A Spiritual LOOKING-GLASS Wherein Is briefly discoursed the Excellency and the necessity of saving FAITH AND Likewise how it may be known whether we have this FAITH or no. BEING The Substance of two Sermons Published in London July the 23. 1671. By Sam. Pack Preacher of the Gospel Printed in the Year 1671. A Spiritual Looking-glass Acts 16. V. 31. And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved IN this Chapter we have a conspicuous manifestation of that enmity that is in the Devil that evil one against God the fountain of goodness We see in this Chapter that no sooner had the Lord Jesus Christ that Prince of peace sent Paul and Silas those Sons of Peace to Preach unto the World the Gospel of peace in order to the bringing in of poor Souls to the God of peace but presently the Devil shewed his enmity against mod by endeavouring to stop the course of the mospel and thereby to hinder Souls from coming to Jesus Christ The Prince of Darkness that rules in the hearts of the Children of darkness did no sooner see that ouâ— Lord Jesus Christ had by his Servant Paul cast the Devil of sooth-saying out of a Maid but presently be shews his enmity in filling the heart of her Master with a persecuting spirit being ushered in by an inordinate love to the World and this we see in the 19. vers And when her Masters saw the hope of their gains was gone that caught Paul and Silas and drew them into the Market place unto the Rulers This poor Maids Masters instead of being thankful to God that bad gained the Soul of a poor Maid thâ—t did practice unlawful arts he was inraged because that their temporal earthly gain was gone I do verily thâ—nk that t is one of the surest peices of Armour that the Devil hath even this inordinate love to the World for the defence of his own Kingdom when the Devil sees that no course will serve to keep souls at a distance from Christ then he betakes himself to this wâ—apon the inordinate love to the world and that doth seldom or never fail him and this we may see in Demus Demus he made a large profession of Christ as you may see in the Epistle to Philemon 24. v and yet you see the Devil overcame him with this approved peice of armour inordâ—nate love the world ancl did thereby bring him to Apostacy 2. Tim. 4.10 well we see how far the Devil did prevail not only to set this poor Maids Masters in a rage but also to set the Rulers in a rage likewise nay he prevailed so far that they were scourged and they were thrown into Prison and cast into very great afflictions and had their feet made fast in the stocks new one would have thouâ—ht that it was high time for the Devil to get into his Chariot of Tryumph now one would have thought that the enemy having such advantage and those servants of God such disacvantage as they had that now the Gospel would have been stopped in that place and that the Devil should have lost no more of his Subjects for my Friends if you look in 1 he beginning of the Chapter you shall see in the 9th vers there appeared to Paul a Vision for to go over to Macedonia without question this Vision which Paul saw was a great encouragement to him to go to Mâ—â—edonia and now when he was come there as soon as ever he had cast a Devil out of one Maid presently they must be cast inro Prison without question had not God come in with fresh supplies of comfort these poor men would have been at a great loss they would have been much disheartned in their work and this the Devid knew would be a very great discouragement to them Ezek. 1.16 but now my Friends behold a wheel within a wheel all this while the providence of God doth seem to go upon the wheels as if he had not cared what became of his Servants nor what became of his own glory and of these poor souls that he had commanded these men to come into Macedonia to convert but now my Friends here is a wheel within a wneel here is the over-ruling and the infinite wisdom of God appearing in the very nick of time catching the crafty in his own device Job 5.12.13 and carrying the counsel of the wicked and a crafty Devil that having vented his malice and his rage against the servants of mod thought himself now sure enough of the day and that his Kingdom should not be molested in that place but we see that though the Devil is called an old Serpent yet the Antient of days did out-wit him Rev. 20.2 Dan. 7.22 1 Pet. 5.8 and though the Devil is called a Lyon for his strength and power and a a roaring Lyon for his fury yet the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah was too many for him our Lord Christ did make this very â—ages of Sathan this discovery of his malice a means to throw down the Devils Kingdom and to exalt and propagate hâ—s own for we see that when Paul and Silas was brought into the Prison instead of being discouraged they sung Psalms instead of lying there until the Irons had entred into their souls every Prisoners bands was unloosned well what follows the Goaler he comes in and he finds the doors open he thought his prisoners had been fled and now what course doth he take he draws out his sword to murder himself he had been doing what lay in him to murther his soul all the days of his life before and now he was about by one act to murther both soul and body together Now without question the Devil that had encoutaged him in the exasperating of his cruelty on these worthy servants of God he was now as ready to rejoyce in the downfall of this poor Creature My Friends by the way I pray excuse this digression O let it be a means to make us have very low contemptible thoughts of this ill conditioned Master the Devil that when his servants have done him the utmost seâ—vice they can he is so far from having ever the better thoughts of them and from loving of them the better that he doth wait his opportunity and doth prompt them on in those actions that he may bring inevitable ruine and and destruction upon them I do verily believe this that when the Devil saw the poor mans sword drawn and the point of it ready to be set again his breast that he did rejoyce to see the poor man ready to tumble headlong into everlasting flames but now this wise God Rom. 16.27 Rev. 1.14 whose head is as white as wool did frustrate the expectation of this subtile serpent he did catch the crafty in his own devices you need not question but the Devil did endeavour to help forward this cruty which this Goaler did exercise towards these seâ—vants of God and you
the death and suffering the active and passive obedience of Jesus Christ that was the meritorious cause thereof and therefore saith the Lord in Isaiah 53. when the Holy Ghost had been there spending a whole Chapter in setting forth the sufferings of Christ for poor sinners at length he comes to shew the comfortable and the sweet and glorious effects produced thereby in v. 12. Therefore will I devide him a Portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the great what great is this Why 't is the great Devil that is so great in power that he leads Captive the greatest part of the World and he shall devide the spoyl with the strong which is the same mentioned before which is common with the Holy Ghost in the Old Testamenâ— to enjeminate expressions as if the Lord should have said because a poor man hath sinned therefore the Devil thinks for to have the Souls of all the Men and Women in the World but saith God I will divide him a Portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong as if the Lord should have said my Son shall have some Souls the Devil should not have all for there is some that I am resolved shall be the fruit of my Sons Travel as in the 11. v. of the 53 of Isa He shall see of the Travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied and Alegorical Metaphor taken from a Woman in Travel that though she hath a sharp Travel yet rejoyceth when a man is born into the world so though Christ did indure sore pangs in working out the salvation of his Elect yet he shall see of the Travel of his Soul I will divide him a Portion with the great Gods people are called his Portion as in Deut 32. v 9. The Lords Portion is his People Well saith God my Son shall have his Portion in Men and Women which the Devil doth think to bring to everlasting ruine and destruction well this is the second thing O my Friends that time and it ength would permit for the more clearing up of it is great truth to shew the glorious effects of the death and suffering of the Lord Jesus christ towards believers for the effects of his death doth extend it self to their adoption and comfort and consolation and happiness and glory hereafter all these benefits many more are the glorious effects of the death and suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ Then in the third place if every true believer shall be received into glory it may inform us how much we are ingaged to love the good spirit of God that doth seal up to our Souls our interest in Christ in whom alone 't is that we are brought to glory 't is the work of Gods spirit to show us our want of Christ and when he hath thus convinced us of our sins then 't is the work of this blessed spirit of God to bare up our Souls under the dreadful apprehensions of Gods wrath that is due to us for sin so 't is the work of the blessed Spirit of God to help the Soul to see that Christ dyed for Sinners and that he hath dyed for thee O Soul thou art a Believer 't is the holy spirit of God that doth comfort the Soul in trouble that doth settle the Soul in feaâ— that doth preserve the Soul in a persevering slate when it would be turned to the right hand or to the left O my Friends one may say of the Spirit of God as David did of the City of God glorious things are spoken of thee so I may say glorious things are spoken of thee O blessed Spirit of God and therefore as in Ephes 4. v. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed up to the day of Redemption In the fourth place if it be so that every true Believer shall be saved then it may inform us of the falthood of those erronious Tennets which hold forth of a possibility of falling away from true faith Paul and Silas did net say to the Goaler if thou believest and continuest to believe thou shalt be saved but if thou believest thou shalt be saved once a believer and ever a believer My friends I hope you have not forgot how I did endeavour in twelve particulars to shew you from whence the believers perseverence doth arise and all the Armenian Tennets in the world shall never be able to strike at the Root of any of these twelve foundations of a Believers perseverance As first thou that art a Believer thou hast the eternal decree of God ingaged for thy perseverance 2 Tim. 2 chap. 18 19. v. Heb. 6.17 Thou hast likewise the Eternal love of God as another ground of thy perseverance Jer. 31. v. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with love and kindness have I drawn thee my Friends I wonder how men that pretend to have understanding should be blinded so by the God of this world to think that the same everlasting love that did ingage God to set his love on us should ever be turned into hatred so as to leave us to our wills and so to perish for ever likewise the wisdom of God is engaged herein Christ makes it a mark of foolish man that doth begin te build a house is not able to finish it thou that art a believing Soul thou art Gods spiritual building and if he should begin to build and should not finish it it would demonstrate great folly in the Divine Majesty which to affert would be no less then blasphemy God being the fountain of wisdom likewise the faithfulness of God is engaged in it 1 Thes 5.24 25. Faithful is he that hath called you who also will do it will do what you may read in the 23 v. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserv'd blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Till Christ shall come by judgment or by death that Soul in whom this good work is begun shall be carried on Phil 1. v. 6. He that hath begun a good work will finish it and we shewed likewise 't is clear from the new Covenant of grace that he hath entred into a new Covenant with the people and he hath therein engaged himself that he will put his fear into our hearts that we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 Likewise the power of God is ingaged herein to preserver every true believer from total falling away from God 2 Fet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Likewise also the glory of the Son of God is engaged in it Christ is the foundation of this spiritual building he is the chief Corner Stone Now my Friends I pray mind it whensoever a house falls the foundation
is usually defective and the Corner stone will be sure to fall nay he is the top-stone too as you may see in Zachary Now Christ being all these in the spiritual superstructure it must be that Jesus Christ must fall himself whensoever a true believer doth finally sall off from God Again we shewed likewise it doth arise from the influence that the blessed Spirit of God hath on the hearts of those that are believers as in the 1 Joh. 2. v. 20. But you have an Unction from the Holy One and you know all things he had been shewing before what a sight of Antichrists and Apostates there were but saith he you have received an Unction from the Holy One you have that which they want they had only an outside profession but they wanted the inward teachings of the spirit as in the 26 and 27th ver Isa 59.19 You may there see how God doth keep a soul in a persevering frame So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the West his glory from the Rising of the Sun when the enemy shall come in like a Flood the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him The words are very emphatical whether they do point at the Devil or at the corruptions of our own hearts which are the greatest persecutors of the godly 't is a military expression taken from Souldiers when they lift up their Ensigns in defiance of their Enemies and as Christ saith upon this Rock have I built my Church that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it so saith the Spirit here when the Enemy breaks in like a Flood then shall the Spirit of the Lord lift up his Standard against them Isa 30. v. 21. You may see how the spirit doth proceed in hi work to keep the Soul in a persevering frame whensoever the poor Soul is ready to turn to the Right hand or to the Left then he doth whisper a sweet word in their ear this is the way walk in it and truly that is a notable word Isa 61. v. 8. And I will direct their work in truth 't is God by the influence of his spirit directing of our works in truth that doth keep us from falling away from God I hope my Friends these are enough to confirm this fourth truth that true believers cannot fall off from God Fifthly It may inform us of the vast difference that is between the state of true Believers and the state of Unbelievers for if you look in those Scriptures wk mentioned Mark 16. v. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned and so likewise in John 3. there you may see the difference set down He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life but the Wrath of God abideth on him The true believer is said to have everlasting life that is he hath the assurance of it sooner or later he hath it in this life in its incoation though not in its consummation I pray my Friends if you remember no more carry away this that if Heaven and Eternal life is not within you while you are in this world you shall never enter into Heavenly or Eternal life when you shall leave this world Now herein appears the vast difference that is between the state of a Believer and an Unbeliever as a believer hath the Heaven of Spiritual Light from God and the same spiritual love to God the same spiritual joy in God and the same spiritual Communion with God now in this life as they shall have in the life to come in respect of the nature and quality thereof though not in respect of the quantity so likewise a wicked man hath the same spirituâ—l darkness in his understanding and the same irregularality in his affection and the same contumacy in his will now as he will have in Hell in respect of the nature and quality thereof though not in respect of the degree and quantity now hellish Drunkards make themselves Drunk with Wine and strong bear and in Hell God will make them pledg the Devil at a full Cup of his wrath which being powered into the Cup of his Indignation will make them Drunk for ever and ever the Hellish Adulterer burns in his Lust here and God will make him burn in Hell for it hereafter As heavenly Saints love God and propound his glory as their ultimate end in all their duties so heillish Sinners hate God and propound their own glory as their ultimate end in duties as believers are daily more and more compleat in vertue so unbelievers are daily more and more repleat with Vice and thus we see the vast difference that is between believers and unbelievers in this life and look upon them at the hour of death and see what a vast difference there will be then between them as in Prov. 14.32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the Righteous hath hope on his death and look upon them at the Resurrection and see what a vast difference there is between them as in Dan. 12. v. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and look upon them at the denunciation of that dreadful sentence and see the vast difference that is between them as in Mat. 25.33 34. where the Righteous the believer is set on his right hand and the unbeliever on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father come poor soul thou hast called me to come to thee many a time in cuty then come thou now to me the world looked upon thee to be a cursed Creature but I pronounce thee blessed it may be whilst thou wert in the world the Foxes had a priviledg above thee they had holes to hide their heads in But now there is a Kingdom prepared for thee but now see what will become of unbelievers as in the 41. v. here is a dreadful sentence past against them Depart from me here is a separation from all joy and happiness you said to me in your life-time depart from 〈◊〉 for we desire not the knowledg of the wars now depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting fire there is the extremity of pain and torment thou wast one that did burn in thy lusts here and thou wast one that was inflamed with thy lusts or with wine and strong drink or with hatred against me now go into everlasting fire it was the Devil whose voice thou wouldest obey and whose work thou wouldest do and now thou shalt have enough of him now here you may see the vast difference between the state of all true believers and unbelievers Now believers thy shall cease from all their mourning and all their sorrow she ll be â—â—â—â—ed into joy then thou shalt have joy without
is set all in a flame with love to God Friends observe this that proportionable to the apprehensions we have of the love of God to us in Jesus Christ such is the manifestation of our love to God what is the reason the Martyrs have embraced the flames with such courage which at other times it may be a few days before they were ready to sink at the apprehensions of the bitter cup they were to drink but the clear sence they had of the love of God to their souls We know this my Friends that the greater and clearer evidences we have of that good which at present we do receive from a Friend oâ— hopes to receive from them for the future it doth abundantly stir up our affections and inflame our love towards them if we look into the Corinthians we may see that God hath put Faith and Love together and what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope and Charity Gal 5 6. Neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Friends how do you find it what love have you to the worship of God to the Ordinances of God and to the people of God do your souls bear you witness that you can say of the word of God as David did that 't is sweeter than the honey or the honey-comb in the 3d. place Try it by your hope likewise a true faith doth always accompany a true hope 'T is true Friends we had need be criticol about these things for go and ask an unbeliever whether he loves God and he will answer you 't is pitty he should live else and again ask them whether they hope to have Salvation by Christ alone yes say they who do you think we should have it from besides 1 Joh. 3.3 But what saith the Apostle of this hope and every man that hath this hope he purifies himself as he is pure My Friends all the difference that is between faith and hope is this Faith doth respect the cetainty of the promise and hope doth respect the goodness of the thing promised and where one of these are there they are both for they both go together but now you may say what is the meaning of this purifying himself as he is pure can aâ—y one be so pure as God is My Friends 't is altogether impossible that the Creature should attain to that degree of perfection and purity that is in God pure signifies to be without mixture a person may be said to be purely evil as God is purely good he purifies himself as he is pure that is he hath not a heart for God another for the world he is really such as he seems to be he is without hypocrisie 4thly Again would'st thou know the soundness of thy Faith then try iâ— by thy constant implacable hatred of sin this we may see laid down as a true mark of Faith Acts 15.9 Purifying their hearts by Faith Faith doth present the soul with a Crucified Jesus as Crucified for it in particular the formal Professor pleaseth himself with this that Christ dyed for sinners and â—e are all sinners My Friends there is nothing that gives such a mortal wound to sin in the soul of believers as when they do apprehend that Christ did suffer such grievous things for its self in particular 5thly Wouldest thou know whether thy faith be right then see if thou hast a high esteem of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 Unto you therefore that believe he is precious or he is a honour a true believer he looks upon it as his honour that he is a member of Christs mistical body that he is a branch in that blessed Vine he looks upon it as his honour that Christ will look upon him as his Servant as the Emperor Theodosius said he looked upon it to be more honour to him that he was a Servant of Jesus Christ then that he was Emperour of the World But I have seen such Christians that would be very forward to own the people of God and Messengers of Christ in times of prosperity but when the ways of God hath been persecuted the Ordinances of Christ hath been trampled under feet then they would look upon them as if they had never seen them before My Friends this is a bad sign of a true Faith and of a good Christian to you that believe he is an honour my Friends is Christ precious to you in all his Offices as King Priest and Prophet thou that art a believer I can tell how 't is with thee as well as thy self thou dost never more rejoyce then when thou canst experience the power of Christ in thy Soul in subduing of thy Corruptions and bringing under the Old man and is he pretious to thee in all his attributes a wicked man God is precious to him in his mercies but as for the power of God and the Justice of God they cannot indure to hear of let a Minister go and tell them of the terrors of God they will presently cry Oh there is a Legal Preacher indeed enough to make one run mad in a word to a true believer Christ is precious to him in all his Offices and attributes and in all his providential dispensations and in all his promises and in his threatnings he is precious to every true believer Again sixthly wouldest thou know whether thou art indeed a true believer then see whether thou hast the witness of it in thy self 1 John 5.6 He that believeth hath the Witness in himself Oh but me-thinks I hear some poor soul ready to say Oh if it must be so I am in a worse condition then I was aware of I thought I could experienced some of the other Tryals but I have so little of the spirits witness in me that I question whether I have any true faith Now the Devil is very subtile as he will perswade a wicked man that he hath the marks of a true believer so he will perswade a true believer that he hath them not when he hath them as for example suppose a person is in great trouble for fear they don't love God they come into the Congregation and there it may be God hath directed his Minister to such a subject where he hath been treating on such a truth of Gods love to us and of our love to him if God hath loved thee then he hath subdued thy Corruptions these little Foxes he hath taken and destroyed now it may be the spirit of God hath set home this word on the soul and that he can say this hath been my condition Now Friends there was the witness that we are speaking of Rom. 8.16 The Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are the Children â—f God Now my Friends you that are so ready to say that you have not the witness of God in you wouldest thou part with that little glimmeâ—ing hope thou hast of true Faith
to him from whom they have received it as the gift of God 2. To let nothing be wanting for the nourishing and for the strengthening of it by the Application of former experiences of Gods goodness also to be careful that they wound not not weaken their Faith by running themselves into those streights and exâ—gâ—ncies which they have not a clear and special call unto either upon a civil or religious account but I must pass by those things because my time is already passed by and conclude with one Use of Exhortation or rather of invitation to those which are yet out of Christ and oh that God would be pleased to put some word into my mouth which might beget in thee an earnest desire and panting after an interest in Jesus Christ the glorious object of our faith oh that I could hear some of you crying our with the poor Goaler what shall I do to be sav'd in the time of sickness who will not cry out what shall I do to be restored to my health the want of outward mercies are quickly felt but how few are sensible of their want in spirituals beware likewise that the Devil ensnare you into desparation by perswading tâ—ee that thou hast no faith and therefore art a reprobate for there is not a Saint on earth nor an Angel in Heaven to whom Gods final reprobation is revealed touching any particular person yet in this life who hath not sinned the sin against he Holy Ghost be not therefore by these wiles of Sathan discouraged from waiting on the Ordinances or make thee say I have no hope I have loved strangers and after them I will go but remember this that as great sinners as thou have attained to this Faith and are now in glory with the Lord but on the other hand let not presumption ceise your heart for of these two snares of the Devil I may justly say what was said of Saul and David in another case Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands so I may likewise say that dispair hath slain his thousands but presumption hath ten thousands oh my Friends take heed of presumptions prôcrastination in the great concerns of your pretious souls 't is the present time that God calls for 't is to day if you will hear his voyce harden not your heart Psal 95. acquaint now thy self with him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22.21 you that are in the prime strength and flower of your years forget not that momento to remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth Eccles 12.1 Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him Mat. 5.25 Now is the accepâ—ed time and now is the day of salvation 2 Cor. 6.3 On poor soul whilst thou flatterest thy self with future Repentance thou wouldest do well to consider both the shortness and uncertainty of thy life thou mayst resolve to repent tomorrow and before tomorrow thou mayst be in Hell therefore poor soul I do beseech thee as if God did beseech thee by me slip no present opportunity of thy hearing the word preached where it is preached in the power and purity of it for there mayst thou expect the presence of God with it and his blessing upon it and though thou shouldest come there with the Devil of unbelief in thy heart thou knowest not but there God may cast him out and if it shall be thus with thee in thy waiting on Gods Ordinances that there shall be any stirrings on thy heart and the word feâ— home upon thee Take heed the pleasures or cares of the world do not choak it but follow home with serious meditation and beg of God to confirm it with his power and thou knowest not how soon God may be pleased to set it home with such power as may make thee cry out what shall I do to be saved and though the work may be somwhat strange to thy corrupt nature yet if God be pleased to undertake the work it shall prevail and then what reason hast thou poor soul to bless the Lord for his unspeakable mercy to thee-wards to bring thee from darkness unto light from the power of Sathan unto God and it will not be long e're thou shalt be for ever adoreing the riches of Gods free grace towards thee in Jesus Christ to whom with the Father the highest and ultimate object of our Faith and the holy spirit be all honour and glory and praise Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 29. line 18. for he 'l suffer read he have suffered p. 48. l. â— 10. for make the ears thin and empty r. make thin the ears of thy holy Conversation p. 11. l. 4 5. are misplaced p. 111. l. 19. for living read loving l. 20. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 21. l. 21. for Lamasebachthani read Lama-gnazabtanie p. 13. l. 12. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 21. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉