Num. 13.27 30. Let us go up at once and Possess it They had affirmed that it was a Land flowing with Milk and Honey c. But it may be inquired How may we get Heaven I shall spend some time in Answering to this If you would be partakers of this Inheritance then First Endeavour to clear up your belief of it It is not for nothing the Apostle faith that all men have not faith It is not for nothing our Saviour saith When the Son of Man comes shall he find faith on the earth Nay there is much of unbeleif amongst those that are believers Labour therefore to get a greater knowledge of the truth and certainty of the Gospel For all must hang upon this It is not for nothing that one chief Reason why St. Luke writes his Gospel it was this Luke 1.4 That thou mightest have the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Well Therefore labour to be acquainted with the Last Article of your Creed Life Everlasting with the truth of it When we read in Heb. 3.12 to the end of the 4. c. that they could not enter in because of unbelief how should this make us tremble and take heed lest a promise being made of entring into rest any of us should come short of it by an evil heart of unbelief c. Surely if we had a greater and more firm belief of Heaven we should be much altered creatures we should not love the World so much nor fear the World so much we should not be so backward in Duty nor so straitned in Duty all proceeds from unbelief How active are the men of the World their grounds of certainty are not so great as the Truths of the Gospel According to our faith so will our Love be and according to our Love so will our working be when we speak of the Glory of Heaven and of the Inheritance of the Saints it is to be feared that many are ready to think concerning us as they said concerning Ezekiel O Lord they say of me Doth he not speak Parables They complained and said that he spoke Parables so when we are speaking of the Glory of Heaven and of Life Everlasting do not many think that we are speaking Parables and Paradoxes pretty Allusions and Conceits to pass away the time or that we speak figuratively or Hyperbolically Therefore there is great need that our thoughts should run much upon the truth of the Gospel doubtless the same spirit that was in Dives possesse many now adayes that conceit of his that if one came from the dead they would believe so if a Messenger came from heaven told us of the joys of that place and what he saw then we would believe but see what a great deceit of the heart this is First Our Saviour tells us They have Moses and the Prophets and if they believe not them neither would they believe though one came from the dead Oh! Consider this But then Secondly this is a great deceit of the heart Consider from this that this is to be wiser then God as if he had not provided the best Means of Faith that could be devised either God is not so wise as he should be or hath not that good will or else he would provide the best Means But then Thirdly Those that say If one came from the Dead they would believe They speak dayly with them that have been there Jesus Christ knew better because he was purchaser of this Inheritance what this Inheritance is we are speaking dayly with him and he tells us frequently what a place it is in the Gospel and therefore we do speak with one that came from the dead Fourthly There is greater Reason that we should believe Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles then one raised from the dead because there are more Reasonable exceptions against one coming from the dead then there can be against Christ and the Gospel for there might much be said against one that pretends to come from the dead He must bring his Letters Pattents with him he must bring his Commission with him he must bring Evidence with him that he comes from God else we ought to Reject him as one of Satans Angels and Messengers Fifthly Consider this that the word of God is preferred before the voice of an Angel from Heaven contradicting of it and that is more then a Ghost from the dead Gal. 1.8 Sixthly The word of God is preferr'd before the voice of God from Heaven we have a more sure word of Prophesie the Gospel of Jesus Christ is more then the voice of God which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased The Gospel is a more sure word then the voice of God from Heaven Seventhly Consider with me the two great confirmations of Divine Testimony for the grounding of you and for the strengthning of your belief as to the truth of the Gospel It will be very seasonable to speak to the two great evidences and Confirmations of the truth of Divine Testimonies to wit The Spirit of Prophesy and the Power of Miracles Though I might mention many grounds of the truth of the Gospel yet I take these two to be the chief to wit The Spirit of Prophesie and the Power of Miracles And Jesus Christ had both God furnished Jesus Christ with both these thereby to Confirm and make Evident the truth of that Doctrine which he was to preach in the World The two clearest Evidences of the Truth are the Spirit of Prophesie and the power of Miracles First of all The Spirit of Prophesie I shall show First What it is and then Secondly That Christ had this spirit of Prophesie and Thirdly how it comes to pass that it is a Confirmation of the Gospel First What it is There are three branches of a spirit of Prophesie First The Foretelling or Prediction of Future Events that are out of the reach of Created understanding and so the foretelling First of all of things that depend upon the Series of Natural Causes or Secondly the foretelling of things which are within the reach of Devils to foretell or Thirdly The Foretelling of such things as fall out Casually true but have no certain ground of Prediction These do not fall within the compass of the Spirit of Prophesie But then Secondly Those things fall within the compass of the Spirit of Prophesie or Divine Revelation for that is the proper Notion of a Prophet scil Divine Revelation such things as are certainly known by one man and cannot be known by another such as are the knowledge of things that are done at a distance and the knowledge of the thoughts of another Mans heart and then Thirdly Matters of Faith that do exceed the reach of Humane Apprehension or Comprehension do belong to the Spirit of Prophesie Thus you see what belongs to a Spirit of Prophesie now Jesus Christ had all these First As to his foretelling of things to come
This the Gospel is full of that Jesus Christ foretold Judas betraying of him and as he foretold so it came to pass and the Destruction of Jerusalem many things that he foretold in the Gospel came to pass and are coming to pass daily And Secondly For those things that are known to one and not to Another Jesus Christ knew the thoughts of another mans heart He knew his enemies hearts his Disciples hearts and he knew what was doing before it was done But Thirdly For matter of Faith Jesus Christ was a Teacher that came from God the Incarnation of the Son of God the union of the two natures the death of Christ these are discoveries that can be made by none but God and these things Christ discovered Thus you see that Jesus Christ had a Spirit of Prophesie But then Thirdly That this Spirit of Prophesie was given to Christ to be a confirmation of the Doctrine which he should deliver to the World see these places John 13.18 He that eats bread with me hath lift up his heel against me Christ foretells that Judas should betray him This was a very unlikely thing for it was observed that he was the forwardest of any of the Apostles he was so forward that every one of the Apostles did say Mr. is it I rather then Is it he they suspected themselves sooner then he now says Christ I tell you before that when it comes to pass you may believe that I am he Christ foretells things to come that when they come to pass we might believe that he was the Messias and truly the things that come to pass in the Christian World they seem to look with an evil aspect upon the Church and people of God now these things should be so far from discouraging of us or from weakning our belief of the Gospel that they should be a confirmation because they are come to pass we should believe that Christ is he The Second place is John 14.29 saith he And now I have told you before it come to pass that when it is come to pass you might believe I will send the Comforter and I have told you this before that when it comes to pass you might believe Well now Hath Jesus sent you a Comforter he is as good as his word and here is a confirmation of the Truth of the Gospel so that the coming to pass of those things which are foretold in the Gospel is a confirmation of the Gospel Therefore believe it because he is no other but God that hath discovered it Thus you see the Spirit of Prophesie or the foretelling of things that are without the reach of created understandings is an Argument of Divinity and he that comes furnisht with such a Commission we may believe what he sayes Secondly For the power of Miracles concerning which I shall shew First what it is A Miracle is a production of something out of nothing which cannot be done by lesse then God For none but God can create or alter the Course of Nature It is as Mr. Stilling-Fleet saith a bringing of something out of nothing that either in the thing it self which cannot be produc'd by second Causes as raising of the dead or else a bringing something out of Nothing in the manner of doing which may be done by Second causes but yet is done without the help of Second causes as Curing Diseases with a touch of the hem of a Garment or with a word speaking Thus you see what a Miracle is Secondly Observe that God never alters the course of Nature but for some special end The power of Miracles is not ordinary for God never alters the course of Nature but for some special end Thirdly The chief end of the power of Miracles is for the Confirmation of some truth that God would have the world to know Fourthly That God will not give this power of Miracles to any that will abuse it for the confirming of a lye Fifthly That Jesus Christ had truly this power of Miracles this cannot be denyed even his enemies would grant it or else they had opportunity to confute him Sixthly That true Miracles may be known from false ones because Antichrist comes with lying words Seventhly Divines lay down rules to know true Miracles from false ones and I would have you take special notice of three especially First of all true Miracles they always bring evidence along with them that they are of the truth and they leave no dispute but that they are true they leave no doubt upon the Spirit Secondly True Miracles are for the confirmation of a Divine testimony and they do not contradict a divine testimony already confirm'd by a true Miracle for the most of the Doctrines which the Papists hold against us they have confirm'd them by Miracles but it is a sign they are no true Miracles because they tend to confirm a Doctrine contrary to the Doctrine which is already confirmed by unquestionable Miracles Then Thirdly True miracles oppose Satans Kingdom those that tend to the advancement of Satans Kingdom are lying wonders Then Fourthly I might add another that true miracles are commonly mercies as well as miracles Satans wonders tends to amaze but not at all to do any good but Christs miracles were most of them mercies as well as wonders Thus you may see what may be said to the power of miracles as being a chief confirmation of divine testimony Eightly and lastly the power of miracles in Christ was a confirmation of the truth of the Gospel and of his being the Messias We know thou art a Teacher come from God because no man can do the miracles which thou doest except God be with him Thus far we have gone but yet grant it in the Hypothesis that miracles are an evidence of the truth of divine testimony Can we say in the Thesis that such miracles are truly done There is a threefold argument for that which I would have you take notice of First of all the Apostles they were eye-witnesses and could not be deceived nay many that would have been glad of any opportunity to accuse them yet it was never said that any thing was falsly done Nay the Jews that were as cunning in finding out deceits that way would have been glad of any accusation if they had not been truly done they would have found it out Secondly the Apostles they could not be deceivers for they had no temptation to it it was impossible that if Christ had not been risen otherwise then by their stealing of him which was objected when they had found that Christ had not been so good as his word they would rather have curst him then confest him and if they preach Salvation by one that was not otherwise risen but by their stealing of him yet the world would not have had the faith to believe it yet we find that serious and inquisitive men confest to be in their wits did sacrifice their lives upon their belief of Christs
being risen from the dead of which they had no other assurance but the miracles which the Apostles wrought and their testimony and then Thirdly a third thing will clear all That there is a certain way of conveying the Copy of the Gospel down to us and that it is impossible that it should be corrupted in any of those things which are of concernment to the Christian world for there being Hereticks in all ages that wrest the Scripture on purpose if there had been any corruption in the Copy they would have detected it as being glad of such an advantage against the truth of it Well then let it not seem a diversion that I have spoken this to those two arguments of the truth of the Gospel for since if we come to suffer all must hang upon this point If the Gospel be not true we are undone for ever He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it c. and in other Scriptures thus saith the Gospel and if this be not true we are undone for ever and thus though the most satisfactory conviction to us be the testimony of the spirit of God yet since we are rational creatures and God dealeth with us as such we ought to be furnished and enabled and ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us For Religion is reasonable and though the matter of the Gospel be above reason and not capable of being demonstrated from the things themselves as how can it be proved by reason that there can be a resurrection that there can be Three Persons in One and many other Doctrines of the Gospel yet I say it may be demonstrated that it is a reasonable thing to believe such things though they be above reason and though we cannot have reason for the things themselves yet there is reason vvhy vve should beheve them And I say since that it is not unusual with Satan to assault the best Christians here about the belief of the Gospel and seeing the operation of the spirit and the feeling testimony of the spirit to the truth of the Scriptures may not be always ready therefore it is good to keep the out-works to keep the Guard in the out-works not to lie all the stress within but to be fortified with arguments and reasons for the operations or vvorking of the Will and the affections are more uncertain and more changeable then the acts of the understanding let us therefore always be furnished with arguments of reason to help our feeling to rub up our feeling and to quicken us The spirit is a spirit of understanding a spirit of Wisdom and doth deal with rational men by rational means ordinarily Well therefore you see that we ought to be furnished with Arguments and these are two that we may be furnished with If Satan should assault us that vvay vve may be ready to beat him and Lastly Consider the Miracles which Christ wrought are not only a Confirmation of this Doctrine as they are a Conviction that he comes from God and what he sayes comes from God but likewise in his Miracles there is something Christians may make use of as a Motive and as an Argument to doe these Dutyes which those Miracles were brought to confirme There is something in the Miracle besides the Divine power which may be as a Motive and an argument to Christians in their dutyes as thus Jesus Christ when they came to apprehend him he with a word speaking caused the officers to fall to the ground saying I am he This may encourage us that Jesus Christ will stand with us though not with a Miracle yet by his powerful presence when we come to be apprehended so He that will lose his Life shall save it c. Now we may be comforted that we shall save ours by losing of it for he did so He saved his life by losing it for our sakes so when we come to any Doctrine or Precept get a Miracle to back it and it will be of great use to you when you would be exhorted to the duty of Charity let that Miracle so back it how Christ fed 500. with five Loaves and 2. small fishes so get your charity strengthened by a Miracle c. But I cannot stand upon this these are the two specal things for confirmation of the Doctrine of the Gospel the spirit of Prophesy and the power of Miracles The Eight and last for those that seeme to be at an uncertainty about Heaven Consider whether it be not worth the while to put it out of doubt whether there be such a thing or no For it is not a matter of such small moment whether it be or no. But you that are not sure are you sure there is no such thing if there be a Heaven and a Hell what a case are we in if we do not look after the one and avoid the other Surely it should cause us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling If there be any such thing no diligence is too much and if there be no such thing any diligence is too much Let us not halt between two Opinions c. Let there be no demurrs in our Spirits but let us be satisfied about it I presse hard saith the Apostle I was once a persecutor and earnest against the Gospel and I use the same violence in preaching the Gospel that I used before in persecuting it I persecute the word signifies I presse and pursue So run that ye may obtain It is a dishonour to the Joys of Heaven to have half and saint attempts about it To conclude Examine your selves and you will find that all that sluggishness in Duty all that fearfulness that you are guilty of proceeds meerly from unbelief you are not satisfied and perswaded of the truth of the Gospel of Christ this is evident compare it with your practice What pains does the Husbandman take for Corn upon the hopes of a Crop The Merchant he will venture and run hazards We ought to run hazards for Heaven of which there is more certainty then can be of any thing This is the First thing that you must do for the getting of Heaven Be satisfied of the truth of it that there is such a thing Secondly When you are satisfied of the truth endeavour to understand the nature of it from Scripture Men take up false Notions concerning Heaven and they look on it as a place free from trouble and so desire it Oh! look upon Heaven as an holy place free from sin and that is the happiness of it There are thousands of men that desire heaven who if they were there it would be a burden to them Heaven must be begun here Thirdly study to know more your Distance by Nature from heaven You are not born heirs unless it be heirs of wrath No man ever got this Inheritance that thought he deserv'd it no man ever got to be in any place in