with God or that men haue with God the first wee will let passe as not so incident to the point in hand For the second the Communion which men haue with God it is of two sorts also generall or speciall Generall which all men haue with God by nature as men for Christ hauing taken vpon him the whole nature of mankinde all men doe Communicate with him as he is man they partake with him and he with them as man with man as the Apostle-shewes Heb. 2.14 For as much as the Children were partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them c. The speciall Communion is that which we haue with God through Christ by grace and this likewise is of two sorts either in the outward meanes or in the inward truth of grace In the outward meanes of grace and this is the case of all Professors of the Gospell that are outwardly called to the Communion of the word and of the Sacraments they haue Communion with God in Christ in respect of the outward meanes of grace and are reputed members of Christs Body and this they haue as Christ is head of the Church visible In the inward truth of grace and this is proper and peculiar to the faithfull onely that are effectually called and by faith truely ingrafted into Christ and this Communion they haue with God in Christ as Christ is the head of the Church inuisible that is of the whole company of Gods chosen and this is the true Communion here intended Vnderstand it thus God loues his chosen freely in Christ Iesus and in his loue giues his Spirit to his chosen by his Spirit hee workes faith into their hearts by faith Christ dwels within them and is made one with them and they with him and so in him they are made one with God so then if yee aske me what this Communion is I say it is our vniting or ioyning to God If yee aske me who are the persons that are ioyned they are true Beleeuers all they and none else If ye aske me in whom they are ioyned I say in Christ Iesus Lastly if yee aske mee what manner of Communion this is I say it is by grace and by the Spirit and therefore it is a spirituall and holy Communion and so you haue the whole Doctrine and euery branch of it plainely cleared and opened So much for Explication Now secondly for Confirmation Confirmation 1. By Scriptures and that shall be both by Scriptures and Reasons First by Scripture 2 Pet. 1.4 We are made partakers of the godly or diuine nature c. True Beleeuers are not onely made partakers of Gods blessings or of his guifts but of Gods nature and being And how not by way of partition as if some part of the godly Nature were taken from God and giuen to vs for that is impossible the diuine nature can neuer be deuided but by way of Communion as communicating in the nature of God by a blessed vnion 1 Cor. 6.17 Hee that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit The Apostle here affirmes two things of euery true beleeuer First that euery true Beleeuer is ioyned or glewed to the Lord as the word signifies Secondly the proceede of it and that is this that they are one Spirit Euery true Beleeuer is ioyned or glewed to the Lord there is our Coniunction Euery Beleeuer that is ioyned to the Lord is one Spirit there is the proceede of this Coniunction euen to an holy and sound Communion The Scripture speakes yet more particularly affirming that we are not onely ioyned to Gods being and nature but to euery person in the God-head This blessed Communion is made betwixt vs and the whole blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost as in the 1 of Iohn 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ there is our Communion with the Father and with the Sonne 1 Cor. 1.9 Yee were called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ there is our Communion with the Sonne and in the 2 Cor. 13.13 The Communion of the holy Ghost be with you all c. there is our Communion with the holy Ghost We haue this Communion therefore with God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost In precise tearmes take it thus wee haue a Communion with God in Christ through the Spirit God the Father is the subiect to whom wee are vnited Christ is the Mediator in whom we are vnited the Holy Spirit is the worker by whom we are thus ioyned and vnited God loues vs freely and in his loue giues vs his Spirit and thereby workes faith in our hearts and by Faith and by the Spirit Christ is made one with vs and we with him and in him wee are made one with God So much for proofes by Scripture The Reasons why there is such a Communion of the faithfull with God are these The first reason is Confirmation by Reasons Reason 1 the Loue of God to them Ezek. 16.8 When I passed by thee and looked vpon thee behold thy time was the time of loue and I spread my skirt ouer thee and couered thy nakednesse yea I sware vnto thee and entred into a couenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine What is the reason that the Lord did all this for his people It was his loue it was the time of loue and therefore he did ioyne them to himselfe and made them his Yet further our Communion with God in Christ is compared to a Marriage in Scripture Hosea 2.19.23 Ephes 5.31.32 Now why doth a Man marry a Woman Is it not because he loues her else hee dissembles but God cannot dissemble And therefore the maine reason why God marries vs and makes vs one with himselfe is this because he loues vs. Secondly the mediation of Christ makes this Communion God is in Christ and the Beleeuer is in Christ and there is the Communion the Beleeuer is one with God in Christ Christ by his Incarnation makes this Communion by his intercession he procures it and by his death he doth purchase it and by our sanctification he applyes it and makes it ours By his Incarnation hee makes it For Christ being God and comming downe and taking our nature vpon him and becomes man then there is Emanuel God with vs Matth. 1.23 not onely God with Christ as hee being made one with God but God with vs as we through Christ being made one with God and he with vs. Secondly in his Intercession he procures it as Ioh. 17.20.21.22 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall beleeue in me through their word that they may all be one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in vs Here Christ prayes for all true Beleeuers and what is his request that they all may be one c. that is there may be an holy Communion not onely betwixt
themselues but betwixt them and God also and surely Christs prayer was neuer denyed but God heares him alwaies Iohn 11.42 therefore if he hath prayed for it he hath procured it Thirdly by his death he purchased it Reu. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood c. Christ hath bought vs and paide dearely for vs euen his owne precious bloud and whom hath he bought vs to to God that we might be his that is that hee may own vs as his people and that we may own him as our God Fourthly he applyes it to vs and makes it ours in our Sanctification Heb. 2.11 For both hee that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one Til we are sanctified we are neuer truly ioyned to God but when once we are sanctified that is when we begin to be truly holy in our harts in our liues then are we already admitted into this blessed Communion with Christ and so with God then hee that doth sanctifie and they that are sanctified are all one Reason 3 Thirdly the Bond of the Spirit is another reason of it Gods Spirit hath a speciall intercourse and doth mannage this whole businesse betwixt God and vs Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father God sends his Spirit into our hearts thereby God Communicates with vs as with his Sonnes By this Spirit we cry Abba Father and thereby we Communicate with God as with our heauenly Father there is Gods Communion with vs and ours with him All the exercises of Gods Communion with vs are carried by his Spirit If he teach vs hee doth it by his Spirit if he comforts vs he comforts vs by his Spirit if hee adopt vs he adopts vs by his Spirit if hee seales vs if he sanctifies vs hee doth it by his Spirit whatsoeuer God doth to vs in this Communion hee doth it all by his Spirit And on the other side all the exercises of our Communion with God are carried by his Spirit If we pray we pray by the Spirit if we beleeue we doe it by the Spirit if we loue God if wee obey God we doe it by the Spirit that wee pray to God that we beleeue in God that we hope in God loue and obey God it is all by the Spirit of God there is one and the same Spirit in God and in vs therefore the Bond of the Spirit is one speciall cause of this Communion which we haue with God The last Reason is from the nature of faith which Reason 4 is of this Nature that it vnites and ioynes the subiect or person beleeuing to the obiect or thing beleeued and makes them one By faith we are ingrafted into Christ Rom. 11.19.20 As a Syence is ingrafted into a Stocke and as that growes to be one with the stocke so is the soule that is ingrafted into Christ it growes one with Christ Christ dwels in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 And that is a blessed Communion and coniunction betwixt Christ and the true beleeuer If we beleeue presently we haue possession of Christ in our hearts an holy and an heauenly gift By faith we eatethe flesh of Christ and drink his blood Iohn 6.47.54 And whosoeuer eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood he liues in Christ and Christ in him vers 57. Here is an holy and an heauenly Communion See the liuely experience of this vniting power of faith in the case of Thomas Ioh. 20.27.28 he would not beleeue our Sauiour perswades him to be ruled by him and not to be obstinate not to be faithlesse but faithfull so soone as euer he beleeued he cryes out My Lord and my God so that by beleeuing in God God becomes our God and by beleeuing in the Lord the Lord becomes our Lord he is ours and we are his this makes the vnion And so much be spoken for matter of Confirmation Now lastly we come to speake somewhat by way of Application for the practise of Christians and the vses for Application are of two sorts the first sort of vses are for all men in generall the second sort are for those that haue found this fauour at Gods hand to attaine vnto his blessed Communion First in generall for all men Vses in generall to all men and that is for reproofe It serues to reproue a common errour amongst vs generally men thinke we shall be saued by Iesus Christ as he is without vs for thus we imagine that Christ came downe from heauen and tooke our nature vpon him dyed for Sinners and is ascended into Heauen to make intercession for the Church and whosoeuer beleeues thus of him shall surely be saued by him A gracelesse conceit such as hardens many thousands in their ignorance vnbeleefe and disobedience and carries them smooth to hell Oh my Brethren let vs not be deceiued Christ Iesus indeed is a Sauiour and a perfect Sauiour but he neuer saued any but such as had Communion with him that were in him and he in them they in him by faith hee in them by his Spirit else they can neuer be saued 2 Cor. 5.17 Except we be in Christ we haue no part in his Resurrection and Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Till we be in Christ wee are most damnable wretches if euer we will escape damnation we must be in Christ and Christ must bee in vs else we are Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.15 Hearken thou carnall Professor that thinkest to be saued by Christ as he is without thee but the Holy Ghost tels thee plainely that except Christ be in thee thou art but in the state of a Reprobate If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Rom. 8.9.10 To haue Christ within vs is to haue his Spirit within vs so that Christ must be in vs by his Spirit if we will haue any part in him It were a merry world for carnall Professors if they might be saued by Christ as he is without vs Then the vnclean man the proud man the malicious the couetous man and the drunkard and such like might take their fill in sinne and yet sit downe and blesse themselues and say Oh there is a Sauiour in Heauen Christ Iesus who sits at the right hand of God he will be mercifull vnto vs and forgiue vs and saue vs No no thou godlesse and gracelesse person there is no such way to Heauen Christ Iesus must be in thee by his Spirit else he will neuer saue thee thou must haue Christ thy Sauiour in thy heart else thou hast no Christ thy Sauiour in heauen Christ Iesus must be in thee to mortifie thy vncleannesse couetousnesse pride c. and to make thee repent of thy sinnes and forsake them and to cause thee to leade a new life or else hee will neuer take away thy sinnes Deceiue not thy selfe thou thinkest that thou art in a good case and shalt be saued I
SAINT PAVLS TRIVMPH OR Cygnea illa dulcissima Cantio THAT Swan-like and most sweet Song of that Learned and faithfull Seruant of GOD Mr. IOHN RANDALL Bachelor of Diuinitie Vttered by him in an Eleauen SERMONS vpon the Eight Chapter of St. PAVL his Epistle to the Romans vers 38.39 lately before his death in the time of his great and heauy Affliction and vpon the Communion-dayes either altogether or for the most part AND Now published for the glory of God the edification of his Church and people and the honourable memoriall of the Author by WILLIAM HOLBROOKE Preacher of the word of God LONDON Printed by T. S. for Richard Redmer and Nathanael Newbery and are to bee sould at the signe of the Starre vnder St. Peters Church in Cornehill and in Popes-head Alley 1623. TO Mr. DOCTOR CHAMBERS DOCTOR OF Diuinity and Pastor of S. Andrews Hubbart in little Eastcheape London and to M. Mathew de Quester M. Richard Stretton M. Thomas Oliue M. Robert Wood M. Edward Maddeston M. Giles de Butt and to the rest of the Parishioners of the said Parish All grace and happinesse in this life and that which is to come MAster Doctor and you the rest my louing friends It is no insolete nor vnwarrantable course for men to be publishers of the Labours of others and to haue a hand in bringing them forth into the view of the world and that after the death of the Authors of them if we either consider the examples of the seruants of God in holy writ as first of the men of Hezekiah concerning diuers of Solomons Prouerbes a Inscript cap. 25. Prouerb secondly of Solomon or some other concerning the words of Ager b Inscript cap. 30. Prouerb and thirdly of Solomon himselfe concerning the words and counsell of his Mother to him c Inscript cap. 31 Prouerb Or if we consider the practise of holy men in all ages both ancient and moderne as to instance in the writings of that late and worthy seruant of God Mr. Perkins Vide Aben. Ezra Mercer Iun. Cartw. Iansen Muff. in hos locos how many of them are extant to his neuer dying fame and yet most of them published by others after his death as is plainely to be seene if we looke but in the Title-pages of most of them Wherein those worthies did as it were the office of spirituall Midwiues in helping such children to birth And had it not beene great detriment to the Church of God present and to come and great pitty that such goodly children should haue bin brought to the birth and there haue perished for want of some to helpe to bring them forth Vpon consideration of this that hath beene said I haue afforded my helpe to the bringing forth of this ensuing Treatise a worthy and excellent worke of a learned and faithfull seruant of God not long since deceased well knowne to you and me The excellency of it wil appeare first if the particulars therin intreated of be but generally considered as first the spirituall Communion or coniunction that is betwixt God and the faithfull Secondly the bond of this coniunction the loue of God Thirdly the ground of this coniunction Christ Iesus Fourthly the speciall interest the faithfull haue in him and he in them Fiftly the certainty of the spirituall safety of Gods children amidst all dangers and against al commers Sixtly the assurance the faithfull haue and may haue in this life of Gods loue and so of saluation Seauenthly the Christian mans bearing of himselfe vp in and against all danger vpon this assurance with a declaration and discouery of diuers of our enemies and what they can doe against vs If these be not excellent theames I know not what are Secondly the excellency of this worke will appeare if the strict and yet plaine and easie methode which is vsed therein be considered which will make it delightfull to euery one that readeth it methode being to the matter spoken and vttered as fashion to apparell forme to building and as Pictures of Siluer to Apples of Gold Prouerb 25.11 which make much to the lustre and beauty of the Apples and cause them to be delightfull to and to be much desired of the beholders Thirdly the excellency of this Treatise will appeare if we consider the seasonablenesse of its birth It is borne and commeth forth in due time For it entreateth at large of the afflictions dangers to which the faithfull are and may be subiect in this world and furnisheth them with matter of support in and against them all And when or in what time could this Argument bee more seasonable then now and at this time wherein the Church and people of God are in such distresse hazard and danger and the destroying Angell of God is so abroad in many places of the world and all places almost filled with warres and rumors of warres and who knoweth when these things shall end Fourthly the excellency of this Treatise will appeare if we consider the fitnesse of and the enablements wherewith this man was enabled to write and speake of this Subiect which were very great and many whether we consider the endowments of Learning nature grace or experience for besides the three former he was a man experienced in afflictions being then when he studied writ and preached these following Sermons and for the space of many yeares before a man of many troubles and of greiuous and of heauy afflictions by which through the gracious blessing and worke of Gods spirit he was made as holyer and better so fitter to write and speake of the nature kindes degrees and effects of troubles and afflictions and of what they can doe and of the supports in them against them For as euery man is best able to speake and discourse of that profession and the Mysteries thereof of which he is d Nauita de ventis de tauris narrat arator enumerat miles vulnera pastor oues Propert. so is that man that is and hath beene long a man of troubles fittest to write and speake of them and of all things belonging to them That this man was both then when he writ and spake these Sermons and had beene for long time before a man of troubles and heauy afflictions besides the testimony of all that knew him his owne words which I finde written with his owne hand in his booke by way of Preface to these following Sermons doe plainely shew his words are these After a heauy burthen of many heauy infirmities and sore afflictions and hideous temptations long endured and still continuing vpon me I am come forth once againe to speake in this place not in any sence of strength recouered nor yet in any liuely hope of any ability to goe through with this great worke but onely in obedience to Gods commandement who hath now brought mee I know not how vnto this seruice and in faith alone This Treatise excellent as aforesaid in so
feele in our selues in some measure else wee were neuer in the state of grace To open the point more fully and familiarly the estate of the loue of God and the estate of grace consists in certaine mutuall passages betwixt God and man On Gods part to man there are two chiefe passages Gods loue the perswasion of Gods loue and on mans part there are also two chiefe passages Faith and Loue All those that God will saue he loues them from all eternity in Iesus Christ there is Gods loue and in due time he acquaints them with it and perswades them by his Spirit to beleeue it and to accept of it and to returne loue and obedience for it there is his perswasion On mans part man being ouercome with the sence of this loue and the force of his perswasion he yeelds to God and imbraceth this loue and beleeues the promise of grace and applies it to himselfe here is our faith and withall is carryed after that good God with the whole bent of his Nature and streame of his affections that so dearely loued vs here is our loue Take it thus those whom God in mercy doth purpose to saue he will come vnto commonly vpon the hearing of the Word or else in some speciall affliction at the least in some good imployment and takes vs aside and drawes vs into some serious meditation of our estate and he breakes with vs to this effect as if he should say Ah poore sinfull soule thou art in a miserable a fearefull and a damnable case led away euery day into sinne in a fearefull manner and euery houre of the day thou hast deserued my wrath and fearefull curse to fall vpon thee if thou go on in these sinfull courses hell and damnation is thy portion for euer but I haue pitty vpon thee and would haue thee to haue pitty vpon thy selfe I doe not desire thy death but that thou doe repent and liue and out of my infinite loue to mankinde I haue giuen my owne deare Sonne Christ Iesus to die for such poore wretched sinners as thou art and now I come to tell thee and doe tell thee by my Spirit that thou poore sinfull soule art one of these sinners that CHRIST hath purchased by his most pretious bloud therefore my Sonne hearken vnto my voyce Oh my Sonne giue me thy heart turne thy loue and thy affections wholly vpon me beleeue thou in me and beleeue in my Sonne Christ Iesus beleeue his Spirit his truth his promises cast away all thy sinnes neuer let them enter into thy heart againe and giue thy selfe to promise and performe a holy life be perswaded by my aduise hold fast by me and I will hold fast by thee doe thus and I will be thy Father and thou shalt be my childe for euer Thus God wooes and thus hee winnes euery sinfull soule And this perswasion of his is not only a bare tender of grace as if God should say thou shalt be saued if thou wilt but it is Gods operatiue work of grace which he perswades vs and makes vs able willing to do he bids vs beleeue and withall he giues vs his Spirit and causeth vs to beleeue in Christ he perswades vs to set our loue vpon him and withall hee sheds forth his loue into our hearts by his holy Spirit and makes vs able and willing to loue him This is the right state of sauing grace or of the loue of God and when this knot of grace is knit betwixt God and the beleeuing Soule it can neuer be dissolued by all the powers of hell So we see the Doctrine explained that the hould which the faithfull haue in the loue of God through Iesus Christ it is a sure hould the estate of grace that they are in is an vndefeasible estate nothing can voide them nothing can depriue them of it The proofes of this Doctrine are these Proofes Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion that cannot be remoued but remaineth for euer The persons there spoken of are the same that we spake of in the Doctrine they that trust in the Lord the faithfull say wee that by faith and confidence haue gotten sure hould of God in Christ secondly the estate there spoken of is the same we speake of a sure and firme estate by way of comparison is set downe to be as mount Sion the surety whereof is set downe by negation it cannot be moued and by affirmation but remaineth for euer The substance of the speech is this mount Sion is so firmely setled as it can neuer be remoued But all they that trust in the Lord are in such a state therefore all they can neuer be remoued but stand fast for euer Some obiect and say it is true that the faithfull so long as they trust in the Lord are vnmoueable but they may cease to trust in the Lord and so may be remoued I answere this is a meere illusion of the place and this Scripture cannot be so deluded for if they that trust in the Lord may cease quite from trusting in him then they may loose their hold in him but the place saith they can neuer loose their hold in God for then Mount Sion may be remoued but saith the Text Mount Sion can neuer be remoued therefore they can neuer quite cease to trust in God the Prophet concludes as well the surenesse of their trust that it shall neuer faile as the surenesse of Mount Sion that it should neuer faile he affirmes as well the surenesse of their faith as the firmenesse of the hold they haue in God Matth. 7.24.25 whosoeuer heareth of mee these words and doth the same I will liken him to a wise man that builded his house vpon a Rocke This wise builder is euery true beleeuer and the house there built is the Rest that he sets himselfe vpon how hee lookes to be saued the grounding of this house vpon a Rocke is the relying of the Beleeuer truely and wholly vpon Christ Iesus by a true and liuely faith in his bloud the raine fell and the flouds came and the windes blew c. These are his tryals by afflictions temptations persecutions c. The best beleeuer is sure to haue tryals enough euen to the vttermost as much as he can stand vnder and not more but here is his comfort his house shall neuer fall because it is built vpon a Rocke the true beleeuer hath gotten sure hold on God by faith in Christ and therfore he can neuer fall Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeues in the Sonne hath euerlasting life c. These are the words of Iohn Baptist and are confirmed by our Sauiour and that by tearmes of asseueration Ioh 6.47 Verily verily I say to you hee that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Here is a true Beleeuer and what is his portion euerlasting life and he saith not he shall haue but he hath it hee is sure of it hee is possessed of
this confident perswasion that surely God will be his God for euer 1 Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit Hence it is that this Spirit thus giuen is called an earnest Ephes 1.13.14 It is a significant comparison and most pregnant to our purpose An earnest we know is something giuen in hand at the making vp of a bargaine the buyer giues it the seller receiues it and thereby both parties are bound to the full performance of the bargaine so it is betwixt God and our poore Soules in our conuersion God bargaines couenants with vs to be our God and to make vs his children and heires of saluation he giues vs an earnest and we receiue it what is that His Spirit to assure vs that as he hath begun so he will go on with vs and that his Couenant shall neuer be broken and wee receiue it vpon the same condition If but a man giue vs an earnest if he be an honest man wee are perswaded he will go on with his bargaine much more will God if he giue vs an earnest wee may be confidently perswaded that he will not breake with vs If God should giue but a small earnest but a penny we would beleeue that he would performe with vs but he giues vs his owne Spirit as great an earnest as himselfe in reuerence be it spoken to his great Maiesty and therefore he will surely goe on with vs he giues vs his Spirit to assure vs that he will not faile vs and therefore we may confidently be perswaded of it that he will performe his word to vs and he giues vs this earnest nor in our hands for haply we might loose it then but in our hearts and there it rests as a Seale to seale vs vp to God for euer and euer 2 Cor. 1.22 Who hath also sealed vs and giuen the earnest of his Spirit into our hearts Wee vse to cal this earnest giuen and receiued a Gods penny Here is a Gods penny indeed the best Gods penny that euer we tooke giuen vs vpon the greatest and best match that euer we made to assure vs certainly perswade vs that God wil perform his couenant to vs. Secondly the voyce of the Spirit in vs confirmes it for vpon our true conuersion as we receiue this Spirit so our Spirit growes into a blessed familiarity with Gods Spirit and in this familiarity Gods Spirit acquaints our spirits with many heauenly truthes and amongst other the Spirit tells vs in plaine tearmes that wee are in the number of those that shall be saued thou poore sinfull soule art in truth the child of God Rom. 8.16 The same spirit beareth witnes to our spirits that we are the children of God there is a liuely voyce in the hearts of all Gods true children wherby the Spirit tels them plainly so The Apostle in the 1 Cor. 2.10 to the 16. reasons the case plainely This is a secret might some say Yea but saith the Apostle God hath reuealed them to vs by his Spirit c. But it is hid in Gods minde Wee know the minde of God saith the Apostle verse 16. But how doe we know Gods minde why God hath reuealed it to vs by his Spirit verse 10. And in the 12. verse the Apostle saith that he hath giuen vs the Spirit that is of God that wee might know the things that are of God he hath giuen vs his Spirit to this end to confirme and seale vnto vs that wee are appointed vnto life Thirdly the nature of faith requires it Faith requires Reason 3 a confident perswasion how else can we say I beleeue in God and doubting is opposite to faith Iames 1.16 Aske in faith and wauer not Doubting is opposite to faith as darknes is to light they cannot stand together but with strife and contradiction one against another Fourthly the fruits of the Spirit and of Reason 4 faith approue it what are the fruits of the Spirit why the Commandements of God 2 Pet. 1.10 If yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall God giues his word for it hereby we are sure saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 that we know him if we keepe his Commandements and 1 Iohn 3.14 we know that wee are translated from death to life because we loue the Brethren If I loue my Brother truely for Christs sake I am sure that I am translated from death to life as sure as I know it to be day by the light Reason 5 Lastly the truth of Gods promises ratifie and establish it for as this makes our state sure in it selfe so also it makes it sure to vs Heb. 10.23 Hee is faithfull that hath promised and therefore let vs draw neere vnto him with full assurance and hold fast the profession of our hope without wauering this will carry vs out through thicke and thinne Vse 1 The first Vse is matter of Confutation it serues to confute Popish doubting I will insist specially vpon that because it is true that there is doubtings sometimes in the dearest of Gods children but they acknowledge and confesse them to be sins and infirmities and striue against them and repent of them But Popish doubting is maintained and they cherish men in it and they condemne an vndoubting faith to bee grosse presumption Alasse all our doubting is of our selues and not of God and confident perswasion is of God and not of vs and shall doubting be called good Religion and assurance condemned to bee presumption This is a grosse iudgement and a damnable censure But it is strange that euer the Papists should doubt of their saluation seeing they pretend that they haue the Law and the Gospell for them too The Law saith Doe this and liue and they pretend to performe perfect obedience to the Law and yet they doubt whether they shall liue The Gospell saith Beleeue this and thou shalt be saued and they say they are onely the true beleeuers Haue they both the Law and the Gospell to assure them and yet doe they doubt whether they shall be saued If the Law assure them not of saluation yet the Gospell might at least both together should not faile them But all things well considered it is no maruell seeing they ioyne their merits with Christs it is iust with God to deny them the greatest comfort in the world namely this full assurance by the merits of Christ And seeing they will be iustified by their owne workes no maruell though their iustification faile them seeing their workes faile them The euils of Popish doubting But let vs see the euill of this their Doctrine hereby they impeach Gods truth and call all his promises into question and deny one of the chiefest priuiledges in the world to Gods children and bereaue them of their best comfort and hereby they dishearten Gods children and dampe them in the course of grace and many other euills follow hereupon I will insist onely
of this comfort alwaies specially in time of temptation and at the houre of our death and therefore let vs get it before we are sicke it will be too late to get it then many put it off to the last gaspe like the fiue foolish Virgins that slipt the opportunity of getting Oyle into their Lampes till it was too late And therefore let vs labour for it in time if wee once get this confident perswasion of Gods loue in Christ Iesus vpon good grounds we shall neuer wholy loose it It may be quelled and lost in sence in thy extremity but it shall neuer dye in vs but it shall comfort our hearts when we haue not the sence of it Meanes how this assurance may be gotten· But how shall we get it may some say I answere first by prayer if we aske we shall haue so did the Apostles Luke 17.5 they prayed Lord increase our faith and so did Dauid Psal 35.3 Say vnto my soule thou art my saluation Secondly we must get it by hearing and obeying the word of God 1 Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that yee may beleeue in the name of that Sonne of God Labour to heare the word and to know it and to obey it and then wee shall know that we haue eternall life it was written for that very end and purpose Ioh. 14.21 Thirdly by the vse of the Sacraments they are Seales to confirme this vnto vs We haue heard of the inward Seale Gods Spirit these are outward Seales Rom. 4.11 After he receiued the signe of Circumcision as the Seale of the Righteousnesse of faith c. By the vse of the Sacraments we come to haue this confident perswasion In Baptisme the Minister saith I baptize thee in the name of the Father c. Some say where is it said in particular that I or thou shalt be saued Yes in Baptisme the Minister saith to me and to thee in particular I Baptize thee and God saith I reeciue thee So the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a Seale to vs and how why God hath annexed it to his word as a Seale to our soules of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and if we come with beleeuing hearts vnto it then we eate Christs body and drinke his bloud and so shall not dye eternally and there is also the particular appâ—ication of the Minister eate thou and drinke thou in remembrance that his body was broken for thee and his bloud shed for thee and so by this means this confident perswasion is increased in vs. Fourthly another meanes is this make much of the motions of Gods Spirit grieue not the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed Eph. 4.30 The Spirit workes this confident perswasion in vs if we grieue this Spirit he will goe away and withdraw the sence of this perswasion If we haue but a little fruits of the Spirit a little faith c. let vs make much of it and God will giue vs more as Christ said to Nathaniel Iohn 1.50 Because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge-tree beleeuest thou Thou shalt see greater things then these So God saith to euery poore beleeuing soule I giue thee but a glimpse of assurance now but thou shalt see greater things then these Fiftly another meanes is to walke vprightly and constantly before God Gen. 17.1.2 If we walke vprightly before God he will be our God all-sufficient Sixtly another meanes to get this assurance is a serious meditation on the promises of God and an humble and sound application of them to thy selfe Heb. 10.22.23 they shall stand though our faith be weake if we haue our eyes surely fixt on them it will comfort vs in all troubles Psal 119.50 Dauid professeth that Gods promise was his comfort in trouble and that it did quicken him Seauenthly let vs obserue faithfully the daily experiments of Gods truth on others specially on thy selfe and that will helpe vs greatly herein Iudges 13.23.22 Manoah said to his wife We shall surely dye because wee haue seene God but his wife said If the Lord will kill vs he would not haue receiued a meat offering and a burnt offering at our hands neither would hee haue shewed vs all these things c. Shee obserued and builded vpon Gods former mercies and that workes a confident perswasion in her for the time to come So if we haue got some perswasion of the loue of God though afterward we loose the sense of it yet let vs say to our soules surely God would neuer haue done all this for me he would neuer haue shewed me the way of Religion and wrought some good perswasion in mee of his loue towards me if euer he had purposed to destroy me Lastly let vs try and finde and labour to be well acquainted with our vnion which we haue with Christ for that will be an excellent meanes to worke this confident perswasion in vs therein is thy fulnesse of grace and so the fulnesse of thy assurance 2 Cor. 13.5 Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith c. The Apostle would haue vs to attaine to this certainty of perswasion and how why saith he proue your selues try your selues of what whether Christ be in you Whether he liue in you by his grace and by his Spirit whether by his death he mortifie your sinnes and by his resurrection quicken you vp to newnesse of life if he do then we may be fully assured that we shall neuer be cast off This point we must bring our selues to for this will bring comfort to vs in our sinnes in our sicknesse in our temptations in all these if we looke to our vnion which we haue with Christ we may haue comfort God hath knit me to himselfe in Iesus Christ and therefore I know that all these stormes shall end and turne to my good And so in the want of any grace this is our comfort that we are knit vnto Christ al-sufficiency is in him and of his fulnesse wee shall receiue grace for grace therefore let vs labour to bee well acquainted with this grace our vnion with Christ And let vs make good vse of this word now deliuered vnto vs wee know not what tryals God hath in store for vs and therefore let vs labour by all these meanes for this confident perswasion of Gods loue to vs God giues vs his Sacrament to assure vs of it and would haue vs be perswaded that he loues vs and though we cannot attaine to this perswasion in that strength that we should why yet God is not captious he will take all things at the best walke before him and be vpright and hee will be our GOD all-sufficient FINIS THE SEAVENTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am perswaded that neither Death nor life c. IN handling of these words as you may remember wee proceeded
fall FINIS THE NINTH SERMON Vpon ROMANS 8. the two last Verses For I am sure that neither Death nor life nor Angels c. WE haue proceeded in handling this Scripture as the Lord hath beene pleased to giue strength so far as that now we are come to speake of those particular dangers which the Apostle propounds to himselfe and to all the faithfull and the particular comforts which they haue to sustain themselues in them we haue spoken before in the generall of both Now we are to proceed to the particulars for so the Apostle makes mention of some principall and particular dangers here as Death life Angels c. wherin we must not thinke that our Apostle speaks rashly or at aduenture but vpon mature deliberation of set purpose he makes special choise of these particulars here mentioned as being the most materiall things whereby any danger may acrue to Gods children and secures himselfe and them of safety and preseruation against all these dangers Our Apostle vnderstood himselfe well for he spake as hee was moued by the spirit and the spirit neuer speakes idlely he spake it in the height of his faith and therefore in the height of his spirit and therefore he spake most seriously and aduisedly and not rashly and he spake it in the depth of his afflictions verse 36. and the words of the afflicted are not winde as Iob speakes that is a bare and empty sound but vsually they are full of matter and substance and surely that which the Apostle here mentions is so full of matter and substance that I could neuer find by my poore reading meditation prayers any full content touching the full sence and reach of the Apostle But a man may passe in a shallow boat ouer a deepe riuer and so farre as our lyne and plummet will reach wee will endeauour God willing to sound the depth of these mysteries Neither death nor life nor Angells c. shall separate vs. First of the first two particulars death and life By life and by death we are to vnderstand not onely the things themselues life and death but all occurrences and passages Our whole estate in life and death we are then to take it thus as if the Apostle had said I am sure that neuer any thing that doth befall Gods Children either in life or in death shall be able to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The Doctrine is this All true Beleeuers are in good safetie vnder Gods assured protection against all dangers in life death Doctrine That the Doctrine may be the better vnderstood and beleeued take these two points for explication First Explication consider the dangers that are offered vnto vs in life and death Secondly let vs consider how farre all true beleeuers are in safety against them And first we will beginne with the dangers of life Two dangers of life Life indangers vs two wayes either on the right hand when we are too much in loue with it Or on the left hand when we are too much out of loue with it On the right hand life is in it selfe very sweet and much desired and delighted in but especially when it is seconded with outward comforts as health friends ease goods honours c. then it is much more sweet and desired Yea but Gods children must know that they must deny themselues forsake their own wills they must be crucified to the whole world the world must be crucified to them yea and happily they must bee called out to loose their liues for Christ and for his Gospell Now here is the danger whether they will loose their sweet liues or their sweet soules many of Gods deare children haue bin put to great plunges in this kind Peter himselfe though hee loued his Master dearely and profest that hee would neuer forsake him but resolued to dye with him yet when it came to the triall for the brunt of the proofe that either hee must forsake his Master or his life Peter had rather forsake his best Master then his sweet life When such tall Cedars shrinke in such a storme alas poore soules what shal become of vs the low shrubs Againe life indangers on the left hand by crosses whereby wee are too much out of loue with it After a time of well fare comes losses wants discontentments sicknesses paines infirmities temptations persecutions terrours of conscience they come What are wee to doe in this case Here are great dangers towards vs our hearts droope our spirits are dying wee are a burthen to our selues wee are weary of our liues heere is our danger Now whether are wee content patiently to endure this dying life or desperately to desire an vntimely death This was a danger of Ionas 4.3 It is better for mee saith hee to dye then to liue A fearefull speech of a Prophet of the Lord And so it was a danger of Iob chap. 7.15 My soule chuseth rather to be strangled and to dye Yea many of Gods deare children haue beene so hardly put to it in this kinde that they haue beene tempted to make away themselues and to put an end to a wearisome life by a desperate death I say they haue beene tempted to it but through Gods mercifull protection they haue beene kept from it Here are the dangers of life Secondly Death endangers vs another way How death indangers man The very name of death is terrible to vs and sometime the time of our death doth dismay vs and sometime the manner of our death troubles vs but the matter of death that scarres vs most of all when wee thinke with our selues that now wee must die and giue vp the Ghost and leaue all the world and forsake this present light that shines about vs when the body and soule must part that haue been all this while louing friends together the body to returne to the dust as it was and the soule to God that gaue it when wee thinke with our selues of the bitternesse and sowrenesse and pangs of death and of our particular Iudgement in death and the generall iudgement that shall come after death and begin to feele these things come vpon vs here is our danger Many of the children of God haue beene ready vpon their consideration hereof to let goe their hold in God and to say that God doth not loue them because he deales so rigorouslly and extreamely with them herein Adde herevnto that we may saue our liues and escape all these feares for the time if wee will our selues as in the case of persecution if we will forsake our Religion and deny our faith wee may saue our liues then the sweetnesse of life alluring vs on the one side the feare terror of death affrighting vs on the other side makes this a great danger oh what danger is vpon vs now in this case of our vtter seperation from the loue of God in Christ Iesus This
endanger vs yet occasionally in regard of our weaknesse and corruption they may endanger vs We may in our weaknes abuse them or mistake their seruice or put our trust in them and so indanger our selues greatly by them I will giue you a plaine instance in the holy Apostle S. Iohn Reuel 19.10 and Reuel 22.8 he was a true beleeuer yet in his weaknesse by occasion of a good Angell he was in danger to commit a vile and most fearefull sinne the very sinne of Idolatry and that not once but twise and that though he were reproued for it A grieuous sinne but the Angell he hinders him See thou doe it not saith he worship not mee worship God In which we may obserue two things that doe effectually concerne the poynt in hand first that true beleeuers may through their corruption and weakenesse be indangered in the estate of grace by the good Angels yet secondly that God will neuer suffer them to be ouercome and swallowed vp of this it shall neuer preuaile vtterly to separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And so now the Doctrine being thus cleared wee come to the proofes Proofes which are these Mat. 18.10 See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen These words are the words of our Sauiour and he ownes them by a speciall challenge I say vnto you I that know well what belongs to God and to Gods Angels and to Gods little ones I say vnto you despise not one of these little ones for in heauen their Angels alwaies behold the face of my Father which is in heauen The matter affirmed there is the continuall attendance of the Angels in the presence of God but the drift of the speech is to note the continuall care that the Angels of God haue ouer Gods weake children as appeares first by their title their Angels they are Gods Angels as he being their Lord and Master to whom they doe belong and they be our Angels as we being the children of that their Lord and Master and in respect of the care and charge that they are imployed in about vs. Secondly it appeares by the forme of the reason See saith our Sauiour you despise not one of Gods weake children see that you hurt them not for I say vnto you as who should say doe not despise them nor hurt them for if you doe surely their Angels will reuenge the wrong and hurt done to them Thirdly by the time alwayes this is not for a day nor a yeare but alwayes without ceasing put all these together and the Doctrine is here clearely proued that the Angels of God are ours they are for vs and not against vs they will be auenged on those that hurt vs and therefore will neuer hurt vs themselues and this is their care practise always they are euer imploide about our good and therefore they shall neuer separate vs from our greatest good of all from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation The Apostle speakes here generally of all good Angels Are they not all and doth not diuide them in office or nature but ioynes them in both they are all spirits by nature And what are they by office They are all ministring spirits and what ministry is it that they are imploied in sent forth c. God sends them forth from time to time to performe certaine offices about his children and his heires as a father makes his seruants to attend him that shall be his heire and they are sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heires of saluation They are most dutifull attendants on vs that are heires and they minister for our sakes that is for our good comfort and protection onely neuer for our hurt they know from God that wee are appointed to saluation and shall they at any time hinder vs of it They take notice of it that wee are heires to their Lord and Master and shall they being seruants goe about to hinder vs of the inheritance which their Lord and Master and our Father hath appointed to vs No surely they will not doe it but on the contrary they will helpe and further vs all they can thereunto Psal 91.11 12. Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes c. God hath committed his children to the charge and custody of his Angels What to doe to keepe them not to destroy them and to keepe them in all their wayes they shall not faile them in any one passage of their life to beare vs vp in their hands neuer to suffer vs to fall vtterly frō God much lesse to cause vs so to fall that thou dash not thy foot against a stone They shall preserue vs from the harmes that our selues or others might do vnto vs therefore themselues shall neuer hurt vs in the least kind much lesse in the matter of grace and saluation A place so pregnant to prooue the infallible protection of Gods children by the Angels that the Diuell himselfe acknowledgeth it for a certaine truth and alleageth it for that purpose Math. 4.6 Lastly their practise makes this good by experience what good offices haue they done from time to time for Gods children preserued them from their enemies as Lot Gen. 19.10 deliuered them out of prison as Peter Acts 12. comforted them in their distresses Acts 27.23 24. freed them in their troubles as the Israelites Isay 65.9 shewed them and directed them what they must doe to be saued as Cornelius Acts 10.5 In a word infinite are the good offices that the good Angels haue done for Gods children but there is not one place extant in all Gods word to prooue that any good Angel hath done any harme to any one of Gods children No that is for the euill Angels to hurt vs they hurt vs altogether and neuer doe vs the least good but the good Angels they helpe vs alwayes they are altogether and onely to helpe vs and neuer to doe vs the least harme and therefore they with all the power they haue can neuer separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Reason 1 The reasons of this poynt may be reduced to these two heads First the good Angels will not hinder our saluation if they could Secondly they cannot doe it if they would First they will not doe it if they could for there are foure ingagements whereby the will of the Angels is so stirred and inclined towards vs as that they will neuer hurt vs if they could first the zeale of Gods glory Secondly obedience to Gods will Thirdly their dependance on Iesus Christ And fourthly their communion they haue with vs. First the zeale of Gods glory Isa 6.2 they
that all these wicked fiends shall never bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God in Christ Iesus and therefore there is no cause why the weakest beleeuing soule here present should be daunted at the hearing of this argument Let vs therefore proceed in the strength of God and in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the grace and comfort and direction of his holy spirit and in the light and direction of Gods word and we shall finde an heauenly light arise vnto vs out of this hellish darknesse The generall Doctrine concerning all Angels good and bad was the last time propounded which being applyed to this particular ariseth naturally thus Doctrine That howsoeuer it bee that euill Angells are mighty workers and great in power and doe maliciously bend all the power they haue against true beleeuers to make this separation of them from the loue of God in Christ yet notwithstanding not all the euill Angels with all their power and malice or all that they can doe shall euer be able to separate all nor any one true beleeuer from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. For the opening of this Doctrine I will propound these foure particulars wherein I shall lay open the whole nature of the poynt The first particular is what these euill Angels are The second how these euill Angels are fitted against vs Thirdly how they seeke to annoy vs And lastly how farre they may endanger vs. For first wee must know our enemies what they are and secondly we must know their prouision how they are fitted against vs and then thirdly we must know their courses how they may annoy vs and lastly we must know the euent and issue how farre they may endanger vs These being knowne the Doctrine shall be well and plainly vnderstood First We must know what these euill Angels are Explication in foure things concerning the euill Angells The euill Angels are those that left their first estate and are become vtter enemies to God and to man and to all the creatures especially to Iesus Christ and to Gods children and to all matter of grace and goodnesse First that they are such as left their first estate we may see in Iude 6. Secondly they are enemies for hence they haue their name Sathan and there is no name more commonly giuen them both in the Olde and New Testament then this name Sathan which signifieth an enemy And howsoeuer this name in the Scripture seemes sometime to poynt out the chiefe of Diuels yet it doth appeare that it is applyed in Scripture to all Diuels Math. 12.26 If Sathan cast out Sathan which is not meant of the Prince of Diuels as if the Prince should cast out the Prince but it is meant of all the Diuels if they should be one against another then how should their Kingdome stand They are enemies and they are vtter enemies deadly enemies and that first to God dishonouring him accusing him blaspheming him opposing against him to the vttermost of their power Secondly they are enemies to man they murthered vs all with one blow in the loynes of Adam and not content with that they still follow the blow and pursue mankinde with deadly hatred Thirdly they are enemies to all the Creatures seeking and working daily as much as in them lyes the vtter ruine and confusion of the whole frame and order of nature in the Sea in the winde and in the aire and in all places Fourthly they are speciall enemies to Iesus Christ this is that that galls these euill spirits that IESVS CHRIST the mediatour betwixt God and man comes to reconcile God to man and to deliuer man out of the power of these hellish spirits yea and that hee doth vtterly destroy and vanquish these euill spirits and all that take part with them euen all the powers or darknesse here is their edge and stomacke this heauenly person Iesus Christ in this heauenly office of the Mediatour is the principall obiect of all their hellish spight They fought against him by themselues and by their instruments all his life and at his death they layd on load and did bend and muster-vp all their forces and spit out all their venome against him Fiftly they are enemies to Gods children they are also a great eye-sore to Sathan they cannot endure them and it is hard to say whether Sathan hate our heauenly Father more for our sakes or whether he hate vs the more for our heauenly Fathers sake howsoeuer the Diuell is our aduersary in a specially manner 1 Pet. 5.8 Your aduersary the Diuell saith the Apostle he is a generall accuser accusing man to God and God to man but he is the speciall accuser of the brethren Lastly he is an enemy to all grace and goodnesse he hinders it he slanders it he hates it he suppresseth it with all his power hee knowes that if grace and goodnesse stand he must fall and therefore he labours to ouerthrow all grace and goodnesse that he may stand See this in one of his Impes Acts 13.10 Elymas the Sorcerer Oh childe of the Diuell saith the Apostle to him enemy to all righteousnesse c. If it be so with the Children that they are enemies to all goodnesse much more is it so with their father the Diuell So we see what these euill Angels are Secondly Let vs see how they are fitted against vs 2. In nine things concerning them for this is needfull to be knowne that so we may prouide against them They haue many aduantages whereby they are fitted against vs first they are very many secondly they are very strong thirdly they are very malicious fourthly they are very subtle fiftly they are very actiue and nimble sixtly they are very busie seauenthly they are very wel appointed eightly they are very well experienced and lastly they are very dangerous First They are very many Marke 5.9 One man was possest of a legion of Diuels now a legion containes sixe thousand what so many Diuels in one poore man how many thinke you are then in all the world Any one Diuell is too hard for any one man oh how hard then is that poore soule bested that is assaulted with many Diuels This is the case not of some of vs onely but of all of vs if we vnderstand our case aright Secondly As they are very many so they are very strong and therefore they are set out in Scripture vnder the similitudes of a strong man Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth the pallace c. and so of a strong beast yea the strongest of all Beasts a Lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 Your aduersary the diuell as a roaring Lyon c. and the hould which they haue in the heart of an vnregenerate man is said to be a strong hould 2 Cor. 10.4 they are very strong in getting the prey it shall escape them hard but they will seize vpon vs and they are very strong in keeping the prey when