undertaken to do them for us both his part and ours and hath undertaken and promised that we shall beleeve repent fear love seek by prayer so that we have no more to do but by faith and patience to cleave unto it and to wait for the inheriting of those precious promises when it shall please the Lord to accomplish them unto us and in us what can be more comfortable then this it gives rest to the soul and indeed were it not thus what should be the excellency and comfort of the doctrine and tenour of the Gospel for it is as hard and impossible as far without the compasse of our power as is the tenour of the Law it is as hard and impossible for us to beleeve and repent this being the condition and tenour of the Gospel as it is to fullfill the whole Law But herein stands the comfort of the Gospel above the Law of the new Covenant above the old that the Law promises upon condition but does not promise nor give strength to perform the condition Whereas the Gospel and new Covenant not onely promises upon condition but also promises and gives strength to perform the condition it self to wit faith repentance the grace and gift of prayer the fear the love of God and these be the absolute promises Hence it is that it is said Heb. 8. to be established upon better promises to wit because here in this new Covenant the Lord gives vnto us absolute promises not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self promises not onely to do his own part but our part also these be indeed better promises And hence is it that in the same place he saith they abode not in that Covenant to wit in the old Covenant and why Because they undertook fairly for themselves We will do all that the Lord commands us But what saith the Lord knowing their weaknesse and the rather of their undertaking O that there were such a heart within them but for this Covenant it shall not be so with them for I will do their part also they shall abide in it They shall not depart from me I will write my Law in their hearts And hence is it that Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant this so main a point should be more taught and more considered for it is the very upholding of a Christian soul a notable encouragement in the course of Sanctification for now thou hast no more to do but to look carefully what grace thou wantest and then to look for the promise of such a grace and having found the promise thou shouldest labour with all humility to beleive it and then with that measure of faith that God bestows thou shouldest present thy daily Petitions to God in the name of Jesus Christ for that grace to be given unto thee out of the fulnesse of Jesus by the operation of the holy Spirit patiently confidently fervently and constantly prosecuting thy Suite from day to day untill the Lord satisfie thee which he will not fail to do if thou thus continue onely thou shouldest be carefull to do these two things to wit to beleive and fervently to seeke for these two the Lord requires Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 18.10 to wit in an enlarged desire And 2. by faith to receive it as I conceive it Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them this is subjoyned to all these precious promises of the new Covenant in that Chapter So that it is not enough for us to have the Promises but we must use the Means of earnest Prayer and seeking Ye receive not because ye ask not at least not so fervently and uprightly as ye should The prayer of the faithfull availeth much if it be fervent If thou beleeve all things are possible Obj. O but I fail in these two I cannot beleeve nor pray as I should and therefore I fear to come short of these precious promises A. Indeed we fail all too much in the fervencie of our seeking and it is hard to beleeve miracles and wonders for so indeed is the performance of these Promises whether it be the subduing of our strong fast hanging on corruptions or the supplying of our wants especially to those who are sensible either of the one or of the other and have continued long under such a sense O when shall I get such a corruption subdued when such a grace wrought not considering that God is able to do execeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think Able to make all grace to abound towards us for his power And then for his willingnesse more willing to bestow then we are readie to seek gives liberally to all and upbraids none counsels thee to come to him and get fine gold c. These be the two notable props of thy Faith in this point But for the point in hand thou canst not come to beleeve nor to seek as thou shouldest and therefore thou fearest thou shalt come short of the Promises Even these two amongst the rest are promised to wit the grace of faith and the grace of prayer Prayer is clearly promised Zach. 12.10 Jer. 29.12 A sweet place also Psal 10.17 So Rom. 8.26 Faith is promised Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men unto me this drawing is causing them to beleeve for he is the Author and finisher of our faith No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him So Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the rock of my salvation So Jer. 3.19 Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not depart from me Repentance is promised the godly sorrow Zach. 12.43 turning with the whole heart Jer. 24.7 the fear of God Jer. 32.39 Further in this Covenant is promised what thy heart could wish for sanctification or for strengthening of thy Faith and making thy calling and election sure Thou findest and feelest an hard and unsound heart the sinfulnesse of thy nature and this holds thee back from beleeving here a new heart is promised Feelest thou strong corruptions I will cleanse you from all your filthinesse c. Thou feelest and fearest thy want of outward obedience it is promised also I will put my Spirit within you c. And so we see it to be an absolute and compleat Covenant the Lord in it undertaking both for his own part and ours and in it promising not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self which is very comfortable To conclude then this point of the Covenant Go to then O thou of little faith what hinders thee to beleeve the remission of thy sins seeing the Lord God hath not onely promised it to thee but even solemnly covenanted with thee and then hath made with thee for it