He will forgive you though not others There are six excellent comforts unto you who have God to be your merciful God 1. That he will forgive you Though the sinnes of others are sealed up and stand upon record against their souls yet your sinnes shall be forgiven The sinnes of others are written and stand upon record but yours are blotted out He will forgive your great sins 2. That he will forgive your great sinnes as well as your small sinnes From all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I clâanse you Ezek. 36. 3. That he will forgive all your sinnes though they have been many though He will forgive all your sinnes there hath been a multitude of them Your God who is rich in mercy and hath riches of mercy and multitude of mercies will abundantly pardon them Isa 55. 7. 4. That he will freely forgive them I am he that blotteth out thy He will freely forgive them transgressions for mine own sake and I will not remember thy sinnes Isa 43. 25. and Luke 7. 42. He will everlastingly forgive 5. That he will everlastingly forgive your sinnes so forgive them as never to mention them more All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Ezek. 18. 22. Though they be sought for there shall be none and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve Jer. 50. 20. 6. That your God will certainly do this I will surely have mercy upon him He will certainly do this God is holiness Jer. 31. 20. 3. God is holinesse He is an holy God Joshua 24. 19. I am the Lord your God ye shall be holy for I am holy Levit. 11. 44. Holy holy Lord God Almighty Rev. 4. 8. Glorious in holinesse Exod. 15. 11. Gods holinesse is his infinitely purenesse without all sinne yea hating of it Being also the cause of all the holinesse and purity in the creature This is one of the great excellencies and the glories of God He were not God if he were not holy and the more that any one partakes of holinesse the more excellent is he Six things affirmed of holiness It is a glory attributed to every person in the Trinity Unto the Father Unto the Son Unto the Spirit There are six things which we can affirm of holiness 1. It is a glory attributed unto every person of the Trinity It is attributed Vnto the Father Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me John 17. 11. Unto the Sonne that holy child Jesus Acts 4. 27. These things saith he that is holy Rev. 3. 7. Unto the Spirit who is called the Holy Ghost Matth. 3. 11. and the holy Spirit Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God 2. It is a glory attributed unto all creatures and persons and things of excellency It is attributed to all creatures and things of excellency The holy Angels Matth. 25. 31. The holy Prophets Luke 1. 70. The holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15 The great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God Rev. 21. 10. Holy men of God 2 Pet. 1. 21. And indeed holinesse is our glory and therefore the Spirit of grace is called the Spirit of glory Heb. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 14. And they who are stiled holy Isa 4. 3. are stiled the glory ver 5. 3. It is necessary unto glory unto that glory which shall be revealed unto It is necessary unto glory the exceedingly exceeding weight of glory unto that eternal glory that heavenly happiness as a means is necessary to an end as a lower step to arise unto an higher Heb. 12. 14. Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure 4. It is necessary unto your present communion with God He cannot take delight in you nor will he be neare you nor impart himself unto you unless It is necessary to our present communion with God you be holy What fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse and what communion hath light with darknesse 2 Cor. 6. 14. You read in the Law that all was holy which had a respect unto God the Altar was holy and the Temple was holy and the offerings were holy and the persons who offered them were holy To intimate unto us that there could or might not be any communion with the holy God without holinesse 5. It is the pawn and pledge of future glory the first-fruits of the Spirit It is the pawn and pledge of future glory Rom. 8. 23. The earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 22. The sealing of the holy Spirit is stiled the earnest of our purchased possession Eph. 1. 13 14. 6. It is the distinguishing character of the Covenant No people are an holy people but the people of the Covenant and all those people are holy It is the distinguishing character of the Covenant 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are a spiritual house an holy Priest-hood Ver. 9. Ye are an holy Nation a peculiar people Isa 4. 3. He that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem 1 Cor. 3. 17. The Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Now if God be your God He is and will be your holy God He will Comforts from this that God will be a holy God to you He will make you holy be an holy God unto you and that affords you many comforts 1. He will make you holy They shall call them the holy people the Redeemed of the Lord Isa 62. 12. He will give his holy Spirit unto you Luke 11. 13. Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him Isa 63. 11. As you read of Joshuah the High Priest The Lord said Take away his filthy garments from him Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will cloath thee with change of rayment Zach. 3. 4. So the Lord deals with every person unto whom he is a God in Covenant He cleanseth them from all their filthinesses I will cleanse them from all their iniquities Jer. 33. 8. I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and you shall be cleane Ezek. 36. 25. So Ezek. 37. 23. They shall not desile themselves any more with their Idels but I will cleanse them so shall they be my people and I will be their God 2. He will encrease your holinesse He will sanctifie you throughout 1 Thes He will encrease your holiness 5. 23. He will give more grace James 4. 6. He will strengthen what he hath wrought Psal 68. 28. Holinesse is like the waters of the Sanctuary in Ezek. 47. â 4 5. To the ancles to the knees and then a river that could not be passed over It is the field which the Lord will bless and prosper It is
of mercy and forgivenesse but it is the Spirit c. It is the peculiar office of the Spirit to make all the Gospel effectual and effectual to the elect of God to the people of God There is not one part or branch of the Gospel but the Spirit is virtute officii to make it effectual to you He is to give you sufficiency of strength for all Evangelical obedience and he is to open and apply unto you all the good in Chrâst and all the comforts in the attributes of God and promises of God and he is to make out unto you all the mercy and blessings and happinesse sealed in Baptisme and the Lords Supper And as Christ never failed in any Office which he undertook so the Spirit will not fail but perform and accomplish all and every thing that belongs to his Office and therefore you shall have all the good intended to you in any Gospel-Ordinance whatsoever 2. Another is To witnesse unto us our present standing in grace and relation To witness our present standing in grace unto God you read this plainly in Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God 1 John 5. 8. Thâre are three âhat bear witnesse in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloâd A Witnesse is one who gives in a Testimony against a man or for a man and he is of use in all doubtful and litigious cases in all suits and trials Satan puts it many times in debate by his accusations Thou art not right thou art not the child of God thou presumest thou deeceivest thy self In this or such like cases there are two Witnesses for the Christian 1. One is his own Spirit 2. The other is Gods Spârât Saith conscience this is the spirit of man I know that his heart is âight and that he belongs to God And saith the Spirit of God who searcheth the heart aâd knows me and all which himself hath wrought in the heart and I know that he is born again for I regenerated him and I know that he is a child of God for he hath received the Spirit of Adoption whereby he cryeth Abba-Father Aâd verily a greater Testimony and surer witnesse cannot be had then the Testimony and Witnesse of the Spirit of God who knows all âhings and is truth 3. A third Office of the Spirit is to seal us in respect of our future happinesse To seal us in respect of our future happiness and this also the Scriptures expresly deliver Eph. 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Verse 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption The sealing of the Spirit is that assuring confirmation unto the hearts of believers that the heavenly inheritance purchased by the blood of Christ is theirs and that they when this day of full Redemption comes shall assuredly possess and enjoy it Beloved what can be said more to expresse the happinesse and comfort of the people of God in having God to be their God the Father is theirs the Sonne of God is theirs and the Spirit of God is theirs theirs in his graces theirs in his comforts theirs in Offices witnessing their present condition in grace and assuring them of their future inheritance in glory what more happinesse can be enjoyed on earth than this 7. Lastly The Spirit is yours in respect of his presence Joh. 14. 17. The Spirit He is ours in respect of his presence of truth dwelleth with you Rom. 8. 11. By his Spirit that dwelleth in you 2 Tim. 1. 14. By the holy Ghost which dwelleth in us It is observable concerning the presence of the Trinity that every one of the persons is said to dwell in believers God the Father doth dwell in them 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Sonne doth dwell in them Christ dwells in our hearts by faith Eph. 2. 17. The holy Ghost likewise dwells in us O happy soul who art made such a Temple wherein God the Father and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost dwells what canst thou want what dost thou enjoy how great is thy excellency how perfect is thy beauty how full is thy glory Dwelling notes a special presence and it notes a constant and permanent presence and truly such is the dwelling of the Spirit of God in the children of God it is a gracious residence and it is an abiding residence he never leaves you John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Can you reach this comfort of the perpetual presence of the Spirit in you and with you Let me tell you The bodily presence of Christ is not comfortable without the presence of the Spirit The absence of Christ is made up by the presence of the Spirit The presence of the Spirit makes all to be present with us You are safe and sure with whom the Spirit is 1. The presence of Christ I mean his bodily presence only was not comfortable without the presence of the Spirit It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing so Christ Joh. 6. 63. 2. The absence of Christ now in heaven is made up unto us by the presence of his Spirit now within us here on earth The Spirit only supplies his absence and makes our condition as good and as happy as if Christ himself were present with us 3. The presence of the Spirit makes all to be present with us all are present by the presence of the Spirit God comes to be present and Christ comes to be present and joy and salvation come to be present by the presence of the Spirit 4. And are you not safe and sure with whom the Spirit of God is and will be alwayâs present He is present with your souls with your faith with your graces and he can give you present strength and present help and present victory and present comforts SECT X. 5. A Fifth singular comfort unto you who have God to be your God in Covenant There is a conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the businesses of our eternal blessedness is this viz. A common conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the businâsses of yoâr etârnal blessedness This is an exceeding high point and of exceeding comfort unto you that there is an union in the Trinity of persons in their gracious respects unto your salvation There is an union or common conjunction of the persons of the Trinity First In respect of love Secondly In respect of consent and in respect of A conjunction of the three persons purpose Thirdly In respect of operation Fourthly In respect of Relation Fifthly In respect of engagement Sixthly In respect of Communion 1. In respect of love what is that That is every
Christ in us Col. 1. 27. 3. And the holy Ghost hath an interest in you he dwells in us and abides in us 2 Tim. 1. 14. and you also have an interest in every one of the persons 1. You are in the Father the Church that is in God the Father 1 Thes 1. 1. 2. You are in the Son Of him are ye in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 30. 3. You are in the Spirit He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. I also have the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 7. 40. Now this common relation and interest of every person in the Trinity as to you and the mutual relation and interest again as to them is a matter of such infinite consequence and full happinesse as indeed I am not able to unfold it I will only touch at a few things in relation to one of these persons and that is God the Father If God be your God in Covenant then he is your Father and you are his Consider this in relation to God the Father children the Apostle admires at this in 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed us that we should be called the sons of God the dignity is most high that we should be the sons of the most High But let us view the comforts of it There are six comforts from this that our God is our Father 1. Your Father is the Father of mercies Blessed be God even the Father of our Your Father is the Father of mercies Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. God is the Father 1. Of Christ 2ly Of every believer 3ly And of mercies All mercies are in the Father and from the Father And shall you want mercies who are in so near a Relation to the Father of Mercies 2. Your Father doth love you exceedingly Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant Your Father doth love you exceedingly childe Jer. 31. 20. love is frequently given to God the Father Joh. 14. 23. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Cap. 3. 1 c. his Jewels Mal. 3. 3. Though you have offended him yet if you mournfully return unto him he will Though you have offended him yet if you returne he will be gracious Your Father hath enough to help you You may easily prevaile with your Father for all necessary good You shall be heirs who are children of this Father There is a common engagement of the whole Trinity unto you be very gracious unto you and receive you kindly When the Prodigal childe came back to his Father his Father faw him yet a great way off and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Luke 15. 20. 4. Your Father hath enough to help you and he will take care of you In my Fathers house there is bread enough and to spare Luke 15. 17. Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things Matth. 6. 32. 5. You may easily prevail with your Father for any necessary good If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Matth. 7. 11. 6. You shall be heirs who are children of this Father If Sons then Heirs Rom. 8. 17. Heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ Luke 12. 23. It is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom Matth. 25. 34. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world 5 There is a common engagement of the whole Trinity unto you every one of the persons is engaged to you The Father is engaged to you to do all that a God and Father can and will do for his children The Sonne is engaged to you to do all that a Christ and Mediatour and a Redeemer and Saviour can and will do for his Members The Holy Ghost is engaged to you to do all that a Spirit of truth knowledge faith comfort can do for those who do come to the Father and the Son 6. Lastly There is a communion twixt you and every person of the Trinity 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13. 14. Thereis a communion but wixt you and every person of the Trinity The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Communions with a Father with a Sayiour with a Comforter And verily these communions are most gracious and heavenly in respect of every one of them when the Father manifests himself unto you in the Relation and Testimonies of your loving God and Father And whom Christ discovers himself unto as your Head and as your Lord as your Saviour in your interests in him and his in you and when the Holy Ghost opens himself unto you in the strengthning of your graces in his comforts and evidences and assurances and fealings why These things are as life to the dead and as raine to the thirsty land they are an exceeding refreshing unto you they are a most heavenly tranquillity and joy and satisfaction unto your hearts And thus have you heard of the happinesse of those people who have God to be their God in Covenant in respect of his Attributes and in respect of Christ and in respect of the Spirit and in respect of every person of the Trinity and in their conjunctive relation and operations I will proceed a little further to some of the rest of the comforts depending upon Gods being your God which I mentioned at the first SECT XI 6. IF God be your God in Covenant and you be his people then all the promises If God be ours then all the promises are ours of God are also yours As you are the children of God so you are the children of promise and as you are the heirs of God so you are the heirs of promise and as your title is clear unto you so your possession is sure you shall certainly inherit all the good comprehended in them I have discoursed largely of the promises in general and shall God willing in the prosecution of this discourse of the Covenant speak more of the promises in particular and therefore I shall at this time only touch at two things viz. 1. The real statings of the promises upon all who have God to be their God in Covenant 2. Their singular happinesse thereby that all the promises of God are theirs 1. The promises do belong to all who are in Covenant with God They The promises do belong to all who are in Covenant with God are stated and settled upon them They are the heritage of the servants of the Lord the childrens bread Vnto us are given exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. The very nature and constitution of the Covenant do evince this which is a very cluster of promises I will be merciful to
reveales him who will be merciful to the penitent and will by no meanes cleare the guilty 2. Of union and complyance to bring us into Christ and to make us one with him and to give us fellowship with him and to make us one Spirit with him and to change us into the glory of his image if we had this faith the work were done Now we should be made like unto him in meekness and humbleness and tenderness of heart 3. Of dependence and reliance upon Gods Promises believing that what he hath promised he will also perform that all his promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him that he is mindful of his Word and remembers his Covenant and will not suffer his faithfulness to faile and therefore he will give unto us humbly seeking and waiting upon him this soft and tender heart which he hath promised How quickly and easily would such a faith prevail with and obtain from such a Father and God! Fifthly If we would compass soft and tenderness of heart we must then Get hearts to love the Lord. get hearts to love the Lord Did we love him we would be tender of his glory and tender of his love tender to please him tender not to displease him tender to obey him and tender to honour him Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words ver 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings Love you know is of all affections the most tender most watchful to observe the most carefull to please and the most fearful to offend If we did love the Lord we would not we could not grieve him Beseech therefore the Lord to circumcise your hearts that you may love him and consider the exceeding greatness of his love to you that you may love him again We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. And this love would raise a tenderness of heart in us in all the effects of tenderness which you have heard Sixthly What shall I say more if you would have softness and tenderness of heart indeed and to some purpose Then get the assurance of Gods Get the assurance of Gods love love and mercy and favour sealed unto your consciences by the testimony of his Spirit this would melt c. Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them THese Words are one gold link more of the precious chain of Promises in the Covenant of grace They do contain in them another excellent promise unto the people of God wherein you have 1. The matter promised I will put my spirit within you 2. The vertue or benefit of this promise which is twofold 1. Obedience and cause you to walk in my statutes 2. Perseverance and ye shall keep my judgements and do them I begin at this time with the matter promised I will put my Spirit within you CHAP. XII Doct. 1. THat all the people of God have the Spirit of God or that God will put his Spirit within his people I will put my Spirit within God will put his spirit within his people you Psal 51. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me Zech. 12. 10. I will poure upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given of God 1 Cor. 7. 40. I think also that I have the Spirit of God 1 Thes 4. 8. Who hath given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit For the opening of this excellent Point I will speak unto these particulars 1. In what sense the Spirit is given or put within the people of God 2. How it may be demonstrated that the people of God every one of them have the Spirit of God 3. Why the Spirit is put within every one of the people of God 4. Whether all the people of God do in the same measure partake of the Spirit SECT I. Quest 1. IN what sense the Spirit is given or put within the people of God Sol. There is a fore fold opinion concerning this In what sense the Spirit is said to be put within us Not to make us one person with himself First Some have held that the Spirit is so given unto the people of God as to make them one person with himself and to communicate unto them his very personal propriety so that they in their own persons are that person in the Trinity which is called the Holy Ghost This was the desperate opinion of Montanus the Heretick and I fear some wild persons amongst us are of the same wicked opinion But this cannot possibly be because 1. No Creature is capable to be God which yet he should be if he could be the person of the Holy Ghost for the person of the Holy Ghost is God 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 2. If any man were the person of the Spirit and the very Holy Ghost then 1. He is eternal for the Spirit is the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself c. And 2ly He is Omnipresent in every place for the Spirit is so Psal 139. 7. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit And 3ly He is Omnipotent for the Spirit is so Who raised Jesus Christ from the dead Rom. 1. 4. And quickens and changeth the hearts of sinners Joh. 6. 36. 2 Cor. 3. 18. And 4ly He is Omniscient for so is the Spirit Who searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. And lastly then he might be adored and worshipped with Divine Worship be prayed unto be trusted on c. Secondly Some do hold that although the Spirit be not so given as to make us one person with himself yet he is given personally unto the people of God i. e. Some say he is personally given he is personally in them not only his gifts and graces are in them but also his very person is in them and they do alledge several places of Scripture to make good this their Opinion Joh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Ver. 17. Even the Spirit of truth Ver. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach
you all things Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father c. Whence it is thus argued That Comforter which proceedeth from the Father and the Son is the person of the Holy Ghost but that Comforter dwelleth and abideth in us Ergo the person of the Holy Ghost doth dwell in us 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us Hence it is also argued the Holy Ghost that keepeth the good gift or gifts in us dwelleth in us but the Holy Ghost which keepeth these gifts is not the gifts but the person of the Holy Ghost distinguished from them Ergo it is the person of the Holy Ghost and not his gifts only that dwelleth in us Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Hence also 't is thus argued the Spirit that dwells in us is the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and shall likewise quicken our mortal bodies But it is not the gifts and graces of the Spirit but the person of the Spirit himself that raised up Christ from the dead and that shall quicken our mortal bodies Ergo the person of the Spirit himself dwelleth in us Thirdly Some do hold that the putting of the Spirit within the heart of the Some say it denotes only the gifts and graces of the spirit given to us people of God denotes only the donation of the gifts and the graces of the Spirit And so is the Spirit often taken in Scripture by a Metonymie of the Cause for the Effect Luke 1. 15. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers womb Act. 6. 3. Look you out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom Ver. 5. And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit i. e. the gifts or graces of the Spirit for the Spirit in himself either Essentially or Personally considered is not capable of being quenched there is no abating or remission or vacation possibly incident unto him Fourthly Some do hold that the giving of the Spirit unto the people of God is only the letting in of his vigour and assistance for the works which they are to do Some for the letting in of the vigour and assistance of the spirit and not any Inherent presence of the Spirit in the people of God either as to his person or as to his graces But as a Bowle moves from that power and strength which the hand lends unto it so do the people of God act and move from the vigorous influence which the Spirit of God puts into them and not from any inherent principle of grace which they deny to be in them But this Opinion is not sound for the people of God do possess the Spirit not only in way of assurance to do good but also in way of inward influence to make them good Therefore they are said to be born of the Spirit Joh 5. 6. And to be washed and renewed Tit. 3. 5. And sanctified by the Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 11. which notes an inward change made by the Spirit and not a bare assistance only And besides here in the Text the Lord saith that he will put his Spirit within us which certainly is something more than external assistance Again They who do hold the donation of the Spirit as to assistance only hold likewise free-will to supernatural good that there is in the will of man such a power unto the same that it needs not any renovation by the Spirit but only the assistance of the Spirit to that purpose c. which is a dangerous Error Well then the meaning of this expression I will put my Spirit within you is principally to be understood of the person of the Spirit It is principally meant of the person of the spirit And there are three Reasons which incline me thus to think 1. One is because the graces of the Spirit were promised before in the 26. ver A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you which unquestionably takes in the renewing graces of the Spirit and if in this 27. vers by putting his Spirit within us should be meant only the graces of the Spirit then one and the same thing only should be promised But this is no way probable or congruous to affirm q. d. I will give you the graces of my Spirit and I will give you the graces of my Spirit c. 2. Another is because the Spirit here in this verse promised is that Spirit which doth cause us to walk in the Statutes of God and to keep them which cause of such walking cannot well be attributed to any but the Spirit himself 3. Unto which I may add a third viz The usual way of tryal and evidencing whether we have the Spirit here promised namely by the graces of the Spirit which were very improper if by the Spirit in the place were meant the graces of the Spirit q. d. you may know that you have the graces of the Spirit if you do find in you the graces of the Spirit How it may be demonstrated Quest 2. How may this be demonstrated that all the people of God in Covenant have the Spirit of God within them Sol. Besides these Scriptures already produced which do bear witness unto this truth it may be further demonstrated thus First All that are Christs have the Spirit of Christ for saith the Apostle Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit But all who are in Covenant are Christs because all that are in Covenant are believers and all believers are Christs Ergo all that are in Covevant have the Spirit Secondly All that are in Covenant are the Sons of God God is their Father and they are his sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6. 18. Now saith the same Apostle in Gal. 4. 6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Nay Thirdly all the people of God have a fellowship and communion with every person of the Trinity and so high is that fellowship that every person of the Trinity doth as it were take up his mansion and make his abode and dwelling in them They have a fellowship with every person of the Trinity 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Phil. 2. 1. If there be any fellowship of the Spirit c. Every person of the Trinity dwells and abides in them
to my self in loving kindnesse Hos 2. 19. and you love him We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4. 19. He delights in you Thou shalt be called Hephzibah for the Lord delighteth in thee Isa 62. 4. and you take delight in God God is manifesting himself and communicating his love and goodness to you to all eternity 2. Thus have you the comfort in the general from this that God is your Comforts in particular God I shall now proceed to handle the comforts in particular which belong unto you and they are these If God be your God 1. Then you are the particular objects of the eternal love of God and of all his gracious unchangeable and infallible purposes intentions and thoughts 2. Then all the glorious Attributes of God are engaged unto you for good for your good for all your good altogether for all your good 3. Then Jesus Christ and all the Offices of Christ and all the works and all the sweet fruits of his Redemption Intercession and Mediatourship are yours and for your good 4. Then the Holy Ghost and all the excellent and choyce works of the Spirit his graces assistance guidance refreshings joyes comforts sealings are your portion and assured possession 5. Then there is a communion and conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the businesses of your eternal blessedness 6. Then all the promises of God are yours 7. Then all the priviledges and immunities annexed to the Covenant of grace are yours 8. Then all is yours Greater and better comforts than these neither men nor Angels can possibly present unto you And I desire the rather to discourse of them that you who are the people of God and have chosen him to be your God and find him to be so may know your blessedness even in this alone that God is your God And that others who as yet are out of Covenant hearing the surpassing happiness of being in Covenant with God and Gods being in Covenant with us may be awakened excited and allured to come off from their sins and sinful wayes and may strive earnestly to enjoy this God for their God and that they may become his people SECT VI. 1. IF God be your God then you are the particular objects of his eternal love If God be our God we are the objects of Gods eternal love and of all his gracious purposes and of all his gracious and unchangeable and infallible purposes intentions and thoughts and so you may safely conclude that you are the vessels of mercy on whom God will make known the riches of his glory Rom. 9. 23. The Apostle in that Chapter discourseth of the eternal love and grace of God in election which he calls The purpose of God according to election ver 11. and his love ver 13. and his having mercy on whom he will have mercy ver 15. 18 and those persons whom he hath thus loved and elected he calls vessels of mercy afore prepared unto glory ver 23. Now the question might be how we may know whether we be in that number whether we be the persons on whom that love and that election was fixed This he resolves by our interest in the Covenant ver 24. Even us whom he hath called Ver. 25. As he saith also in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved Ver. 26. And it shall come to passe that in that place where it was said unto you you are not my people where they shall be called the children of the living God as if he had said we know that God hath loved us and that he hath had mercy on us and that he hath elected us for he hath called us out of our sinful condition and brought us into Covenant with himself he is our God and we are his people he is our Father and we are his children we are the children of the living God Now what an unspeakable comfort is this namely a certain knowledge of the love of God and of the election of God that our names are written in heaven in the book of life out of which they shall never be blotted 1 John 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God! as if he had said no love like unto this love This was wonderful love that he should be out Father and we should be his children 2 Thes 2. 13. We are bound to give thanks alwayes to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation Mark the Apostle judgeth their election to be a just obligation of continual thanks that God should be blessed for that every day of our lives for ever and ever because he hath chosen us and ordained us to salvation Luke 10. 20. Rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Oh to be interessed in that love of God out of which Christ comes and mercy comes and all our good comes To be interessed in that love which is so free so liberal so invariable To be interessed in that election which passeth by others but clasps us which intends for us no less than eternal glory which will infallibly bring into us all that will bring us unto glory To be interessed in that election which begins in choycest love and ends in fullest blessednesse Certainly these are grounds of highest comfort and of sweetest joy and in these are all such interessed who have God to be their God and who are his people in Covenant These and noen but they are the beloved and chosen o God SECT VII 2. IF God be your God then all the glorious Attributes of God are engagâd All the glorious Attributes of God are engaged for their good unto you for your good for when God is our God then himself as considered in his essence and as considered in his attributes or glories he thus is ours God and all that belongs to a God are for us and for our good As when the Covenant of Marriage is finished betwixt the Husband and the wife now the Husband is hers and all that belongs unto the Husband is hers she shall be the better for his riches and for his honours and for his wisdome and for his power and for his kindness So when God is our God in Covenant he is ours and all that he hath is ours ours though not for Denomination as if he made us Gods or made us omnipotent and infinite and eternal yet ours for fruition himself and all his attributes we do and shall enjoy for our good and benefit I will mention some of those attributes of God and will shew you your good of and by them and will demonstrate it that they and all their good are engaged to all the people to whom God is a God in Covenant 1. God is al-sufficiency I am God Almighty or al-sufficient saith God to Abraham
one of the persons doth love In respect of love you John 16. 27. The Father himseâf loveth you Ephes 3. 19. To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Rom. 15. 30. The love of the Spirit There is a twofold love in the persons of the Trinity 1. A natural and necessary love so they love each other The Father and the Sonne and the Spirit do so love one another as that they cannot but love one another 2. A voluntary and gracious love with this love all who are in Covenant with God are loved of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit This love of the Trinity may be considered both in respect of the properties of This love may be considered In respect of the properties of it It is the highest of all love it and in respect of the fruits and vertues of it 1. In respect of the properties of it 1. It is the highest of all loves Nothing which is in the creature can possibly be of that height as that which is in God Holinesse in the creature is not so high as holinesse in God goodnesse in the creature is not so high as goodnesse in God mercy in the creature is not so high as mercy in God love in the creature is âot so high as love in God Love in God is purest love there is no mixture in that love love in God is perfect love there is no defect or want in that love The love of Parents to their children and the love of husband and wife they are but weak shadowes of the unutterable and unconceivable love of God unto his people As the essence of the Trinity is the highest essence so the love of the Trinity is the highest love you cannot be loved by any that is higher than the Trinity nor can there be any love higher or equal to their love 2. It is a most special love not only in this respect that no other people besides your selves ate dignified with this kind of love but also in this respect that It is a most special love the love of the persons even unto your selves is most choice and wonderful and this you do read concerning the love Of the Father which is in the same Meridian unto you who are the children of the Covenant as it is uâto Jesus Christ John 17. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them What love the Father hath to Jesus Christ such a love hath the Father unto you who are Christs and this doth appear in four particulars 1. When he elected Christ he did then elect you 2. When he did purpose to give Christ to you he did then purpose to give you to Christ 3. That you are of the same relation unto him with Christ and therefore Christ is not ashamed to call you brethren 4. That you are heires of the same Kingdome and glory with Christ Of the Sonne who loved you to the utmost heighth and depth and expression of love Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Joh. 15. 13. Ye are my friends ver 14. so Ephes 5. 2. Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God And so for the Spirit He loves you so that he layes out the utmost of his power and the choicest of his gifts and graces upon your souls 3. It is the sweetest of all loves There is no love whatsoever which affords more delight contentment and satisfaction unto the hearts of men Thy love is better It is the sweetest of all loves than wine so the Church speaks of Christ Cant. 1. 2. Thy loving kindnesse is better than life so speaks David of the love of God Psal 63. 3. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us 1 Joh. 3. 1. so sweet is the love of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit that in the apprehension and enjoyment thereof the soule is satisfied as with marrow It is a kinde of heaven unto us every faculty of the soul is affected with it and by it is filled with joyes and praises and love again to God 4. It is a most tender love the Fathers love unto you is so and the Sons love unto It is a most tender love you is so and the love of the Spirit is so unto you The love of every oââ is tender in a marvellous sensiblenesse of your persons and conditions and in as marvellous a readinesse to help and blesse you There is not any one want upon you not any one distresse but every one of the persons in Trinity is apprehensive of it and looks on it with tender bowels of compassion I pitty them saith the Father I wil help him saith Christ the Son I will support and comfort him in this condition saith the holy Ghost 5. It is a most free love every one of the persons loves you with a love which ariseth It is most free love only from love not from any thing in your selves nor for any benefit which can arise from you unto your selves but only because they will love you and are so pleased to love you the love of the Father doth not finde you but make you children the love of Christ doth not finde you but make you righteous the love of the Spirit doth not finde you but make you holy It is a communicating love all the favour which you have and all the good which you have you have it wholly upon the meere account of the freenesse and goodnesse of their love 6. It is a most permanent love There is no change of it nor end unto it see Rom. It is a most permanent love 8. 35. to the end God is your eternal Father and Christ your eternal Priest and the Spirit is your eternal Comforter there is no end of themselves and there is no end of their love unto your selâes Secondly In respect of the fruits and vertues of it The fruits and vertues of the love of the Trinity unto you are high and glorious In respect of the fruits and vertues of this love This love is the foundation of all the good of heaven and earth I will mention some of them 1. This love is the foundation of all the building the springs of all the streames all that future glory in heaven and all the possible enjoyments on earth in reference unto that glory they all flow from this love all the kinde thoughts of God and purposes and Counsels and Acts are built upon this foundation of love 2. This love is the moving wheele it is that which sets all the Attributes of God This love is the moving wheel a working for you the Wisdom and Power and Goodness and Mercifulnesse and Graciousnesse and
Then shall the Priests command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean and Cedar wood and Scarlet and Hysop Ver. 5. And the Priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water Ver. 6. As for the living bird he shall take it and the Cedar wood and the scarlet and the hysop and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the living bird that was killed over the running water Ver. 7. And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosie seven times and shall pronounce him clean c. Now that the Lord doth on this wise sprinkle the blood of Christ on his people for the forgiveness of their sins namely in a way of assurance that their sins are forgiven may thus appear by Scripture Rev. 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it The white stone was given in token of absolution and the black stone in token of condemnation by the Athenians Psal 103. 2. Blesse the Lord O my soul Ver. 3. who forgiveth all thine iniquities Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee Luke 7. 48. He said unto her thy sins are forgiven Ephes 4. 32. Even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Col. 2. 13. Having forgiven you all trespasses 1 Joh. 2. 12. Your sins are forgiven for his Names sake Isa 60. 16. Thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer Ch. 40. 2. Speak ye comfortably unto Jerusalem and cry unto her that her iniquity is pardoned 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life c. But unless they did know that their sins in particular were pardoned they could not have said we know that we are passed from death to life Thirdly This ascertaining Application is made by the Spirit of God and by How this appâication is made Faith and by the testimony of Conscience First By the Spirit of God which is given to the people of God that they might know the things that are given to them of God 1 Cor. 2 12. The Spirit By the Spirit of God is given not only for implantation of grace but aâso for demonstration to manifest by his light those graces which he hath wrought in us Not only for union with Christ but also for manifestation of that union unto us not only to bring us into Covenant with God but also to open and reveal unto us the love and mercy of God unto us in his Covenant Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God ver 17. and if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt heirs with Christ If the Spârit testifie unto us that we are the children of God and heirs of God then certainly he witnesses with this that we are justified and pardoned persons âphes 1. 13. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise ver 14. which is the earnest of our inheritance What is that sealing by that holy Spirit of promise but the evidencing confirming assuring of us concerning the things which God hath promised unto us and amongst the rest of the pardon of our sins in order to salvation Secondly By Faith There is an ability in Faith not only to give a general evidence and assent that whatsoever God hath promised is true but also By faith to raise a particular evidence concerning our very interest in the things promised by God unto us 1 Joh. 4. 16. We have known and believed the love that God hath to us Cant. 15. 6. He is altogether lovely There is a direct act of Faith This is my beloved and this my friend here is the reflexive act of faith 1 Joh. 5. 20. He hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ Beloved whatsoever good the Lord doth promise unto his people he will give them Faith to believe it for that is one great end of his promising that we might inherit the good promised by believing but God hath promised the pardon of sins in particular to every particular believer Act. 10. 48. Whosoever believes on him shall receive the remission of sins Ergo. Thirdly Besides this there is given unto every one of the people of God an By a renewed Conscience illightned and renewed conscience which knows the present frame of heart and can give in a clear testimony concerning it whether it doth indeed Repent and indeed believe finding it such as the word requires from whence it can make a concluding evidence that our sinnes are certainly pardoned for thus conscience reasoneth Whosoever doth truely repent and believe God himself in his Word saith that his sins are forgiven But saith the enlightned and renewed conscience which knows what is in man thou dost truly repent and believe for I find such lively acts and effects of them both which the Word of God gives concerning them in truth Ergo Be of good comfort and rejoyce thy sinnes are forgiven thee Thus you see what the sprinkling is in the Text namely the imputation of the blood of Christ for forgiveness to every particular believer with an assurance of the forgiveness of his sins for Christs sake SECT II. Quest 2. NOw I proceed unto the second Question Why the Lord is Reasons of it pleased to make such an application and such an assurance unto his people No benefit by the blood of Christ without application Sol. 1. One reason is because though there be forgiveness for the blood of Christ yet this is of no benefit unto any but unto whom it is applyed and appropriated and imputed Simile Suppose that a great debt be discharged this avails not me unless my great debt be discharged Suppose that a release from the prison or from death be granted what is this to me if the release be not imputed unto me in particular So though God forgives sins only for the blood of Christ unless he applies this to me I am not the better for it O but God did peremptorily intend the particular good of every believer in the death of Christ Christ dyed for them and gave himself for them and therefore he applies the blood of Christ to them his intention was for them in particular they shall fare the better for Christ Ergo. Secondly Their great comfort lies in this apprehension and assurance of the forgiveness The comfort oâ it lies in assurance of their sins in the blood of Christ There are two Requisites for the Christians comfort concerning Christ and forgiveness 1. One is Propriety that Christ is his Christ and dyed for his sins Who
cryes out O Lord pity and pardon and comfort my distressed soul with the assurance of thy love and of forgiving mercy for Christs sake And then the voice of comfort and joy speaks Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee and writes this good news upon the conscience Why this is right assurance and right comfort of the Holy Ghost Secondly There always goes a renewing and sanctifying work of the Spirit A renewing and sanââifying work before the assuring and witnessing work of the Spirit Here I will briefly clear two Points 1. That the sanctifying work of the Spirit goes before the assuring work of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 21. He who hath anointed us is God Ver. 22. Who hath also sealed us Psal 85. 8. He will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints I beseech you tell me whose portion is forgiveness of sins and peace Hath the Lord promised it unto any but unto his people and who are indeed the people of God but Saints but holy people see 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people God will forgive none their sins but such as are his people much less will he assure any that their sins are forgiven but his people and all the people of God actually called into Covenant with him are holy therefore men must be sanctified before they are assured 2. It cannot be otherwise whether you consider First The Nature of the Spirit of God The Spirit of God is a holy Spirit and he will not aford his presence to any unless he first make them holy he always makes the Temple holy in which he intends to abide and dwell and if he will not abide in us unless he sanctifies us will he give us the assurance of the great love of God in Christ that our sins are pardoned before he sanctifies us Secondly You find in Experience that when the people of God fall into sin and do oppose the sanctifying work of the Spirit presently they lose comfort and assurance David did so Psal 51. if we must uphold sanctity to preserve the peace and comfort of the Spirit surely then there must be sanctity wrought before peace and assurance be spoken Thirdly A man must be in Christ before he can have propriety in the forgiveness of his sins and assurance that God hath for Christs sake forgiven him this all of you will grant as saith the Apostle If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Fourthly Once more Mark what God hath threatned to wicked and ungodly persons namely wrath and judgement and destruction and visiting of their sins upon them this is the portion of their cup. Now would you have the Spirit of God to misapply the Word of God whatsoever God hath threatned or promised in his Word that the Spirit of God is to apply his work it is to apply threatnings and his work it is to apply promises and his office it is to apply the one and the other respectively to the persons under the threatnings and under the promises he knows the mind of the Lord and therefore as he will not apply the threatnings of wrath unto the godly so he will not apply the promises of God to the wicked and if so then no assurance shall be by him applied unless men be holy Therefore let no man deceive himself with a deluded perswasion or assurance that his sins are pardoned as long as he remains wicked ungodly or unholy no no the holy Spirit never seals any but holy persons And there is a twofold holiness wrought in us before the Spirit gives assurance 1. One is Internal and Habitual which is the renewing and changing of the heart into a conformity with the Image of Christ 2. Another is External and Actual in the life and conversation Psal 50. 23. To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Although this be true that every one who is sanctified is not presentây assured yet this is true that the Spirit of God assures no man but first he sanctifies him Thirdly There always goes the believing work before assuring work of the Believing work Spirit the Spirit of God is a Spirit of faith and then the Spirit of comfort or assurance Ephes 1. 13. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Mark first believing and then a filling with all joy and peace Psal 13. 5. I have trusted in thy mercy my heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation This Assertion I suppose will pass without dispute that the Spirit first works faith and then assurance and really it must be so for 1. You must be in relation of children and heirs before you can assure your selves of the portion of children Therefore the Apostle placeth the Spirit of Adoption before the witness of the Spirit as I hinted out of Rom. 15. 16. But it is by faith that we are children Gal. 3. 26 And receive the dignity of sons Joh. 1. 12. 2. None can assure himself of benefit but he who hath first a propriety in Christ union is the sole foundation of communion see 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption What faith preceâes assurance Quest But now the question may be what faith that is which necessarily is precedent unto assurance Answered Sol. A twofold faith is previously required First A faith of union with Christ Secondly A faith of dependance upon the promises 1. A faith of union from which results propriety that Christ is yours and you are Christs as upon civil Marriage there ensues a mutual propriety this faith doth unquestionably precede the testimony or assurance of the Spirit for no part of Christs purchase can be sealed unto you before you have a part in Christ himself 2. A faith of dependance upon God that according to his promises he will both pardon you and also give you the assurance that he hath pardoned you for Christs sake and this faith is many times put forth to believe in hope against hope Rom. 4. 18. Before the Spirit lets in the assurance that our sins are pardoned I will hearken what c. Psal 80. 8. Fourthly There always goes praying and wrestling before this assuring Praying and wrestling work of the Spirit The Spirit of supplication goes before the Spirit of assurance Zach. 13. 9. They shall call upon my Name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God Jer. 30. 21 22. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord ye shall be my
as well as Justification II. That God himself doth undertake to sanctifie or to renew the hearts of his people III. That a new heart and a new spirit God will give unto all his people in Covenant SECT I. Doct. 1. THat Sanctification is promised unto the people of God as well as Justification Sanctification is promised as well as Justification or with Justification God doth promise not only to pardon the sins of his people but also to sanctifie and renew the hearts of his people a new heart also will I give you For the opening of this precious Truth I will shew unto you 1. The distinction or difference between Justification and Sanctification for the word also imports as much 2. The Connexion between them both 3. The Reasons why God promiseth the one with the other First The distinction or difference 'twixt Justification and Sanctification for they The difference between Justification and Sanctification are promised as two distinct or several gifts I will also c. which could not be spoken if they were both of them one and the same thing They differ thus First There is in Justification a change of the state he who was in the state They differ in six things of death and wrath being justified is in the state of life and love he is passed from death to life but in Sanctification of the heart he who was unholy is now made holy his heart is changed Secondly Justification looks at the guilt of sin and frees us from condemnation There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. But Sanctification looks at the filth of sin and frees us from the dominion of sin Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Thirdly In Justification there is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us for which God accounts us righteous but in Sanctification there is grace infused into us by which we are made conformable unto the image of Christ that depends upon the merit of Christ and this depends upon the Spirit of Christ Fourthly The matter of âââââification is perfect and without any defect and exception the justice of God cannot finde any want in the obedience of Christ which was full and compleat and perfectly satisfied the Law of God but the matter of our sanctification is imperfect and weak and we cannot stand before Gods Judgment-seat with it Fifthly All who are justified are justified alike there is no difference amongst believers as to their Justification one is not more justified than another for every justified person hath a plenary Remission of his sins and the same righteousness of Christ imputed but in Sanctification there is difference amongst believers every one is not sanctified alike but some are stronger and higher and some are weaker and lower in grace Sixthly In Justification there is nothing of sin remaining which hath any cotrariety to the justified estate but in Sanctification there is something of sin remaining in the sanctified person which is contrary to that grace which is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other c. 2ly The Connexion of Sanctification with Justification You may read in The connexion of Sanctification with Justification Scripture of a four-fold conjunction of these two great gifts of God unto his people First In the promises of the Covenant they joyn hand in hand come forth like A four-fold cennexion In the promises twins out of the womb of grace Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me Here you see them both expressed together in the same deed I will cleanse them from all their iniquity there is our sanctification promised And I will pardon all their iniquities there is justification promised Mich. 7. 19. He will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea Here you finde them again in promise He will subdue our iniquities this is sanctifying and he will cast all c. there is justifying Heb. 8. 10. I will put my Laws into their mindes and write them in their hearts there is the promise of sanctification Ver. 12. And I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more there is the promise of justification Rev. 2. 17. I will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written c. Secondly In people of the Covenant All who are effectually called and In the people of the Covenant brought into Covenant they are justified and they are sanctified they partake of mercy and they partake of grace If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. He is made holy so 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And in 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye all in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Righteousness and Sanctification So Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins Chap. 2. 1. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Thirdly In the desires of the people of the Covenant Their hearts are drawn In the desires of the people of the Covenant forth with the desires of both Psal 51. 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving-kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Here is earnest prayer for mercy to pardon sin Ver. 10. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me here is earnest prayer for grace to sanctifie Fourthly In the Mediatour of the Covenant who is the Head of his Church as well In the Mediatour as the Saviour of his body Ephes 5. 23. And gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Ver. 26. as well as to wash it from its sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. And gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 19. And bare our iniquities in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto Righteousness by whose stripes we are healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. He was anointed not only to be our Priest to take away our sins by his body but also to be a Prophet to reveal unto us the whole will of God And this is the will of God even our sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. 3ly The Reasons why God doth promise
the garden he will water He will end forth âudgement unto victory Mat. 12. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the same image from glory to glory 3. He will preserve your holinesse and you being holy in holiness To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holinesse 1 Thes 3. 13. and He will preserve our holinesse 1 Thes 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ver 24. Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it Phil. 1. 6. He which hath begun a good work in you will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ 4. He loves your holinesse and takes delight in it for it is his own Image and He loves your holinesse his own work the fruit of his own grace the birth of his own Spirit 5. He will crown your holinesse ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end He will crown our holinesse everlasting life Rom. 6. 22. Blessed are the poor in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5. 8. Therefore is holinesse called a change from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Holiness at first is weak and little at length it is much and strong at last it shall be perfect and glorious At first it is like a spark of fire covered with ashes at length it is like a burning fire at last like a flaming fire at first it is in groans and desires at length it is in conflicts and combates at last it is in victory and glory 4. God is an Omniscient God he knows all things whatsoever and all persons God is an omniscient God and all conditions and all the hearts and all the counsels and thoughts and words and wayes of all men at all times and in all places and that most clearly and perfectly by his own infinite light he knows all that is past and all that is present and all that is future and all that is possible Heb. 4. 13. There is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Consider this place seriously which declares Gods Omniscience There is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight There be many millions of millions of creatures and they be farre and near over all the world but whatsoever they are and wheresoever they are they are manifest in his fight though they be hid from us yet they are known to God and though they be out of our fight yet are they manifest in his sight they are before his eyes which runne to and fro throughout all the world And all things are naked and open to his eyes there is no darkness twixt him and them no curtain is drawn over his eye they are as naked to him as the childe which is newly born is unto our eye or as every pile of grass is discovered by the Sun at noon day or as the parts of a diseased body c. Psal 139. 2. Thou knowest my down-lying and my up-rising thou understandest my thoughts afar off verse 3. Thou art acquainted with all my wayes vese 4. There is not a word in my tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether Quest You will say This is granted it is very unquestionable that God is omniscient that he knows all things But what is this for the comfort and good of What comfort have we by this his people what good have they by being interested in an all-knowing God Sol. 1. The good and comfort thereby is exceeding great for Gods omniscience This is the key to open all his other Attributes is as it were the Key to open all his other Attributes it is the spring which sets them all to work and without which they could not work at all for your good Though the Lord be an All-sufficiency yet unlesse he were omniscient unlesse he did know all your wants what good could his all-sufficiency do you And though the Lord be of a very merciful nature ready to pity and help yet unlesse he did know your miseries he could not help you in your miseries It is his omniscience which doth if I may be so bold to expresse it acquaint and inform all his other glorious Attributes and put them on and draw them out to work for our good 2. That the omniscient God is your God this is an unspeakable comfort unto It is comfortable if we consider you whether you consider what he knows or how he knows as concerning your selves For what he knows as concerning your selves and your conditions The Lord What he knows as concerning our selves The integrity of our hearts knows who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. He knows the integrity of your hearts notwithstanding all your weaknesse and failings But the High places were not taken away neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his dayes 2 Chron. 15. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 20. Thou Lord knowest thy servant John 2. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee He knowes all your wants and all your distresses I know thy works and tribulation All our wants and poverty saith Christ to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2. 9. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things Matth. 6. 32. He knows all your desires and prayers and tears Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth All our desires the heart knows what is the minde of the Spirit Psal 38. 9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 56. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book He knows all your active and passive service in his cause for his glory all the All our active and passive service How he knows us and our conditions With a knowledge Of approbation good that ever you have done and all the evil that ever you have suffered Rev. 2. How he knows you and all your conditions He doth know all the conditions of his people with a knowledge 1. Of Approbation The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1. 6. that is he likes their way he approves of their way so Rev. 2. 9. I know thy works that is I like them exceeding well I am pleased to see them 2. Of Compassion The Lord said I have surely seen the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Task-masters for Of compassion I know their sorrowes Exod. 3. 7. If one loved us much but did not know our wants and conditions if one did know all our conditions but did not love us it were sad but God knows and loves c. As a father knows the distresses and wants of his childe and pities the childe in that condition his bowels are troubled for him and if he can he will relieve
your good he seeks your wel-fare and happinesse speaks kindly to you hears your groans answers your complaints and pleads for the poor and needy 7. He is a King for Protâction He will protect and secure you against all your Enemies Divels Sins Men the worst and greatest and will subdue them and trample them under his feet His enemies shall be his foot-stoole 8. He hath great rewards an infinite treasure to bestow on all his people he will accept He hath great rewards for you of their service and reward every one of them with a crown of life O how happy are the people who have the Lord to be their God! and who have therefore Christ to be their Christ a Christ who is such a Prophet such a Priest and such a King I will not stay you any longer in this one part of your Covenant-happiness viz. That Christ is yours only I think it fit to summe up in a few particulars the general comforts which I have mentioned or insinuated already in the Person and Offices of Christ Thus then if Christ be yours Then 1. Life is yours Christ is your life and he that hath the Son hath life Col. 3. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 12. 2. Love is yours Christ loves all his with a love of Kindnesse and tendernesse and benevolence and benificence 3. All that Christ did or suffered in order to mans salvation all is yours your good and for your good 4. His Redemption is yours he hath Redeemed you from wrath and curse and sin and Satan and death and hell 5. You are certainly partakers of the forgivenesse of all your sins 6. You are perfectly reconciled unto God who is now your God and your Father 7. You are accepted and approved with God in the Righteousness of Christ which is now yours as Christ himself is yours 8. You now receive the adoption of sons as you are the brethren of Christ so are you with him in the same relation of sons unto God 9. You are cloathed with the same Spirit wherewith Christ himself was anointed the self same Spirit which is in Christ as your Head is in you as his Members 10. He is your Apology against all Satans accusations and your own sins and fears There is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus for it is Christ that died 11. He is the living Root and foundation of all your graces and comforts 12. All his victories shall extend to you over Satan the world your sinnes and death 13. You are no more strangers nor Forreiners but are made nigh by the blood of Christ 14. You have all the sights of God in his glory as he is the Lord gracious and merciful long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth 15. You enjoy liberty of Accesse by his blood to the throne of grace 16. You shall assuredly speed well in all your suites be heard and answered upon his account 17. He will take special care of you and will own and help and succour and supply you as long as you have a day to live on earth 18. He is your Defence as he is exceedingly sensible of all your Injuries so he will certaânly judge all your enemies 19 By him you are heires of the same glory and Kingdom which the Father hath bestowed on him and which he hath prepared for you 20. He will never part with you nor forsake you but will love and keep you to the end 21. He will entertain you with sweet communions in the day of your pilgrimage and as you are walking and travelling through the vale of tears many a kind word many a good look many a feast all you have where he will sup with you and you shall sup with him many refreshings and joyes and revivings of your spirits 22. You shall infallibly possâsse and enjoy all the grace and comfort and blessing and blessednesse which he hath purchased for you in this life and in the life to come even to all eternity he is ever with you whilst you are on earth and you shall for ever be with him when you dye and come to Heaven SECT IX 4. A Fourth singular comfort unto you who have God to be your God is this The Spirit of God is yours then the Spirit of God is yours He also is given unto you for this is one part of the Covenant Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you 1 Thes 4. 8. He hath given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Nehem. 9. 20. Thou gavest them also thy good Spirit Acts 5. 32. The holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him The Spirit of God may be considered seven wayes and as to every one of them The spirit is ours in respect of his Titles and Attributes The Spirit of God of Christ of Glory he is yours In respect 1 Of his âitles or Attributes 2. Of his gifts and fruits 3 Of his works or operations 4. Of his helps or vertues 5. Of his joyes and comforts 6. Of his Office or Function 7. Of his presence or abode 1. The Spirit is yours in respect of his Titles and Attributes he is called sometimes 1. The Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. and the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. and the Spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. This very Spirit is given unto you who have God to be your God we have received the Spirit which is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4. 6. O what a glory is this what a dignity what a comfort that the same Spirit which is in Christ is also in you that you have Christ and you have the Spirit of Christ 2. The holy Spirit Grieve not the holy Spirit of God Ephess 4. 30. sealed with The holy Spirit that holy Spirit of promise Ephes 1. 13. above eighty times is the Spirit of God stiled the holy Ghost or Spirit in the Scripture And under this notion also is he given unto you as we are said in Heb. 3. 14. to be partakers of Christ so are we said in Heb. 6. 4. to be partakers of the holy Ghost and as Christ is said to be given unto us Isa 9. 6. so the Holy Ghost is said to be given unto us Acts 5. 32. 1 Thes 4. 8. This is the excellency of the Spirit of God that he is holy and this is our excellency that we are holy and the holy Spirit is given unto us for this end to make us holy like unto the Father and the Son and himself hence it is that we are said to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost Rom. 15. 16. 2 Thes 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 3. The free Spirit so he is called Psal 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit The free Spirit He is a free Spirit on a two fold account
1. Because he works where and on whom and when and how he himself pleaseth he blowes where he lists Joh. 3. 8. 2. And he is a âree Spirit in as much as all spiritual freedom and liberty is received of us from him hence the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 4. The good Spirit by Spirit is good âsa 143 10 Thou gavest them of thy good Spirit The good Spirit Neh. 9. 20. The Spirit is essentially good and counsels good he is indeed a good Spirit unto us All the good thoughts in us and all the good desires in us and all the good we have or shall receive from God in Christ is handed to us by this good Spirit yea and all the sweet sights of God himself that ever we enjoyed and all the tasts that ever we have had of Jesus Christ and all the joyes and contentments in our souls we are beholding unto this good Spirit for every one of them though in some respect you are not beholding unto the Spirit for dying and suffering and satisfying and reconciling and purchasing for you yet this I may safely affirme that for all the enjoyments of all the sweet comforts depending on the sufferings of Christ you are singularly beholding to the good spirit for them you never could have partaked of Christ nor of any one good purchased by Christ had it not been for this good Spirit 5. The powerfull or mighty Spirit The Spirit of the Lord is called the Spirit of The powerful Spirit might Isa 11. 2. The power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. the power of the Spirit of God verse 19. the power of the Highest Luke 1. 35. It was the power of this Spirit which did convince you of your sins and which did break your heard harts and did rescue and deliver you from the power of darknesse which doth subdue your iniquities and pull down your strong bolds It was and is this powerfull Spirit by whom the Ministrations or Ordinances of the Gospel have been and still are of power with you The Word is called the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6. 17. The Ministrations of them selves are weak it is the concomitant presence of the Spirit which makes them powerful and lively for your conversion comfort and salvation you had laine in the same condition and darknesse and bondage and death with other men had not the powerful and mighty Spirit of God put forth the greatnesse of his own strength to the alteration of your hearts by his own grace 2. The Spirit is yours in respect of his gifts and fruits You read in 1 Cor. 12. The Spirit is ours in respect of his gifts or fruits 14. of diversities of gifts of the Spirit for edification or to profit withall ver 7. and you read of the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. and of the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. The Spirit of God as to these gifts and fruits is called the Spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. and the Spirit of wisdome Isa 11. 2. and the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord and the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and the Spirit of love 2 Tim. 1. 7. and the Spirit of supplication Zach. 12 10. the fruit of the Spirit saith the Apostle in Gal. 5. 22. is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith and ver 23. meeknesse temperance There are six things which I would briefly observe concerning the graces or fruits Six things concerning the graces of the Spirit They are the beauties of a Christian They are necessary to salvation of the Spirit 1. They are the Beauties Glories Ornaments Chains Pearls Jewels of a Christian you have no excellencies till you partake of them but are dead loathsome polluted and vile These are the very image of God 2. They are necessary unto salvation No man can be saved without them They are the way to the kingdom though they be not the cause of reigning in the kingdom without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. 3. They are pledges of salvation therefore called the first fruits which were They are pledges of salvation the beginnings and the pledges of the full harvest and also the earnest of the Spirit which he leaves with us to assure us of that glorious happinesse which we are to receive shortly in fulnesse 4. They are given to none but unto such as shall be saved There are the common gifts of the Spirit which are for the edification of others These they may have They are given to none but such as shall be saved who shall perish like those who helped to build the Ark and yet were drowned But there are the special gifts of the Spirit which are for Renovation of the soule and for the preparation of it for glory These are given to none but unto such who are elected unto salvation As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Act. 13. 48. Matth. 11. 25. Hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes 5. Every gift or grace which accompanies salvation is by the Spirit given Every grace accompanying salvation is given to every child of God to every child of God to every one who hath God to be his God in Covenant every one of them hath every saving grace of the Spirit 1. The spirit of grace I will poure upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. 2. The Spirit of knowledge They shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them Jer. 31. 34. 3. The Spirit of wiâdâme The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ give unto you the Spirit of wisdome Eph. 1. 17. 4. The Spirit of faith We have the same Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. You are all the children oâ God by faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 26. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us 2 Pet. 1. 1. 5. The Spirit of love 2 Tim. 1. 7. Ye your selvâs arâ taught of God to love one another 1 Thes 4. 9. What should I speak of godly sorrow repentance humblenesse meeknesse patience c. whatsoever gift is necessary to our salvation the Spirit doth certainly work in every one of the people of God although not in the same measure proportion and height yet to the same truth and for the same efficacy unto their salvation Every child of God hath the same Spirit of grace and faith and love and though one Christians graces may fall short of anothers for the quantity yet they do not fall short for the present quality nor for the future glory The weakest grace of the Spirit is able to change the heart and save the soul 6. The Spirit doth cherish and preserve and keep all those saving gifts of his The Spirit doth cherish and prese ve all those saving gifts in
us in you As a Parent who begers the children he looks unto those children and maintains and keeps them All your graces are the births of the Spirit of grace and as they are the effects of his power so also are they the objects of his care and therefore as they receive life from his presence in the Ordinances so shall they receive strength and growth and stability from his continual influence upon them We are sârengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Ephes 3. 16. As we are changed from our shameful condition to glory by the Spirit so by the same Spirit are we changed from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The Spirit is yours in respect of his works or operations And truly this The Spirit is theirs in respect of his works and operatioÌs consideration makes out an exceeding happinesse unto the people of God in as much as the participation of all their happiness depends upon the workings of the Spirit of God in whom they are interested by this Covenant of grace There are five choice works which the Spirit doth for all the people of God Five choice works which the Spirit doth for all Gods people He doth unite Christ and them who have God to be their God 1. He doth unite Christ and them Although the benefits by Christ are unexpressibly precious yet the fruition of them is impossible withâut a precedent union with Christ forasmuch as union is a necessary foundation for Communion you must be in Christ and being his himself and all his benefits become yours Now it is the Spirit which makes up this union as love makes the union 'twixt Christian and Christian and as faith makes up the union from us to Christ for we are planted into Christ and are espoused unto Christ and live in Christ by faith so the Spirit makes the union 'twixt Christ and us there being no other way for him to be joyned unto us and to become Relatively ours but by his own Spirit it is the Spirit which doth let out the heart of Christ to us and who doth bring in our hearts unto Christ it is the Spirit by whom Christ applies himself unto us and apprehends us and by whom we also do apprehend and apply Christ by his Spirit he takes hold of us and by the same Spirit it is that we take hold of him In a word it is the Spirit by whom Christ speaks to our hearts and by whose light we see the excellencies of Christ and the great love of Christ and who gives Christ as it were into our hands and mightily allures and prevails upon our hearts to give themselves unto Christ again as Christ had never been effectually revealed unto you but by the Spirit so you had never been effectually brought to Christ but by the Spirit you had been Christlesse for ever without him And now consider the happiness in having this Spirit which hath wrought so effectually as to unite Christ and you and you and Christ that Christ is yours and you are his by him are you perswaded and drawn and brought into the possession of Christ and all the benefits by Jesus Christ 2. He doth conform us unto Christ We all saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 3. 18. beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image He doth conform us unto Christ from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. As by the Spirit we do discern a most glorious nature of holinesse in Christ so by the Spirit we are changed into the same image of holinesse Hence are we said to be born again bâ the Spirit John 3. 5 6. and to be renewed by the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. And to be sanctified by him 1 Pet. 1. 2. You read that Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost and he was anointed by the Spirit So is every Christian he becomes a Christian by the Spirit and he is anointed by the Spirit The oyntment indeed is first poured upon our head and then upon us but as it is the same spirit in us which is in Christ so it is the same anointing only it is in Christ as the head and without measure and as in the pattern unto which we are conformed by the Spirit As by the unction of the Spirit we become like Christ in nature so also in Relation God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba-Father Gal. 4. 6. Now judge of the blessednesse of having the Spirit He is the cause of our union and he is the cause of our unction he brings us into Christ and he anoints us with the same grace wherewith Christ himself was anointed so that we are like Christ himself we are anointed with the same Spirit and therefore we must needs be excellent and choice persons and very lovely in the eyes of God 3. He doth reveal unto us the highest and the choicest things of salvation He is called the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 17. because he opens He revealeth to us the choicest things of salvation and reveals those things unto the people of God which are hid from the eyes of others There are five precious things which the Spirit reveales unto you He reveals 1. The mystery of life unto you even Jesus Christ who cannot be known The mystery of life or acknowledged but by the Spirit Flesh and blood cannot reveal him No man can confesse him No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. But we speak the wisdome of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory 1 Cor. 2. 7. 2. The love of God unto you The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts The love of God by the holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. He makes the greatnesse of the love and your propriety in it known unto you and the exceeding riches of grace c. 3. The presenc of Christ within you Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3. 24. Christ without nay Christ The presence of Christ within us is not discerned by us without the Spirit 4. The wonderful glory prepared for us Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared The glory prepared for us for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. 5. The most precious gifts bostowed on us In this life we have received the The most precious gifts bostowed on us Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. The sight of your own graces is by the assistance of the Spirit O what
Satan alas your own strength is insufficient to conquer for you ãâ¦ã maintain the fight for you unlesse the Spirit of God put forth his actual help unlesse he take your part what one temptation of lust of doubt of feare is not too hard for you and what one temptation from Satan is not too strong for you Every little touch throws down or hazards the weak child so this c. But this is your comfort that in all your spiritual conflicts you are sure of the Spirits presence to own his own graces and to defend and secure them His gracious presence shall be sufficient for you 2 Cor. 12. 9. and his power makes it self manifest in your weaknesse he will be near to help you strengthen you to make you to resist and to conquer and to be more than conquerours through Christ that loved you We are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. 10. 5. The Spirit helps them in the darknesses upon their spirits my meaning is In the darkness of our spirits in all the with-drawments of Gods favour and light of countenance and in all the sad apprehensions of their own spiritual condition when they think God is become their enemy and that themselves are forgotten of God and cast off by God and have no interest nor hope in Christ Now in these times the Spirit of God works and helps supplies supports stirs up faith against hope to believe in hope and against our own feelings yet to pray and trust and wait and look for God 6. He helps them in the captivities of their souls As when sinne or Satan In the captivity of our souls in this or that particular have been too subtile and too strong for them and have prevailed over them so that they are fallen and not able to rise even then in this condition doth the Spirit of God by his wonderful graces help them up again he makes them to see their sinnes and bewail them and raise them by renewing and strengthening faith on the Lord Jesus Christ Thus he dealt with David with Peter c. As the finding of us in our lost estate so the raising of us from our fallen estate is done by the help of the Spirit 5. The Spirit is yours in respect of his joyes âr comforts You read of the He is ours in respect of his joyes and comforts joy of the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And of the comforts of the holy Ghost Acts 9 31. And that Christ himself calls him the Comforter John 16. 7. The Spirit is given unto you not only to unite you to Christ not only to conform you unto Christ not only to lead you in the wayes of Christ not only to help you in the services of Christ but also to comfort your hearts in Christ The Spirit is a comforter in three respects He is a Comforter As he opens to us all the springs of comfort As he actuates our faith in theÌ As he applies them to our souls 1. He opens unto you all the true springs of comfort It is he who opens unto you the fountain of mercy and the fountain of the love and grace of God and the fountain of the blood of Christ 2. He actuates your faith to look on all these fountains of joy and wells of comfort as set open for the good and help of your souls 3. He applies all of them unto your souls he makes it evident that God loves your souls and that Christ died for your souls and that you are justified by faith in him and are reconciled and pardoned and accepted unto life and hereupon he fills you with all joy in believing even with joy unspeakable and glorious You cannot imagine what a comfort it is to have the Spirit of God to be our comfort for 1. His comforts are choice comforts There is no more comparison 'twixt the His comforts are choice comforts comforts of the world and the comforts of the Spirit than between the light of the Candle and the light of the Sunne they are the very comforts of God they are the very drops out of the Wells of Salvation they are drawn out from the proper and only grounds of joy They are comforts which of all other do most punctually answer the distresses of your souls 2. He can comfort you under all your discomfirts Who comforteth us in all our He cancomfort under all discomforts tribulations 2 Cor. 1. 4. Yea under the deepest and saddest disconsolations In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psal 94. 19. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death c. thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me Psal 23. 4. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds Psal 147. 3. 3. He can comfort you when there is none else to comfort you when you have He can comfort when there is none else to comfort neither father nor mother sister nor brother companion nor friend when you are in prison in exile in the losse of all yet he alone when you are alone can comfort your souls he can shew you the salvation of the Lord speak peace assure you of mercy and cause you to rejoyce 4. Hâ can comfort you and none shall hindâr him neither men nor divels He can comâort and none âhall hinder âim nor your own fears and doubts He can create your peace and joyes and make comfârts for you and make you to drink of them And as none can take away your joyes so none shall be able to hinder them 6. The Spirit is yours in respect of his offices There are three special offices beloâging He is ours in respect of his offices Three offices of the Spirit To make all the Ordinances of Christ effectual to us unto the Spirit 1. One is to make all the Ordinances of Christ powerful and effectual unto you Take the doctrines of the Gospel they are not effectual without the Spirit and take the seâls of the Gospel they are not effectual unto you without the Spirit There are excellent precepts in the Gospel and excellent offers in the Gospel and excellent promises in the Gospel the Gospel commands us to repeât to mourn to deny our selves to renounce all for Christ to come and believe on Christ but it is the Spirit which makes all these commands effectual and the Gospel offers Jesus Christ to poor sinners and thiâsty sinners and presents singular arguments to perswade and allure and draw the hearts of sinners but it is the Spirit which makes all those offers and all those arguments effectual and the Gospel promiseth all heavenly good of love of grace of peace of joy c. but it is the Spirit which makes all these effectual And therefore the New Testamânt is called the mânâstration nât of the Letter but of the Spirit who giveth lâfe 2 Cor. 3. 6. And the Gospel hath excellent seals
faithfulnesse of God yea which sets every person of the Trinity a working for you It is the love of the Father which did put him upon the thoughts and upon the gift of Christ It is the love of the Son which did put him upon the giving of himself upon dying for you And it is the love of the Spirit which did put him upon the giving of himself unto you and working all his works for you 3. This love is the reason of their delight in you you are made neer by it and become This love is the reason of their delight in you exceeding dear unto every one of them the Father takes pleasure in you and so doth the Son and so doth the Spirit they take delight in your persons and in your graces and in your services and every one of them manifests himself unto you and makes known their relations unto you 4. This love is at cost and charges for you and it makes all easie and joyful there is not a person of the Trinity but is glad if I may so expresse it with all his heart This love is at cost and charges for you to do you good it is no burden to the Father to promise nor to the Son to purchase nor to the holy Ghost to apply the riches of Grace and Glory unto you This love is that which makes them restlesse untill they have done you good the Father waits to be gracious and to shew mercy How do I long untill it be accomplished said Christ of his sufferings for us c. and unweariable in the doing of us good 5. This love of their is that which makes them so dreadful and heavy unto your enemies This love makes them so dreadful to your enmies so high in the wayes of your defence and so high in the works of vengeance on your Adversaries enemies to your enemies and friend unto your friends God by his Spirit fills their hearts with terrours and puts them into streights and drives your enemies to their feet and Christ rides conquering bathing his sword in blood 6. This love of theirs is the reason why they do all of them bear with all your infirmaties yea and cover the multitude of your sins that they deale so gently with This love is the reason why they all bear with your infirmities Five comforts from this you and accept of your weakest performances and defires and tears and sighs and greans and passe by all your failings c. Thus have you heard of the common union of the Trinity in their love unto you which I think is a clear ground of wonderful contentment for being interested in this their common love of you 1. All fears and doubts are silenced in all your approaches unto God The Father All fears and doubts are silenced in all your approaches unto God You cannot but speed very well in prayer unto whom you pray he loves you the Son by whom you pray he loves you the Spirit who helps you to pray he also loves you If you have the love of every one of them there is no just cause of any distrustful fears 2. Nay how can it be but that you must speed very well Love gives the kindest and fullest and easiest and sweetest answers and helps what will not the loving God and Father the loving Christ and Saviour the loving Spirit and Comforter what will they not do for you 3. Whatsoever God is in his greatnesse the better it is for all you who are thus beloved of him I do confesse that the greater God is if he loves us not the Whatsoever God is in his greatnesse the better it is for you more dreadful is our apprehension of him but the greater that he is if he loves us this is the more comfortable unto us The greatnesse of his power who loves us The greatnsse of his Alsufficiency who loves us The greatnesse of his Mercifulnesse Wisdom Knowledge Faithfulnesse c. who loves us can you have a greater encouragement then this that God who knows all things who hath all things who can do all things who will perform all things this God loves me unquestionably therefore I shall be the better for that power c. 4. The common love of the Trinity assures you against damnation and perishing This common love assu es you against damnation and of salvation and of salvation and blessednesse Love preserves but destroyes not love brings us near but rejects and forsakes not for how can it possibly be that any man should perish and be lost who is interested in the highest and dearest and unchangable love of God who hath the ordaining love of the Father unto salvation and the meriting love of Christ to purchase salvation and the applying love of the Spirit effectually undertaking to guide and lead him unto salvation I confesse that if God did not love you there could be no salvation for you âor were the love of the Trinity divided and parted so that though the Father loved you intending your salvation but the Son would not undertake it with his love to die for you to procure salvation or if the Son and Father would consent in their love but the holy Ghost would not love you so far as to bring you into Christ to be partakers of him and of salvation then there would be a manifest uncertainty of your salvation or if all of them did love you with a changeable love 5. Lastly it cannot be that you should want any necessary good If that argument It cannot be that you should want any necessary good of Christs be strong against the fear of wants Matth. 6. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things surely this is stronger Your Father loves you therefore you shall not want them 2. There is a conjunctive union as in the love of the Trinity so in the will and There is a conjunctive union in the will and purpose of the Trinity in the matters of our salvation consent and purpose of the Trinity in the matters of your salvation There was one mutual will between them from eternity and there is one and the same mutual will between them unto eternity what the Father did will the Son did will and the same did the Holy Ghost will and what the Father did propose for your salvation for the matter and manner unto all of that did the Sonne and holy Ghost consent and agree and what the Father did intend and purpose with respect unto the salvation of the Elect that same did the Son and the holy Ghost intend and purpose also As the will of the Father was not nor could be hid from the other persons every one of them being one and the same God so there was a mutual will and liking and determination in every one of them as to all the matter appertaining unto our salvation Though it be most true that the persons of
the Trinity be in their respective subsistences so different that the Father neither is nor can be the Son nor the Son the Father nor the holy Ghost either yet it is as true that every one of them is the same Deity and had the same will in and for mans salvation that some should be elected of God and finde mercy and have salvation there was a mutual will and consent twixt the three persons in the Trinity That Jesus Christ the Son of God should have these bestowed upon him and he be charged to procure their salvation by being incarnated and by being humbled to the death even to the death of the Cross as to this also there was a mutual will and consent in the Trinity I will give and send you saith the Father Lo I come I will give my self saith the Son and I will anoint and sanctifie you for this saith the Spirit that the holy Ghost should be sent to open and apply the salvation of God unto the Elect of God the Father and to the redeemed by Christ the Son this also fell into their common will and consent and purpose in respect werereof the holy Ghost is said to be sent and given from the Father and from the Son Joh. 14. 26. The Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things c. Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father he shall testifie of me I will not enlarge my self in this discourse at this time because it will fall in more fully when I come to speak of the parties interested in the Covenant only let me tell you who are in Covenant with God that your comforts are exceeding great even from this That there was and is a mutual will consent agreement and purpose of the whole Trinity concerning you and your salvation for this will concerning you and your salvation 1. It is the gracious will of Gods decree 2. It is a fixed and invariable will 3. It is an effectual and infallible will 4. And I if may not be mistaken it is the binding will or argument of all the persons unto which every one of them as it were sets his seal and in which they are all of them bound up and according unto which every one of them doth act or expresse himself for our salvation O what infinite love and goodnesse and wisdom is this that our salvation should be thus contrived and ordered and distinctly undertaken and agreed upon with one common consent of will and purpose by the whole Trinity of persons every one of them contributing his whole self and heart and power towards it Surely your salvation must be precious and excellent and sure and we our selves as sure in our enjoyment of it 3. There is a conjunctivenesse of operation every person of the Trinity doth act There is a conjunctivenesse of operation or work for the good and salvation as will and intend it Joh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work verse 19. whatsoever things he doth these also doth the Sonne likewise John 14. 31. as the Father gave me commandement so do I. The Mission and Donation of Christ to save us this is the work of the Father The giving of himself for our Redemption and Reconciliation this is the work of the Sonne The calling of us and Renewing and Regenerating of us this is the work of the holy Ghost Indeed there is such an excellent co-operation of the whole Trinity in the businesse of our salvation that the greatest works conducing thereunto are promiscuously attributed to every one of them as our Vocation and Justification and Adoption and Sanctification and Glorification all these are sometimes attributed to the Father and sometimes to the Son and sometimes to the holy Ghost Sanctification is thus promiscuously attributed unto them 1. To the Father Jude ver 1. Sanctified by God the Father 2. To the Son 1 Cor. 1. 2. That are sanctified in Christ Jesus 3. To the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 16. Being sanctified by the holy Ghost Justification is also thus attributed to them 1. To the Father Rom. 8. 33. It is God that justifieth 2. To the Son Rom. 9. 5. Being now justified by his blood 3. To the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our God Vocation likewise is thus attributed unto them 1. To the Father 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he who hath called you is holy c. 2. To the Sonne Rom. 1. 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ 3. To the holy Ghost whose mighty power it is which brings us into Christ The like you may read of Adoption ascribed unto the Father Ephes 1. 5 unto the Son Gal. 4. 6. and unto the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 15. We have a rule that opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa although the modus operandi and the Terminus actionis may be distinct and questionlesse as all the Attributes of God are affirmed of every person so all the operations proper to God are common also unto them Now what a glory and comfort is this that every one of the Divine persons hath a hand in every thing which concerns our salvation As they do all of them consent unto it and resolve upon it so every one of them doth work towards it We look upon that passage as of great weight and stay and comfort unto us in Rom. 8. 28. All things viz. here below in common contingencies work together for good to them that love God! How much more is this for our support and comfort that all the Trinity that every person in the Trinity is working together for our salvation that God the Father is working and God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost As they say about the Incarnation of Christ that every one of the Persons in the Trinity had a hand in it though the second person only was Incarnated as three may weave a garment which one of them only wears thus may we say of our salvation that every person of the Trinity acts and works towards it and will still so work untill they have come to the last work untill they have finished that work in our eternall glorification 4. There is a common union also of Relation and Interest of all the persons in every There is a common union of Relation and Interest of all the persons in every Believer and of every Believer to them believer and of every believer to them Every one of the persons hath an interest in you and relation to you 1. The Father hath an interest in you 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters 2. The âon hath an interest in you
request and shall be owned and heard 5. You have this priviledge that you may not only come into the presence You may with confidence wrestle with God of your God but you may with confidence urge him and importune him and wrestle with him and still renew and reinforce your requests you may take hold of him and challenge and expostulate with him and stay him and not let him alone nor let him go untill he blesseth you And so large allowance of blessednesse is granted unto you that you may in some sort command God it is the Highest Expression that you read of Isaiah 45. 11. 6. You have this priviledge by having God to be your God and by being his You may enter into and survey all the treasures of heaven and lay claime to them people that you may enter in and survey all the rich treasures and jewels of heaven and when you have so done you may lay claime unto them all and say O Lord all these are mine by thy promise and by my right in Christ Thou art mine and thy mercy is mine and thy Christ is mine and thy grace is mine and that glory is mine all this is the purchase of Christ and all this is mine 7. You have this priviledge also that all the seals of the Covenant of grace All the seals of the Covenant are restrained to you alone are restrained unto your selves alone As the Covenant is none but yours and with you so the seals of the Covenant are none but yours and unto you only The seals of the Covenant are to confirme you and to assure you and to revive and comfort you and to establish you there is not any ungodly person on the earth who hath right unto the seals of the Covenant and the reason is because he hath no interest in the Covenant it self you onely are the people of the Covenant and therefore you onely have right to the seals of the Covenant 8. You have this priviledge that you may expect help from your God for all the works which you owe to God You may go to him for grace for strength You may expect help from God in all your works for sufficiency to work in you both to will and to do both to believe and to suffer Phil. 2. 13. and chap. 1. 29. Give thy strength unto thy servant Psal 86. 16. He will give sârength unto his people Psal 29. 11. Gods promises are joyned with his commands this thou wouldest have me to do O Lord give thy Spirit unto me and cause me to do it 9. You have this priviledge that your all is in another Your life stands in the life of another and your righteousnesse in the righteousnesse of another Your all is in another and your satisfying in the satisfaction of another and your defence in the death of another and your title and claime in the obedience and purchase and right of another and your acceptance in another your life lies in the life of Christ and your righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of Christ and your satisfying is the satisfaction of Christ and your defence and answer to all inditements and accusations is the death of Christ and your claime and title is the obedience and purchase of Christ your power is in the power of Christ and your acceptance is in Christ This is a priviledge indeed that you are wholly made up in another and by another that you shall never be found in your own righteousnesse but onely in the righteousnesse of Christ and shall never be tryed by your own righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of Christ c. 10. You have this priviledge that you live upon free cost all your days The You live upon free cost Covenant of God will finde and provide enough for you you never need to load your selves with anxious thought or care For your God and Father careth for you all your burdens and all your cares are taken off Be careful for nothing cast all your care on him for he careth for you He layeth up for his children and he layes out upon his children his Covenant will finde food for your bellies and rayment for your backs and mercy and salvation for your souls c. 11. You have this priviledge that all the gracious and sweet manifestations of All the gracious manifestations of heaven are to you only heaven are unto you only None know the Father but you none taste of the loving kindnesse of God but you none sup with Christ but you none partake of the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost but you none have that hope and assurance of glory but you none eat of the Manna but you who have a new name given unto you heavenly banquets for the soul are provided onely for you The Angels of God ministring Spirits for you 12. You have this priviledge that the very Angels of God are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for you who shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. They pitch their tenth and encampe round about them that fear God Psal 34. 7. This seems an high priviledge and yet you have an higher than this For as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for âver Psal 125. 2. 13. What can I say more Is this any priviledge that whilest you live you God will be your God in life and death may live upon your God and Father and when you dye you shall go to ãâã God and Father This also is yours who have God to be your God in Covenâââ God will be your God in life and God will be your God in death and God will be your God after death whiles you live he is yours and with you and when you dye he is yours and you shall be with him reigning in glory for ever and ever and ever Thus have you heard a few things of your happinesse in respect of your Immunities and Priviledges by having God to be your God in Covenant I will ãâã comfort more unto you and then put an end to this ãâã SECT XIII THere is yet one comfort more from this that God is your God which is this If God be your God then all is yours As he said Christââ ãâã omnia Christ is mine and all is mine so Deus mens omnia ãâã If If God be ours all is ours God be your God then heaven and earth are yours whatsoever there is in all the world that may do you good it shall be yours The Apostle expressely delivers as much in 1 Cor. â â1 All things are yours Ver. 22. Whether Paul or ãâã or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things ââ come ãâ¦ã yours He doth not in these expressions intend that Christians have a civil and common interest in all mens earthly possessions but this is it which he intend viz. That God ordains all things
than your own lives yea and more than your own souls you should love your God sine omnibus super omnia without all and above all c. And verily there are most choice and most strong reasons for all this in the Covenant alone because he is your God for because he is your God therefore For 1. He loves you with an unutterable love the purest and highest love with a fatherly He loves you love with a faithful love with a tender love with an everlasting love The Schoolmen distinguish of amor gratuitus and of amor debitus our love is but of debt which we owe to God Gods love is a gracious gift unto us we love him but can adde nothing to him he loves us and his love makes us up for ever he begins in love oâly from his love and we love when he sheds abroad his love into our hearts he loves and receives nothing from us we love and receive all from him 2. He blesseth you provides for you bestows all upon you enricheth you He blesseth you gives Christ and Mercy and Grace and Peace and Glory Who would not love a God who is Goodnesse it self and Love it self and Blessednesse it self who would not but love a God who is his God who delivers from hell who quickens from death who pardons all sins who cleanseth from all iniquity who makes us near unto himself who puts his Name upon us who speaks peace to our consciences who blesseth us with all blessings who guides and keeps and feeds us all our dayes who will give eternal life at last Walk in all manner of holinesse before your holy God In holinesse of dsposition 3. You who are the people of God you should walk in all manner of holinesse before your Holy and Omnipresent God There is an holinesse 1. Of Disposition which is the renewing of the heart by the Holy Ghost Lev. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy ver 45. I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the Land of Egypt to be your God ye shall therefore be holy for I am holy Lev. 19. 2. Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy Of Conversation 2. Of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be ye holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Thess 2. 10. Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves amongst you that believe Esay 35. 8. And an high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse Luke 1. 74. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear ver 35. In holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life Which consists This holinesse of Conversation consists partly In a separation from all sinful wayes 1. In separation from all sinful and polluted wayes and courses of the world Come out from among them and separate your selves 2 Cor. 6. 17. Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Walk not as other Gentiles walk Ephes 4. 17. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darknesse Ephes 5. 11. In exercising our selves in all holy duties In doing our civil works with holy hearts and to holy ends Reasons why such should walk in holinesse Holinesse suits with the end of the Covenant 2. In the exercising of our selves in all holy duties and works and that after an holy manner with godly fear and reverence 3. In the managing of the civil works and employments of our ordinary callings with spiritual and holy hearts and for spiritual and holy ends so that whither we deal with God or with men whither you deal in heavenly businesses or in earthly something of holinesse flows out and appears in them boâh Esay 23. 18. Her Merchandize shall be holinesse to the Lord. Now that the people of God who have him to be their God should be holy and should live very holy lives it may be thus demonstrated 1. If you consider the scope and end of the Covenant or of taking us into Covenant the end of the Covenant is to glorifie the riches of Gods mercy and grace for the praise of the glory of his grace and the end of taking us into Covenant is that we might glorifie God who is so rich in mercy and grace unto us See 1 Pet. 2. 9. upon either of these accounts his people must be holy and live holily for should they live profanely and unholily this would pollute the Name of their God and extreamely dishonour it Ezek. 36. 21 22. and cause his Name to be blasphemed Rom. 2. 24. It is the life of holinesse which makes his Name to be glorified openly amongst men as it is the life of faith which makes it to be glorified secretly in the heart Maâth 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven 2. You are taken into Covenant that there might be a near relation 'twixt Holinesse fits for communion with God you and your God and that there might be a delight ful communion between God and you but holinesse is necessary to both these you must be sanctified if you will be near unto him for unholinesse is the greatest distance from God who is holinesse it self neither will he have fellowship with you without holinesse because similitude is the foundation of communion there can be no fellowship 'twixt light and darkness nor 'twixt God and Belial 2 Cor. 6. 14. All your communions with God are in acts of holinesse as aâl his communions with you are by his holy Spirit 3. The people of God are made high above all Nations in praise and in name and in honour Deut. 26. 19. They are the excâllânt on the earth Psal 16. 3. Holinesse is our praise and honour A precious people Jer. 15. 19. A peculiar treasure unto the Lord Exod. 19. 5. But then he addes in verse 6. And ye shall be unto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation Why How can you be above all other in praise and in name and in honour if your hearts and lives continued in the same inglorious condition and course of wickednesse and sinfulnesse with others Or how could you be said to be the excellent on earth if your hearts and lives were as base and common as the vilest on earth No certainly but it is holinesse which raiseth your natures and it is holinesse which raiseth your lives As God is said to be Glorious in Holinesse Exodus 15. 11. so his Church or people is said to be glorious when it is holy and without blame Ephes 5. 27. 4. You have certainty and Testimony from your holinesse that you are indeed Holinesse is the
character of Gods people the people of God As Jesus Christ was declared to be the Sonne of God when with power he was raised from the dead by the Spirit of holinesse Rom. 1. 4. So are we really manifested or declared to be the sonnes of God when we are regenerated and renewed by the holy Ghost Titus 3. 5. Holinesse is as it were the mark of Christ and seal of the Spirit and the Character of all the people of God 4. You who are the people of God should walk with uprightnesse before the Walkwith uprightnesse before the omniscient God Omniscient and Al-sufficient God This is that which the Lord himself prescribed when he made a Covenant with Abram Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect And David presseth it upon Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde So Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Loâd thy God Beloved This is a special duty which concernes you who are the people of God the Lord your God doth insist upon this and though he beares with you in many things yet assuredly he expects this from all his people To be upright and to walk uprightly Quest But you may demand What is it to be perfect or upright and to walk so To walk uprightly is before God Sol. I answer it is 1. To walk without guile This is the periphrasis of an upright man that To walk without guile he is one in whose spirit there is no guile Psal 32. 2. that is his heart is sound and real there is truth in his inward parts he is one who loves God with his very heart and hates sinne with his very soul and so to walk uprightly it is to walk plainly To walk before God in truth as Hâzekiah expresseth it in Isa 38. 3. Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. It is not to make a shew a pretence as if we would follow the Lord as if we would obey his voice as if we would order our conversation according to his Word but it is unfeignedly to endeavour this to walk in all well-pleasing before God He that walks uprightly he doth chuse the wayes of God for his wayes and sets up the Will of God revealed in hâs Word as the rule of his course and cordially strives to come up unto that Will of God 2. To waâk with a single respect unto God without mixture of wayes and mixture To walk with a single respect to God of ends upright men are therefore stiled simple men Matthew 10. 16. That is simple which is without mixture which is not partly one thing and partly another thiâg partly gold and partly drosse partly honey and partly wax pattly mire and partly water but it is Homogeneal all alike to the substance of it So upright men are single or simple men they have but one heart and but one object and but one way or path and but one end or aim God only is tââ great object of ãâ¦ã and Gods way only is the path of their life and Gods glory is only the end of their working and walking It is not sinne and God it is not the world and God it is not a trade of sinne and a trade of holy profession it is not their own praise and Gods glory their own benefit and Gods honour that they mingle together This is hypocrisie But it is God only whom they set up and his waies only wherein they walk and his glory only which they seek And therefore the course of all their actions hath a sincere reference and subserviency thereunto so that God may have glory 3. To walk uprightly is to walk fully and wholly with God Beloved this is a very truth To walk fully and wholly with God That when a mans heart is false and unfound there is then aninequality and disproportion 'twixt the Will of God and his hearâ this heart cannot possibly extend it self to the extent of Gods Will nor raise it self to the height of Gods will the will of God seems too large and too strict some one thing or other it requires too much and something or other it forbids too much but if a person be upright his heart and Gods will be commensuerable though the act be short yet the heart is not short the heart of an upright man is as full of obedience as Gods Commands are of righteousnesse and he strives to come up fully and wholly to the Will of his God Mr servant Caleb hath followed me fully Numb 14. 24. They seek him with their whole heart Psal 119. 2. They are perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us go on to perfection Heb. 6. 1. They go from strength to strength Psa 84. 7. I strive if by any means c. Phil. 3. 11. O Christians This perfect walking with God this becomes the people of God and this is most pleasing to God when your hearts indeed are set on God and let out for God and continually set on the Word of God when your wayes are still the wayes of God and your works the works of God and your paths the paths of God when there is no way of wickednesse wherein you may be found and when there is no path of holinesse and righteousnesse wherein you are not to be found when you love your God with all your hearts and serve your God with all your might when you would not willingly do the least evil but fear it nor knowingly omit or neglect the greatest duty but assay and comply with it when your weaknesses are your griefs and the highest pitches of holinesse are your desires and aimes when though you fall yet you will rise and when you have got some ground you must still go further when you are exactly careful to do your utmost in the fruits of righteousnesse and give glory to God alone when you study your services and his praises alone this is to walk uprightly this is to be perfect with your perfect God this is to be wholly his as he is wholly yours this is to bestow all on him who bestowes all on you this is to value the enjoyment of your God alone as a sufficient portion and satisfaction that you need not at all to swerve from him and this is to count your God most worthy of your hearts and of your lives this is the honour of your Covenant-Relation the delight of your God the beauty of your lives the path of your peace the joy of your conscience and the fore-runner of your glory 5. You who are the people of God should walk without inordinate care before Walk without inordinate care before your faithful God your careful faithful never-failing God Matth. 6. 31. Take no thought saying What shall we eat or what
you from the love of God Rom. 8. The Covenant holds beyond death it doth not bring you only into a present enjoyment of God but it is to bring you into a fall perfect and everlasting enjoyment of God in glory the Covenant yields you the least part of your good of your portion of your happinesse in this life the greatest and fullest portion of good promised unto you by God in this Covenant lies in the arrears in the reserves in the full possession of the inheritance after death and then why should you fear to dye and go to take a full possession why should you fear to dye and to enter into the joy of your Master why should you fear to dye and go home to receive all the desires of your hearts and all the eternal preparations of glorious blessednesse for your souls 7. You who are the people of God and have him to be your God in Covenant Walk without offending God you should walk without offending of him and without displeasing or grieving of your good God Mal. 1. 6. A sonne honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine honour And if I be a Master where is my fear friends in Covenant carefully avoid mutual offences and provocations you should fear the Lord and his goodnesse Hosea 3. 5. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God Deut. 10. 20. Seeing that Thou our God hast given us such deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandments c. Ezra 9. 13 14. so seeing that the Lord is become our God and hath delivered us from wrath and made us to be his people should we grieve him by sinning against him Grieve not the Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Colos 1. 10. It were an excellent height if we could say unto God as he spake unto his people in Micah 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee So if we could say O our God what have we done against thee and wherein have we displeased and grieved thee There are nine sinnes which if they be found in the people of God they do extreamely Sins much displeasing God Grosse transgressions offend and displease their God 1. Grosse transgressions when their spots are not the spots of his children Deut. 32. 5. Davids adultery displeased the Lord 2 Sam. 11. 27. 2. Murmuring complaints against the dispensations of their God Numb 11. 1. Murmuring complaints against his dispensations When that people complained it displeased the Lord ãâã the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled ver 4. They fâll a lusting and wept again and said Who shall give us flesh to eat ver 10. And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly 3. Their manual divisions and contentions and envyings and evil-speakings Muâual divisions and reproachings of one another these dishonour themselves and grieve the Spirit and offend their Father 4. Spiritual pride and loftinesse of heart being vainly puffed up with knowledge Spiritual pride or any spiritual attainments and enjoyments foolish boastings 5. Carnal security and carelesnesse of their hearts and wayes and turning Carnal security the grace of God into wantonnesse 6. Vnfruitfulnesse and barrennesse under the Gospels Ordinances and Unfruitfulnesse helps 7. Conformity unto the world fashioning themselves thereunto and complying Conformity unto the world with the ungodly 8. Lukewarmnesse of spirit in the cause of God and of the truths of Christ and of the power of godlinesse suffering all these to be opposed and blasphemed Lukewarmnesse 9. Particular unbeliefs and distrusts as in Moses case c. when their faith Particular unbeliefs hath a special call to honour God amongst people in difficulties c. These and some other sinnes if found among the people of God do exceedingly displease and grieve him and therefore be you very watchful against them yea and against all Reasons why we should be watchful against all sinnings sinnings whatsoever because 1. Your God hath shewed you exceeding riches of grace and mercy There is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared 2. Your relation to so holy a God should make you to fear all unholy actions you should be holy as your heavenly Father is holy 3. Your receipts have been high and your returns should be answerable you have received favour and Christ and the Spirit and hopes of heaven and should you offend your God after all this O what ingratitude worst of ingratitude were this 4. You will extreamely darken your communions with God by it and your heavenly relation by it your Sun will set at Noon day 5. You will break up the peace in conscience and conscience will lay hold on you from all your interest comforts received 6. God doh usually correct and chastise his people in this life very severely and sharply for their disobedience 8. You who are the people of God should walk with all contentednesse and Walk with all contentednesse and well-pleasednesse well-pleasednesse of spirit for you have God to be your God saith David Psal 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine in eritance and ver 6. I have a goodly heritage That man will be contented with nothing who cannot finde contentment in the enjoyment of all things There are three things which I desire you to take notice of For 1. That God is the portion of his people Thou art my portion O Lord Psal God is the portion of his people 119. 57. All the world is too low and too little to make up a portion for any one holy or godly man he sets not out any estate as your portion but himself If the Lord should say to a godly man I will give you all the world and that shall be all your portion O Lord would he say let others have that portion but I beseech thee give me thy self 2. That God alone is portion enough all-sufficiency is questionlesse a sufficient God alone is portion enough portion as Joseph said unto his brethren Gen. 45. 20. by the command of Pharaoh Regard not your stuffe for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours so may we say to all the people of God Regard not be not troubled so much for the poor stuffe of earthly revenues for the all-sufficient God is yours The Lord is my Shepherd therefore I shall not want Psal 23. 1. He that wants nothing hath enough I am thy shield and thy exceeding great râward Gen. 15. 1. Hââho is secured from all evil and is blessed with all blessings certainly this man hath enough 3. That your fruition of God for your God sweetens any outward portion be Out fruition of God sweatens any outward poâtion it never so little the little of earth with the enjoyment of God as loving as reconciled
hath taken him to be her husband Would ye build the top of the house before you have laid the foundation Reflexive acts are the last acts never are they the first acts in the Covenant Nay it were a very delusion and falsehood to know that God is your God before you take him to be so he is not your God neither are you his people untill you consent to take him for your God 2. The only way to know your interest in the Covenant is to accept of the Covenant The only way to know your interest in the Covenant is to accept of it As to know that your sinnes are pardoned the way to this is to believe the promise of pardon and to know that Christ is yours the way is first to receive and embrace Christ by faith So the way to know that God is your God is first to take him to be your God to become his people 6. God will refuse none from this Covenant who are indeed willing to have God will refuse none from this Covenant who are willing to have him to be their God him to be their God in Covenant as Christ spake in Revel 22. 19. Whosoever will let him come and drink of the water of life freely so say I Whosoever is willing to have God to be his God and to close with God as God manifests himself a God in Covenant let him come God will be his God in Covenant Quest How is that will you say Sol. Thus it iâ The Lord saith I am God Almighty I ãâã the Lord the Lord graciâuâ and merciful long-suffering abundant in ãâã and truth forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne Will you accept of such a God to be your God O with all our hearts we are undone unlesse the merciâul and gracious God be our God! And saith God I am an holy God I the Lord am holy the Lord thy God is an holy God I am of purer eyes than to behold sinne I hate and abhorre it and if you will have me to be your God you must be holy as I am holy your hearts must be holy and your lives must be holy you must be willing to renounce and forsake every one of your sinful lusts and every one of your sinful wayes Are you willing to be holy in all manner of conversation if your hearts can answer to the Lord O Lord I have been a sinful wretch and I have a sinful heart which is the burden of my soul I am content to be made holy I beseech thee make me holy I should blesse thee with all my soul if thou wouldest be pleased to give thy holy Spirit to me if thou wouldest change my heart by thy renewing grace if thou wouldest cleanse me from all my uncleannesse if thou wouldest mortifie and subdue in me every sinful lust and affection And saith God I am the great and mighty God the Lord of all the Lord of Lords and I give Lawes to all my people and will be feared and obeyed and I will have you to set up my Will for your Rule and I will have you to do the work which I appoint you and to walk only in such pathes of righteousnesse and obedience as I require and prescribe Are you willing to receive the Law from my mouth and to obey my win and to do all that I command you though men dislike it and men reproach you for it if now you can answer O Lord we are willing thus to take thee for our God and in all these respects to be thine then God will own you as his people in Covenant Quest But O Lord how shall we be able to compasse this and to attaine all this Sol. Nay that is not the question saith God but are you willing thus to take me for your God if you be cordially willing thus to take me I will be your God and I am your God and according to my Covenant I engage my self unto you to give you holinesse to change your hearts and to give you mercy to pardon your sinnes and to give you grace and power to mortifie your lusts and to give you strength to obey my Will to walk in my Statutes and to do them all O Sirs this willingnesse such a willingnesse as this to accept of God to be our God this is accepted and this is enough to enter you into this gracious Covenant with God and truly this willingnesse to accept of God to be your God comes from God willingnesse and Gods goodnesse and Gods power and Gods grace to make you to be his people None have this willingnesse wrought in them but those only whom God will take into Covenant with him Some are willing in their straits to have the merciful God to be their God but they are not willing to have the holy God to be their God Some are willing to have the gracious God and the rewarding God to be their God but they are not willing to have the commanding and ruling God to be their God These indeed would not have God to be their God in Covenant but if you find willing hearts in all respects to close with God as he wholly and fully manifests himself to be a God in Covenant that he should universally form you up unto himself fear not come to him he will certainly be your God SECT XVI THe last Use from this discourse of the Covenant shall be of direction whât 5. Use course any sinner should take that he may be brought into this Covenant of Direction what course a sinner should take to be brought into this Covenant grace The necessity and happinesse whereof he hath heard so much The Directions which I would commend unto you for this are these 1. Go unto God and beseech him to be your God and to make you to be his people Beg of God to be your God and make you his people for none can make God to be a God in Covenant unto him but God himself and none can take God to be his God in Covenant but from the strength of God alone Hence it is that as to the first entrance into the Covenant we for our parts are rather passive than active and are rather Covenanted than Covenanting God must make us to be his before we can come to be his yea he must make us willing to be his before we can be willing to be so and therefore if you have observed it not only the making of a new Covenant is settled and raised by the gracious Will of God but the bringing of us into that Covenant doth totally depend upon the gracious and powerful pleasure of the same God I will be their God and they shall be my people As to bring in a sinner unto Christ it is not sufficient that he is the effect of his purchase but it is likewise required that he be the fruit of his conquest Jesus Christ must by his Spirit rescue him out of the possession
34. 6. How great is his goodnesse Zach. 9. 17. The riches of his goodnesse Rom. 2. 4. No good thing will he with-hold Psal 84. 11. 2. The Mediator of this Covenant how full and rich is Jesus Christ Of his By the Mediator of this Covenant fulnesse do all we receive he fills all in all The Godhead dwells bodily in him in him are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge there are the unsearchable riches of Christ he is a perfect Redeemer and is able to save to the utmost 3. The Covenant it self There is nothing left out and there is nothing which can be added unto it the wisdome and goodnesse of God have made it a By the Covenant it self compleat store-house and treasury of all the good and of all the help which all the children of God have do or ever shall need Here is grace and here is glory here is all things pertaining to life and all things pertaining to godlinesse here is for the life present and for the life which is to come here are all sorts of comforts for the distressed and all sorts of helps for the needy and all sorts of defences for the exposed here is the Sunne and the Shield and exceeding great reward Vse This is an exceeding stay and comfort to all the people of Gods Covenant other people are in want and know not whether to go for help or for any good but This is stay to Gods people you have a good God to go unto and a good Covenant to go unto Other people may know whither to go for this or that particular good but they know not whither to go for all the good which they do need they may go to one friend for counsel and to another for almes and to another for physick but to whom can they go for mercy to pardon their sinnes or for peace to ease their troubled souls but you who are the people of God you have a Covenant to go unto which contains all manner of good for all the conditions of your souls and for all the conditions of your bodies Here is mercy to pardon and loving-kindnesse to comfort and righteousnesse to justifie and grace to sanctifie and peace to quiet and glory to save here is food for the body and rayment and safety and blessing and defence here is all others may give and finde a little help and a little comfort and a little provision but you have a Covenant to go unto which can give you all things richly to enjoy abundant goodnesse abundant compassions abundant mercies abundant love abundant grace abundant joy abundant consolation and abundant salvation all things all good things are treasured up in this Covenant and there they are in their perfection not one good without another but all good together not a little of one and a little of another but every good in perfection and fulnesse a perfect God and a perfect Mediator and perfect love and mercy and righteousnesse c. 2. This is an exceeding encouragemtnt unto you under any wants or in any And an encouragement in wants to go to God in faith great distresses to go by faith unto your God who hath made a full and perfect Covenant with you O thou distressed sinner here is mercy enough laid up for thee and here is peace enough and goodness enough and power enough and grace enough and help enough God doth not promise unto you a little of his mercy nor a little of his kindnesse nor a little of the righteousnesse of Christ nor a little of holinesse nor a little of spiritual joy Psal 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide enlarge the desires of your hearts you do not crave enough and I will fill it I will plentifully answer and satisfie you Eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Phil. 4. 19. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly unto the Throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need you have no cause to be dejected either with the multitude of your wants or with the depth and greatnesse of your distresses nor have you any cause to doubt and fear the supply and redresse of these for God hath made a full rich and perfect Covenant with you whiles there are answerable supplies and super-abounding helps and these in a Covenant and for you there is more reason to set your faith on work to fetch in the supplies than to set your feare on work because of your wants in all your distressed and needy conditions be pleased to look on this Covenant seriously do so bring your wants and distresses thither and there shall you finde proper helps and plentiful engagements and now stirre up your faith to believe and to take hold on God Lord here is the mercy which I need and here is the exceeding riches of mercy which I do need and here is the love the great love and here is the grace the abundant grace and here is the comfort and the abundant comfort and here is the strength the greatnesse of that strength which I do need here it is laid up for thee by me I come unto thee in the Name of Christ whose I am and I beseech thee abundantly to pardon me to supply all my need according to thy riches in glory SECT III. 3. A Third property of this Covenant is that it is a giving Covenant Gen. 17. 2. I will make my Covenant between thee and me in the Original It is a giving Covenant it is I will give thee my Covenant as God spake unto Phineas Num. 25. 12. I give unto him my Covenant of peace so he doth give a Covenant unto his people Isa 42. 6. I give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a witnesse to the people survey In it the Covenant all over you shall finde it to be a giving Covenant in all the particulars of it God gives himself to be ours therefore he is called our Husband Isa 54. 5. The husband gives himself to the wife so doth God to us God gives himself to be ours And he gives Christ he gave his onely begotten Sonne John 3. 16. and Christ did give himself Gal. 2. 20. He gives Christ And he gives his love Cant. 7. 12. There will I give thee my love His love His peace Eternal life His Spirit And he gives his peace John 14. 27. My peace I give unto you And he gives eternal life John 10. 28. I give unto them eternal life And he gives his Spirit He will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. And he gives the new heart and the new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you A new heart And he
them out upon such and such conditions and herefore not freely Sol. I answer 1. Every kind of condition is not opposite to grace as I shall shortly demonstrate unto you 2. Whatsoever condition he makes with his people for the enjoyment of any good he doth freely give and work that condition in them 3. No condition on our part hath any reason of merit in it which is the thing opposite to grace but it is only a means by which we come certainly to enjoy that which God is pleased graciously to give In this respect we are said to be justified by faith and to be saved by faith and yet we are also justified by grace and saved by grace Faith you see is put in as a condition and yet it excludes not grace Nay because by faith therefore by grace for our faith and Gods grace can well agree though Gods grace and mans deserts can never agree Now le ts make a little Use of all this Vse 1 Is the Covenant which God makes with us a gracious Covenant O what cause have we poor and unworthy sinners to blesse God for all this O Beloved Blesse God for this it is grace which is the life of this Covenant and which is life to our souls it is not all the love that is promised in the Covenant it is not all the mercy that is promised in the Covenant it is not all the holinesse that is promised in the Covenant it is not all the comforts and joyes and peace and blessings which are promised in the Covenant it is not that eternal life and glorious salvation promised in the Covenant it is not Jesus Christ and all the purchases of Christ drawn into this Covenant none of these nor all these would be any hope or any encouragement or any life at all unto us were the graciousnesse of the Covenant left out If the Lord should say unto us Here is the sweetest love that ever sinner tasted of but you must deserve it alas then I cannot expect it Here is the precious Christ the Authour of salvation but you must deserve him alas then I shall never enjoy him here is pardoning mercy to forgive all your sinnes but you must deserve it O then I shall never partake of it As he said Tolle meum tolle Deum so say I Tolle gratiam tolle omnia take away grace and take away all then take away Christ and take away God and take away mercy and take away heaven and take away hope and take away all the sinner is utterly lost upon any account but that of grace only it is this graciousnesse which makes him capable and makes him hopeful here is a loving God and he will love you freely here is a merciful God and he will pardon you freely here is a converting God and he will receive you graciously here is a good God and he will blesse you graciously c. Now the sinner begins to have hope and begins to hearken If there be a Covenant of grace why should I despaire If it be altogether gracious if it be raised by grace and published by grace and admits and receives by grace and le ts out all by grace there is yet hope that I may escape perishing that I may be delivered that I may find mercy and favour grace looks for no worthinesse and grace passeth by all unworthinesse and grace may look on and pity and help the greatest of sinners blessed be God who hath sweetened all his mercies and all his undertakings and all his blessings and all his givings with freenesse and graciousnesse 2. Is the Covenant which God makes with with us a free and gracious Covenant then stand out no longer be aliens to God no longer be strangers to his Thân stand out no longer Covenant no longer grace makes your way clear and open it beats down all the mountains that did stand in your way It is said of Abraham that against hope he believed in hope so against all the unhopefulnesse from your selves you should believe from the hopefulnesse in the Covenant of grace yea and above hope believe in hope when you consider the greatnesse of the blessings in the Covenant they seem to be above hope but when you consider the graciousnesse in the bestowing of them they are now under hope Ho all you that hear me this day hearken unto me The graciousnesse of the Covenant will prove unto you either your sweetest salvation or else your heaviest condemnation if it doth not prove a strong encouragement to bring you into the Covenant it will certainly prove the heaviest and bitterest aggravation upon you for standing out against the Covenant O beloved yet be serious and wise and make in to God! you may be received graciously your sins have been exceeding great but the Covenant holds out more exceeding mercy joyned with more exceeding grace Rom. 5. 20. Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound If you come in to God his Covenant is to forgive all your sins and to forgive them freely Your worthinesse is none at all and yet you may come in and God according to his Covenant will love you freely you may have all freely a God a Christ love mercy forgivenesse the holy Spirit then new heart the salvation of your souls freely Therefore 1. Refuse him not and do not trifle away your precious souls whiles you Refuse not Gods offer have a day of grace and a Covenant of grace tendred unto you to come in Beware you refuse not him that speaketh neither neglect so great salvation God neither will nor possibly can fall lower or easier than he doth with you in his gracious Covenant 2. Fear not whether you shall be look't on or received of God he saith he will Fear not your acceptance receive you graciously If a company of poor men were envited by a rich man Come and I will give you money and receive and feed you freely you shall have all your wants supplied freely would they be afraid to accept the offer Do not make another Covenant than God is willing to make with you neither make any other Articles than God himself hath annexed unto this Covenant he saith it is a gracious Covenant say not you it is not so he hath said he will receive you graciously a say not you but he will not he saith that he will love you freely and justifie you freely and save you freely do not you say But God will do none of these O no! God is truth it self and he will perform the truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham Micah 7. 20. Therefore fear not but catch and take hold on this grace of God 3. Come in and make thy supplications to God Come in and confesse thy sins Come in and make thy supplications to God and thy unworthinesse and cry out unto God in the Name of Christ O Lord I have sinned against thee and I am unworthy to be
Covenant before we do apply God himself and interest our selves in him to lay hold on his mercies before we lay hold on himself to appropriate the purchase of Christ before we do embrace and appropriate Christ himself this is to disorder and displace the Covenant which first propounds God himself and Christ himself to be received and then the portion of all good things promised after this 2. We do disjoyne the things in the Covenant which God hath ordered to come By disjoyning those things God hath put together By expecting the gifts of the Covenant without the reasons of the Covenant By limiting God in the dispensations of his Covenant together as when we will have the mercy of the Covenant but not the repentance of the Covenant and the hope in Christ from faith in Christ and the promised salvation without the promised holinesse which leads unto that salvation 3. We do expect the gifts of the Covenant without the reasons of the Covenant upon the account of our goodnesse and not upon the account of Gods graciousnesse 4. We do limit God in the dispensations of his Covenant in his answers helps and blessings to our time and to our measure and to our haste and do not submit and leave these to the times of his wisdome and faithfulnesse Vse 2 Is the Covenant of grace an ordered Covenant and a well-ordered Covenant then let no man ever think to enjoy God or any good from Gods Covenant but in that way which God himself hath declared you must believe and repent There is no enjoying God ãâã in his own way c. Vse 3 Is the Covenant an ordered Covenant then doubt not of the enjoyment of mercy and blessednesse you who are his people but come with confidence unto your God who hath ordered love and mercy and peace and comfort and His people should not doubt of the enjoyment of mercy blessings and happinesse for you SECT VI. 6. A Sixth property of this Covenant is this it is a holy Covenant Luke It is a holy Covenant 1. 72. To performe the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Dan. 11. 28. His heart shall be against the holy Covenant Psal 105. 42. He remembred his holy promise c. The Covenant is stiled holy in sundry respects 1. In respect of the parties interested in the Covenant viz. God and his In respect of the parties interested in it people both of them are holy God is holy he is an holy God Josh 24. 19. Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty Rom. 4. 8. His people are holy that thou mayst be an holy people to the Lord thy God Deut. 26. 19. The people of thy holinesse Esay 63. 18. The holy people Dan. 12. 7. To them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus 1. Cor. 1. 2. A holy Nation a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 1 Cor. 3. 17. Although before we are brought into the Covenant we are a wicked and unholy defiled and polluted people yet when we are brought into the Covenant then we are made holy we are changed and washed and sanctified and are made partakers of his holinesse 2. In respect of the condition of the Covenant faith as you shall hear shortly In respect of the condition of the Covenant is the condition of this Covenant and true faith is a holy faith building up your selves in your most holy faith Jude ver 20. Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 9. Which are sanctified by faith Acts 26. 18. Faith unites us to the holy Christ and to the holy God and draws holinesse from Christ and sets up that holy Christ in our hearts 3. In respect of the matter promised in the Covenant holinesse is one principal In respect of the matter promised thing promised in it God doth promise to give his holy Spirit Luke 11. 13. and to cleanse us from all iniquity Jer. 33. 8. and from all unrighteousnesse 1 John 1. 9. and to refine us with refining fire Mal. 3. 2. Hierusalem shall be holy Joel 3. 17. and to sanctifie us and purifie us I am the Lord who sanctifies you Lev. 20. 8. The God of peace sanctifie you wholly 1 Thes 5. 23. I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth John 17. 19. By the which will we are sanctified Heb. 10. 10. The change of a sinful heart the giving of a new heart and a new spirit the taking away the heart of stone and the giving of an heart of flesh the work of regeneration and of renovation these are expresly the matter in the Covenant 4. The Author of this Covenant doth expresly command holiness Be ye holy The Author of this Covenant commands holinesse for I am holy 1 Pet. 1. 16. Speak unto all the Congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy Lev. 19. 2. Whatsoever things are pious whatsoever things are lovely c. think on these things Phil. 4. 8. This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thes 4. 3. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. 5. This Covenant doth exceedingly encourage holinesse Blessed are the pure The Covenant doth encourage holinesse in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the undefiled in the way Psal 119. 1. Being now become the servants of God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6. 22. God is glorious in holinesse Exod. 15. 11. The Saints are the excellent on the earth Psal 16. 3. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifice Psal 50. 5. This honour have all his Saints Psal 149. 9. He will keep the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2. 9. The Lord forsaketh not his Saints Psal 37. 28. He preserveth the souls of his Saints Psal 97. 10. He delivereth them out of the hands of the wicked ibid. The Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 8. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 1. 10. 6. All about the Covenant respects holinesse and makes for holinesse all that work of renovation promised in the Covenant all that deliverance promised All about the Covenant respects holiness in the Covenant is that now we should serve the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the mercies promised lead to holinesse to the love of God to the fear of God to repentance all the glory and happinesse there promised take in holinesse as a way thereunto the Christ there is made unto us sanctification as well as redemption the Spirit of Christ is there to sanctifie and there to comfort and seal us the two broad seals of the Covenant have holinesse written in them baptisme is a Laver
in pathes of profanesse and ungodlinesse resists the Holy Spirit in his motions 6. Who counts it a disgrace for him to be holy or to be esteemed so 7. Who lives in open profanesse Sabbath-breaking drunkennesse perjury lying c. 2. Nay not only visible and open profanesse discovers men to be out of the holy Covenant but also formal and pretended and counterfeit holinesse for the Formal and counterfeit holinesse Covenant is really holy and all persons in the Covenant are really holy and the Covenant promiseth and worketh in them not a seeming not a counterfeit but a real and solid holinesse Now there are six signs of a man who hath not real holinesse but only a counterfeit holinesse Signs of counterfeit holiness Though he may do some holy duties yet he is not humbled for former unholy doings Though in outward profession he seems to be holy yet there is no renewing work of grace upon his heart 1. Though he be taken up with the performance of some holy duties yet his heart was never throughly humbled for his former unholy ââdoings His unholinesse either in the long want of holinesse or in the long opposition of holinesse or in the long practices of unholinesse never was a burden to his soul nor lay heavy never wrought trouble nor shame in him 2. Though in his outward profession he seem to be holy yet there is no renewing work of grace upon his heart his heart is not renewed nor changed but hath the same old lusts still and the same old love unto them and delight in them There is no difference 'twixt himself and himself no warre at all but all is at peace within him which shews that he never had holinesse in truth true holinesse will displace the affections and change your souls and make a separation and an opposition c. 3. Though the man seems to be holy yet he will not be more holy he hath got into his circle from whence you shall not stirre him he hath put on his forme of holiness Though he seems to be holy yet he will not be more holy which his wise fore-fathers left him and who so is short of that he counts him naught and who so exceeds that he counts him precise and vain-glorious that man was never holy who strives not to be more holy 4. Though the man seems to be holy yet he doth not cordially delight in holy Though he seems to be holy yet he doth not cordially delight in holy persons He allows himself in some way of wickednesse persons his companions if they be not profane yet they are vain and empty fruitlesse and helplesse to his soul If a person be godly and holy indeed then to except against this and finde fault with that in him shews his ungodlinesse is unpleasing to him and he is as weary of him as the Israelites were of Manna 5. Though he seems to be holy yet he allows himself in some way of wickednesse inpride or covetousnesse or in uncleannesse or some other sinful way he holds it fast and will not forsake it 6. Who cannot sit quietly under a soul-searching Ministry which strikes at superstition and formality and hypocrisie but would raise his heart to higher He cannot bear a soul-searching Ministry principles and better affections and a more spiritual way of serving God than a meer opus operatum O now this persons soul is stung and have I not all this while known how to serve God and must I now learn a new way to heaven Well think of these things both sorts of you for neither the one nor the other are interested in this Covenant of grace which is an holy Covenant but you are yet an unholy people Vse 2 Is the Covenant a holy Covenant then behold the parting way behold the reason why so few men are perswaded to hearken and to enter into Covenant See the reason why so few enter into Covenant with God with God we stand wondring what the reason is or may be that a company of sinners hearing of that infinite happinesse to be enjoyed in the Covenant of grace and hearing of the manifold blessings comprized in it of the joy unspeakable therein of the peace that passeth all understanding of the full forgivenesse of sinnes and of the sweet manifestations of the love of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit and of the assurings of eternal salvation unto all the persons who enter into this Covenant I say we wonder that after all this there are so few who enquire the way or embrace the way of entring into such a Covenant where God makes over himself in such a gracious and glorious manner to his people but here lies the stick here lies the barre here lies the great exception against the Covenant viz. it is an holy Covenant Demand of persons and if it were fit of every person here this day Would you not be the people of Gods love would you have God to love your souls yes we would and would you not be the people of Gods mercies would you not have God mercifully to pardon all your sinnes and all your transgressions O by all means and would you not be the people of Gods blessings would you not have God to give you his love freely and his mercy freely and his Christ freely and salvation freely that we would What is that which hinders then why verily nothing but this holinesse O but God will give this holinesse as freely as he gives his mercy but we care not for it O but God will give you riches of mercy with it but we care not for it O but it is the means to bring you to glory but we care not for it O but God himself is a holy God and his people must be holy as he is holy yet we care not for it O but you shall never have God to be your God nor mercy to be your mercy nor Christ to be your Saviour nor heaven to be your inheritance unlesse you are willing to be holy but we will not be holy Quest It is a very considerable question why of all the termes that God stands for in respect of the Covenant this of holinesse is disliked and of all the Why is the holinesse of the Covenant so much disliked good things which God doth promise in his Covenant this of holinesse only is excepted against and of all the Attributes wherein God manifests himself to men though they seem content and willing to imitate God in many of them as in love and mercy and goodnesse c. yet they are so averse to the holinesse of God which if it be lawful to make comparison is one of the highest glories of God Sol. Surely there are choice reasons to be given for this peculiar opposition and exception against holinesse 1. One reason may be this the nature of the sinner he loves sinne his Because of the nature of the sinner
heart is set upon it he serves it he is married unto it he delights in it now such a nature is an enmity against holinesse it stands in a peculiar opposition and contrariety unto it it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be subject saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7. so say I it is enmity against the holinesse of God it is not subject unto it nor indeed can be 2. Another reason may be this The nature of holinesse holinesse is that work The nature of holinesse of God which utterly subverts the state of sinne breaks down all the powers of it crucifies the body of it separates 'twixt the heart and sinne changes the heart of the sinner turns the love of sinne into the hatred of sinne and the delights in sinne into sorrow for sinne makes us new creatures will not suffer the sinner to enjoy his old lusts and his old wayes brings a new frame of Spirit and a new course of life it is absolutely contrary and it is utterly destructive of the sinful condition and straitly binds the whole man to the whole will of God and all these things are grievous unto a natural man 3. A third reason of it may be this The obloquie and scorns and reproaches The reproaches and persecutions of the world against holinesse and persecutions of the world against holinesse the men of the world draw their arrows and spit all their venome against holinesse they hate it and deride it and opose it and discounterance and defame it and load it with all sorts of defamation and carâal men love the world and fear the world they love the praise of the world and the peace of the world and the ease of the world and the favour and opinion of the world men must suffer reproaches and persecutions and troubles if they will be holy but they cannot suffer in their names nor in their delights nor in their profits nor in their friendship and therefore they will not be holy I say no more to you but this if you will not be holy then you professe you will not be the people of God and that you will not have God to be God and he will not be your God nor shall you be his people and hence it follows that he will never shew mercy to you nor peace to you nor his salvation to you get thee a portion wherein thou canst but in him but in his mercy but in his Christ but in his glory thou shalt never have part nor portion Vse 3 Is the Covenant of God an holy Covenant here then is lively comfort for all holy persons let men judge of you as they please and deal with you as they list Comfort for all holy persons and oppose you as they do yet this is your comfort God is your God and you are his people Beloved never dispute it nor fear it if you be an holy people God is your God in Covenant for 1. Holinesse is in none but such as are in Covenant 2. All in Covenant have holinesse wrought in them holinesse is a Covenant gift it drops only out of the Covenant of grace and every one in Covenant resembles that God with whom he is in Covenant he is holy as his heavenly Father is holy And let me tell you if you have a share in the holiness of the Covenant you shall have a share also in the happinesse of the Covenant if the holy God be your God then the merciful God is your God and the loving God is your God and the blessing God is your God and the blessed God is your God and the everlasting God is your everlasting God Nay let me settle this comfort yet closer upon your hearts though as yet you want much in the degrees and measure of hoâinesse yet if there be holinesse in truth wrought in you be it never so little yet if it be true holinesse it is a true character that God is your God and that you are his people in Covenant Quest That is the thing which we so much fear how may it be known when there is yet so much rubbish of sinful corruption dwelling in us Sol. For answer to this remember that there are six things which do shew that your holinesse is true holinesse though it may be but weak and How may true holinesse be known It takes off the heart from all sin little 1. True holinesse though never so weak it fetches off the heart from all sin and sets the heart against all sin it works in compliance with all sin it takes off the heart from the love of every sin and raises in the heart an opposition and conflict with every sin though as yet it cannot expel all sin yet it will oppose all sin though as yet it cannot conquer all sin yet it will conflict with all sin the least degree of light opposeth all degrees of darknesse as the least spark of fire is contrary to a Sea of water 2. True holinesse though it can do but little yet it is an universal conformity to all the Will of God There is an answerablenesse 'twixt the whole Will of God It is an universal conformiây to all the Will of God and the least and weakest true holinesse it approves all the holy and good Will of God it sets up all the Will of God it delights in all the Will of God it strives to come up in all well-pleasing in all things to all the Will of God 3. True holinesse is perfecting holinesse though it be not perfect holinesse It is perfecting holinesse yet it is perfecting holinesse it prayes and heares and looks up to the holy God to sanctifie us wholly to pour out his holy Spirit to make all grace to abound it sets up the holinesse of God as a pattern and strives for a fulnesse of holinesse to be holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. To purifie our selves as he is pure 1 Joh. 3. 3. 4. True holinesse makes us to prize and love holinesse wheresoever we find it It makes to prize and love holiness where we find it and the more holy the more love to love an holy God an holy Christ the holy Ghost the holy Scriptures the holy Sabbath and all holy duties all holy persons be they rich or be they poor be they useful to us or be they strangers to us holinesse loves all holinesse 5. True holinesse is another nature a divine nature and makes the greatest It is another nature change and alteration in the soule that it is capable of It changes a mans heart and life service will affections and all The man is a new creature and is changed into the Image of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 18. 6. True holinesse is exceeding powerful there is a mighty power in it A It is exceeding powerful man never is able to come up to the Will of God Lord what wilt thou have me to do to deny
himself to hate every sinne to love all good to delight in the Lord to walk with God till he finde working in him the power of holinesse Vse 4 Is the Covenant of grace an holy Covenant then strive to be holy persons bewaile your former unholinesse and want of holinesse and oppositions and Strive to be holy persons contempts and reproaches of holinesse and as you desire to enâoy Gâd for your God and the mercies and comforts and hopes and happinesse of the Covenant so desire to be holy If holinesse be one of the great ingredients if it be the lively testimony of the people in Covenant with God if it be the expresse Will and Command of God for all in Covenant with him if it be the excellency of your natures if it be the necessary and certaine way of happinesse then be not ashamed be not averse to holinesse any more c. Quest And what is to be done that we may be holy What is to be done that we may be holy Beg of God to make you holy Sol. I will tell you what is to be done 1. Beseech the holy God to make you holy holinesse is attributed to God 1. Essentially he is holinesse it self 2. Infinitely there are no bounds of his holinesse And 3. Causally and therefore Christ prayed for his Disciples to his Father John 17. 17. Sanctifie them c. And the Apostle for the Thessalonâans 1 Thes 5. 23. The God of peace sanctifie you And God hath promised to give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11. 13. And he hath sanctified those that were very unholy 1 Cor. 6. 11 12. Such were some of you but you are washed but you are sanctified And besides all this this prayer is well-pleasing to God Lord make me holy I would not grieve and dishonour thee any more I would not be vile 2. Attend the holy Word and wait upon God therein to work holinesse in Attend to the holy Word you John 15. 3. Ye are clean through the Word which I spake unto you John 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy Word thy Word is truth The Word is compared to cleansing water to Fullers sope which whitens to refining fire which separates the drosse and purifies the mettal the hearts of sinners are changed by it so was Pauls and so those Jewes in Acts 2. 3. 4. 3. Get Faith to unite you to Christ who is made Sanctification to us 1 Cor. 1. 30. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. Get faith to unite us to Christ Make use of the promises 4. Make use of the promises as 2 Cor. 7. 1. SECT VII A seventh property of this Covenant is this It is a sure and stedfast Covenant It is a sure and stedfast Covenant Deut. 7. 9. The Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant with them that love him 2 Chron. 6. 14. O Lord God which keepest Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Psa 19. 7. The testimony of the Lord is sure Psal 93. 5. Thy testimonies are very sure That is called sure A thing is called sure which is not a lye 1. Which is not a lye but a truth In this respect the Covenant is a sure Covenant It is no lye Psal 89. 35. I will not lye unto David Hab. 2. 7. At the end the vision shall speak and not lye Titus 1. 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began It is a truth Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth unto Jacob. Psalme 132. 11. The Lord hath sworne in truth Psalme 91. 4. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler 2. Which will not faile but will certainly come to passe it will be accomplished it will answer hope and expectation every way In this respect also Which will not fail the Covenant is sure Psal 89. 33. I will not suffer my faithfulnesse to faile Hab. 2. 3. It will surely come though it tarry wait for it Jer. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good and I will plant them in this Land assuredly Verse 42. I will bring upon them all the good that I have promised them 1 Kings 8. 56. There hath not failed one word of all his good promise 3. Which alters not In this respect also is the Covenant sure Psal 89. 28. My Covenant shall stand fast with him Verse 34. My Covenant will I not Which alters not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Isa 54. 10. The mountains shall remove and the hills shall fall down but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us There are two things unto which I would briefly speak concerning this property of the Covenant namely the surenesse or certainty of it 1. Quest How it may be demonstrated That the Covenant of grace is a sure How it is demonstrated to be a sure Covenant It depends upon the counsel purpose and love of God Covenant Sol. There are six things to demonstrate or clear it Viz. 1. This Covenant depends upon the counsel of God and the purpose of God and love of God immutable and sure grounds these are as it were the springs and the foundations of the Covenant of grace viz. Gods love unto us his counsel wisely and deliberately contriving for us and his purpose resolving and intending everlasting good unto us Now every one of these is sure and certain The love of God is unchangeable whâm he loves once he loves for ever I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31. 3. The counsel of God is immutable wherein speaking of this Covenant Heb. 6. 17. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath The purpose of God is sure So the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure that foundation of God is his election which is compared to a foundation because it is that upon which all our good and happinesse is built and because as a foundation it abides firme and sure 2. This Covenant hath as firme and sure Ingredients as can be desired It hath firm and sure ingredients There is in it 1. The presence of what is necessary to the certain performance of the Covenant The presence of what is necessary to the performance of it as There are two things necessary thereunto 1. The power of God 2. The Will of God if God be able and if God will performe his Covenant it is then sure Now let us consider both these in reference to the Covenant 1. The power of
Holy Ghost is the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. and he abides with us for ever John 14. 16. 4. The mercy of God is everlasting Psal 100. 5. his mercy is everlasting and Psal 103. 17. it is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and Psal 136. from verse 1. to 26. six and twenty times it is there said his mercy endures for ever 5. The goodnesse of God is everlasting it endureth continually Psal 52. 1. 6. The love of God is an everlasting love Jer. 31. 33. I have loved thee with an everlasting love 7. The kindnesse of God is everlasting Isaiah 54. 8. with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer 8. The righteousnesse of the Covenant is an everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. 24. 9. The forgivenesse in the Covenant is everlasting Jerem. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinnes no more Micah 7. 9. Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the Sea 10. The grace or holinesse of the Covenant is everlasting it is called abiding seed 1 John 3. 9. and the immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. beiâg born agâin not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible it is living water John 4. 10. springing up to everlasting life ver 14. 11. The joy of it is everlasting Isa 51. 11. and none shall take it from us John 16. 22. 12. So is the Consolation of the Covenant 2 Thess 2. 16. Who hath given us everlasting Consolation and good hope throuâh grace 13. The life of the Covenant is everlasting Jâhn 3. 16. he that believes shall not perish but have everlasting life 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise which he hath promised us even eternal life For the opening of this excellent and comfortable adjunct of the Covenant remember 1. That the word everlasting hath two acceptions it doth denote Thâ word everlasting aâeâ for Aâong duration A perpetual duration This Covenant is everlasting 1. Sometimes a long duration in which respect the old Covenant cloathed with figures and ceremonies is called everlasting because it was to endure and did endure a long time 2. Sometimes a perpetual duration and a duration which shall last for ever in this respect the new Covenant is everlasting it shall never cease never be broken never be altered 2. And it is an everlasting Covenant in a twofold respect 1. Ex parte faederantis in respect of God who will never break Covenant In respect of God with his people but is their God and will be their God for ever and ever 2. Ex parte confaederatorum in respect of the people of God who are brought In respect of his people into Covenant and shall continue in Covenant for ever and ever you have both these expressed in Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Mark the place it shews that the Covenant is everlasting on Gods part and also on our part on Gods part I will never turn away from them to do them good and on our part They shall never depart from me how so I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me even that fear spoken of in ver 39. that they may fear me for ever There are three things which I would deliver concerning the everlastingnesse of the Covenant 1. Some clear demonstrations of it from the Scripture 2. The reasons why the Covenant of grace is and must be everlasting 3. Some useful applications of this unto our selves 1. The demonstrations of the everlastingnesse of the Covenant in respect of the The everlastingnesse of the Covenant demonstrated From the consideration of God himself in relation to his people The election of God people in Covenant I shall present unto you four arguments to demonstrate that it is so 1. The first argument I will take from the consideration of God himself in relation unto his people as 1. his election of them 2. His love to them 3. His power for them 4. His presence with them 5. His promises to them 1. The election of God all the people in the Covenant are the elect of God thine they were and thou gavest them me saith Christ John 17. 6. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed Acts 13. 48. Now there are three things in election 1. It is a gracious decree not depending on any forinsecal causes 2. It is an unalterable decree not raised on any mutable causes 3. It is an effectual decree letting forth and communicating all the things which will infallibly bring unto salvation Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate which if it be so then certainly the Covenant is everlasting forasmuch as everlasting life and all that conduceth thereunto is unalterably decreed in Gods election and from that effectually communicated unto all in Covenant 2. The love of God that God doth love his people is most clear in the Scriptures The love of God After what manner God loves his people As he loves Jesus Christ but after what manner doth he love them we read five things of Gods love to his 1. That God doth love his people after the same manner that he loves Jesus Christ himself and with the same love John 17. 23. That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Ver. 26. I have declared unto them thy Name that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them 2. That God doth love his people with an insuperable and with and inseparable With an insuperable and inseparable love love Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakedness or perills or sword Ver. 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us Ver. 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nâr Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Ver. 39. Nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. That God doth love his people with a most gracious love with a love With a most gracious love kindled only from love Deut. 7. 7 8. The Lord did set his love upon you because the Lord loved you Hosea 14. 4. I will love them freely that is upon the sole account and reason of my own love unto them yea his love was the only impulsive cause why he entred into Covenant with them and by oath engaged himself unto them Ezek. 16. 8. Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord
of his grace and mercy unto his people Now there are foure things which magnifie God in these First his graciousnesse freely to make us to be his people A second is his goodnesse in the plentiful blessing of his people And thirdly his faithfulnesse that he will surely blesse his people And fourthly his everlastingnesse that he will never forsake his people and never will turn away from doing of them good Why this exalts his mercy indeed that it endures for ever and his love indeed that it continues for ever and his grace indeed that as it is free so it is everlasting In respect of his people The everlastingnesse of the Covenant is a just reason of perfect thankfulnesse 2. There are reasons for this in respect of his people I will mention a few of them 1. The everlastingnesse of the Covenant is a just reason of full and perfect thankfulnesse Psal 100. 4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise Be thankful unto him and bless his Name Verse 5. For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting Psal 136. 1. O give thanks unto the Lord for hâ is good for his mercy endureth for ever 2. His people have cause now to trust on him for ever Isa 26. 4. Trust ye in His people have now cause to trust in him for ever the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Psal 62. 8. Trust in him at all times ye people pour out your heart before him God is a refuge for us Selah Vse 1 Is the Covenant which God makes with his people an everlasting Covenant then that opinion is very false which delivers out unto us such a Covenant of grace as is mutable and alterable and may be broken off and cease between God For confutation of that opinion that the Covenant is mutable and alterable and his people That a man may be made a child of God and yet may become the child of the Divel that he may be graffed into Christ and yet may be broken off from Christ that he may have true faith and grace and yet he may lose true faith and grace that he may finde love and mercy from God and yet may so sinne as actually to forfeit and that for ever all the love and mercy of God Certainly this is a very sad assertion that any person should be translated from death to life that he should be delivered from the power of Satan and translated into the Kingdome of Christ that he should be effectually called and become a believer and thereupon a Sonne of God and heire of glory that he should for a while believe and rejoyce in his God and be sealed with the holy Spirit of promise and yet upon a sudden notwithstanding all the love and promises and engagements of God unto him in Covenant his Sun should set at noon-day he and his God should part and be utter enemies again that he should cast off God from being his God and God should forsake and cast him off from being any of his people and as it is a sad opinion so it is an opinion utterly inconsistent with this truth of the everlastingnesse of the Covenant of grace A relation which ceaseth to be that relation is not everlasting and that agreement or Covenant which is broken and frustrated that Covenant is not everlasting to be temporary and to be everlasting are questionlesse inconsistent neither will that evasion of a temporarinesse on our part and everlastingnesse of the Covenant on Gods part any way patch up the businesse because there is no such Covenant of grace which God hath made with his people Jer. 31. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Ver. 32. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an husband unto them saith the Lord Mark the place God makes no such Covenant as shall be broken on our part but such a Covenant as shall hold and be kept on our part as well as on his part verse 33. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people c. And cap. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me The principal if not the onely ground of this breaking and falling opinion is a supposition of a power in the will of man according to the pleasure and use whereof the Covenant of Gods grace must stand or fall must continue or break off And to speak plainly according to the Arminian doctrine all the stability and state of a sinners salvation is made to depend upon the will of a sinner the election of God the conversion of a sinner the beneficial Redemption by Christ the perseverance in Christ and grace all of these do lie at the mercy of the will of a poor sinner and truly I must confesse that if the Covenant of grace had no surer foundation then mans wâll it may quickly cease to be an everlasting Covenant But we read of other and better foundations for the perpetuity of this Covenant thân mans will we read that it is grounded on the immutable counsel of God and on his absolute promises and on his Oath and on the blood of Christ confirming and establishing of it and on his power and intercession and presence and love and Spirit and faithfulnesse But as to the opinion of these men which indeed is none other but that of the To state the stability of the Covenant upon the will of man Pelagians and Papists and Arminians Give me favour to speak a few words 1. It is very improbable that God would make a new Covenant with us and state the stability and everlastingnesse of it upon the will of us sinners for hereby 1. There should be no difference as to the ground of safety and certainty Is very improbable 'twixt this Covenant of grace and that of works for if Adam had improved the power and liberty of his will he had continued and had enjoyed the life which God promised unto him Now wherein doth the grace of this Covenant exceed the other of Works if eternal life be left unto the pleasure of our will as formerly it was to Adams 2. Nay it should be harder and more unsafe for us to be in the Covenant of grace than it was for Adam to be in the Covenant of works because in that condition Adams will was created with a perfect righteousnesse and conformity and sufficiency to have continued in that Covenant but we are fallen with him and
To open the Gospel 2. Thy ear 3. Thy heart for it is by his Spirit that the Gospel proves to be unto you the word of Faith Our Gospel came in power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thes 1. 5. If the Spirit of God did but reveale his Arm if he would but breath through the Gospel it would certainly be the power of God for faith in you 2. Again you must pray with all importunity and diligence and watchfulness and observation what God answers and spiritual violence and resolution and never cease wrestling with God I tell you it is one of the greatest requests that you can make to God O Lord unite me to Christ give me that faith by which I may be Christs and Christ may be mine And take this for thine encouragement That if the Lord hath given such a spiritual and steadfast frame of spirit as to pray he Patiently wait upon God in the use of meanes will at length give thee this faith 4. Patiently wait upon God in the use of Evangelical means untill he doth come in with his Spirit upon your Spirits to enable you by faith to close with Christ lye at the Pool do not limit God to this Sermon or to that Prayer and do not wrangle and murmure against God regard what concerns your self to do and trust God with his work and with his time never did any soule seek him or wait on him in vain nor return ashamed there is not one Prayer that you make nor any one Evangelical Sermon that ye hear but it is making way in your hearts for this uniting faith Some more light gets in to discover Christs fulness and our want Some more hope is raised of a possibility at length to enjoy Christ Some more power is given against the powers and workings and reasonings and fears and doubts of unbelief they have not that despairing dominion Some more bewailings of thy Christlesse condition and strong unbelief with a resistance of it Sometimes more renewed resolutions and courage well whatsoever comes of it I will not yet give over my suite I will venture a few prayers more something more is getting in and winning upon the heart towards Christ But Why may I not believe on Christ what if I should venture on him upon his offers upon his entreaties upon his commands upon his promises do I not sin against Christ and offend him thus to fear thus to dispute thus to question thus to stand off well I will come and believe on him O I cannot Lord help me Lord work in me both to will and to do when Lord how long yet will I wait on thee till thou shewest this mercy to me SECT VII 3. Vse IS faith the condition of the Covenant of grace And is that faith an uniting Comfort and encouragement Faith a faith which unities us unto Christ The next Use then shall be for Comfort and Encouragement 1. To sinners in general 2ly To believers in particular to such as yet finde themselves out of Covenant and to such as finde themselves partakers of this uniting faith 1. That faith is the condition of the Covenant of Grace this is a comfort and To sinners in general encouragement to poor sinners who as yet finde themselves out of Covenant If God had put any other condition upon that Covenant every sinner had been utterly hopelesse suppose he had annexed and imposed the condition of actual and perfect and personal righteousnesse bring that and perform that and then I will be your God I will accept of you I will own you I will love you I will pardon you I will save you why no sinner could upon this termes have found an entrance or admission into the Covenant because the performance of If faith be the condition this Covenant is impossible to a sinner as such a condition is inconsistent with the grace of God so such a condition is impossible with the state of sin which is a state of impotency and of death But now faith being the condition of the Covenant as there is a door open for grace to manifest it self so there is hope for a sinner to partake of that grace for if God will capitulate with us upon believing There is hope for in Christ Then 1. Our former sinnings do not absolutely exclude us One sin did break the Covenant Our former sinnings doth not exclude us of works but our many sins hinder not our reception into the Covenant of grace if yet we believe on Christ 2. A want of personal and perfect righteousness doth not exclude us for faith is not to look at our own righteousâess but at the righteousnesse of Christ Nor want of personal and perfect righteousness Nor self unrighteousnesse 3. Our self-unworthinesse is no prejudice Faith looks for love and mercy and glory through Christ for the sinner who is in himself unworthy of love and mercy and glory 4. Our union with God is possible for though an immediate union there cannot Our union with God is possible be between God and a sinner yet a mediate union there may be viz. A union by Christ the Mediatour unto whom faith brings and unites the soule so that there is yet hope for the sinner to be brought into Covenant with God though not upon his own account yet upon the account of Christ unto whom faith joyns the sinner Object But it may be objected 't is true that faith is the condition of the Covenant And that faith is that condition it is therefore hopeful for sinners But yet this faith is as impossible to the sinner as the condition of perfect obedience for But this faith is as impossible to the sinner as perfect righteousnesse the sinner is no more able to make his heart to believe on Christ than he is perfectly to obey the will of God And then where is the comfort and hope that you speak of In the notion it is true that faith is a condition which advantageth a sinner But in practice it is such a condition unto which it is impossible for any sinner by his own strength to attain Answered Sol. 1. I grant that as to the âeer consideration of the sinners self natural power the condition of Faith ãâ¦ã âmpossible as the condition of perfect obedience is he hath no more power âor propensity to believe in Christ than he hath to obey and fulfill the Law and his heart is as full of unbelief as it is of disobedience 2. Neverthelesse though there be a self impossibility yet there is not an absolute Faith is possible and probable It is not imposed on us in our own strength impossibility nay faith is such a condition as is not only possible for a sinner but very probable for him to attaine it 1. Though it be the Condition of the Covenant yet it is not such a condition which God doth impose upon the sinner by his own strength or power
to form it in himself Indeed God doth require faith in Christ but God doth not require of the sinner to create this faith in his own heart 2. Though faith be the condition of the Covenant yet it is such a condition God himself doth promise to give it which God himself doth promise to give unto the sinner As it is a condition on our part so it is a gift on Gods part we are to have it but God is to give it according to his promise and undertakes to work it in us according to his power 3. Though faith be the condition yet it is such a condition that God affords all And affords means for the working of it the means for tâe working and deriving of it unto the sinner There is no sinner in all the world upon whom God calls for faith in Christ but unto that sinner God affords the Gospel which is the meanes as you have heard designed by God to work faith 4. As God affords the means unto sinners by which faith is wrought so his And his Spirit doth assiââ those meââââ Spirit upon whose operation faith depends doth ordinarily accompany and assist and blesse those meanes to make them to be the power of God to the production of faith in the hearts of sinners so that the Gospel is never sent unto any people but there are some of them effectually called so as to believe through grace 5. And fifthly as there is no sinner unto whom the Gospel of Faith is sent who can No sinner to whom the Gospel is preached can conclude that God never intended to give him faith nay every sinner is some time or other invited properly conclude that God never intends to give him this faith so every sinner may and doth some time or other finde that the Spirit doth by the Gospel earnestly deal with his heart to believe and receive Christ The Spirit by the Gospel doth let in so much light of conviction and doth so far act upon his heart by motions and arguments and perswasions to receive Christ that if yet he continue unbelieving this fault cannot be charged on God who doth work so wonderfully with him to believe but only on himself who slights those means and quenches those motions of the Spirit and wilfully opposeth and resisteth the Spirit in this working Hence it is that you never read of an impossibility on Gods part for with him all things are possible nor yet of an impotency on the sinners part why he believes not though that be true that the sinner in himself considered is insufficient but still the charge lies against the sinner for his wilfulnesse and unwillingnesse ye would not and ye will not come unto me that ye might have life and we will not have this man to reign over us Because God puts forth so much of power by his Spirit in the Gospel as may satisfie us that believing is a pâssible work and that our unbelief sticks unto us not only from a want of power but only from the presence and redundancy of perversenesse in our wills 6. Let me add one conclusion more That this faith which is the condition admitting God will never deny faith to them that cordially ask it into the Covenant is such a condition as God never did nor will deny tâ any sinner seriously and cordially asking it of him even in this it holds true also aske and it shall be given unto you If God sometimes gives this faith to them that do not ask will he deny it unto them to whom he gives an heart to ask Especially seeing that he therefore gives us an heart to ask because it is his purpose to give us this faith which we do ask See now you have the comfort in the general from this that faith is the condition of the Covenant of grace namely that then a sinner is capable and hopeful of being brought into the Covenant notwithstanding all his former sinfulness and present unrighâeousnesse and unworthinesse none of which do hinder faith from inteâesting of us in Christ And this Faith also is such a condition as God himself doth promise to give and set apart peculiar meanes to work it in us aââpon our serious asking of him will give unto us 2. I shall now speak of the particular comforts which do belong unto Believers Comforts to believers who stand possessed of this faith which unites to Christ and is the condition of the Covenant of Grace I grant that distinction of weak believers and of strong believers and that by reason of this gradual diversity there is therefore a different apprehension and perception of your comforts But if your faith be such as indeed brings you into union with Christ be that faith weak or strong then I confidently assure you that your condition is very comfortable and blessed Quest But what are those comforts and what is that blessednesse for all who What those comforts are are by faith united with Christ Sol. I will mention some of them unto you If you be by faith united to Christ so that he is yours and you are his Then 1. Vnquestionably God is your God for union with Christ infallibly takes in union Unquestionably God is your God with God if Christ be yours then God is yours Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 23. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sânne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. Beloved this is a truth that you can never have union with one Person of the Trinity alone as the union of those persons is common and mutual between themselves the Father hath union with the Son and the Holy Ghost and the Son hath union with the Father and the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost hath union with them both so is our union with them If we be united to Christ we are united to God the Father of Christ and to the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Christ If Christ be yours then God the Father is yours and if Christ be yours then God the Holy Ghost is yours As Christ is in you of a truth so God is in you of a truth and the Spirit of Christ is in you also And as you are in the Son so are you in the Father and so are you in the Spirit And as the Son is in you so the Father is in you and the Holy Ghost is in you And because this one thing is the Caput the summe and heighth and depth of all our comfort and blessednesse I shall therefore crave the favour to speak some few words unto it 1. First then our union with Christ draws in with it our union with God so that Our union with Christ draws in with it our union with God we and God himself are no longer enemies by way of difference nor strangers by way of distance but we are made nigh bâ Christ not only nigh in a way of pacification by removal of
enmitie God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself But which is more we are by Christ made nigh to God in a way of relation so that he is now become our God As by reason of this union Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren Heb. 2. 11. So God is not ashamed to be called our God Heb. 11. 16. Yea and as the Apostle tells us that Christ is ours Ephes 1. 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ so Christ himself tells us that God is ours I ascend to my God and to your God And by the way observe it that Christ doth not say only or first I ascend to your God yet this had been a special comfort to the Disciples that God was their God but he saith I ascend to my God and to your God and why to my God and next to your God But to inform us that God becomes our God by vertue of our union with Christ what Christ calls mine that you may call yours My God and your God and because my God therefore your God So then our union with Christ infers with it our union with God our relation to Christ infers with it our relation to God and our propriety in Christ our propriety also in God and our fruition of Christ to be ours a fruition of God himself to be ours than which a more high and blessed fruition no creature is capable of 2. Secondly our union with Christ takes in with it our union with the Father the Our union with the Father first Person in the Trinity that as God is the Father of Christ and Christ is the Son of God so now in Christ God is also our Father and we are his children Joh. 20. 17. My Father and your Father Ephes 1. 3. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Thes 2. 16. and God even our Father Here you see that God is Father to Christ and he is also a Father to all them that are Christs And as Christ is the Son of God so are we the sons of God and how come we to be the sons of God see Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and Joh. 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his Name why As this is an unspeakable dignity for us to be raised unto 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God So it is a most comfortable relation none the like It concludes within it all the love of God and goodnesse and mercy and care and help and compassion and tendernesse and blessings of God as a Father 3. Thirdly our union with Christ takes in with it also our union with the Holy Our union with the Holy Ghost Ghost in which respect he that is joyned to the Lord is said to be one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. and the Spirit of Christ is said to be given us 1. Joh. 3. 24. and he is in us and dwells in us Rom. 8. 9. and hath communion with us 2 Cor. 13. 14. The communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all and we have fellowship with the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. in the participation of his 1. Graces 2. Help 3. Comforts O Christians These are glorious things indeed who would not strive after union with Christ which brings such an union with it and who cannot but rejoyce and triumph in Christ by union with whom he is thus united to the whole Trinity 2. If you be by faith united unto Christ here is yet another comfort for you Our union with Christ confers upon us an interest in every good of the Covenant We are Sons Heirs That as this union infers with it a relation to every Person in the Trinity so it doth assuredly confer upon you an interest in every good of the Covenant for by vertue of this union we are made both Sons and Heirs Sonnes Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus Heirs Gal. 3. 29. And if ye be Christs then are you Abrahams Seed and Heirs according to the promise Some read it if ye be one with Christ Si unus estis in Christo vid. Beza Here you do expresly finde our Heirship to flow from our union with Christ for certainly our heirship thence ariseth from whence our sonship doth arise and that is from union with Christ Well then Believers are Christs and being Christs they are Children and if Children then Heires and Heires according to promise Quest Heirs whose Heirs and of what estate Whose Heirs Sol. An Heir strictly is the childe either Natural or adopted who upon the death of the Father succeeds into his possessions In this strict acceptation neither Christ who is the Natural Son and Heir nor Believers who are sons and heires by grace are Gods Heires for God never dies and we do not take any possession of his estate upon such a vacancy and cessation But Theologically he is an heire who is accepted and admitted into the possession promised and set forth and given by God who yet lives for ever to be our God and Father and indeed our inheritance and inheriting is neverthelesse because our Father lives but it is therefore our setled and blessed inheritance because our God and Father lives for ever Now that of which we are Heires by vertue of union with Christ Heirs of what is 1. God himself Rom. 8. 17. If children then heirs heirs of God As your children Of God are your heirs so Gods chidren are his heirs he hath never a childe but he is an heir and an heir of God There is an estate of inheritance set out for him what God possesseth of that according to his capacity and proportion shall he be possessed of holinesse glory happinesse 2. All the inheritance which Christ hath purchased and God hath intailed or setled or passed over unto you in his Covenant of no less then all this are believers Of all the inheritance which Christ hath purchased heirs This is the inheritance and the estate of which you are heirs namely all the good set out for you in the Covenant by God the Father and confirmed and sealed unto you by the blood of Christ the Mediatour of that Covenant Therefore Believers are in Scripture stiled Heirs of the promise Heb. 6. 12. of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. of the righteousnesse which is by faith Heb. 11. 7. of salvation Heb. 1. 14. of the kingdom promised to them that love him Jam. 2. 5. All the good in it for them of all things Revel 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things There is Haereditas gratiae which contains all the blessings designed for enjoyment in this life And there is Haereditas gloriae which contains all the blessednesse reserved for enjoyment in that other life
to be separated from me and another thing for me to be separated from sin 1. It is one thing for sinne to be separated from me and it is another thing for me to be separated from sinne For sin to be separated from me is wholly to be rid of it so that sin no more remaines in me For me to be separated from sin is not to love and serve it but cordially to hate it and oppose it he is separated from sinne who hates sinne Now it is not the presence of sinne simply and absolutely which is effectually contrary to union with Christ for then no sinner should ever be in Christ but it is the love and service of sin which is contrary to a union with Christ a man cannot love sinne and yet love Christ neither can he serve sinne and serve Christ But thus it is not with you for though sin be in you yet you love it not and though sin assaults and tempts and perhaps sometimes prevailes yet you serve it not And remember as long as sin is your burden your grief your enemy which you resist which you would destroy with which you will not make peace certainly you love it not nor are you the servant of it Paul who was in Christ found the presence of sin but yet he hated it and the powerful working of sin but yet he refused it and sometimes the captivity of sin but yet he bewailed it and sought to Christ for more deliverance and victory 2. There is a twofold separation from sin There is a twofold separation from sin Radical Gradual One is Radical when by the infusion of grace the heart is changed and alienated from sin The other is Gradual when by the further influence of the Spirit of Christ the powerful presence of sin is more and more mortified and subdued This latter you shall attain unto by vertue of your union with Christ But if you finde the former certainly you are united to Christ If there be but so much grace infused into the heart to alienate it from sin to change the bent and frame of the soule why this cannot be without a union with Christ for this is a new spiritual change wrought in you by the Spirit of Christ and the newnesse of our hearts depends upon that union with Christ which is made by faith and is the lively testimony of it If any man be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5 17. But I never found the powerfull workings of the Spirit Object O but union with Christ depends upon some mighty and powerful workings of the Spirit upon the soule which I never observed nor discerned in my soule Answered Though such a powerful work may not be discerned for the time yet it may appear by the effâcts Sol. It is a truth that it doth so The Gospel comes not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost when it inables a soule to believe in Christ and without the mighty working of the Spirit it is impossible to make the heart to believe And although in the present darknesse of the Spirit you discern not nor remember such a mighty working yet perhaps by the effects which may be found in you you shall acknowledge the same for the time was 1. When blacknesse of darknesse covered your mindes so that you were ignorant of God and Christ and your own condition and of the way of salvation But now there is a light set up in your minde by which you know the true God and him whom he hath sent even Jesus Christ and the salvation by him purchased for sinners who believe in him 2. When carnal security possessed your heart so that you could rest quiet in your natural condition but now that spirit of slumber and security is shaken off and your soule is become anxious and sollicitous What shall I do to be saved 3. When your heart was full of your own righteousness you were rich and increased you were whole and needed not the Physitian but now you see your self pâore and wretched and naked and miserable and utterly undone unlesse you may have Christ and be found in him 4. When you were confident and presumptuous of your own power and self-sufficiency O it was easie to repent and no great matter to believe on Christ but now you finde your self without all strength and unlesse you be enabled by the strength and grace of Christ it is not only difficult but also impossible for your heart to close with him by faith 5. When you found your proud spirit slighting the offers of Christ and opposing the word of Christ and resisting and quenching the motions of the Spirit of Christ but now your hearts tremble at these abominations and you lie down at the feet of Christ and your heart is set on Christ O Lord give me Christ O Lord give me an heart to embrace this precious Christ and never to slight thy great love in Christ nor that great salvation any more 6. When you felt the power of unbelief in your hearts working up daily exceptions and hourly fears and strong despaires for ever enjoying Christ for your Christ O now this sin and that sin this slighting and that neglecting and your unworthinesse and Christs unwillingnesse and your inability and Christs command and your dulnesse and Christs silence and your desires and Christs delayes so that no hopes many times lodged within you your hearts were sinking and failing and giving up all But now your hearts are answered and set at liberty and power is found within you to break down this mighty partition wall of unbelief and against all the oppositions which unbelief and Satan can make yet to venture upon Christ and to justifie the invitations and promises of Christ and wholly to come up to all the terms and articles of Christ upon which he is contented to be yours O Christian call'st thou these no workings of the Spirit Or no mighty workings of the Spirit I tell thee that to work and effect these things no lesse power is put forth than the Almighty power of God upon thy soule A greater power than to bring Israel out of Egypt as great a power is put forth as to raise the dead I grant that when the Spirit works with the Law to convince and distresse the conscience there his workings are more vehement and strong to our apprehensions And when the same Spirit works through the Gospel his workings many times are not discerned in their time of working in that sensible and remarkable efficacy but yet when you review the whole work and working of the Spirit as to the production of faith why you will fall down and admire how ever your poore soules could against so many oppositions insufficiencies reasonings conclusions fears doubts despaires be prevailed upon and enabled to come to Christ Ob. O but union with Christ indeed by faith ever takes along with it the presence and communion of the
day find it so for as our persons are the first things which Christ hath purchased and blessings and blessednesse for them the next so it is Christ himself unto whom we must be first united before we can have any portion or communion in the good things purchased by him If you did indeed believe that all your right and title to mercy and glory lay in the purchase of Christ you would never be at rest untill Christ himself were yours c. Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who is made unto us of God c. 3. If you do indeed believe that all your saving good depends upon the Why do you not go to Christ and get from him all that good purchase of Christ Why do you not go to Christ and get from him some of that goâd yea all that good which he hath purchased for us in this life Beloved the purchase of Christ 1. Contains much good for this life All that Christ hath purchased is not a reversion of heaven hereafter there is exceeding much good to be had in present possession There is for this present life an holy nature a discharge of all sins a power of new obedience the presence of the Spirit communion with our God 2. There is nothing which Christ hath purchased for us but it is very precious and very necessary Christ did not dye for small things all that Christ hath purchased he did purchase the same with his precious blood and if all that he purchased is worth his blood then surely it is worth our care and our reception But why is it not thus you look on Christs purchase only in the reversion as if heavenly glory were the whole summe It is not so there are many precious things of a present possession which he hath purchased And why are you so carelesse about them If you do indeed believe them that they are precious and necessary why take you no more pains to enjoy God as your reconciled God why do you not seek his favour and love which Christ hath purchased and why are you so negligent to make peace with God and to sue out that peace which Christ hath made and why do you not seriously beg for holiness and for all the graces of the Spirit of Christ for these hath Christ purchased as well as glory verily many men do not belive that Christ hath purchased any thing and many believe only that he hath purchased heaven but for all other things they fall neither within their faith nor within their care 4. If you believe the meritorious purchase of Christ why do you keep off and Why do you stagger in your expectations and hopes Improve the sufferings of Christ as a purchase stagger in your expectations and hopes and confidences for glory and mercy for any good and doubt your enjoyments is it not because you doubt either of Christs title or of your own right 2. Mind and improve the sufferings of Christ as a meritorious purchase do not rest in the sufferings of Christ as a satisfaction only nor as a deliverance only but go on further and consider them as a purchase and accordingly improve them Beloved ponder well what I say 1. Your estate is not full without the purchase of Christ and the good things purchased Your estate is not full without the purchase of Christ by his blood Suppose you have Gods justice satisfied for the sins which you have committed and suppose that Christ hath delivered you from wrath and condemnation yet this is not enough that all a mans debts be paid is this enough unless you set him up with a good stock again As deliverance from sin and death and wrath is necessary so a right unto and a possession of grace and glory is necessary As you must shew your aquittance from misery so you must shew your title to blessedness and this lies in the blood of Christ as a purchase the estate is not full it is not repaired unlesse you come to possession again 2. As the estate is not full so it is not safe without the enjoyment of what Nor safe without it Christ hath purchased nor without his title for the same Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City Heb. 12. 14 Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord. Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Heb. 10. 39. We are of them that believe to the saving of the soule Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Lo here are things purchased by Christ In ordine ad finem holinesse repentance justification faith and obedience and without these there is no entring into life c. And therefore by all means look after the purchase of Christ this is your salvation and Rock to build upon 3. Your conscience will never be satisfied else it will break down your Consciences Your Conscience will never be satisfied without it from heaven if you have not Christ as your purchase your rejoycing must be in Christ Jesus and your hopes in Christ Jesus And you must be found in him not having your own righteousnesse but the righteousness which is of God by faith c. Quest. But here some may demand When should we improve the meritorious When should we improve this purchase purchase of Christ Sol. I answer you should improve the meritorious purchase of Christ 1. All the dayes of your life when at any time you find a need of any good that All the dayes of our life concerns your souls and desire to enjoy the same now remember what Christ hath purchased and bought for you and now go in his Name to God the Father for it Joh. 14. 14. If you ask any thing in my Name he will do it Chap. 16. 23. Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Object O the matters are so high and so great I shall never attaine them Sol. Do you finde them within Christs purchase If so then they are within your faith and you may take them into your Prayer and you shall certainly speed 2. At the time of death when all your hopes to all eternity depend on At the time of death Christ and when the great business and estate of immortality and life comes to the issue and when all for ever is reduced to the merit and power of Christs death and purchase when if Christ failes all failes and if his merit holds heaven is sure and you souls are sure This is the great time the last time to improve the meritorious purchase of Christ Now lay hold on him and fast hold
some internal testimony of the Spirit of Christ witnessing and sealing the application of the death of Christ in the benefits of it unto the unbelieving and impenitent person But such a testimony the Spirit of Christ never gives to any person remaining unbelieving and impenitent his witnessing and sealing being only to the children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God and follows on believing Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Ver. 14. who is the earnest of our inheritance So that there is no way for any unbeliever and impenitent person to know that Christ dyed for his sins and to make his peace and to save his soul and unlesse his unbelief and impenitency be changed he can never know it 2. As the Gospel fixeth the death of Christ in the benefits of it only upon Believers he that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16 And whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. So it threatneth unbelievers with the losse of all benefit by Christ Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall not be damned And John 3. 36. He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Note And therefore by the way let me hint unto you two things One is that all such persons who do continue to slight and refuse Christ and will go on in their sinful ways they have certainly deceived themselves and do still deceive themselves in their presumptuous confidence that Christ hath dyed for them and shed his blood for the remission of their sins and that they shall be saved as well as the best These rude confidences are but lying vanities and ungrounded presumptions refuges and delusions of their own making and who so trusts unto them will in the end perish for the Scripture is so far from offering Christ in the benefits of his death to unbelieving and impenitent persons continuing in that estate that it assures them of the quite contrary that they shall not see life that they shall not be saved that they shall dye in their sins and perish A second is that we would every one of us look seriously into our conditions and if we do finde them to be unbelieving and impenitent then as we love our lives and tender our salvation by Christ humbly and earnestly to importune the Lord to deliver our souls from unbelief and impenitency they being the sins which else will hinder us not only of the benefits by the death of Christ but also of Christ himself without an interest in whom we cannot have any interest in the benefits purchased by his death Secondly Some there are who perhaps are in Christ and yet they do not Some may be in Christ but do not know it know that they are in Christ and Christ in the benefits of his death belongs unto them at least they do not certainly know this and the reason of that inevidency may be 1. Their own negligence and carelessnesse the Apostle saith We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. The assurance of our interest in Christ and in the benefits of Christ is a most sweet and refreshing knowledge but it cannot be so easily attained A diligence on our part is required to attain the same much searching and praying and conference and comparing of our hearts with the Word of precept and with the Word of promise are necessary for such an evidence and our failing in these may be a reason why we fail in that 2. The imbecillity of faith which is but newly âormed and hardly perceptible by reason of many clouds and doubts and fears weak faith cannot so easily manifest it self unto us nor yet our title to Christ and interest in his purchase 3. The power of temptations and of melancholy which do distract the soul and disturb the apprehension and the acts of it and daâken and misperswade and delude us so that we cannot see our selves aright nor Christ aright nor our grounds of Application nor yet the testimonies or evidences of our union with Christ Thirdly Some there are who lie in a trembling condition and are not determinately Some would know but do not resolved either way they cannot peremptorily conclude Christ did not dye for them nor yet can they confidently affirme Christ did dye for them only this is to be found in them that their hearts do mourn after Christ and they do love him and do exceedingly strive after the knowledge of his love and the intentions of his death for their souls the inevidence of it is their great perplexity and the certainty of it is their great desire and pains And now for a clear and distinct answer unto the question One may certainly know that Christ died effectually to satisfie Gods justice for him to take away his sins to make reconciliation for him and to save him 1. By the description of those for whom without all question Christ did intentionally and effectually dye 2. By the qualities of those persons who in Scripture have been able to say upon sure grounds that Christ dyed for them and unto whom in particular the benefits of his death have been applied and appropriated 3. By the interest in that condition of faith upon which Christ becomes ours in his person and in his benefits 4. By the combination of the benefits of the death of Christ and the real participation of every one of them 5. By the ends of the death of Christ and the appearance of them upon his heart and life 6. By the ground and order of that certainty of knowledge or perswasion which a person hath that Christ dyed for him 7. By the concomitant presence of some choice affections in all who do attain unto that certain evidence that Christ dyed for them 8. By the consequent effects and fruits which do flow from that sound knowledge of Christ in his death and benefits for us in particular One may certainly know that Christ dyed for him By the description of those for whom Christ intentionally dyed 1. One may certainly know that Christ effectually dyed for him By the description of those for whom without all question Jesus Christ did intentionally and effectually dye If one can finde himself within the number of them for whom Christ himself hath said he came to dye and came to save and laid down his life and saith he is the Saviour of them this man may be confidently perswaded and assured that Christ dyed for him Now you finde some expressely described in Scripture for whom he unquestionably dyed Matth. 1. 21. He shall save his people from their sins Joh. 10. 15. I lay down my life for the sheep Joh. 15. 13. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends If therefore any
may finde all this in Gods promise 2. Thy estate may be sure when as yet you are not assured It may be day though the Sun doth not gloriously appear I confesse that faith of evidence makes our condition joyful but yet the faith of adherence can make it sure and blessed for that is it which interests us into Christ and Christ is he who interests us into pardon and freedome you shall be saved because you are Christs not because you know that you are so 3. Nay great fear and troubles because of unassurances may and do usually end in sweetest and fullest assurance especially when those fears and troubles raise many prayers much tendernesse in conscience and serious diligence and humble and upright walking Secondly Though you have not your wages yet do not give up your works Though you have not your wages do not give over your work Do not say I will pray no more and hear no more and wait no longer whatsoever you may imagine yet I assure you of this it is nothing else but proud unbelief when God shall hear no longer from us because it is long before we hear from God and we therefore lessen duty because God is pleased to with-hold comforts Simile This is as if one should give over writing a Deed because it is not sealed write but to the bottome and then the seal shall be annexed Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. So say I Be diligent still in praying and be diligent still in hearing and be diligent still in holy and upright walking though these be not assurances yet these are the way unto assurance if you cannot be joyful friends yet be faithful servants if you cannot rejoyce to do his will it will not be long ere you shall rejoyce in knowing his love Esay 64. 5. Thou meetest him ãâã rejoyceââ and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy ways Thirdly If you would have the light do not then shut up the window and If you would have the light do not shut up the window draw the curtain Do not hinder what you desire You would be assured that Christ is yours and dyed for you then do you not hinder the dawning of this day-star in your own hearts A person hinders his assurance many ways viz. 1. By great transgressions these are the thick and dark clouds which will make the Sun to set at Noon-day and will not suffer it to rise untill after great humiliations David found it so Psal 51. Exod. 25. 21. Thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the Ark and in the Ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee Ver. 22. And there I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the testimony And you shall never meet with the mercy-seat if you slight the Ark of the testimony you cannot venture on any sin be it never so secret but you shall thereby dishonour your God break your peace lame your prayers set back your confidence and either strike off or else delay your assurance 2. By carelesse neglects when a man will not take pains to recover lost assurance it was the case of those in Cant. 5. 3. I have put off my Coat how shall I put it on 3. By cherishing unbelief and jealousies in misinterpreting and misapplying all that God speaks or does If he threatens wrath why I am the man If mercy be at any time distinguished from any sorts of sinners alas then mercy belongs not to me If the hypocrite be described then I fear such a one am I If the presumptuous person then am not I he If promises be unfolded I fear they are not my portion If the love of Christ I doubt it as to me If relations and titles to Christ sure they are not in me in truth If Arguments to satisfie and settle the heart O but I may not joyne with them When a troubled sinner is apt to joyne with all that will trouble and to take part with all that will weaken his faith and that will strengthen his unbelief and his great work lies in excepting and in questioning and in disputing away his helps and encouragements to believe this will hinder his assurance that which hinders faith will hinder assurance Directions 2. The Directions If you would come to this assurance that Christ dyed for you First Be humbly mournful Christ said to Mary when she wââ weeping Be humbly mournful her sins are forgiven her Luk. 7. 47. Christ was sent to binde up the broken-hearted and to give the oyle of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isa 61. 1 3. A broken heart is near unto joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. 4. And so is the humble heart which judgeth it self lesse than the least of mercies and unworthy to be called a son and trusts not to any thing in it self and is made up altogether of the grace of God in Christ this heart is near to peace and to the Spirit of consolation Isa 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also who is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isa 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word Secondiy Be earnest in prayer Pray without ceasing pray and faint not pray to know the love of Christ pray especially for the love of Christ for the Be earnest in prayer light of that Spirit and for the testimony of that Spirit because it is his work and office to seal and assure us and pray for those assuring promises of pardon Rev. 2. 17. Isa 60. 16. There are two choice works of the Spirit 1. One is to draw and perswade the sinner to come to Christ to believe on him to receive him 2. The other is to assure the believer of his relation to Christ and of Christs relation to him that he is Christs and that Christ is his that he loved him and gave himself for him O pray and continue this prayer that the Spirit of Christ may be given unto you to open and reveal all that is given to you c. Thirdly Attend the Ordinances of Christ the Word and Sacraments and the communion of Saints Attend the Ordinances of Christ The Word of the Gospel it is the Word of peace as well as of grace as it is the means of faith so it is the means of assurance it doth bring us to Christ and it can Ministerially evidence our interest in the things of Christ 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life How
many doubts do you who are weak believers finde answered in the Ministry of the Gospel how often hath your weak faith been raised by it and your hearts encouraged to trust and many times refreshed and revived with confidences and perswasions that indeed Christ is youâs and shed his blood for the remission of your sins And for the Sacrament you know that it is the seal of righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. As a seal assures and confirms the matter contained and conveyed in a Deed so doth the Sacrament confirme and assure weak believers of all the good of the Covenant and of all the benefits purchased by the blood of Christ that Ordinance is appointed only for believers and it is appointed for this very end to strengthen their faith and to breed assurance in them of their union and communion with Christ And as for the communion of Saints I would to God that we knew it more the helps are very great therein we may freely open our hearts and the spiritual condition of them one to another and meet with such experiences and such directions resolves and satisfactions and such supports and encouragements and comforts and succours of prayers as would much conduce towards our assurance c. Fourthly Look well to your faith strengthen that and manage that well for Look to your faith that gets the first sight and hath the first news of pardon and salvation let me commend unto you three things about this 1. Take some pains to clear it out that you have faith in truth my reason for this advice is first If that were evidenced you may then certainly conclude your particular interest Secondly till it be evidenced your doubts and fears about a personal application will be still in force yea if I were sure that I had faith in truth then indeed I may conclude that Christ is mine and dyed for me but I am not suâe of that 2. Act your faith on Christ glorifie him so far as to venture on him alone for your pardon for your peace for your salvation you know what he is and what he hath done and suffered and you know that your hearts are given up unto him and have chosen him to be your Lord Jesus Christ well now rely on him as yours and on his blood as shed for the remission of your sins Trust him upon his Word which he hath spoken of all that believe on him that they shall not perish but have everlasting life why this is a faithful saying I will cast my self upon him whom I have believed I will trust that in his Name and by his blood God hath forgiven my sins and is reconciled to me c. You would not imagine how much this would conduce to assurance 3. Live by faith although you cannot read your pardon or peace in experience yet you may read it in the promises he that believes shall be saved whosoever believes on him shall receive remission of sins c. Now live awhile upon these promises give glory to them if you can live upon the truth of them you shall ere long taste the goodnesse of them Fifthly Patiently wait upon God do not quarrel with him nor limit him to this prayer nor to this time but keep on in his ways by upright walking and Patiently wait upon God humbly expect the answer and issue Psal 81. 8. I will hearken saith David what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his Saints Cant. 3. 1. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth Ver. 2. I will rise and go about the City in the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth Ver. 3. I said unto the watch-men Saw ye him whom my soul loveth Ver. 4. It was but a little that I passed from him but I found him whom my soul loveth Whether every one who is indeed ââdeemed ây Christ may know some time or other that Christ dyed for him Case 3. Whether every one who is indeed redeemed by Christ doth certainly know some time or other that Christ dyed for him in particular Or whether every one for whom Christ effectually dyed doth some time or other attain unto a certain evidence thereof in this life Answered Sol. This is a very nice question and I would warily speak unto it six things will be granted by us First That every believing person may attain unto this certain evidence there are causes and means sufficient to produce it promises faith spirit conscience c. Secondly That every believing person should attain it it is pressed upon him in the Word to strive to make it sure and to come to the assurance of faith Thirdly That God hath promised such a knowledge unto all that are his in Covenant Hosea 2. 23. I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy and I will say unto them that were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my God Fourthly The Church of Christ and Believers both in the Old and in the New Testament generally have obtained unto this evidence Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isa 63. 16. And O Lord thou art our Father see we beseech thee we are all thy people Isa 64. 8 9. Abraham Job David the Church in the Canticles my beloved is mine and I am his Paul and those Believers in Corinth they were sealed and had given unto them the earnest of the spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. 1. 12. The believing Ephesians had the like In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1. 13. and of the Thessalonians the Apostle saith that the Gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance 1 Thes 1. 5. Fifthly There are many Believers among our selves who can say as Paul of Christ he loved me and gave himself for me Sixthly There are many weak Believers who as yet cannot certainly say thus much although they may safely say so much for the weakest faith gives an interest in Christ and therefore in his benefits Now for a direct answer to the case I conceive that every true Believer effectually Every believer doth some time or other attain unto it brought in by the Gospel to Christ doth some time or other attain unto a certain evidence that âhrist is his and dyed for him only let me distingnish concerning this Assertion and then I will give you my reasons why I think so You must distinguish of Assurance or Evidence thus it is eitheâ Some distinctions about it 1. Real which is so much light as indeed declares the truth of interest or relation it over-tops actual doubtings in their prevalency it turns the scale it makes a soul to know thy faith is right and Christ belongs to thee and dyed therefore for thee 2. Gradual which is like the
are the very ingredients of his promises the promises are nothing else but the good will and purpose of God transcribed and copied out for us 3. Who is faithful Hebr. 11. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised and what is it for God to be faithful in his promises but in his own good time to do what he speaks and to give what he promiseth to give Faithful is he who hath called you who will also do it saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 24. Mark to do what he promiseth this was to be faithful 4. God hath promised all of them to all his people in Covenant to all that are God hâth promised all of them to all his people brought into Christ to all who have chosen him for their God and give up their hearts and lives unto him to all who can call him Father and are become his children as the blessings promised are distributed into greater and lesser some are spiritual some are corporal so the heirs of blessings some of them are stronger some are weaker but this makes no difference as to the claim and title the weakest Believer in Christ the weakest childe of God is an heir of all the spiritual blessings which God hath promised Use 2 Hath God promised all spiritual blessings as well as temporal unto all his people in Covenant then you who are the people of God Mark what concerns you Mark what conceâns you under the sense of your wants under the sense of any spiritual wants Do not complain any longer and do not charge God foolishly and do not give up your conditions as desperate do not say there is no help nor hope and do not hearken to what Satan saith nor to what your perplexed hearts do say but regard and mark what God saith in his promises He saith that he will give grace and glory and he will give all the matters of Justification and of Sanctification and therefore do you take that course for the enjoyment of them which God directs you unto and likewise encourages you unto Quest What course is that What course we should take for this enjoyment of sâiâitual bâessiââ Pray for spiritual blessings Sol. It is this First You must humbly pray unto him to give unto you all those spiritual blessings which you do need and which he hath promised Object Pray unto him will you say if he hath promised to give them what need we to pray for them Sol. Yes promises on Gods part and prayers on our part are not contradistinct but subordinate therefore remember 1. Though God promiseth to give all these spiritual blessings yet he expresly calls for prayer from us unto himself to bestow them on us Ezek. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Jer. 29. 11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Ver. 12. Then shall you call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Ver. 13. And ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts 2. As he calls for prayer so he adds a new engagement of promise to give even spiritnal blessings upon prayer Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Secondly You must act faith you must believe on his Word and trust on Act faith him as a faithful God to performe c. Psal 62. 8. Trust in him at all times ye people poure out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us Selab Isa 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 57. 2. I will cry unto God most High unto God which performs all things for me Hebr. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Jam. 1. 6. But let him ask in faith O Sirs this is one of the greatest reasons why notwithstanding your many tears and prayers you have so small portion in spiritual blessings because you do not trust on God for them you do not believe that he will deal with you according to his Word you do not give him the glory of an all-sufficient and faithful God still you are questioning him and reasoning against him But will he make good his Word of promise and can he do this or that the Lord humble our hearts for this we think not of it as a sin or else but a small sin but indeed it is an exceedingly provoking sin and an eternal dishonour to the God of truth and mercy thus by our unbelief to charge a lye or a doubtfulnesse upon him Object But have we not reason to doubt what he will do when we are so unworthy Sol. No our unworthinesse is no sufficient reason to question the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of Gods promise because 1. He never indents with us upon terms of our worthinesse 2. He professeth that he doth us good not for our sakes but for his own sake Thirdly If need be you must wait upon God for the performance of those spiritual Wait upon God for performance blessings promised unto you Isa 36. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement he knows what and when is best blessed are all they that wait for him Three things ãâã to enable you to wait c. 1. Any spiritual blessing is worth a waiting for the least of them being of more worth and more consequence to the soul than a whole world 2. God will oft times try your hearts whether indeed you would be thus blessed or can be satisfied and give over without enjoyment 3. The promise of them is very sure God who cannot lye hath promised Tit. 1. 2. He will not fail you in these spiritual blessings though many times he doth deny you some temporal desires Vse 3 Are spiritual blessings and mercies promised by God to all that are in Covenant with him in what a case then are all obstinate and perverse sinners who will The sad condition of Impenitent âânners hold fast their sins and walk in their own ways and hate to be reformed and will not be brought into the bond of the Covenant with God if there were no other misery for them but this that they shall not partake of spiritual blessings this were misery sufficient You read of those in Luke 14. who excused themselves and refused to come to the Supper prepared Christ saih of them ver 24. None of those men shall taste of my Supper truly this was judgement and punishment enough never to partake of any benefit or good by Christ In like manner this is
time he gives faith and Christ and Justification and Sanctification all at once as soon as the person believes he is united to Christ and hereupon justified and sanctified And others of them are of a comfortable consequence as assurance joy peace c. God doth not give these blessings first of all but after he hath given the former Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise mark the sealing follows the believing 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory here rejoycing follows believing Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God peace with God follows justification and therefore is it a preposterous course for any troubled souls to presse God or to expect from God the comforts and joys and assurances promised before they have faith and are in Christ for though God doth promise these things yet he promises to give them in an orderly way the graces first and then the comforts of grace faith and union with Christ first and then the joys and peace depending upon that union 5. When God undertakes to give all blessings unto his people in Covenant this He gives according to the proportions and measures he knows best for us in our places and conditions must be understood according to the proportion and measure which he knows best for us in our places and conditions There is a measure of apprehension of Christ and of our justification by Christ and of our salvation by Christ God gives a greater and clearer and more fixed measure of the apprehension or reflexive knowledge of these to some of his people then he doth to others of them And there is a measure of holinesse some have higher and some have weaker degrees of grace now in Gods undertaking to give all spiritual blessings you must not think that God intends to give every measure or degree of grace at once nor yet the like degree of grace unto every one nor yet the like measure of comfortable evidences or apprehensions of interest in Christ and remission and salvation by him no but God will give all Covenant-blessings unto all his people in such a proportion and measure in this life as may conduce most to his glory and may most fit them in their private and publick conditions for his better service Vse 1 Strive to believe and acknowledge this truth that God himself doth undertake to give all the blessings of the Covenant which do concern his Believe and acknowledge this truth people Object Why will you say no man doubts it or scruples it but it belongs to God and to him alone to give all c. Sol. I wish that ââme were true but if indeed this were so then 1. Why do not we in all our wants and necessities make our prime applications unto God Why do we think least of him and last of him we run to this creature and to that creature set up one friend and look upon another try all the powers and abilities here below as if God were least of all concerned in the donation of our mercies and blessings if we did indeed believe that God himself undertakes all blessings for us then our first addresses would be unto him our first work and our great work would be with himself alone to do us good 2. Why do our hearts go and come rise and fall according to the presence and absence of visible means and helps in the prevalence of them our hearts are raised up with hopes and in the absence of them they are distracted and cast down with fears Would it be thus with us if we did indeed believe that God himself undertook to give us all our blessings certainly we place our hopes and expectations below and besides God himself when inferiour causes have such a command and such an influence upon our hearts If we did believe that God himself that he alone were sufficient and faithful it would be all one to us whether the creatures smile or frown incline toward us or fall from us 3. Why do we not only for temporal supplies but also for spiritual mercies undertake for our selves and as it were discharge God from undertaking for us How often do we undertake the spiritual charge of our hearts and to make our own hearts to repent and to believe and to subdue our own sins and to do such and such commands of God by our own free-will and by our own strength if we did believe that God himself undertakes for all these and that it belongs unto him alone to give them would we presume upon our selves thus would we take his work out of his hands 4. Why dare we not in our exigency commit all unto him and quietly rest on him but when our helps and hopes are reduced only unto him so that unlesse he himself appears we can cast Anchor nowhere else and although in such cases he doth plainly appear in his Covenant graciously undertaking and faithfully promising to help and blesse us yet this is nothing to us it doth no way affect or support us assuredly either we do not know this God aright or else we do not believe that he himself doth undertake for us or else that he will performe and Not to believe and acknowledge this truth is a great sin Wherein the sinfulnesse of it lies make good what himself hath undertaken Beloved Consider what I say this is a very great sin thus to fall short in the belief and acknowledgement of this truth for 1. You deny God to be God in the Covenant you do as it were shut him out from being a party there and concerned there though indeed he be the confederating party and we are the confederated party yet you include him and deny him to be so when that you believe not that it belongs to him to be the suscipient party and your selves to be the recipient party only for I beseech you what will you make of Gods covenanting with you more than a cypher if you do not grant and acknowledge him therein as engaging himself to give us all the good which we do need What other work is there which can or doth concern him 2. And you do hereby deny all homage unto him for how can you ãâã unto him for any one good that you want or trust on him for any one âââcy if you do not acknowledge this truth that he himself undertakes to give all blessings and mercies unto you and where will you put your mite of thankfulnesse for all your receits of blessings if God himself did not undertake to give you the blessings what ground have you to undertake to give him the praise of them Therefore earnestly strive by faith to assent unto this truth which I have delivered it is of more consequence than you are aware of it is that which gives life unto you in all your dealings with God and which may
people in Covenant he gives them only upon account of his graciousnesse in Covenant he will and doth give them not for any worthinesse in them but only upon the account of his own graciousnesse In this Chapter you have God undertaking all sorts of mercies for his people and it is observable that both Antecedently and Consequently he disclaims all worthiness of them on his peoples part Ezek. 36. 22. Thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Name sake ver 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you Deut. 7. 7. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people ver 8. but because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworn unto your Fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bond-men from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt Consider all the blessings of the Covenant for soul or body for this life or for the next life Spiritual or temporal the reason of them lies not in our worthiness but only and altogether in Gods graciousness not in the receivers but only in the giver See it in these particulars First That God loves us and makes a Covenant with us this comes to pass not God loves us from his own graciousnesse for our worthiness but from his own graciousnesse Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live ver 8. Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was a time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse yea I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Secondly That God gives his Son Jesus Christ this respects no worthiness in God gives Chrâst of his oân graciousness us but his own graciousnesse Rom. 6. 5. For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly ver 8. God commendeth his love towards us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. Thirdly That any man is effectually called unto Christ this doth not arise from Effectual calling is from Gods graciousness any dignity in us but only from Gods graciousnesse 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath called us with an holy calling not according to our own works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Fourthly That any man is Sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of Grace this So is Sanctification comes not from the account of any thing in us but only from the account of Gods graciousnesse Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour 5. That any man is Justified there is no reason for this in our works but in And Justification his grace Rom. 3. 23. For all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God ver 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. Isa 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace Sixthly That any man is Saved and comes to the enjoyment of eternal life this depends not upon our worthiness but on Gods graciousnesse Ephes 2. 5. By And salvation grace ye are saved ver 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God ver 9. Not of works least any man should boast Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Seventhly Nay all our temporal blessings do flow not from our worthiness but from his graciousnesse Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered And all temporal blessings him up for us all how shall he not also freely give us all things 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy Word sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them For the further discussing of this Point I will shew unto you 1. That God doth not enjoyn on his people nor expect from them any worthiness God doth not enjoyn nor expect any worthiness as a reason of his blessings Three Demonstrations of it as a reason of his blessings 2. Why all his blessings are given unto us upon the account of his own graciousness First That God doth not enjoyn on his people nor doth he expect from them any worthinesse as a reason of any of his blessings Indeed he doth command his people to âeek unto him and to trust upon him for all that good which he promiseth to give unto them But for any personal worthiness as a reason of his goodness and bounty unto us this he neither requires nor expects For First A personal worthinesse of the blessings of the Covenant is impossible on our part we are in an absolute incapacity of meriting any good from the hands of A personal worthiness on our part is impossible God Dan. 9. 7. O Lord Righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face c. Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Consider either our best doings or our greatest sufferings no merit or worthiness is to be found in either of them For our doings when we have done all that we can Christ saith that we must say and confess that we are but unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. For our sufferings the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the which glory shall be revealed in us But let me now punctually demonstrate this Assertion that there can be no worthiness or meriting from us for any good thing 1. No gift of God can really merit for us any good from God but all the good that we have is the gift of God Ergo. The fiâst Proposition is clear because in receiving what is only given an Obligation rests only upon us but none upon the giver and therefore we merit nothing Simile no more than a beggar can merit from us by receiving an almes
19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Ver 20. Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Luk. 7. 38. And she stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with oyntment Ver. 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven c. v. 15. 18. I will arise and go to my Father and will say to him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Ver. 19. and am no more worthy to be called thy son c. Ver. 20. and he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell upon his neck and kissed him Quest But here some may reply It is granted that all who do truely repent are within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sins and many do think How one may know he doth truely repent that they do truely repent of their sins but how may one know that he doth truely repent that so he may safely conclude the forgiveness of his sins Sol. I thank you for the propounding of this doubt for the clear resolution whereof I shall thus deliver my self 1. I shall shew unto you the integral part of Repentance i. e. those particular Branches of which true Repentance doth consist and unto all which forgiveness of sins is promised 2. I shall shew unto you the right qualifications of those particular parts of Repentance that so you may know whether you do truely Repent or no. First For the first of these you do know as I suppose that there are three The integral parts of repentance Contrition parts of Repentance viz. 1. Contrition or grief of heart for sins committed which is called sometimes godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10. and sometimes a contrite spirit Isa â6 2. and a broken and contrite heart Psal 51. 17. and sometimes the afflicting of our soules Levit. 16. 29. and sometimes the humbling of the heart 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my people shall humble themselves c. Lam. 3. 20. My soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled within me and sometimes a mourning Zach. 12. 10. And they shall mourn as c. and sometimes a weeping Mar. 14. 72. And when he thought thereon he wept First There is no man a penitent sinner but he is a mourning sinner his soul is No man is a penitent sinner but a mourning sinner grieved his heart is displeased and humbled for his sins If the heart be hardned it is impenitent if thy sins which have grieved and troubled God do not trouble and grieve thy soul thou art an impenitent and hardened sinner much more art thou so if thy sins be the matter of thy delight and rejoycing And on the contrary all penitent persons are mourning persons Judg. 2. 4. The children of Israel repented and the people lift up their voice and wept 1 Sam. 7. 6. They repented and drew water and poured it out before the Lord. Psal 6. 6. David repented and watered his Couch with his tears 2 Chro. 32. 26. Hezekiah Repented 2 Chron. 33. 12. and humbled himself for the pride of his heart Manasses as some think repented and he humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers Jer. 31. 18 19. Ephraim repented and Ephraim bemoaned himself and smote upon his thigh and is even confounded Luke 7. 38. Mary Magdalen repented and she wept and washed the feet of Christ with tears Luk. 22. 62. Peter repented and he went out and wept bitterly 2 Cor. 7. 9. The Corinthians repented and they were made sorry after a godly manner Secondly Thus you see that all truely penitent persons are broken-hearted Mourning persons for sin are in a capacity of pardon persons and mourning persons for their sins and now ye shall find that all these persons are within the capacity of the promise of forgivenesse of sins Zach. 12. 11. In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zach. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleannesse Jer. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself c. Ver. 20. I will surely have mercy upon him Mark the place Ephraims heart is troubled for sinning and Gods bowels so are his mercies stiled are troubled for Ephraim Ephraim like a penitent Childe falls a weeping and God like an indulgent Father falls a bemoaning of him I am grieved and troubled and ashamed at my very heart that I have thus sinned against thee saith Ephraim O peace refrain thine eyes from tears saith God to Ephraim I cannot refrain my mercies from thee Lo this is thy pardon for thy sins Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and why is a broken spirit called sacrifices of God Is it not for the acceptableness of it unto God and is it not because as upon sacrifices sins were put away so upon contrition of heart for sins there comes out the forgiveness of sins Isa 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones And can the contrite heart be revived without forgiveness of sins Matth. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Surely this is spoken of spiritual mourning of mourning for sin for can you say of any other mourning besides these that they are blessed and their blessedness lies in this that they shall be comforted and what comfort is that which a mourning sinner looks upon as blessedness why none buâ that in Isa 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her iniquitie is pardoned Confession of sins 2. The second part of Repentance is confession of sinnes which flows out of a contrite heart I speak not of a formal verbal empty confession we are all sinners God help us c. but of such a confession of sin as ariseth from a true and full sense of sin when the tongue speaks out of the abundance of a troubled spirit ingenuously and humbly acknowledging iniquities and transgressions and judging himself worthy of wrath and unworthy of mercy c. This confession you shall find in Repenting sinners and those persons so confessing under the capacity of the promise of the forgivenesse of their
heard thee preach in our Synagogues Have we not eat and drunk in thy presence c Luke 13. 26. There is not any one hypocrite there is not any one formal Professor but he doth deceive himself with a false opinion of his estate and with a false assurance And there are four great Reasons why these men do thus delude themselves 1. One is Pride of heart and vain-glory they will appear not to be inferiour to any and therefore will deceive themselves to deceive others and will boast of what they have not 2. Another is the reach of common gifts which may give them a taste of Christ and of the good Word and of the Powers of the world to come Hebr. 6. 5. A taste makes them think it is assurance 3. A third is the neglect of self-examination they take things upon trust and will not search their hearts and try their ways and bring them to the light to the rule to the touch-stone to the Word they will not try their hearts by the Word nor their supposed graces by the Word nor their comforts nor assurances by the Word and therefore they deceive themselves 4. A fourth is the just iudgement of God upon them to send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye because they received not the love of the ruth 2 Thes 2. 10 11. Only a notion of it but not the love of it only the form but not the power of godliness Thirdly As many have deceived themselves with a false assurance so Many still deceive themselves How one may know he hath a false assurance many still do deceive themselves with a false assurance instead of a true assurance Quest But will some of you say that is the question unto which we desire you to speak a few words what are the discoveries of a false assurance or how one may know that the assurance or perswasion which he hath if the forgiveness of his sins is false is but a delusion Sol. For your help in this I will present unto you six infallible discoveries of a false assurance First The first is When it is a seal without any date my meaning is when a person When it is a seal without a date always hath had assurance never was there any time when he doubted of this point he was never troubled concerning it but always believed and his heart hath always been confidently perswaded that Christ dyed for him and that his sins were pardoned Why this alone may convince thee that thy assurance is but a delusion Mark the Apostle a little in Rom. 8. 15. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ver. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Here the Apostle lays out three works of the Spirit with the order of his workings 1. First He is efficientè operativè the spirit of bondage to fear i. e. making us rightly sensible of our sinful and miserable condition which makes our hearts to fear what the Lord will do against us 2. Secondly Hereupon in time he is the Spirit of Adoption working faith in us by which we become the children of God and look on him as a Father with love and without any servile fear 3. Thirdly After both these he is the Spirit of assurance bearing witness with our spirits that we are the children of God This is the last work of the Spirit it is not the first nor the only work of the Spirit it comes after the Spirit of Adoption as that comes after the spirit of bondage to fear From this place thou mayst evidently discern the assurance of which thou boastest to be false to be no work of the Spirit who begins in a work of conviction and humiliation and ends in a work of testimony and assurance begins in bondage and ends in liberty begins in fear and ends in peace and comfort the Spirit never begins but ends in comfort Secondly The second discovery of a false assurance is this that as it hath It hath not the Spirit of God for the Author of it not the Spirit of God for the Author of it so it hath not the Word of God for the Instrument and means of it Beloved the Word of God is the Organ or Instrument which the Spirit of God doth ordinarily use for the forming of all his gifts and graces and comforts upon the soul of man I hardly know any one of them for which he doth not employ the Ministry of the Word when the Spirit 1. Enlightens the soul he makes use of the Word to convey and let in light into the soul Psal 19. 8. It enlightens the eyes 2. Humbles the heart he makes use of the Word to break the heart and to lay it low Acts 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts 3. Converts and calls the soul he calls it by the Word and converts it by the Word 1 Thes 2. 19. He called you by our Gospel Jam. 1. 18. 4. Brings in a soul by faith unto Christ he doth this by the Word Rom. 10. Ephes 1. 5. Raises and comforts when he strengthens and assures the soul he doth quicken it by thâ Word and comforts it by the Word and strengthens it by the Word ãâã assures it by the Word yea and recovers by the Word assurance when it is lost Ephes 1. 13. In whom we also trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospel of salvation In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise 1 Thes 1. 5. Our Gospel came unto you not in word only but power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance Here you see the Word to be the means of believing and so making way for sealing and assuring Psal 119. 50. Thy Word hath quickned me but now a false assurance was never wrought by the Word which will appear plainly if you do consider three things that are usually found in men presumptuously and deludingly assured 1. They care little for the Word especially for that Word of God which doth powerfully search and prepare the heart and fit it for the assuring work of the Spirit 2. They have most peace and assurance when they keep them most from the faithful and powerful delivery of the Word and their assurance is never more interrupted and shaken and dashed than under the soul searching and convincing Ministry of the Gospel it cannot stand before it nor abide the tryal of it 3. Notwithstanding all their seeming regards unto the Word yet never is there any thing contributed by the Word unto their assurance nor further confirming or strengthening or enlarging all which doth evidently demonstrate that a false assurance was never wrought by the Word but is the fruit of fancy and a dream of our own hearts only Thirdly A further discovery of a false assurance is
this it is enjoyed at an It is enjoyed at an easâe rate easie rate the price of it is very cheap as that ill piece of ground presently received the Word with joy Luke 8. 13. so a false assurance riseth very suddenly This houre very wicked and the next strangely assured it cost the man no tears nor prayers nor wrestlings for a man to be much in ignorance and wickedness and much in joy and assurance this cannot be right for the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. would have us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure and Phil. 2. 12. To work out our salvation with fear and trembling All diligence and much pains must be laid out to attain a true assurance Many prayers Psal 51. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness Many tears Psal 6. 6. All the night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my tears Many waitings Psal 85. 2. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace c. Fourthly A false assurance is a possession without a title The man talks of It is a possession without a title much joy and peace and comfort and assurance but there is not any one promise of God of these things to him nay God is so far from promising assurance of forgiveness that in the condition wherein this person remains there is not any one promise of forgiveness for he is wicked and unconverted and a stranger to Christ and to one remaining so there is not so much as a promise of pardon much less a promise of assurance that sin is pardoned Now take this for a certain truth that the assurance which any man hath of the pardon of his sins if it hath no foundation in a promise it is but a false delusion if God hath not promised to forgive you you cannot be safely assured that you are forgiven much more is it false if God threatens to destroy you for your unbelief and impenitency Suppose one doth promise and ensure in a conveyance of land such or such an estate to such or such a person whose name is there inserted and expressed Will you or may you thereupon seize your self of that estate and think to make money of it as yours who are not named in it this were a ridiculous madness Simile So the Lord makes promise of forgiveness of sins unto his âeople unto them that believe unto them that repent those are their names whom God calls the heirs of his promise and presently you are confident and you are perswaded and you are assured that your sins are forgiven I pray you why so Is your name amongst the living do you repent of your sins who do still hold them fast and will not let them go Do you believe who still refuse to obey the voice of Christ God doth promise to comfort those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7. 6. Were your souls ever cast down And that they who sowe in tears shall reap in joy Psal 126. 5. Did you ever sowe in tears whose heart is hardened to this very day Fifthly A false assurance it is either without all ground or without all It is without ground or without sure ground proper and sure ground it is like the house built on the sand and not on a rock Matth. 7. For put it to any presumptuous sinner what are the reasons and grounds of your confidence what is the medium which doth thus perswade and assure you that your sins are certainly forgiven The man cannot if he will speak the truth give you any reason at all but so he thinks and he is of that mind and will be so and if he doth give you arguments and grounds they are of such a vulgar and common nature as no solid Christian dare build on them and the Scripture rejects them as unsafe being at the best and highest no other than civil men or hypocrites may be possessed of perhaps some outward temporal prosperity perhaps some works of civil righteousness perhaps some common supernatural gifts perhaps some external religious performances perhaps some sudden transient affections these or some other common works of the Spirit or matters below these are the foundations and bottomes upon which all his assurance is built Simile As if one should build a Ship of paper and set up there his confidence of safety The Scripture as you shall shortly hear lays other and more sure and higher foundations of building up a right assurance Sixthly I will adde one discovery more of a false assurance and that is It is vain and ineffectual this it is a vain and ineffectual assurance like painted fire which heats not or like a counterfeit drug which purges not There are five things which it never produceth and therefore it is not true assurance but an empty delusion 1. It makes not the heart more holy He that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure 2. It makes not the heart more humble but always more proud therefore it is no work of the Spirit 3. It makes not the heart more sorrowful for sin past and ashamed for sinning against such gracious mercies but leaves it hardened 4. It makes not the heart more fearful to sin but rather more ventrous neither do any more additions of sinning shake and interrupt or trouble this assurance 5. It puts not out the heart in more love to God or zeal for him or to express one jot more of godliness in the conversation all which doth infallibly prove that the assurance comes not from the Spirit of God but from a spirit of delusion Fourthly Now in the fourth and last place I will shew unto you that this false assurance concerning the pardon of our sins is a most dangerous deceit It is a most dangerous deceit It is soul deceit which will appear unto you thus First It is a soul deceit such a sinner deceives his own soul which is of all other deceits the highest and the worst There is a twofold self deceit 1. One respects our bodies and our outward temporal estates this many times proves very uncomfortable unto us and very miserable to our posterity 2. Another respects our souls and our sâiritual and eternal estates as to be confident that we are in a good estate when really we are in a bad estate and that we belong to Christ when really we do belong to Satan and that our sins are pardoned and that God loves us and will indeed save us when indeed our sins are not pardoned but remain debts uncrossed and we still lie under the wrath of God and under condemnation This is soul deceit and most woful deceit it is worse than to rest upon a false title for all our worldly estate it is worse than to trust to a false plea and vain defence for a mans life and it is the worse because 1. The sinner will not easily be convinced 2. Nor come back and begin the work
people and I will be your God Isa 56. 7. Even them especially of those that take hold of Gods Covenant ver 6. will I bring to my holy Mountain and will make them joyful in my house of prayer Isa 30. 19. He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee Psal 35. 3. Say unto my soul I am thy salvation O what earnest wrestling prayer came from David before he could hear that voice of joy and gladness in Psal 51. And this is so experimented a truth that usually the sweetest assurances do attend our deepest tears and our highest prayers If therefore the assurance which you finde concerning the pardon of your sins be the perswasion given to you by the Spirit of God it doth alway follow mournfulness of heart for sin and an holy change of heart and faith in Christ and on the promises of Christ and earnest prayer if it be before or without any of these it is not the assurance of the Spirit of God but a delusion of our own spirits Secondly You may know that your assurance is the right assurance of the Spirit by those present appearing qualities which do always accompany the assurance By some presently accompanying works which comes indeed from the Spirit I will mention three of them First If it be the very assurance from the Spirit of God that your sins in particular Lâve to God are forgiven this will immediatly kindle such a flame of love to God as you never found the like in all your lives We love him saith John because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. O Sirs when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5 5. Simile and so it is when he assures us that God for his great love and rich mercy hath forgiven us never was the heart of tender wife more knit to her husband than the heart of the assured sinner is to his forgiving God never did Jonathan delight more in David than this poor soul doth in his God why he loves him so sensibly so enlargedly that he meditates and meditates that he admires and admires and cries out Who is a God like unto thee O I love thee for this love for this mercy of mercies Mary had many sins forgiven her and Christ assured her of it therefore she loved much Luke 7. 47. Secondly If it be the very assurance of the Spirit of God that your sins are forgiven Softness of heart this will immediatly soften and melt your heart into such pure springs of tears that hardly you ever found the like for kind or degree There are tears which a man sheds before assurance for his sins and they are acceptable to God nevertheless they are something brakish and mixt with some trouble and distress but the tears of sorrow for sinning against God assuring us that he hath pardoned our sins they are so without all legality if I may phrase it so they flow from the soul so freely so tenderly so feelingly so abundantly I think that a man never wept more bitterly nor ever condemned himself more freely nor ever was more ashamed of himself and sinnings than at that time when God gave him his full discharge and pardon under the seal and witness of his own Spirit Ezek. 16. 61 63. Ashamed and confounded when God was pacified towards them The Prophet expresseth the quality and the quantity of their mourning in Zach. 12. 10. Object I but it should rather produce joy Sol. So it doth at the same time which is strange the greatest joy and the deepest sorrow Thirdly If it be the very assurance from the Spirit of God the heart thereupon Humbleness of heart becomes so humble and so lowly and so nothing the nearer that God draws to his people the more humble they are for when Gods Spirit assures us he doth cause us to see our own unworthiness and the exceeding riches of Gods grace Mark the men most eminent for assurance in Scripture of all men they were the most humble and lowly There are three men most high in assurance First Abraham was so He was strong in faith and he was fully perswaded and he was a most humble man Rom. 4. 20 21. Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. Secondly David also was so Thou art my God Thou hast forgiven my iniquities and he also was a most humble man Who am I O Lord God! and what is my fathers house 2 Sam. 7. 18. Thirdly And Paul was so Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. yet this man was a very humble and lowly man The least of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 9. Less than the least of all Saints Eph. 3. 8. and not meet to be called an Apostle O Christian you who talk how much and how long you have been assured where is this high love where is this deep sorrow where is this humble lowliness did your assurance ever produce these in you if not assuredly you have mock't your souls all this while with vain delusions Thirdly You may know that your assurance is right and comes from the very By the effects flowing from assurance Spirit of God by these singular fruits and effects which consequently do flow from your assurance I will mention six of them 1. Quietation of heart 2. More care to walk in all well-pleasing before the Lord. 3. More regard unto and delight in the Word 4. More zeal 5. More fear 6. More height of heart First One effect which flows from a right assurance that our sins are forgiven is a Quietation of heart present quietation of heart all storms cease upon one word spoken from the Spirit There were many doubts and many fears and many disputes and many reasonings and many sad thoughts and restless motions in the soul but when assurance of forgiveness is given in by the Spirit of God to our spirits all these do cease and there ensues a gracious calme in the conscience even an excusing delightful and joyful rest When God lifted up the light of his countenance upon David he lay down in peace Psal 4. 6 8. Now this quietation differs much from that Stupidity in a man deluded with a false assurance for First This stupidity is not the quieting of a troubled soul but so is this Secondly Their quietness is the effect rather of ignorance because they do not know their miserable condition than of assurance that they do certainly know their pardoned condition Thirdly Their quietness is from a seared conscience but not from an assured and pacified conscience Fourthly It is a passive silence but in this conscience doth witness and the heart rejoyceth Well then spiritual and joyful rest or quietation is the proper fruit of true assurance and verily it cannot but be so for assurance in the very nature of it
Pet. 1. 10. and proving and trying your selves whether Christ be in you of a truth 2 Cor. 13. 5. and working out your salvation Phil. 2. 12. Secondly The comfort of sincerity that you are on the way to be assured not resting in the want of assurance nor in idle complaints but as you pretend an opinion and judgement rightly valuing it and that your hearts are set upon it so your souls are indeed drawn forth to the ways of enjoyment Thirdly The comfort of Gods presence for it is from the Spirit of God that your hearts do thus prize and thus long for and thus labour for assurance he begets those thoughts and those desires and those prayers you have the presence of the Spirit though not the assurance of the Spirit Fourthly The comfort of hope that at length you shall see the God of gods in Zion that you shall see his face with joy that he will create peace and assurance in your hearts for he never fills the soul and stirs and draws it unto himself for his gracious favour but at length he doth make his loving kindness known unto that soul and he doth thus prepare the heart because he will incline his ear Fourthly A fourth support unto you is this although you have not this assurance in your own hearts yet you have it in Gods promise who assures you that he will sprinkle it upon you and faithful is he who hath promised who will also do it Secondly But now I come unto the Direction which I would commend to weak Direction believers for the attaining of their assurance and they are these First Diligent attendance upon the Word of God that this is a good means to attain Dâligent attendance upon the Word assurance may appear by three particulars 1. God hath instituted or ordained his Word not only for the conversion but also for the consolation of his people and the assuring of them Rom. 15. 4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 1 Joh. 1. 4. These things write we unto you that your joy may be full 1 Joh. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that ye have eternal life Mark written for our comfort written that our joy may be full written that believers may know they have eternal life why then unquestionably the Word is a means to attain assurance c. 2. The people of God have attended the Word for this very end to gain assurance Psal 48. 9. We have thought of thy loving kindness O God in the midst of thy Temple Psal 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people 3. They have found assurance upon the attending on the Word Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee Ver. 2. To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Ver. 3. Because thy loving kindness is better than life He had seen experimentally the power and the glory of God in the Sanctuary i. e. the mercy and the loving kindness of God in Christ the assurance and feeling of it in the use of the Word c. Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Secondly Fervent prayer unto the Lord this is also a means to obtain assurance Fervent prayer Ps 119. 58. I intreated thy favour with my whole heart and two things demonstrate this unto us 1. Some special promises to this purpose viz. Isa 56. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and will make them joyful in my house of prayer c. What is that which makes the heart of the people of God joyful David tells you in Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and Ver. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart c. and where is this joyfulness promised by what means I will make them joyful in my house of prayer Joh. 16. 24. Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Ver. 22. Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Here is a fulness of joy and that certainly is in assurance and that fulness of joy is promised upon prayer 2. Some particular experiences Psal 30. 10. Hear O Lord and have mercy upon me c. Ver. 11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Object But will some say We have heard the Word a long time and we have prayed and sought the Lord a long time and yet we cannot attain to this assurance of forgiveness Sol. Therefore be sure to take in three things when you pray for this assurance 1. Apious valuation of it Thy favour is life Psal 30. 5. Thy loving kindness is better than life Psal 63 3. O visit me with thy salvation Psal 106 4. 2. A believing perswasion that God will hear you in this Luke 11. 13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him and that Spirit is the Spirit of Adoption that witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. David hath a singular passage in Psal 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed I hoped in thy Word where observe three things 1. The earliness of his prayer I prevented the dawning of the morning he could not sleep but must arise and pray 2. The earnestness of his prayer I cried he was solemn serious and fervent 3. The faith with his prayer and I hoped in thy Word in one of these our prayers do fail and so we get not our assurance 3. A patient expectation a continuance in prayer still importuning the Lord and waiting on him for this great testimony of his pardoning mercy Isa 30 18. Blessed are all they that wait for him Psal 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace c. These Ingredients are still to be remembred and taken in if you would prevail for the assurance c. Thirdly A conscientious care in all our ways to walk before God in all well-pleasing A conscientious care to walk in all well-pleasing A godly walking brings most glory to God and most comfort to our own consciences there are two excellent places for this purpose Isa 32. 17. The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Joh. 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them is he that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love
these two great Gifts of holiness and forgiveness to sanctifie his people as well as to justifie them There Reasons why God doth sanctifie as well as justifie Both have a necessary respect to our salvation may be these Reasons for their Connexion First Both of them have a necessary respect to the salvation of the people of God A man must be justified if he will be saved and a man must be sanctified if he will be saved he cannot be saved without both he cannot be saved unless he be justified Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them he also glorified None are justified but such as are called and none are glorified but such as are justified Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned He cannot be saved unless he be sanctified Joh. 3. 5. Jesus answered Verily very I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Heb. 12. 14. And holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Here you see a necessity of both of them in reference to salvation we many times think that if our sins are pardoned there needed no more to save us but we are deceived for as forgiveness is necessary so is holiness necessary to our salvation as no unpardoned person so no unsanctified person shall be saved Secondly The people of God do stand in need of them both neither can they be Gods people stand in need of both restored or repaired without both for the sinnes which are in them are 1. Guilty obligations they bind them over to wrath and curse 2. Filthy pollutions they do stain and defile them and make them odious in the eyes of God Under the first notion they are a debt and under the other notion they are a disease and under both they render us needy of mercy and of grace Pardoning mercy alone doth not answer the sinful condition of man for that is a remedy only against the guilt of sin sanctifying mercy is also required to be a recovery from the filthy pollution of sin As if one be a sick Malefactor this man hath a double need he needs a pardon as he is a Malefactor and he needs a healing medicine and plaister as he is sick Now the Covenant of grace is a full remedy to the sinner and it is a full recovery Ergo God promiseth to sanctifie as well as to justifie Thirdly God doth intend an everlasting communion twixt his people and himself God intends an everlasting communion betwixt him aâd his people in the Covenant a communion in this life and a communion in the other life and indeed the people of God their fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. They are made nigh by the blood of Christ and have accesse unto him But they must be sanctified as well as justified for the enjoying of that communion because two things are opposite to our communion with God 1. One is enmity 2. The other is inconformity Whiles God and we are enemies how can there be communion between us Therefore in justification that enmity is removed and slain by the blood of Christ and whiles God is holy and we remain unholy there is such a dissimilitude and inconformity of our natures that there can be no communion neither and therefore God doth sanctifie our hearts by his Spirit that we partaking of the Divine Nature by way of similitude may have fellowship and communion with him Pardon of sins only makes not sufficient way for this communion for notwithstanding that pardoning mercy the heart of man is so sinfull that God cannot endure us being of purer eyes than to behold sin Put away your iniquities from before mine eyes and then come and let us reason together c. Isa 1. Fourthly We cannot glorifie God unlesse he sanctifie us Beloved the people of God are formed by him to shew forth his praise they are the only people We cannot glorifie God without sanctification that do glorifie him and honour him But this cannot be unless he were pleased to sanctifie them God indeed can glorifie himself towards us though we be not holy but we cannot glorifie him untill we are made holy we cannot glorifie him in our hearts for what glory can God have by an unbelieving impenitent hardened sensual ignorant proud ungodly heart Nor in our actions for they are as our hearts are the fruit is as the tree is c. What can a dead or a sick man do for service Fifthly we should have small comfort and peace if the Lord did not sanctifie as well as justifie us to have sinfull lusts still raigning and ruling and breaking out this would make our life uncomfortable Sixthly Are not the people of the Covenant his children and would you have the holy Father to be the Father of unholy children is this to be born of the Spirit Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh and whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit Joh. 3. Vse 1. This serves to reprove those men who divide those things which God Reproof oâ those who do divide these hath joâned together who are altogether for Justification but nothing at all for Sanctification They exalt the Righteousness of Christ but they cry down the holiness of Christ They would have men to be believers of Christ but they would not have men to be holy and why not holiness as well as Faith because say they holiness cannot justifie us But this is both an Erroneous and Ridiculous Opinion as if Christians had nothing to look after but Justification and as if the gracious works of the Spirit must therefore be rejected because they are not able to justifie us Luther arguing upon this Point saith that we must give In Gal. 3 p. 356. unto every thing that which is proper unto it would you saith he conclude that because your monie and lands and eyes and hands do not justifie you therefore you must reject all these So because holiness doth not justifie you will you conclude that you must reject it As the Righteousness of Christ hath its proper excellency to justifie us so hath holiness its proper excellency to renew us to conform us unto Christ and to make us to walk as becometh men in Christ Besides would God have made Christ to be our Sanctification as well as our Righteousness if holiness did not concern us as well as faith and would he have joyned Remission of sinnes with the sanctifying of our hearts if that alone were all that concerned us Nay Faith is said to sanctifie us as well as to justifie us Vse 2. It also reproves the general presumption of men who think of nothing Reproof of the general presumption of men in order to their salvation but Gods mercy they talk much of mercy and sometimes seem affectionate
for mercy to pardon their sins and never mind holiness nor how to get their hearts to be sanctified Nay they oppose holiness and scoff and scorn at holiness These men will lose their souls because both of these which God hath promised are necessary for salvation you must have your sins pardoned or else you cannot be saved and so you must have your hearts sanctified or else you cannot be saved Quest 1. But you may say unto me why do men look only after mercy and Why men look after mercy and not holiness not also after holinesse seeing God hath joyned them together in his promise and both must be in persons which will be saved The Reasons may be these First Holinesse is more contrary to mans sinful nature than mercy Mercy indeed relieves the sinner in a more easie and delightful way but holiness though it doth relieve the sinner yet it doth it in a way more cross to our sinfull love for it fights against our sins and doth purge and work them out from our hearts and will not suffer sin to bear Rule there Secondly Though holiness be the way to heaven yet sinfull men do not look on it as so but they look on it as the way of trouble and reproach as a way that is contradicted and exposing them to crosses losses and contempts and which is too severe against their carnal liberties and pleasures and wills and therefore they like it not No man reproacheth another because he is justified but because he is sanctified for sanctification is a reproach and condemnation to the evil wayes of men Vse 3. Doth God promise to sanctifie his people as well as to justifie Be not content with the one without the other them Then be not content with the one without the other but joyn them in your prayers which God hath joyned in his promises Be not satisfied that you sins are pardoned neither be satisfied that your hearts be sanctified as he cryed out Domine de penitentiam da indulgentiam so do you Lord give me grace and Lord give me mercy God is a holy God as well as a mercifull God and Jesus Christ came by water and blood 1 Joh. 5. 6. Let your hearts be earnestly carried out for both To this end remember six Conclusions First Though your Right and Title to heaven lies in Justification yet your meetnesse and fitnesse for heaven lies in your Sanctification Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto God the Father who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Acts 20. 32. I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified Is it meet or fit that an ungodly person should be in heavenly glory The Leper had a right to his house yet was not fit to dwell in it untill he was cleansed Secondly When you look at the pardon of your sins you seem to look more at your selves your own safety your own peace your own deliverance from wrath and hell but when you look after sanctification you rather look more at Gods glory how you may be enabled to honour him more 1 Pet. 2. 9. Yea are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar people that you should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light Thirdly We should be compleat in Christ Col. 2. 10. And in all the will of God Chap. 4. 12. How can this be if Christ be not your sanctification as well as Righteousness if you be not partakers of his Spirit as well as of his merit if you do not dye and live with him Fourthly It is a sign of a naughty heart when mercy alone is desired and that only will satisfie In an exigence the most wicked man will cry out for mercy but he never cries for sanctity Pharaoh put Moses upon it to pray that God would forgive his sinne but never that God would heale his hardness Fifthly As God promiseth the one as well as the other so he will never give the one without the other If he justifies you he likewise sanctifies you and if you are not sanctified assuredly you are not justified when you are by Faith united to Christ your communion immediately falls in for sanctification as well for Righteousness And it is impossible that Christ should be yours but you must have the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and that Spirit quickning us with a new life and mortifies our lusts Some hold that sanctification is an inseparable effect of justification but unquestionably it is a companion of it and a lively testimony of it Sixthly Because he promiseth both therefore seeke for both Consider 1. God promiseth nothing that is superfluous or useless but it is good and for our good 2. He promiseth no good which he 1. Is not able to perform And 2ly willing to perform Holiness is an excellent good it is the image of God it is the glory of God it is called glory 2 Cor. 10. it is the glory and excellency an unholy person is but vile and base the Saints are the excellent on the earth Psal 16. 2. It is our perfection it is the highest elevation of our names here on earth and hereafter in heaven it is the prime work of the Spirit it is the scope of election he hath chosen us that we should be holy Ephes 1. 4. It is the scope of vocation God calls us unto holiness 1 Thes 4. 7. And this God hath promised to give c. But I shall speak no more at present of this general Observation I will touch a little also upon the next general Proposition and then I will come to the principal matter in the Text. SECT II. Doct. 2. THat God himself undertakes in promise to sanctifie the hearts of his people I will give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit within God himself undertakes to sanctifie his people you Levit. 20. 8. I am the Lord that sanctifieth thee Luke 11. 13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy Word is truth 1 Thes 5. 23. The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly Quest Why God undertakes it First Else it were impossible to be effected Consider First That no creature can make it self holy it cannot change it self no man Why God undertakes it Else it were impossible No creature can make itself holy can change his own sinful heart Who can say I have made my heart clean Prov. 20. 9. And this will appear by two particulars 1. No sinful man hath any supernatural power in him to produce any superdatural work in himself he is without all strength without me saith Christ
ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 3. 5. And we are dead in trespasses and sins Ephes 2. 1. Secondly There is in every natural man a resistance a contrariety and opposition to the work of holinesse Rom. 8. 7. The carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Ephes 4. 18. Being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Jer. 13. 27. Wo unto thee O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean Secondly That no creature can make another holy we may wish holiness to Nâ ãâã can make another hoây others and we may pray the Lord to sanctifie others and we may direct others to the wayes of holinesse but make them holy we cannot For 1. No man can impart any of his own grace unto another he cannot divide the grace which he hath as he can the earthly estate which he hath amongst his children The actings of his grace may extend to others but the habit or quality of his grace he can no more impart to others than he can his own soul or life 2. All that we can do for others to work grace in them is but in a moral way of counsel and exhortation and entreaty and reasoning but we cannot open their ears to hear that counsel nor their hearts to receive that grace unto which they are by us exhorted nor can we expect that our exhortations should have more power to prevail with men than Gods exhortations yet these alone were not sufficient to change any sinner without some inward workings of his Spirit upon the spirits of men 3. Besides to change the heart of a sinner by grace is a work proportionable This is a work of Omnipotency with Creation and with the resurrection of the dead so the Scripture stiles our conversion or sanctification for which Omnipotency must put forth it self to sanctifie us God can do it Secondly God can sanctifie or graciously change the heart of a sinner which may thus appear 1. He hath dominion and power over the heart he can turn and command and rule it as he pleaseth 2. He hath dominion over all grace he can give it and work it in the heart of men by his Almighty Spirit and Power If he will say to the dead Live the dead shall live if he will say to the blind See the eyes of the blind shall be opened and they shall see If he will say to the deaf Hear the ears of the deaf shall be opened and they shall hear If he will say to the most wicked heart Be thou changed it shall be changed and healed for by his Spirit he can infuse that grace into the heart and with that power and with that efficacy as shall be sufficient to beat down and subdue all the resistances of sin and to renew and alter the whole soul Thirdly God doth undertake this sanctifying work in promise for his people God undertakes this work 1. That they may know that be alone is the Original and Author of all their Spiritual good No Fountain of mercy but their God of mercy and no Fountain of grace but their God of grace no Fountain of peace and salvation and comfort but their God of peace but their God of salvation but their God of comfort 2. That their hearts might be supported under the sense of their sinfulness and under the sense of their want of holiness and under the sense of their own insufficiency and inability to give themselves any holiness Though they cannot though no creature can help their hearts to holiness yet their God can and will for he hath promised it to them and he is able to perform what he hath promised and is also able and will do it 3. That he might have the glory that we may glory in him and not in our selves for what have we that we have not received Let no man take this work upon him upon a confidence of his own strength 1. Vse Doth God himself undertake to sanctifie the hearts of his people Then let none take upon him this work upon a confidence of his own will and power and sufficiency will you take the work of God out of his hand When Rachel said to Jacob Give me children or else I dye he said Am I in Gods stead Gen. 30. 1 2. So when the King of Syria sent Naaman to the King of Israel to heal him of his leprosie said he Am I God to kill and make alive that this man doth send to me to recover a man of his leprosie 2 Kin. 5. 7. So will you be in Gods stead will you be Gods to yourselves that you take on you to change and sanctifie your own hearts and yet men are frequently presumptuous in this they will change their hearts and they will become new men Is not this a presumptuous nay is it not an impossible work will you create will you quicken the dead Object But doth not God bid us Make unto your selves a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. Sol. The Precepts of God in this kind 1. Shew our impotency and convince us thereof they do not imply our power 2. He commands us this for this very end that we should seek unto him to work this 3. That we might apply our selves to the means through which he will work this 2. Vse In the sense of want of holiness be not discouraged give not up the work Be not discouraged in the sense of the want of holiness as impossible say not I shall never see a change in my heart my sins are so strong and my power is nothing but go to God remember that he hath undertaken to sanctifie Master If thou wilt thou canst make me clean said the poor Leper said Christ I will be thou clean Remember five things in this that God himself undertakes to give grace or holiness by promise First He intends to give what he promiseth in any Particular Secondly He is able to work it nothing is able to stand against his promise nothing can hinder it all the power of hell and of thy sinful heart cannot hinder him from the healing and sanctifying according to promise Thirdly He doth put thee but upon coming and asking and trusting He will give hiss holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11. 13. Believe only and thou shalt be saved and thou shalt see his power Fouthly You cannot put up a request that doth more concern his own glory Lord let me not dishonour thee any more grieve thee any more sanctifie and change my heart that I may bring thee glory Fifthly He never denied any heart that was serious and fixed in desires of holinesse Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you c. I Now come
to the principal matter here distinctly promised by God unto his people viz. A new heart and a new spirit CHAP. VIII God gives a new heart and a new spirit to his people in Covenant Doct. 1. THat a new heart and a new spirit God will give unto all his people in Covenant A new heart will I give you and a new spirit c. SECT I. FOr the opening of this great and necessary Truth I will speak unto a few God gives a new heart and a new spirit to his people in Covenant What is meant by heart and spirit Heart taken diversly Questions Quest 1. What is meant by heart and spirit Sol. The word heart is taken Sometimes Physically for that noble and vital part of man which is the seat of the soul and life in man Thus it is not looked on in this place Sometimes it is taken for the soule of man which hath its principal residence in the heart Gen. 6. 5. God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart was only evil continually of mans heart i. e. of mans soul Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy heart i. e. thy soul thy will thy affections thus it is taken in this place Secondly That word Spirit is in Scripture taken sometimes in opposition Spirit how taken to the body of man as in Eccles 12. 7. Then shall the dust i. e. the body of man return to the earth as it was and the spirit i. e. the soul shall return to God who gave it Sometime it is put in a direct distinction from the soule as in 1 Thes 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless c. Here the Spirit denotes the intellectual part and the soule denotes the will and affections And so I humbly conceive the word Spirit is taken in the Text Namely for the mind and judgement called the intellectual part of man and the word Heart is taken for the will and affections and by both is meant all the soul the whole soul in all the faculties of it 2. Quest What is meant by the newness of heart and by the newness of spirit What is meant by newness of heart How many waâes a thing is said to be new for this is the thing promised Sol. A thing may be said to be new either in respect of substance or in respect of qualities First There is a substantial newnesse where all the materials are so as an house is new and a garment is new and a ship is new being all made of new materials under this notion God doth not give a new heart and a new spirit unto his people i. e. he doth not give unto them another soul for substance from what formerly they had they have one and the same substantial soul still c. all the same essential faculties of the soul still the same faculty of understanding the same will the same affections still Secondly There is an accidental newness where the substance remaines the same yet the qualities supervinient or super-added to the substance are new Simile As when a Garment is cut into a new fashion or a piece of Plate is melted and purged of its dross and made clean and pure we call those new though not for substance yet for qualities Naaman was the same man when he was a Leper and when he was cured the cure was accidental In this respect God gives a new heart and a new spirit i. e. he doth as it were new shape the heart and spirit he puts into them such gracious qualities which are opposite to the wicked or sinful qualities in them before And these are called new not in opposition to our Creation for God made us holy and righteous but in opposition to our degeneration for by the fall we lost all our excellencies and corrupted our hearts and filled them with all unrighteousness with sinful corruptions when God doth purge out of our hearts and infuseth into them the graces of his Spirit then are our hearts said to be new and our This newness of heart spirits are said to be renewed This only in the general Now I shall more particularly discover unto you what this newness of heart is which God doth promise unto his people Described It is that great and eminent change wrought in all the soul by the Spirit of Christ infusing a new principle of grace which inclines and conformes the heart to the whole will of God and opposeth and mortifieth all the old sinful lust formerly residing and prevailing in the heart There are many particulars in this description which I shall in order unfold unto you First A new heart is a changed heart Newness in the very nature of it A new heart is a changed heart implies an alteration for whatsoever is altogther the same that it was cannot be said to be new If the heart was ignorant and so remains still if it was proud and vain and filthy and earthly and so remaines still this heart is an old heart still there is no newness because no change Newness of heart peremptorily implies a change of the heart therefore it is in Scripture called a new birth Joh 3. 3. Except a man be born again And a quickning from the dead Luke 15. 24 This my son was dead and is alive again And a turning from darkeness to light Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God And a transformation Rom. 12. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind And a translation 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are past away all things are become new And a washing and a cleansing and a refining 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mal. 3. 2 3. Secondly When the heart is made new there is a great and eminent change made It is an eminent change in it There are three great changes of mans heart 1. One was by sin when man being in honour abode not but fell by transgression and became like the beasts that perish This was a wofull change like that of the apostatizing Angels from heaven to hell 2. Another is by grace wherein we are changed into the very image of God 3. A third is by glory when we shall be like God himself For we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3. 2. The change which makes newness of heart is a great and eminent change reckoned therefore amongst the wonders of God called a Creation and a Resurrection and the opening of the eyes of the blind and unstopping the ears of the deaf Isa 35. 5. And loosing the tongue of the dumb It is such a change that others beholding it stand amazed at as they did when they saw Paul appear another man at Damascus from what he was at Jerusalem Acts 19. 21. Yea the very Angels are affected with it and rejoyce I say unto you there is
joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Luke 15. 10. I call it an eminent and great change because it surpasseth all other changes which may be found in men who yet have no newness of heart There may be a change 1. From rudeness of life to civility of conversation 2. From profaneness of walking to formality in Religion 3. From ignorance and blindness of mind to knowledge 4. From the practice of sin to a forbearance of sin 5. From quietness of Conscience to perplexity and trouble of Conscience and yet no newness of heart The change which constitutes a new heart is a very deep change it makes man to be a new creature it doth quite alter the frame and estate of a mans heart and Spirit It is a change in the soul Thirdly When the heart is made new there is a change made in the soul and in the whole soul 1. It is a change in the soule Simile It is one thing to plaister an old house and it is another thing to build a new house It is one thing to adorn a dead man and it is another thing to inform or enliven a dead man Newness of life doth principally respect the root and spring The work of renewing grace begins where sin begins it begins the Reformation where sin begins the deformation it begins to change and cleanse where sin begins to corrupt and defile and that is in the soul Outward Reformation is one thing and inward Reformation is another thing The Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup and they were painted Sepulchres which within were full of rotten bones Hypocrisie can make a new garbe of visible actions but it can never make an new heart it never changes and alters the soul that still remains under the love and power of sin But when the heart is made new there is some inward work of grace by which the soul is changed from death to life from unholiness to holiness 2. It is a change in the whole soul when the heart is made new all the soul In the whole soule is divinely changed Therefore this newness or Renewingness is compared to the light which disperseth itself into the whole body of the Aire so that there is not any one part of the Aire which is not enlightned To the oyntment which fills the whole room with sweet Odour To leaven which diffuseth itself over the whole lump As it is with Original sin it is an universal defilement it infects all the soul there is not one faculty of the soul but it is defiled by it So it is with Renewing grace or newness of heart it is an universal alteration or change it alters all the soul and all the faculties of the soul when a new heart is given there is a change made 1. In the minde or understanding which now is freed from darkness and enjoys an heavenly light to know the things of God and to discern things that are excellent and the mysteries of Christ and salvation appear in their glory We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord c. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. In the Judgement which is now freed from mistakes and Errors and high imaginations and carnal reasonings and disputes and is now captivated to the Truth and approves of what is good and condemneth what is evil It counts sin the gâeatest evil and Christ the most incomparable happiness and the enjoyment of God the only portion I count all things but drosse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ said Paul Phil. 3. 8. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee saith David Psal 73. 25. Thirdly In the Will which was proud and stubborn and unwilling and averse and perverse nothing would perswade it to hearken to Christ to yield to receive to obey all the arguments of mercy and glory would not âffect and take it Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life Joh. 5. 40. But when the heart is made new the Will also is changed now it falls down before Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Draw me and I will run after thee Cant. 1. 4. In all the affections of the soul Never was there such a change such a newness how they fall out with one another Grief falls out with Love and Love with hatred nay they seem to be changed one into another Joy into Grief and Love into Hatred and Hatred into Love what a man did love he now hates and what a man did hate he now loves and what a man desired he now fears and what a man delighted in he now grieves at it Nay look on them distinctly in their several motion The desires were Who will shew us any good Now the desires are What shall we do to be saved The delights were in sin in sensualities in vanities in vain societies now they are in the favour of God in Christ in pardoning mercy in holy and heavenly society in doing the will of God The like may be said for love for grief for fear c. Fourthly This change which constitutes newness of heart is wrought by the Spirit of Christ Therefore our Sanctification which is the same with the giving A change wrought by the Spirit of Christ of a new heart is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 1. Pet. 1. 2. And our change into the image of glory from glory to glory is by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. And the newness of heart is the work of the Spirit of Christ no man changeth or renews his own heart but the Spirit doth all And therefore he is called the Spirit 1. Of Knowledge because he illuminates and gives knowledge and light 1 Cor. 12. 8. 2. Of Grace and holiness because he makes us holy Ephes 4. 30. 3. Of Faith because he causeth our hearts to believe 2 Cor. 4. 13. 4. Of Love and joy because he worketh these in our hearts All saving good comes from the Father as the Fountain and through the Son as the Mediator and is wrought in us by the Spirit As in the Creation the Spirit moved upon the waters and so did as it were brood and frame all the Creatures To in Regeneration the Spirit descends upon the hearts and by his vigour doth forme all the newness and spiritual change in it This change is wrought by infusing a new Principle Fifthly The Spirit works this change in the heart by infusing a new Principle or quality of grace A new Principle is necessary to make a new heart there must be something put into the heart to change the heart in all alterations thus it is Simile If you would have the cold removed from the water heat must come in and if you would have darkness removed from the Aire the light must come in and if you would have sickness
of his ways but when that comes then he judgeth of himself as he is and of his ways as indeed they are and have been Psal 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee 1 Tim. 1. 15. To save sinners of whom I am chief and for his wayes he now looks on them as ways of death and paths of hell in which who so walks shall find no rest nor peace In respect of God and his ways God is now look't upon as an only happiness and could I enjoy him for my God in Christ I were blessed for ever and his ways are righteous and good and holy and most pleasant and only safe the way of Repentance the way of faith the way of holiness the way of a godly Conversation how excellent how beautiful how desirable are all of them to an heart renewed by grace which yet in former times were judged with scorn and contempt and hatred Thirdly Where the Lord gives a new heart there he gives new cares and New cares and requests requests Before the Lord renews the heart by grace a sinner is very careful and very careless He is very careful for two things One is for the world What shall I eat and what shall I drink and wherewith shall I be cloathed Matth. 6. His heart is set on the world and he minds earthly things and his heart goes after his covetousness and who will shew us any good his affections are set on things below The other is for his fleshly lusts They that are after the flesh minde the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. And they make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. But he is very careless about his soul therefore he is said to despise his soul and not to know the day of his visitation nor the things which concern his peace and to make light of the invitations of Christ But when the Lord begins to renew the heart by grace there are new cares and new desires O how the soul is taken with the soul and for the soul Lord What will become of my poor soul and what shall I do for my poor soul if I get not Christ my soul is lost and if I get not mercy I am undone Take the world who will and take sinful pleasures who will but O Lord be merciful to me a sinner and O Lord be thou reconciled to my soul and lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Every new heart hath new thoughts and cares and desires What shall we do said they to John the Baptist Matth. 3. And What shall we do said they to Peter Acts 2. 37. And What shall we do to be saved said he to Paul and Silas Acts 16. 30. Fourthly If a new heart be given there will then be found in you the presence New principles of all new principles which are contrary to all the old principles in the old sinful heart there is not any one spiritual and heavenly principle respecting salvation but they may be found in you v. g. 1. Ignorance that is one principle of an old heart the contrary unto it viz. Knowledge is given when you come to partake of a new heart Colos 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge Eph. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. 2. Carnal wisdome that is another principle of the old heart the contrary unto that is given to a person when God renews his heart viz. Spiritual and heavenly wisdom a wisdom for salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. A wisdom unto that which is good Rom. 16. 9. A wisdom to approve the things that are excellent Phil. 1. 10. A wisdome to know the times or seasons of grace and to imbrace and improve them Hebr. 3. 3. Vanity of spirit that is another old principle in the old heart an old heart is a vain heart and an old mind is a vain mind but when the Lord gives a new heart he then gives a spiritual seriousness unto the heart To work out its salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Hebr. 12. 28. And to give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 1â And taking heed of neglecting so great salvation Hebr. 2. 1 3. 4. Hardness this is another principle in an old heart the heart is a stony heart Ezek. 36. 26. and an heart of Adamant Zach. 7. 11 12. But when God gives a new heart there is a principle contrary unto this put into the heart namely a soft and tender and mournful heart Josiah had a tender heart 2 Chron. 34. 27. God maketh my heart soft Job 23. 16. They shall mourn as one mourneth for his only son Zach. 12. 10 5. Pride this is another old principle of the old heart Mark 7. 22. so Psal 73. 6. Pride compasseth them about as with a chain So Jer. 48. 29. We have heard the pride of Moab he is exceeding proud his loftiness his arrogancy and his pride and the haughtiness of his heart So Rom. 1. 30. Deceitful proud boasters But when the Lord gives a new heart there is a principle of humility given which is contrary unto that pride of heart Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thine hand they sit down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words Psal 131. 1. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty c. Ver. 2. Surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a childe that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned childe Acts 20. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of minde 6. Stubbornness of resistance and unyieldingness this is another principle of an old heart an old heart is a stubborn heart as for the Word which thou hast spoken in the Name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee said they to Jeremiah Jer. 44. 16. Ye always resist the Holy Ghost ye stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart said Stephen unto them in Acts 7. 51. But when God gives a new heart there is given a contrary principle unto this even a yielding and obedient spirit to the Word and Will of God Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Isa 66. 2. To him that trembleth at my Word Psal 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you 7. Hypocrisie this is another principle in the old heart an old heart is an hypocritical heart it is full of guilt and deceit Jer. 17. 9. Deceitful above all things But when the Lord gives a new heart he gives a principle contrary to this viz. sincerity and uprightness of heart and a true heart John 1. 47. Behold
man fancieth that his sins are pardoned Of the pardon of our sins and yet his sinful heart remains he deceiveth himself for when God pardons sins he changeth the sinner Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity and will pardon all their iniquities Mal. 4. 2. The Son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 6. Of the hope of glory Christ is the hope of glory as a meritorious Of hope of glory cause Colos 1. 27. And renewing grace is the hope of glory as a testifying means 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope Ver. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible c. 1 Joh. 3. 2. We know that when he appeareth we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Ver. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Secondly Newness of heart is an unquestionable effect of our union with Christ It is an effect of our union with Christ Is it no comfort to you that you belong to Christ that Christ is yours that you are in him of a truth hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousness sanctification c. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man he in Christ he is a new creature Beloved this is most certain that unction flows from union you are not first sanctified and renewed and then brought into Christ but you are first brought into Christ and so are you sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of Christ partaking of him you do partake of life none have their hearts renewed by grace but such as are in Christ and all that are in Christ have their hearts renewed by grace Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Thirdly Newness of heart is the noblest and highest elevation of our hearts It is the highest elevation of our hearts As the degenerate and corrupt nature is of all other the worst and basest for there is nothing more vile than that which is most sinful so the renewed nature which is directly opposite unto it is of all other the most excellent and raising it is therefore called the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. The image of God Col. 3. 10. The image of his glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. There are three things which may convince any Christian that renewing grace or newness of heart is our highest elevation and perfection 1. One because it is the nearest resemblance of that nature which is in God himself when you are renewed by grace then you are like unto God himself 1 Pet. 1. 16 Be ye holy for I am holy 2. Another because it is the choisest work or effect of the Spirit of God who though he produceth many other works yet this is the chiefest of them herein is his Arm revealed and in this doth his glory most appear and shine 3. A third is because it is our nearest conformity to Christ our Head in whom the image of God doth most appear The image of God doth consist in knowledge holiness and righteousness as you may see if you compare Col. 3. with Ephes 4. and this image was perfect in Christ who was the image of his Father and unto this are we conformed in our proportion when we are renewed by grace for we are then changed into the same image 2 Cor. 3 18. And upon this one account are they said to be one Spirit with him who are joyned with him 1 Cor. 6. 17. Fourthly Newness of heart enables you for all heavenly communion and serviceableness It enables for heavenly communion to Divine glory Now you may aproach and come near and stand in the presence of your God and he will take delight in you and impart himself unto you when you call he will answer you and say Here I am and when you hear his Word he will meet you and teach and guide and rejoyce your heart When God renews our hearts he doth then set us apart for himself owns us as his jewels looks on us as his Hephziba and Beulah as his beloved as such in whom he delights as his friends as his favourites you may open all your wants and desires and conditions unto him and he will open all his goodness and kindness and mercies unto you Your hearts are now become his temples in which he will dwell and walk and appear with glorious manifestations of his love and grace and help Besides this newness of heart makes you serviceable unto his glory you can glorifie him in your hearts by believing on him in your lives by heavenly upright humble obedient faithful walking Fifthly God will own and accept of it and the fruit of it though but little and God owns and accept of it though little and weak weak As the least degree of newness doth denominate the condition so the weakest expressions of it are accepted He will not despise the day of small things Zach. 4. 10. The bruised reed he will not break nor will he quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. But he will spare his people as a man spareth his son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Sixthly Nay he will stand by it and uphold it and strengthen it and perfect it When you are under spiritual conflicts with your corruptions and temptations He will stand by it he will be present with you he will put forth his strong hand upon your weak hand he will make his power to appear in your weakness he will strengthen what he hath wrought and finish what he hath begun Seventhly Certain blessings and special cares are for all whose hearts are renewed by grace No people on earth have such a title to earth nor such a Special blessings are for ãâã sure revenue nor such tender care for them as renewed and regenerate persons The Lord is near unto them he is round about them he is in the midst of them he will do them good he will surely bless them no good thing shall be wanting to them he will never leave them nor forsake them he will be a present help unto them in the time of trouble he will know their souls in adversity and will contend against all who do contend against them Eighthly Renewing grace will at the last bring you to the enjoyment of eternal It will bring us to eternal happiness happinesse Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Rom. 6 22. But now being made free from sin and become servants to God you have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Why It is the first fruits of the Spirit the earnest of the Spirit the seal of the Spirit holiness is happiness begun grace is glory begun already c. SECT VI. Vse 5. DOth God
promise to give a new heart Then let the next Use Exhortation to use the means for it be for Exhortation to use the means by which every one of us may at length enjoy it For the managing of this Use there are three things I will offer unto you 1. Motives to perswade you to strive after a new heart 2. Cautions what to avoid if you would get the new heart 3. Scripture-informations what the wayes are which if you take will certainly bring you to the enjoyment of a new heart 1. The Motives to perswade us to look and strive after this new heart Motives They are these three 1. The misery of an old heart 2. The necessity of a new heart 3. The possibility to be delivered from that and to be possessed of this 1. The misery of an old heart It is such an heart that remaining under the power of it you cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. Nay you cannot but displease The misery of an old heart God you cannot but still sin against him cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2 14. But more particularly the old heart First Is a fleshly and corrupt heart the old man which is corrupt Eph. 4. 22. It is called the plague of the heart 1 King 8. 38. It corrupts all your thoughts and all your affections and all your speeches and all your actions Secondly Is an abominable heart the Lord loaths and abhors it as the defacing of his image as the workmanship of the Divel as that which is most contrary to his Nature to his Will and to his Glory Thirdly Is a debasing heart it makes us more vile than the vilest of creatures it makes us like the Divel it makes us his children his slaves his captives and bondmen Fourthly A prejudicing heart it keeps us off from God from Christ from all heavenly communion from all ability to do good or to receive good it holds up our distance from mercy from blessings from heaven and from all hopes thereof Ephes 2. 12. Without Christ having no hope and without God in the world Fifthly It is a deceitful heart Jer. 17. 9. It tempts you and deceives you it promiseth one thing and payes you another thing it pretends but to a little more sinning and yet it is unsatiable It tells you that it will bring you off from sinning and yet still it engageth you to farther sinning It makes you to believe that you shall have mercy and yet it continues you in a course of sinning which will lose you mercy it saith that you shall at last repent and yet it makes your heart more hardened and impenitent it gives you vain pleasures and so cheats you of all true joy it feeds you with some empty profits and thereby deprives you of all true riches it brings in sometimes a little of earth but then it makes you to lose Christ and your own souls Sixthly Is a dreadful heart It is the root of gall and wormwood and the fruits of it are terror and wrath and death and hell All the terrors of conscience spring from it all the wrath of God breaks out upon you by reason of it all the bitter feelings and all the dreadful fears and expectations depend upon it you cannot know peace whiles you live under the power of it Neither God nor Christ nor his Spirit nor his Word nor Conscience will speak peace unto you in that condition But on the contrary the Law of God threatens and condemns you and the Gospel doth as much and more and God and Conscience are all in armes against you and every judgement of God which respects your soul and body for this life and the next doth await but one word and commission from the just God to fall on you and to torment and destroy you 2ly The necessity of a new heart The necessity of a new heart You know there is a two fold necessity One is absolute without which a thing cannot be at all as the union of the soul with the body to make a man Another is Hypothetical if one would be in a well-being then such or such a thing is necessary Now you can never be in a well-being unless the Lord give you a new heart renewing grace is necessary as to that Our well-being respects either this present or that future life and newness of heart necessarily concerns both 1. For this life we cannot be well whiles we are under the curse for sin For this life and under the power of sin to deliver us from the first of these it is necessary to get Christ and to be justified and to deliver us from the last of these it is as necessary to get renewing grace and to be sanctified 2. For the future life of blessedness it is also necessary forasmuch as there For the life to come cannot be a fruition of that without an antecedent fruition of this Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. 3ly The Possibility of getting this new heart I confess that though newness of heart be necessary yet if it be impossible to be The possibility of getting of it attained it were in vain to put you upon the seeking for it but as it is necessary to enjoy it so it is possible to find it and three things may convince us of that First One is the power of God to whom nothing is hard or impossible 'T is true that an Almighty power must be put forth to make a Creature and to make a new creature But God is able to quicken the dead and to restore his own image and to slay and subdue the power of our sins and to create in us a new heart and to put another spirit within us whatsoever he doth command and require he is able to give and work Secondly The second is the promise of God you see here that he promiseth to give a new heart and upon this condition if men will enquire of him for it as he likewise upon the same terms promiseth to give his holy Spirit to them that ask it Luke 11. 13. Now the promise of God as it includes his power to perform what he hath promised so it doth express his intention and will to give what he promiseth to give if we seek unto him and rely upon him The third is the work of God He hath according to his Word of promise given this new heart to many thousands in the world we find large Records of this in the Scripture Act. 2. 4. and we see manifold instances amongst our selves what changes he makes in the hearts and lives of men and many times of such as have been very wicked and utterly unworthy The Cautions what to avoid 2ly The Cautions what to avoid if we would get a new heart If ever you would seek for and obtain a new
and open to the strength of temptations And certainly all these will cause or occasion exceeding hardness of heart therefore if you would be rid of a hard heart beseech the Lord to cure you of a proud heart which is above counsel and without fear Thirdly Vnbelief of heart Take heed saith the Apostle Hebr. 3. 12. lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Unbelief but Ver. 13. Exhorting one another daily lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin One said well that Unbelief will in time make a man an Atheist When a man believes not that there is a God or that God is true in his threatnings or in his promises this man will not fear to sin where there is no faith there is no fear and where there is no fear of God there is no fear to sin against God and where there is no fear to sin there the heart will let out it self to all wickedness and who can now question but all this will cause exceeding hardness of heart Fourthly Hypocrisie of heart this likewise breeds and strengthens hardness Hypocrisie of heart When a man will dâssemble with God and godliness pretends love to them and zeal to them and yet secretly his soul loves sin and keeps up a way of wickedness and bears down the light and actings of conscience this man doth wofully obdurate his own heart and fears his conscience by speaking lies in hypocrisie Fifthly Deceitfulness of sin Hebr. 3. 13. Lest any of you be hardned through Deceitfulness of sin Lib. de Consc p. 1749. Edit Basil the deceitfulness of sin Bernard doth notably describe the degrees by which a man steps up unto hardness of heart 1. Saith he the man with much ado ventures to commit a sin and this sinful act or work it is importabile oh the terror and hell that it is unto him 2. Then after a while when the terror is off he ventures to sin again and now that which was importabile becomes grave it is only a burden but not a terror unto him 3. Then after some little time he commits the sin again and now that which was grave becomes love it is no such great matter vulnera non sentit verbera non attendit 4. After a lesser space he returns again to folly and now leve becomes dulce non solum non sentit sed placet that sin which was light is now become delight and pleasant 5. And after this Dulcedo becomes consuetudo that which was pleasant to him now becomes constant with him it is no more to sin than it is to eat and drink 6. And at last Consuetudo vertitur in naturam whereas at the first it did almost seem impossible to draw him to commit the sin now it proves more impossible to restrain him from sinning sic itur in aversionem duritiem cordis thus the sinner makes way for the hardning of his own heaât Take heed of this and keep far from this and break off all progressive ways of sinning or else you will never get off hardness of heart but you will dye and perish under it Sixthly Wicked Society From this you must be removed if ever you would Wicked society have hardness of heart removed wicked company will easily entice you to sin and will cunningly lead you on to more sin and will teach how to plead for sin and how to despise and reject the counsel of friends and the commands of God to turn from sin 2ly You must take such Medicines you must use such means as are proper Medicines for cure to cure the stonyness or hardness of your hearts Now these means I shall reduce unto 1. Meditations 2. Practical Actions 1. The solemn and serious Meditations First Consider and Meditate upon the multitude and greatness of our sins which Serious Meditations Of the multitude and greatness of oursins are 1. A separation from God O what is this to be in such a condition wherein a mans soul is separated from God and blessedness 2. A vexing and a provocation of God What is it to provoke the Lord to wrath and to kindle his displeasure against you 3. A rebellion against God and trampling under feet his holy and righteous will 4. A dishonouring of God it had been better that thou hadst never been born than that God should lose so much of his honour by thee 5. An exposure to the curse of God who may every moment damn thee for thy wickedness and transgression 6. An unutterable madness to set thy delight on that and serve that and take pains to accomplish that which only brings all misery and destruct on on you Secondly Consider and Meditate on the wonderful evil of an hard heart by which Of the evil of an hard hearâ 1. You are so unlike to God he is tender and thy heart is hard he is sensible of thy sinnings but thou art not sensible of them he is troubled at thy sins but thou art not troubled for thy sins he cryes out against them but thou cryest not out for them forty years long was I grieved c. 2. You are unlike to Jesus Christ the Son of God Christ did gâieve at the hardness of mans heart and yet thou dost not grieve at the hardness of thine own heart he shed tears and wept over the hardness of Jerusalem and yet thou weepest not at the hardness of thine heart he complained of this yet thou complainest not of this 3. You are unlike to the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God thy hard heart grieves him who hath moved so often and striven so long with thee yet thou grievest not but rejoycest thy hard heart vexes the Spirit of God and yet thou art not sensible at all 4. You are worse than the Divels who tremble but thou fearest not by reason of any Word that God doth speak nor of any wrath or judgement which God hath threatned 5. You have been more brutish than the very beasts they are teachable and they are tractable and they are sensible of love and anger but nothing doth thee good thou art unteachable and untractable and unsensible and stupid 6. You maintain an enmity and contradiction to God whom you are bound to obey as creatures as redeemed c. Thirdly Meditate of the judgements upon hardned sinners the judgements Of the judgements of God upon hardned sinners 1. Threatned by God against them Job 9. 4. They shall not prosper Prov. 28. 14. They shall fall into mischief Rom. 2. 5. They treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Prov. 29. 1. They shall be destroyed suddenly and without remedy 2. Executed Pharaoh drowned in the red Sea Saul falling and dying upon his own Sword the King Zedekiah his eyes put out and bound with chains and carried into Babylon the Jews scattered over all the world Jerusalem a desolation by the Romans Julian killed with
and rebellion of their hearts there must be a mutual will and consent and agreement which cannot be till resistance in our hearts be removed that so our hearts may be made willing to comply with him and with his will and with his wayes and with his works Secondly That he may bring them all into union with Jesus Christ his people Bring them into union with Christ are a people given unto Christ from all eternity Thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. And as they are given to Christ by an eternal compact so they must be given in to Christ in time by effectual vocation in a way of believing And for this reason also he will take away the hardness of their hearts which is imcompatible with closing with Christ Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice ver 8. harden not your hearts Thirdly That he may enjoy communion with them and they with him This is one Reason why he makes us to be his people that he might make known all Enjoy communion with them his love and goodness unto us and that our hearts might be taken up with him and set on him in love and fear and desire and joy and hope None of which will or can be unless the Lord were pleased to take away the heart of stone from his people c. Fourthly That he may bring upon them all the good which he hath promised unto And bring upon them all the good that he hath promised to his people viz. All the blessings of mercy and peace and comfort and joy of which they are not capable untill the Lord take away the hardness of their hearts Would you have the Lord to settle pardoning mercy on a hard heart and to speak peace to a hard heart and to revive with comfort and joy the soul of an hardened sinner who will hold fast his iniquities and who will not obey his voyce and will none of him This is as it were a foundation-work for the other works of the Covenant Sol. 2. Again the Lord himself doth again by promise undertake to take away God by promise undertakes it Because of the impossibility of it the stony heart from his people upon a twofold account First On the impossibility of the work without his own Omnipotency None but the Almighty can cure the stone of the heart neither Angels nor Men nor Ministry nor Self-power for the hard heart is too hard for all means whatsoever only the Lord is too hard for it he can subdue all the powers of sin and he can pull down all high imaginations which do exalt themselves and he can abase the pride of man and he can circumcise all the stoutness of the heart so that the rebellious shall submit themselves Secondly The other that his people when they are made sensible of their That men may not despair hardnesse may not despair but may apply themselves unto him who is able to work all their work in and for them and to heal all their diseases and to subdue all their iniquities Beloved a Promise of God in any kind is a singular foundation for Faith and Prayer And so it is in this business of hardness of heart if the Lord promise to take it away then the work is possible it may be done and it is likewise de futuro it shall be done As the Lord is able to perform whatsoever he promiseth to his people so he is faithful and will perform the same And both these are grounds for Faith and Prayer to go unto the Lord and beseech him and trust upon him that he will according to his word take away the hardness of our hearts Quest 3. How this can be affirmed for a truth seeing that much hardnesse How this can be since much hardness remains A difference betwixt the hardness remaining in the best and that in the wicked The godly are sensible of it of heart remaines in all the people of God all the dayes of their lives Sol. This hath been answered in part already in the manner how God takes away the hardness of heart from his people only I will adde that there is a vast difference 'twixt the hardness of heart remaining in the people of God and that hardness of heart abiding in ungodly men v. g. First Though hardness of heart in some degrees remains in the people of God yet they are sensible of it as their great evil and burden and do exceedingly bewail it and complain to the Lord of it and cry out Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear Isa 63. 17. But wicked men are unsensible of the hardness of their hearts they are past feeling and their consciences are seared as with a hot iron as the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 4. 2. When a part of the body is feared with a hot iron it becomes utterly stupid and unsensible c. Secondly The hardnesse of heart remaining in the people of God it It is still mortifying in the best is still mortifying and decreasing the more they feel it the more they pray against it and never give over till they have obtained more grace and strength against it untill they find their hearts more tender and pliable But the hardness of heart in ungodly men as it is raigning so it is raging it still increaseth unto more hardness ungodly men sin more and more and still oppose the means of softning their hearts and the more they do sin the more they do harden their hearts and the more they do oppose the light and means of softning the more they do augment their sins and hardness Thirdly Though hardness of heart doth remain in the people of God yet Though it remains yet They do not willingly take those wayes that tend to hardening 1. They do not willingly and advisedly give up themselves to any wayes and courses which tend to the hardning of their hearts as to the neglect of the Ordinances to the omission of holy duties to the commission of sins against the light of the Word and of Conscience 2. They do cordially use all the means to work off the hardness of their hearts as frequent self-examinations humble confessions and self-judgings earnest Prayer for more Faith and fear and tenderness of spirit and the Lord doth Cordially use the means against it graciously âear them in these Requests But thus it is not with ungodly men whose hearts are hardened they practice wickedness and they sell themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 King 21. 25. And give themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greedinesse Ephes 4. 19. And trample under feet the light of the Word and the actings of Conscience and whatsoever stands in their way to restrain them from sinning and are so far from improving any means for the removing of the hardness of their hearts that they deride and scorn at them and reject and abhor
when fervency daily degenerates into formality surely tenderness is falling into hardness of heart Watchlesness over the spirit Fifthly A watchlesnesse over the spirit or soul it is not minded observed lookt unto in its motions affections transactions as formerly but the guard is drawn off there is less fear and more security less diligent care and more loose presumption The man was wont to keep his heart with all diligence narrowly observing the passages and workings of his Spirit the inclinations of his heart temptations of Satan behaviours of every day alone and in company and accordingly did apply himself with variety of petitions to God and humbled himself for what was amiss and renewed his strength in the Lord for the time to come O but now it is not thus the precious soul is neglected the City is not watched the thoughts and affections and actions are not observed the poor man is asleep and drowsie and his spirituall frame is impaired and he considers it not 2ly The sadnesse of this condition The sadness of this condition It is an evill distemper First It is a very evil and naughty distemper an hard heart softning that is good but the soft hardning again that 's very evil Was it good to tremble at the Word what is it now not to be moved by the Word was it good to think of sin and mourn what is it now to hear of thy sins and not to be troubled at all was it good to act duties with affections and life what is it now to neglect the duties or to act them with a heavy and careless Spirit There are four things which shew this hardning to be very evil 1. The marvellous ingratitude in it that the Lord should shew so much mercy to heal the disease and yet you relapse into it again 2. There is an express self-condemnation why you were exceedingly troubled at the hardness of your hearts and prayed against it and sought the prayers of others and now to harden your hearts again 3. There is presumption in it you do tempt the Lord by it Do you mean to continue in this case then you are undone do you mean to come out of it why do you then tempt the Lord by falling into it and presuming on his grace to recover you 4. If you look not speedily to your selves where think you will this hardning end perhaps in some great desertion perhaps in some great transgression perhaps in some exceeding great and long trouble of conscience Secondly It is a very uncomfortable condition How is thy Sun eclipsed It is a very uncomfortable condition and thy Spring cut off what is become of that spirit of Prayer what is become of that excellent assurance of which thou hast so much spoken where is that sweetly excusing testimony of Conscience what is become of that joy in the Holy Ghost and that peace with which thou wast wont to work Ah! thou hast suffered thy heart to harden again and God looks not on thee as he was wont and Conscience speaks not as it was wont and the Spirit of God manifests not himself as he was wont and Ordinances smile not on thee as they were wont nor doth Providence shine upon thy Tabernacle as it was wont But instead of these thou meetest with many a sharp affliction with many piercing reproofs with many a sad item and reckoning and scourges which no man knows and feels in the sting and bitterness of it but thou thy self Thirdly It is a very formal and empty estate how may it grieve thee to see It is an empty state a fruitless Vintage of thy soul Tell me what returns hast thou had all this while that this hardning distemper hath been upon thee thou hearest carelesly and negligently what hast thou been the better for all the Sermons which thou hast heard thou prayest coldly and formally and what good hath returned upon thy soul after them thou hast had no trading all this while at heaven how dull must grace be which is not used and how decaying must thy Spiritual strength be which all this while recovers no more strength Fourthly It is a very dangerour posture though it be not absolute Apostacy It is a dangerous posture yet it looks toward it Though I will not say that it is the turning of the grace of God into wantonnesse yet it bends towards it Though it be not falling from grace and though it be not a forsaking of God yet unquestionably it is a gâieving of God and a provoking of him and for which he may very far leave a person 3ly Directions in this case for recovery Directions for recovery Finde out the cause First By all means find out the cause or causes of the hardning observe well 1. What conscience tells thee in thy bed at night or in the day of fear and affliction or in a day of Solemn Humiliation or in the meditation of thy short appearances before God 2. What the Word of God hints and points at in thee at what it levels and strikes there is an arrow some time or other shot which falls into thy very heart a message that is secretly delivered in way of conviction and reproof which saith Thou art the man and this is thy way and thy doings 3. What thy faithful and watchful friends say unto thee what their suspicions and fears are and unto what their friendly counsels do tend A thousand to one but some of these things which I shall mention have brought on thee this new hardness upon thy heart 1. Either spiritual pride this hath made thee to neglect thy watch and to neglect the Ordinances 2. Or a worldly surfet thou hast been taking in too much of the world and worldly business and this hath robbed thee of thy precious time to converse at heaven to meditate to examine to read to hear to pray to confer with thy Fellow-Christians 3. Or the deceitfulness of sin Thou hast ventured on lesser sins and they have ensnared thee and drawn thee to greater sins and these have brought upon thee the hardness of thy heart again c. Secondly When you have found out the spiritual causes by which your hearts Judge your selves and repent have been hardned then judge your selves and repent remember from whence thou art fallen and repent said Christ unto Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. Nay do not stay to look when this hardning will fall off from thee but hasten but compel thy self to retiredness and to a penitential consideration of thy hardning with the causes of it and the great evils in it and fall down before the Lord in humble confessions of thy great back-slidings and poure out prayer upon prayer O wrestle with the Father of mercies for his Christs sake to pity and pardon and heal and once more to cure and recover thee Follow on to seek the Lord though he doth secretly upbraid thee though for a while he delays thee though to thy
Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him Ver. 16. The Father shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever The Father dwells in us 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them The Son dwells in us Ephes 3. 17. Christ dwells in your hearts by Faith The Spirit dwells in us Rom. 8. 11. Fourthly That all the people of God have the Spirit of God may plainly appear by the works âf the Spirit which are to be found in every one of them 1. They are sanctified by the Spirit Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2. They are led by the Spirit As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God Rom. 8. 14. 3. They are upheld and strengthened by the Spirit Psal 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit Ephes 3. 16. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 4. They are partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. Our selves have the first fruits of the Spirit 5. They are helped by the Spirit Rom. 8. 26 The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities and the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groans which cannot be uttered 6. They are taught by the Spirit Joh. 14. 26. The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things 7. They are comforted by the Spirit Acts 9. 31. They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 8. They are sealed by the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Quest 3. Why doth the Lord put his Spirit within every one of his Reasons of it people Sol. There may be assigned six Reasons for it viz. 1. Necessity 2ly Congruity 3ly Conformity 4ly Excellency 5ly The love of God 6ly The purchase of Christ First Necessity The presence and enjoyment of the Spirit is necessary for The necessity of it them in many respects 1. For applying of Christ unto them and for the applying of them unto Christ For applying Christ that there is a conjunction or union between Christ the Head and his Mystical body the Church is an unquestionable truth And how Christ who locally in heaven should be joyned or united to his Church here on earth this cannot be done but by the Spirit who doth knit or joyn Christ to us and us to Christ as really as the head is joyned to the body and as the body is joyned to the head But take the instance in any particular believer that Christ is his and he is Christs it is certain but how comes Christ to be his what is that on Christs part which makes this union it is the Spirit and none but the Spirit and what is it on our part which makes this union it is faith and it is caused by the Spirit So that the Spirit is necessary to this union on either part on Christs part to apply or unite him to us and on our part in causing faith which applyes and unites us to Christ And unto this reciprocal union the Spirit is such a necessary agent that without him there cannot possibly be any union at all No man can be united to Christ but by the Spirit neither can Christ I speak it with reverence unite himself to us but by his Spirit 2. For conveying of spiritual life into them or a new being into their souls For conveying of spiritual life Naturally all men are dead in trespasses and sins and every faculty in them is totally defiled and polluted and corrupted and is deprived of the glory of God nor can any man help himself in this case nor can any creature do it None can raise him from his death but that Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead Therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of life and the Spirit of grace forasmuch as he is the authour of both unto our souls it is the Spirit who quickens them by infusing the life of Christ into them and who renews them by changing of them into the image of Christ 3. For all the actings of grace Take me any Christian though endowed with For all the actings of grace all the principles of grace and great measures thereof now put him upon any particular acting put him upon believing put him upon repenting upon mourning upon any acts of obedience why looââs no member of the body can move or strive but from an influence from the head no more can we act any grace we have but by an influence from the Spirit of Christ our Head Joh. 15. 5. And we find it in experience that it is with our souls Simile as with a ship which stirs not if the wind stirs not and it stirs more or less as the wind is greater or lesser so if the Spirit of God stirs not in us our graces stir not c. For all our receptions 4. For all our Receptions Would you know any truth of God you cannot know it unless the Spirit of God give you his light to know it 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. would you be acquainted with the love of God you can never perceive it unless the Spirit shed abroad that love in your hearts Rom. 5. 5. would you be clear and satisfied in your relation of sonship unto God as your Father all the men in the world cannot perswade and satisfie as to that unlesse and untill the Sperit beareth witness with your Spirits that you are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Secondly Congruity It is meet and fit that the people of God should have the Spirit of God For Congruity 1. They are his children and is it not meet that the children of God should have the Spirit of God should they not bear his image if they were led by the same spirit by which the children of this world are led had they not another Spirit they could not be his children 2. They are his servants and therefore they have much to do for him and they have much to suffer for him Is it not meet that the Lord should help his servants The services of the people of God which they are to do for him and to suffer for him are above all their own strength and therefore God will give them his Spirit to enable them for all their services whether active or passive the Spirit can supply them for every work 3. They are his Heirs and intended for eternal glory and is it not fit that they should have the Spirit of grace who must have the Spirit of glory Heirs of God Rom. 8. 17. Before a person comes to heaven it is fit that he should be fitted for heaven be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. And who
can fit and prepare us for that heavenly glory but the Spirit c. Thirdly Conformity There is a twofold conformity required in the people Conformity of God 1. To God their Father they must be like their heavenly Father be holy as he is holy be merciful as he is merciful love what he loves hate what he hates honour what he honours c. this cannot be unless they have the Spirit given unto them 2. To Christ their Head they must partake with him of the same Nature of the same Life which cannot be unlesse they partake with him of the same Spirit Fourthly Excellency the people of God are the most excellent people in all Excellency the world they are the precious of the sons of men a chosen generation a royal Priesthood the beauty of the earth there is that in them which exceeds and surmounts all the glories of the world but what is that which doth exalt them and raise them with such a differential excellency it is the presence of the Spirit and the graces of the Spirit As Pharaoh said concerning Joseph Gen. 41. 38. Can we find such a one as this is in whom the Spirit is c. Before they had the Spirit of God given unto them they were but as other men vile in their natures and at the most but of love and ordinary gifts It is the Spirit which changeth into the image of glory From glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Fithly The love of God unto them which is exceeding great and rich in the The love of God communication of himself unto them he counts nothing too dear for them neither himself nor his Christ nor his Spirit God is their God and Christ is their Christ and the Spirit of God is also their portion Sixthly Christ hath purchased for them all that is happiness and all that makes for happiness and therefore he hath purchased the Spirit of God for Christs purchase them c. Thus you see that God gives his own Spirit unto his people and the Reasons why he doth so now follows the last Question Quest 4. In what measure God gives the Spirit unto his people whether all the people of God have the Spirit given unto them in the same In what measure he gives the Spirit measure Sol. For the resolution of this Question I will lay down these Conclusions First There are different gifts of the Spirit some are extraordinary as were There are different gifts of the Spirit those of speaking with Tongues and those of Miracles in Raising the dead and Healing the sick and of which some did partake in the Apostles times but now are ceased And some are ordinary which are gifts that the Spirit still bestowes and these are either gifts of Edificatation or of Sanctification of which the people of God do partake they have all of them such gifts of the Spirit which do make them good and which do enable them to do good And different measures Secondly There are different measures of the gifts of the Spirit in the same kind some are more and some are less holy And in Faith some arâ strong in faith and some are weak in faith And in Knowledge some are higher and fuller and some are shorter and flatter As all the people of God have not absolutely the same gifts of edification so all of them have not the same gifts for sanctification in the same measure or degree Thirdly Every one of the people of God hath a portion of the Spirit as all the Every one hath a portion of the Spirit servants had at least a talent the first had five the second had ten and the other had one Matth. 25. 15. so all the people of God partake of the Spirit of God though they differ in their proportion for the Spirit divides to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12. 11. yet every one hath a portion though Benjamins mess was five times so much as his brethrens yet every one of his brethren had a mess sent unto him by Joseph Gen. 43. 34. One Christian may have abundant knowledge of Christ yet every Christian hath a knowledge of Christ and one Christian may be strong in faith yet every Christian hath faith some are young men and some are aged in Christ some are babes in Christ yet every one of them is born of the spirit Every one hath but a small portion at the first Fourthly Every one of the people of God hath but a small portion of the Spirit at first therefore the grace given us by the Spirit as to the first plantation of it is compared unto a grain of mustardseed which is sowen in the fields and is the least of all seeds Matth. 13. 31 32. unto a bruised reed which is very weak and to smoaking flax which is newly kindled Matth. 12. 20 and it is called the day of small things in Zech. 4. 10. I believe said the Father of the child Lord help my unbelief Mar. 9. 24. What I would that do I not but what I hate that do I Rom. 17. 15. And to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not ver 18. The people of God in respect of the first workings of the Spirit are called new born babes 1 Pet. 2. 2. and children and little children Gal. 4. 19. and lambs and plants Fifthly Not any one of the people of God hath the Spirit in perfection in None have it in perfection this life he hath not the Spirit in the absolute fulness of the Spirit 1 Cor. 13. 9. We know in part and we prophesie in part now we see as through a glasse darkly but then face to face Now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Though the spirit be perfect we do partake of him imperfectly in this life we have but the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. As the children of Israel had the bunch of Grapes and some of the Figs and Pomgranates before they entred into the land of Canaan Numb 13. 23. Object But do we not read that some were filled with the Holy Ghost and were full of the Holy Ghost as Stephen Acts 6. and Barnabas Acts 11. Sol. There is a threefold fulness of the Holy Ghost 1. Absolute and Intensive as to all degrees this we cannot reach unto in this life none but Christ was thus filled with the Holy Ghost 2. Comparative i. e. more than some or many others this is granted 3. Respective as to such or such a particular work and service unto which the Spirit may let out himself in an eminent and vigorous manner thus were they filled with or were full of the Spirit c.
Every one of Gods people hath so much of the spirit as is necessary to salvation Sixthly Though none of the People of God in this life have the Spirit in perfection yet every one of them hath so much of the Spirit as will bring him to salvation For he hath so much of the spirit as will bring him to Christ and he who hath as much as will bring him to Christ certainly he hath as much as will bring him to heaven Again he hath as much of the spirit as doth sanctifie and renew and regenerate him and therefore he hath as much as will bring him to salvation Matth. 5. 8. The pure in heart shall see God 1 Pet. 1. 3. We are begotten again to a lively hope Ver. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fades not away reserved in heaven for us SECT II Vse 1. DOth the Lord put his own Spirit within his own people Then let Try whether we have the spirit within us all of us look well to this whether we have within our hearts the the Spirit of God yea or no. O beloved think much and often of that expression of the Apostle in Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his he hath no part in Christ who hath no part in the Spirit of Christ There are four Reasons why I should press this great search and great care upon Reasons of this search you to know whether God hath put his own Spirit within you 1. Because many persons have not the spirit of God 2. Because many persons do deceive themselves with a false and lying spirit instead of the Spirit of God 3. Because many have the spirit as to many effects and works yet the spirit is not fully given to them 1. Many persons have not the Spirit of God Many have not the spirit of God They who blaspheme the Spirit First What think you of those who blaspheme and scoff at the Spirit As those Jews did at the effusion of the Spirit upon the Apostles These men are full of new wine Acts 2. 13. And ordinarily among our selves the Spirit of God is jeared derided mocked and reproached in his graces which he bestows upon the people of God O these are men of the Spirit these are the Saints your holy brethren and your holy sisters forsooth they are full of the Spirit Ah thou profane wretch unworthy to live among Christians and unworthy of the name of a Christian who darest thus openly to reproach the holy God and the holy Spirit of God! and the graces in the people of God which are the excellent faculties of the Spirit promised unto all who are in Covenant with God! Is the Spirit of God a scorn unto thee is any work of the Spirit a derision unto thee is holiness the chief of all his works a matter to be scoffed and mocked at O how wicked art thou what a child of the Divel art thou what an Atheist how deep in the guilt of blasphemy will the Lord ever pardon thee can'st thou ever repent can'st thou ever be saved who deridest the Spirit without whom and his holiness without which there is no salvation Secondly what think you of those who do despite to the Spirit of grace Who do despite to the spirit of grace of such you read in Heb. 10. 29. And have done despite unto the Spirit of grace Men do despite to the Spirit of grace many wayes 1. When they have base thoughts of Jesus Christ and his blood treading under foot the Son of God and counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing these the Spirit sets forth as most high and precious and worthy of all reverence and acceptation but when sinners come to despise Christ and his blood looking on them but as common and ordinary things and regarding them no more than the dirt under their feet they do now despite unto the spirit of Grace they do now prejudice and disgrace and dishonour and shame him in his Revelation and Commendation of Christ and his blood 2. When they will sinne on purpose to vex and grieve the Spirit when they know Who sin on purpose to grieve the Spirit such or such a work or way is evil and displeasing unto him they will therefore chuse to do it knowing that it is grievous and vexatious to the Spirit as they in Jer. 44. 4. Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate Ver. 5 But they hearkned not nor inclined their ears And verse the 17. profess that they will burn incense unto the Queen of heaven c. Thirdly what think you of those that either have no work of the Spirit within Who have no saving work of the spirit in them them or no saving work of the Spirit within them have those the spirit put within them The spirit is never present in any but there is some work or other of the spirit appearing in them for he is most active and working some way or other in the hearts of those where he is present and dwells Ergo. But in some persons 1. There is no work of the Spirit at all neither highest nor lowest the lowest works of the Spirit within men are illuminations and pulsations when he enlightens sinners to see their sins and moves and stirs them to leave their sinnes and gives them some trouble for their sins But many persons there are who never had any light from the Spirit to see their sins nor were they ever troubled for their sins nor did they ever find those strong motions and perswasions of the Spirit to leave their sins 2. Though in many persons these common works of the Spirit may be found yea so many works as the Spirit useth the Ministry of the Law for as Illumination Conviction Excitation Humiliation and Terror and Fear yet in them we no Evangelical and saving works of the Spirit to be found no works of Regeneration no works of union with Christ no hungring and thirsting after him no faith in him no love in him no holy sorrow no repentance no newness of obedience no walking and living in the Spirit c. Fourthly What think you of those who have in them another spirit quite contrary Who have in them another spirit to the Spirit of God even that spirit which works effectually in the children of disobedience and in whom all the qualities and works of a contrary spirit are manifestly appearing and ruling The Spirit of God is a pure and holy Spirit but they are unclean and unholy The Spirit of God is effective an humble and lowly Spirit but they are proud and lofty and arrogant The Spirit of God is meek and gentle but they are turbulent and furious and violent The Spirit of God is merciful and compassionate but they are unmerciful incompassionate cruel and bloody The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and of peace but they are full of
hatred variance discord c. 2ly Many have a false and lying and deluding spirit but it is not this Many have a false and deluding spirit spirit which God promiseth to put within his people You read in Scripture of the Spirit of truth and of the spirit of error 1 Joh. 4. 6. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error and so you read of the Fancies and Delusions and Revelations of men called by the name of the spirit 2 Thes 2. 2. Be not shaken in mind or troubled neither by spirit nor by word c. And we are charged not to believe every spirit but to try the spirits whether they are of God 1 Joh. 4. 1. Quest But here it may be demanded how it may be known that the spirit by which How a false spirit may be known man is moved and stirred and put on and led is a false spirit and not the Spirit of God Sol. This may be known many wayes First A false spirit is never let in by the Word The Ministry of the Gospel is It is not let in by the Word the Channel or the Conduit by which we partake of the true Spirit of God Gal. 3. 2. Ye received the spirit by the hearing of faith i. e. the Word or Gospel of Faith as those who hearing Paul Preach the Holy Ghost fell upon them so c. But a false spirit comes not in that way nay it is so far from being breathed by the Word that it works in men a slighting and contempt of it as you shall hear presently Secondly A false spirit is a loose spirit persons that partake of it do pretend It is a loose spirit unto strange Visions and high Revelations and mysterious Notions but for all them this false spirit leaves their hearts unchanged and their lives unreformed ordinarily men led by a false spirit are unfound and corrupt in their judgements and opinions and are idle and lazy and vicious in their walking Thirdly A false Spirit is an irregular spirit the motions and works of it are It is an irregular spirit such as 1. The Word of God doth not warrant nay doth exceedingly condemn As for the Husband to take a way the life of his Wife and the Parent to kill the child and for a man to take away the goods of his neighbour c. 2. Neither a mans General nor Paticular calling can warrant The false spirit puts on to such works which a man may not do as he is a Christian nor may he do as he is set in such or such a private Relation Fourthly A false spirit is a preposterous spirit It fills a man with strange joyes A preposterous spirit and Raptures of heaven before a man knows Christ aright and receives him by Faith and before he repents of his sins or ever made his peace with God it is all in joy and nothing in humbling and mourning for sin Fifthly A false spirit is an earthly spirit 1 Joh 4. 5. They are of the world An earthly spirit therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them They talk much of the Kingdom of Christ and setting up of that but they pull down the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ and it is a temporal kingdom which they strive after as you may read in those of Munster Sixthly A false spirt is a disordering and turbulent and bitter spirit There A turbulent spirit are two things which men of a false spirit have been tumultuously violently railing and reviling and lifting at One is Publick Magistracy the other is Publick Ministery It is a certain truth that the false spirit is an enemy to order and peace and authority and likewise to sound teaching and the instituted Ordinances of Christ Seventhly A false spirit is a Scripture-slighting spirit This is evident in all A Scripture-slighting spirit sorts of men led by a false spirit Papists are more for unwritten Traditions than for the written Word Ignorant Formalists are more for superstitions and superstitious worship than for the worship which the Word of God requires Anabaptists and Enthusiasts are more for Revelations and Visions than for the Word of God nay they reject the Word and do close with them c. Eigthly A false spirit is a self-contradicting spirit It frequently gives itself A self contradicting spirit the lye confidently foretels and determins of matters and for such particular times and none of these prove true as I my self know c. Ninthly A false spirit is a proud spirit and extreamly impudent and consorious A proud spirit it swells a man up in a conceit of himself and in a contempt of others above all measure The Scriptures are but poor things and the Apostles but ordinary men and Ministers but a company of dogs and others differing from them in their Opinion but the fire-brands of hell c. Tenthly A false spirit is a presumptuous spirit A presumptuous spirit Many have the Spirit yet come shorrt of what they should have 3ly Many have the spirit as to divers gifts and works and effects nevertheless these do not amount to the putting of the spirit within the people of God here promised in the Text. e. g. First A man may be enlightned by the spirit he may come into a knowlede of God and of Christ and of the way to heaven c. This is the enlightning spirit yet this is not the sanctifying spirit Secondly A man may be gifted by the Spirit he may have the gift of understanding of memory of utterance of praying of preaching c. and yet not not have the Spirit spoken of in the Text. Thirdly A man may be humbled by the spirit he may see his particular sins be exceedingly distressed and terrified and he may confess his sins as Pharaoh and Judas did and yet not have this Spirit in the Text. Fourthly A man may have desires of heaven to be saved as Balaam Let us dye the death of the righteous Numb 23. 10. and the young man that came running to Christ saying Good Master What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life Matth. 19. 16. and yet not have c. Fifthly A man may have many motions of the Spirit to take him off from his evil course to stave him off from some sinful action and to put him on to a new course of life yea so far working in him as to raise him to some kinds of purposes and resolutions as in hearing the Word c. and yet not have c. Sixthly A man may by the spirit tast of the heavenly gifts and tast the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6. 4 5. he may be joyfully affected a while upon hearing and knowing and in some sort believing the great happiness purchased by Christ and yet not c. The misery to be distitute of the Spirit 4ly The extream miseries to be
destitute of the Spirit of God I will mention a few of them unto you First If you have not the Spirit you belong not unto Christ you are none of his most men amongst us presume that they belong to Christ and that be dyed Such belong not to Christ for them that Christ is theirs and that they are Christs but read the Apostle Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Gal. 4. 6 O what is that man who is none of Christs whose is he and to whom doth he belong who is none of Christs and belongs not unto Christ All the men in the world are divided 'twixt Christ and the Divel if you be not Christs members then you are the Divels slaves But yet consider that expression a little more none of his 1. None of his in way of Relation he owns you not Is no Head to you Who are none of Christs None of Christs in relation None in respect of Mediation None in respect of beneficial application no Husband to you no Saviour to you 2. None of his in respect of Mediation he is no Mediatour for you he never took your sins upon him he is none of your Surety he became not a curse for you made not your peace 3. None of his in respect of beneficial application he is not your Righteousness for Justification he is not your holiness for Sanctification he is not your life for Salvation if you be none of his you shall have none of him None of his why then God is none of yours then the Promises are none of yours then future glory can be none of yours then the hope of glory can be none of yours for it is Christ in us the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. None of his then you have no true faith then you are separated from Christ then you alone must answer for all your sins and then unquestionably you are under the condemnation and curse of the Law Secondly If you have not the Spirit of God then are you dead in your sins you are still in the natural unregenerate loathsome and cursed estates like so Are dead in their sins many carrions stinking in your graves for it is the Spirit and he only that quickens and changeth the estate of the sinner All spiritual life which quickens the soul comes only from the Spirit of life Simile You may as well say the body is alive which wants a soul as that the soul is alive which wants the Spirit of life Assuredly death hath dominion over you Spiritual death which is a separation from God and Legal death which is the sentence of death pronounced against you if you want the Spirit O what misery is this to be a sinner and nothing but a sinner to be totally wicked to be utterly destitute of the glory of God not any thing of his image in holiness in knowledge in righteousness not any love of him not any fear of him but filled with all unrighteousness and all ungodliness with all the powers of sinful lusts ignorance pride envy malice enmity unlesse hardness of heart c. and all of them raging and reigning oppressing and resisting c. Why this is our condition really if we have not the Spirit of God for there is no change and there can be no charge from it but by the Spirit of God Thirdly If you have not the Spirit of God than are you in bondage unto Satan and are led and ruled by the wicked spirt There are but two spirits which lead all In bondage to Satan sorts of men either the good Spirit or the wicked spirit all the sons of God are led by the good Spirit and all the children of darkness and disobedience are led by the wicked spirit he moves and stirs and teaches and inclines your hearts and leads and rules and commands them and his will you do obey and act all your dayes though you perceive it not if you have not the Spirit of God under that bondage do not continue for only the Spirit of God is the Spirit of victory of liberty of delivery Fourthly You can never be bettered by any Ordinance whatsoever You may come Cannot be bettered by Ordinances and hear and go home and say or read a prayer thrust your selves upon the Sacrament but all in yain for what are any of these without the Spirit he can do do good cannot repent believe mourn why no not any good desire Can any man hear so as to know the mind of God without the Spirit of God Can any man pray and make supplication who hath not the spirit of Prayer and the spirit of supplication Can any man receive benefit and comfort in the Sacrament from Christ âhat hath not faith and can any man have faith and act faith who hath not the spirit Fifthly You are open and obnoxious to all temptations and unto all erroneous Are exposed to all tentations disobedience for to overcome temptations there is need of much strength much spiritual strength and that comes only from the Spirit of God who is the spirit of might and power Ephes 6. 10 11. And to prevent erroneous disobedience a man needs to know the truth and to be well grounded in the truth O but it is the spirit of truth who leads us into all truth Sixthly Nay you are if your conscience should be awakened exposed to Exposed to dreadful fears dreadful fears and troubles and despairs for the sense of your great transgressions and of the wrath of God for them and in this case you will not be able to find any comfort or at least you will not be able to apply it unto your selves for only the Spirit is the Comforter though you may read much in Christ and much in the Promises and much in God apt to give comfort yet nothing in any of these can be your actual comfort unlesse the spirit of God make it to be so unto you Seventhly Take you at the best can be but formal Christians Christians in Are but formal Christians shew if you have not the spirit of God for it is the spirit put within us which makes us Christians indeed When the spirit makes our hearts his Temple reforms renews enlivens us with his graces then are we Christians indeed Union with Unction constitutes us in the reality and truth of being Chrstians c. Eighthly I will say but one thing more You cannot be possibly saved if you Cannot be saved have not the spirit of Christ Reasons whereof are these 1. Without Christ no salvation Act. 4. 12. And if we be without the spirit we are certainly without Christ 2. Without holiness no salvation Without holiness no man shall see the Lord Why such cannot be saved Because without Christ Without holiness Without faith Heb. 12. 14. But without the spirit no holiness for he is the holy spirit Essentially in himself
object of my hatred I hate that which hath so much provoked God against me and which is the cause of all the evil upon me I will never love nor serve it any more Thirdly Then all our hopes are in mercy alone of which we judge our selves unworthy Fourthly Then it draws out the heart to make after a Christ who only can give peace and ease and bind up the broken in heart the Spirit of God leads out this humbled sinner to Gospel enquiries and to Gospel helpers As Act. 2. 37. What shall we do And Act. 16. 30. What must I do to be saved Fifthly Thus the heart strives earnestly with the Lord to give Faith that it may be able to close with Christ and the man is not and will not be satisfied untill he be by faith possessed of Christ how he prayes how he hears how he attends and waits till it be given unto him to believe 3. Union and Conjunction with Christ this is another choice work of the Spirit apparant in all to whom God gives his Spirit Union with Christ It is the Spirit of God who perswades and inclines and draws in the broken-hearted sinner unto Christ by him is the match made between the soul and Christ by him is Christ joyned unto us and by him are we joyned unto Christ Now the Spirit unites or brings in the humble and broken-hearted sinner to How the Spirit unites the broken-hearted sinner to Christ Christ on this wise First By opening the Gospel that word of glad tidings and of good news that good word of life and of hope unto the humbled sinner wherein as in a glass he doth see the great love rich mercy and free grace of God in Jesus Christ unto such who was sent and given by the Father to suffer for our sins and to take away our sins and to make our peace and to reconcile us unto God and to deliver and save our souls and that'â the way to partake of him and all good by him is to believe on him this the Spirit of God makes evident unto the humble sinner and withall offers him that whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Secondly By presenting strong and safe Grounds or Arguments to the humble sinner that he ought to believe and may lay hold for his particular v. g. 1. The express command of God 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his command that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ 2. The express offer unto the humble sinner and plain call of Christ Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. 3. The designation of Christ to this work of help and comfort Isa 66. 1. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted 4. The promises and assurances of Christ that he shall not be disowned if he comes to him Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out nay he shall be accepted and eased Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thirdly by answering and resolving all the doubts and fears and exceptions of unbelief from the greatest of former sinnings and from present unworthiness and multitudes of wants these the Spirit inwardly answers and takes off by convincing the sinner that Christ must be his Righteousness and will be so to every one that believes and that our unworthiness hinders not but he that is athirst may come and take the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. And he that hath no money he may come and buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55. 1. Fourthly By making the Gospel at length through his own power an effectual means of faith so that the humbled sinner becomes a believing sinner his heart is perswaded and opened to Christ and he glorifies all the goodness and kindness of Christ he receives and embraces him takes Christ for his Lord and Saviour and Husband and Head and is joyned unto him and made one with Christ and Christ is one with him This is the great and notable work of the Spirit which he works in every one of the people of God in Covenant not one of them but he is by the Spirit brought in to Christ The Spirit doth not only in a preparative way convince and humble them for their sins but also he doth in an effectuall manner bring them in to Christ whom he hath before prepared for Christ Therefore let us look well unto our selves by this may you know undoubtedly whether God hath put his Spirit within you If his Spirit be in you then you are in Christ If the Spirit be in your hearts then Faith is in your hearts If you be possessed of the Spirit then you are possessed of Christ your hearts are overcome are perswaded are drawn to Christ he hath been the great desire of your souls and he is the very portion of your soules You are Christs and Christ is yours But if your hearts remain ignorant of Christ or undesirous of Christ and careless of Christ and stubborn and opposite to Christ you will not have Christ to reign over you and you will not come to him though you may have life and you love your sins better than Christ and you will sit down with the pleasure and with the profit of the world assuredly you have not the Spirit of God and if you continue thus you shall dye and perish in you sins Fourthly Regeneration or Renovation this is another eminent work of the Spirit extant in all the people of God they are all of them regenerated and Regeneration renewed by the Spirit Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost For the better opening of this I will shew unto you 1. What this work of the Spirit is what Regeneration or Renovation is 2. That this work of the Spirit is to be found in all the people of God to whom the Spirit is given Quest 1. What is this work of Regeneration or Renovation Sol. It is that work of the Spirit by which we partake of a new spiritual being What regeneration is even of the life of Christ yea of the same image of Christ and by which we are made new creatures As in every natural generation there is as the Philosophers speak an introduction of a new form as when the water is turned into aire or the are is turned into fire there is still another form a new form brought into them or as when a child is generated there is another new form brought into the matter which it had not before viz. a reasonable soul So is it in Spiritual
Regeneration there is a new Divine being or quality brought into our souls by the Spirit by which we are Spiritually changed from what we were Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Look as that which is born of the flesh is flesh the sinner begets a sinner and that which is born of the sinner it is born after his own sinful image In like manner that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit If any man be born of the Spirit there is the life and holiness of that quickning and holy Spirit in him he is not what he was there is an excellent change wrought in him he is quite contrary to himself not only for conversation but for inclination his mind his judgement his will his affections there is a new principle in every one of these Old things are past away all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. Quest 2. Whether this work of Regeneration or Renovation is in every one of the people of God unto whom the Spirit is given Regeneration is in every child of God Sol. Certainly it is The Spirit is never put in medio within the heart of any man but he doth regenerate and renew him 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord Mark it we are changed by the Spirit of the Lord into the same image which we see in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Nay surely all that ever had the Spirit of God put within them you shall find that they were new creatures you read it in Mary Magdalen in Zacheus in those Acts 2. in Paul Acts 9. in the Jaylor Acts 16. in the Corinthians Such were some of you but ye are weshed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Therefore consider well what you were and what you now are if there be not a Regeneration a work of Renovation in you verily you have not the Spirit God hath not put his Spirit within you If the old sinful qualities remain and prevail in you of drunkenness of filthiness of pride of malice of hatred of holiness of unbelief of hardness of heart if these or any other sinful lusts continue unmortified you have not received the Spirit And if no new qualities contrary unto these are to be found in you if the image of Christ if holiness if faith if love c. are not in you in some measure you are none of the people of God you have none of his Spirit within you For as they say of the soul of man the soul doth build and frame a house fit for itself to dwell in that is most true of the Spirit of God when he comes into our hearts he doth purge them and renew them and make them Temples fit for himself to dwell in Indeed he doth not find us holy when he first comes into us but as soon as he comes he makes us holy and sanctifies us throughout in soul spirit and body he fills our Temple with his glory Fifthly Direction or leading This is another work of the Spirit to be found Direction is another work of the Spirit in all who have the Spirit given unto them Spiritus Dei docet ducit Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God And so for the words are Reciprocal as many as are the sons of God they are led by the Spirit of God That expression of leading is a Metaphor taken either from blind men and men in the dark who do need a guide or from little weak children not able to go alone and therefore are held and led by the hand Now concerning this work of the Spirit I will briefly open two things unto you 1. Quest How the Spirit of God leads the people of God There is you know a twofold leading or guidance of the Spirit How the Spirit leads Gods children 1. One is general by a common virtue or influence which assists the creatures in all their powers and faculties to their several operations 2. The other is special by a more high and peculiar influence upon the hearts of men in order to the estate and acts and wayes of grace and salvation Thus the Spirit of God leads the people of God First By way of Irradiation or illumination he opens the eyes of their minds to see the paths and wayes of life and the will and wayes concerning them what way the Word reveals certainly he reveals internally giving light to see it Isa 2. 3. Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and he will teach us of his wayes Chap. 20. 21. Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left Secondly By way of inclination when the Spirit leads he doth not only shew us what good we are to do but also he doth powerfully incline our hearts to comply with and follow that direction of his Psal 25. 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths Ver. 5. Lead me in thy truth Isa 2. 3. He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths The Spirits leading is not a meer Revelation of the will and way of God unto the people of God as if one should point out the way to Traveller but it is an efficacious perswasion add a secret and strange inclination in enabling to walk in that good way of life revealed by him unto them Simile As a Nurse leads the child by lending her help and strength unto the going of the child Simile Or rather as the head leads the feet in their motion by letting down an influence enabling thereunto Thirdly By way of Exâortation stirring up their hearts and quickning them to holy services and to walk according to his motions and directions Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and I will run after thee Psal 119. 37. Quicken me in thy way Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Forthly by way of Cooperation As the Spirit leads us by inclining our hearts unto good so also he leads us by working with us in doing of good He worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. And 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me As when the King of Israel was to shoot the arrow he did put his hand upon the Bow and Elisha did put his hand upon the Kings hand 2 King 13. 16. So when we are to do any good work we are to put up our hand
and the Spirit of God likewise puts out his hand he puts his strength to our strength or rather to our weakness we are to pray to mourn to believe to obey and that we may do these he comes in with a new influence help and power assisting us unto all these Fifthly by way of Confirmation sustaining upholding carrying us on from path to path from work to work untill we have finished all our work he leads us on in the course of holy obedience all the dayes of our life from first to last till we come to our journeyes end Psal 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me unto glory 2. Quest Why the Spirit of God thus leads the people of God Sol. Because First Of our ignorance we cannot see but by his light Why Gods Spirit leads Gods people Secondly Of our own inability or weakness even when strongest their own graces of themselves alone are not sufficient strength unto them which appears in the great falls of the best of them when left but a little unto themselves Thirdly Of the difficulties of their work and in their way and journey to heaven their work is very great and the encounters which meet them are very sharp there was a red Sea and a wilderness to pass through and strong enemies to be fought with and conquered before they came to Canaan So is it with Christians in their way to heaven c. Thus you see that the Spirit of God leads the people of God he is given unto them for a Guide and Leader and they do hearken unto him willingly desirously carefully constantly and follow their Leader But where is this leading work to be found who amongst us is led by the Spirit of God Many First Are led by their own hearts lusts they are at the command of every sinful motion Many are led Secondly By Satan they presently follow every temptation of his and his will and works they will do Many are Thirdly Led by the world by the example of it they will do as most men do by the fashions of it they will not be like no body but will attire themselves as the world doth by the pleasures of it by the profits of it as Balaam was led for reward even to curse the people of God Many are led Fourthly By their own judgement and by their own wills and they will not be controlled And many are led Fifthly By the spirit of error and not by the Spirit of truth They are led away with the error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3. 17. And follow their pernicious wayes 2 Pet. 2. 2. If all the men in the world were drawn out and stood under their proper Colours and Leaders how thin how few would be found to follow this best this only safe Leader the Spirit of God! but remember what the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye as it is a sure sign of salvation when we walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. and 4. so it is a sure sign of damnation when we walk after the flesh and not after the Spirit Thus have you the discoveries of the Spirit of God by his works Now follows the second way of discovery by which we may know whether we have the Spirit of God viz. 2ly By the qualities of the Spirit There are many qualities by which the Spirit of God is set forth unto us in scriptures Having the spirit may be known by the qualities of the Spirit all which virtually every one who hath the Spirit doth or may find in himself in some measure I should be too tedious if I should discourse upon every one of them therefore I will fix upon some of them e. g. 1. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of judgement and of burning 2. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of knowledge 3. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power 4. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of liberty 5. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth 6. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love 7. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of glory 8. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of goodness First The Spirit of God is the Spirit of judgement and of burning Isa 4. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the mid'st thereof by the Spirit of judgement and by the Spirit of burning In the former verse God doth make a promse unto the Reliques of Zion and unto the Remnant of Jerusalem that they shall be holy In this verse he declareth when this shall be namely In the day when he shall wash them from their filth and purge them from their blood Lastly he shews how this should be caused and that is by the Spirit of judgement and by the Spirit of burning Some by the Spirit of judgement do understand that Spirit by which God judgeth and punisheth the wicked others by it do understand a mind and power given to execute judgement or righteousness for the deliverance of the people of God from their enemies but with submission I conceive that by the Spirit of judgemen is meant ââ judicial or Judge-like condemnation such a Spirit as enables us to sit in judgement upon our sinful lusts in the arraigning of them censuring disallowing and condemning of them even to death it self And so by the Spirit of judgment may be meant the efficacious fruit of the Spirit which in a way of execution separates sinful lust from the heart and by degrees consumes as the fire doth the dross And certainly this is a truth that such a Spirit as this is the Spirit of God in every man unto whom he is given viz. He is a Spirit of ãâã he sets up as it were a Judges seat into the heart and makes our selves to be the judges to give a righteous sentence that all our sins and lusts are such evils as are not to be endured not to be harboured any longer nay not fit to live but presently to dye and to be destroyed And he is also a Spirit of burning like as fire to the dross which separates it from the mettal and wastes and consumes it in like manner doth the Spirit work in our hearts a separation from our sinnes and a daily mortification of them Hose 14. 8. Ephraim shall say What have I any more to do with idols Isa 31. 7. Every man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold Ch. 30. 22. Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body c. Beloved as this is one special end why Lord gives his Spirit unto his people viz. that they may judge and condemn and mortifie their sinful lusts so it is
if I may so speak the very Genius and natural disposition of the holy Spirit to be casting out pulling down cleansing and purging of all our impurities and fleshly lusts which are so contrary to his nature and so offensive unto his presence Hence it is that he maintains a constant and perpetual war with sin in the hearts of the people of God till at the last he gives unto them a compleat and perfect victory Now from what I have delivered in this concerning the Spirit of judgement and of burning two things will flow 1. A conviction unto some that they have not yet received the Spirit of God because 1. They have not received the spirit of judgement to disallow and condemn their sinful lusts and wayes but are so far from it that on the contrary they do approve them and defend them and support them and cannot endure to hear the reproof and condemnation of them from the Word or Ministry or any other but presently they rage and swell and grow discontented and malicious and revengeful 2. They have not received the spirit of burning to abhor their sins and to crucifie them forasmuch as they do still love their sins and will serve them and will not forsake them Job 20. 13. But their great delight is in their sinful wayes and they hold fast their iniquities and hate to be reformed surely these persons have never received the Spirit of God 2. A comfort unto others that they have received the Spirit of God Because 1. They do judge themselves and really do disallow and condemn all sin in themselves Rom. 7. 15. That which I do I allow not 2. They are daily mortifying their sinful lusts by striving after a fuller fellowship in the death of Christ by relying on sin-subduing and mortifying promises and by constant hatred and opposition of their lusts which war against the law in their mind so that they will not serve sin any more and though as the Apostle spake in 2 Cor. 10 3. they walk in the flesh yet they do not warre after the flesh Secondly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of knowledge and wisdom so you read in Isa 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. Ephes 1. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Whosoever hath the Spirit of God that man hath wisdom given unto him by the Spirit not carnal wisdom but heavenly wisdom true wisdome indeed which wisdom appears in four things First as to the subject If thou be wise saith Solomon thou shalt be wise for thy self Prov. 9. 12. And herein is a mans wisdom for himself when he principally minds and looks after and spends his choysest cares and layes out his chiefest pains to make sure work for the saving of his immortal soul That man is wise indeed and he only is wise who so attends his soul that he is never at rest untill he finds his soul to be ready in a safe and sound condition And thus doth every one who hath the Spirit of God given unto him he is by the Spirit made wise unto salvation What shall I do to be saved Act. 16. 30 He workâ out his own salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And gives all diligence to make his calling and election sure 2 Per. 1. 12. 2ly As to the Object in making choice of the best and most necessary object for the soul and in refuâing that which is pernicious and impertinent And this wisdom all have who have the Spirit of God For 1 They pitch upon the most excellent and most necessary object to enjoy that viz. God to be their God and reconciled Father and Christ to be their Lord and Redeemer and Saviour One thing is necessary and Mary hath chosen that good part c. 2. They abhor sin which is the pernicious object I hate every false way said David Psal 119. 104. And Solomon saith Prov. 14. 16. A wise man feareth and departeth from evil 3. They are above the world which is the impertinent object for the soul We look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Thirdly As to means and wayes tending to the fruition of eternal blessedness These they find out and in these they walk untill they come and appear before God Repentance Faith Holiness Righteousness Love new Obedience Uprightness these are the vety paths and wayes to heaven and all these do they chuse and walk in who have the Spirit of God given unto them Psal 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth Ver. 35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandements for therein do I delight Isa 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightnesse Fourthly As to time or season Eccles 8. 5. A wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement And this part of wisdom also is found in all that have the Spirit of God There is a day of visitation a day of knowledge of the things which do concern our peace Luke 19. 42 44. A day of salvation an accepted time 2 Cor. 6. 2. A time when Christ offers himself and love and mercy and happiness and strives with the hearts of men to know and accept of him And this time they who have the Spirit of God discern and do lay hold on and do gladly embrace they do not slight nor delay nor harden their hearts But while it is called to day they hearken Like the wise Merchant who as soon as he found the pearl of great price sold all and bought it Matth. 13. 45 46. Now if this wisdom of the spirit be as indeed it is the evidence that we have the Spirit O how few then have the Spirit of God given unto them Who takes care in the first place for his soule and makes sure the salvation of it Who sets his heart upon a God upon a Christ upon Reconciliation upon pardoning mercy and not rather upon his sins and on the world Who knows the day of grace the day of his visitation the day of his salvation the accepted time Who chuse the path of holiness the way of uprightness c. 3. Thirdly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of power and he is such a Spirit in and unto all unto whom he is given Rom. 15. 18. The Gentiles were made obedient Ver. 19 By the power of the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath given unto us not the spirit of fear but of power Isa 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord is there called the Spirit of might Ephes 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord aâd in the power of his might The Spirit of God is a most strong
sorts of truth of which the Spirit is the Authour and Divers sorts of truth of which the spirit is the authour Truth of Doctrine which he works in all those who do partake of him First The truth of Doctrine in opposition to erroneous and false Doctrines Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word is truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth The truth of Doctrine consists principally in knowing and understanding those points and wayes which do teach and guide us certainly unto salvation and this is called the truth in Jesus Epehs 4. 21. And the truth which is after godliness Tit. 1. 1. This truth doth the Spirit teach all unto whom he is given he makes them to know the Word of truth and which is the way of life he builds them upon Christ and roots them in Christ who is Joh. 14. 6. The way and life and truth and makes them to be sound in Christ Jesus Secondly The truth of judgement and understanding Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie Truth of judgement them with thy truth by which some think is meant the true understanding of all things necessary to salvation This is called the Spirit of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. a mind not tainted not corrupted Sound in the Faith Titus 1. 13. and Chap. 2. 2. All who have the Spirit of God have truth of judgement they have the Spirit of a sound mind in the matters of salvation they are sound in the faith although they may mistake in other matters and differ in their Opinions yet they are all of them of a sound judgement in the Essential Points of salvation they are sound in the faith in the fundamentals Thirdly The truth of heart Psal 51. 6. Thou lovest truth in the inward Truth of heart parts This truth is that which we call uprightness and sincerity of heart in opposition to Hypocrisie the Apostle calls it the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5. 8. This kind of truth also is the Spirit authour and worker of in all unto whom he is given he gives them true hearts of truth sincere and upright hearts even in the judgement of God himself Job 1. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Isa 58. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Fourthly The truth of speech in opposition to lying fraud and falshood The truth of speech as Psal 15. 2. He that speaketh the truth in his heart Ephes 4. 25. Put away lying and speak truth every man to his neighbour They that hâve indeed the Spirit of God dare not lye dare not be guilty of falshoods c. the spirit of truth ever causeth the lip of truth Psal 119. 163. I hate and abhor lying Fifthly The truth of faithful and righteous dealing between man and man in The truth of righteous dealing making and keeping just Covenants Promises and bargains Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth i. e. of just and righteous dealing this also is in them who have the spirit Psal 15. 4. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not But now what shall I say to whom shall I speak how few have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of truth 1. How abundantly rife is the spirit of error Few have the spirit of God 2. How unsound are the judgements of men who do erre concerning the faith and contend to subvert it 3. How rotten and hypocritical the hearts of men they profess God in words and godliness in words but they deny him in works and though they have that shew yet they do deny the power of godliness 4. How lying and false and fraudulent ãâã are men in their speaking and dealings one hardly knows when many do speak truth because we find that they do constantly speak lyes with that boldness and confidence and impudency c. Jer. 9. 5. They will deceive every one his neighbour and will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speak lyes c. Sixthly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love So Rom. 15. 30. I beseech you Gods spirit is the spirit of love brethren for the Lord Jesus sake and for the love of the Spirit c. 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath given us the Spirit of love Gal. 5. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love and he puts love in the first place In whomsoever the Spirit of God is in them is a holy and precious love kindled by that spirit A love First To God O love the Lord all ye his Saints Psal 31. 23. And I love the Lord saith David Psal 116. 1. We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. Love to God The Lord direct your heart to the love of God 2 Thes 3. 5. It cannot be but that every one who hath the Spirit of God must love God For 1. The Spirit renews all the affections and carries them to their proper object God is the peculiar object of a renewed heart Reasons of it 2. The Spirit sets open unto us the precious thoughts of God towards us and the exceeding riches of his grace yea and sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. And makes us to know the things which are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Secondly To Christ Jesus Cant. 1. 4. The upright love thee Cant. 3. 3. To Christ Jesus Saw ye c. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love Joh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee why how can it be otherwise but that if one hath the very Spirit of Christ he must love Christ If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be an Anathema Mran-atha 1 Cor. 16. 22. Would you have this affirmed of any one to whom God gives his Spirit but it must if any of them should not love Christ The Spirit makes the match between Christ and us causeth that union and can this be without a mutual love can any man give in his heart to Christ and yet not love him Object But every man will say that he loves God and that he loves Christ c. Sol. 'T is true men generally say so but there are few only that do so To love God and to love Christ is What it is to love God and Christ First To have the heart entirely set upon them Secondly To have the heart most set upon them Thirdly To desire exceedingly their presence and communion Fourthly To take special delight and satisfaction in that communion Fifthly Not to love any thing that is contrary to this against them or offensive unto them Sixthly To take heed to walk before them in all well-pleasing such a
love as this is in every one who hath the Spirit of God Thirdly To all the children of God and servants of Jesus Christ 1 Thes 4. 9. Ye are taught of God to love one another 1 Joh. 5. 2. Every one that loveth him Love to Gods children that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as brethren Col. 2. 2. Being knit together in love If this be the fruit of the Spirit then many men have not the Spirit for they Who have not the spirit hate the people of God The righeous are an abomination unto the wicked Pro. 29. 27. Yea and many who talk much of the Spirit have great cause to suspect their hearts because they do not love the people of God they do love men of their particular Opinion and men of their particular interest but if in these any of the people of God do differ from them now they cannot love them but they have very hard and uncharitable Opinions of them and speak evil of them and revile them and utterly shun and decline them SECT III. THus have you the discoveries of the presence of the Spirit of God by the qualities of the Spirit Now follows the last way to know whether we have the Spirit of God and that is 3ly By the properties of such persons to whom indeed the The spirit is known by the properties Spirit is given e. g. They that have the Spirit given unto them are spiritually-minded Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Here the Apostle gives a different character Such as are Spiritually minded of two different sorts of persons Here are some who are after the flesh i. e. who are carnal unregenerate in their natural condition the character of these persons is that they do mind the things of the flesh sinful sensual vain things And there are some who are after the Spirit i. e. who are born of the Spirit who are Regenerate converted sanctified by the Spirit and the character of them is That they do mind the things of the Spirit The things of the Spirit i. e. the things which the Spirit of God commands suggests the things which are agreeable to a spiritual nature holy and heavenly objects holy and heavenly wayes and works the things which belong to the kngdom of God and the Righteousness thereof the things which do conduce to the glory of God and the salvation of their souls They do mind these things they do Cogitare think much of them they do Curare lay out their greatest care for them they do Sapere relish these things above all other they are most sweet and delightful unto them Psal 4. 6. But Lord lift thou up the light c. Psal 119. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Cant. 2. 3. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste O what a discovery doth this one tryal make They that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit Many men seldom or never think of the things of the Spirit God is not in their thoughts they say unto God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21. 14. They mind not God nor Christ nor Word nor Soul nor Heaven nor Repentance nor Faith c. If they do think of them it is but carelesly and coldly not with any care to get them not with any affections to desire them or to delight in them they are not suitable objects c. The things of God the things of Christ the thinâs of salvation the things of the way to heaven they savor them not they relish them not at all but their sinful lusts they do mind on these do their thoughts run and in these do they take pleasure and they do mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19. on these are their affections set who will shew us any good any earthly bargain any earthly gain and earthly discourse these they savor and relish c. Yea I doubt that many amongst us who presume their estates to be good have just cause to fear and suspect themselves because spiritual Ordinances and spiritual Communions and spiritual Conferences and spiritual Exercises and Imployments and spiritual Meditations and Cares are no way favoury and relishing and delighting but rather burthensome irksome and displeasing O where is a David to be found amongst us who can say with him Psal 119. 97. O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day And ver 111. Thy testimonies are the rejoycing of my heart Where is a Paul to be found 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Secondly They that have the Spirit given unto them they are presently in They oppose their corruptions opposition or conflict with sinful corruptions abiding or dwelling in them Simile As you can no sooner put fire and water together but immediately they are a conflicting with one another So as soon as any man receives the Spirit of God which is holy and good there doth immediately ensue a commotion a war a combat in the soul with it and sinful corruptions Gal. 5. 17. the flesh against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other c. Before we do partake of the Spirit all is at rest and peace within us the flesh i. e. sinne doth reign and command and we do willingly yield obedience and service unto its lusts in the approbation and delight and execution of them But when the Spirit of God comes into our hearts and renews them now begins the conflict and war there being in us two natures contrary to each other and inclinations and affections contrary to each other and motions and services likewise contrary to each other For the work of Renovation We are renewed but in part from the Spirit although it passes through the whole soul and every faculty of it yet it is an imperfect work the whole soul is renewed but not wholly not a faculty but it hath renewing grace in it yet so that there is not a faculty but it hath sin also abiding in it And hence doth arise the Spiritual conflict from the presence and cohabitation of two such utterly different and irreconcilable adversaries as grace and sin the Spirit and the flesh Paul found this within himself Rom. 7. and so doth every regenerate person in the world The Spirit kindles such a war in a man renewed self against his sinful self as will never be quenched nor ended untill his course be finished and his life ended Thirdly They that have the Spirit given unto them for that very reason Such shall meet with great opposition shall meet with most deadly opposition from
through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 1. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ver 5. This spiritual Ministry is that with which a spiritual heart doth and can most close O a Ministry which doth most dive into the heart and discovers the depth of sin and the hidden things of the heart and the secret guiles and hypocrisies of our spirits And that Ministry which shames our sins most and rents them out of our bosomes and makes our souls to loath them And that Ministry which like a spiritual Adamant draws a heart to Christ breaking down all the powers of unbelief And that Ministry which discovers and dashes in pieces all our self-deceits and all our self-confideace And that Ministry which presseth and leadeth one to the power of godliness and to the practical expressing of the virtues of Jesus Christ and of him that calleth us And that Ministry which raiseth a drooping soul with spiritual truth and rules though never so strict and contrary to flesh and blood This is a Spiritual Ministry and this is a Ministry of the Spirit and this is the Ministry which every one who indeed hath the Spirit of God doth highly prize doth cordially close with and desires from his soul to live under Psal 139. 23. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Ver. 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Such are singularly tender as to the spirit Seventhly They who have the Spirit have this property also that they are singularly tender as to that spirit which appears in four things 1. In no case will they part with the Spirit Psal 6. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me 2. They are afraid by anything to grieve the Spirit Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom c. 3. If they have grieved him so as to withdraw himself they are not at rest untill the Spirit returns again in his gracious operations and manifestations Psal 51 10. Renew a right Spirit within me And Ver. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit 4. They strive more and more after purity of Spirit that so that good Spirit may take more and more delight to dwell in his temple Thus have I at length finished the Tryals and Characters by which we may know whether the Lord hath given his own Spirit unto us SECT III. 2. Use I Now proceed unto a second Use which shall be of Comfort unto all and every one unto whom the Spirit of God is given who do find him in their hearts in any of those works and saving effects before-mentioned Not without cause doth the Apostle Paul take pleasure in this I have the Spirit of Christ and we have received the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost is given unto us Yea Christ himself look't upon the sending and giving of the Spirit to be the Comforter unto his Disciples as equivalent unto his own presence with them and as a sufficient cordial against all the troubles of their heart and against all the temptations of the world Quest But will some say What benefit and happiness is there by having the Spirit of God given unto us Sol. I will answer you 1. In the general 2ly In particular unto this Question 1. In the General The presence of the Spirit of God within you it is an infallible evidence of The benefits which come by having the spirit Such are assured of their election your happiness in the whole estate of it from first to last from eternity to eternity from the time past to the time present and the time to come First For the time past Beloved our happiness begins long before we do begin it begins in the eternal love of God and in the election of God before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. The Records of election are Records of Eternity that is the date of writing our names in heaven and in the book of life And questionless this is a great part of our blessedness it is the first stone thereof which is said that we are out of a free and an immutable love and purpose set down and infallibly chosen and ordained for blessedness of which gracious act the presence of the Spirit is a sure evidence unto us 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy Secondly For the time present it is you know a common doubt and debate among serious and solid Christians whether their present spiritual condition Such have the spirits presence to assure them that God is their Father be right and sound whether or no they have a real relation to God as their Father and whether Christ be in them of a truth and verily that estate is really good and sound and sure in which there is such a relation and such a profession Now when the Spirit of God is given his presence and work are undoubted evidences of him Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ver. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Thirdly For the time to come there is reserved for all the people of God in heaven an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4. Assured of their salvation A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. An exceedingly exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And of this also is the presence of the Spirit a sure evidence unto us Ephes 1. 13 14. The holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance q. d. The Lord will hereafter give you full possession he hath promised you no less than an heavenly kingdom and a glorious inheritance for you are his Children and Heirs and to satisfie and assure you of this he hath given you a pledge or earnest and that earnest is his own Spirit in that you have for the present the Spirit of God this is your earnest that you shall hereafter fully enjoy the kingdom of God And now I beseech you tell me whether the enjoying of the Spirit of God be not very happy and comfortable If you look back by this you know that your names are written in heaven If you look on your present condition by this you know that God is your Father and you are his children Christ is yours and you are Christs If you look forward by this also you know that heavenly glory is yours and shortly you shall perfectlâ anâ eternally possesse it and all this you may look on
as most sure because God hath given his Spirit unto you 2ly In Particular But let us descend unto particulars which if we do rightly understand and consider of we must confess that to have the Spirit given unto us it is an unspeakable blessing and mercy You read in Scripture of several Attributes if I may so call them given unto the Spirit and all of them in relation unto those to whom he is given And every one of them respecting their good and benefit all the dayes of their life He is called 1. A holy and sanctifying Spirit What the spirit is called in Scripture 2. A revealing and manifesting Spirit 3. A strengthening and helping Spirit 4. A restoring and recovering Spirit 5. A comforting and quickning Spirit 6. A dwelling and an abiding Spirit 1 Fifthly The Spirit of God which is given unto you is a holy and sanctifying He is a holy and sanctifying spirit Spirit He is the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. And the Spirit sanctifies 1 Cor. 6. 11. Now there are three comforts from this that the Spirit of God within you is a sanctifying Spirit 1. He sanctifies you in truth he renews your very hearts it is not a formal or Sanctifies in truth deceivable work but a real and effectual work which is indeen the new Creation 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. the image of God the life and glory of Christ which shall certainly end in happiness Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. 2. He will go on with his sanctifying work he will begin and make an end Causeth growth in grace 1 Thes 5. 23. He will change you from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Though it begins in weakness he will carry it on in power This sanctifying work of the Spirit shall move on in the soul as the sun doth in the firmament from strength to strength the Spirit within will more and more mortifie and weaken and destroy the body of sin and he will be renewing your inward man day by day 2 Cor. 4. 3. He will still maintain and preserve this sanctifying work against all the rebellions Defends it against all its enemies of our corruptions and against all the assaults of Satan and will never leave untill he hath crowned it with glory Secondly The Spirit of God which is given unto you is a revealing and manifesting Spirit He is expresly called the Spirit of revelation in Ephes 1. 17. and He is a revealing spirit verily herein doth lie most admirable comfort and joy yea all our actual soul joy in this life If all the thoughts and works of grace were hid from us we should have but sad dayes all our life long we should be in perpetual fears and doubts and complaints But the discovery of them which is by the light of the Spirit makes day with us makes joy and rejoycing abound within us Now there are four things which the Spirit of God given unto the people of God can and doth reveal unto them First The presence of Christ within us Though Christ be in us for he dwells The spirit reveals Christs presence within us in our hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17 yet we cannot see or discover his presence but by the Spirit Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us â Joh. 3. 24. To know that Christ is mine and in me and that I am Christs and in him cannot be without the Spirit and this manifestation is from the Spirit and is not this joy and comfort indeed to know that Christ is in us Know ye not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Secondly The love of God towards us 'T is true that God doth love his people with a most gracious love and with a great love and with a most kind love Gods love towaâds us his love is called loving-kindness Hose 2. 19. with a love that surpasseth all love And it is also true that the apprehension and experience of his love is most sweet and transcendent Thy loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63. 3. And if we could know his love unto us this would pacifie us and how should we come to tast how gracious the Lord is by the holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Simile The love of God is like a fountain that is sealed it is like a vessel of precious liquor like that box of oyntment none can open it unto us none can poure it into our hearts none can make us see and tast it he can and oftentimes doth make us to know that the Father loves us Thirdly The wonderful glory prepared for us Mark what the Apostle saith The glory prepared for us 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Ver. 10 But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirt searcheth all things yea the deep things of God the quality and quantity of future happiness prepared from eternity and must answer the blood of Christ c. Fourthly All the precious works of the Spirit himself with his finger hath The precious works of the spirit wrought in us Though there be an aptitude in them to manifest and discover themselves yet we cannot see them without the Spirit How often are we in darkness how often in doubts and enquiries but have I faith but have I repentance but have I godly sorrow but have I the new heart the tender heart the humble heart In truth Simile Beloved as there is no seeing of the heavenly bodies but by an heavenly light so there is no discovering of the graces of the Spirit but by the light of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God O what happiness is all this to enjoy the Spirit of God by whom we come to know Jesus Christ and as present in my soul to know the love of God and tast the sweetness of it in my heart to know the future heavenly happiness that is prepared from eternity and prepared for my soul and to know all that God hath freely given me in order unto my own eternal happiness Thirdly The Spirit of God which is given unto us is a strengthening and helping He is a stâenthening spirit Spirit Ephes 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man Rom. 8. 26. Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. Is it not a benefit when one is weak and faint to find a friend to relieve to support assist uphold and help him we are weak we are fainting we are oppressed distressed burdened ready to sink to fail
shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever He will be mortifying your sins perfecting your graces conquering your temptations subduing your corruptions helping your weaknesses comforting your consciences leading you on in your journey untill you come to the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls As Jesus Christ accomplished all the works for which the Father sent him he gave not over untill he had finished all of them so doth the Spirit of God who is sent and given unto us he proceeds and goes on with all the works for which he is given unto us and that is to communicate and apply unto us all which Christ hath purchased for us even grace and glory even life and eternal life Thus have you heard 1. The Discoveries of the presence of the Spirit 2ly The Benefits and blessedness in the enjoyment of that Spirit SECT IV. 3. Vse I Now proceed unto a third Use which shall be of relief to tender and Reliefe to weak Christians weak Christians who are full of tears and sadness because they can find no discoveries of the presence of Gods Spirit within them or at most very weak and feeble pulses and appearances thereof That which I would say for the support of those weak persons I shall set down in five Conclusions First One may have the real presence of the Spirit and yet sometimes The spirit may be really present and yet not discovered It s in desertions have no sensible discoveries of his presence as to his own apprehension As 1. In the time of desertions when the Lord hides himself from the soul and draws off and leaves it a while to sit in darkness and in silence in such a case though there be actings of the Spirit and puttings forth tears and groans and complaints Will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Psal 77. 7. yet the deserted soul discerns them not in a Relative way as working testimonies of the presence of the Spirit 2. In time of great transgressions Then the Spirit as is it were in a swoon and the light appears not and confusion and darkness rise upon our graces David In great transgressions in his great transgressions looks upon all as lost and therefore prayes that the Lord would not take his holy Spirit from him Psal 51. 11. Secondly One may have the Spirit of God within him and yet sometimes as to his own thinking the discoveries may be rather that he hath not the spirit than that he hath Job saith of God he holds me for his enemy Job 13. 24. And David saith cast me not off Psal 43. 2. And the Church saith my God hath forsaken me Isa 49. 14. This is our condition in the times of vile temptation and in the time of sad melancholy and there is no grace in me no faith no love softness of heart no ability to pray all was but hypocrisie there was never any thing in truth wrought within my soul Thirdly There are comforting discoveries of the presence of the Spirit and Other effects of the Spirit there are proper and respective discoveries of this presence as to our present ways and works and needs Perhaps you have not the manifestations of the spirit in the effect of peace and joy and assurance and yet you may have the manifestations of the Spirit in the effects of mourning for sin and conflicting with it and prayer against it and to walk uprightly Perhaps you find not the presence of the Spirit discovering himself in strong and powerful actings in your souls and yet you may find the Spirit discovering himself in making you to hunger after Christ Perhaps you find not the Spirits presence in raising your hearts with his testimony and yet you find his presence in humbling your hearts for the sins into which you are fallen Perhaps you do not find the presence of the Spirit in delivering you from temptations but yet you find his presence in upâolding of you against temptations Fourthly There are many things which may befall us in our Christian race When we may conclude our having of the Spirit not withstanding afflictions and course which yet are not sufficient grounds to conclude that God hath not given unto us his Spirit e. g. 1. Afflictions losses and crosses in outward things you may not from these conclude that God hath not given you his Spirit Because 1. The Lord doth correct every son whom he loveth 2. The most holy persons have been afflicted Job was so so was Jacob so was David 3. These are sent for the tryal of our faith and repentance c. and for the improvement of them 2. Oppositions from wicked men by reproaches and slanders and threatnings and injuriousness these are so far from aproving that we have not the And opposition and reproaches Spirit that they rather do demonstrate his presence and work in us Gal. 4. 28. We brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise Ver. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now 1 Joh. 3. 12. As Cain who was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 Pet. 4. 4. They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evil of you 3 Inward motions of sin and outward temptations from Satan They have Inward motions of sin and outward temptations Different temptations in our own hearts and do befall the best of Saints Paul found the one in Rom. 7. and the other in 2 Cor. 12. and who of the people of God is free from them 4. Several diversities upon our own spirits sometimes a lowliness a dulness sometimes great confidence and someties many doubtings sometimes rejoycings sometimes mournings sometimes an enlargedness of heart and sometimes a narrowness and restrainedness sometimes an high elevation of heart and sometimes why art thou cast down O my soul sometimes I do believe and yet sometimes O that I could believe sometimes I will not fear what man can do unto me and sometimes I am affraid and that I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul 5. Particular wandrings and sinnings when yet the course of a Christian is Particular wandrings holy and upright in this case we may neither condemn another nor yet our selves as utterly destitute of the Spirit of grace because as a course of sinning ariseth from the want of grace so the particular acts of sinning may arise only from the weakness of grace Fifthly there may be but a very weak measure of grace in a person who yet A weak measure of grace where yet is the Spirit of grace hath the Spirit of grace in truth A Child that is newly born is a living child and yet he is very weak Some Christians are but
forth his image and to conform us to âhrist 2 Cor. 3. 18. It s accepted with God Sixthly The weakest graces and breathings and actings of it are accepted with God he owns it Simile as a Father doth his weak babe and he regards the offering and services of it he will not only not despise the day of small things Zech. 4. 10. and he will not only not only break the bruised reed and not only not quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. but he will lovingly and graciously accept of the weakest fruits of weakest graces Psal 38. 9. All my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee 2 King 20. 5. Tell Hezekiah thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father I have heard thy prayer I have seen thy tears 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Seventhly The Lord hath a very tender respect unto persons who are weak in grace Isa 40 â1 He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the God hath a tender respect to such lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young You may look up to Jesus Christ your High Priest who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities and by him you may come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy to help in time of need Heb. 4. 15 16. Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him Isa 66. 13. As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you 1 Thes 5. 14. Comfort the feeble-minded support the weak Isa 61. 1. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted ver 2. to comfort all that mourn Sixthly The weakest grace of the Spirit is a sure evidence that you are in Christ and it is the earnest penny of your future glory Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are It s an evidence that we are in Christ the poore in heart for they shall see God Ver. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied SECT V. 4. Use DOth God give his own Spirit unto all his own people Let them then who have received the Spirit remember the duties which do in a more special manner concern them These are first Negative secondly Positive 1. Negative duties are First Quench not the Spirit this is the Exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thes Duties of such as have received the spirit Quench it not Why the spirit is compared to fiâe 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit The Spirit in this Metaphorical expression is compared to fire because 1. Fire lightning upon any combustible matter it doth burn and consume it So when the Spirit of God enters into our hearts he doth waste and consume by degrees all our noysome lusts and vile affections and sinfull deeds Rom. 8. 13. 2. Fire doth purge and purifie the mettals by burning up the dâoss and by making them more pure and bright So doth the Spirit of God when he comes into our hearts he purgeth the heart of sin and makes us holy and fit vessels of honour 3. Fire doth mollifie and soften and melt the hardest Iron So doth the Spirit of God the hardest heart and makes it melt into godly sorrow and feare 4. Fire doth give light and heat So the Spirit of God doth enlighten and teach us and heats us and warms us and inflames our hearts with the love of God and with a power to do his will 5. Fire doth ascend and mount upward So the Spirit carries up our thoughts and affections unto things which are above Rom. 8. 5. 6. Fire doth revive and as it were put a new life into us when we are frozen or benummed So doth the Spirit quicken and enlarge our hearts when they are oppressed with dulness and deadness In these and some other respects is the Spirit of God with his graces compared to fire which may be quenched either in part as when you suffer it to decay and slack or in whole when it goes out all together There are four wayes by which the fire is quenched First By withdrawing and with-holding the fuell which should nourish it How this fire is quenched So when we withdraw our ears from hearing the Word and restrain Prayer and decline holy society and conference we do now quench the Spirit in his gifts and graces they will decay and fall and dye withân us Secondly By casting on water though you put much wood to the fire yet if you cast more water upon it this will quench the fire So although you should hear and pray yet if you admit gross sins these will quench the Spirit they will either totally extinguish or else extreamly diminâsh the graces of the Spirit David found it so by his gross sins of adultery and murder And Sampson found it so in his loosness with Dalilah Thirdly By smothering of it Though you do not withdraw fuell from the fire nor throw water upon it yet if you heap upon it much cold earth or green wood this will smother and put out the fire though you do not decline Ordinances and duties you do not fall into gross sins yet if you suffer your heart to be overcloy'd with the things of the world with the cares and employments of it these will choak the word and these will smother and quench the operations of the Spirit within you Fourth By neglecting of it If we do not look unto the fire and put the Brands together and stir and blow it up it will decay and go out So if we neglect the graces of the Spirit if we do not stir them up as Paul adviseth Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 6. shake off the contrary indisposition and put them out in daily exercise they will decay and will be ready to dye Object But some will say Quorsum haec may a Christian lose the Spirit fall away from grace can the work of the Spirit be wholly extinguished where is then the comfort and the happiness you lately spake of Sol. I will not take up by the by that debate of total and final Apostaty only this I say for the present that there is such a latitude and compasse in the graces of the Spirit that as the Christian may rise higher in them so he may fall and decay much in them How the graces of the spirit may be considered In their Root Take me briefly thus the graces of the Spirit may be considered First In their Root which is Christ And thus considered as Christ lives for ever so do the graces of Christ he dies not neither shall any Branch Rooted in him die Secondly in their essential habit or spiritual quality thus likewise the are In their essential habits immortal seed and abiding
seed and living which shall never be cut off Thirdly In their graduaâ measures and quick operations herein there may be a decay and quickning Rev. 2. 4. I have somewhat against thee because thou In their gradual measures hast left thy first love Ver. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and dâ thy first works Rev. 3. 2. Strengthen the things which remain and are ready to die Fourthly In their sensible and comfortable manifestations and here likewise they may be extinguished at least for a time Psal 51. 12. Restore unto me In their sensible manifestations the joy of thy salvation He had lost it by his sinning c. Now the people of God who have received the spirit they should be careful not to quench him at all no not in the measures no not in any degree of grace not in any one lively operation of grace not in any one comfortable fruit or effect of grace O sirs 1. It is an exceeding soily to weaken may I so express it the hands of the Spirit to shake your foundation to wound your selves so near the heart The Spirit is the Spirit of your life and power 2. It is an exceeding folly to loose any of your precious treasures why a degree or measure of grace one dram of it is more than all the world for value 3. It is an exceeding folly to bereave your selves of your best comforts and only joyes to turn your day into night your peace inâo trouble your hope into fear your confidence into doubts 4. It is an exceeding injury unto that good spirit and unto your own happiness c. Secondly Grieve not the Spirit This duty you have from the Apostle Eph. 4. 30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Grieve not the spirit Do nothing which may offend and displease him or make his abode in you uncomfortable and undelightful The Spirit hath been the Comforter unto you you have tasted of his comforts and joyes do not grieve and offend and displease him who hath comforted and rejoyced your soul Quest What will grieve the Spirit that so we may take heed of grieving him Sol. There are ãâã wayes by which the Spirit is grieved First When we do not hearken to his motions and counsels and commands What grieves the spirit Not to hearken to his motions This doth grieve a Father and a friend when his counsels are disregarded and despised So when the Spirit of God puts us upon holy wayes and workes and we regard not his motions and directions this doth grieve and offend him Psal 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and what was that which grieved hâm they would not hearken unto his voice they erred in their hearts they would not know his wayes 2. Secondly When we do hearken to the voice motions and counsels of Satan or our own corrupt hearts which are contrary to him and his suggestions When we hearken to Satan as Christ spake in Joh 5 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not if another should come in his own name him ye will receive This grieved Jesus Christ that the Jews would not receive him coming in his Fathers Name and yet they would receive another coming in his own name Simile In like manner it cannot but displease and offend the spirit of God to see his holy and heavenly counsels motions commands neglected and at the same time the motions and lusts of of our hearts regarded embraced and followed Why this doth more displease a parent or friend that the enticements and seducemennts of base fellows prevail and take more then his grave and sound and loving advice c. as Esau went and married the daughter of the Hittites against the mind of his Parents Gross sins Thirdly When we do any notorious sinful work which is unworthy of men enjoying the Spirit of God and causeth dishonour and reproach unto him Simile As when a child doth any thing unbecomming his relations and dishonourable unto his Father Ye have troubled me said Jacob to his sons Simeon and Levi to make me to stink amongst the inhabitants of the land amongst the Canaanites and the Perizzites c. Gen. 34. 30. So when men professing the Spirit do yet walk contrary to the nature and rule of the spirit they do now trouble and grieve the Spirit e. g. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth and if we pretending Spirit embrace or countenance doctrines of lyes and falshoods âhe Spirit of God is a Spirit of holiness and if we pretending that Spirit follow and countenance practices of unholiness and profaneness The Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and meekness and peace and if we pretending that Spirit yet live in discord and wrath and contention these things are a grief and trouble unto the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 2. 19. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity So say I let every one that nameth the Spirit of Christ let every one that pretends to his presence depart from iniquity Fourthly Especiall do we grieve the spirit when we do sin against the present When we sin against the spirits workings works and workings of the spirit As 1. The present illumination of the spirit which at such a time actually shines upon that work we intend to do ãâã discovers it plainly to be evil and offensive and yet we do it 2. The strange motions and operations of the spirit striving to with-hold us from our purpose by arguing and reasoning with our souls propounding argument upon argument not to do so wickedly As when a man lyes or swears or commits uncleanness or steals against the particular light and present strivings of the spirit sinful actions thus substantiated do not only grieve but do also wound the spirit these are bitter provocations Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly Hose 12. 14. and these are presumptuous sinnings which will cost us bitter desertions and bitter throws in Conscience and bitter lamentations and bitter afflictions perhaps all our dayes and bitter fears and disputes and questionings in our hearts Thirdly Neglect not the spirit As Paul to Timothy neglect not the gift that is in thee 1 Tim. 4. 14. So say I neglect not the Spirit himself that is When we neglect the spirit in thee And there are two things of the Spirit which we should not neglect 1. His movings 2ly His removings First Neglect not the movings or motions of the Spirit but take hold of them observe and follow them You have many times suddain and secret excitations to draw you off more from the world to prepare for death to make sure work for your souls to trust more on God to walk more evenly and profitably to redeem the time to pray and seek the face of God to do more good in your places c. Now do
not neglect these motions do not throw them aside and do not delay or defer to act them remember it you shall be able to do much at that time when the Spirit of God stirs your hearts if you presently act upon his actings of you Simile as the ship moves the faster when the Mariner takes the wind and tide but if you neglect them the work will be more difficult and your hearts will be more untoward and backward and hardened Object But some will say It is an hard thing to know what motions are the motions How to know the motions of the Spirit of the Spirit if we could certainly know them to be his we would not neglect them Sol. You may know the motions which are stirring of you to be the motions of the Spirit of God by the conjunction of these Adjuncts First They are holy and heavenly they do resemble himself he never moves They are holy you to any evil but only to what is good and spiritual to get grace to increase it to exercise it to mortifie your sins to beware of all incentives and provecation unto sin c. Secondly They are conformable to the written Word All hâs motions are Agreeable to the Word but the setting on of Gods commands upon your heart and lives he moves you not and stirs you not to do any thing but what the Word of God expresly commands Thirdly They are suitable to your place and condition The spirit moves to Suitable to our place and condition do that good work wâich belongs to us in our place He did not move Vzza to put forth his hand to hold the Ark nor Uzziah to burn incense It pertaineth not to thee Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but unto the Priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense 2 Chron. 26. 18. He is the Author of order and not of confusion he moves men to exercise the gifts which he hath given them in the places and callings wherein he hath set them Fourthly They are seasonable He puts in good motions not to hinder a present good work but to further it when we are sometimes praying or hearing you shall They are seasonable have many good things presented unto your minds which come not from the Spirit of God but from Satan for they are put in as diversions and distractions from that good work in hand but when they are from the Spirit they are seasonable and helpful As when you are hearing and ãâã and confessing your sins all those good motions which drop into you to humble your hearts enlarge your hearts to attend to mark and remember and to yield consent and obedience and to take delight to raise heavenly resolutions to walk according to the will of God revealed these are motions from the Spirit Fifthly They are gentle and spiritually rational men talk of impulsives and violent They are gentle motions upon their spirits for particular works for the doing of which they can give no religious account or ground Those are dangerous motions and are to be suspected and questioned but the motions of the Spirit are not turbulent nor violent though they be strong yet they are gentle they are leadings but not disquieting motions Secondly Neglect not the removings of the Spirit The Spirit of God by reason of our spiritual pride and security and formality and other sins may remove from us i. e. you may not find that comfort from him and you may not find that strength and assistance and vigor from him and you may discern a general Hatness and lowness in your graces and services they come not off with that zeal with that delight with that care with that love with that importunity with that fervency with that faith as formerly and you are more ready to fall under temptations and sinful occasions you cannot make that resistance which you were wont to do The Spirit in these cases is removing and withdrawing And it is a most dangerous folly now to sit still and to be careless and regardless If a Guard which preserves you draw off are you not in danger are you not exposed to enemies why all your strength support sufficiency safety is in the presence of Gods Spirit Therefore take notice of his removings or or withdrawings at any time and do it quickly and seriously for though his removes be not usually all at once yet the oftner he removes he removes the farther from you and the farther he removes the stronger will hardness grow upon you Quest Why what is to be done in this case Sol. I will tell you How to prevent the Spirits removoings First Search your hearts and enquire what is amiss what cause you have given unto the Spirit of God thus to withdraw from you what harndness what offence you may read in Scripture these causes 1. Pride of heart as in Hezekiah 2. Self-confidence as in Peter 3. Careless neglect as in the Church Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself See the cause of this in Ver. 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on 4. Foule transgressions as in David Psal 51. He had almost lost all Secondly Then repent it is the counsel given to the Church of Ephesus which lost her first love Rev. 2. 4. 5. Thirdly Cry out with David Psal 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me O Lord I am willing to let my sin go but I cannot be willing let thy Spirit go When the spirit is removing move after him and lay hold on him with tears and supplications and faith and say O forsake me not utterly O return in mercy revive thy work again in me and quicken and restore and establish me c. Fourthly Do not injure the Spirit Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you c. SECT VI. 4. THe fourth Caution which concerns them that have the Spirit given unto Injure not the Spirit How the Spirit may be injured By bearing false witness against the spirit them is this Take heed you do not injure or wrong the Spirit Injure the Spirit will some say how can any man injure the Spirit of God A man may injure the Spirit of God four wayes First By bearing false witness against the Spirit Wicked men do injure the spirit by railing and by reviling his gifts and graces and good men do injure the spirit by denying and disowning of them upon every temptation and every weakness and upon every failing O they have no faith and no love and no sincerity of heart and the Spirit of God never wrought any Renewing work or saving work in their hearts and they cannot attain unto those joyes and comforts which the people of God do meet with But beloved why do we charge the Spirit of God thus foolishly Is it a small thing for you to weary men but
commend to you that have the Envy not the gifts of the Spirit in others Spirit is this Do not envy the gifts and graces of the Spirit in any man nor speak evil of them Numb 11. 29. And Moses said unto Joshua Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Spirit of God gives different gifts unto men to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit Ver. 8. To another Faith by the same Spirit Ver. 9. And there are different measures of his gifts some do excell in one gift and some in another and this holds true in publick persons and in private persons all of us should rejoyce in all these manifestations of the Spirit It should not grieve us that any one is good nor that he can do good in his private way or in his publick way nor should it grieve and trouble us if any man hath more grace or that he can do more good bring more glory to Christ than we do or can The end of every Christian is Gods glory now every one should mind that and contribute towards that one man may contribute more and every man should contribute his utmost towards it is it not enough if Christ be magnified and thy soul saved Sixthly You should not be discouraged for any work which God puts upon Be not discouraged at hard tasks you though never so great and difficult for you have the Spirit of wisdom and power and sufficiency to assist you Zach. 4. 6. Not by might not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts 2ly Now follows the Positive or affirmative duties for them that have received the Spirit of God The positive duties of such as have the spirit They should shew âorth the vertues of the spirit As love First You should express the virtue of the Spirit which abideth in you you should walk like men of another spirit especially you should hold out those nine fruits or virtues of the spirit mentioned in Gal. 5. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance these you should strive to act in your convesations 1. Love i. e. a loving behaviour especially towards the Godly nay and towards all men you should walk in love without hatred and emulation and envying and rash suspition and censoriousness 2. Joy i. e. such a behaviour as sets out a contentedness and well-pleasedness Joy with our worldly portion and a chearfulness and comfortableness in our spiritual relation unto and portion in God and Christ 3. Peace i. e. such a behaviour as exempts us from medling and wrangling and quarrelling and contentiousness and turbulency and tumâltuousness and Peace variancies and that frames us to a quiet peaceable and unprovoking inoffensive carriage 4. Long-suffering i. e. we should bear much of the weaknesses and infirmities Long-suffering of those with whom we do converse and pass by slight injuries and forgive many a wrong done unto us as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us 5. Gentleness i. e. we should behave our selves towards others in speaking Gentleness or looking or dealing without pâide austerity insolency scornfulness rigidness in a soft humble affable candid manner 6. Goodness i. e. we should not be hard-hearted and backward to do good Goodness to the souls or bodies of others but should be ready to distribute full of the fruits of mercy and be helpful and profitable and merciful to them that need especially to the distressed members of the body of Christ 7. Faith i. e. fidelity we should be just in our words promises and in all our Faith dealing with men by no means lye or deceive or over-reach or deal with guile deceitfully or falsly but squarely plainly and honestly and righteously 8. Meekness i. e. we should suppress all rash furious immoderate unlawful anger and frowardness and perturbation and passionateness and strive to Meekness manifest that we are in some measure able to deny our selves and to bear crosses and afflictions provocations injuries patiently and contentedly 9. Temperance i. e. we should not excessively lay out our cares and labours Temperance for any wordly thing whether honour or riches or pleasures but be soher in the desire and use of all the earthly blessings which God hath given unto us Secondly you should be wonderful thankful unto the Lord for giving of his We must be thankful for the spirit Spirit unto you Paul takes special notice of this mercy and often speaks of it We have received the Spirit of God and he hath given unto us his holy Spirit and his Spirit dwelleth in us c. There are four things for which God is eternally to be blessed viz. 1. For his free grace and love 2ly For his Christ 3ly For his Gospel And 4ly for his Spirit Quest And why for his Spirit Sol. Because what you are in relation to God you are by the Spirit First Are you in Christ this is by the Spirit are you new creatures born Reasons of it again this is by the Spirit are you delivered from Satan and your sinfull corruptions this is by the Spirit 2. What you can do this comes from the Spirit Can you mourn for sin can you poure out your hearts in Prayer can you at any time trust in the Name of the Lord can you look towards his holy place in times of desertion can you deny your selves can you do the will of God can you suffer the will of God all your spiritual strength is from the Spirit Thirdly Have you any discoveries of the Love of God have you any clearness of the love of Christ and of your propriety in him have you any satisfying evidences of your present relation to God have you any sealings and assurances of future blessedness have you ever tasted of joy unspeakable and glorious of a peace that passeth all understanding of recoveries out of sin of sweet refreshings under troubles of conscience then bless the Lord who hath given his own Spirit unto you Thirdly you should improve the Spirit that is given unto you and make Improve the spirit use of him 1. For works which he can do but hath not yet begun within you 2. For works which he hath begun but hath not as yet perfected and finished within you First For works which he can do but perhaps hath not yet begun within you He hath begun the work of humiliation and of vocation and of union and of regeneration but then perhaps there are other works wanting you have found him an healing Spirit but did you ever find him a sealing Spirit you have felt the power of his grace but did you ever tast the sweetness of his joyes you have found him a regenerating
been and are the cause of all our troubles The troubles which the Spirit causeth in us for sinne is a meanes to deliver us from sinne and the eternal troubles for sinne 2. The troubles which the Spirit causeth in us for sinne do end in much joy They end in joy and peace and peace The joy and peace of the Spirit are very precious and they cannot be delivered out unto us unless we be first troubled for our sin The Spirit comforts mourners and them that are cast down Now the Spirit troubles us for sin 1. To make sinne bitter to us 2ly To make Christ sweet to us As he troubles us for our sins so he leads and draws the troubleâ soul to Christ that in him he may find deliverance from those sinnes and his peace made with God c. Trouble is not all the work of the Spirit it is an inceptive work and a preparative work he troubles you for sin that you may not be damned for sinne and that you may make out for Christ to save you from your sinnes Object We should be willing to have the Spirit but that then we must bid farewell to all our sins the Spirit is a mortifying Spirit he will not suffer us to love our sins nor to take pleasure in them as heretofore we are affraid of the sword of the Spirit Sol. I answer First It is granted that the spirit will do this as you do speak it will cast sin The second prejudice removed He dethrones sin The death of sin is our life out of the throne it will take off love and service from sin and it will be more and more ââ mortifying of it Secondly But then where is the hurt the danger the prejudice which you have against this Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Here is death and life If you keep your sins alive ye shall dye if you through the spirit mortifie your sins you shall live The life of sin is your death and the death of sin is your life Saul spared Agag but it was his ruine and Ahab spared Benhadad but it was his ruine c. Object O but the Spirit will make us holy and we must then live holily and not so lâosly and freely as heretofore Sol. First Will the spirit of God make you holy and should you not be The third prejudice removed so 1 Pet. 1. 16. Be holy for I am holy and should you not walk so As he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. Secondly Consider only three places of Scripture for this 1. Isa 4. 3. He that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every We should be holy one that is written amongst the living in Jerusalem 2. Heb. 12. 14. Follow holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 3. Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Object But I shall be a derision and a mock if I should pretend to the Spirit c. Sol. 1. Who will mock you those that are led by the Divel wicked graceless The fourth prejudice removed ungodly men 2. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 3. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of Christ resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4. 14. Secondly if you would come to partake of the Spirit you must not then resist We must not resist the spirit the Spirit Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do alwayes resâst the Holy Ghost Acts 7. 51. Men resist the Spirit two wayes 1. When they will not hearken unto nor regard the counsel and commands of the Spirit delivered in the Word but set themselves against them and oppose and How the spiriâ is resisted despise them 2. When they will not receive the offers and motions of the Spirit but harden their hearts against them and quench them and will not give way or enterance unto them Now take heed of this when the Spirit of God is knocking at your hearts and stirs your hearts to accept of him and of his graces which he is willing and ready to work in you by no means neglect them or slight them but lay hold of them presently as one of the greatest mercies that God is intending toward you bless him and cherish them and beseech him to go on with his work on your souls do not reject any work of the Spirit neither grieve him by neglecting his good motions Prov. 1. 23. Turn you at my reproof behold I will poure out my Spirit unto you I will make known my works unto you my Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Thirdly If you would come to partake of the spirit then you must pray the We must pray for the spirit Lord to give you his spirit you must thirst after him and seek for him Isa 44. 3. I will poure water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will poure my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the spirit to them that ask him What a promise is this to encourage any man sensible of the want of the spirit to pray unto God! Jesus Christ assures him that if he will ask for the Holy Spirit he shall have him Object But who can pray unless he hath the Spirit first Sol. I grant that the spirit must make you sensible of the want of the spirit and he must stir up your hearts to pray for him there is some degree of the spirits presence in stirring us up to pray for these but then if you would fully enjoy the spirit you must poure out you hearts c. Fourthly You must attend the Preaching of the Gospel the Gospel is called Attend upon the Ministry oâ the Word the Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. And you read that whiles Peter was Preaching the Word unâo Cornelius and the rest the Holy Ghost came upon them Act. 10 44. Whiles Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word So Gal. 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith They received the spirit upon the hearing of the Gospel which is the word of faith You read that aâl the works of the spirit and all the graces of the spirit and all the joyes and comforts of the spirit are let into us by the Word by that the spirit is pleased to convey himself First His works He enlightens our minds by the Word he convinceth us of He enlightens our minds by the Word sin by the Word I
they should not have done well to have observed it Thirdly If the Moral Precepts were ceased as to the people of God then God would have expressed in the delivery of them a purpose after some time to have revoked them and to have exempted his people from further obedience unto them or else Jesus Christ would himself have abrogated them as now unuseful but neither of these do we find Object Yes Christ saith in Luke 16. 16. The Law and the Prophets were untill John Sol. The Law here spoken of is not to be understood de Lege Morali of the direct and commanding Law of the Moral Law prescribing obedience sed de lege Prophetante per figur as as Rivet well observes Fourthly What shall we say to that of Paul Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man And Ver. 25. So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God And Chap. 8. 4. That the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit What shall we say to that of David Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled who walk in the Law of the Lord Object But the Apostle saith we are not under the Law in Rom. 6 14. c. Sol. First One may be said to be under the Law in several respects How we are said to be under the law 1. For justification by the Law 2. For condemnation by the Law 3. For perfect and personal obedience to the Law 4. For a slavish and servile constraint In these respects the people of God are not under the Law nevertheless for direction and instruction to frame their lives unto the precepts of the Law thus they are under the Law But secondly the place to me expounds it self best of all The Apostle there saith We are not under the Law but under grace and this he gives as a reason why sin should not have dominion over them We are not under the Law i. e. in such a state where there is only a command given against but no power but we are under grace which is such a condition or estate where besides a command against sin we have also a power given with that command which pulls down the dominion of sin And verily all that can be concluded here is the comfortabâe estate of believers and regenerate persons not in this that they are utterly freed from the commanding Law of God but in that they are now under such a gracious Covenant vvhere there is not only a Law to command but grace also given to obey 2. Quest The next Question is what manner of obediential observation of God commands that is which concerns the people of God in Covenant Sol. It is an Evangelical manner of obedience or observation which hath four What obedience is required of Gods people It comes from Gospel-Principles ingredients in it First It must come from Gospel Principles even from the life and strength of Christ no man can walk without a Principle of life within him It is a living work which poceeds from a living Principle All the obediential workâ of the people of God are performed in the vertue of their union and communion with Christ without me you can do nothing Christ doth not only give the Law unto the people of God but also he gives the Spirit unto them Heb. 8. 10. I will write my Law in their minds He doth by his Spirit write them in their hearts and makes them complying and willing to obey Secondly It must come from Gospel motives even from the mercy and love of God the people of God do obey him rather as a Father then as a Judge looking From Gospel-motives more at his goodness than at his severity They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Hosea 3. 5. And Psal 130. 5. There is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constrains them And Ver. 15. He died for all that they who live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them The great love which God hath shewed unto his people in Christ inflames and swells their heart and moves cares and endeavours to walk before him in all well pleasing Thirdly It must come from Gospel-affections especially from love and delight From Gospel-affections O how love I thy Law Psal 119. If a man love me he will keep my cemmandâments Joh. 14. 23. The love of God which the people of God enjoy carries out their soules in all holy obedience unto the will of God and so likewise they serve him with delight I delight to do thy will O God Psal 40. 8. And thy Law is within my heart Psal 101. 1. Serve the Lord with gladness The Commandements of God are not grievous unto his people they say not What a weariness it is to serve the Lord no but as David I rejoyce in thy testimonies and I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart It was Christs meat and drink to do the will of his Father O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes c. There is a servile serving of God which ariseth from a slavish Spirit unwilling backward constrained by threats and blows and there is an ingenuous free chearful delightful serving of God As the people of God are volunteers Psal 110. 3. of a princely spirit as the word signifies their duties though as to the rule are under a command yet as to their hearts and manner of performance they are a free-will-offering they find so much sweetness and happiness in communion with God and with a holy fervency of spirit they are not indifferent cold slothful but fervent in Spirit boyling hot serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. their hearts are conjoyned and united in the duties of obedience intent and intensive Fourthly It looks at a Gospel-end at the glory of God and Christ Phil. It looks at a Gospel-end 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or death Ver. 21. For to me to live is Christ Rom. 14. 7. None of us liveth unto himself for ver 8. Whether we live we live unto the Lord. Natural men do act from themselves and for themselves but the people of God do act from Christ and for Christ 3. Quest Why the people of Gods Covenant are in a more special manner charged to walk in his statutes keep his judgements and do them Sol. I will not insist on this but briefly thus the people of God should walk in his statutes keep his judgements and do them Why Gods people should walk in his statutes First In respect of God and here are three Reasons 1. His Will Psal 119. 4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy preceps diligently 1 Thes 4. 3. It is the will of God even your sanctification 2. His Glory They are called to shew forth
on this Law in the true sense and spiritual interpretation thereof as particularly binding our souls Secondly A knowledge of approbation Though a man doth know the spiritual part and intent of Gods Laws yet if his soul rises up against them as A knowledge of approbation cruel as unjust as vain and unprofitable such a knowledge as this conjoyned with dislike and exception will never conduce to our obedience or walking in them but rather to disobedience to the knowledge of apprehension joyn the knowledge of approbation our judgements must comply with and acknowledge that Divine Excellency and equity in the statutes of God Rom. 7. 12. The Law is holy and the Commandement holy and just and good Psal 119. 138. Thy testimonies which thou hast commanded us are righteous and very faithful Thirdly A knowledge of Application we must know the statutes of God A knowledge of Applicatioâ and approve of them as righteous and good and also we must apply the righteousness and goodness of them to our selves i. e. that they do concern every of us in particular as obliging of us and good for us As Eliphas spake to Job Job 5. 27. Lo this we have searched so it is hear thou iâ and know thou it for thy good So say I you must hear and know the statutes of God how righteous they are how good they are how blessed they are what a command and power they have and this you must apply unto your selves not only as belonging to others and speaking to others but as belonging also to your selves to order your lives by them Psal 119. 4. Thou hast commanded to keep thy precepts diligently Ver. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes When you know that Commandement Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain or that Commandement Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day c. You must know these Commandements as respecting you and obliging you that you must not swear and that you must not break the Sabbath but that you must know the Name of God and sanctifie the day of God c. 2. Quest What can knowledge contribute towards a walking in Gods statutes c for many know them and yet do not c. Sol. To this take briefly these Answers First Though possibly a man may know the statutes of God and yet not walk How knowledge contributes to obedience in them yet that knowledge is no cause of it Knowledge is in itself a help and furtherance to walking as the light is to working it is not any hinderance at all that which hinders knowing persons from obedience is not the light of their knowledge but the lust of their corrupt affections which bear down their knowledge Secondly Without knowledge of the statutes of God that which we call duty or obedience is neither practical nor acceptable 1. It is not practical Knowledge is a necessary previous quality unto acts Without knowledge obedience is not practical of duty It is impossible to obey the will of God if we know not the will of God Can a servant do the will of his Master who knows not the will of his Master our obedience in Rom. 12. 1. is called a reasonable service and rational it cannot be without knowledge without knowledge it is rather brutish than reasonable 2. It cannot be acceptable The Apostle saith in Heb. 11. 6. That without Nor acceptable Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him But faith there cannot be without knowledge there cannot be Faith for the acceptance of duty unlesse first there be a knowledge of Gods Command of that duty Thirdly There is an aptitude of knowledge of things to be done to put us upon the doing of those things For knowledge is a Spiritual light and spiritual light it is not only Representative but also operative it will work upon the conscience and will and affections to draw them up to that performance of what is known This you see in enlightned sinners who are made to see the will or commands of God that the light hath an influence upon their hearts and consciences and services to excuse or condemn them and so still it doth untill they do imprison or extinguish that light 4. At least knowledge may serve your thus far to put you upon prayer to seek the Lord to give you an heart to walk in his statutes If it be not able to make you to walk in his statutes yet it is in some measure conducing to lead out your desires to the Lord to write his Laws in your hearts and to cause you to walk in his statutes Thirdly As you must get the knowledge of Gods statutes if you would walk in We must have our hearts and wills sanctified if we will keep Gods Commandments them so likewise you must get your hearts and wills sanctified Our walking in Gods statutes is stiled newness of life Rom. 6. 4. That we should walk in newness of life and a service in newness of Spirit Rom. 7. 6. implying the necessity of a new spirit towards a new life You know that to the walking in Gods statutes there must be 1. A subordination of our wills to Gods will Gods will must not go one way and our wills run another way If our wlls be contrary to his this is a plain disobedience But now to reduce our will to the way of God this requires holiness or renovation in our wills forasmuch as the carnal will is enmity to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. 2ly A conformity or similitude our walking and Gods Precepts must agree what is to be found in Gods Commands that must be found in our practice else it is not a walking in his stattutes you do not set them up as your Rule as your Copy if you do not commensurate your actions by them and to both these holiness of heart is required For the heart must be sanctified and renewed or else it can neither yield up it self nor conform itself to that holy will of God consider that passage of the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. â 2. Through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience why doth not the Apostle say election to obedience but through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience not that we are not elected unto obedience but that there can be no obedience without the sanctification of the Spirit As there can be no action of life without a principle of life so there can be no actions of Spiritual life without the great principle of holiness in the heart and when God puts that holy disposition into our hearts this will as sweetly incline us to walk in the statutes of God as we were wont to be enclined to walk in ways of wickedness when we were under the power of an unholy and sinful disposition Four things a man shall find when
work it I say 1. No man on earth can by the sole strength of his parts set forth any one good work indeed a man of much learning and of great endowments and of good utterance may in the virtue of these say and do many good works which we call good he may make a Sermon he may utter a Prayer he may be much in the outward part of duty nevertheless this strength that is in him is nothing as to the spiritual performing of any duty he is not able with all the parts which he hath to look only at Gods glory nor to set out his duties with holy and heavenly affections nor with faith in Christ 2. Therefore if you finde this concurring frame which have mentioned in any of your works or duties assuredly you have attained grace and strength from God to enable you the Spirit of God hath been present with you to help you Secondly By the Antecedents that go before any work or duty of yours of which the performance of it is a consequent or fruit e. g. if it be the fruit following 1. The sense and acknowledgment of your own insufficiency 2. An earnest desire of God to engage his help and assistance 3. The actual and particular application of the promise of God resting on him and expecting Gods assistance now the work that is done is not done in any confidence of our selves but only upon the accâunt of Gods strength but to this I have hinted already Thârdly By the Consequents of your duties performed in the strength of By the consequents of our duties God which are quite different from those that are performed in our own strength whether we look unto God or unto our selves First Unto God there is acceptance and answer of all the duties or works done by his strength and assistance but not so of the works done in our strength Secondly Unto our selves where we shall experimentally finde four admirable effects 1. After all the duties or works performed by us in the strength of God we grow more humble as David in 1 Chron. 29. 14. But who am I and who is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly âfter this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee But after works done in the strength of our own parts we grow more proud as the Pharisees â 2. After the duties performed in the strength of God we do more exalt and bless the grace of God as Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me And David Psal 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory for thy meâcy and for thy truths sake Whereas when we do act in the streâgth of our own parts we will rob God of his glory and give praise and blessing unâo our selves unto our own wisdom and unto our own zeal and unto our own dexterity and learning 3. When we have performed our work in the strength of God and have indeed discerned his presence with us this will drâw out our hearts to depend more upon God for our future works and services It will sweetly raise our hearts uâto him O I will trust on him another time for I relied on his power aâd sufficiency and he graciously helped and strengthened me Psal 63. 7. Becausâ thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I reâoyâe But it is not thus when we act in our own strength for after such performances we are still more apt to rely upon our selves 4. When we have done our work by the strength of God hereupon our hearts are more endeared to God and so are our resolutions more and more to pray unto God Psal 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication Ver. 2. Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore wâll I call upon him as long as I live Thus have I finished the third duty which was to depend upon God for his strength seeing he doth promise to cause us to walk in his Statutes and to do them Fourthly Now follows the fourth and last duty which concerns the people Give the praise of all unto God of God which is to give the praise of all the good which they do unto God alone I may not slightly pass this therefore I will enquire first why secondly whither 1. Quest Why the people of God should be carful to give unto God alone the praise and glory of all the good which they do Sol. Reasons for it briefly are these First His grace is the only cause of all the good which we do it is true that we are the subjects who do repent and who do believe who do love and fear and serve and obey him and walk in his Statutes O but who is the cause that we do all this or any of this from whom is all our fruit found Excellent is that passage of Austine Certum est nos velle cum volumus sed Deus facit ut vellemus certum est nos facere cum faciamus Deuâ facit ut faciamus we do will good but it is God that makes us to will that good and we do good but it is God who makes us to do that good it is God who works in us to will and to do And hereupon in another place he ingenuously confesseth that his good works were rather Gods works then his own works Quaecunque sunt bona opera mea tua magis quam mea sunt Now if God works all our works for us is it not just that he should have all the glory from us Secondly We should else be injurious unto God who saith Glory is mine 1 Chron. 29. 11. And my glory will I not give unto another Esa 42. 8. Glory if I may so speak is the Lords portion and revenue out of all his works of power and grace and he is very tender of it and therefore we cheat him when we withhold any part of his glory from him nay it is plaine theft to take any part of glory from God unto whom all the glory doth belong Psal 96. 8. for you lay hands of that which is none of your own and without the consent of another who is the true owner and he professeth that he will not part with it it being indeed so properly essential to the crown of his diety Thirdly We do but proudly dishonour our selves in a vain-glorious boasting of that which is none of our own for which God will certainly abase us 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received it Esa 2. 17. The loftiness of men shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be made low Luk. 18. 14. Every one that exalteth
Pardon SOme plead for a capacity of pardon upon false grounds 381 Who are in a right capacity of pardon 391 All who do truly believe in Jesus Christ are within the promise of pardon 403 There is a necessity of Faith for pardon ibid. Rest not till you have got the assurance of your pardon 420 God doth sometimes pardon sin and not give the assurance of it ibid. God cals us to repent of great sins and promiseth pardon 441 God hath great glory in the pardon of great sins 442 God would have his people to pray for pardon of great sins ibid. Christs blood the only cause of pardon 460 The happiness of a pardoned condition 411 Whether all sins be pardoned together at once 426 A multitude of sins is not inconsistent with pardoning mercy 432 Gods people must persevere in their obedience to God 674 In our way we have protection 686 How we may be enabled to persevere 687 Papists confuted ibid. Carnal Protestants confuted ibid. The qualifications of penitential confession 395 How to prove our selves to be of the number of Gods people 653 Popish Satisfactions confuted 249 Gods wayes are possible and passable 708 Six Antidotes against presumption 449 To discover the Presumption of many who plead their interest in the promises without the penformance of the condition 188 Parallels betwixt Gods promises and the Saints experiences 702 R. Repentance REpentance is required to the obtaining of forgiveness 369 Though repentance be not a cause yet it is a means of pardon ibid. Of the difference between Legal and Evangelical Repentance 429 How one may know he doth truly repent 391 God threatens eternal wrath to them that repent not 450 Whether the first work of a sinner be to repent or to believe 454 What that sinner should do who cannot find a heart to repent or believe 454 Never was any great sinner pardoned but he repented 449 The Relation betwixt God and his people still continues 675 To whom God hath a tender regard 712 S. Sanctification SAnctification is promised as well as Justification 488 We cannot glorifie God without Sanctification 491 Reasons why God doth sanctifie as well as justifie 490 What we shall find when our hearts are sanctified 656 Why Gods people should walk in his statutes 849 What considerable in Gods statutes 675 Why God promises to make his people to walk in his statutes 705 Take heed of self-confidence 709 Trusting in self is a great sin 710 The danger of self-confidence ibid. Of the hainousness of sin 230 See whether to go under the sense of sin and what to trust to 253 What it is in sin the forgiveness of sin doth respect 362 Whether God sees no sin in justified persons 365 Gods covering of sin is not exclusive of his seeing sin 367 Whether justified persons may charge themselves with sin p. 369 Pardon of sin doth most of all set forth the glory of God 374 Mourning persons for sin are in a capacity of pardon 392 They who turn from sin are under the promise of pardon 393 The qualifications of penitential mourning for sin It is a supernatural grief 394 A sincere grief for sin as sin ibid. How we may know that we greive for sin as sin 395 The qualifications of a right turning from sin 396 But no man turns from every sin 398 But we have often sinned since we have endeavoured to turn from sin 401 A true penitent may sin again ibid. The right stating the penitents turning from sin 402 The people of God may believe that he will pardon all sin 428 Forgiveness of sins one of the first mercies promised by God to all his people in Covenant 359 Forgiveness of sins described 360 How Gods displeasure and anger against his people is consistent with his discharging of their sins 367 God is displeased with the sins of his own people ibid. Whether there be any reason to repent of our sins that are forgiven 268 Penitent persons forsake their sins 393 The duties of such whose sins are forgiven 416 Great sins are forgiven to the people of God in Covenant 437 Directions how to get the pardon of great sins 445 Of the wonderful goodness of God to sinners 230 The sad condition of impenitent sinners 341 No man is a penitent sinner but a mourning sinner 391 Repenting sinners confess their sins ibid. What is meant by sinful flesh p. 229 Slow walking is very disproportionable to the means 684 Look after your souls in what condition they are ibid. Conclusions laid down against the Socinians ibid. The Spirit of God is yours 61 The Spirit of God is ours in respect of his Titles and Attributes the Spirit of God of Christ of Glory ibid. It is a holy Spirit ibid. The Spirit is ours in respect of his gifts or fruits 62 Six things concerning the graces of the Spirit 62 The Spirit is theirs in respect of his works and operations 63 Five choice works which the Spirit doth for all Gods people ib. The Spirit is ours in respect of his help and vertue 65 The Spirit is a Comforter as he opens to us all the springs of Comfort 67 Three offices of the Spirit to make all the Ordinances of Christ effectual to us 68 The absence of Christ is made up by the presence of the Spirit 69 You are safe and sure with whom the Spirit is ibid. A twofold separation from sin 212 I but I have not the Spirit 213 In what posture a Christian must be who may judge of the presence or absence of the Spirit 214 God will put his Spirit within his people 584 In what sense the Spirit is said to be put within us 585 Many have the Spirit yet come short of what they should have 593 The misery to be destitute of the Spirit ibid. How the Spirit unites the broken-hearted sinner to Christ 596 In what measure he gives the Spirit 589 There are different gifts of the Spirit ib. Every one hath a portion of the Spirit ibid. Every one of Gods people have so much of the Spirit as is necessary to Salvation 590 Many have not the Spirit of God 591 Many have a false and deluding Spirit 592 How to know that we have the Spirit of God 595 What are the works of Gods Spirit in them that shall be saved ibid. How the Spirit convinceth of sin 596 How the Spirit leads Gods children 601 Having the Spirit may be known by the qualities of the Spirit 603 Few have the Spirit of God 612 What it is to worship God in Spirit 613 The benefits which come by having the Spirit 615 What the Spirit is called in Scripture 616 Who have and have not the Spirit 606 Whether the spirit of prayer be a sure sign of a child of God 607 What is the conviction of the Spirit in Gods children 597 What is the spirit of bondage ibid. Whether all the Godly have first the spirit of bondage 598 Gods Spirit helps us in prayer 617 He is a restoring
Spirit 618 How the Spirit comforts 619 When we may conclude our having of the Spirit notwithstanding afflictions 620 Duties of such which have the Spirit 625 How the Spirit may be quenched ibid. What grieves the Spirit 626 How to know the motions of the Spirit 627 How to prevent the Spirits removings 628 Improve the Spirit 634 Means to get the Spirit 639 We must not resist the Spirit 640 How the Spirit may be injured 629 How to know the testimony of the Spirit 630 How to know that we have much of Gods Spirit in us 636 Let all look after the gifts of the Spirit 637 The Spirit and pardon of Sin go together 638 T. Trinity OF the Testator of the Covenant 225 There is a conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the businesses of our eternal blessedness 69 A conjunction of the Trinity in respect of Love 70 Five Comforts in the love of the Trinity 72 There is a conjunctive union in the will and purpose of the Trinity in the matters of our salvation 73 There is a common engagement of the whole Trinity unto you 75 There is a communion betwixt you and every person of the Trinity ibid. We are to forgive all the Trespasses against us ibid. Why some receive the Truth and others do not 707 V. Unbelievers IN what a miserable Condition are all Unbelievers 12 The dreadful condition of an unforgiven people 378 Beware of uneven walking 685 Its folly to walk unevenly ibid. God is the Father of such as are upright 694 W. Works WHo they be that walk not after Gods Commandments 650 When do we willingly walk in Gods statutes ib. How we may be enabled to walk in Gods statutes 653 God will enable his people to walk in his wayes 700 The benefit which comes by walking in Gods wayes 849 Rules concerning our walking in Gods statutes 666 Many of Gods children are sometimes out of the way 678 Move on in Gods wayes with more exactness 689 How far God engages himself to keep his people to walk in his wayes 704 Why we should not be weary 686 How we are strong in God when weak in our selves 712 How deviations are the fruits of weakness 678 Wherein our weakness appears 711 We must have our hearts and wils sanctified if we will keep Gods Commandments 656 Such as walk not in Gods statutes are wicked 651 Why wicked men walk not in Gods statutes 652 Rest not upon your works 13 How the Covenant of works and grace differ 706 You are not able to stand out and live under the Covenant of works 105 We must be accountable for every work 667 We must worship God in spirit and in truth 665 Books printed for and sold by Joseph Cranford at the Sign of the Castle and Lyon in St. Pauls-Church-yard Books in Fol. THe Works of Joseph Hall Bishop of Norwich Dubartas's Divine Weeks and Works Lexicon Anglo-Graeco-Latinum Nov. Test or a compleat Alphabetical Concordance of all the words contained in the New Testament both English Greek and Latine in three distinct Tables viz. The 1 English whereby any word may be rendred into Greek and Latine 2 Greek whereby any word may be rendred into English and Latine 3 Latine whereby any word may be rendred into Greek and English Together with the several significations etymons derivations force and emphasis and divers acceptations in Scripture of each word as also the divers readings in English Greek and Latine each annexed to their proper tables By Andrew Sympson ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or Divine Characters in two parts acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between 1. The Hypoocrite in his best dress of seeming Vertues and formal duties and the true Christian in his real grace and sincere Obedience as also between 2. The blackest weeds of daily infirmities of the truely godly eclipsing saving grace and the reigning sins of the unregenerate that pretend to that godliness they never had By Samuel Crook B. D. late Pastor of Wrington in Somersetshire The Author of The Guide to true Blessedness Remains of the Reverend Mr. William Fenner Minister of Rochford in Essex being 1 A continuation of his Alarm to drowsie Saints 2 A Treatise of effectual calling 3. The killing power of the Law 4 The Spiritual Watch. 5 The new Birth 6 A Christians ingrafting into Christ 7 A Treatise of the Sabbath An exposition with Notes Unfolded and Applied on John 17. delivered in Sermons preached weekly on the Lord day to the Congregation in Taunton Magdalene by George Newton Minister of the Gospel there In Quarto Jus Divinum Ministeri Evangelici or the Divine Right of the Gospel-Ministry by the Provincial Assembly of London Beshemesh clouded or Animadversions on the Rabinical Talmud of Rabbi John Rogers wherein you have his Spirit Anatomized Principles examined and reasons in some measure refuted By Zechariah Crofton Minister of the Word at Buttolphs Algate London Refreshing streams flowing from the fulness of Jesus Christ in several Sermons By William Colvil Minister of Gods Word in Edenburgh The Husbands Authority unveiled wherein is moderately discussed whether or no it be lawful for a good man to beat his bad Wife The Crucifying of the world by the Cross of Christ By Richard Baxter A Treatise of Self-denial By Tho. Wilson The Crown of Righteousness a Sermon at the Funeral of Tho. Hodges Esq By Tho. Watson Minister of Gods Word at Stephens Walbrook London A late great Shipwrack of faith a Sermon preached by Daniel Cawdry of Great Billing in Northamptonshire Self-denial A Sermon preached to the Assembly of Divines By Edward Reynolds D. D. Peace of Church a Visitation Sermon By Edward Reynolds D. D. Animalis Homo sive concio lat habita ad Academicos Oxonienses Edvardo Reynolds The Quakers Jesus or the unswadling of that Babe James Naylor which a wicked Toleration hath Midwiv'd into the world discovering the Principles of the Quakers in general a Narrative of the substance of his Examinations and his Disciples as it was taken from his own mouth in their answer before the Magistrates of the City of Bristol also the management of it in Parliament By William Grigge Citizen of Bristol An Exposition with practical Observations on the eighteenth nineteenth twentieth and one and twentieth Chapters of the Book of Job being forty two Lectures delivered in Magnus Church near the Bridge By Jos Caryl Preacher of the Word and Pastor of the Congregation there A Dispute between Walter Roswel and Richard Coppin The Agreement of the Associated Ministers of Norfolk and Norwich concerning the publick and their resolutions to revive it in their several Congregatiâns together with some Explanatory discourses declaring the particular grounds moving to the Agreement expressed in the several Articles An Exhortation to the members of their respective Congregations exciting them to a submission to and mutual assistance of their Ministers in this Method of Instruction quarto The first General Epistle of St. John the Apostle Unfolded and