a probable to a certain and infallible hope of Heaven God doth never from those who are in covenant with him withhold those influences that are simply and absolutely necessary for the avoiding of sin or performance of a duty when it is a duty affirmative precepts do not oblige ad semper but there are aids or influences called by some arbitrary by others liberal by which a man is enabled with less difficulty to abstain from evil and to lead an holy life these aids are usually vouchsafed to the assured Christian If these notwithstanding he yield to temptations or omit duties or perform them either sleightly or unchearfully ay or if he do not encourage others to wait on God it may well be expected that God should withdraw them and give Sin and Satan some notable advantage against him Those very omissions and commissions which would not provoke God to deny Assurance at first may provoke him to recal it after it is granted Quest 6. part 3. How may Assurance when it is lost be regained Answ This question supposeth that Assurance may be lost a supposition I am so farr from not granting that I humbly conceive it may be lost and a man not sensible of it That it may be lost in part and a man take no great notice of the loss will be easily granted and why not in whole Is it not possible that the great Duties of self-reflection and examination should be for some time discontinued or not impartially performed If so how easily may one judge that liveliness and enlargedness which ariseth meerly from temper of body or increase of gifts or false zeal still to arise ftom the testimony of the Spirit and a good Conscience Histories do abound with examples of men who meeting with persons of great pretended zeal and piety have been by them led into such practises as could not stand with an actual assurance of pardon yet till by some providence the vizor hath been pulled off the face of such hypocritical Guides they have not missed their comforts The consolation of the Holy Ghost must needs be gone onely another consolation did grow up instead of it arising from comparing themselves with others of different perswasions from them whom they saw to be worse then themselves or from the testimony and applause given them from their companions whom they reputed alway the most holy Measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves they are not wise or understand not 2 Cor. 10.12 May all whom Satan hath got into this snare by timely repentance recover themselves for it is of all snares the most dangerous as being laid by the Devil transforming himself into an Angel of Light and his Ministers transformed into Ministers of Righteousness Some there be who have lost their Assurance and are sensible of that loss and they are of two sorts I. Such as have fallen into such sins as do till repented of make them unmeet for pardon and much more unmeet for Assurance 2. Such whose perswasion of pardon might have still put forth it self into act had they not looked on their sins through a false glass and so unduly aggravated them This latter sort are not to be favoured in their hard thoughts of themselves they must have the falseness of those Rules by which they mis-judge themselves discovered and be made to know that they greatly dishonour God whilest they measure his thoughts by their own thoughts whilest they look on him as extreme to mark what men do amiss who is indeed gracious and mercifull slow to anger pardoning iniquity transgression sin Yet care would be taken lest while we endeavor to cure men of this injudicious and therefore falsly so called humility we cast them not into a more dangerous disease spiritual sloth security But it is the former sort of troubled souls to whom my Directions are designed though something may be said that will not be unusefull to the latter Them I advise I. To bring themselves to a due and just sense of their condition I say a due and just sense for there are in this case two extremes to be avoided I. A sleighting of it They who err on this hand have either benummed their consciences or else they have through the cares of the world and multitude of business so diverted their thoughts as that conscience hath no time to speak One would have thought that David after committing Adultery should have been a Magor missabib a terrour to himself and all round about him but he seems rather to be taken up with sinfull contrivances how he might cover that sin nor do we find any complaint of broken bones till Nathan the Prophet had awakened him To such I would say Remember from whence ye are fallen Ye are fallen from the smiles to the frowns of a Father of an Husband who can arm all the creatures in Heaven and Earth against you who can turn all sweet things into bitterness Is it nothing to you that for ought you know your names are blotted out of the Lambs book of Life nothing that you lie open to eternal wrath What are your pillows made of that you can give either sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eye-lids and not reckon that God will break in upon you while there is none to deliver 2. Some have too deep sense of this condition looking on themselves whilest in it as desperate as having committed the unpardonable sin There be two places in the Epistle to the Hebrews that have some aspect this way these have horribly puzled some of the ancients and are usually set home to the full by the Devil and a misgiving heart in this evil day To remove this error I will not digress into an inquiry concerning the nature and symptoms of the unpardonable sin about which it is most certain some have discoursed very wildly it may suffice to say that a presumptuous sinning after the grace of Assurance received though it cause a sore wound yet not an incurable wound There is balm in Gilead a Physician in Israel Scriptures give promises after such lapses and furnish us with examples of some who have recovered out of them nay it is thought by most that such falls do not leave the person thus fallen dead but onely in a swound if so he may somewhat relieve himself with remembring the days of the years of the right hand of the most High and by means of grace still left act being first acted somewhat towards his own recovery his sin indeed is in some respects more hainous then any sin of an unregenerate person but yet if not quite deprived of the spirit of life he may do that which a man who is void of the spirit cannot do This leads me to the second Direction II. Let him who hath lost his comforts examine how and which way he lost them The cure usually is half wrought when the cause of the trouble is found out and sometimes it is not
by inward sense therefore the Conclusion may be of Faith so that they make such Conclusions to be of faith not immediately but onely by consequence and that on supposition That a Proposition certain from inward sense is stronger then a Proposition certain from Divine revelation which is not universally true Nor yet do we say that this testimony of the Spirit doth make us infallibly certain onely we say that it makes those who keep Consciences void of offence and are zealous of good works have such a certainty as is not mixed with any actual tormenting doubt or fear so as they can their hearts not accusing them nor having any ground to accuse them of presumption call God Father and Christ their elder Brother and the Spirit their Advocate Yet after all this they will not swear that they are the children of God or if they should they would thereby do an act sufficient to darken all the evidence they before had of their Adoption for no one hath power to require such an Oath nor can any controversie be ended by such an Oath which could not be ended without it otherwise we do swear in sundry matters in the which we have not a greater or so great an evidence as it is possible for a man to have of his Adoption And in all Churches there is either from the Parents or other Sureties required as oft as Children are baptized an abrenunciation of the World Flesh and Devil and when the baptized children come to be adult and receive Confirmation 't is required of them that they profess before the Bishops and all the Congregation present That they do renew the solemn Promise and Vow that was made in their name at Baptisme ratifying and confirming the same in their own persons and acknowledging themselves bound to believe and to do all those things which their Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for them Vid. Engl. Liturgy of the last Edition Now if so be persons could not be satisfied that they are sincere in their resolutions we should by calling them to make such Vows but teach them to dissemble and play the hypocrites Object But do not some of our Divines speak of an immediate testimony of the Spirit Answ They do But it is to be hoped that they mean no more then that the soul is sometimes more then usually meet to receive the Seal of the Spirit more then ordinarily disposed to give in its witness with the witness of the Spirit of God i. e sometimes it hath so abased it self before God or done acts so apparently tending to Gods glory so manifestly contrary to flesh and blood that it cannot upon the least reflection but discern the well-pleasingness of such actions unto God and consequently take comfort in them If they intend more then this by their immediate testimony they must not blame others if they say they understand them not or that they fear they understand not themselves Should any one hear a voice saying to him Thy sins are forgiven yea should he not onely hear such a voice but also see some glorious creature uttering that sound this would be an extraordinary testimony but before a man either could or ought to receive it and take comfort from it he must first have some rational evidence that the apparition or voice is from God and not from Satan who both can and frequently hath appeared and spoken not as from himself but from God We have in Scripture an example of Zachary punished because he did not believe the words of Gods Angel Luk. 1.20 there being sufficient evidence that he was an Angel of God and nothing in the Message that should render it incredible But we have also an Example of a Prophet more severely punished for believing one that pretended a Message from God whose Message had every thing in it that might make it unlike to be from God 1 Kin. 13.18 22 23. Wherefore to every young Convert who not patient to wait for his Assurance in a way of self-reflection and communing with his own heart looks for any thing like a vocal testimony I may say as did Gregory to Gregoria Videat cui ad manus non sunt Gregorii Epistolae A Lapide in 8◠ad Rom. v. 16. who had written to him that she would not let him alone till he had obtained a revelation that her sins were pardoned Rem difficilem postulas inutilem A difficult thing because it is not like that God in these dayes should so manifest his love and unprofitable because I should have as much ado perhaps to distinguish that voice as to discern the sincerity of my own actions Consult History and it will be found that where one hath been mistaken that did search and try his heart and ways hundreds have been deluded by voices apparitions impressions These delusions have been most frequent among the Romanists the sense whereof made Luther not many years before crept out from among them to say Pactum feci cum Deo meo ne vel visiones vel somnia vel etiam angelos mihi mittat Com. on Gen. cap. 38. I have agreed with God that he send neither visions nor dreams nor Angels Object Do not very eminent Divines say that Faith is general or special and that general Faith is little worth without special Faith Answ They do so and a good and convenient interpretation may be given of that distinction yea is given by the learned Dr. Hammond as to all the objects of Faith But it may not be dissembled that some of great note have made the essence of Faith to lie in a particular perswasion that a mans sins are pardoned an errour purposely refuted in the ensuing Treatise and which I am glad to observe rejected now almost by all Divines Indeed it makes us justified before Faith and therefore tends manifestly to harden unconverted sinners in their unbelief and puts the maintainers of it upon most horrible shifts in expounding sundry places of Scripture I instance in one which I do in the following sheets make much use of Ephes 1.13 In whom after ye believed ye were sealed Who would hence conclude that Faith does at least in order of nature if not of time go before Sealing or Assurance How can any who placeth Faith in fiducial Assurance bring himself off But poorly For Piscator who is even by Arminius a Professor of different perswasion from him much commended for solidity and clearness Vid. Epist Ecclesiasticas will not yield that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred having believed but in the Present believing So the Vulgar Latines credentes which Estius is fain to excuse by Ampliation a kind of Licentia Logica must be the best translation Besides we know that God maketh use of the Ministry of men to work faith but if faith were an assent to this that John or Thomas is pardoned it will be hard to explain how any man who hath not the gift of discerning Spirits
waters and when he had so done put it on his own head he had a talent for his pains but lost his life for setting it upon any head but his Soveraignes so they shall have honour for contending for the truth but their souls shall God require of them because they gave not him the glory of all their zeal Wherefore as you would not grieve the Spirit when you see a drunkard say Who made me to differ or say as the Holy Martyr Bradford was wont to say God be mercifull to me a miserable sinner When you hear of one denying the Divinity of our Saviour say Nor could I have said that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit of God If either men or devil suggest that thou hast done well say It was not I but the grace of God in me I have nothing but what I have received and must not boast as if I had not received but ascribe all to him who worketh in me both to will and do of his own good pleasure 5. Fathering on him the ugly and monstrous brats of the spirit which worketh in the children of disobedience How much was the mother in Solomons time grieved when her living child was taken away and a dead one laid in room of it More must the Spirit be grieved when Humility Obedience Subjection to higher powers his natural issue are taken away and instead of these disobedience and rebellion laid at his door To do wickedly and to say that we do it by the impulse of the Spirit is to make God such a one as our selves and what a provocation that is you may learn from Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Nor shall they fare better who do not father their impieties on the immediate impulses of the Spirit but yet on the Word revealed by the Spirit For causa causae est causa causati whatever is found in Scripture is conceived of the Holy Ghost if we do wrest and torture Scripture to salve our Phaenomena we do thereby injure and lie against the Holy Ghost This is the honour of Christian Religion that it can wound all other religions with their own weapons and principles They rob it of this honor who go about to fight against is also with its own Sword quoting texts of Scripture to authorize such actions as are perfectly destructive of Christianity No sin so hainous as theirs who pretend to sinne by authority from God 6. The ascribing that to the devil and his instruments which is the work of the Spirit This is not onely to grieve him but also to blaspheme him What was the unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost mentioned Mark 3. but the Pharisees ascribing that to the Prince of Devils which was done by the finger of God Every work of the Spirit hath not so clear an impression of the Spirit on it as had the miracles of Christ and therefore to mis-call them renders not ones case so desperate as was the Pharisees But yet sure after God hath by the conversion of so many discovered himself to be in the ministers of the Gospel of a truth for any to say that they were all literal legal antichristian which was the language of the late times was a blasphemy of a very high nature and I have observed that such men mostly have waxed worse and worse deceiving and being deceived nor can I conceive much hopes of their repentance who do so far wrong the Spirit as to ascribe all his works of conviction and contrition to the predominance of the melancholy humor or to a cracked brain and all the fervent importunate expostulations of Gods devoutest supplicants to sauciness such speeches do greatly dispose tot he unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost We may hence inferr against the * I say the Judaizing Socinians because this seemeth to have been the opinion of the Jews that the Holy Ghost was nothing but the afflatus or energy of God and therefore Lactantius who denied the substantiality of the Spirit is said by Hierome to symbolize with Jews Epist 55. Yet the ancient Doctors of the Jews acknowledged and believed the Son to be an eternal person of the Divine essence and worthy to be called Jehovah as they who want other books may see proved by Julius Conradus Ouho lib. 1. Gul. Razia cap. 4. Judaizing Socinian the personality of the Holy Ghost Grief is a personal affection How a person should be grieved we can understand how a Divine person should have that done against him which would grieve him were he capable of griefe is not inexplicable but how a quality a power or an operation should be grieved is unconceivable 2. Hence may be inferred the love and tender care the Spirit hath for us and of us Had he not graciously condescended to take on him the offices of Advocate Intercessor Comforter he would not have so far concerned himself in our miscarriages as to be grieved for or by them 3. If we are not to grieve the Spirit then sure we are not to blaspheme or offer despight unto him which cannot be done but by sinnes of the greatest and most hellish malignity and in the highest degree wilfull 4. This will also inform us what to think of them who take up their pleasures in sin which grieves the Holy Spirit of God we may think that either they never were partakers of the Holy Ghost or if ever partakers that now he hath quite forsaken them and an evil Spirit from the Lord hath seised on them If Christ at his second coming would spare all other sinners yet doubtless he will damn all those that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2.12 But the main I intend to dwell on is the counsell of the Text propounded indeed negatively but yet must be supposed to include in it many affirmative duties indeed all by which that good Spirit can be pleased and delighted I will first propound some motives to perswade men to abstain from all sins by which the Spirit is grieved they shall be drawn from the person and office of him whom they grieve from their own estate who do grieve him from the sad and wofull effects of greiving him I. Consider who it is you grieve Were he but some created Angel you ought so farr to respect his ministry as not to grieve him The woman is to keep a covering on her head because of the Angels 1 Cor. 11.10 lest the contrary indecency should offend those pure Spirits Nay were He but a Saint compassed with flesh and blood we must not no not by the use of a lawful thing grieve him unless we will walk uncharitably Rom. 14.15 which would be to break the bond of perfection But he is greater then any holy man or Angel even an uncreated divine person I know this
is denyed by Socinians nor do I purpose fully to refute their blasphemy onely I shall take notice of one Scripture because it not onely proves the Deity of the Holy Ghost but also sheweth the exceeding sinfulness of doing any thing against him seeing he is God Wend. p. 248. Posteriora haec exaggerant declarant priora ut quando mentitus est Spiritui sancto intelligeret peccati magnitudinem quod Deo esset mentitus siquidem Sp. S. est deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadem sensu dicitur Synonymum in eodem loco est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5.3 4. Why hath Sathan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost thou hast not lied to men but to God There are here three assertions 1. Ananias lied to the Holy Ghost 2. That in so lying he did not lye unto man 3. That he lyed unto God Our argument lies in the opposition of which no fair account can be given if the Deity of the Holy Ghost be not supposed for if so be the Spirit had been an Essence distinct from God the Apostle after he had said Thou hast lied to the Holy Ghost would not have said Thou hast lied not to men but to God but thus Thou hast lied neither to men nor to the Spirit but to God Nor will this argument be evaded by saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the third verse is joyned with an Accusative case and should be translated to counterfeit the Holy Ghost for besides that in some Copies 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the propositions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make it all one as if a Dative did follow besides this 't is most certain that sometimes with an Accusative it signifieth to deceive or cheat and it must here so signifie because this sin is called a tempting the Spirit of the Lord How violent would it be to expound that phrase by counterfeiting of the Spirit of the Lord every time we grieve the Spirit of God we grieve God And is that a small matter in our eyes Can there be a greater aggravation of sin If one man sin against another the judg shall judg him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him 1 Sam. 2.25 but this would also further be considered by us that though there be no difference as to the Essence of the Persons yet there is a difference in the oeconomy he that grieveth the Spirit grieveth that divine person against whom alone such a sin can be committed as is unpardonable Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this life nor in that which is to come Mat. 12.32 To sin against Father or Son is not so dangerous as to sin against the Spirit because he acting not in his own name but in the name of Father and Son from both of whom he is sent to sin against him is to sin against all the authority of God all the love of the Trinity the lowest condescention that divine goodness ever did or can make II. Consider we how little the Spirit hath deserved to be thus grieved by us Many good works saith Christ John 10.32 have I shewed you from my Father for which of them do ye stone me Many good works hath the Spirit from the Father and the Son done you O Christians for which of them do ye grieve him Did I say many I might have said all there is no good gift that is either wrought in you or for you or by you but it is to be ascribed to this Spirit Is Christ precious to you he was conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary he descended upon him in his Baptism and anointed him to all his offices raised him from the dead bears witness of him and pleads his cause against the unbelieving sinful world Is there any sweetness in the Scriptures why these are all from this Spirit Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 Are you taken with those admirable gifts that you see in your Ministers All that diversity of gifts is from the same Spirit 2 Cor. 12.4 called all therefore the manifestation of the Spirit vers 7. Or are you more affected with the works of God in you they are all the fruits and effects of the Spirit whether conviction or contrition or humiliation or regeneration or consolation they are all wrought by the Spirit this is the argument made use of in the Text Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by which ye are sealed to the day of redemption In calling him the holy Spirit of God he meaneth not onely that he is of essential original indefectible sanctity but also because he worketh all the holiness that is in any of Gods servants And when we are said to be by him seaed up unto the day of our redemption by that phrase is signified that he doth all that which answereth to the nature and various ends and uses of Sealing But with that phrase I am not to meddle as yet nor list I to run over all his works but pitch on that of comforting and press that to keep men from grieving him The Spirit is the Comforter sent from the Father upon the prayer of his Son to supply the absence of his corporeal presence to open those wells of Salvation that were hid and did lie under ground in the days that the Messiah did dwell among men In some Churches they have an officer who is called Consolator Aegrorum whose work is to put the brests of consolation into the mouths of those who have received within themselves the sentence of death should any whilst this Officer is at his bed-side labouring to take out the sting of death vex him with untoward language and not to give over till he had forced him to depart his room would not all say that this man were either in a phrensie or else in the very gall and bitterness of spiritual death The wickedness of those who do grieve the Spirit of God is far greater For 1. This sick Comforter cannot alway be with those whom he visits but is now discoursing with them and anon gone either to some other languishing person or to his own relations But the Spirit is a Comforter alway abiding with you John 14.16 Not that he actually comforts at all times but that he always preserves the root of comfort alway tenders comfort were not Christians either so sullen or so stupid as not to receive it 2. The Comforter of the sick may endeavour to comfort and not be able to comfort Men may not be so wise as to open to him the root of their
words of mans wisdom unto which the demonstration of the Spirit is opposed 1 Cor. 2.4 the probable discourses of Orators and Philosophers which at the utmost engender but opinion perhaps it is so perhaps it is otherwise Be it so that the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit of the joints and marrow Heb. 4.12 yet is it thus vital and operative onely as it is the Sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. out of his hand it will pierce no deeper then would the sword of Gideon in the hand of an youth Be it so that the ministration of the Gospel is more then that of the Law yet it 's greater glory lies onely in this that it is the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 The Spirit withdrawing himself as it may well be thought he will do if grieved even the Gospel quickneth no more then the killing Letter did Moses put avail over his face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished But their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.13 14 We think this vail is taken away in the Gospel and indeed it cannot be denied but that the Pen-men of the new Testament have used great plainness of speech but there is still a vail on the hearts of men and if the Spirit of the Lord do not take away that vail as if he be displeased usually he doth not even the Gospel may be hid as much as ever the Law was to the carnal Israelites 3. Upon the grieving of the Spirit usually follow sad heart-distressing doubts and fears in reference to our present and eternal condition 'T is the Spirits office to make us know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 to witness to our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8.15 16. to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5.5 he is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 1.14 If we grieve him we are lest in the dark and see no light and know not whether we go And how sad is this to be at such a loss as to say It may be I shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob but it may also be that I shall make my bed in Hell with the Devil and his Angels where there is weeping wailing gnashing of teeth but upon our grieving of the Spirit we are not onely left under doubts but also under positive apprehensions that the wrath to come shall be our portion How many have been heard to roar out I am damned I am damned which crys though they maybe acknowledged somtimes to proceed from Melancholy or other bodily distemper yet do they more frequently proceed from the grieved Spirit 's withdrawing of himself You see whether you are acted from ingenuity or from fear there 's great reason you should cease from grieving the Spirit and no less reason is there why you should not only not grieve him but also rejoice and please him the which you shall do if I. You grieve when he is grieved and vex your righteous souls at every thing that vexeth him This is an act of friendship we all owe to all those that are of the same body with us Rom. 12.15 much more to him by whom we are all baptised into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 II. If you bring forth all the fruits of the Spirit i. e. all manner of holiness but more especially those mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. Love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance When we bring forth these we not onely live in the Spirit but walk in the Spirit which whoever do fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.26 are not desirous of vain glory provoking one another envying one another And let it be observed that the Apostle reckoning up the fruits of the Spirit doth not instance in prayers and supplications though they when made with faith and humility are undoubted evidences of the Spirits dwelling in us but in meekness gentleness love and such other 〈◊〉 as are opposite to sinfull passions for by goodness we are to understand in this place kindness and friendliness or a readiness on all occasions to do good to others And by Faith not that which is called faith on our Lord Jesus Christ but fidelity or faithfulness towards men opposed to treachery and inconstancy Believe it to take all opportunities of doing our brethren good to be punctual in performing our promises patiently to bear all the injuries and provocations that are offred us by others and studying as much as in us lieth to preserve peace with all men are greater evidences that a man is spiritual then are long prayers or any thing of that nature by which some of late have been so much puffed up Believers have the Spirit in them and they are said to be in the Spirit Rom. 8.9 As he that is born of the flesh is flesh so he that is born of the Spirit is Spirit and therefore as they who are in the flesh do in nothing please God do in all times and places mind the things of the flesh so they that are in the Spirit they should do all things to please the Father they should spiritualize their very natural and civil actions doing them unto the glory of God So shall nature as it were be adopted into grace and every meals meat become an holy and acceptable sacrifice III. If we pray to him and for him and bless God for all the good things wrought in us by him We should pray to Him else how do we acknowledg his Deity how do we stick to our baptism in which we were baptised into his name We should pray for Him else how do we look upon him as the great gift and promise of the new Covenant We should bless God for Him or else how do we prize the benefits bestowed on us and wrought in us by him Shall we blesse God for some single good things and not for the Spirit who is every good thing as appears by comparing Mat. 7.11 with Luke 11.13 that were an high indignity offered to this divine person That we may do all these the more enlargedly it were good often to meditate how great a condescention it is in the Spirit to dwell where he hath the Flesh alway lusting against him to help us in all our infirmities to make intercession for us with groans that cannot be expressed to apply unto us the redemption purchased and make us meet for the inheritance of Saints in glory IV. If we honour his gifts in others especially those which are bestowed for the work of the Ministry T is the Holy Ghost which separates men to the office of the Ministry and when men are put into that Office they
do receive the Holy Ghost therefore they ought to be honoured and had in esteem for their office and work sake Obj. But doth not the anointing teach us all things and so teach us as that we need not that man should teach us at all Answ So indeed it is said and that by some pretending so much to the Spirit as that their usual compellation to others is Flesh but we are not to believe every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God and I heartily wish the spirit from whence this Objection ariseth did not too manifestly discover it self not to be of God The Spirit that Christ promised was to be sent from the Father in the name of Christ and was not to speak of himself but whatsoever he had heard he was to receive of Christ and glorifie Christ John 16.13.14 But the men who make this objection do dishonour and decrey Christ setting up Christ within them in opposition to him that suffered at Jerusalem the Spirit inspired Prophets Apostles Evangelists to deliver down unto us a rule of faith and life but these men do vilifie this written word and ministration of the Spirit and call on their proselytes to follow that light within them and make that sufficient for salvation For my part I am so far from desiring that any should envy for our sakes that I could heartily wish that all the Lords people were prophets and that his Spirit were on them Were there a Seculum Spiritus to be expectted I hope I should as sincerely pray for it and as much rejoyce in the approaches of it as another but so farr am I form finding in the Scriptures any time in which the Ministry shall cease and be useless that I rather find the Spirit is to be received by the hearing of faith and that it is one great work of the Spirit to quicken and give life to the publick Ordinances as dispensed by the Ministers of the Gospel 't is the Holy Ghost that maketh them overseers of the flock Acts. 20.28 As for that place 1 John 2.29 it carrieth it's answer in its own bowels You shall not need that any one teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you i. e. not other things nor in another way then the same anointing teacheth you but do any ministers pretend to teach other things or in another way then this anointing teacheth If they do not as it is most certaine they do not why is this Scripture so frequently urged against ministerial teaching For ever let us abhor those who cry up the Spirit so as to justle out that forme of found words which hath been delivered unto us by menguided by the Spirit Be sure you quench not the Spirit but have a care you despise not prophecyings God having put those two counsels together let no man put them asunder The Spirits Office towards Believers Whereby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption THe old Interpreter reads in the day of Redemption and by it Oecumenius and some others understand the day of Baptisme but because in the Greek t is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we have no reason to think that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall by this day understand the day of Judgment as most Interpreters do and as we are led to do by that twin-place Chap. 1 13.14 where the Holy Spirit of promise is said to be the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession The price of a Believers Redemption is already paid and accepted by God and they are redeemed from their vain conversation but their day of redemption cannot be said to be fully come till this corruptible have put on incorruption at least not till this life be ended for till then 1. Their Redemption from the power and dominion of sin hath not its full effect even a Paul as long as he is in the body hath occasion to complain that he is sold under sin and that the law in the members warreth against the law of the mind and leadeth him captive to the commission of Sin and omission of Duty II. Till then our Redemption the forgiveness of sin Ephes 1.7 is not perfect I know that upon our first closing with Christ our transgressions are blotted out as a mist and as a thick cloud and our iniquities thrown into the bottome of the Sea there is no condemnation to us no obligation to Eternal wrath but yet I am also sure that we are bid repent that our sins may be blotted out when the daies of refreshing shall come from the Lord Acts. 3.19 Whence it may be inferred that a Penitents sins are not so blotted out as then they shall be blotted out indeed upon the first conversion a man is put into a state of justification which is inconsistent with obligation to Eternal death yet is he not freed from all punishment nor from all obligation to punishment for where there is no obligation to punishment there is no justice in punishing The want of the Spirit is one of the punishments we have brought on our selves by sin this punishment is not taken away but by restoring of the Spirit now though the Spirit be so restored as to prevent the dominion of Sin and damnation for the time to come yet is it not given in such a measure as to prevent all sin nor the contracting of new guilt nor shall He be so given in this world III. As to the Redemption of the Body that is so far from being compleat before the Great Day that till then it may seem not to begin While it is joyned to an imperfect soul 't is vile and mortal when separated from it then it becomes yet viler is thrown into a grave and preyed upon by worms and maggots at the Resurrection it begins to be spiritual incorruptible powerfull and like to the glorious body of Christ Jesus The Adoption the Redemption of the Body we do not now enjoy but by Faith and Hope we do wait for it Rom. 8.23 On all these accounts there is reason why that Day should be called as it is The manifestation of the sons of God Rom. 8.19 For though we be now the sons of God it appears not what we shall be 1 Joh. 3.1 The best use that can be made of this Appellation is that which is made of it by the whole Creation The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for this manifestation that it may be delivered from that bondage and vanity unto which it is subject and under which it groaneth much more should you who have the first-fruits of the Spirit groan within your selves waiting for the adoption 'T is utterly a fault among Christians that they groan so much under the burden of a few Taxes and Impositions and so little under the burden and body of Sin which they carry about with them They should much and frequently bless
concerning particular remission of sin pag. 1158. he had given the adversary less advantage for my part I do not make it any Article of my Faith that my sins are pardoned 4. We argue the attainableness of Assurance from the weakness and rottenness of the grounds on which the Papists the greatest adversaries to this truth do proceed in the denying of it 1. 'T is not unlike that the covetousness of the Pope and his Clergy is one reason why the doctrine of Assurance is so denyed For this sect of men is somewhat a kin to Judas who was a Thief and carried the Bag. Were the Pope to pay as much for redeeming a Soul out of Purgatory as he commonly gets by it I dare say Purgatory before this had been reckoned amongst things that are not were they to loose as much gold and silver by keeping men in doubts and fears as commonly they get certainty had not been made so impossible as now it is 2. Their own Hypocrisie and formality makes them and that justly to question their own state present and to come and therefore they think that none how sincere and upright soever can be assured of these matters Very apt we be to measure other mens cloth by our own ells to make our own hearts and experiences a standard and pattern to our fellow Christians Many eminent Reformers who had perhaps the candle of the Lord mostly shining on them and lived perpetually under the beams of his countenance did place Faith in Assurance and so discouraged some weak Christians The Papists on the other hand being alway void of assurance would needs perswade us that no Faith did ever rise up to assurance being continually tormented with shivering fears they envy all others who have more serenity and calmness then themselves But doth it follow that if an house built on the sands cannot stand that it cannot stand neither though built on the rock A Papist as a Papist holdeth no one doctrine by faith for seeing as Papist he must needs take the Popes infallibility in causes of faith for his foundation which foundation being not onely untrue but also heretical cannot be apprehended by faith it follows that he neither doth nor can believe any point of saith unless perhaps the conclusion can be of faith when the premises or cause of assent to that conclusion is contrary to Faith Nor can they have any certainty of their salvation for that depends with them on their having the Sacrament of penance truly administred and this on his being a Priest that doth administer it now that any one is a Priest is that of which there can be no certainty for for ought any one knows to the contrary he that ordained him had not intent to ordain him or he that baptised him had no intent to baptise him or if both could be known to have directed their intentions aright yet twenty other things might happen that would nullifie his priesthood But no necessity is there that Protestants should be uncertain of their right to or meetness for heaven who reject all these errors and are taught to believe that no man shall ever fare the worse for what never was in his power to prevent 3. Papists much object the multitude of Professors who have much boasted and talked of assurance and yet neither had it nor could have it as by their manifold miscarriages inordinate walkings they have most manifestly discovered This no doubt they may have observed and it hath been of late years especially a great stumbling block to some to see and hear persons of very slight and frothy spirits tell so many and so high stories of their enjoyments and experiences But shall we say that a man may not be certain of that about which multitudes have been mistaken Who sees not then that we must bring Pirrhonisme into the World put our selves under a necessity of turning Scepticks Because some have phansied their chambers to be full of company when no person was nigh them cannot I be sure that sometimes I see people sitting in their seats to hear me Because some have imagined that they sat about richly furnished tables when no meat was nigh them cannot I therefore be sure that my meat is before me and give God thanks for it There is no such great likeness betwixt Assurance and Presumption that a man if he will be sincere need mistake the one for the other The rules given by Divines to distinguish them are such that a man cannot be mistaken about them unless he have a mind to be mistaken 1. Presumption is the daughter of Ignorance so is not Assurance 2. Presumption is got and maintained without any difficulty or pains so is not Assurance 3. Presumption unless in great extremities when usually it turns into despair is alway uniform and like unto it self so is not assurance which is higher or lower according to the influences of the Spirit growth and exercise of the habit of Faith 4. Presumption is unwilling to be examined so is not Assurance but most gladly joyns with the most lively and searching Ministry by these and many other characters which shall be after suggested Assurance may as easily be discerned from Presumption as may the true metal from that which doth but counterfeit it 4. It is much urged that Assurance would breed Pride security carelesness the bane of all our graces and pious endeavours but to this many answers may be returned 1. By concession it will not be denied but that if God should pour this wine into old bottles there might be danger of their breaking if he should give these apples to those who were never sick of love they might breed wind but God never gives the new name but where he gives the new nature He sets not his Seal on a flint but on the wax In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 As for unbelievers they are uncapable of it and could they have it they would turn it into wantonness as they do all Grace they receive nay nor doth God set his Seal on every vessel of Honour He doth not feed every child with hidden Manna but onely such as he findes to hunger after it and to be ready to faint and perish without it 2. I say our Assurance is not perfect or free from all doubts but hath alway mixed with it some either actual or habitual fear Perfect Assurance might such is the corruption remaining in us be abused to security and occasion Pride but our wine is mixed with water on purpose that it might not intoxicate us With such a measure of Assurance we are trusted as keeps under doubts and fears not with such as quite expels doubts and fears They go too far who say That the assurance we have of the pardon of our sins and right to Eternal Life is equal to the assurance we have of the common objects of Faith Christs Resurrection or Gods Omnipotence That Christ is
uncertainties concerning our selves did we not sleight some Ordinance or omit some Duty or give way to some Lust 3. Though one may be a Child of God who doth want this Assurance yet is there no Child of God who sits down satisfied under the want of it who doth not desire to attain to the full assurance of hope Uncertainty of our condition is not so light an evil as that a Christian can carry it as if it were no burden nay but he follows Christ with unutterable sighs and groans he travelleth from Ordinance to Ordinance till his Evidences be cleared up and his Title to the Promises of Pardon be made out If a Child should have some doubt thrown into his mind concerning his Fathers love to him would he be at rest till it were removed How then can any Believer be himself under prevailing doubts concerning the good will of his Heavenly Father Hath God promised us his Spirit to seal us up to the day of redemption hath he besides his Covenant given us his Sacraments that we might have the more abundant consolation and after all this shall we quietly sit in the dark as if nothing ailed us how then dwelleth the love of God in us Especially those who have sometimes had the light of Gods countenance shining on them and have after lost it must needs be restless till they have recovered it Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. v. 7. Troubled with a witness for it was his daily sorrow of heart yea it was as death to him for this he made his tears day and night he poured out his soul in him and his upbraidings by his enemies with this were as a sword in his bones Psal 42.3 4 10. As for the Spouse in the Canticles we do find Chap. 5. v. 6. that when her beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone her soul failed when she spake she sought but she could not find him she called but he made no answer Hereupon she goes to the Watchmen to the Daughters of Jerusalem charging them if they found her beloved to tell him she was sick of love v. 7.8 He never duly estimated the friendship of Christ who can bear his strangeness without great sorrow and heaviness of heart In answer to the third question How or in what way assurance is wrought by the Spirit I say His way of working is very dark and mysterious and assurance it self is better felt then expressed compared therefore as some conceive Rev. 2.17 to the Manna that is hid and to the white stono and the new name written in the stone which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it The Spirit working in our regeneration is inexpressible compared therefore John 3. to the Wind that bloweth where it listeth the sound whereof we hear but know not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth his working in assuring us that we are regenerate is much more inexpressible There are two kinds of Acts in the soul 1. Direct Acts such as is that by which the soul cleaves to Christ or lays hold on him or believes in him for remission of sins and salvation 2. Reflex Acts such as is that by which a man returns on himself and doth though not believe yet know that he believes believes sincerely Such reflex acts are the most noble royal operations ' the most refined Spiritual workings sufficient if we had no other arguments to prove the souls immortality But such workings of the soul usually are but weak and transient Radius reflexus languet is the rule in Opticks and which leaves us at a greater loss those places of Scripture from which we should borrow our light in this matter are so vexed with variety of descants and interpretations that it is not easie to know what to make of them It would quite tire out the patience of an ordinary Reader if I should but recite the variety of Comments on that place 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear record on earth the Spirit the Water the Blood and these three agree in one That indeed seems to be more plain Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God But first Grotius will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be no more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he brings for proof a place or two in Scripture in which it seems to be so used because it is applyed to the witness of Conscience well having no other foundation to build his conceit on we may easily rid our hands of him for the witness of conscience is a joint witness it witnesseth together with God and is therefore called as some think 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But then granting that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a joint-witnessing it will not be so easie to find out what the other partner is that is joined with Gods Spirit in this action as we translate it should seem to be our own Spirit But the Rhemists translate not with our Spirit but to our Spirit which translation is put into the Margin of the English Bibles now read and was in the Text of those formerly used and then it will be a question whether our spirit be not the joint-witnesser but onely the recipient of this witness and the joint-witnesser the Son of God or that voice caused in us by the Spirit of God Yet because some do therefore want assurance because they look for it in an undue and unwarrantable manner expecting some vocall testimony to tell them that they are the children of God I shall therefore endeavour to unfold the matter as I am able And this I lay down in the first place That look in what way the Spirit of bondage doth work Fear in the same way the Spirit of Adoption doth work Hope and Assurance now the Spirit bringeth unconverted persons under fears and troubles concerning their estate by convincing them of the demerit of sin and shewing them that they are under the power of sin John 16.8 He will convince the world of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is errorem prâ—…conceptum profligare and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that fallacy in which something onely seemingly and not really contradictory to the question is proved is called ab ignoratione elenebi The secure unconsidering sinner lives in sin as if it were a very harmless innocent thing he makes a mock of it The Spirit therefore to awaken him out of his security and to put him under a necessity of enquiring after a Saviour doth joining with his conscience bring him under a three-fold conviction of Law of fact of state by some such Syllogisms Every liar shall have his portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone I am a Liar Therefore I shall have my portion in the lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Or He that believeth not is condemned already I believe not Therefore I am condemned already Or He that
hateth his brother is a murderer and hath not eternal life I hate my Brother Therefore I am a Murderer and have not eternal life These are all of them conclusions quite contradictory to the vain principles that did dwell in the secure sinner which being set home by the Spirit must needs make him fear what shal become of him In like manner doth the Spirit bring the heirs of the promise to the assurance of hope by some such practical Syllogisms as these He that loves the Brethren is passed from death to life I love the Brethren Therefore I am passed from death to life Or He that repents and believes shall be saved I repent and believe Therefore I shall be saved Now the Spirit hath revealed and inspired holy men to leave upon record to us the Propositions in these two Syllogisms the same Spirit also works in us that Faith by which we are enabled to believe those Scripture Propositions to be divine infallible truths he also worketh in us every gracious habit and exciteth those gracious acts which be the evidences and marks of our conversion justification and title to glory he also helpeth to feel and discover those acts in our selves and by comparing them with the rule to find their sincerity which is his concurrence with Conscience in making the assumption and lastly he helpeth sanctified reason from the premises to inferr the Conclusion whatever is beyond this is not essential to assurance but something separable from it Sometimes our assent to the premises and conclusion is stronger sometimes weaker hence the different degrees of assurance sometimes upon this assurance peace of Conscience we are marvellously enlarged with consolations called joy in the holy Ghost sometimes nor Obj. Some may say Is there no other way of working assurance but this doth not God sometimes testifie without any such discourse and ratiocination hath he confined himself to Syllogisms doth he not sometimes make some impressions on us by which we are assured that we are the children of God without the help or use of any argumentation Answ I have been alway apt to think that there is no other ordinary way of assuring the soul partly because the Scripture no where encourageth us to look for assurance in any other way and partly because to grant an immediate testimony seemed to me to open such a gap to Euthusiasme as it was impossible well to shut and I am somewhat imboldned in that sentiment by the concurrent judgment of a sober judicious Divine Mr. Tho. Blake who in his Treatise of the Covenant thus expresseth himself They that go about to assert an immediate testimony in any will never secure the soul from delusion Sathan will soon find an artifice to counterfeit this testimony and bear witness in the Spirits stead and when we think that we have the Spirit of truth to assure us we shall have the father of lies to deceive But in regard many of eminent piety and learning do assert an immediate testimony it may not be amiss to enquire a little what they mean by it and how they do bound it and then to shew what may be thought of it By this immediate Testimony they tell us that they do not mean any proper whisper or voice such as young Converts mistaking such Scripture phrases as Say unto my soul thou art my salvation are apt to wait for but they say it is a perswasion impressed upon a man suddenly and he knows not how quieting all his doubts and fears and making him chearfull and comfortable If you ask them How a Child of God who is to try all things dare adventure to take any such comfort how he knows it not to be a delusion of Satan they tell us that as there is in the eye a certain in-bred light to make it discern light and colours without a sound and air within the ear to make it discerne the sounds without So there is in a godly man grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven whereby it discernes the consolations of Gods Spirit testifying that he is the Son of God some secret and inexpressible lineaments of the fathers countenance in the child that the renewed soul at the very first blush knows and owns it Moreover they tell us 1. That although the Spirit thus testifie without application of any particular word yet he never testifies contrary to the word he never speaks to those who are regenerate though they do not know themselves to be such 2. That the Spirit doth not ordinarily thus testifie but after or in attendance on some ordinance or performance of some duty or after some very great abasement of a mans Spirit and more then ordinary soul-humiliation or after some very hard adventure for God or after some great combat and conflict with temptation 3. That such of the Testimonies of the Spirit do beget but an actual assurance during the present exigence or in order to some present design that God is working thereby Now to give my sense of this opinion 1. The Authors of it seem so to bound it as that it would be uncharitableness to think that they have any ill or pernicious design in it 2. The things which they say are done by impression are not without ratiocination only the ratiocination is not so distinct and explicite as when a man comes to his assurance by that difficult work of examination Philosophers say that what is done by beasts through instinct and impulse is not done without something analogous to ratiocination they commonly give us the examples of such Syllogisms as they suppose to be made by beasts as namely lambs when they come to their dams and flie away from the wolves So I conceive that in all the impressions made on the soul whether they be by way of comfort or incitation to duty there be some characters either in the matter or manner of them either in their holiness or greatness or vehemence or unusualness by which a Christian knows them to be from God and so accordingly rests in them the which characters did he not find he would either not regard them or reject them with abhorrence 3. I would not have any one lay the stress of his hope of heaven on any such impression nor upon the account of any such impression alter his opinion in reference to any point of Doctrine or adventure upon any practice that is in the least questionable unto him If he should I take it he would give the devil great advantage against him and subject himself to infinite delusions as will soon be manifest to him that will be at the pains to read over the discourses of Dr. Casaubon and Dr. Moore concerning Enthusiasme Mr. John Fox our holy and learned Martyrologist had many impressions some of which are taken notice of by his son in the History of his life but did they not sometimes fail him and discover themselves to be neither Divine nor True Let any one judge
glory if they find not in themselves the Spirit the onely seed and root of this hope Answ This notwithstanding there are divers good reasons why the Lord when he hath put grace into our hearts may yet not publish it in our consciences For 1. If we speak not of moderate but of high Assurance I think it is a wine too strong for our weak heads a wine too strong for our vessels to hold long a glimpse of it is enough to dazle the eye of the understanding neither our bodies nor our souls can long hold much of Heavens glory consult experience and you 'l find it so Peter James and John were upon the mount of Transfiguration but they were then besides themselves they knew not what they said Mar. 9.6 Paul when he was wrapt up into the third Heavens saw things that he could not utter but the sight transported him whether he were in the body or out of the body he could not tell 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Some Christians especially of the weaker sex being all affection do too much slight a setled calm and peace of soul as if it were little worth falling upon such passages as Rom. 15. Filled with all joy in believing and rejoycing with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 They think God hath forsaken them and that they want faith when they find not such a sugred joy and delight as the judicious Mr. Richard Hooker sitly calls it pag. 546. but to such I say they know not their own strength should God so feast them continually they would be less healthy and sound unfit for the duties of their ordinary particular callings and employments too much honey as it follows in the same Author Ibid. doth turn to gall and too much joy even spiritual would make us wantons yea as the full spring tide is preparatory to a low ebb so usually these highest passionate joys do make way for or at least go before the highest sorrows and fears therefore it is well all things considered that such cordials are not made our diet that such suavities are not common But if we speak even of Moderate Assurance there be sundry Reasons that may move God to let his servants be without that at least for a season 1. To keep them from Relapses Should a Father after manifold foul miscarriages upon the first submission of his Son receive him to Table and entertain him with Paternal smiles he would but encourage him to return to his former disorderly conversation but by keeping him at a distance and returning into favour with him by degrees he makes him more watchful Semblably if God upon our first recovery from the sins into which we have fallen should presently pardon us not onely in the Court of Heaven but also in the Court of Conscience if he should not onely pardon us but also let us have the assurance of pardon we might be apt to take up too slight thoughts of sins guilt and too easily run into the occasions of it but by letting us feel the smart and anguish of sin for days months years he maketh us more watchful he causeth us to make the straighter paths unto our feet for ever after David being left under the anguish of broken bones under the quick and smart sense of his Murder and Adultery did more ever after dread those sins then ever did a burnt Child dread the fire Let no man say that it is a low and legal business to keep from sin because of its bitterness for though I grant that the love of God be the most perfect motive yet it is not the most proper and powerful for those who are flesh as well as spirit and I verily believe the most refined Christians had they not either felt the smart of sin themselves or conversed with those that had would make too many bold adventures on the patience forbearance and long-sufferance of God After all this is come on us for our evil deeds aod for our great trespass should we again break thy Commandments Ezr. 9.13 14. 2. To keep them Humble For though times of Assurance should be times of Humility yet few are of so strong a grace as to be able to digest so great an happiness Pride will not sooner breed in any thing then in those sweet consolations that are shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God assuring us of our interest in the Promises that vision of God which is apt in its own nature to make the soul abhor it self in dust and ashes Job 42.5 6. doth through the corruption in us but puff it up When St. Paul had been in the third Heavens enjoying Revelations to an hyperbole God then thinks meet to buffet him with the Messenger of Sathan after such extraordinary Vision of God he was ready to look on himself rather as an Angel then as flesh and blood therefore was there given him a thorn in the flesh He had either some very violent temptation to some fleshly lust or some other very piercing tryal and he tells us twice in one verse 2 Cor. 12.7 that this befel him lest he should be exalted above measure Also when Moses had been in the Mount and had acquired a lustre by conversing with God 't is so ordered that at the very foot of the Mount he meets with something to humble him and take him down Thy people have made a golden Calf then which no words could possibly have more cut his heart Our Saviour who vouchsafed to be tempted like unto us in all things was then led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil when he had just heard the voyce This is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17.4.1 Happier a great deal is that mans case whose soul by inward desolation is humbled then he whose heart is through abundance of spiritual delight lifted up and exalted above measure Better it is sometimes to go down into the Pit with him who beholding darkness and bewailing the loss of inward joy and consolation cryeth from the bottom of the lowest Hell My God my God why hast thou forsaken me then continually to walk arm in arm with Angels to sit as it were in Abrahams bosome and to have no thought no cogitation but I thank my God it is not with me as with others saith the learned Hooker pag. 546. 3. God may hide his face from his servants and let them be in dark to make them the more earnest in their prayers and supplications As among us Fathers do hide themselves that their Children may seek after them and purposely make as if they did not hear that they may either come nearer them or cry louder None more servent none more frequent in prayers then they who did once live in the light of Gods countenance and have lost it Read but the Psalmes of David penned by him when he was in any desertion you 'l think that he breathed out his soul
another world and look not on Death as an inlet to Eternity the instance of these monsters therefore notwithstanding I say onely the in some degree assured Christian can chearfully look the Prince of Terrors in the face onely he can triumph over this last Enemy Not onely the sinners in Sion are afraid fearfulness doth not onely surprize the hypocrite but also the sincere Christian in so far as he doth not know himself to be such With what shiverings must they needs enter into the chambers of darknesse who do not know but that they may lead them into outer darknesse How unwillingly must the Soul needs leave its old companion the Body whilest it is uncertain whether it shall stand or fall when it comes to give an account of all it hath done in the body But now he that is come to a certainty about his estate he can not onely not be afraid of death but also desire it and sweetly please himself in the Fore-thoughts of it yea though it be not a natural but a violent death Read the Book of Martyrs and you will think that our Witnesses to the Truth did even complement with their Torments and lie down in the devouring flames as merrily as if they had been beds of Down Or read the Scriptures and you will find St. Paul 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. exulting in the thoughts of his approaching violent dissolution I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give to me and not to me onely but unto all that love his appearing At another time indeed we find him in a strait not knowing what to desire whether to abide in the flesh or to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 but whence did this dispute arise not because death would not be to him more desireable and welcome and gainfull but because his abiding in the flesh would be more profitable and serviceable to the Church When he looked no further then himself then he groaned being burdened desiring to be cloathed upon with his house from Heaven knowing that if the earthly house of his tabernacle were dissolved he had a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 II. Onely the assured Christian can despise the world and joyfully endure the losse of his goods He onely that knows himself to be cloathed with the Sun can trample the Moon under his feet He onely on whom God hath lift up the light of his countenance takes no care for corn and wine hath no anxious thoughts what he shall eat what he shall drink or wherewithal he shall be cloathed True indeed such is the vanity of all things here below such the transcendent excellencies of the glory of the other world that if a man had but a possibility of attaining these he were mad if he did not readily forsake those and doubtless the Soul when it heareth of the Jewel of great price doth adventure all to buy it before it hath any certainty that it shall ever actually have and enjoy it I but yet seeing we do naturally preferr one Bird in the hand before twenty in the bush seeing sublunary things have the advantage though not of splendor and magnitude yet of naturalness and nearness of operation we should be in great danger to take up our portion in this world did not Faith give substance to the things hoped for and evidence to the things not seen did not also the Spirit seal up unto us our interest in and title to the things hoped for and unseen Those who have Faith and know not themselves to have it do make a shift to crucifie the flesh with its lusts and to overcome the world but it is somewhat an hard shift much ado they have to keep themselves from envying the prosperity of the wicked ready they are ever and anon to cry out In vain have we washed our hands in innocence and walked mournfully all the day long ready to have questionings and disputings whether they had not done as wisely to have trucked with the World for such an happiness as it can afford But Faith in its vigour Faith seen and felt easily keeps under all such carnal arguings and so satisfies a man in the choice that he hath made as that he is jealous and suspicious lest the World should gain too much on his heart and in the abundance of all things rejoyceth as if he rejoyced not and in the loss of all things weepeth as of he wept not the assured Christian after he hath bought is as if he possessed not 1 Cor. 7 30. and when he hath nothing as if he possessed all things 2 Cor. 6.10 Heb. 10.34 Ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance He doth not say they know barely that there was in Heaven a better and enduring substance but that they themselves had in Heaven a better and more enduring substance that that eternal inheritance was reserved for them and that Christ had entred upon it as their fore-runner a word which it had been presumption for us to use if the Scripture had not used it Heb. 6.20 and if our Saviour himself had not told his Disciples that he went afore-hand to prepare a place for them Joh. 14.2 But how did the Hebrews know that they had this better and enduring substance They knew it within themselves that is to find that they had a title to the more enduring substance they needed not to look any further then themselves 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witnesse in himself the witness of what of eternal life which is in the Son vers 11. He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me Hath Everlasting life Joh. 5.24 and Joh. 6.54 Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life The first-fruits of the Spirit do assure him of the whole crop Hath the Spirit made known to me such things as flesh and blood cannot reveal and is the belief of these things so rooted in my heart as that I do make them my portion and my treasure as that I do heartily pursue after them even to the renouncing of carnal pleasures then sure there is in heaven an inheritance incorruptible reserved for me Every man that is Christs hath the Spirit in him and this Spirit is the earnest thrice is he so called 2 Cor. 1.22 2 Cor. 5.5 Ephes 1.13 the Greek word used in all those three places and no where else in all the New Testament is as all acknowledge of an Hebrew extraction and with the Hebrews is a word of promise and engagement in bargains but yet is well translated in the
throw away the bread and water appointed by God for the satisfying of those natural appetites then may he hope to perswade the experienced Christian that all his desires after Christ are but the workings of a melancholy phansie or to despise the Body and Blood of Christ the onely things that ever he found to satisfie those desires Obj. What then can the Assured Christian answer every question that a subtil diputant makes can he solve every fallacious argument of a cunning Sophister A. No perhaps he cannot answer any one of his fallacies but he hath such a sense of the reality and preciousness of the things against which the fallacies are framed that he knows them to be but fallacies and cares not much were it not for others sake whether they be ever answered or no. If a condemned Malefactor dead in Law should have his Princes pardon brought him and had accepted it and upon acceptation of it found himself restored to life again and every thing that made his life comfortable unto him how little would he matter it whether he were pardoned by an immanent or transient action or whether he did receive his pardon by an act of the understanding or of the will by one act or by many or whether the acceptation of his pardon were the instrument or the condition of his pardon As little will he who hath a sense of his faith and of his justification by faith matter it how those controversies are decided that have of late years occupied the pens and tongues of so many both learned and unlearned As little doth he matter it I say as to himself though for the sake of others he rejoyceth to see truth accurately handled and rescued from those absurdities where-with adversaries taking advantage from the less cautious expressions of her friends had loaded her What sayest thou now O Christian is this Assurance worth thy seeking after and praying for or is it not Wilt thou give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure or wilt thou still put all to the adventure and leave thy eternal condition at uncertainties Methinks after so many glorious effects of Assurance have been opened every one that nameth the name of Christ should be restless till he have it and should go from ordinance to ordinance till he could say I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Till he can see his name written in the Lambs book of life till he find the white stone in his hand till he taste the hidden Manna with his mouth and find the Spirit witnessing to his spirit that he may be of good cheer because that his sins are pardoned I would take it for granted that so it shall be were it not that the flesh will alway be drawing back from and framing objections against every thing that requireth diligence and cometh not till after many Prayers and Endeavours Endless it would be to attempt to answer all the cavils of slothfull persons against the work I have been pressing two it may not be amiss to take notice of Object We have known those who have gloried much in their Assurance whose Assurance was never found to produce any of the forementioned blessed effects Answ I have also known those who have boasted much of their great love to Christ and yet made no conscience of keeping his Commandements this did never make me think that universal Obedience was not the fruit of true Love but onely that their Love was not true Semblably when I observe any who say they have Assurance shewing forth their Assurance by none of the fore-mentioned blessed effects I conclude their Assurance to be the counterfeit Assurance or carnal confidence known commonly by the name of Presumption 't is to me so manifest that he who hath Assurance will I. Be above the tormenting fear of death 2. Despise the perishing vanities of the world 3. Sleight and despise the censures of the ungodly 4. Expresse an holy boldnesse in his prayers 5. Take comfort in the Word and Sacraments 6. Abound in Praise and Thanksgiving 7. Kindly mourn for sin and watch against it 8. Not regard cavils against the Truths the power whereof he experimentally feeleth that where I find not these I adventure to say there is no Assurance and I would have all the fore-mentioned particulars made use of in way of Examination as well as Motive that if any one do not find his perswasion of the goodness of his condition accompanied with them he may thence as he hath the greatest reason inferr that it is not wrought in him by the Spirit of God Object But is it not time enough to get Assurance hereafter Will it not suffice if some time before a man do depart out of this world he be sealed by the Spirit Answ 1. Sure he that makes this Objection doth not believe what I have been all along asserting out of Scriptures concerning the benefits of Assurance else he would be hugely desirous not to want it for one moment longer it would be death unto him to be without it till death seize on him 2. No man can have this Assurance but by the Spirit now he is a most free and arbitrary Agent blowing when and where he listeth He who now refuseth his consolations may perhaps want them everlastingly 3. The longer any one stayes without Assurance with the more difficulty will he obtain it at last The longer any one doth walk in the dark the more hard thoughts doth he insensibly take up concerning God and the more unhappily skilfull doth he grow in disputing against his own consolations the longer that the heart hardneth it self through the deceitfulness of siâ— the more unfit is it to receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit of God What-ever is brought against late death-bed Repentance may be also brought against late death-bed Assurance with this onely difference that whereas Repentance is necessary to the very being of a Disciple Assurance is onely necessary to his well-being Quest 6. What means are to be used for the attaining of this Assurance Answ Before I direct to means it will be needfull that I premise some things I. That I do suppose true solid Assurance to be intended in the Question As for Presumption 1. It is needless to prescribe any means for the getting of it 't is like some ill weeds which in some soils will grow do the Husbandman what he will or can Satan will both plant and water and also give increase unto it and so deep roots it taketh that the very approaches of Death cannot pull it up Nothing more usual then for men that live under the Sun-shine of the Gospel to drop out of a golden dream out of a fools paradise into Hell 2. If it were in the least needfull to give any Directions for the attaining of this presumptuous perswasion I durst not give them for it is the work of Gospel Ministers to throw down to the ground all those buildings that are built with
for they shall be called the sons of God It is the observation of Maldonat That to be called the sons of God implies somewhat more then to be the sons of God viz. that peace-makers shall be owned and published as the sons of God they shall have a testimony in the consciences of others and in their own consciences that they are the children of God 5. Loving of those that hate us blessing those that curse us praying for those that persecute us are actions very contrary to corrupt nature unto which nothing is more pleasing then private revenge but they have on them so much of the Image of him that maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth his rain on the just and unjust that they clearly evidence to him that is conscientious in exerting them his Adoption He cannot long question his own forgiveness from God who finds in himself an heart ready to forgive all who trespass against him for how should not the God of all mercies much more readily forgive then he who hath but a very dram of mercy Let any one who is of a trembling heart but go into his closet and there pour out his soul in supplications for the pardon and salvation of those who persecute him he can scarce not thence draw a deal of divine sweetness and secret sense of Gods love Unto such a one sooner then to any other would I promise settlement in a sure and glorious peace But revengeful projects are so black and hellish as that they cannot consist with calmness of conscience God indeed doth not a second time put any sins into the Book of his remembrance which he hath once blotted out but a malicious revengefull prosecution of our fellow Christians may write over in our own hearts and consciences all those sins that were by the Blood of Christ before blotted out for there is not as to all things the same reason of the Original of the Act of Indempnity kept in the hands of God and the Counterpane of it kept within our selves Direct 6. Let not any that would attain Assurance give way to any unnecessary scruples or doubts about his condition or think that every thing which calleth for trouble and shame doth presently make a man an hypocrite or out of covenant with God It is therefore wisdom as soon as any doubt ariseth presently to take our selves to task and see whether that which we have against our selves be such a matter as from whence we can rationally infer that God and we are still at enmity I shall not here take occasion to descend to particular doubts for they are numberless and besides to answer doubts in writing availeth little because a doubt as represented to a tempted soul scarce seems to be the same thing that it is when described on paper yet there are some general Rules that may be laid down which if particularly applied will be of great use for the silencing of doubts 1. I ought not to make my self an hypocrite for that which the holy Scriptures do no where make a character of hypocrisie If any consolation were tendred to me had it not a foundation in the Scriptures I were bound to reject it and so am I to put away all trouble which comes not backed with some Scripture By this rule our first Reformers did extricate themselves and others out of those labyrinths of desperation into which Popery had led them and the rule hath still a standing necessary use and if observed would set at liberty many who do account themselves bound 2. I must not make my self an hypocrite for that which would make the whole generation of the faithful Hypocrites as well as my self If I have a mind to gratifie my self in hard thoughts concerning my self yet I ought not to have hard thoughts of every one else too If I cannot see my own name written in the Lambs book of life yet I must not blot out the names of all that make up the body of Christ Jesus We may therefore observe if we have opportunity the confessions of those who are if any other sincere and if we do find but the same lustings to sin which they also complain and acknowledg to be in themselves we may not for such lustings conclude our selves to be out of covenant with God or if we do think there is not security enough in this course then may we read over the histories of those who have Gods testimony in Scripture that they were his children and if we find that our spot is but as theirs was we need not for it fear our condition 3. I need not trouble my self about that which hath been already objected against me and fully by me answered If a controversie hath been long handled the question truly stated arguments on both sides clearly produced which way a man hath gone he will go and not suffer himself to be removed from his opinion by every new book in which are onely the old arguments in a new dress without any new additional strength Sophisters if you give them an ear will be wrangling infinitely so will the Devil and our own carnal hearts we must therefore do by them as Moderators do by Opponents after their argument hath been answered bid them either urge it further or use some new argument or else be silent else shall we both lose our precious time and also wrangle away our consolations And let all those who might see the seal of the Spirit on their hearts did they not nourish needless doubts well consider that they do by disquieting themselves with childish irrational fears commit a very great sin For 1. They do rob the Spirit of all the honour due unto him for the work that he hath wrought in their hearts And can it choose but grieve him when he hath put forth power equivalent to that by which the world was created by which Christ was raised from the dead to find it overlooked and not at all acknowledged 2. He sins against his soul in hindring the growth it might make were it not hindred by continual fears that the root is still unsound Possess a builder with an apprehension that his foundation is not sure laid and you will never perswade him to carry on his fabrick with any vigour for he will still be thinking that when the storms and tempests arise it will fall and the higher he hath raised it the more shameful will be its fall 3. By thus disavowing Gods work of grace he doth dishearten and discourage his fellow Christians who observing him of whom they alway had far better thoughts then of themselves to doubt of his sincerity do begin to question their own 4. By nullifying in conceit the new creature on such weak grounds he extreamly hardens the unconverted who will hence be ready to conclude that no religion lies deeper then the phansie Object But if out of a fear not to deny a true evidence I should trust
seem that to take any evidence from our graces is to receive humane witness to the things of God which is incongruous Answ I understand not but we may receive an humane testimony to witness the things of God though the last resolution of Divine Faith must be into Divine Veracity But we need not enter into that dispute for the answer of this objection for our graces are not wrought in us by our own power but by the power of God and if they were yet they are only the means by which our condition is known to us the efficient cause of this knowledg is the Spirit illustrating our graces and making them visible and enabling us to conclude from them II. Here 's terror to all those wicked persons who perswade themselves that they are the Children of God though they have in them none of the marks of the children of God I know we are apt to be deceived by others and much more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to use St. James his word Jam. 1.22 to deceive to put a fallacy on our selves Yet a man would wonder how they who pretend to reason should be able so to impose on themselves or where they found the premises from which they inferre that conclusion that they are the children of God Doth the Scripture any where say that they who walk not after the Spirit but after the flesh shall live or that drunkards and swearers shall inherit the Kingdome of God if the Scripture say not this but the clean contrary how come they then to promise themselves peace Are they still to learn that God is not such a one as themselves or that they must be judged not according to the proverbs that pass for current among men but according to the law of liberty Sith this law doth every where condemn them how is it that their own Consciences do not condemn them also Is it not onely because they do torture and wrest the Scriptures and so to bring them down to their own humor and fancies But do they not do this to their own destruction must not the great day of necessity shake bring down this house which hath no foundation but their own imaginations exalting themselves against the knowledg of God Let all such if they be not as perfectly void of common sense and reason as they be of Divine Faith but consider these Scriptures Gal. 6.7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reaps for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God Or if they will not hearken to the stiller voice of the Gospel let them yet hearken to the thunder of the Law Deut. 29.18 19 20 21. Lest there should be a root among you that beareth gall and worm wood and it come to passe when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk after the imagination of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this Book shall light on him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate him for evil III. Let all that fear God be perswaded to make use of this way of getting Assurance and not think to get it by I know not what Enthusiastical injections or by going up and down with complaints against themselves but look for it in this way of trial and examination Let not any one say that the Writing of God is so blurred and blotted that he cannot tell what to make of it the Waters so mudded that he despairs of ever seeing his face in them for 1. If some signs be not visible others may and they will suffice to lead thee to the conclusion that thou art in the Bond of the Covenant if thou canst not take comfort in some Qualifications yet there are others that will afford If thou canst not find Faith yet canst thou not deny but thou fearest God and tremblest at his Word why these are marks of a child of God Isa 50.10 Isa 66.2 and so is a desire to fear God Neh. 1.11 onely be sure it be an earnest unwearied industrious desire 2. But if any man be under such sad dark temptations as that he can see no light at all if he be confusion all over such a one I advise not to examine examination at such a time is not a duty but serves onely to breed further fears and uncertainties In such a case let a man put forth the first act of Faith cast himself on God commit himself to him in well doing he hath a command so to do therefore he need not fear it will be an act of presumption he hath a promise if he do so that he shall be safe let him therefore so do and in continuance so to do he shall if by any way come to find that he hath laid hold on the Covenant and that his condition before though it was not comfortable was safe and known to God though not to himself Quest 4. What 's the reason why the children of God do want Assurance or how comes it to passe that all who have grace do not presently know themselves to have it Answ This is not one Question but two and therefore without distinction no one thing can be replied to it The word Reason all one with cause may either refer to the meritorious or final cause either the meaning of the Question is what are the gracious Intendments and Purposes of God in permitting his Children to want Assurance or what are the ways by which they do sinfully procure unto themselves the want of Assurance Of these I will speak distinctly though I take it they are but rarely separated God doth not usually let his servants be under darkness but for sin and he would not permit them to fall into sin but that he hath an intent to make those very falls and the punishments he inflicts because of them subservient to his glory and their good Quest 1. Therefore enquire we why the Father of Lights suffers the Children of light to walk in darkness why he sets the seal and impression of the Spirit so obscurely upon them that they do not know themselves to be sealed with it to the day of redemption especially seeing he doth hereby lose a very great tribute of praise and glory For how can they praise God for this though incomparable gift if they know not themselves to have received it How can they rejoyce in the hope of