salvation As are the sinews of all Religion As most concern our selves and families That concern righteousnesse and mercy That concern the avoiding of greater sins We should do all affectionately in or to observe Sol. I humbly conceive that our special care should be First Of those which do principally and immediately respect Gods Glory Summa ratio in summo fine Secondly Of those which do most absolutely and necessarily respect our own salvation as Regeneration Repentance Holiness Faith Thirdly Of those which are the bond and sinews of all Religion upholding it in the power and practice of it as the sanctifying of the Sabbath Fourthly Of those which do most concern our selves and such as are under our charge as family-duties Fifthly Of those which do require and enjoyn righteousness and mercy unto others and preserve publick society Sixthly Of those which do concern the greater sins which should be most carefully avoided Fourthly we should walk in Gods statutes and keep and do them affectionately we should affect the acts of obedience and be affected in them Suppose that a man did walk up to every statute of God yet if this were not done affectionately all were nothing Now there are four affections with which we should perform every service or duty that we do unto God 1. Love and delight 2ly Joy 3ly Fear 4ly Zeal First With Love and Delight We must love the Lord and his statutes and the With love and delight duties which he requires from us and take delight in obeying and doing his will Psal 119. 97. O how I love thy Law Ver. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly Psal 40 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Secondly With joy and alacrity Psal 119. I have rejoyced in the way of With joy and alacrity thy testimonies as much as in all riches Psal 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness Our walking in Gods statutes should be our meat and drink we should find more satisfaction and soul contentment and refreshing when we are doing the will of God and are enjoying communion with him than we do find or take in any earthly enjoyment whatsoever Thirdly With fear Serve the Lord with fear Psal 2. 11. when ye are a performing With fear any duty to God ye must do it with a 1. Reverential fear Thou shalt fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord A reverential fear thy God Deut. 28. 58. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal 89. 7. Pray and hear with fear and trembling 2. Humble fear of our own sufficiency and of our own performance left Humble fear any thing should fall in with our duties by which God may be offended and our service of him may miscarry c. Fourthly With zeal or fervor of spirit The people of God must be zealous With zeal of good works and zealous in good works fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. It was said of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17. 6. And of Josiah that he made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul c. 2 Chron. 34. 31. See also 2 King 23. 25. Wrestling and striving in Prayer attend earnestly in hearing We must not walk in Gods statutes with careless sloathful indifferent spirits but with heightned and lively and enlarged spirits doing his will with all our might and strength bringing out all the might and power that we have in his service stir up our graces and our hearts Fifthly We should walk in Gods statutes uprightly and sincerely Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou upright And 1 Kin. 3. 6. David my Father walked Walk in them uprightly before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee Isa 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world Quest But here now is the great Question how one may know that he walks Signs of sincerity uprightly in Gods statutes Sol. There are 〈◊〉 discoveries of this First The prevalent motive which alone sufficeth to his obedience and that If we obey because God commands is the will or command of God if a man be upright and walk with an unright heart then he will and doth act and move upon the sole account of Gods command that alone is reason enough and will prevail with him for obedience There are several Motives which induce men to do good works some do respect our selves and are drawn from a respect to our credit and profit as do such a work and perform such a duty and you shall have honour amongst men by it and you shall gain much by it these considerations are the prevailing Motives which men of unsound hearts to some things which God requires as it was with Jehu c. And some are drawn from God himself only from his Commandement and this is sufficient and this prevails with men of upright heart Psal 119. 4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts dilgently Ver. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Mark how his heart is drawn out to obedience upon the meer command of God Thou hast commanded us c. Isa 2. 3. He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths Mark there is no more considered to move to walk in his paths than this he will teach us of his wayes i. e. he will make us to know that this or that is his will and command concerning us Paul relates that it was the earnest prayer of Epaphras for the Colossians that they might stand perfect and be filled with all the will of God Col. 4. 12. It is not Compleri but Repleri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some look upon that word as Metaphorical to be filled with the will of God as the sails of a ship are filled with wind which is enough to carry the ship in voyage so it is enough when the will of God fills our hearts and that carries them out to duty and David hath a singular expression in Psal 119. 6. When I have respect unto all thy Commandements you know that to have a respect unto a thing is this when that of all other swayes most with us as when a Master commands a servant he will do such a business because he respects him and at his command he will go and come though he will not at the command of any other this was Davids
apprehension thy heart is more hardned yet pray and yet pray that God would heal thy back-slidings Praise the Lord in the Name of Christ presenting his Covenant unto him wherein he promiseth to take away the heart of stone And this contains in it not only the natural or original hardness of heart but also the accidental contracted hardness by his people the Covenant of taking away the heart of stone extends to both of them O Lord cure this hardning as well as the former hardness I have hardned the heart which thou hast softned O do thou soften the heart which I have hardned revive thy work and quicken my almost dead heart restore my soul and recover my ancient estimations affections tenderness love fear care zeal c. Thirdly If the Lord at length begins to make thy heart to relent by Bless God for any softning his Word or by his Rod or by his Spirit O bless his Name He is come he is come said the Martyr so c. get thee into a corner help on the spring pump the water when the water comes enlarge thy confession abound now in supplications Fourthly Be earnest with God to pardon thee and to give thee assurance of the pardoning Be earnest for pardon and assurance of this hardning and be importunate with him for it I tell thee such a gracious assurance will presently soften and melt thy soul assuredly raise and restore thy soul to those careful and tender communions with God and watchful walking with him Fifthly When you are recovered then bless God and keep up tenderness Keep up tenderness of heart of heart and beware of suffering hardnesse to grow upon your hearts again Quest What is to be done for this Sol. I answer First Never trust hardning causes any more as Eliphas spake in Joh. 15. Never trust hardning causes 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence After your great humblings and prayings and wrestlings and prevailings with God do not now go and tamper with sinne and sinful occasions again and do not go and over-world your selves again and do not go and renew familiarity with wicked company again and do not neglect the Ordinances any more c. If you do you will harden your hearts more than ever Secondly If at any time you do espy any hardness creeping and rising Resist hardness returning upon your spirits O make a present resistance and wrestle against it even unto present victory When you pray if you finde coldness and formality in your spirit O stirre up Prayer stirre up the heart and stirre up the graceâ— Simile blow the spark break the ice when it begins to harden c. Thirdly Be often in the search of your hearts and keep a daily and Search your hearts often strict watch over them and your ways Blessed is the man that feareth always Prov. 28. 14. Fourthly Constantly and seriously attend the Ordinances which do beget Attend the Ordinances and preserve and encrease softness and tenderness of heart Ezek. 36. 26. And I will give you an heart of flesh I Have finished two Propositions already from these words viz. 1. That there is a natural hardness in every mans heart 2. That God will take away that stonynesse or hardnesse of heart from his people I shall now proceed unto the third and last Proposition from the Text which is this CHAP. XI God gives a heart of flesh Doct. 3. THat God will not only take away the heart of stone from his people All the people of God have a softned heart given them but also he will give them an heart of flesh or that all the people of God have soft and tender hearts given unto them And by the way before I insist upon this Point observe two things 1. That Gods works in restoring and renewing of man are noâ— terminated in Privatives or Negatives but they are Positive also and Collative Evill is removed and good contrary to that evill comes in the place of it He doth take away the old heart and also he gives a new heart he takes away the heart of stone and also he gives an heart of flesh He takes away ignorance and gives knowledge he takes away pride and gives humility God is a wise and perfect Agent he will not only deface and abolish Satans Image but also he will repair his own Image he will not only root up what is evil but also he will plant and lay foundations and build up Therefore have a care of your selves that you be not deceived in the judgement of your conditions you are not so wicked as you were but what good is wrought in your hearts what contrary quality unto the former evil c 2. That as to the conversion or change of the sinner all the work rests on God he doth all he works all if the heart of stone be to be removed he must do that work he must take it away and if the heart of flesh be to be enjoyed he must also do that work he must give unto us the heart of flesh power against evil and power to any good all from God we are the Patients he is the Agent we are the receivers he is the giver you cannot take away the hardness of your own hearts nor can you give unto your selves an heart of flesh both of them are the work of God These things being briefly premised I now come to the Proposition it self viz. That the people of God are the people of soft and tender hearts God gives unto them unto every one of them an heart of flesh i. e. a tender and soft heart An heart of flesh in this place stands in opposition to the heart of stone to the unsensible unmournful stubborn unyielding resisting heart and it notes a sensible mourning relenting yielding complying tender teachable and tractable heart But for the opening of this excellent Point I shall discusse these three Questions 1. What this heart of flesh is what this soft and tender heart is 2. How it may appear that the people of God are a people of soft and tender hearts 3. Why the Lord gives such an heart to all his people SECT I. Quest 1. VVHat this heart of flesh is or what the soft and tender What a heart of flesh is heart is Sol. To understand this you must remember that there is a fourfold softness A fourfold softness or tenderness First One is Natural and this is that which we call commonly a good nature Natural and tender disposition and a softly spirit on which any thing is apt to work any harsh word any sad news any affliction any cross any thing that hath the notion of calamitous or grievous This tenderness or softnes is not the soft heart here in the Text for 1. It is no heavenly quality nor is it let in by heavenly means a man never got this tenderness by praying or
on mans part or by way of promise on Gods part And well he may do so inrespect of that Infinite Goodnesse and Wisdome in God who knows much better how to lay the frame of a Covenant betwixt himself and man than man can know how to draw a Covenant betwixt himself and God SECT II. 2. THat there is a Covenant which God makes betwixt himself and believers There is such a Covenant So you have it often expressed in Scripture Gen. 17. 2. I will make my Covenant betwixt me and thee verse 7. I will establish my Covenant betwixt me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations after thee to be good unto thee and to thy seed after thee Deut. 4. 23. Take heed unto your selves lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Psal 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice 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 which is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. 8. all which places do manifestly prove that there is a Covenant betwixt God and Believers Against this a great objection will lie There are some who argue that there Sect. 2. Obj. The Covenant is only betwixt God and Christ is no Covenant made betwixt God and us there is only a Covenant betwixt God and Christ by vertue of which all Good is derived unto us The ground of this opinion is drawn from Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ Whence they inferre there is no Covenant at all made to us but only with Christ or to Christ Sol. I desire not to make rents but where I find them I would willingly make them up againe but of necessity I must consider this present opinion for if This opinion considered and cleared in three particulars this were true how can this Text I am now upon be true which saith I will make an everlasting Covenant not only for you but with you For the better stating and clearing of this doubt and difficulty I will deliver my self in these Propositions 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ 2. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God and every believing person 3. That the place alledged doth not infringe this truth 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus There is a Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Christ touching the whole businesse of mans salvation Hence it is that Christ is called the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant of the people saith the Lord speaking of Christ Isa 49. 8. In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lye promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. This promise which was ante tempora seculorum was made to Christ I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. All that makes up a Covenant passed betwixt the Father and the Son On the Father part He dâ—signed Christ to the office of Mediatour 1. On the Fathers part 1. He designed his Sonne unto the office of Mediatour him hath God the Father sealed John 6. 27. Set apart marked out for that work and the Apostle Peter speaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Christ saith that Christ was fore-ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. And hereunto did Christ consent and agree Heb. 10. 7. Then said I lo I come in the volum of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God and againe ver 9. lo I come to do thy will O God 2. He promised to give him the Spirit in abundant measure The Spirit of the He promised to give him the Spirit in abundant measure Lord shall rest upon him Isa 11. 2. I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgement to the Genetiles Isa 42. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Isa 61. 1. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. 3. He promised to assist him in that great work I the Lord have called thee And to assist him in that great work in Righteousnesse and will hold thy hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42. 6. What is that holding of Christ by the hand but his effectual supporting and strengthening of him to finish the work which he agreed to undertake 4. He promised a blessed successe to this undertaking he shall see his seed And a blessed successe to his undertaking and he shall see the travaile of his soul Isa 53. 10. Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee Isa 55. 5. 5. He promised him Dominion and Soveraignty His arme shall rule for him And dominion and soveraignty Isa 40. 10. He shall sit in judgement in the earth and the Iles shall wait for his Law Isa 42. 4. He shall judge amongst many Nations Mic. 4. 3. 6. He promised to glorifie him after all Joh. 17. 5. Now Father glorifie thou And to glorifie him after all me 2. Christ an his part consents to the Father undertakes the will and work of On Christs part He consents to him undertakes his work Depends on him dischargeth it and expects the glory promised There is a Covenant with Christ personally and mystically considered his Father Depends on his Father Trusts on him for help The Lord will help me Isa 50. 7 9. My God shall be my strength Isa 49. 5. And he dischargeth all the work agreed on for the Redemption and salvation of the elect I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And expects the glory promised by the Father I would be tedious to speak all that might be said concerning this high Covenant betwixt God the Father and Christ touching the elect and all that concerns them I might adde that as there is a Covenant betwixt God and Christ personally considered so also betwixt God and Christ mystically considered Take him as the Head of the Church his body the Covenant principally looks at Christ I will be your God this principally looks at Christ and I will be your Father this principally looks at Christ and so the maine promises as those of Life of Grace of Justification so they principally look at Christ As there was a respect to the people of God in the Covenant betwixt the Father and Jesus Christ so there was a respect to Christ in the Covenant
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 clâ—anse 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
him so c. 3. Of Condescention that is he knows your wants and desires and he will help you and he will supply you Your heavenly Father knows that you need all Of condescention these things Matth. 6. 32. What is that that is he will supply your need according to his riches and glory so Exod. 3. 7. I know their sorrows This is explained in verse 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that Land unto a good Land so Nahum 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him that is He will do them good they shall finde him to be as good as his word and he will help and deliver them 3. The Omniscience of God is a comfort unto you against all your enemies counsels plots reproaches injuries Jer. 8. 23. Lord thou knowest all their counsels against me to slay me Psal 69. 19. Thou hast known my reproach and my shame The omniscience of God is comfort a gainst all our enemies and my dishonour mine adversaries are all before thee Isa 37. 28. I know thy aboad and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me And how doth the Lord know your enemies and their plots c. even with detestation and derision and opposition and judgment and destruction 4. The omniscience of God is a comfort unto you in this respect that it is a foundation and fountain of all saving knowledge in you God knows you and you shall It is comfort as it is a fountain of all saving knowledge know him I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord Hosea 2. 20. They shall all know me Jer. 31. 34. He knows you for his people and you shall know the Lord for your God 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knoweth who are his they shall know that I am the Lord their God Ezek. 28. 26. so Ezek. 39. 22. He perfectly knows you and the time shall be that you shall perfectly know him you shall know even as you are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. 5. Another Attribute of God is this He is a wise God mighty in wisdome God is a wise God And we are better for his wisdome Our wise God orders every thing that befalls us for our good Job 36. 5. God onely wise Rom. 16. 27. and this God is your God and you are the better for his wisdome For 1. Your wise God guides and orders every thing that befalls you for your good omnia bona or in bonum all things shall work together for good unto them that love him Rom. 8. 28. Sometimes you have abundance and that shall do you good sometimes you have wants and that shall do you good sometimes you have honour and respect and that shall do you good sometimes you have dishonour and reproach and that shall do thee good sometimes you have enjoyments and they shall do you good and sometimes you have losses and these shall do you good sometimes you have liberty and that shall do you good and sometimes you have afflictions and crosses and they shall do you good Though there be diversities and contrarieties as to the outward condition yet the tempest and the calme the Winter and the Summer all that befalls you shall fall out for good because all that befalls you comes from your wise God who orders and guides all your contigencies for your good and his own glory 2. You shall not faiâ—e or misse of any good whatsoever God hath promised you in You shall not faile or misse of any good in its season its season the appointing and choosing and hitting of seasons peculiarly belong to wisdome Therefore Solomon saith A wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgment Eccles 8. 5. And all things are beautiful in their season when a good word is spoken in season and when help and deliverance comes in season and when any mercy comes in the right season it is more precious and the more acceptable The Lord hath undertaken all the conditions of all his people he hath promised peace to their afflicted consciences and comfort to their mourning souls and help unto their distressed spirits and audience to their fervent prayers and strength unto their fainting hearts Now though the Lord doth a while delay you though he doth not presently give you what you ask though he takes a time before he speak though he doth not take your time yet because he is a faithful God therefore he will take a time and because he is a wise God therefore he will take the best time He will answer you he will help you he will succour you in an acceptable time in the right season which is the best part of time 2 Cor. 6. 2. He saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee 3. He will give you the best counsel and advice because he is a most wise God He will give you the best counsel and advice wisdome it self can counsel best Jer. 32. 19. He is great in counsel and mighty in works Isa 28. 29. He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! we are many times in straits in difficulties and in Jehoshaphats case we know not what to do it is not in man that walks to direct his steps we grope as in the dark and oft times are dead in our own thoughts and want wisdome what course to take and what way to resolve on but now if you be the people of God this is your comfort your God is a wise God and he can direct and counsel you Psal 73. 21. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory ver 32. 8. I will instruct thee and teach the in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eyes Isa 30. 21. Thine cars shall hear a word behinde thee saying this is the way walk ye in it James 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him The wise God can resolve all your doubts and clear up unto you all your paths and shew you the path of life and shew you all the ways how to finde peace and rest for your souls 4. He will be too hard for all your enemies in all their cunning plots and devices He will be too hard for your enemies in their cunning plots Our Saviour saith that the Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light they are too cunning two crafty for them but yet God is too hard for them his wisdom is beyond all their policy Job 5. 12. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty
God and of his promised mercies viz. the grace or the graciousness of God I am freely yours I will love you freely I will bless you freely for mine own sake though not for your sake Our obedience is a weak and unstedfast reason but Gods grace is a full and constant reason for all our mercies and for all our pleas and for all our enjoyments Then you have plea enough to deal with God The immutability or unchangeableness of God 3. Is the gracious God your God in Covenant you have then plea enough and reason enough to deal with God It is the best plea you can make Lord do me good for thine own sake 9. Immutability or unchangeablenessâ— is another Attribute of God your God is an unchangeable God and he will be so to you Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Jam. 1. 17. With him there is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning So Numb 23. 19. God is not man that he should lye neither the son of man that he should repent Consider God either 1. In his essence so he is unchangeable the essence of God cannot be changed In his essence it is impossible that it should be forasmuch as every change is either to the better or to the worse There cannot be a change in God to the better because he is in himself an infinite perfection nor can he be changed to the worse because then he should not be God if any defect or want were incident unto him Besides in every change there is a new succession for being or manner of being but God is eternal and he is infinite therefore he cannot be otherwise than he is 2. In his decrees so also he is unchangeable these foundations stand sure In his decrees 2 Tim. 19. Isa 14. 24. Surely as I have thought so shall it come to passe and as I have purposed so shall it stand Ver. 27. The Lord of Hosts hath purposed and who shall disanull it The Decrees of God are laid upon the counsel and wisdome of God and such grounds within himself that there cannot be any new reason or stronger to alter his decrees 3. In his promises and Covenant with his people All his promises are yea In his promises and Amen to the praise of his glory 2 Cor. 1. 20. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Psal 89. 34. 4. In his love there he is unchangeable to his people whom he loves he In his love dosh love to the end for ever Hos 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever in loving kindness and mercies 5. In his gifts The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. In his gifts 29. If the Lord calls you to be his people you shall be his people for ever And if the Lord give you Christ and faith and the other graces of the Spirit you shall have them for ever he will not repent that he bestoweth these upon you O what a comfort is this unto the people of God who have an unchangeable Comfort that our God is unchangeable Gâ—d to be their God! Not without cause doth the Apostle in Heb. 6. 17 18. declare that the immutability of God is a choice ground for our strong consolation You would have but weak consolation yea I question whether you would have any consolation at all if your God were a changeable God His election of you would afford you little comfort if God would change that purpose of his and after that reject you his love of you would yield you little comfort if after that he would change his love and hate you his promises of grace and glory of mercy and life what comfort would these be to you if God should alter his words of blessings into words of curses if he should put in your names in the book of life and then cross out your names if he should make his Will and then alter his Will Your faith could never be certain and your conscience could never be settled and your hopes could never be sure and your fruitions could never be stable if your God were a changeable God But here now is your strong consolation That your God is an immutable God His faithfulness is unchangeable his love is unchangeable his Omnipotency is unchangeable his graciousness is unchangeable his promises are unchangeable And there are six precious comforts unto you who have this unchangeable God Six comforts from hence The unchangeable God will never cast you off to be your God 1. The unchan eable God will never cast you off He may correct his children but he will never reject them Rom. 11. 1. Hath God cast away his people God forbid Ver. 2. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his If God should chuse and own you for his and then refuse and disown you for his he were a changeable God He wil be your God for ever 2. The unchangeable God if he be your God he will be your God for ever and ever This God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48. 14. If he should be your God and yet cease to be your God he could not then be your unchangeable God but because he is an unchangeable God he remains your merciful your loving your gracious God for ever as long as he is God he will continue to be your God 3. The unchangeable God ever lives David speaking of the earth and of He ever lives the heavens delivers himself thus in Psalme 102. 26. They shall perish but thou shalt endure all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Ver. 27. But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end He endures for ever his mercy endures for ever his loving kindness endures for ever his Word abides and endures for ever look on other things they are changeable and we see them to be changed men love and hate they prosper and they wither they do us good and then they die and can never do us good more But the unchangeable God still lives he is still the same and ever lives to love you for ever and to blesse you for ever and to shew mercy to you for ever Though you have not a father to go unto for he is dead and though you have not a friend to go unto for every one of them is dead yet you have a God to go unto who lives for ever and lives unchangeable yea though your friend doth live and now grows strange to you and will not know you yet your God will know you and own you and regard and help you for he is an unchangeable God 4. In all your wants and distresses and new occasions you may still look up to
In all yoâ—r wants and new occasions you may still look up to your God your God for he is unchangeable and his promises are unchangeable He did pity you and he will pity you he did hear you and he will hear you he did help you and he will help you he did comfort you and he will comfort you for he is still the same God the same unchangeable God ye are sure to be heard and you are sure to speed for he is unchangeable in his love and in his promises unto you 5. Then your spiritual condition is everlastingly sure and safe He hath chosen Your spiritual condition is everlastingly sure and safe you from the beginning unto salvation 2 Thes 2. 13. And his election is unchangeable he hath promised that whosoever Believes shall not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. Yea this is the promise which he hath promised us even eternal life 1 John 2. 25. And his promises are unchangeable he gives you Christ and all the graces of the Spirit which bring unto salvation and all his gifts are unchangeable Rom. 11. 29. 6. Though you be very changeable towards God yet he is still unchangeable towards Though you be changeable towards God yet he is unchangeable towards you you you many times forget him and fall and fail and leave him but God will never forget you never falsifie with you leave nor forsake you 2 Tim. 2. 13. If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Sometimes you love him more sometimes less sometimes you please him and many times you grieve him sometimes you keep close in walking with God and many times you wander from him yet he is unchangeable He will not destroy you because he is unchangeable If he should change as oft as we do Now you offend me now I will be your God no longer I will love you bless preserve you no more then there were cause of exceeding trouble 10. Omnipresence Your God is an Omnipresent God he is everywhere Gods Omnipresence included in no place excluded from no place Non est ubi ubi non est Deus 1 King 8. 27. Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him how much lesse this house that I have builded Isa 66. 1. The heaven is my Throne and the earth is my footstool Jer. 23. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flie from thy presâ—nce Verse 8. If I ascend up into heaven thou art there if I mak my bed in hell behold thou art there Verse 9. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea Verse 10. Even there shall thine hand lâ—ad me and thy right hand shall hold me Angels are of a limited presence because of a limited essence and the bodies of men have their circumscription by limited place every creature hath his limited Ubi or place but God is an infinite and immense being whose Center is everywhere and whose circumference is now here What a comfort is this to the people of God The comfort of this God is every where and in every place and so alwayes present with them 1. That this God is everywhere and in every place that they are in the presence of God and their God is alwayes present with them God himself delivers this as a comfort and support unto all his people I will be with you in respect of all dangers troubles and difficult services To Isaac Gen. 26. 3. I will be with thee and will blesse thee To Jacob Gen. 28. 5. Behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest To Moses Exod. 3. 12. Certainly I will be with thee To Joshuah Josh 1. 5. As I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not faile thee nor forsake thee To all his people Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayd for I am thy God If your God be Omnipresent then wheresoever you are your God is present with you Suppose a man were injuriously dealt withal would it not be a comfort to him if the Judge the righteous Judge himself were present to see how violent men dealt with him Suppose a man were in trouble in exile with David or in prison with Joseph would it not be a comfort to him if his loving Father were present with him or his kindest friend O Christian be thou in any condition whatsoever in any Countrey in any place whatsoever thy God thy Judge thy Father thy best Friend is with thee Psal 91. 15. I will be with thee in trouble I will deliver him and honour him Isa 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee c. 2. As your God is present everywhere so he is at once and wholly present everywhere God is at once and wholly present every where with his essence and Attributes with all his essence and all his Attributes He is not sometimes present in one place and then by a local mutation present in another place but he is at once at the self-same time present in every place neither is he present partly in one place and partly in another place a piece of him here and a piece of him there but in his infinite and compleat essence he is present every where you may not imagine that the al-sufficient God is in one place and the merciful God in another and the wise God in another and the good God in another and the Omnipotent God in another place c. No but that one and self-same God in his essence and in all his glorious Attributes is every where and wheresoever he is present all his Attributes and excellencies are present with him altogether present for his essence is undivided his Attributes are inseparable from his essence O what a comfort is this to all you who are the people of God! Some of you live in one Countrey and some of you live in another Countrey and sometimes you have occasions to live in one place and sometimes in another place and yet every where all of you have the same God in all his excellencies present with you and he hath his God and Father present with him you have him present in this Land and if you should have occasion to remove to another Land many thousand miles hence there are you and there is your God present with you your al-sufficient God your Almighty God your merciful God your wise God c. Go where you will there are six things present with you 1. Much weakness is present in your hearts 2. Many temptations present from Satan 3. Many adversaties are
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 â—ree 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 â—sa 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 wiâ—dâ—me 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 selvâ—s 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 sâ—rengthened 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 operatioÌ„s 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 withâ—ut 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
a happinesse is all this to know Jesus Christ and as present in my soul To know the love of God in mine heart To know the exceedingly exceeding weight of glory prepared and prepared for me and to know all that God hath freely given me in order unto that exceeding glory This c. 4. He fits us for that salvation which Christ hath purchased for us As the He fits us for that salvation which Christ hath purchased for us blood of Christ did purchase our salvation so the Spirit of Christ doth fit us for the enjoyment thereof He makes us meet to â—e partakers of the inheritance of thâ— Saints in light The Apostle speaking of this salvation under several expressions in 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3 4. he addes in the fifth verse Now he which hath wâ—oughâ— us for the self-same thing is God who hath given unto us the earnest of his Spirit And this fitting work of his upon us for the salvation purchased by Christ he doth execute Partly by cleansing and purifying ouâ— sinful hearâ—s and mortifying those lusts which otherwise would render us unfit and uncapable of that glorious salvation Partly by endowing and beautifying the soul with Christ and his righteousnesse and his graces that thereby an enterance may be made for us into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Partly by leading and upholding us in all the wayes of Christ untill we come to receive the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls 5. I will adde but one work more of the Spirit on your behalf which is this He works all our works in us and for us He works all your works in you and for you Consider your works either of faith or obedience your works of faith in reference to the promises of God and your work of obedience in reference to the precepts of God although you are the persons who do believe the one and obey the other yet it is the Spirit of Christ which is the cause and the powerful principle of those in you He it is who doth make your hearts to believe and who doth cause you to walk in his Statutes and do them Ezek. 36. 27. 4. The Spirit is yours in respect of his help or vertue The Spirit helpeth our The Spirit is ours in respect of his help and vertue infirmities Rom. 8. 26. And there are six things wherein the Spirit is an help unto all the people of God 1. In all their Communions with God 2. In the weaknesses of all their graces 3. In the actings of every grace 4. In the conflicts of grace 5. In the darknesse upon their spirits 6. In the 〈◊〉 of their souls 1. The Spiri◠〈◊〉 them in in all their communions with God in their Meditations He help them in all their communions with God of God in their hearing of the Word of God in their addresses of prayer unto God and as to this the Apostle gives a special instance in that Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered When we are to pray there is in us sometimes an infirmity of ignorance we know not what to pray for either for the matter or for the manner and there is in us sometimes an infirmity of deadnesse and dulnesse we cannot pray with that fervency as we should or as we would But now the Spirit helps these infirmities by way of instruction Teaching us what especially to pray for and by way of causation in making intercession for us that is in quickening and enabling us to pray with groanings that is with such full and strong affections of heart as cannot be uttered or expressed by words Our streightened and narrow and barren hearts are many times by the influence and assistance of Gods Spirit enlarged and opened and filled with a Spirit of supplication with such an ardency with such an earnestnesse with such a copiousnesse that after we have long insisted with God yet we have not opened half our minds and desires unto God it excites all our graces and sets them a work such an help is the Spirit unto us in praying unto God 2. The Spirit helps them in the weaknesse of their graces He waters the plants In the weakness of their graces and blows upon the buds and draws on his works of grace towards perfection He doth as it were Nurse them up and breed and brood them up He helps your â—imme knowledge by adding light unto light and opening more and more the eyes of your understanding to know the things of God in Christ He helps the weak and staggering faith by adding faith unto faith in answering your doubts and evidencing your grounds and interests in Jesus Christ He is the wind which blows upon your garden and makes the Spices there of to flow out Cant. 4. 16. 3. The Spirit helps them in the actings of every grace You know In the actings of every grace the distinction of gratia praeveniens gratia subsequens gratia operans gratia cooperans It is the Spirit which works grace in us and it is the Spirit which makes grace wrought in us to work You are not able of your selves to use the graces given unto you when you please without the influence and assistance of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am and his grace bestowed upon me was not in vain I laboured yet not I but the grace of God in me Can you trust when you will and mourn when you will and fear when you will and command your thoughs and passions when you will and patiently bear the hand of God when you will The light if it were cut off from the influence and presence of the Sunne would not be light nor give light at all The arme if it were cut off from the body it could not stirre at all Though the arme be grafted into the body yet it stirres by influence from the head No grace that we have could move or act at all were it not acted and moved by the Spirit of Christ and therefore when you are to believe he helps you to believe and when you are to repent he helps you to repent and when you are to blesse he helps you to blesse and when you are to suffer c. His hand is upon your hand his strength is upon your strength his grace is upon his own grace As all your graces have their being from his power of life so they have their working from his power of influence too He it is who worketh in you to will and to do 4. The Spirit helps them in the conflicts of grace when inward temptations arise In the conflicts or grace out of your own hearts and when outward temptations 〈◊〉 in from
Satan alas your own strength is insufficient to conquer for you 〈…〉 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 â—r 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 hindâ—r him neither men nor divels He can comâ—ort and none â—hall hinder â—im nor your own fears and doubts He can create your peace and joyes and make comfâ—rts 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 beloâ—ging 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 seâ—ls 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 repeâ—t 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 thiâ—sty 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 Testamâ—nt is called the mâ—nâ—stration nâ—t of the Letter but of the Spirit who giveth lâ—fe 2 Cor. 3. 6. And the Gospel hath excellent seals
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 Chrâ—st 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. Thâ—re are three â—hat bear witnesse in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloâ—d 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 Spâ—râ—t Saith conscience this is the spirit of man I know that his heart is â—ight and that he belongs to God And saith the Spirit of God who searcheth the heart aâ—d 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 Aâ—d verily a greater Testimony and surer witnesse cannot be had then the Testimony and Witnesse of the Spirit of God who knows all â—hings 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 alwayâ—s 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 businâ—sses of yoâ—r etâ—rnal 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
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 â—on hath an interest in you
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
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 sâ—rength 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 â—ver 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 〈◊〉 God and Father This also is yours who have God to be your God in Covenâ—â—â— 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 〈◊〉 comfort more unto you and then put an end to this 〈◊〉 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 Christâ—◠〈◊〉 omnia Christ is mine and all is mine so Deus mens omnia 〈◊〉 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— â—1 All things are yours Ver. 22. Whether Paul or 〈◊〉 or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things â—â— come 〈…〉 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
37. 22. Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth verse 29. The righteous shall inherit the land He will not suffer the righteous to want he watches over you to do you good I do not know any one outward blessing but God hath promised it to his people length of dayes and riches and honour and peace Prov. 3. 16 17. Food and raiment and liberty and safety and friends and children the former and the latter raine c. Josephs blessing from Jacob is their portion Gen. 49. 25. The God of thy Father shall help thee and the Almighty shall blesse thee with the blessings of heaven above blessings of the deep that lieth under with blessings of the breast and of the womb 1 Tim 4. 8. Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come And for Heaven it self it is the Kingdom prepared for you and an inheritance reserved for you I will say no more to you who are the people of God concerning your interests in For your interest in earthly blessings You have the surest enjoyment of them You shall have the comfortablest enjoyment of them these earthly things but this 1. You shall have the surest enjoyment of them Bread shall be given unto you and your waters shall be sure Isa 33. 16. The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13. 5. 2. You shall have the comfortablest enjoyment of them The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it Prov. 10. 22. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures He leadeth me besides the still waters Psal 23. 2. A little that the righteous hath is better than the riches of many wicked Psal 37 16. Your outward mercies are all of them sweet drops distilled out of the love and out of the Covenant of your God And are enjoyed together with the apprehension of God reconciled to you in Christ and with peace in conscience and joy in the holy Ghost 3. You have the easiest enjoyment of them They come in at a more easie rate the You have the easiest enjoyment of them enjoyments of wicked men do cost them dear many times they cost them their souls and at all times they cost them painful drudgings and vexing cares but the people of God enjoy upon praying termes and believing termes and safe termes 4. You have the longest enjoyment of them Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow You have the longest enjoyment of them me all the dayes of my life Psal 23. 6. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob c. which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the wombe and even to your old age I am he and even to hoary hairs I will carry you Isa 46. 3. 4. SECT XIV UNto this I adde a Use of instruction which respecteth the people of God in Covenant Vse 3. Instructions for the people of God in Covenant Thankfully blesse your God for bringing you into Covenant The instructions for them who are the people of God and do enjoy him for their God in Covenant 1. You cannot do lesse than thankfully to blesse your God for bringing of you into Covenant with himself This is such exceeding grace and exceeding mercy and exceeding love and exceeding favour and exceeding honour and exceeding happinesse it cannot be but your souls must blesse him for this blessing If one should meet with a poor man and tell him I have set my love upon you and I will settle upon you such a Lordship worth so many thousands a year nay and I will settle such a Mannor which hath all sorts of accommodations upon you which is worth many thousands more c. O how our hearts would melt at this kindnesse and this bounty Met we ever with such a friend in all our life we would speak of him and praise him c. The Lord hath chosen you for his people he hath set his love upon you he is entred into Covenant with you and is become your God he hath bestowed himself upon you and engaged all his glorious Attributes unto you and given his Christ and his Spirit unto you and setled grace and glory upon you and all his promises and all Spiritual priviledges and the good of Heaven and Earth surely your soules must needs adore this riches of grace it cannot be but you must be enlarged with blessings and praises c. 2. Have ye such a God to be your God in Covenant Then make use of your God Make use of your God in all your occasions wants troubles and go unto him in all your occasions in all your wants in all your troubles and straits Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Beloved Gods relation unto you and your propriety in him are choice grounds and strong engagements for prayers and for confidence you find the Saints improving their interest in God both these wayes For Prayers Psal 13. 3. Consider and hear me O Lord my God Psal 109. 26. Help me O Lord my God For confidence that their prayers shall have success and be answered Mich. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me There are but two things on which you can possibly fix and fasten any scruple or doubt in respect of God one is whether he be able to help you the other is whether he be willing so to do and as to both these your hearts may easily be satisfied For Because he is a God therefore he is able to do you any good And because he is your God therefore he is certainly willing and most â—eady to do you any good There are four things which if you did seriously consider of them would be of special help unto you against your fears and would streng then your hearts in all your approaches unto God 1. That Gods relation unto you as your God is a relation of the dearest love and kindnesse and grace and mercy and peace and bowels of compassion 2. That Gods Covenanting with you to be a God unto you it is the highest engagement which God can lay upon himself and the fullest assurance which he can give unto you that he will be your God His Covenant engagement unto you hath all his glory and Attributes pawned in it and the highest ratification even his Oath and the blood of Christ to seale it 3. That as far as your God stands engaged unto you in his Covenant so far may you go unto him and confidently rest upon him that he will do you good be your wants never so many yet if your God hath undertaken the supply of them you may be confident 4. That so long as God remains and continues to be your God so long may you who are his people draw near unto him and beseech him and be confident of all the good for
which he stands engaged unto you in his Covenant He remaines and continues to be your God for ever and ever and therefore all your dayes may you go to him and expect good and help from him 3. Is it such an exceeding and compleat happiness to have God to be our God in Encourage your selves in the Lord your God Covenant Then the people of God should encourage themselves in the Lord their God and make up themselves in their Covenant interest against all the discouragements which they meet with in the world There are the Creature interests and there are the Covenant interests you are many times deprived of the former The world loves his own and the world hates you and deals hardly and deceitfully with you The world slights and contemns and reproaches and withdraws and opposes and troubles you and persecutes you Now in such cases you should not suffer discouragements to sink and tear your hearts you should remember 1. That you are not of the world but are chosen out of the world 2. That you have a Covenant interest God is your God in Covenant and by vertue of that Covenant interest you shall find that in your God which is denyed you in the world As the Church spake Isa 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledget us not Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer c. You shall finde it better in your God then it can ever be found in the world You cannot find love and kindness and favour and good dealing and faithfulness and help from the world O but you shall find at that time love and kindness and favour and tender dealing and faithfulnesse and help from your God Though men will not love you yet your God will love you though men will curse you yet God will blesse you though men forsake you yet your God will help you Yea and you shall find the love of your God in Covenant and his countenance and his presence and his gooness a thousand thousand times more sweet and refreshing and comforting then all the comforts could be to you which are denied unto you by the weake Creature O Christians Be not so dijected upon Creature with-drawments and upon Creature failings or upon Creature oppositions there is enough in your God and there is better in your God There is fulness in him and a living fulnesse you have all and abound by enjoying God to be your God Though you have not the Candle yet you have the Sun though not the dirty puddles yet you have streams and fountains Reckon the enjoyment of God for your God reckon this as something reckon on it as your best and fullest good Assuredly it is enough to make up your happinesse and that which is enough to make you happy It is enough to countervaile all other things which can never make you happy 4. Give diligence to make out unto your soules this Covenant relation twixt God Make out your Covenant-relation and you as you have a real interest in God so rest not untill you do attaine unto a personal evidence that God is your God and that you are his people untill you can say as the Church in Isa 64. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father verse 9. Behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people Two things I would briefly speak concerning this duty 1. You may attain unto this personal evidence and certainty of knowledge That You may attain to this personal evidence God is your God and that you are his people for asmuch as 1. You have expreesse promises for this in 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 So Ezek. 34. 30. Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my peaple saith the Lord God 2. Both the graces of the Spirit and the testimony of the Spirit can make the Covenant relation evident unto you The graces in you are the infallible characters that God is indeed your God and that you are indeed his people The Spirit of grace is given only unto the people of God and unto every one of the people of God and besides that you have the testimony of the Spirit Rom. 8. 15. Yea have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Gather Verse 16. The Spirit it self beâ—â—eth witnesse with our spirit that we are the Children of God You should strive to attain to this evidence The advantage of it For the setling of the heart 2. You should strive to attain unto this personal evidence of your relation Next to your being in the Covenant I do not know any one thing of that advantage unto you as the knowledge upon sure grounds that God is your God in Covenant It is of singular advantage and benefit unto you 1. For the setling of the heart If this Covenant relation were known of you you may say as David Return unto thy rest O my soule Psal 116. 7. Your souls cannot be setled by knowing what is happiness but by knowing your propriety in happinesse whiles your propriety is unsetled all is unsetled within you and if that be obtained all is peace and at peace I know that this God is my God 2. For the Comfort and joy of your hearts It is fruition joyned with knowledge For the comfort of your hearts which is the Spring of all delight and comfort You have heard the precious comforts which belong unto the people of God who have God to be their God and yet none of them have made comfort within your soules because you are doubtful whether God be your God it is certain you cannot taste the comforts whiles you fear your title and interest But if your interest were clear your joy would be full happinesse known to be ours is a necessary cause of joy The Saints in glory have most joy because they have the fullest knowledge of the enjoyment of their happinesse 3. For your confidence in approaching unto God and in the application of the several For your confidence in approaching to God promises of God your wayes to God would be alwaies open and faire in all your duties and in all the Ordinances you might say I am now going to my God and Father to help me and that promise is my portion and this promise is my hope They are all of them mine for God himself is mine He hath given them every one of them unto me 2 Pet. 1. 4. That I might not fear that I might have strong hope and consolation and encouragement I will say no more unto you but this the knowledge of your Covenant-relation unto God it is the life of your lives and the life of your prayers and the life of your confidences and the life of your hope and
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 〈◊〉 the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled ver 4. They fâ—ll 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 Muâ—ual 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 râ—ward Gen. 15. 1. Hâ—â—ho 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 poâ—tion it never so little the little of earth with the enjoyment of God as loving as reconciled
worthy to be called thy sonne Mark he comes home confessing his sinnes and acknowledging his unworthinesse and he was accepted and pitied and embraced and received c. O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us do thou it for thy Names sake for our back-slidings are many we have sinned against thee so they plead This indeed is the right posture for one who would be admitted into this Covenar not to come like a proud Pharisee but like an humble Publican God be merciful to me a sinner not to come as the Jewes did for one to Christ he is worthy but as the Centurion did unto Christ I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under the roof of my house O Lord I have been a wretched sinner and the greatest of sinners I deserve nothing but wrath and hell I beseech thee to look on me in mercy for mercies sake pity me for mercies sake own me for mercies sake be my God and make me one of thy people c. Merita mea misericordia tua saith Bernard my merits are only thy mercies Thou art the Lord meriful and gracious O save me freely accept of me freely c. 4. It is not unworthinesse which hinders any from this Covenant but unwillingnesse It is not unwoâ—thinesse but unwillingnesse which hinders from the Covenant Not the want of deserts but the want of an heart for this covenanting is not a bargain but a match where willingnesse of consent is only insisted upon My son saith God give me thy heart and hearken unto me and your souls shall live and if you be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of â—he Land If a mighty Prince should offer himself to match with a poor maid alas it is not worthinesse that he intends or expects nothing doth he require of her but to be willing to take him so when the Lord treats with sinners to come into Covenant with him it is not their worthinesse which he articles about all that he requires is to be willing to take him for their God and to be willing to become his people 4. Though a sinner finds in himself a wanâ—â—f holy qualities and many vile A sinner may come and be accepted into Covenant though he find in himself a want of holy qualitâ—es and many vile corruptions corruptions not yet mortified yet he may come and be accepted into Covenant with God If a poor sinner be willing to have his heart changed though as yet he findes not that change and if he be willing to have his sinnes mortified and subdued though as yet he doth not finde them so this sinner may come and desire to be admitted into Covenant and God doth not except against him Objection When we are perswading sinners to come into his Covenant O no say they they are afraid and dare not come as yet but could they once finde some change wrought in their hearts and some power over their sinnes and some strength to walk better before God then they would hearken and come Solution But do you indeed understand your selves or this Covenant of grace that you thus argue and dispute your selves out of an interest in the Covenant I pray you whence doth grace come out of what Spring doth it arise would you be Gods unto your selves before you take God to be your God is your healing and salvation in your selves or of your selves In me is thy strength saith God Is it possible for the dead to quicken themselves is not our change only from the Spirit of the Lord and is not the new heart and new spirit undertaken and promised in the Covenant will you presume to give your selves that which God only undertakes to give unto you Neverthelesse a few words for your relief For 1. The first gift which God gives unto sinners is himself in Christ He doth The first gift which God gives to sinners is himself in Christ not first give you grace and strength against sinne and then become your God but first he becomes your God and being so he promiseth to give grace and glory to you as communion with Christ is not precedent unto but a subsequent of union with him yâ—â— have not the righteousnesse of Christ and the redemption of Christ first and after them the enjoyment of Christ himself but first you have Christ and after that you enjoy communion in all his benefits So first God is your God and then comes in all the graces of the Spirit and power against sin and strength for new obedience 2. God doth not expect that you should bring but receive not bring holinesse to him and power to him but receive holinesse from him and power from God doth not expect that you should bring but receive him Doth the Physician expect that his Patient should bring physick to him or receive physick from him Do we bring water to the fountain no but we do fetch it from the fountain The Lord doth not impose this on you that you should first make your selves holy and then come into Covenant but this is it which he saith Take me to be your God and I will make you holy and I will subdue your iniquities the giving changing strengthening working part belongs to God the craving the willing the receiving part belongs to you God is willing to give these and if you be willing to receive these This is enough for admission into Covenant 3. To say all The qualities of grace are not the necessary anâ—ecedents for entrance The qualities of grace and the fruits and consequents of the Covenant into but they are the gracious fruits and consequents of the Covenant When you are brought into Covenant then are all graces brought into your hearts then if you seek unto your God and trust on him he will send forth his Spirit into your hearts 5. The knowledge of God to be our God in Covenant iâ— not prerequired before The knowledg of God to be our God in we take God to be our God in Covenant I confesse some knowledge of God is prerequired as this That God is willing to take a sinner into Covenant till Covenant is not prerequired before we take him to be our God this be laid in the sinner will never close with God but to know that this God is my God this is neither prerequired not is it possiblâ— for any sinner to attain unto this before he doth take God to be his God in Covenant Yâ—t is this an ordinary perplexity and hinderance with many broken-hearted sinners O if we could but be assured that God were our God then we would venture to come into Covenant with him and did we know our selves to be his people then we would close with him Beloved For 1. It is impossible to begin the Covenant with a reflexive act Can any woman It is impossible to begin the Covenant with a reflexive act know such a man to be her husband untill she
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 〈◊〉 the Lord the Lord graciâ—uâ— and merciful long-suffering abundant in 〈◊〉 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 merciâ—ul 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 whâ—t 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
with your whole hearts O God I cannot be satisfied untill thou art pleased to become my God c. the Lord would certainly answer the desires of your hearts 2. If you would have God to be your God in Covenant you must then break Break your Covenant with sinne your Covenant with sinne There are two Covenants which are inconsistent with this Covenant of grace 1. One is the Covenant of good works 2. The other is the Covenant with bad works If one will set up his confidence on his own good works he makes void the Covenant of grace and if one will set his heart upon his sinne saying I will not leave my sinnes I love them I will not forsake them This man disables himself he doth debarre and exclude himself God will not be his God he will not make a Covenant with him and indeed this sinner will not make a Covenant with God There are three things which God stands upon if we will have him to be ours in Covenant 1. He insists upon your wills you must be willing to be mine saith God to be married unto me to take me for your Husband 2. He insists upon your hearts you must love me I must have your heart your love must be mine 3. He insists upon your service you must be willing to obey and serve me I must be your Lord and you must be my servants But â— one of these will be if you keep up a Covenant with sinne you will never be willing to be his if you resolve to keep your sinnes and you cannot love the Lord if you love your sinnes neither can you serve him if you will obey sinne as your Lord There is an absolute incompatibility for this both on Gods part and on your part and on the Covenants part 1. On Gods part for he cannot nor will not make any agreement with unrighteousnesse nor hold communion with any who will hold communion with darknesse he is of purer eyes than to behold sinne much more than to agree with sinne it is contrary to his nature it were dishonourable for him so to do to admit a competition with that which he so much threatens and which his soul doth hate and abhorre 2. On our part your hearts cannot be brought to hold up a Covenant with God and yet to hold up a Covenant with your sinnes you cannot love God and that which is contrary to God you cannot love sinne and that which is contrary to sinne at the same time for if you love the Lord you will hate sinne and if you love sinne you will hate the Lord. 3. On the Covenants part the Covenant of God is to change the sinful heart it is to subdue iniquity it is to cleanse us from all our uncleanesses it is to make us an holy people â—nto the Lord so that of necessity you must resolve on it to break off your Covenant with sin if you will have God to be your God in Covenant 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come one from among them and be ye separated saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you ver 18. and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Mark this place it shews expressely the way of coming into the Covenant you must not make agreement with darknesse nor with Idols you must separate from them you must have nothing to do with any uncleanesse that is you must resolve never to joyne your selves to any sinne never to love or serve it and then saith God I will receive you what 's that that is then I will be your God I will take you into Covenant I will own you for mine I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sonnes and daughters Are you sure that you will be so yea for thus saith the Lord Almighty Ezek. 11. 18. They shall come thither and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof verse 19. And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them c. verse 20. That they may walk in my Statutes and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Therefore examine your hearts what sinne lies there which makes a breach which keeps up enmity 'twixt you and God and put it farre away c. 3. If you would have the Lord to be your God in Covenant then judge your Judge your selves for your breach of Covenant with God selves for your ancient breach of the first Covenant with him and for your sins since that and confesse your absolute unworthinesse to be admitted and received into another Covenant with him O when a soul comes to be afflicted for sinnes and to acknowledge it self unworthy of mercies this soul is in a right posture for mercies God made a Covenant with us in Adam and stated life upon us in case of obedience but we presently brake Covenant with him and proved unfaithful and dealt treacherously with him fell off from him for a thing of naught and all the dayes of our lives have we been sinning and dishonouring and provoking of him so that had we our desert so farre might God be from accepting of us into a new Covenant that he might justly condemn us for our transgressing of the old Covenant if we did seriously and sadly review these things till our hearts were humbled within us and that we saw our life to be the free gift of God again and that we stood at his mercy only to spare us and pity us and accept of us and in this posture come to God and cry out O save me for thy mercies sake Lord I have undone my self I have left thee I have lost thee I have dealt unfaithfully with thee I have sinned exceedingly against thee I have gone farre from thee yet I come back to thee I hear thou art a merciful God though I am a sinful wretch I hear that thou art a gracious God though I am an unworthy sinner I hear that thou hast made a new Covenant to relieve and succour them who have violated the first Covenant I hear that this Covenant is full of grace and mercy and pity and help and happinesse I come to thee to make peace with thee to be reconciled unto me to shew me favour I perish if thou reject me I live if thou accept of me I can bring nothing I can challenge nothing only thou sayst That thou wilt have mercy on whom thou wilt have mercy and may not a poor miserable unworthy sinner be made capable of thy mercy may he not be received unto mercy why else didst thou give Christ why else didst thou set up a Covenant of grace O Lord receive me graciously and love me freely and for thine own sake become my God and make me to be one of thy people Verily this is a moving way and this is a taking way for
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 〈◊〉 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
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 enâ—oy Gâ—d 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 Thessalonâ—ans 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 whâ—m 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
God and thou becamest mine 4. That the Lord doth love his people with a most tender love therefore he is With a most tender love said to betroth them unto himself in loving kindnesse and in mercies Hosea 2. 19. Loving kindnesse is a most affectionate love and mercies are tender bowels of love his love is more tender than the tenderest love of the mother to her sucking childe Isa 49. 15. yea his love is such to his people that he delights in them Isa 62. 4. and rejoyceth over them ver 5. and doth rest in his love Zeph. 3. 17. 5. That the Lord doth love his people with a love from everlasting With a love from everlasting to everlasting and to everlasting Jer. 31. 3. Yea I have loved them with an everlasting love Hosea 2. 19. I will marry thee unto my self for ever in loving kindnesse Certainly the Covenant 'twixt God and his people must hold and continue for ever it must last for ever where there is such a love of God to his people viz. such a love to them as to Christ himself such a love from which nothing shall be able to separate such a love as depends only upon his own love and which is so tender and so affectionate and is everlasting If a Covenant made only by love and if a people brought into that Covenant only by love and loved at such a rate and height even to the giving of the Sonne of God to save them I say if yet such a Covenant may be broken and if such a people may be cast off then is the truest and faithfullest love and bond never to be trusted more neither can be sure if this love be not sure 3. The power of God in relation to his people in Covenant which is a securing The power of God which is A securing power and preserving power 1. A securing power it secures their union with and relation unto Christ and that for ever peruse that excellent place in John 10. 27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me Ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Ver. 29. My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Here is a description of such as are believers and are in Covenant they are called the Sheep of Christ and such as he knows and owns to be so and they hear his voice and follow him here is also a description of their sure and safe condition they shall never perish they shall never be parted from Christ ver 28. and here is a description of the cause or reason thereof viz. the greatnesse of the power of God He is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my hands as if he had said If these should misse of heaven and if these should perish it must be for want of power in me that I am not able to keep them some other power there must be which is stronger than the power of God by whose hand they are held and kept but my Father is greater than all and none is able to pluck them out of his hands therefore they shall never perish but they shall have eternal life and if so then the Covenant 'twixt God and his people is an everlasting Covenant 2. A preserving power that God preserves his people the Scripture doth abundantly A preserving power testifie unto us and if I can make it evident that he by his power preserves them unto everlasting glory I think then that the everlastingnesse of the Covenant will appear unto you and for that see 1 Pet. 1. 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Mark he speaks of the people whom ver 2. he calls the elect of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit and ver 3. begotten again and of those he saith that they are kept by what power by the power of God by what means through faith unto what unto salvation untill they come to receive that incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that fades not away which is reserved in heaven for them ver 3. 2 Tim. 4. 18. The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Thess 5. 23. I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Ver. 24. Faithful is he that callâ—th you who also will do it why what can more clearly demonstrate the everlastingnesse of the Covenant with the people of God than this that they are kept by the power of God unto salvation that they are preserved unto his heavenly Kingdome that God will preserve their whole spirit and their whole soul and their whole body blamelesse unto the coming of Christ 4. The presence of God with his people he is so present with his people The presence of God with his people that he is said to be nigh unto them and to be with them and to go along with them and to hold them in his hand and to hold their hand and to bear them up nay so as to dwell in them and walk in them and this presence it is a watchful presence Isa 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day and it is such a powerful presence you need no other and no more but Gods presence if he be with you who can be against you I will tell you Gods presence is enough to comfort you and it is enough to strengthen you and it is enough to uphold you and it is enough to raise you and it is enough to protect you and it is enough to save you If God be present with your hearts this is enough to make your graces to act If God be present with your graces this is enough to strengthen them and enough to preserve them Now God is present with every one of his people as to their bodies as to their souls as to their graces and in a special manner and for ever I will never leave thee nor forsake thee the Lord is round about his people for evermore c. 5. The promises of God these also do cleare the everlastingnesse The promises of God God promiseth to work in his people what mâ—kes them stâ—dfast as A real work of grace of the Covenant which I shall shew unto you in six particulars 1. God doth promise to work in his people whatsoever conduceth on their part to the perpetuity or everlastingnesse of the Covenant There are five things which will make us stedfast and firme in Covenant 1. One is a real work of grace on the heart when the heart is indeed changed or renewed though counterfeit grace will faile yet real grace is permanent And God
Our life 3. Our peace 4. Our hope The Titles of Christ 5. Our Shepherd 6. Our Father 7. Our friend 8. Our Brother 9. Our Head 10. Our Husband 11. Our King 12. Our Saviour Verily the Covenant must needs be everlasting 'twixt us and our God who have such a Christ so engaged for us so mediating for us so strictly united to us so exceedingly loving of us so continually watchful and careful and helpful ever loving ever praying ever helping and resolved to save us 3. A third Argument to demonstrate the everlastingnesse of the Covenant shall From the Spirit of God which every one hath who is in Covenant with God be taken from the Spirit of God which every one hath who is in Covenant with God Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you Now there are ten works which the Spirit of God doth for all the people of God 1. He doth change their hearts 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all 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. 2. He doth mortifie their sinful lusts Rom. 8. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body 3. He makes known the things of God unto them and teacheth them all things 1 Cor. 2. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Joh. 2. 27. Teacheth you of all things 4. He doth powerfully enable them for all the works of obedience Ezekiel 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and you shall keep my judgements and do them 5. He doth dwell in them Rom. 8. 11. and he dwells in them for ever Joh. 14. 17. and dwelling in them he makes them a fit habitation for God Ephes 2. 22. 6. He doth guid and lead them Joh. 16. 13. The Spirit of truth he will guid you into all truth Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 7. He doth sustain or uphold them Psal 51. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit 8. He helps them in their infirmities Romans 8. 26. and supplies them Phil. 1. 19. 9. He beares witnesse that they are the children of God and if children then heires Heires of God and joynt Heires with Christ Rom. 8. 16 17. 10. He Seals them unto the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. and moreover abides in their hearts he is the earnest of their inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased possession 4. A fourth Argument to demonstrate the everlastingnesse of the Covenant From some considerations in the people of God They are born again of incorruptible seed Partakers of the divine nature They are the house built upon the Rock They are delivered from the power of darknesse Their hearts are set on God and only on him 'twixt God and his people shall have respect to some considerations in the people of God 1. They are born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. 2. They are partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and of the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 11. 3. They are the house built upon the Rock which fell not because it was builded upon a Rock Mat. 7. 25. and that Rock is Christ who is a sure foundation Isa 38. 16. 4. They are delivered from the power of darknesse and translated into the Kingdome of Christ Colossians 1. 13. And his Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome unto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne is for ever and ever Heb. 1. 8. 5. Their hearts are superlatively set on God and only on him Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none that I desire upon earth besides thee God is my portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. 6. They are strenghthened with might by his Spirit and rooted and grounded in They are strengthened with might They are the Pillars in the Temple of God They are the inheritance of God love Ephes 3. 16 17. 7. They are the Pillars in the Temple of God and shall go no more out Revelations 3. 12. 8. They are the inheritance of God his portion his peculiar treasure and purchased with the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 19. He would never pay so dear a price for them and then put them off Isa 49. 25. And Israel mine Inheritance Zach. 2. 12. The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance Psamle 135. 4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure 9. The commands and wayes and communions with God are no burdans to them The commands of God are not burdensome but delightful to thē not grievous because they are born of God and love him 1 John 5. 3. But pleasing and delightful The Law of God is written in their hearts Jer. 31. 33. Psal 119. 16. I will delight my self in thy Statutes Ver. 24. Thy Testimonies are my delight Cant. 2. 3. I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste 10. They hate evil Psal 97. 10. and loath their abominations Ezekiel They hate evil 36. and have crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof Galations 5. 11. They are a people who live by faith and are much in prayer that God They live by faith and are much in prayer would work all his works in them and for them that he would not leave them nor forsake them that he would preserve and uphold and confirm and stablish them unto the end They work out their own salvation with feare and trembling 2. The reason why the Covenant which God makes with his people is an everlasting Reasons of it In respect of God Covenant and shall be so 1. There are reasons for this in respect of God 1. His Wisdome hath contrived this Covenant in a way of everlastingnesse His wisdome which appeares in three particulars 1. He layes the foundation of it not upon our selves but Christ not on our will and power but on the power and sufficiency of Jesus Christ 2. He engages himself for himself and for his people to keep them unto himself and from falling and to continue them to be his people for ever not only to give them grace but to preserve that grace not only to beginne a good work but also to finish it 3. He promiseth mercy to pardon the sins of his people and grace to heal their back-slidings None of these were in the Covenant of works and therefore that lasted not but all these are in the Covenant of grace and therefore it is everlasting 2. His purpose his purpose in making of this Covenant was to exalt and glorifie His purpose and magnifie the greatnesse of his love and the riches
our Father and we are thy people A second is the merciful nature of God ready to shew mercy and to multiply pardon A third is the death of Christ he shed his blood to make our peace and to slay all enmity A fourth is the very Covenant it self wherein God hath promised that he will not cast away and that he will heale and forgive the back-slidings of his people and though he will chastise them yet he will not forsake them 8. The Covenant of grace gives a better estate then the Covenant of works It gives a better estate we have a better estate by this then we had or could have by that 'T is true That Adam in innocency enjoyed a larger measure of knowledge and righteousness and had also free communion with God without fear and had dominion over the creatures But yet he had not knowledge of God in Christ nor any communion with God through Christ nor had he any manifestations of the glories of the Gospel by the Spirit of Christ and besides all this whatsoever enjoyments Adam had which might make up a happy estate unto him yet all that enjoyment was mutable and contingent But now in and by the Covenant of Grace our enjoyments are higher and they are also surer 1. They are higher for now we enjoy God not only as a Creator but as a Father Our enjoyments are higher we enjoy him a merciful and gracious and abundant in goodnesse and truth and we enjoy Jesus Christ in a way of union with his person being bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5. 30. and in a way of communion in his death and life and victories and purchases and we enjoy the very Spirit of Christ as to all his graces and comforts and assurances 2. They are surer he enjoyed God so as yet he lost his God he enjoyed righteousness Surer so as yet he lost his righteousness and dominion so as he lost that dominion and had it not been for Christ who was immediately promised after the fall he had never found his God again nor a righteousnesse again nor any right of dominion again but in the Covenant of grace all is sure and stable and permanent God is our God for ever and we continue his people for ever Christ is our Head and we are his Members for ever we enjoy the Spirit and he abides in us for ever The Covenant of grace is a better Covenant then that of works It is better in the way and cause of Remuneration as to the way and cause of Remuneration In a Covenant of works you must earn your wages before you must be paid your wages your own doing is the price of your receiving and your reward is as your work is nothing is there expected as a bounty and gift but all runs there as debt and wages Adam could never pray under this Covenant Lord receive me graciously do me good freely for thy mercies sake But it is not thus in the Covenant of grace where he that deserves nothing may yet receive all and the unworthy sinner doth yet attain to the most excellent mercies upon the sole account of the riches of Gods grace in Christ In the Covenant of grace God doth not reward us according to our ill deeds nor doth he reward us for our good deeds But he freely pardons the ill works of his people and doth them all good not for their goodness but for his own goodnesse-sake In the Covenant of works you come to God saying Lord This I have done therefore blesse me In the Covenant of grace you come to God saying Lord This I need and this thou hast promised O give it me not for my sake but for thy truths sake and for thy Christs sake freely love me freely accept of me freely own and bless me I can shew no deserts of mine but I can shew unto thee thine own promises I can find enough in my self why thou shouldest abhor and curse me and yet I finde enough in thy self and Covenant why thou mayest embrace and help me 10. The Covenant of grace is a better Covenant than that of works in respect of a double efficacy 1. Of helping recovery 2. Of saving vertue It is better in respect of a double efficacy Of helping recovery 1. The Covenant of works never did afford help to recover any one sinner As that Commander spake of the Watchman whom he found asleep and therefore ran him through with his sword I found him dead and left him dead That we may say of the Covenant of works It findes us dead in sins and in trespasses and it leaves us dead in our sins and trespasses there is no balm for our wounds in that Covenant But the Covenant of Grace this doth help and restore sinners it is the ministry of Life and Grace and Peace But God saith the Apostle in Ephes 2. 4 5. who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ And 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 Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us verse 9. Much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 2. The Covenant of works did never save any righteous person What saving Of saving vertue power might be found from it upon a supposition of Adams standing I dispute not but this I say There never was any one person saved actually by the Covenant of works But yet the Covenant of Grace doth save all Believers Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 15. We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they Ephes 2. 8. By grace ye are saved through faith 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules Thus you see that the Covenant of grace is the best Covenant in comparison of the Covenant of works Use 1 Is the Covenant of Grace the best Covenant The best Covenant that ever God made with man and for man How great then is their sin who refuse this Covenant Then how gâ—eat is their sin who refuse this Covenant and to come into this Covenant The greater that any mercy is our sin is therefore the greater to refuse that mercy O beloved whence is it that many of your hearts are still hardned whence is it that you love darkness rather then light why do you not hearken to this Covenant whence is it that for lying vanities you forsake your own mercies 1. Are you not sinners 2. Do
inwardly offer Christ to the heart and secretlâ—â—alls there Come unto Christ you are poor and you are thirsty and you are brâ—â—â—h and bruised in heart And such sinners as these doth Christ call to come unto him and live for ever He was anointed for you and is sent to you 3. The Spirit backs these offers and calls with expresse promises for though the He backes these offers with Promises sinner be exceeding glad to finde out Christ the Saviour yet he is exceeding doubtful whether he may close with Christ thus offering himself unto him therefore herein likewise doth the Spirit appear towards the working of faith viz. he doth clear up the promises of the Gospel so that the poor sinner may be convinced and satisfied that Jesus Christ is contented and willing to be his and that he may come and be kindly and graciously accepted of Christ Those passages Him that comes to me I will in no wise reject Joh. 6. 27. And let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely Rev. 22 17. And a bruised reed will he not break Matth. 12. 20. Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matth. 11 28. All these and other promises and encouragements are set home by the Spirit upon the heart of the poor sinner so that he deemes that he hears Jesus Christ himself speaking alluring comforts unto his soul 4. The Spirit rests not here but proceeds further For notwithstanding all this The Spirit carries on the work further yet the poor sinner findes himself without all strength and saith he I am not able to believe though I see this Christ and his goodness and his love and his kindness and his graciousnesse yet I cannot believe yet I cannot come to him c. Now upon this there are two things more wrought by the Spirit in the heart of the poor sinner 1. One is Earnâ—st desires for faith O Lord give me faith He works earnest desires for faith perswade my heart bring in my heart draw it to Christ for Christ his sake 2. The other is The very gift or work of faith The Spirit by his mighty power gives an ability unto the heart of the sinner to come to him to receive him and thuâ— uniting faâ—th is wrâ—ught namely by the Spirit of Christ accompanying and blessing the Gospel as you have heard unto the soule of a sinner Therefore look well to your selves in this If your faith be not a faith which the Spirit of God works by the Gospel it is a false faith it is a faith of delusion and not of union it is a presumption of your own making a meere imagination of your own No faith will bring you to Christ but that faith which comes from the Spirit of Christ He works saiâ—h it self 2. That Faith which unites to Christ hath alwayes some particular operations upon the soule in relation to that union with Christ For the faith which is The peculiar operations of faith about this union wrought by the Spirit of Christ is no base quality nor is it any dead quality but it is Noble High and Active Now there are three things which this faith doth work in every one that hath it 1. An exceeding appreciation or esteem of Christ 2. A fervent desire to enjoy Christ 3. A separation of the heart It works from every thing that would hinder it from union with Christ 1. If your faith be this saith of union then it hath raised your hearts to exceeding An exceeding esteem of Christ high estimation of Christ other people have no high nor great thoughts of Christ What is thy beloved more than another beloved said they to the Church Cant. 5. 9. There is no beauty in him that we should desire him said they Isa 57. 2. Not this man but Barabbas said the Jews Joh. 18. 40. The Farme and the Oxen are preferred before him Luke 14. 18 19. But unto you who believe he is precious saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 7. Pretious faith makes us to look on Christ as pretious How did the Church look on Christ in that Cant. 5 why As the chiefest of ten thousand verse 10. As altogether lovely verse 16. How did those Believers look on Christ in Joh. 1. 14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Truth How did Paul look on Christ Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord Beloved Never was there unbeliever â—â—o had high thoughts of Christ and never was there sound believer but he hâ—â— precious thoughts of Christ the Apostle tells us as much 1 Cor. 1. 23. We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling-block and unto the Greeks foolishness verse 24. But unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God O sirs The excellencies of Christ are hidden excellencies from the men of the world and no eye can see them but the eye of faith there must be a light shining in the heart to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. When faith is wrought then a light is wrought to see the beauties of Christ the beauty of his Person the beauty of his Offices the beauty of his Love of his Death of his Righteousness of his Holiness of his Peace c. the vaile is removed and we do with open face as in a glass behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. c. So that none like Christ he is the Pearle of great price and nothing like Christ no love like his no enjoyment like the enjoyment of him c. 2. If your faith be this Faith of union Then it hath raised in your hearts Exceeding desires to enjoy Christ exceeding desires to enjoy Christ I must have this Christ I cannot live without this Christ O Lord give me Christ I have nothing if I have not Christ There is nothing in heaven or earth that I desire in comparison of Christ I desire to be found in him saith Paul He is the desire of all Nations Hag. 2 7. You never had such desires towards Christ untill faith was wrought in you such high desires such longings such hungrings such thirstings nor such busie and stirring desires saw you him whom my soule loveth and I sought him whom my soule loveth and I will seek him whom my soule loveth Nor such unsatisfied desires Nothing satisfies you or puts an end to your desires but Christ desired by you 3. If your faith be this faith of union Then it did work in your hearts a A separation from all things which hinder union separation from all things which otherwise would have hindred yâ—u from union with Christ You know that whatsoever keeps things at
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 righteousâ—ess 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 â—eer consideration of the sinners self natural power the condition of Faith 〈…〉 â—mpossible as the condition of perfect obedience is he hath no more power â—or 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
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
Spirit He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and he hath received the Spirit the Spirit of Christ who is in Christ But I have I but I have not the Spirit not that Spirit I finde him not I feele him not Answered Sâ—l This also is a truth that the communion of the Spirit is inseparably annexed to union with Christ And if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of Christs But then know 1. You must consider in what posture a Christian must be who may judge of the presence In what posture a Christian must be who may judge of the presence or absence of the Spirit or absence of the Spirit of Christ in him 1. He must be out of melancholy 2. Out of violent temptation 3. Out of Desertion He must be himself see himself that he is able and fit to judge Spiritual works and to compare things together and to weigh all that may be said in the ballance of the Sanctuary If thou be in this free posture and upon diligent search and serious consideration canst finde not any one effect of communion with Christ the case is very heavy But I believe the contrary touching thee O weak Christian when those above mentioned impediments are off so that thou art able to use the light of grace and of a renewed conscience much of Christ and from Christ will be found in thee a love of thy Christ a delight in thy Christ a heart ready and willing to hear and to obey thy Christ Distinguish of vital and vivifical acts 2. Distinguish of vital acts and of vivifical acts that is effects of a real union and effects of a comfortable union The estate of a comfortable union and communion thou dost not perhaps espy at present viz. Not actual joy not actual chearfulness not actual assurances O but though you do not finde the childe smiling yet if you finde it living there is union There are yet the effects and characters of life and of vital union and communion with Christ though not of a comfortable communion there is yet a breathing after Christ a hunting after Christ an heart renewed and changed an image of Christ unto which thou art changed and conformed a will agreeing with the will of Christ an end agreeing with the end of Christ c. And yet thou canst serve thy Christ in tears though thou canst not serve him in joyes and though the Spirit of Christ be not seen so as to comfort thee yet he is found so as to lead and uphold thee 3. There is a communion by way of influence and a communion by way of eminency and a communion by way of evidence and all these depend upon union with Christ There is communion by way of influence and of eminency and of evidence 1. Communion by way of influence when we partake of the Nature and Life of Christ ye are made partakers of the Divine Nature saith Peter Christ liveth in me saith Paul 2. A communion by way of eminency when Christ appears mighty in the soule in the large and high and strong degrees of acting of particular graces of faith of love of patience of self-denial of zeale of wisdome of humility 3. A communion by way of evidence as when Christ kisseth the soule with the kisses of his lips That is when he sheds abroad his love into our hearts by the Spirit which he hath given us and makes us to know that he loves us and saith by his Spirit unto our hearts I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Perhaps you have not attained to this last communion with Christ to this Osculumoris and perhaps you have not attained to the second of these which as Bernard speaks is Osculum manus well But yet you have attained to the first of these which is Osculum pedis perhaps you have not the sensible manifestations and impressions and seals of his favour by his spirit but yet you are young men in Christ and strong in the might of his Spirit perhaps you are not come to the strength of the Spirit but yet you are babes in Christ yet the liâ—e of Christ is in you you have that Spirit of Christ in way of influence which brings you into fellowship with Christ in his death and in his resurrection ye are dead to sin and you are alive unto righteousness and Christ is setting up himself in your hearts more and more Be not discouraged this shews true union with Christ for ever This is the communion of the Spirit of Christ when our hears are fashioning and conforming to Christ and have any part of his image stamped upon us If you can finde any one grace depending upon and flowing from union with Christ that is enough to satisfie you about the communion of the Spirit and that you have the faith which hath indeed united you unto Christ I but I am under much weakness of grace and many wants Ob. But if I had indeed this faith which unites to Christ I should not all this while have lived with so much weaknesse of grace and under so many spiritual wants certainly I should have found more of the strength and of the fulnesse of Christ who filleth all in all Answered Sol. I grant it for a truth that the right union is an imparting and strengthening and supplying union Whosoever is united to Christ indeed by faith to him is Christ a supplying Fountain a feeding Root and an helping Head and he will never leave the communicating of his Spirit unto him untill he hath filled him with all that fulness whereof a lively member of Christ is capable but then remember 1. Comparatively the original and first receptions from Christ are weak and little The first Receptions from Christ are weak as the seed that is cast into the earth or as the light which breaks forth in the morning compare the first works of grace with the flowing growth of grace it is but as the babe to the strong man but as the Lambe to the sheep I believe Lord help my unbelief this is that most of Faith at first Thou knowest that I love thee this is the highest of your love at first whom I serve with or in my spirit this is the greatest of our obedience at the first 2. The Communications of Christ unto the soule united by faith unto him are The communications of Christ are partly for justification and partly in sanctification Justification is perfect partly for justification and partly in Sanctification His communications in Justification are at once and full and perfect as soon as you are by faith united unto Christ you are perfectly reconciled to God you are perfectly cloathed with the righeousness of Christ you are perfectly pardoned all your sins your peace is so perfectly made with God that you cannot be more fully reconciled you have the righteousness of Christ so perfectly imputed to you that you cannot be
By pleading the Covenant he hath promised unto all his people in Covenant with him the strength to keep the Covenant lies in the Covenant and by faith you get it Thou said'st that thou wouldst do me good said Jacob Gen. 32. 12. So Lord thou said'st that thou wouldest give me thy Spirit to cause me to walk in thy statutes and to do them Ezek. 36. 27. Thou said'st thou would'st write thy Law in my heart Now Lord according to thy word and Covenant help strengthen keep direct establish my heart subdue mine iniquities suffer me not to be tempted above what I am able let thy grace be sufficient for me make thy power manifest in weakness c. 2. By keeping up communion with Christ and drawing vertue and influence from By keeping up communion with Christ him without me ye can do nothing said Christ I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me said Paul Why It is in and by Christ that we are what we are that we do what we do that we are strengthened with all might that we stand that we walk that we work that we run our race that we finish our course that we continue in wel-doing to the end Now faith keeps up our hearts and keeps up communion with Christ our Head our Root our Life our Fountain our Strength and our Sufficiency and receives out of his fulnesse and makes us partakers of his life and of his death and of his victories over sin and Satan and the world and of his strength for active and passive obedience 3. By taking us off from all our own self-sufficiencies and self-confidences which By taking us off from our own self sufficiency breed nothing but pride and presumption and hypocrisie and apostasie and carelesness and exciting our hears to pray and to fear and to watch and diligently to attend the Ordinances of Christ all which are meanes to strengthen and preserve us in well-doing c 4. By observing the continual mercies of God to us in the things of this life and By observing the continual mercies of God to us the gracious performance of his promises unto us both which are as so many cords to bind us faster unto God and are of great force with a believing heart to engage it more unto God and to walk the more closely and faithfully and exactly and fruitfully before him to be the more ashamed to sin against him to be barren and uneven with so blessing and encouraging a God! 5. By letting in the love of God in Christ the goodness and sweetness of his favour By letting in the love of God in Christ into our hearts into our Consciences It is faith which hath the sight of all the kindness of God and conveyes unto us the tasts of all the mercy of God how God stands affected to us how accepted we are with him what grace our poor souls have found in his eyes what his thoughts are of us and how dear we are to his soule And verily if Faith be the glasse as it were for us to see the face of our loving God O how will this inflame and knit our hearts in love to God again and how will that love continue us to the choisest to the fullest to the chearfullest to the faithfullest service of obedience 5. By holding out before us both the honour of God and the reward of God By holding out before us the honour of God Our faithfull walking with him is an honour to him and a delight to him These are my people these live like a people of God they glorifie him and that is the great Argument which faith useth to make the people of God and the rewards of God to be faithfull and stedfast Herein is my Father glorified Joh. 15. 8. And besides that it holds out the crown of life the great recompence of reward that Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Hold fast that which thou haâ—â— that no man take thy 〈◊〉 He that continues to the end shall be saved And faith he 〈◊〉 wâ—aâ— God hath done for us and what God â—s still to us and what an immortal inheritance and exceedingly exceeding weight of Glory he hath prepared and reserved for us doth thereupon quicken encourage support draw out our hearts to be industrious obedient diligent and faithful 3. The third and last duty from this that you are by Faith united to Christ Remember Jesus Christ and brought into the Covenant is this Remember your Jesus Christ remember that it is Christ only upon whose account you and God are in Covenant he is the door of your hope he is the Way the Truth and the Life in him are ye found and in him have you found life and love and mercy and grace and peace and salvation You could never have seen the reconciled loving gracious God as your God but in and by him He hath made you near and accepted and beloved and blessed He alone Therefore 1. Never magnifie your selves but Christ never ascribe any thing to your To magnifie him worthiness but ascribe all to Christ O Christ I had never seen nor tasted nor enjoyed this nor that nor any thing but for thy sake 2. Love Jesus Christ exceedingly for himself and for all the treasures of To love him the Covenant opened for you and laid out upon you c. 3. Go still in his Name unto the Father By him you come into Covenant Go unto the Father in his Name and by him you obtain successively every good 〈…〉 Coâ—enant c. Jesus the Mediatour of the Covenant Hebrews 12. 24. And to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel THE Apostle in the 14. verse of this Chapter exhorts the believing Hebrews unto whom he wrote this Epistle to the serious study and practice of peace and holinesse And in the 15. verse he dehorts them from all bitternesse of spirit and profanenesse of life This latter he doth enforce by an argument ab exemplo in verse 16. from Esau that loose and profane person who for one morsel of bread sold his birth-right preferring the satisfaction of his sensual appeâ—ite before the fruition of so a great blessing and dignity the which he therefore forfeited and could never obtain although he sought it carefully with tears verse 17. The former duty of holinesse he urgeth upon them from the consideration of their evangelical estate that is of the excellencies blessings and priviledges which they had obtained by the Gospel of Grace To illustrate this the more he makes a comparison between the Law and the Gospel and the condition under the one with the condition under the other from verse 18. to verse 25. wherein he doth represent unto them their admirable advantages by the Gospel and therefore their stronger obligation to embrace it and to live answerable
us to help us to save us for as a Mediatour he is married to us he is nearly linkt unto us assuming our very nature into the unity of his Person Heb. 2. 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Pâ—iest to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people 3. Then in your daily failings for which you are humbled you have a Mediatour to go unto 1 Joh. 2. 1. 4. Then for the Assecution of any good you need go with confidence to God for you have a Mediatour Heb. 4. 15 16. SECT IV. 4. I Now proceed to the fourth particular viz. according to which Nature in Accoâ—dâ—ng to which Nature in Christ he is a Mediator Christ he is a Mediatour whether according to his Divine Nature only or according to his Humane Nature only or according to both For the resolving of this question I desire to lay down a few conclusions 1. That there are in Christ our Mediatour two distinct Natures viz. The There aâ—e in Christ two distinct Natures Humane Nature in respect of which he is Man and the Divine Nature in respect of which he is God And I the rather deliver this because some have endeavoured to bereave Christ of his Humane and others of his Divine Nature and both of them expresly contrary to the Scriptures Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man who is in heaven Certainly he who spake this who said that he was the Son of Man and was seen to be so was indeed so and at that time was not in heaven but on earth and yet at that time he saith that he is in heaven Why then of necessity he must have another Nature besides his humane Nature even a Divine Nature by which he is in heaven as well as an humane Nature by which he was then on earth Joh. 10. 30. I and my Father are one and Joh. 5. 18. He made himself equal with God but Joh. 14. 28. My Father is greater than I Now it cannot possibly be that Christ should be one and equal with the Father and yet be lesser than the Father according to one and the same Nature Joh. 20. 27 28. Thomas when he had seen Christ and probably touched Christ he said my Lord and my God He whom he saw and touched was Man and the same whom he confessed was also God and therefore that Christ whom he saw and confessed was both God and Man Rom. 1. 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh verse 4. And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holinesse by the resurrection from the dead 2. That those two Natures united in the Person of Christ do still retain their distinct essence and proprieties and opperations so that there is no transmutation of The two Natures united in the Person of Christ do stâ—ll retain their distâ—nct Essence Properties and Operations the one into the other nor mixture or confusion of them but as the Divine Nature notwithstanding the personal union still remains God and is Eternal Omnipotent Invisible Infinite Immortal Impassible so the Humane Nature assumed into the unity of the Person of Christ doth still remaine a Creature finite visible mortal and capable of suffering and obnoxious unto death And although the Person of Christ in whom the Divine and Humane Nature are united is capable of the affirmation of either Nature as you may truely say that Christ is God and Christ is Man and Christ is eternal and Christ is in time that Christ is immortal and infinite and Christ is mortal and finite for what may be affirmed of either Nature all that may be affirmed of Christ in concreto yet this cannot be affirmed of the Natures in Christ reciprocally you cannot say that the Divine Nature of Christ did dye or suffer but this is affirmable only of the Humane Nature of Christ And you cannot say of the Humane Nature of Christ that it is Eternal and infinite and everywhere yet this you may safely affirm of his Divine Nature by reason of that union which they call Hypostatical The Person of Christ hath two distinct Natures and the properties of both And yet the Natures themselves retain their properties incommunicable one unto the other 3. By vertue of the Personal union that is of the Divine and Humane Nature By verue of the Personal union the Humane Nature is advanced by the Divine in Christ the second Person in Trinity although it be impossible for the Humane Nature thereby to become the Divine Nature Nevertheless hereby the Humane nature is exceedingly exalted and enriched by the Divine nature so that no other Creature did or could attain unto that perfection of holiness and righteousness and dignity which the humane Nature of Christ did enjoy by vertue of union with the Divine nature in the person of Christ 4. Those two Natares thus united in the Person of Christ were if I may so express The two Natures united in the Person of Christ were the Principles of all the actions and works of Mediatorship my self the Principles of all the Actions and Passions or Works of Mediatorship and Redemption For unto them did both the Natures of Christ concur by way of communion yet still reserving their own properties and proper way of working the Divine Nature doing what was proper unto it and the Humane Nature what was proper unto it Some of the works of Christ our Mediatour were the works of his Humane Nature in respect of the thing done but they had their efficacy dignity and value from his Divine Nature in that they were the works of him who had the God-head dwelling bodily in him And some of the works were the work of the Divine Nature but yet they were done by the instrumental concurring of his Humane Nature Wherefore as the Divine and Humane Nature did concurre to make one Christ so the acts of those Natures distinct in their operation and vertue did concur and contribute to make up the same work of Mediator 5. As the Divine and humane Nature are united into the Person of Christ and Christ according to both these Natures is Mediator had their concurrences in his works of Mediation so Jesus Christ according to both these Natures is our Mediatour The Papists do hold the contary Though they do say that Christ who is Mediatour is both God and Man yet they do deny that he is a Mediatour as God and Man and that he is a Mediatour only according to his humane Nature as man Object 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediatatour between God and Man the Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. Christ Jesus Answered Sol. But this place will not prove what they do desire indeed it doth prove that
2. 12. In him ye have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins The forgivenesse of sins Ephes 1. 7. 6. What shall I say more He hath purchased all for us all is ours because Christ is ours God himself becomes our God by Christ and his Love and Mercy All for us and Promises and Peace and Joy and Hope Heaven it self and all that brings to heaven Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. Use 1 Why this is wonderfull comfort unto us that the sufferings of Christ were a purchase That there was such a dignity in them as paid all our debts and such a Comfort to us from this purchase value in them that amounted moreover unto a purchase of all blessings and blessedness They were not a meer Legael Debitum but also a Superlegale Meritum There are three choice comforts in this purchace by Christ 1. You are begotten again to a lively hope There is now good hope through You are begotten again to a lively hope Christ that a poor sinner may see the face of God again and that his poor soul may at last be found in Heaven and that in the mean time he may partake of Grace of the Divine nature and of all that will bring to salvation why so Because Jesus Christs blood and sufferings were a purchace and a purchace of all You have a right to the things purchased these 2. You have now a right to all these things and a sufficient plea Indeed you have no right or title of your own you cannot say Lord I expect and challenge Heaven upon mine own obedience upon mine own righteousness this I am and this I have done and this I have suffered therefore thou owest me heaven and therefore mercy is due to me No no if God should give you no more than what you deserve you should have nothing but wrath and damnation But though you have no right or title of your own yet you have a right and title in and by the purchase of Christ As a stranger hath no title of his own yet if he be adopted to be a Son upon this adoption there falls in a right or title Or as if a poor Beggar should have an estate of Inheritance bought for him by another and setled upon him by another he may now expect and plead for that Inheritance It was purchased and bought for me So may we now go to God and press him humbly and believingly Lord shew me mercy forgive me all my sins give me thy Spirit give me eternal life why saith God who are you and what right and title have you and what have you to shew for such heavenly lands and possessions Lord I have nothing of my own to shew but yet I have the blood of Christ to shew he bought me and he bought all these at thy hands for me it cost him dear even his precious blood therefore give me these things for his Names sake 3. You shall assuredly possesse all that good which Christ hath purchased for You shall assuredly possesse them you The Lord is faithful and just he will not deal injuriously with his Christ nor with us It was expresly concluded in the Agreement 'twixt him and Christ That if he would make his soule an offering for sin he should then see his seed and of the travel of his soul that he should be the Head of the Church and that all that come in to him should have mercy and grace and glory Now the Lord by no means will deal deceitfully with Christ he will not put him to sorrows and deliver him to death and after all his bitter agonies and sufferings deny him what he hath so dearly bought No there is no possession more sure and safe than that which depends upon the purchase of Christ And if that reason of Gods inviolable compact with Christ will not convince you of it Then let this also help to strengthen your weak faith viz. That Jesus Christ who hath purchased and merited all for you He himself is God equal with the Father and as God will himself bestow and settle what as mediatour he hath bought and purchased Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me that where I am they may behold my glory Are the sufferings of Christ a Meritorious purchase Then strive for two things Vse 2 1. To believe them to be so This is not an easie work but this is a necessary work Though we do not perhaps at present so fully weigh it yet ere long Strive to believe the sufferings of Christ to be a purchase we shall see great reason to think on it when we come to dye when we come to the parting way when we come to our last and behold an eternal hell before our eyes which we do deserve and an eternal heaven before our eyes which we deserve not and when our title and right comes to be scanned two things at that time will be extreamly necessary One is to believe that Jesus Christ hath made a purchase of glory and happiness Another is to believe that Jesus Christ hath made this purchase for our soules Object But you will say We do believe both the one and the other Sol. I am afraid that many do not so although they say they do so and I Many do not believe it will give you four reasons for what I say 1. If you do indeed believe that heaven depends upon the purchase of Christ and forgivenesse of sinnes depends upon the purchase of Christ Why then Why else do they depend so much upon themselves do you depend so much upon your selves upon your own righteousness why are not your hopes only fixed upon Christ but you hope to be saved for your good meanings and for your devout servings of God and for your alms and good works Do you believe that salvation is to be had only upon the account of Christs purchase when in the mean time you do set up your own righteousness and deny the righteousness of Christ and place confidence in your selves and not only in Christ 2. If you do indeed believe that salvation and all saving good properly depends Why do you slight Christ so much on the sole purchase of Christ Why then do you slight Christ so much and minde him so little If you do indeed believe that there is salvation in no other Name and mercy in no other Name and peace in no other Name whence is it that your soules are all this while destitute of Christ himself and that he cannot perswade you to hearken unto him so as to come in and obey him that your souls may live Tell me plainly Is not this your fancy that you may have the portion without the Person the blessings which Christ hath purchased though you never give up your hearts unto Christ who makes the purchase But you are mistaken and shall one
Acts 16. â—0 there to dwell Ephes 3. 17. and there to rule and reign Seventhly And to depend on Christ placing all our confidence on him and in none and on nothing but him Phil. 3. 3. We rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Ver. 9. And be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Eighthly And to love Christ faith which worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. who sheweth so much love as to give himself to death to save me I will go no farther Finde me but such a faith as this and I assure you I assure you nay the Gospel of Christ assures you that this is true faith thâ—s is the Faith which makes Christ yours in his Person and in all the Benefits of his Death And one thing more observe by the way that though this faith be but weak though it be but as the smoaking flax though it be but as a grain of Mustard-seed though it be much assaulted with Satans temptations though it be oft-times shaken with fears and doubtings Yet if it be but of so much life and power to match thy heart to Christ to bring it in to Christ to set him up as thy Lord and as thy Saviour and to rol and rest and cast thy soul and confidence on him it is true Faith and Christ is thine and thou mayest safely conclude that Christ dyed for thee and made peace for thee c. Fourthly One may know that Christ did effectually dye for him by the Combination By the combination of benefits purchased by the death of Christ of the Benefits purchased by the death of Christ and by the conjoyned participation of them in respect of himself Beloved the benefits purchased by the death of Christ are many as Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God and Eternal life and Redemption and Sanctification c. And these purchased Benefits they were all of them purchased at once and together and all of them with respect to every Believer and in time every one of them is applyed to every Believer Christ did not purchase Remission of sins for one believer only and Reconciliation only for another believer and Grace only for another and Glory only for another neither doth Christ apply these partly to one and partly to another but he purchased them for every one that shall believe and he applies them to every one that doth believe 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 1. 30. Made unto us Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Joh. 5. 6. This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ Fifthly Unto which let me add the fifth character by which one may know By the ends of the death of Christ that Christ died for him viz. by the ends of the death of Christ in respect of us and the appearance of them upon our hearts and lives 2 Cor. 5. 15. He died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose again Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 1 Pet. 2. 24. who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the Crosse that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed In these places you see five ends of the death of Christ for us 1. That he might redeem us from all iniquity i. e. set us at liberty from bondage unto our sinful lusts that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6. 6. 2. That we should be dead to sin i. e. our hearts and affections should be mortified and crucified unto them not love them not desire them not delight in them not hearken to them not be led by them any more 3. That henceforth we should not live unto our selves i. e. intend and set up our own ends and interests our own praise and glory our own profit and benefit our own pleasure and contentments 4. That we should be a peculiar people be his be for him unto himself purified by his spirit and joyned by the same Spirit unto himself and led and drawn forth in his strength unto all good works affectionately and fervently 5. That we should live unto him who died for us and live unto righteousness i. e. exalt the will and wayes and honour of Christ count nothing too dear for him spend and be spent for him take his directions obey his commands serve his ends act intirely and throughly and willingly and chearfully and fully and constantly in all conditions and in all tryals for Christs interest and the magnifying of Christ O Beloved let us seriously try our interest in the death of Christ by these Ends of the death of Christ which are certainly accomplished in due time in all for whom Christ died There are two sorts of the vertues of the death of Christ 1. Some are for us he died for to satifie for us and to make peace for us and to purchase Remission of sins for us and to obtain salvation for us 2. Some are in us as to redeem us from all iniquity to crucifie our sins to purifie us unto himself a peculiar people c. Christ died for our sins and he died that we might dye unto our sins Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6. 6. The blood of Christ was a pacifying blood having made peace through the blood of his Crosse Col. 1. 20. And the blood of Christ is a purifying blood it purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. He died as our Surety and Priest and to this end also did Christ die and rise again that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living Rom. 14. 9 Therefore if you be yet in your sins if you be not dead unto them if you love them if you serve them you cannot assure your selves as yet that Christ dyed for you But on the contrary if you can truly say as the Apostle Rom. 6. 17 18. We were the servants of sin but we are made free from sin and are become the servants of righteousness we are healed by the stripes of Christ and we are made conformable unto his death we find the similitude of his Death and Resurrection in us we are not our own but Christs his we are and none but his our hearts are his and our lives are his why then be confident that Christ is yours and his death is yours and all the benefits of his death are yours Sixthly One may know that Christ died for him
people Ver. 34. And they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their children after them Ver. 40. And 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 into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and I will put a New Spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh Ver. 20. That they may walk in my Statutes and keep my Ordinances and do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Hosea 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever and I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse and in judgement and in loving-kindnesse and in mercies Ver. 20. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulnesse and thou shalt know the Lord. Hebr. 8. 10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people c. Quest But why is God pleased to promise to give unto his people in Covenant Why God gives spiritual blessings as well as â—emporal His people have souls as well as bodies spiritual blessings as well as temporal Sol. The Reasons are these First Because his people have souls as well as bodies and their souls do stand in as much need of spiritual blessings as their bodies do of temporal blessings Every mans soul since the fall of Adùm is in a fourfold miserable necessity which cannot be relieved but by spiritual blessings 1. In an estate of spiritual death out of which it cannot be relieved but by the donation of spiritual life a quickning by the Spirit of Christ is necessary for a soul dead in trespasses and sins 2. In an estate of spiritual enmity and that enmity cannot be slain but by the death of Christ nor any atonement peace or reconciliation enjoyed but by his blood 3. In an estate of offence and guilt which expose the soul unto wrath and punishment by reason of which the soul needs exceeding riches of grace and mercy to forgive and acquit the sinner 4. In an estate of pollution and bondage being held under the power of sinful lusts in which regard the soul needs the Lord Jesus to be redemption and liberty unto it and the soul can never be freed nor free but by Christ and his Spirit John 8. 36. If the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death If a man had all the blessings of the world riches honour friends health pleasures c. they could be of no help or relief unto his soul at all notwithstanding all these the soul still remains sinful and miserable Give the soul Christ and grace and mercy or else you give it nothing it must perish for ever without them And therefore doth God give unto his people spiritual blessings because the soul needs them and they are sutable to the spiritual necessities of the soul Secondly His people are people of another life they have the promise of eternal His people are for another life life 1 John 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life Titus 1. 2. Inhope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens But what of this will you say why hence it follows that therefore God will give unto them spiritual blessings and why spiritual blessings because spiritual blessings are necessary for them in relation unto that eternal life Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name given under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Loe here is a necessity of Jesus Christ for our salvation John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Loe here is a necessity of faith for salvation Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God Hebr. 12. 13. Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Loe here is a necessity of holinesse and regeneration for salvation and they are congruous and fitting us for salvation or eternal life Colos 1 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light It is meet to enjoy grace before we come to enjoy glory it is meet to have a conformity to Christ on his Crosse before we come to have a conformity to Christ in his Crown c. Thirdly His people are designed and set apart for special duties and services His people aâ—e set apart for special duties the which they can never performe without spiritual gifts and blessings They are to glorifie their God Isa 43. 6. Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth Ver. 7. Even every one that is called by my Name for I have created him for my glory Ver. 21. This people have I formed for my self they shall shew forth my praise They are to deny themselves and to take up the Crosse of Christ and to follow him they are to crucifie the lusts with the affections thereof they are to suffer losses and reproaches and persecutions and perhaps death it self they are to fight the good fight of faith to resist temptation to quench the fiery darts of Satan to overcome the world they are to live by faith against hope to believe in hope to walk in all well-pleasing before the Lord. They are to have daily communion with God and their hearts are to be set on him and on things above Can any of these duties and services be performed by them without spiritual strength or can they partake of spiritual strength unlesse and untill God doth give unto them spiritual gifts or graces Fourthly All the people in Covenant with God they have his image restored They have Gods image restored to them unto them they behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. They are made partakers of the Divine nature
own but sinne and vanity Yea 2ly These are portions for Christians as Themistocles said Give those bracelets to slaves or as Basil when he was offered temporary glory and wealth c answered Give me glory which abides for ever and give me riches which will endure for ever Matth. 6. 31 32. Take no thought what ye shall eat for after all these things do the Gentiles seek Earthly things are a common stock only Spiritual blessings are the Childrens inheritance As God spake of the Levites that they shall have no inheritance among their brethren I will be their portion said the Lord so may we say of temporal and Spiritual blessings God will not have his people to sit down with so low and poor a portion as temporal things but their portion shall be himself his Christ his Spirit his Grace his Peace his Joy his Glory his Blessedness 3. And those are the best portions These do make up our estate indeed now you may sit down and rejoyce for you have possession good enough and safe enough and a better possession than God himself and all Spiritual blesings no soul is capable of Thirdly They are possible I beseech you observe with me a few things They are possible 1. Nothing is impossible which lies in Gods promise because God who promiseth is able also to perform and give whatsoever he is pleased to promise and the donation or accomplishment depends not on us but on God alone on his power and fidelity 2. None ever cordially sought them but did enjoy them If ye seek for them as silver and hid treasures you shall have them Prov. 23. 4 5. You shall seek me and finde me when you shall search for me with all your heart Jer. 29. 13. Nay I dare to say did you seek and pray for these Spiritual blessings as you do for temporal blessings with the same thought and earnestness and diligence and importunity and constancy you might long since have possessed them both plentifully and comfortably Fourthly They are more certain upon right seeking than the temporal They are more certain blessings you may observe concerning these two sorts of blessings 1. That God never gives all the particulars of temporal blessings to any one man but distributes them by parcels some to one and some to another but he gives every Spiritual blessing for the substance unto every one in Covenant 2. That God doth put some Provisoes and Exceptions and Reserves upon temporal blessings so far as consistent with the 〈◊〉 and as is fitting and behoving in such a condition and relation c. bu◠〈◊〉 Spiritual blessings which substantially concern his people he is peremptory he will give them he will not deny them although for a while he may delay them as in the point of Revocation he oft times takes off these outward blessings and yet still continues the Spiritual he will never recall them his loving-kindness shall continue still with them Simile so in point of Donation though he many times denies particular outward things yet he will not deny the Spiritual The Father will not deny food to the Child though he doth deny an apple Fifthly If you could but get the Spiritual blessings they would soon hasten in They will bring in temporal blessings and speed you with such temporal blessings which you need Temporal they often go alone they bring not the Spiritual but the Spiritual brings in the temporal Matth. 6. 33. Seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you tanquam Appendices Cumulo you should have the spiritual blessings which you first of all desire and the temporal which you least of all desire you shall have them in the purchase and over and above the bargain Sixthly And you shall have them with more comfort peace and blessing for And bring them in with more comfort and peace Spiritual blessings do draw off that curse with which our sins have involved our temporal blessings and besides they give them a sweeter relish because we now possess them with the favour and love of God in Christ Use 3 Doth God in his Covenant promise first unto his people all spiritual blessings then you who are his people may hence learn Let Gods people learn To bless God who first blesseth them with spiritual blessings First To blesse your God who in the first place blesseth you with all Spiritual blessings your estate differs from that of other men in two particulars 1 In the Entrance that at the first you possesse the choysest mercies 2. In the End that at the last you shall possesse the highest glory Psal 103. 1. Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Ver. 2. Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Ver. 3. Who forgave thee all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Thus David for forgiveness and health much more then should the people of God bless him who at the very first blesseth them with all Spiritual blessings with his favour with his Christ with Righteousness with Holyness with forgiveness with Peace c. Secondly To be contented although perhaps you have a lesser portion in temporal blessings Am I not better to thee than ten sons said Elkanah to To be contented with a less portion in temporal blessings Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 8. So why do you yet complain and take on are not Spiritual blessings better than all temporal blessings I beseech you by what interest do you judge men bappy by temporal or by spiritual If by temporal why did you so much desire Spiritual if by Spiritual why then are you not contented who have already all Spiritual blessings for your portion especially considering that for asking the daughters of Zelophehad had the nether spring as well as the upper and you but for asking shall have enough for Earth as well as for Heaven I now proceed to a third General Observation viz. SECT III. 3. Doct. THat whatsoever the blessings are which may or do concern the people Whatsoever blessings are dispenced God is the giver of them of God in Covenant God himself doth undertake to give them unto his people Consider the Covâ—â—â—nt Donatives mentioned in this Chapter and elsewhere you shall expresly 〈◊〉 that none but God himself undertakes the Donation of them I will sprinkle clean water upon theâ— and I will give them a new heart and I will put my Spirit within you and I will call for the corn c. v. 25 26 29 30. So Ezek. 11. 19. I will give you one heart Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live Hos 14. 4.
in a very good estate when he is in a very wicked estate and a man may think he hath every grace requisâ—te to salvation when indeed he hath not any one of them he may deceive himself about repentance and about faith and about love c. For there is no true grace but there is also a counterfeit of that grace which may look like it but it is not so Ahab humbled himself and so did Hezekiah but his humbling was of another sort David repented and so did Judas but Davids repentance was of another kind than his Simon Peter believed and so did Simon Magus but Peters faith was another kind of faith than his There are three Grounds or Reasons upon which men may and do deceive Three grounds oâ— this deceit themselves that their Faith is the true Faith which shall bring Remission of sinnes unto them when really their Faith is not that Faith unto which forgiveness is promised 1. They finde some things which are the Ingredients of true Faith which yet are They finde some ingredients of Faith which are but common ingredient but common ingredients which another faith may have that gives not title unto forgiveness of sins As suppose knowledge and assent unto heavenly truths these are in that faith which gives us the Remission of our sins though not as giving that Remission and these may be in a faith which shall never bring you to the Remission of your sins 2. They finde some affections like unto those which come from true faith Some And some affections 〈…〉 suddain joyes and delights and desires upon hearing the Word and yet these are not those joyes which do flow from faith but are suddain and tranâ—â—ent Raptures flowing only from their own self-deceiving perswasions and not from any certain knowledge of union with Christ 3. They finde some kinds of conforming of themselves unto the Word in matters And some 〈◊〉 to the Worâ— of practice reforming and doing many things and yet this is not that conformity and that obedience which flows from true faith For it is not internal but only external and it is not universal but partial Let the same word strike aâ— a separation 'twixt their hearts and their beloved sin and presse them to a strictnesse of holy walking their Faith will not be able to bring them up to a subjection therein unto the will of Christ 4. These things being premised I now come to set out before you that Faith What that Faith is which will certainly get the remission of sins Faith well seated for the truth and quality of it which will certainly get you the remission of your sins That Faith First It alwayes follows special contrition and humiliation for sin For Faith cannot act on Chrst as a Saviour untill I finde my self a sinner needing him to be my Saviour and therefore the ordinary usual way of the Spirit is to convince of sin and to lay us low in the sense thereof and to break down all our high imaginations and self confidences that we come to see no hope but in the free grace and rich mercy of God in Christ before he conveyes Faith into our soules Luk. 3. 5. Every mountain and hill shall be brought low c. Ver. 6. and all flesh shall see the salvation of God Acts 16. 29. He came in trembling and fell down ver 30. and said Sirs what must I do to be saved ver 31. and they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved 2. Is wrought in us only by the power and mighty working of the Spirit of Christ Faith rightly caused So the Apostle in Ephes 1. 19. called there the exceeding greatness of his power and the working of his mighty power The Spirit of Christ doth accompany and actuate the Gospel and it sets it on upon the heart for the truth and goodness of it with such Majesty Authority and Efficacy that the poor sinner is not able to resist and withstand the precept of Faith but is made willing and ready and yields up his heart to receive the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly It is alwayes raised by Evangelical offers and premises when the Lord And well grounded works faith indeed and draws the heart to believe on Christ the heart takes ground and encouragement for this from the Offers and Invitations and Commands of the Gospel Come unto me saith Christ this is his Commandement that we should believe And from the Promises He that believes shall be saved Come unto me and I will give you rest c. Fourthly In true Faith the whole heart or soul is carried out unto Christ True believing is a believing with all the heart the whole heart yields unto Jesus Christ And unites the whole heart to whole Christ the understanding admires at the glory and at the kindness and goodness and love of Christ the judgement is filled with choisest thoughts and highest estimations of Christ None like Christ and none but Christ the will falls in with Christ freely readily fully O Christ thou art my chiefest good and blessedness and Christ hath all the affections of desire love delight and joy these are taken up and filled with Christ c. Faith brings in all to Christ Fifthly True Faith sincerely sets up all Christ takes and sets up Christ as our Priest for Expiation of sins Reconciliation Intercession and him alone and as It sincerely sets up all Christ our Prophet to teach and instruct us and as our King to rule us to destroy his enemies in us to give us Laws to receive obedience from us Sixthly True faith eternally unites the heart to Christ neither earthly preferment It eternally unites to Christ on the one side nor persecutions and discouragements on the other side can separate the heart of a true believer from Jesus Christ In a word true faith which hath the promise of forgiveness of sins doth not only know Christ but approves of Christ not only approves of Christ but receives Christ not some of Christ but all Christ not with some part of the heart but with the whole heart not for a time but for ever not upon our conditions but upon his own conditions not occasionally and upon an exigence but freely and upon choice not only for safety but also for service nor only for profession but also for union and communion It matcheth us to Christ as a Wife to the Husband it unites us to Christ as Branches to the Vine it joynes us to Christ as Members to the head Beloved this is that faith which is necessary for the remission of our sins If you have not a Faith produced by the mighty working of the holy Ghost if you have not a faith planted in a broken heart if you have not a faith grounded on Gospel-offers and promises if you have not a faith which brings in all your heart to match with Christ if you have not a faith
mercy If God saith Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee conscience now hath no longer Commission to disquiet the heart saying Peace belongs not to thee and comfort belongs not to thee but God is still displeased with thee and holds thee for his enemy and will be avenged on thee for thy sins If conscience through darkness and misinformation oâ— temptation should speak thus it now exceeds its Commission and deals unrighteously and God will not ratifie such a testimony or such a charge from such a conscience But by the way Take notice what a mercy it is to have your sins pardoned in that your consciences have no more power or authority to wound and charge and threaten and condemn you for any of your sins if a wounded conscience be one of the dreadfullest punishments here on earth then to be totally secured from that and upon this ground that he hath forgiven us our sins is one of 〈◊〉 greatest blessings here on earth which privatively concerns us Fourthly If your sins be pardoned then also you are discharged of the spirit You are discharged of the spirit of bondage of bondage to fear you are fenced from all slavish fears which formerly did abound in your hearts and oppress and distract them Before a mans sins were pardoned and guilt lay on him there were ten distracting and crushing fears lying on his heart The sinner 1. Did fear the secret purpose or intention of God against him O said he What will God do with this guilty soul of mine I fear lest I be one of them to whom he will never shew mercy 2. Did fear the open threatnings of God O saith he Will not all these evils and cuâ—ses which God hath threatnd will they not shortly be my portion 3. Did fear every judgement of Goâ— walking upon the earth as if it were an evil drawing near to him and which his sins would bring to his house and to his person and he should not escape 4. Did fear that some time or other his sinnings would be discovered and that they should be laid open to his shame and reproach before the whole world 5. Did fear any outward enjoyment and comfort which he had that for his sins God would ere long deprive him of them in wrath 6. Did fear many times to come and hear the Wâ—â—d of God lest it should awaken and trouble his conscience with more apprehensions of his own guilt and Gods wrath 7. Did fear the very thoughts of death and especially lest God should suddenly cut him off from the Land of the living before he had so improved his opportunities as to make his peace with God 8. Did fear all appearings before the Judgement-seat lest he should receive his sad and eternal sentence there for his sins 9. Did fear all his approaches and requests unto God that God would not hear nor regard them because his sins were upon record in the Court against his soul 10. Did fear that no way could ever be found so powerful and effectual as to satisfie the justice of God and purchase mercy enough for the pardon of his sins but now repenting of his sins and believing on the Lord Jesus and having in his blood obtained the remission of sins this spirit of bondage to fear is taken away the forgiveness of his sins by God himself hath satisfied him and hath answered all the doubts and fears of his soul his sins are pardoned and God is reconciled and now all is well and safe of what or of whom should he be afraid Fifthly If your sins be forgiven you then nothing which befalls you in Nothing which befalls you in life or death is an evil to you life or death shall ever be an evil or hurt unto you for when sin is pardoned all curse is removed Whatsoever state the unpardoned sinner is in it is a cursed estate to him and whatsoever contingencies befall that sinner they are cursed unto him his prosperity is cursed unto him and his adversity is cursed to him his enjoyments are cursed and his losses are cursed his blessings are cursed and his crosses are cursed his life is cursed and his death is cursed nothing which he hath doth him good and nothing which God doth doth him any good but hurt he is the worse under all But when sins are forgiven the sting the poyson the curse is gone and nothing is for evil or for mischief unto him prosperity shall do him no hurt but good and adversity shall do him no hurt but good his enjoyments are a blessing and his losses are a blessing if he lives life shall be a blessing and if he dyes death shall be a blessing All is food and physick all is good or for good unto him he gains by his losses and that which is another mans misery is his mercy sweet shall come out of bitter and light shall come out of darkness and good shall come out of evil and comfort shall come out of sorrow and life shall come out of death Secondly In a positive way In a positive way It is a clear decision of all the questions of a troubled soul First The obtaining of the forgiveness of your sins is a clear sure decision of all the great Questions of a troubled soul There are six things concerning which we oft-times complain and question viz. 1. Hath God Elected us 2. Are we in Covenant with God 3. Is God reconciled to us and we are reconciled to him 4. Is Christ ours and are we his 5. Have we truly repented and have we truly believed 6. Shall these poor souls of ours certainly be saved have not all these been and are not some of these the constant debates and doubts and questions of our hearts Now mark what I say when God himself according to his promise forgives unto us all our sins all those debates are concluded and resolved for 1. None are forgiven but the Elect of God and all the Elect either are or shall be forgiven their sins Ephes 1. 4. Having chosen us in him before the foundation of the world Ver. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins 2. Whosoever have their sins forgiven are certainly in Covenant with God God is their God and they are his people Psal 85. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people Thou hast covered all their sins Selah Remission of sins is the portion only of the Church and people of God 3. God is certainly reconciled if sins be forgiven 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 4. Christ is unquestionably yours and you are Christs forasmuch as the partaking of this and other choice benefits by him doth necessarily presuppose a precedent union with him and relation unto him whom he called them he justified Rom. 8. 30. And what is it there to be called but to be brought in effectually to Christ and
are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Secondly From all your Idols Having shewed the greatness of the sins of uncleanness I now proceed briefly to shew unto you the greatness of the sin of Idolatry the greatness of that sin Idolatry This people have sinned a great sin and have made them gods of gold Exod. 32. 31. And you shall find it very great First By Gods singular detestation and loathing of Idolatry and Idols Idols are frequently in Scripture called abominations 1 King 11. 5. Solomon went after By Gods singular detestation of it Milcom the abomination of the Amorites Verse 7. And he built an high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon Idolatries are called abominable Idolatries 1 Pet. 4. 3. which the Learned call Epithetum perpetuum non distinguens see Acts 15. 20. That they abstain from pollutions of Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contaminations filthinesses defilements Therefore Idols are called dunghill-gods stinking filthy and defiling Secondly By Gods special warnings of his people against this sin of Idolatry Jer. 44. 4. Do not this abominable thing which I hate Deut. 18. 9. When thou art come By Gods special warnings into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee thou shalt not do after the abomination of these Nations Deut. 4. 23. Take heed unto your selves lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you and make you a graven image the likenesse of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee 1 Cor. 10. 14. Flee from Idolatry 1 Joh. 5. 21. Keep your selves from Idols Thirdly By the grievous threatnings of Idolaters read at your leasure Deut 32. By grievous threatnings 15. He forsook God Ver. 16. they provoked him to jealousie with strange gods and ver 19. and when the Lord saw it be abhorred them and ver 20. and I will hide my face from you and ver 22. A fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest hell ver 23. I will heap mischief upon them and will spend my arrows upon them ver 24. they shall be burnt with thunder and devoured with burning heat and with bitter destruction ver 25. The sword without and terror within shall destroy c. Fourthly By the unparallel'd judgments on Idolaters God hath given the bill By unparalleld judgements on Idolaters of divorce and broken them in pieces and rooted them out of their dwelling places and scattered them over all the earth and persecuted them in his wrath untill he hath destroyed them from off the face of all the earth Fifthly And besides all this he hath shut the dore of heaven against Idolaters and threatens them with no less then hell and damnation and the lake that burns The dore of heaven is shut against them with fire and brimstone Sixthly But once more consider the nature or effect of this sin of Idolatry it is so every way contrary to Gods glory of which he is most tender Isa 48 11. The nature or effects of this sin and Isa 42. 8. and will not give it to graven images It is the changing of his glory They changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things Rom. 1. 23. and the sordid abasing of his glory to imagin any creature capable of that excellency and of that worship which belongeth to God and verily we do no less than make the creatures to be God when we do conferre on them that worship which is proper unto God or suppose such excellencies to be in them which are to be found only in God It is the exceeding provocation of God Hos 12. 14. Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly therefore he shall leave his bloud upon him Idolatry is therefore often called adultery and Idolaters are said to commit adultery with stocks and stones what greater offence and provocation in a wife than to forsake her husband and to play the adultress with strangers the Lord for this sin of Idolatry hath utterly forsaken people he would be their God no more nor would he own them for his people any longer Nevertheless though this sin of Idolatry is so exceedingly high and provoking yet God hath pardoned it unto his people He pardoned it to Abraham Solomon to all the Churches of the Gentiles to those of Rome to the Corinthians Ephesians Galatians Thus you see the Assertion evinced from the Text. Secondly I shall in the next place evince it from other places of Scripture that From other Scriptures God will forgive the greatest sinnes c. 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious but I obtained mercy O what sins were these blasphemy persecution injuriousness even to banishment and death but I obtained mercy In Acts 3. 14. And ye denyed the Holy One and desired a murderer to be granted unto you ver 15. and killed the Prince of life yet Acts 44. Many of them which heard the Word believed and the number of men were about five thousand Isa 1. 18. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red as Crimson they shall be as wooll Thirdly Let us see it further demonstrated by some Arguments Arguments to demonstrate it God is great in mercy 1. God is great in mercy Who is a strong God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the Remnant of his heritage Micah 7. 8. Grave est quod habeo sed ad Omnipotentem confugio said Austin Infinite mercy can forgive great iniquity 2. The satisfactions of Christ are great aad full so that by them grace did Christs satisfaction is great super abound He undertook the whole state of the sins of Gods people sins great and small many and few â—gnorance and knowledge all their iniquities and all their trespasses and all their transgressions and did satisfie the Justice of God fully and to the utmost so that in him there is plenteous Redemption The obedience of Christ is as much above our sins as his person is above our persons 3. When the Lord calls upon people to repent as therein he deals with them to leave and forsake all their sins great and small he excuses them in no one God calls us to repent of great sins and promiseth pardon sin but of all sinnes he presseth them to forsake their great sins so to draw and encourage them to this repentance he doth hold out his promise of pardon indefinitely of all their sins this Covenant makes no distinction at all twixt small and great God usually instances in the greatest sins 4. God by the Gospel gathers of all sorts into his kingdom The notorious God gathers all sorts of sinners sinners as well as the
away all grounds of despair from the hearts of his people There are but three principal grounds of despair God takes away the grounds of despair 1. O my sins are so many that there is no hope of mercy 2. O but my sins are so high and so great that God will never forgive them 3. O but though God can and will forgive many sins and great sins yet he will not forgive my great sins My sin said Cain is greater than shall be forgiven Gen. 4. Now God answers all these Arguments and Grounds of despair which possibly may arise in the hearts of his people For 1. He promiseth that he will forgive all their sins and will cast them also into the depth of the sea 2. He promiseth to forgive their great sins though they have been as scarlet and red like crimson and though adulterers and though idolaters c. 3. This promise he himself doth make with respect unto every one of their persons as you may see here in the Text and in other Scriptures So that there remains no ground at all of despair for them Indeed there may be matter enough for their humiliation but none for desperation SECT III. 2. Vse DOth God promise the forgiveness of all sins yea of the great sins of his people Then let all the people who are sensible of any great Make out for the pardon of great sins transgression speedily and seriously make out unto the Mercy-seat for the pardon of their great sins For the managing of this Use I will 1. Premise a few Conclusions 2. Lay down some Directions what is to be done to get the pardon of great sinnes 3. Discover some Signs and Evidences by which one may know that even his great sins are forgiven First The Conclusions which I would premise as Motives to get the forgiveness Conclusions premised of our great sins are thesâ— First Even the people of God may be guilty of great transgressions both before The people of God may be guilty of great sins their conversion and also after their conversion 1. Before their conversion scarce any of them but have been guilty whâ—â— soule sins were those Corinthians guilty of before God had called them by his grace even of drunkennesse and idolatries and adulteries and Sodomies and Paul himself who seemed so unblameable in his conversation yet what great sins stood he guilty of He was mad in persecuting the Saints he had his hand in the blood of Stephen he was consenting to his death nay the Lord Jesus Christ arested him and accused him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. Ephes 2. 3. Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Titus 3. 3. We our selves were also foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another 2. After their conversion they have also been guilty of great sins Noah of drunkenness Gen. 9. 21. Lot of drunkenness and incest with his own daughters Gen. 19. 35 36. Solomon of abominable Idolatries 1 Kin. 11. 6 7. and David of adultery and murder 2 Sam. 11. 4. 12. 9. And a thousand to one but most of us have been guilty of some great sin or other either for the kind of it or for the circumstantial aggravations of it either of Omission or of Commission so that we all have cause to look after the forgiveness of great sins Secondly Their great sins do dishonor God as much nay more than the great sins of others 2 Sam. 12. 14. By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies Their great sins dishonor God as much if not more than others of the Lord to blaspheme c. Rom. 2. 24. The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Yea they do exceedingly provoke God to withdraw his comfortable presence of joy from their spirits and to speak bitter things unto them and to correct them with a strong and exemplary chastisement and to suffer them to be buffeted by Satan with very heavy and distracting temptations upon this accout also they have reason to look after the forgivenesse of their great sins Thirdly Apprehensions of their great sins as unpardoned must needs fill their hearts with marvellous fears and their Consciences with unutterable unquietnesses The apprehension of these sins will fill their hearts with fears and burdens as in Davids roarings and his complaint of broken bones There is I think not any one person whose great sins have not at some time or other returned upon him and deeply wounded him Great sins of all other are certain terrors unto the Conscience and of all great sins these are so 1. The sins against nature 2. Those of grosse uncleanness 3. Those of blood and murder 4. Those of compact with the Divel 5. Those of blasphemy 6. Those against the workings of Conscience 7. Those against the Gospel 8. Presumptions 9. Relapses Any of these and any other great sins of which one hath been guilty they sit heavy upon the Conscience and do make dreadful work there and do often arise with exceeding terror and distraction so that the soul sinks under the guilt of them c. Fourthly There is nothing whatsoever which can allay and quiet Conscience troubled and troubling for the guilt of great sins but the presence or at least Nothing can allay those fears but the sense or hope of pardon the hope of forgiveness of them No earthly thing can quiet conscience in that condition David wanted not for them and yet he roared all the Day long and his bones waxed old and his moisture was turned into the drought of summer Psal 32. 34. Nay let me speak a bold word there is nothing in God which can do it but this merciful and gracious nature to forgive If the distressed sinner looks on his Justice he falls down confounded if he looks on his holiness O he is of purer eyes than to behold sinne if on his power O it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Nothing but mercy answers this distress or gives ease to this pain and trouble Be mercifull unto me O God said David God be merciful to me a sinner said the Publican Take away iniquity said the Church Beloved In all sorts of distress there is but one thing which is a proper relief In sickness health is the only help in hunger bread is the only help in thirst water is the only help in pains ease is the only help and so under the guilt of sin mercy is the only help This is life this is deliverance this is all Fifthly Though your sins have been or are very great yet there is hope of mercy Though your sins be great yet there is hope of mercy and that for you which may appear briefly by four particulars 1. The promise of
sins 1. For his mercies sake Psal 51. 1. According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my transgressions Psal 6. 4. O save me for thy mercies sake 2. For his Christ sake Ephes 4. 32. Even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Therefore when of old they would have their sins pardoned they offered sacrifices and blood was shed and poured out which Typified the blood of Christ that was shed for the remission of sins For without shedding of blood is no Remission Heb. 9. 22. 3. For his Promise sake Numb 14. 17. I beseech thee said Moses let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying Ver. 18. The Lord is long-suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquity and transgression Ver. 19 Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even untill now Fifthly They have patiently waited upon the Lord untill that he hath shewed them Patiently wait till he shew mercy mercy Psal 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Isa 30. 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 blessed are all they that wait for him Ver. 19 He will be gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee These are the ways which great sinners yea which the people of God being guilty of great transgressions have taken to get the forgiveness of them and in which ways God hath met them with his pardoning mercies and if in the like cases we do thus follow the Lord he will be merciful and gracious unto any of us though greatly sinning and guilty Thirdly Having shewed unto you what course is to be taken for to get the pardon Evidences of the pardon of great sins of great transgressions I shall now deliver unto you some signs or evidences by which one may certainly know that God hath forgiven his great sins There are six Evidences of this First There always goes a great change with the forgiveness of great sins A great change accompanying it It is a great question whether Justification be before Sanctification whatsoever may be disputed for the priority of nature yet it is agreed there is no priority of time for as soon as any sinner is justified and pardoned he is changed and sanctified the blood and the water go together as soon as any one is in Christ he is forgiven and there is no condemnation unto him Rom. 8. 1. And so as soon as any is in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away and all things become new 2 Cor. 15. 17. What an unclean person was Mary Magdalen before she was called to Christ and found mercy and after mercy was obtained what an eminent Christian was she what a violent and injurious Persecutor was Paul in times past and when he obtained mercy what an admirable and exemplary Christian was he Of all the changes incident to sinners the greatest change appears in the greatest sinner received to mercy and forgiveness there are two conspicuous changes in them 1. The greatest inward change the sins which he formerly loved more than his soul he now doth hate more than hell he once out faced the Word and now trembles at it 2. The greatest outward change the worst sinner being received to mercy proves the choicest Christian he is now as notable in a gracious walking as he was once notorious in a licentious living exemplary in both respects and in both wayes and courses Note Secondly A second Evidence that God hath forgiven our great sins is our great Great love to a forgiving God love to a forgiving God this note Christ himself giveth Luke 7. 47. Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little Christ brings there a Parable of a Creditor who forgave two debts one of them a great debt and the other a lesser debt hereupon he demands of Simon the Pharisee which would love him most who answered I suppose he to whom most was forgiven this he applies to the woman there forgiven much was forgiven her and therefore she loved much he speaks not of a love anâ—â—cedent to pardon but of a love following it 1 John 4 19. We love him because he loved us first Ver. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins And indeed none can love God but such who can by faith see him a merciful pardoning and reconciling God in Christ Thirdly A most tender fear to offend and grieve the Lord any more Psal 130. A tender fear to offend God 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared Hosea 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness It is wonderful to observe the singular frame of spirit in a converted and pardoned sinner from what it was in former times heretofore he feared not the most cursed Oaths but now he fears an idle word heretofore he feared not the most beastly practice of uncleanness but now he fears the very thoughts and mental imaginations of it heretofore he could omit all good duties now he fears to neglect the least he hath found so much good so much mercy at the hands of God and tasted of so much gracious goodness that he would not willingly offend him in any thing in any part of his life a tender heart hath tasted of tender mercies Fourthly Exceeding zeal for God who hath shewed him great mercy and Exceeding zeal for God for Christ for whose sake God hath forgiven all the greatest sinners have ever been most zealous before they have obtained mercy they have been most zealous for what was evil and after they have obtained mercy they have been most zealous for what is good How zealous was Paul even besides himself for Christ actively zealous I laboured more abundantly than they all 1 Cor. 5. 10. And passively zealous I am ready not to be bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 21. 13. Fifthly Great compassions Oughtest thou not to have had compassion on thy fellow-servant as I had compassion on thee There are no men so merciful as Great compassions those sinners to whom God hath shewed most mercy there is a three-fold compassion in them 1. A pitying compassion of all sinners especially of great sinners grieving bewailing praying 2. An helping compassion especially to those unto whom he hath been the occasion or cause of great sins even pulling them out of the fire weeping intreating instructing them with meekness if peradventure God will give them
of some sinners in the like condition of guilt with himself whom yet God did pardon but did ever any sin as I have sinned and did God ever pardon any who have sinned as I have sinned or had their sin all those aggravations though God hath pardoned them as my sin hath can you give me any one clear record or pattern of the same There are two reasons which draw a troubled sinner thus to search and thus to enquire 1. One is because he thinks that what God never did in a way of mercy he will never do 2. Another is because he thinks that the apprehension of great mercy past in a case parallel with his will be a quicker help to his hope and faith that God may likewise forgive his great sins even as he hath forgiven the same to others Nevertheless under favour be it spoken this is not so regular a way Yet this is not so regular nor so sure a ground of hope nor yet so sure a ground for hopes of mercy for 1. If instances and precedent patterns of former mercy were necessarily to be look't at as grounds for hopes in us of the like mercy then the first transgressors they that had been first in the guilt of great transgressions must have despaired of forgiveness for no pattern example or instance of the like was ever found before but mercy was pleased to make them the pattern of mercy for others as Paul speaks of himself in 1 Tim. 1. 16. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting The Lord himself would have put us upon that way of searching records and instances before we should look up unto thiâ— promise by faith 2. These instances of mercy will not absolutely quiet the troubled conscience but notwithstanding them the fire will still burn and the torments and fear will abide in strength and that upon a double account First Though God shew mercy to a great transgressor in the like kind yet he hath not shewed mercy to every one in that kind so that still the sinner is troubled But will God shew mercy to me Again that a like great transgressor I find hath had a great change wrought in him O but this I cannot find or discern in my self Ergo. So then troubled sinners do usually look after instances and examples of pardon before they do look up to the promises of mercy but this is not so regular nor so sure a way to raise faith as I shall presently shew unto you But secondly Though you cannot finde a powerful instance yet possibly there Though you cannot finde a parallel instance yet instances in the same kind may be found may be found instances of transgressors in the same kind of sinning whom God hath formerly pardoned though you cannot find them yet they may be found in the Scriptures Suppose your great sin hath been 1. Extortion you may read that forgiven in Zacheus 2. Drunkenness you may read that forgiven in Noah 3. Theft you may read that forgiven to the Penitent Thief on the Cross 4. Whoredome you may read it forgiven to Mary Magdalen and adultery it was forgiven to David 5. Incest you read it forgiven to Lot and to the incestuous Corinthian 6. Sodomy you read it forgiven to some of the Corinthians 7. Murder you read it forgiven to David 8. Idolatry you read it forgiven to Solomon and also to some of the Corinthians 9. Blasphemy why all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven c. Matth 12 31. 10. Apostasie Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful Jer. 3. 12. 11. Scoffin and mocking of the Gospel and the Ministers thereof yet some of these heve been forgiven Act. 2. 13 38. and 17. 32 34. 12. Denying and forswearing of Christ yea and that after knowledge and faith yet pardoned unto Peter possibly the great sin which lies so heavy upon the Conscience may be soon one of these and then you see a parallel instance as you do desire But 3ly admit you read not of a particular personal example yet if you do May not instances of pardon of sins that exceed yours serve the turn read of any instance of forgiving mercy to any sinner whatsoever whose great transgressions do not only equal but farre exceed that or those of which you are guilty may not that serve you Surely it is not impossible that thy great sins may be forgiven if mercy hath past an Act of grace in forgiving some sinners their great transgressions Object O no! no mans sins were ever greater than mine c. Sol. Well but what if I produce one whose sins have been such that thy heart will be amazed at and dread to think of being guilty of such transcendent iniquities my instance shall be in Manasseh of whom you may thus read 2 Chro 33. 2. He did evil in the sight of the Lord like unto the abominations of the Heathen whom the Lord hath cast out before the children of Israel Ver. 3. For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his Father had broken down and he reared up Altars for Baalim and made Groves and worshipped all the Host of heaven and served them Ver. 3. Also he built Altars in the house of the Lord whereof the Lord said In Jerusalem shall my Name be for ever Ver. 5. And he built Altars for all the Host of heaven in the Courts of the house of the Lord. Ver. 6. And he caused his children to passe through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom Also he observed times and used Inchantments and used Witchcraft and dealt with a Familiar spirit and with Wizards he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger Ver. 7. And he set a carved image the idol which he had made in the house of God Ver. 9. So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to erre and to do worse than the Heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel Ver. 10. And the Lord spake unto Manasseh and to his people but they would not hearken Are not these sinnes greater than thy sinnes Such high Idolatries sacrificing of Children to the Divels Yet this greatest of sinners that you read of in the old Testament upon his deep repentance found mercy as Paul who called himself the chiefest of sinners in the New Testament did likewise obtain mercy c. Fourthly Under the sense of incomparably great sinnings the business is not Under the sense of great sinnings the businesse is not to debate but to repent to debate but to repent Not what great sins you or others have committed and whose great sins God hath pardoned but to obtain an heart from God to repent of those sins for though
appear and no Use private helps of Conference and Prayer with godly and experienced Ministers and Christians special workings yet arise and no hope of mercy then let him conferre with some godly and well experienced Ministers and Christians if there be a messenger with him an Interpreter one among a thousand Job 33. 23. to pity his soul and to shew him his way and to open counsel unto him and to poure out his heart in prayer to the Lord for him The fervent prayers of the Righteous are effectual and prevalent Jam. 5. 16. and should be called in for help in such a case And when all of them joyn together and cry mightily unto God O Lord in the midst of judgement remember mercy Lord deal not with this sinner according to his sinning against thee Lord do not forsake him and leave him Lord return in mercy to his soul aâ—d renew him again unto repentance for thy Name sake for thy Christs sake do not abhor him but heal his back-slidings and be merciful unto his back slidings I teâ—l you that such joynt and earnest prayers of the people of God are seldom denyed by God Fourthly If yet no spiritual working can be revived but his heart like the Shunamites Repair to some soul-searching and quickning Ministry child which for all that Gehazi could say or do still remained dead so this mans heart for all that private helps can do still remains hard and unaffected then let him think on and repair to some soul-searching and quickning Ministry which God doth ordinarily bless to break down a presumptuous heart and to lift up a contrite heart to pierce and wound a hard heart and to comfort and revive a troubled heart Who can tell what the Lord will or may do in and by his own Ordinance especially when a poor â—â—nner comes directly for that end to receive impressions from God and renouncing all his own power as well he may for it utterly fails him offers up his heart such as it is unto the Lord to be created as it were again and new mouâ—ded and formed and quickned O Lord I doubt I have lost all since my sinning against thee oh that sinning against thee I can neither find thee nor my self Repentance seems to be dead O I cannot grieve or mourn and Faith seems to be dead and I cannot believe or trust Lord may I come to thee may I look up to thee may I call upon thee may I hope in thee thou canst yet do me good wilt thou so O that thou wouldest make thy power to appear if yet thou wilt not make thy grace to appear I have cast my self down and I cannot raise my self I have hardened my heart and I cannot soften it I have weakened every grace and I cannot quicken any one again yet O Lord thou canst do all this thou canst convince and humble and turn and raise and renew I bring my heart to thee do with me what seemes good in thine eyes only take not thy Spirit from me by thy Spirit breathe some life into this dead heart I have lived a presumptuous sinner yet O Lord let me not dye an hardened and impenitent and unbelieving sinner Fifthly If after all this nothing appears of change in thy hard heart then set Set some time apart for fasting and prayer somesolemn time apart for fasting and prayer to humble thy soule and to seek the face of God And indeed this is convenient and necessary in this case for extraordinary sinnings do require extraordinary humiliations and God gives in and comes unto us upon such extraordinary seeking when he holds off upon ordinary and common addresses The Word of God tells us so much and experience seals and bears witness thereunto And therefore let nothing hinder or divert thee from this work not that this kind of service hath any kind of merit in it but that 1. God expects it if we would have peace after great sinnings And 2ly it shews how much the heart is displeased with itself and truly longs to be raised and reconciled And 3ly God is usually found in this way and returns again and shews compassion and forgives sins and subdues iniquities And withall remember three things about this work 1. Be not discouraged though at the beginning thou findest thy heart very hardened and dull and straitned yet still hold on and before the end of it thou shalt find it altered into some mournings and meltings and hopes of mercy and gracious answers 2. Fasten all thy hopes on the Lord Jesus pray and ask in his Name and trust in his Name for thy pardon and for thy recovery and resolve plainly to wait and hearken what the Lord in his time will speak to thee and do for thee 3. Apply those promises which do especially respect thy â—ad condition What are those will you say They are 1. the promise of softening a hard heart 2ly The promises of healing a back-sliding heart 3ly The promises of pardoning great transgressions you have them all expressed in the Word Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the heart of stone and will give them an heart of flesh Hose 14. 4. Isa 1. 18. I will heal their back slidings Though your sins be as scarlet I will make them as white as snow EZEK 36. 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean c. YOU have heard already from this Verse two things One was the Quality of the mercy promised by God unto his people and that was the forgiveness of their sins The other was the Quantity of that promised mercy respecting partly the multitude of their sins and partly the magnitude of their sins From all your filthiness and from all you Idols will I cleanse you Now there remaines yet a little more which God doth promise about the forgiveness of the sins of his people and that is expressed in the words which I have read unto you I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Object For it might be objected How it is possible that our sins which are so many and which are so great should be forgiven us what can be found to appease Gods justice for them and to take them away so that they shall never be imputed unto us and how may we be assured or ascertained concerning this Sol. The Answer is made in the Text I will sprinkle clean water upon you and What is meant by sprinkling clean water upon them The blood of Christ The particular application of his blood you shall be cleaâ—â—â— by which expression two things are meant 1. The blood of Christ which is the effectually meritorious reason of the forgiveness of the most and of the greatest of the sins of the people of God 2. The particular application of the blood of Christ unto them with an assurance that it was shed for their sins Both these doth the sprinkling of clean water import You read in
gave himself for me said Paul Gal. 2. 20. 2. Another is evidence of the propriety a knowledge that Christ is mine and that he washed my soul from my sins in his own blood without these what joy and comfort can there be Rom. 15. 13. The God of peace fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost A good prayer for believers for joy for peace for hope yea and God hath promised every one of these unto them and therefore he applies unto them the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and assures them of the same Rom. 5. 11. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement Thirdly God will be praised and blessed by his people for Christ and for all the God will be praised for Chrâ—st blessings accruing unto them by Christ and his servants do bless him for them Ephes 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Psal 103. 2. Blesse the Lord O my soul ver 3. which forgiveth thy iniquities But unless the Lord did impute the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and did give them some assurance thereof how could they praise and bless him 3. Quest. I now come to the last Question viz. Why the Lord himself doth Why the Lord himself doth undertake it undertake to impute the blood of Christ unto his people for the forgiveness of their sins and to assure them thereof I will sprinkle Sol. There may be these Reasons given for it First The difficulty nay the impossibility of this work unless the Lord himself undertake it There are three things which you can never attain unless the Lord The difficulty of the work himself doth undertake for them 1. To forsake your sinnes Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned 2. To believe in Christ Ephes 1. 19. 3. To gain assurance that Christ is yours and that God hath for Christs sake forgiven you your sins As Christ spake to Peter when he confessed his Diety Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven So say I about the particular application and assurance of your forgiveness of sins it must be God himself by his spirit which must raise us to that and make us to know that Take me a person rightly sensible of his sins although he be converted although he hath faith although he studies the promises although he hath all the grounds made clear unto him upon which he may conclude that God hath forgiven him although others can evidently discern his particular interest and propriety yet unless the Lord himself let in a special light by his Spirit to make him to see the special love of God towards him in this he cannot see it so as to be assured thereof Therefore you find in experience that this assurance is one of the longest and last and most questioned works in the soul The glory that comes to God by it Secondly The glory which God doth reserve unto himself of all the effects of his Covenant he will be known to be the Cause and Author of them all he will be acknowledged to be the God of grace and the Father of mercies and the God of love and the God of comfort and the God of joy and the God of peace I the Lord create peace the fruit of the lips peace Isa 57. 19. As none in the world can give trouble but God so none can give peace but God Job 34. 29. None can cast down the heart but he and none can raise the heart but he none can make sin known to the Conscience but he and none can make mercy known to the conscience but he All the Covenant-gifts come from him and all the knowledge and assurance that we have of those very Covenant-gifts come from him all the promises are of him and all the evidences of our propriety in them are from him in his light we see light our graces our abilities our comforts our assurances are from him Thirdly That the effect might he certain unto his people O what great things doth God promise unto his and for which he alone undertakes And if he That the effect might be certain did not so his people could never enjoy them Neither grace nor comfort c. If the Lord himself did not work the grace in our hearts which he promiseth whose soul should ever partake of it And if the Lord did not bring in that comfortable assurance of his forgiving mercy who should ever taste the sweetness of it Object Why will you say what doth hinder it what doth stand in the way but that we way enjoy it though God appears not to our help for it Sol. I will tell you what doth hinder and what will hinder unless the Lord himself remove them 1. Your own unbelief of heart doth and will hinder with such continual fears and doubts and exceptions and reasonings that unless the Lord himself doth silence that unbelief it will never be assured nor will your hearts be quieted with assurance 2. Satan will and doth hinder it by his many and subtile and strong suggestions and puzlings of your weak faith that none but the Spirit of God can answer them and settle your hearts with perswasion and assurance But now because God himself undertakes to sprinkle clean water upon them they shall be sprinkled if he will make Christ thine and forgive thy sinnes for Christs sake and make this known to them they shall certainly enjoy all for who is too strong for God who can resist his will he is too hard for our unbelieving hearts and Satan If he saith to the heart be of good comfort be at peace and it shall be so 1. Vse Doth God himself promise and undertake to sprinkle clean water upon his people so to apply unto them the blood of Christ as that every one of them shall have forgiveness and assurance of forgiveness by it Then in the first place let this serve to stir up the hearts of all the people of God Not to be sluggish or rest contented without this but to give all diligence Rest not contented without this untill they do attain the knowledge and certain evidence or assurance that their sins are forgiven to them in particular for Christs sake You have attained to much already but strive also for this The Reason why I would press this duty upon you are these 1. Many of the people of God are not yet come unto this sprinkling of assurance Reasons of it 2. Many of them are too remisse and negligent about the attaining of it 3. By reason of the want of it they are in a very uncomfotable condition 4. There is a possibility to compasse this assurance 5. The
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 th◠Word and comforts it by the Word and strengthens it by the Word 〈◊〉 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
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 â—â—â—â—â—ification 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
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
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 gâ—eatest 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 â—ffect 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
for ye are bought with a price 1 Cor. 19. 20. 2. Of all the Services of the Elect He hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness Luk. 1. 74 75. He 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. 14. 3. Of all Graces for the Elect the donation of the Spirit as to all the effects of grace is the fruit of his death and purchase not only eternal glory but renewing grace is purchased by Jesus Christ Thirdly The Lord doth put several duties and services upon his people which God hath several services for his people are impossible for them to perform unless he did give them a new heart an heart changed and renewed by grace They must deny themselves they must love the Lord their God with all their soul and all their might They must hate every evil way They must walk uprightly They must be contented in all conditions They must resist temptations and wrestle against principalities and against Rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in high places They must overcome evil with good They must love their enemies bless them that curse them and do good to them that hate them They must be ready to do every good work They must take up the Cross and suffer reproaches and losses they must persevere to the end It is impossible for a natural heart to perform these Is there not then a necessity of renewing grace to enable the heart for these Fourthly Again The people in Covenant they have a new and choice relation They have a new relation and must have natures sutable to it No people have such a relation as they and unless they were renewed by grace they could never hold that relation God is their God and their Father and they are his children they are his sons and daughters 2 Cor. 2. 18. I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty and Ver. 16. Ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people this is their relation but then mark what he infers from this in Ver. 17. Wherefore come from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you q. d. Holiness is necessary for this relation you must be separate you must be renewed you must have no communion with sin you must be another kind of people you cannot hold communion with me nor will I own you for my people and children if you do so c. And Christ is their head and they are his body this is another relation Colos 1. 18. He is the head of the body the Church Now is Christ the head of profane and ungodly men Is he the head of the dead or of the living Do not the head and the body agree in the same kind of nature and life Are not they who are joyned to the Lord one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. Certainly as all who come from the first Adam do bear his image so all who are of the second Adam do bear his image Ergo. They must be a redeemed and sanctified people Fifthly I will adde one reason more why God will give unto all his people The congruity of it as to their Conversation a new heart and it is this The congruity of it for that conversation which they are to have amongst men both good and bad First For good men they are to have society and communion with them With good men in all holy things and in all holy duties their hearts should be knit unto them in love their delight should be in them as in the excellent of the earth and you know the mutual comfortings and edifyings and strengthnings and spiritual supportings which believers should be to one another But this requires a new heart untill that be given there can never be that love that delight c. Secondly For wicked men the people of God are to shine amongst them as With wicked men lights Phil. 2. 15. and to win them by their godly walking at least to stop their mouths and make them ashamed that falsly accuse their good Conversation in Christ they are to convince them and reprove them c. But all these things would fail they could not be if God did not renue and change the heart of his people by grace c. SECT II. Vse 1. Doth God promise to give unto all his people a new heart and a new Then many are not Gods people they have their old hearts still spirit here it follows that many people are not the people of God in Covenant because they have not a new heart given unto them but they have still their old hearts and old spirits their old corrupt lusts which they obey and serve and which they will hold fast and will not forsake For the managing of this Use I will briefly shew you two things 1. The infallible Characters of an old and unclean heart 2. The woful miseries of people still retaining those old hearts 1. The Characters of an old or unrenewed heart Characters of an old heart The Scripture gives us five Characters of an old heart i. e. of an heart never yet changed or renewed by grace First Ignorance generally the sinful estate is set out by ignorance 1 Pet. 1. 14. Not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance Ignorance Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Acts 17. 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at There are three things of which if a man be ignorant he is unquestionably in an old sinful estate 1. Himself if he knows not what a wicked wretched vile and miserable heart is within him and how accursed he is by reason of it 2. Jesus Christ and the mystery of salvation in and by Christ 3. The excellency and necessity of the new creature of Regeneration and renewing grace this man is still in his sins he is in the gall of bitterness he is dead c. The first work of the Spirit is to open the eyes and to turn men from darkness to light Acts 26. 18. And to give knowledge of salvation Luk. 1. 77. To enlighten the understanding Eph 1. 18. There begins the first change and dawning of Christ and grace therefore if that be not done the old heart remains Secondly Carnal security and quietness a perpetual silence and rest Luk. Carnal security 11. 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his Palace his goods are in peace where sin reigneth and still keeps possâ—ssion all is quâ—et the man feels not his burden nor wounds not wants nor
an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our Conversation in the world 8. Vnbelief discontentment impatience discord and variance these are other principles of the old heart but when the Lord gives a new heart then he works in us contrary principles unto these viz. faith Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given to believe Repentance Acts 11. 18. God hath granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life Contentment Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Patience 1 Cor. 4. 12. Being reviled we bless being persecuted we suffer it Love 1 Thes 4. 9. Ye are taught of God to love one another I could name many more such heavenly principles and qualities contrary to the old sinful principles and qualities which are certainly found though not in the same measure or degree yet in truâ—h in every man whom the Lord doth give a new heart Fifthly Whensoever the Lord gives a man a new heart there is presently a new A new combate and conflict combate and conflict Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusheth against the Spirit and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh and they are contrary the one to the other c. Rom. 7. 23. But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind The flesh which is our corrupt heart or nature the old man the Law in our members and the Spirit which is our new heart or renewed nature the new man the Law of our mind these are both in the same regenerate person and they are dispersed over every faculty of the soul and they are contrary the one to the other and do warre one against another and that war is from the first moment that renewing grace enters into the heart to the last moment that the soule leaves the body Object Now here it may be objected that this cannot be a true and real sign of newness of heart because in a natural and unregenerate man there is many times a combate and conflict between their judgement and their affections and between their conscience and their temptations unto sin Sol. That there are such combates and conflicts in unregenerate men I grant Differences betwixt the conflicts in a regenerate and unregenerate man In their Principles but then they are of another nature different from those in a renewed or regenerate person First In their Principles The conflict in the one ariseth from servile fear the conflict in the other ariseth from spiritual hatred A natural Conscience may see the danger of sinning and thereupon oppose the affections inclining to sin but a renewed heart sees the baseness of sin and thereupon inclines the heart to hate it As sin a coal of fire there is the fire which burneth and there is the coal which defileth so in sin there is considerable the wrath unto which it doth expose and the filthiness whereby it doth pollute the soul The fear of burning wrath this makes the unregenerate conscience to hold off and to argue against the temptations to sin but it is the defilement and pollution by sin which makes the renewed heart to abhor and contest with it Not only or principally the evil by sin but the evil of sin which is so extreamly contrary to God in his Nature and Will and Glory which we entirely love c. In the Seat Secondly In the Seate and place of combate Simile The combate in unregenerate men is like that between Souldiers in several Forts and that in renewed persons is like the fight of Souldiers in the same Fort where every ones sword is against every one The conflict or combate in the unregenerate is only 'twixt one faculty and another distinct faculty the affections go one way and the judgement and conscience another way But when a mans heart is renewed by grace there now ariseth a war and combate within every faculty The judgment is divided against the judgment and the will is divided against the will and the affection against the affection The reason whereof is this because there is flesh and Spirit sin and grace co-existent and co-habiting in every faculty of the soul sin is not driven up to one faculty whilst grace possesseth the other faculties but renewing grace is in every faculty and remaining corruption is also in every faculty Simile Like Jacob and Esau strugling in the same womb or like heat and cold in the same water and in every part of it Thirdly In the Extent of the combate that in unregenerate persons is only with some gross scandalous and infamous sins but for secret sins or other In the Exteâ—t sins which the world applauds these are still favoured and harboured the natural man can go no farther than his light which in him cannot make a clear and full discovery of sins nor will he quarrel with his sins further than he needs must to save his ease in Conscience and credit with men But when the heart is renewed by grace there the combate is against all known sin the reason whereof is this because the ground of opposition is not accidental and particular but natural and universal the newness of the heart is not an humour but a contrary nature to that of sin and therefore the heat doth conflict with all that is cold because it is naturally contrary unto it so doth renewing grace combate with all sin because it is a nature contrary to sin as sin not as little or great secret or open c. but as sin 4. In the event In regenerate men the issue of the conflict is either a plain giving up to the will of lust in the affections the man being tyred and In the event vexed with the violent sollicitations of them as Sampson was with Dalilahs importunities or in case that natural conscience doth prevail it is not to the mortifying of any sin but only to a temporary repressing and restraining of sin but the combate ends otherwise where the heart is renewed by grace for it makes a more constant and resolute resistance and at the last though perhaps after some foiles it gets the victory over sin and wins the field Thus you see that the new spiritual combate or conflict is a true character of a heart indeed renewed by grace It is not a sign of true grace that a man hath no sin but that his heart is conflicting with all sin Sixthly Whensoever a new heart is given by God unto any person then are New abilities there given new abilities unto that person Beloved two things I take for granted 1. That renewing grace is in itself a very powerful quality There is a Spirit of power and might in it and going along with it if it were not so it could never change the heart of a sinner nor unthrown sin nor maintain conflict with all the powers
ways of worldly advancements and advantages But the rule which a renewed heart sets up to guide and prescribe him is none other but that which God himself sets up for his people to walk by and that is his written Word Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Ver. 133. Order my steps in thy Word This rule he sets up for all matters of faith and for all matters of fact this I must believe because God reveals it and commands me to believe it this I receive for truth because God delivers it for truth and that I reject as erroneous because the Word of God condemns it as contrary to the truth And this work I do and that way I walk in because God sets it out in his Word for me and that I do not do and so and so I dare not walk for I have no Word of God for it nay the Word of God is against it why mans heart is right indeed it is renewed by grace but if a man will walk contrary to this rule if he will not speak and live according to this Word it is because there is no light in him Isa 8. 20. SECT V. Vse 4. DOth God promise to give unto all his people in Covenant with him a new heart and a new spirit then there is comfort and joy to Comfort to those that have a new heart all those who finde the new heart given unto them it is true that when the Lord doth renew the heart of any by his grace and separate them from the world unto himself that 1. They shall meet with many troubles and scoffs and reproaches and persecutions from the world All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions 2 Tim. 3. 2. They shall meet with many temptations and oppositions from Satan if he cannot hinder grace and conquer grace yet he will molest and disquiet grace 3. They shall meet with many conflicts and warrings within their own hearts and with many weaknesses and failings and tryals nevertheless their condition is a very happy and comfortable condition and there are eight Eight comforts proper to them choice comforts which are proper to every renewed person and which may cheer up his heart all his days v. g. 1. Newness of heart is a sure and infallible testimony of the best and of the greatest matters which can concern the soul 2. This newness of heart is an unquestionable effect of our union with Christ 3. It is the noblest and highest elevation of the soul here on earth and the clear evidence of the presence of the Spirit of Christ 4. It enables you for all heavenly communion and serviceableness to Divine glory 5. God will own and accept of it and the fruits of it though but little and weak 6. He will strengthen and uphold and perfect it unto the day of Christ 7. He will poure upon every person who enjoys it all necessary blessings for this life and will take special notice of him and care for him in the days of adversity 8. Renewing grace shall without all doubt bring us at the last to eternal happiness First Newness of heart is a sure and infallible testimony of the best and of It is a clear testimony of the greatest matters which can concern the soul the greatest matters which can concern the soul There are six things which do concern the soul as nearly I think as any can and of every one of them is renewing grace a sure testimony 1. The love of God 2. The election of God 3. A relation to God 4. A change from death to life 5. The pardon of sin 6. The hope of glory 1. Of the love of God that the Lord doth indeed set his special love A testimony of the love of God his very heart upon a person 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God Psal 146. 8. The Lord loveth the righteous for any to be made the sons of God this is an effect or fruit of the love of God now all the sons of God are new born they are born again of the Spirit Joh. 3. 5. Ephes 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us Ver. 5. even when we were dead in sins and trespasses hath quicked us together with Christ As it is one of the greatest testimonies of Gods hatred and wrath for any to be left to his old sinful heart and lusts and ways so it is one of the greatest testimonies of Gods love when he pities them in their sinful condition and delivers them out of it and gives his Spirit to enliven and renew them by grace 2. Of the Election of God for this see two places 1 Thes 1. 4. Knowing Of election Brethren Beloved your Election of God Ver. 5. For our Gospel came unto you not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him that we should be holy Holiness or renewing grace it is as one speaketh the counterpane of Gods decree of Election God by his own eternal prescience knows whom he intends for salvation and we by that work of renewing grace in our hearts come to know that eternal purpose of his grace concerning us it being given unto us an effect flowing from his Election and in order unto that happiness unto which he hath chosen us 3. Of our Relation to God as our God and our Father as none but his Of our relation to God people and children are holy so all his people and his children are holy Isa 63. 18. The people of thy holiness they are 1 Pet. 2. 9. an holy Nation and a peculiar people 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate and touch no unclean thing Ver. 18. And I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 4. Of our translation from life to death See Isa 4. 3. He that is left in Of our translation from death to life Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem 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 Luk. 15. 32. This my son was dead and is alive again Rom 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God Renewing grace is one of the strictest differences between men of death and men of life not any man hath it but he who is made alive by Christ and is in the state of life no profane person hath it nor doth any hypocrite partake of it 5. Of the pardon of our sins if any
heart then remember these five Cautions First Beware of a self-deceiving opinion that you have it already and that you Beware of a self-deceiving opinion that you have it for your part stand not under the want and need of it This is that which undoth many hearers when we press Christ and faith upon them O they have believed on him And when we press repentance why they need no repentance they have repented long ago and when we tell them they must be converted they must be new creatures they must get new hearts O they need them not their hearts are as good as the best and they have very good natures and dispositions With this the Pharisees deceived themselves they were righteous and needed no repentance and so they rejected Christ and with this Laodicea deceived her self She was rich and increased and stood in need of nothing and yet she was blind and wretched and naked and poor Secondly Beware that you hearken not to the exceptions and prejudices of your Of hearkning to the prejudices of your old hearts old and corrupt hearts which are blind and cannot see the excellency of renewing grace and which also are averse and have a natural antipathy unto it You would not imagine untill you come to the trial what exceptions and oppositions there are in our hearts against their Conversion and Renovation Sometimes we look on it as a melancholly and troubling humour sometimes we look on it as a needless and vain preciseness sometimes we look on it as a proud and unsociable quality sometimes we look on it as too low and mean a state and practice for persons of our greatness sometimes we look on it as that which will expose us to the contempts and scoffs and reproaches of men sometimes we look on it as the grave of all our delights and profits sometimes we look on it as a business utterly impossible for any man on earth Now if any of these prejudices or if any other besides these prevail with us we will then sit quiet and contented with our old heart and will never be perswaded to look out for new hearts therefore beseech the Lord to deliver you from the lying vanities and prejudices of the old heart Thirdly Beware of consulting with worldly men or setting up the favours Of consulting with worldly men or frowns of them O if I should become a new man and lead a new life if I should regard holiness and life godly I should lose favour and hopes how would my Parents look on me what would my friends and acquaintance think of me what opposition would befall me how would men scoff and jear at me and what reports and reproaches would they raise of me let me tell thee plainly and faithfully that if the Lord doth not in much mercy mortifie and subdue this weakness that I say not wickedness of spirit in thee that thou art contented rather to enjoy thy old heart and courses with the applauses of the world than to yeild in thy heart to Christ and be willing and resolute to get thy heart renewed by the Spirit of grace although for this thou mayest meet with all sorts of afflictions and reproaches from the world thy poor soul will be for ever lost First Beware that you rest not on your own strength and sufficiency to renew or Of resting in your own strength change your hearts if you do two fruits there will be of it 1. You will either not seek to the Lord at all or if you do you will then seek him in a careless and unbelieving way 2. Another is you will but labour in vain you will never be successfull for you have no strength and sufficiency of your own Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. And it is God saith the Apostle that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure Fifthly Beware that you neither delay nor dally in using the means Of delaying and dallying in the use of means to get this new heart Do not say to morrow the next year when I am sick when I am old these may be too late and these may provoke the Lord to turn away his mercy and to deny his Spirit because you put him off he may therefore justly put you off Neither dally in the use of means one while attending another while neglecting one while being fervent and another while being remisse one week going forward and then for a year to fall backward but resolve to seek this new heart with all your heart and with all your pains following on and pressing forward and running till you enjoy this new heart which God hath promised to give unto them that seek it 3ly The wayes or meanes to get a new heart First Strive to be willing that God should make your hearts new that he The wayes to get a new heart should change and renew them by grace Pars est sanitatis velle sanari Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem wilt thou be made clean Joh. 5. 6. Jesus said unto him Be willing wilt thou be made whole O that we could get thus farre O Lord I am weary of my old sinful heart I am willing that thou shouldest heal it and reform it If the unclean person were willing that God should cleanse him from his filthiness and the proud person were willing that God should make him humble this would be a fair step to newness of heart Secondly Expresse this willingness in earnest Prayers to God who only is Express this willingness in earnest Prayer able to give a new heart Jer. 17. 14. Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed save me O Lord and I shall be saved Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me And let your Prayers have three Ingredients or Concomitants 1. Sincerity let them come from your very hearts let them be the desires of your souls My soule follows hard after thee Psal 63. 8. With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Isa 26. 9. That the Lord may see that in very deed you would have your hearts changed and nothing will satisfie you till he grant you that request 2. Faith give up your earnest request for this in Faith 1. Of Credence that he can give it 2. Of Reliance that for his Christs sake and for his promise sake he will do it Lord It is thy promise to give a new heart and all thy promises in Christ are Yea and Amen none doth need the new heart more than I do and none can give that heart but thy self and thou hast promised to give it unto them that ask I come unto thee in the Name of Christ and do beseech thee for his sake to answer me according to thy Word thou art able and faithful thou wilt give what thou promisest to give to them
that seek thee I believe all this Lord help my unbelief c. 3. Perseverance hold on this request and against all the rebellious workings of your old heart and against all the fears and disputes and discouragements of your old hearts yet lift up one Prayer more and one Prayer more you shall certainly prevail if you can persevere in Prayer There are three Requests which a poor broken-heart is sure to speed in if he will pray alwayes and not faint One is for a Christ and another is for pardoning mercy and a third is for a new heart Thirdly Diligently and patienly attend the Word by which God converts Attend the Word and changeth and renews the heart Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting souls Jam. 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth Ephes 5. 26. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word How many old sinful hearts hath God convinced and converted by his Word that have come unto it with ignorance and been sent from it with knowledge that have come to it with hardness and have been sent from it with tenderness that have come to it with pride and have been sent from it with humility that have come to it with all manner of profaneness and have been sent from it with all manner of holiness with the Love of God and fear of God and hatred of sin and real purpose to walk with God in newness of obedience O therefore attend the Word of the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation and therefore the power of God to Renovation c. Fourthly Lastly beseech the Lord to give you the uniting faith that faith which will unite your hearts to Jesus Christ which will effectually bring you into Begge uniting Faith relation with him as Members of the Body of which he is the head as Branches of himself the true Vine Object Why what will this do may some of you say Sol. I will tell you what it will do it will infallibly bring in renewing grace to your hearts You can never be changed and renewed Creatures unless you be in Christ 2 Cor 5. 17. For our spiritual life is in and from him he is the Authour of life unto us as Adam was the authour of death unto us And he was anointed with the Spirit that we from him might be Anointed with the Spirit And if once you be united by Faith unto him you partake of his Spirit to sanctifie and renew and conform you unto himself He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. EZEK 36. 26. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh THese words are yet a further Declaration of the gracious will and intention of God towards the people of his Covenant Two things already hath God promised unto them one was to justifie them to pardon all their sins another was to sanctifie them to renew all their hearts And there are two more choice mercies and blessings which he doth graciously undertake to bestow upon them First One is to take away the stony heart out of their flesh Secondly The other is to give them an heart of flesh O what a mercy is it to be rid of the stone in the body which puts us to such exquisite pain and torment your mercy is infinitely greater to be delivered from the stone in the heart which is the depth of sin and the height of judgement There are three Propositions which these words do hold forth unto us viz. First There is a stony heart or an heart of stone in every man Secondly That God will take away the stony heart from his people Thirdly He will not only take away from them the heart of stone but he will also give them an heart of flesh CHAP. IX A heart of stone in every man Doctr. 1. THat there is a stony heart in every man I will take away the There is a stony heart in every man stony heart out of your flesh there it was else it could not be taken away the natural heart is a stony heart not Physically so as if it were so indeed but Metaphoriaclly so it is like the stone it is a hard heart spiritually hard that is meant by the stony heart Zach. 7. 12. They have made their hearts as an Adamant stone Isa 48. 4. Thy neck is an iron sinew and thy brow brass q. d. Thy heart is exceeding hard like Iron which will not bow and like brass which will not change both which are explained in the first words of the verse Thou art obstinate For the opening of this Point I will shew unto you 1. Why the hard heart which is in every man is called a stony heart 2. What stonyness or hardness of heart is to be found in man 3. Several Demonstrations or Convictions that the heart of every man naturally is a hard or stony heart SECT I. Quest 1. VVHY is the hard heart called a stony heart Why called a stony heart It is so called for the resemblance which it hath with a stone and in five particulars 1. Unsensibleness 2. Unflexibleness 3. Resistingness 4. Heaviness 5. Unfruitfulness First Because it is an unsensible heart What sense is there in a Rock in a An unsensible heart Stone in the Adamant in Ephes 4. 18 19. hardened sinners are said to be past feeling and that expression past feeling seems to be taken from the hands of labouring men which are so thickned and hardned by pains that they can grasp nettles and thorns and yet not feel the sharpness nor sting the natural heart is in this respect a stony heart i. e. unsensible Though he hath as many sins upon the soul which makes the very Creation to groan and to travail in pain Rom. 8. 22. yet he neither complains nor feels he goes on fâ—om day to day and adds drunkenness to thirst and drinks up iniquity as water yet he saith What evil have I done and there is no iniquity in my doings though the judgements of God be very near him and the tokens do abundantly appear yet like Ephraim when gray hairs were here and there upon him he perceived them not Hosea 7. 9. Yea though the anger of the Lord be poured upon him and sets him on fire round about yet he knows it not nay though it burn him yet he lays it not to heart Isa 42. 25. Such a gross stupidity is there in the natural and stony heart What one spake of himself in an humble way Erubescenda video nec erubesco dolenda intueor nec doleo peccata inspicio Bern. in Med. cap. 12. p. 1200. nec geno This and much more may be said of him that hath the hard and stony heart he blushes not he grieves not he sighs not for his sins nay he rejoyceth and boasteth and makes
of Christ hardness and unbelief ever go together the same word which we render hardness doth signifie unbelief many times and the same word which we render unbelief sometimes signifies hardness but certainly hardness of heart keeps you from Christ for it keeps you from the sense of your sins and seeing a need of Christ and it keeps up a rebellious â—â—â— unyielding and unsubjection to the voice of Christ Hebr. 3. 7. Therefore saith the Holy Ghost To day if ye will hear his voice Ver. 8. Harden not your hearts 2. You lose the benefit of pardoning mercy for hardness of heart and impenitency go together Rom. 2. 5. After thy hardness and impenitent heart an hardned sinner is an impenitent sinner and neither the one nor the other remaining so shall have mercy Prov. 28. 13. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Ver. 14. But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief 3. You lose the hope of heaven Read the Apostle Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath unto thy self against the day of wrath 4. You lose the benefit of all the Ordinances of Christ all of them are in vain unto you the Word of the Gospel cannot profit you and the Seals of the Gospel cannot comfort you nay you will pervert the one and abuse the other and will gâ—ow more wicked and more hardened after them as the Clay by the shining of the Sun c. 5 You will lose the benefit of all the Providences of God if the Lord shines upon you with outward prosperity you will sin the more by how much the more he blesses you and if the Lord visits you with afflictions the more he strikes you and smites you the more stubbornly and frowardly will you go on in your sinful ways 6. You will lose all the benefit of the workings of the Spirit of God whom by the hardness of your hearts you do resist and despite and grieve and quench Thirdly Consider the sad effects and fruits of an hard and hardening heart The effects and fruits of a hard heart 1. You grieve the Lord by it exceedingly and cause him to complain of you bitterly Psal 95 10 speaking of the hardened Israelites Ver 8. he saith Forty years long was I grieved with this generation Mark 3. 5. Christ was grieved at the hardness of their hearts As a father grieves at the continued course of wickedness in his child Alas all my counsels and corrections are lost they do no good c. 2. You provoke the Lord by it the day of hardening the heart is the day of provocation Hebr. 3. 15. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation you do incense him to wrath against your own souls Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly 3. You will cause him to leave you and forsake you and to give you up to your selves Psal 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me Ver. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsel What a sin is it for a sinner to forsake God what a judgement is it for God to forsake a sinner Woe unto them when I depart from them Hosea 9. 12. Simile It is worse than if the Pilot forsakes the Ship or if the Sun forsakes the world c. 4. You will cause him to punish you the hard heart is like the barren ground which is near to the curse Hebr. 6. 8. Now you shall finde three sorts of punishments which God hath inflicted upon hard hearts First Corporal Pharaoh hardned his heart and he was drowned Exod. 15. 17. The Jews hardned their hearts and they were carried away captive 2 Chron. 36. 16. Nebuchadnezzar hardned his heart and he was driven out amongst the beasts of the Field Dan. 4. 33. with 5. 20. Jerusalem hardned her heart against Jesus Christ and is a desolation to this day Secondly Spiritual God gives up the hard heart to a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 28. To vile affections and unnatural lusts Rom. 1. 26. To the efficacy of Satans temptations 2 Thes 2. 11. To delusions to belief of lyes and frequently to final impenitency Thirdly Eternal 2 Thes 1. 8. The Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel Ver. 9. And to punish them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power so true is that of Solomon Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy 2ly The means to cure the hardness of heart Means to cure a hard heart Concerning this there are three questions unto which I desire to speak 1. Whether stonyness or hardness of heart be a curable disease or no 2. If any hardness of heart be curable then What is the way of the cure of it 3. How one may know that he is cured of the hardness or stonyness of his heart Quest 1. Whether stonyness or hardness of heart be a curable disease yea or no Whether it be curable Three sorts of hardned sinners Some hardned sinners reject the means Sol. For answer unto this know that there are three sorts of hardened sinners First Some are so hardened in their heart and ways that they are obstinately resolved to walk in them and are likewise desperately set against all counsel and reproof they do not only decline and disregard them but also do make a mock and scorn of them they stop the ear and with-draw the shoulder and refuse to hearken and the Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them they hold fast their iniquities and refuse to return and the more they are spoken unto the more are their hearts enraged We may say of this voluntary and malicious hardness of heart what the Prophet spake thy Wound is incurable And there are five things which declare it to be so 1. Such persons will put and keep themselves out of all ways of cure how then can the Patient be cured they will not come in publick to hear the Word and they will not in private call upon God they forsake the Lord. 2. They do not only forsake the means of cure but also do reject and despise them the words and ways of God are abomination unto their souls 3. They do continually strengthen themselves in the hardness of their hearts by adding drunkenness to thirst and iniquity unto iniquity and by a wilful progress in sinning they do make their hearts more uncapable and more untractable and more averse 4. They do not only quench the Spirit of God in all his motions so that he will no longer strive with them but also they do by their daring presumptions extinguish also all the light and power of conscience in them so that conscience is stupified and seared 5. They are rejected of God and judicially given up to their
and unworthy of any mercy Lord be merciful to me a sinner Thirdly When hardness of heart is cured or curing then conscience recovers Conscience recovers it seâ—â— in all its offices it self in all its offices and operations it was 1. Asleep before but now it is awakened it was 2. Dead before but now it is alive it was 3. Silent before but now it speaks and now it shews it self with wonderful authority and power First Now it is an Accuser These have been your sins Secondly Now it is a witness in testifying against thee that thou wast guilty at such a time and in such a place and in such company Thirdly Now it is a Judge and condemns the sinner Wrath belongs to thee fâ—om which thou shalt never escape unless thou get into Christ Fourthly And now it wounds and troubles the sinner for what he hath done thou didst withstand such means of grace and thou didst resist such strivings of Gods Spirit and thou didst scorn and mock at the Word of God and thou didst hate instruction and reproof and thou didst therefore harden thy heart and wouldst commit such and such sins because thy sins were discovered and reproved c. Fourthly When hardness of heart is cured or curing then the sinner will not The sinner will make out for counsel rest in the sense of his miserable condition but out he goes for counsel to this Minister and that Minister and there he cries out with tears O Sirs what shall I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. I have slighted God and I have despised you and mock't at your counsel the good Lord forgive it me I now see what I saw not before and my heart is over-whelmed within me I know not what to do what way to take for the Lords sake shew me the way of life and mercy and peace Fifthly When hardness of heart is cured or curing then there is a special teachableness He is become teachable and tractableness fallen into the heart of a sinner the man can now hear reason and he is content to receive the Law from the mouth of God his slighting mocking despising spirit is departed from him and now it is Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. and now it is Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk Psal 143. 8. Whiles hardness prevails upon the heart no word of mercy no work of affliction no command of God no counsel of man can do any thing but the sinner will hold on in his sinful way come of it what will but when hardness is off then the heart becomes like a tender branch you may bend it which way you will or like the soft wax which presently receives the impression Speak but one word Take heed do not such a thing it is evil the heart presently flies off Have a care do such a work the Lord requires it at your hands presently the heart yields it stands in awe of the Word Sixthly When hardness of heart is cured or curing then all the dealings The dealings of God will work kindly of God will work kindly and effectually upon thee When thou hearest the threatnings of God thy heart will tremble and melt as Josias did when thou seest the judgement of God thy heart will lament and mourn as Davids did when the Lord meets thee in a way of affliction thy heart will humble it self and bow before the Lord when the Lord shews thee any mercy and blessings thy heart will receive them with tears O how good is God to me a sinner when the Lord reveals himself in his Covenant and Promise and sets out himself in the exceeding riches of his grace and love and mercy why thy bowels are stirred within thee and tears do trickle down thine eyes and longings rise up in thy heart O Lord that thou wouldst be my portion Seventhly When hardness of heart is cured or curing then the sinner He will never be quiet till he have Christ will never be quiet untill he hath Christ and untill he can see God to be at peace with him and reconciled in Christ There is no hoâ— with a broken and tender heart without a Christ and without a reconciled God Lord give me Christ and Lord take away iniquity and Lord receive me graciously O he is now sensible what a sinner he hath been and what injuries God hath received from him and what God may do against him and what need he hath of a Christ to make peace for him and therefore his soul is impatient and strives and wrestles for Christ and the distressed man indeed is become willing to part with all so that he may have his part in Christ and Gods reconciled favour Eighthly What shall I say more when hardness of heart is cured or curing He hath a singular aptitude to prayer the sinner will find a singular aptitude to prayer and his great delight will be to be with God unto whom he can now open himself with enlarged confessions and with floods of tears and grief even for an heart to be given unto him to mourn and bewail his sins and to obey c. and that he would never suffer his heart to harden it self any more Ninthly When hardness of heart is cured or is curing there will be A singular fear to sin then a singular fear to sin against God any more the man would not live and do as formerly for all the world How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. How shall we live in sin any longer Rom. 6. 2. Ezek. 36. 26. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh You have heard something of the first Proposition vâ— That there is a stoninesse or hardnesse of heart in every man naturallyiz I now proceed to the second Proposition which is this CHAP. X. The stony heart taken away 2. Doct. THat God will take away that hardness of heart from his people I God takes away hardness of heart from his people will take away the stony heart out of your flesh you have the same promise in Ezek. 11. 19. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh For the opening of this Point I would speak unto these Particulars 1. The manner how God takes away the hardness of heart from his people 2. Why the Lord will do so 3. How this can be affirmed seeing there doth remain much hardness of heart in the people of God SECT I. Quest 1. THe manner how God takes away the hardnesse of heart from his The meanes how God takes it away peeople Sol. For Answer unto this remember that hardness of heart may be taken away 1. Preparatively 2. Effectually 3. Successively 4. Perfectly and compleatly First The Lord takes away the hardness of heart Preparatively when he lets in such a powerful work of his Spirit by the Law which doth
both convince Preparatively and break the heart of a sinner The Spirit by the Law doth let in the sense of sin and wrath which is irresistible upon the Conscience which is of that authority and force that it rents the heart and fills it with fear and trembling and astonishment This is that which the Schoolmen call Attrition And our Divines usually stile Legal preparation and the Scripture the spirit and bondage whereby all the powers and presumptions and confidences of the soule are shaken and the heart is made so sensible of its transgressions that it quakes and trembles and hath no rest nor peace but is filled with bitterness and terror and cries out with woful complaints I have undone my self I have sinned I have sinned and what will become of me I feel the wrath of God and what shall I do to be delivered I cannot live thus and I dare not dye thus if the Lord shew me not mercy I perish for ever Secondly The Lord takes away the hardness of the heart Effectually and this Effectually he doth when he diâ—solves and melts the stonyness of the heart It is one thing to break a stone into pieces and it is another thing to melt a stone as it were into water Simile The Lord doth by the Law break the stony and stout heart of a sinner but he melts and dissolves the heart by the Gospel and on this wise he doth dissolve and melt it 1. By revealing of mercy and hope of mercy to the broken and distressed sinner thus and thus hast thou â—â—nned against me and now thou seest and findest it to be an evil and bitter thing to slight my Word and resist my Spirit and to harden thy heart thou art now fallen into the hands of the living God and I can make all my wrath to fall on thee and to destroy thee at once for all thy rebellions But I am the Lord merciful and gracious I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn and live Lo I have given mine own Son Jesus Christ to dye for sinners and I have said that whosoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3 16. Therefore go thou broken-hearted sinner go thou unto him and be saved accept of him and thou shalt find mercy to pardon all that is past he is able to save thee to the uttermost and he is a merciful High Priest O how this works on that sinner but is it possible that there should be such a surpassing goodness in God what and to such a proud and stout-hearted sinner as I have been what mercy to one who hath so often slighted mercy and Christ for one who hath so often refused Christ this begins to melt the hard heart of the sinner 2. By the offer of mercy and particular invitation of the broken-hearted sinner to lay hold on it The Lord Jesus comes as it were to the very house of this sinner and knocks at the door and saith Here dwells a broken-hearted sinner and my Father hath sent me to him that I may save his poor soul Come come unto me be not afraid I my self do call thee to come unto me And I do assure thee in the word of a Saviour that I will not reject thee but I will pity and help and refresh thee I will answer for thy sins and I will make thy peace though thou hast been very wicked I will not stand upon that and though thou art utterly unworthy yet I will not stand on that neither only receive me and I will be thine and mercy and salvation shall be thine freely and aâ—suredly 3. By the collation of Faith which makes the sinner willingly and really to close with Christ The Lord by his Spirit doth enable the broken-hearted sinner to receive Jesus Christ and to take livery and seizin of a reconciled merciful loving blessing God in and by him And now the apprehension and possession of all this rich mercy and great love and exceeding goodness of God in Christ melts and dissolves the stonyness of the heart this works in him a tenderness a mournfulness a pliableness and all that is contrary to hardness of heart Thirdly The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people successively Successively or by degrees indeed the dominion of it is taken away in an instant as soon as ever the sinner is brought into Christ as soon as he is called and converted the raigning power of hardness is taken away the man shall never have such a stubborn opposing resisting base heart any longer But yet the grudging of the stone the remaining gravel the reliques of hardness are taken away by degrees the remaining hardnesse the Lord takes away First one while by Afflictions Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Word Secondly Another while by mercies and kindnesses Ezek. 16. 60. I will remember my Covenant with thee in the dayes of thy youth I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant Ver. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed So Hose 3. 5. Afterwards shall the Children return and seek the Lord and shall fear the Lord and his goodness Thirdly Sometimes by his Word and Ordinances which are like Refining fire to melt and purge away our dross How frequently do the people of God find the Word of God to be the power of God to melt away their carelesness and their indisposition of heart and deadness of heart and backwardness and unruliness of heart Fourthly The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people perfectly and compleatly Root and Branch so that no part of it and no degree of it shall Perfectly ever be found in their hearts any more This shall be done in the very moment of death when we come to the dissolution of soul and body we shall then come to the perfect dissolution of all hardness and of all remaining sinfulness of heart Quest 2. Now to the second question why the Lord will take away the stony Why God takes away the stony heart and that by promise The Lord will do it that They may be his people heart from his people and why he himself doth undertake it by promise Sol. The Lord will take away the heart of stone from his people That First They may be his people and receive him for their God and Lord Beloved as long as hardness of heart prevails on any people it is impossible that they should become the people of the Lord they will not hearken to his voice nor obey his voice nor receive his Laws nor fall in with his offers and entreaties but will reject his Word and despise his counsel and will follow the lusts of their own hearts and therefore of necessity the Lord must take away the hardness of heart if he will have any people to be his people he must break down the pride and stoutness and resistance
A marvellous unsensibleness and cannot mourn for our sins 3. No delight in communion with God cannot pray Sol. For your help in these cases know First Melancholy is one thing and hardness of heart is another thing Melancholy breeds an indisposition to all works Religious and Civil unfit to Pray and unfit to Trade But hardness of heart is rather an opposition than an indisposition Melancholy indisposeth for a time for a fit but when that is off the soul is free again Secondly Indisposition from temptation is one thing and from affection is another Temptations may deject the heart and distract it but these are grievous and burdensome to the soul Thirdly Indisposition is absolute no heart at all or comparative not so full free quick and lively as at sometimes Fourthly Constant And transient approved resisted and bewailed And to that of unmournfulness First There is direct grief and there is reflexive grief a mourning because we cannot mourn Secondly There is dolor voluntatis which is displeasing and dolor passionis which is vexing this not alwayes nor always alike Thirdly Though you finde not your hearts so mournful yet you have hearts to beseech the Lord to give a Spirit of mourning Zach. 12. 10. We cannot pray First What not at all never no desires Secondly Not at sometimes with that freedom fulness chearfulness uninterruptedness Thirdly Yet you will pray you will look up Fourthly Three things may comfort and quiet you though you cannot pray with that earnestness and enlargedness yet if you can can pray 1. With a believing heart 2ly With an humble heart in the sense of it 3ly With a sincere heart and desire God will accept you SECT III. Vse 3. DOth the Lord himself undertake to take away the heart of stone from They who partake of this mercy should beware of hardning themselves again his people O then let all such who are the people of God whose hearts God hath cured of this Spiritual disease of hardnesse let them in a special manner beware that they suffer not their hearts to harden themselves again Perhaps this may be a word in season to some of us this day who have lost our former tenderness of heart and do now find a strong obduration upon our spirits and we know not therefore what to think of our selves and conditions With your favour I will speak three things unto this Case 1. The real Symptomes of an heart harding in a godly man 2. The sadness of that condition 3. Directions in this case for recovery I. The real Symptomes of an heart hardning in a godly man Symptomes of it Listlestness to the Ordinances First A listlestnesse of heart to the Ordinances the man hath not that flying spirit unto them Simile flies not as Doves to the windows nor that hungring spirit after them as heretofore he longs not for a Sabbath nor doth his soul complain for his appointed food It is with him as with a man on whom a disease is seasing his stomack begins to fail him and he mindes not his meat as he was wont to do So it is with a good man on whom hardness of heart is seasing the Ordinances are not so precious and dear to him as heretofore he falls in the high estimation of them and in the wonted affectionateness of them and the man can miss many a Sermon quietly and neglect any Ordinance Ah friend remember from whence thou art falling consider whither thou art going Hardness is growing when carelesness is rising c. Secondly A flatness of spirit under the Ordinances The time was that the Flatness of spirit under Ordinances mans heart was to the Word as wax to the seal every part of the world would have wrought and imprinted something on his heart a threatning would have startled him a Precept would have guided him a promise would have revived him there was ordinarily a vigour and warmth falling from the Ordinances upon his heart But now his heart is chill and cold and formal and dead under the means of life he is little or nothing stirred or moved He comes and hears the sound of the Word but he seldome meets with the power of the Word there is not that mourning nor joy nor fear nor trusting as formerly Divine Precepts do not quicken his heart Divine Promises do not establsh his heart Divine Exhortations do not encourage and enlarge his heart Divine Tryals and discourses do not make him to search his heart Divine Rewards do not affect and open his heart as heretofore they have done Thirdly A carelesnesse of mind after the Ordinances Heretofore when the man had heard the Word home he would go and retire himself and consider Careiesnesse of mind after Ordinances and confess and pray and bless the Lord Lord in such a Point thou didest discover my sin and failing O pardon and heal me in another thou didst clear my doubts be pleased still to settle and quiet my soul in another Point thou didst shew me more of my work O now grant unto thy servant more of thy strength in another Point thou didst raise my faith and comfort my soul my soul did therefore love and bless thee You would not imagine what pains the man took with a Sermon after a Sermon what wrestlings with God what tears and cries to take out the lessons of God to be cast into the mould of every Divine Truth O but now it is not so with him he hath quickly done with the Word after he hath read or heard the Word the Word doth not dwell with him nor go home with him he is seldom in after Meditations in after Applications in after Supplications The Word of God comes and goes is heard and laid aside perhaps the man speaks a little of it but mindes it not as a Message or Errand from God to him Fourthly A remisnesse concerning private duties when these begin either to Remisness in private duties be omitted or seldomly to be performed rather out of course than Conscience without that intentiveness of minde and without the labour of the heart and affections which God requires and which the Christian formerly found and expressed v. g. The Christians confessions were wont to be with singular sense of sin compunction and brokenness of heart judgings mournings shames and condemnings of himself his Prayers were wont to be strong cries importunate wrestlings vehement strivings and pleadings in the name of Christ humble urgings and pressings of the promises of God unsatisfiable thirsts after mercies graces comforts O but now they are not so or are very seldom so This poor Christian is scarce sensible of the sins which he doth now confess and scarce apprehensive of any Spiritual good which he seems to crave he doth not insist on these with his ancient affections and ancient expectations he seemes to be satisfied with what he doth and not with what he desireth Ah friend when the edge and fervor of the spirit is gone
mend the soft heart 3. In respect of the Works and Dealings of God all of them make impression on the soft heart those of mercy and those of judgement those of blessing those of affliction they all work kindly Fifthly The Author and Cause of all this is God himself Job 23. 16. God is the Author of it God maketh my heart soft Zach. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn c. The Lord doth give this soft and tender heart when he doth effectually call and convert a sinner as you may see in Pauls conversion and thus you see what the heart of flesh is what a soft and tender heart is SECT II. Quest 2. NOW to the second Question How it may appear that the people of How this appears God are people of soft and tender hearts First By Instances all the Scripture over I will mention some David was By Instances a godly man and he was a man of a soft and tender heart when he did cut off the lap of Sauls garment his heart smote him as soon as Abigal spake with him he was with-drawn from his rash and dangerous resolution Nathan spake but one word unto him Thou art the man and presently he is struck I have sinned and that made him to water his couch with tears Josiah was a godly man and he was a man of a soft and tender heart see 2 Chron. 34. 27. Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the Inhabitants thereof and humbledst thy self before me and didst rent thy cloaths and weep before me c. Joseph was so both to God Gen. 39. 9. How can I do wickedness c and to Man How tender to his father and brethren Job was so and so was Peter on whom one look of Christ did work so kindly that he went out and wept bitterly What should I speak of Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Nehemiah Ezra Daniel or of Paul or of the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart nay see more of this softness and tenderness 2 Cor. 7. 11. Behold this same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire c. Secondly By Practice and there are eight things appearing in their By Practice practice which do shew that they are persons of soft and tender hearts First Quick apprehensions even of a frown and of Gods displeasure afar Quick apprehensions off in the beginnings in the threatnings in a with-drawment in any stop or estrangedness of communion and visits and unusualness in these cases presently the heart of them begins to misgive and fear Is all well is not the Lord angry He looks not on me I hear not from him as formerly Have not I offended him c Secondly Easie convictions A reproof saith Solomon Prov. 17. 10. entereth Easie Convictions more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool and so doth any conviction if the people of God have sinned Christs look to Peter Nathans word to David sometimes a glance an hint a passage in a Sermon or in Discourse is enough for conscience is very tender and takes presently and yields and confesseth c. Great griefs for lesser trespasses Thirdly Great griefs for lesser trespasses Great sins trouble not an hard heart Simile no more than the nettles and thorns do the hardned hand but little sins do exceedingly trouble the hearts of the godly being soft and tender Simile if a mote fall into the eye it causeth vexation because the eye is tender the omission of duty the coldness of performance distraction in services vain and idle thoughts unprofitable words losing of time sit heavily upon the hearts of Gods people c. Fourthly Special care of sure warrant for special actions They must have Care of sure warrant for special actions a light and a voice going before them This is the way Walk in it May I do this and may I do that Doth the Lord command such a work and doth he enjoyn me and am I sure and clear that I do not transgress if I should venture upon it Fifthly Wise Caution in doubtfuls Where if the work or way seems doubtfully Caution in doubtfuls good or doubtfully evil the godly person makes a pause a stand a stop he dares not to act boystrously if it be but a perhaps it is evil but a perhaps God may be dishonoured or his Gospel prejudiced he will abstain untill he gets more light to clear his steps as Job offered sacrifice in the case of perhaps Sixthly Present obedience When God commands no delays no shufflings Present obedience no consultings with flesh and blood their hearts are indeed at Gods command I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Psal 119. 60. You need not use many arguments and perswasions to the people of God a word of Gods command is of easie authority c. Seventhly And Choice obedience they would serve the Lord with their spirits Choice obedience Rom. 1. 9. and seek him with their whole hearts Psal 119. 10. and serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear Hebr. 12. 28. and love him with all their might Eighthly Earnest supplications that they might not offend or if they have Earnest supplications offended that they might not offend so David Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins Psal 19. 13. Let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119. 133. And in case of offence O take away iniquity I have sinned I have done exceeding foolishly O Lord forgive be merciful unto my transgressions heal my back-slidings return in mercy speak peace whence is all this but from the tenderness of their hearts Simile they cannot live out of doors under frowns having any difference 'twixt their God and their souls no more than the tender wife or child c. Quest 3. Why the Lord gives a heart of flesh a soft and tender heart to his Why God gives a heart of flesh Four reasons of it people Sol. The Reasons may be these which I will but mention First God will teach them they shall be taught of God and write his Law in their inward parts Ergo. Secondly His people must be his servants they must serve the Lord their God be at his command to do his will and his work Ergo. Thirdly They must be like unto their God and Father and have a nature answerable to his nature God is a God of very merciful nature very tender and gentle easie to be entreated and if I may so say to be wrought on sometimes a prayer works on him sometimes a tear sometimes
a groan and sigh Fourthly That they may walk without offence to God and man tenderness of heart is a ground of circumspection and holy jealousie and that is a ground of unblameable walking not to do any thing willingly by which God may be dishonoured or men justly offended SECT III. Vse 1. DOth God give unto all his people in Covenant a soft and tender Tryal whether we have such a heart heart a heart of flesh Let us then carefully survey and search our hearts whether God hath bestowed on them this heavenly quality this Jewel this Covenant-grace of softness or tenderness of heart This Point is of wonderful consequence and therefore I must carefully dispense it and manage it which shall be in this manner 1. Convictions in a privative way that many persons are utterly destitute of spiritual softness of heart 2. Convictions in a defective way that many persons deceive themselves with a false softness of heart 3. Demonstrations of the manifold miseries incumbent upon and incident unto all persons destitute of softness of heart 4. Testimonies and true Characters of a heart really softned by grace 1. Convictions in a privative way that many persons are utterly Convictions that many are destitute of it By the disposition of their hearts to sin Six things shew this Easiness to sin destitute of spiritual softness of heart First By the disposition of their hearts unto sin by which only God is offended and grieved and dishonoured yet there are six things evidently appearing in in many men about sin which shew that there is no spiritual softness or tenderness of heart in them at all v. g. First Easiness to sin Solomon speaks of some who will transgress for a piece of bread Prov. 28. 21. The Prophet speaking of Ephraim saith that he willingly walked after the commandment Hosea 5. 11. Ahab sold himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21. 25. Judas goes and offers himself to betray Christ Matth. 26. 15 16. and the chief Priests and Captains were glad Luke 22. 5. When a small temptation is bait and hire enough but a look but a thought but a word and the man is presently ready to sin hath he a soft and tender heart to fear the Lord any temptation will master him nay he will sin without a temptation Secondly Boldness in sinning When a person makes no bones of great transgressions Boldness in sinning but can sin with an high hand and dares to venture on presumptuous sins and yet is not ashamed at all Isa 3. 9. They declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not Jerem. 6. 5. Were they ashamed when they had committed abominations nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush When people can swear and for-swear and curse and blaspheme and commit whoredom and steal and oppress and lye and murder and with the Whore in the Proverbs Wipe their mouths and say What evil have I done doth this shew the least of tenderness of heart which quakes at lesser iniquities Thirdly Joy and delight in sinning Solomon speaks of such who rejoyce to Delight in sinning do evil Prov. 2. 14. and the Prophet in Isa 66. 3. Their soul delighteth in their abominations and the Apostle in Phil. 3. 19. Whose glory is in their shame and the Psalmist Ps 10 3. The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire Who can say that any man hath a tender heart least he should sin and after he hath sinned who makes his very sins the object of his delight and joy and rejoycing and boasting such a time of his filthiness another time of his drunkenness c Fourthly Diffusion or spreading of sin of such Solomon speaks Prov. 4. 16. Spreading of sin They sleep not except they have done mischief and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall like Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin 1 Kings 16. 26. or like Manasseh who made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to erre 2 Chron. 33. 9. or like the Whore in the Proverbs With much fair speech she caused him to yield with the flattering of her lips she forced him Prov. 7. 21. O where is this softness and tendeâ—ness of heart when it sufficeth us not all alone to offend and anger and dishonour the Lord but we will also cause others to sin against the Lord draw others to drunkenness and uncleanness seduce others to errors and profaness make others to neglect Ordinances and duties to break the Sabbath to steal and purloine to lie and forswear themselves c. Fifthly Progresse in sin to go from evil to worse not only to multiply sins Progresse in sin in several kinds but to heighten and raise sins in further degrees and still to step on further in sinful wayes to be like Ezekiels waters which did rise from the ancle to the feet from the feet to the knees and then into a river Or as the Prophet spake Isa 2. 7. There is no end of their Charets so there is no end of their sinning but they overflow in wickedness and revolt more and more and adde drunkenness to thirst Sixthly Vnalterable resolution to sin when men will not forsake their sins but Unalterable resolution to sin will hold them fast and will not cease from evil though the Lord expresly threatens them and although the Lord punisheth others for the same sins nay although the Lord doth in eminent manner judge them themselves and punish them for their wicked doings as in Amos 4. 6 7 8 c. and made them sick in smiting of them and desolate because of their sins Micah 6. 13. Who can say that these obstinate and perverse sinners who dare thus to contend with God himself and will try to the utmost and provoke him when he inflicts his wrath on them for provoking of him have in them the least degree or pretence of softness and tenderness of heart Secondly By the carriage of their hearts towards the Word of God which is such By their carriage towards the word as palpably proclaimes they have no spiritual softness or tenderness of heart and that appears in four particulars First They care not to know it nor to be taught by it the mind and will of God They care not to know it Job 21. 14. They say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Hose 8. 12. I have written unto them the great things of my Law but they were accounted aâ— a strange thing Prov. 1. 23. Though the Lord saith I will make known my words unto you yet ver 24. they regarded not but ver 29. they hated knowledge Let him that hath an ear hear what the spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 2. 7. Be swift to hear James 1. 19. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom Col 3. 16. Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of
durationis He that hath a soft heart mourns and grieves 1. For his own sinnes Ezek. 7. 16. They that escape of them shall escape and shall be on the mountains like Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity David that man of a soft heart how mourning and lamenting for his sin My sin is ever before me Psal 51. 3. I water my couch with my tears Psal 6. 6. Those in Zechary mourning as one mourneth for his only son And in bitternesse as one that is in bitternesse for his first born Zech. 12. 10. Mary Magdalen weeping and washing the feet of Christ with her tears Luke 7. 38. Peter remembred the words of Jesus who said unto him Before the cook crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice and he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. 75. The Penitent Corinthian so mourning for his sin that Paul writes unto the Church by all means to forgive and comfort him least he should be swallowed up with over much sorrow 2 Cor. 2. 7. Now by the way observe that persons whose hearts have been really soft and tender they have mourned not only for their gross sins but also for their lesser sins not only for corporal sins but also for their spiritual sins for pride hypocrisie vain-glory unbelief not only for outward sins but also for inward sins not only for the sins in life but also for their sins in heart for the sin of nature original sin and the secret motions thereof not only for his sinful doings but also for his sins which do accompany his best doings not only for the sins which they have committed alone but also for the sins which they have caused others to commit either by their perswasion or by their evil example Not only for their sins of knowledge but also for their sins of ignorance as he prayed Lord forgive me my known sins and Lord forgive me my unknown sins so c. not only for present sins but for sins long since committed and pardoned 2. For the sins of others as well as for his own sins Psal 119. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law Ezek. 9. 4. Go through the mid'st of the City through the mid'st of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the mid'st thereof Jer. 13. 17. If you will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride Exod. 32. 31. Oh this people have sinned a great sin and have made them Gods of gold Luke 19. 41. When he came near he beheld the City and wept over it The sins of others do grieve the Lord Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation Psal 95. 10. and dishonour him and how can a tender heart endure to see his God and Father grieved and dishonoured but his soul must grieve and mourn be afflicted and troubled Paul reproves the Corinthians because they grieved not for the sin of the incestuous Corinthian Thirdly Fear to sin True tenderness of heart alwayes breeds the greatest care to please God and the greatest fear to displease God where there is no Fear to sin fear to sin there is no tendernesse of heart and where there is true tendernesse of heart there is an exceeding fear to sin against God Prov. 23. 17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Act. 9. 31. The Churches walked in the fear of the Lord. There is one who sets out seven degrees of fear which are to be found in every truely tender-hearted child of God viz. 1. He is afraid to commit grosse sinnes though never so secretly as you finde in Joseph when tempted by his Mistris O saith he How can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God! Gen. 39. 9. And in David when he was strongly tempted to take revenge of his mortal enemy and had an opportunity also put into his hands yet he durst not do it and why because he durst not sin against God! Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26. 9. 2. He is afraid to commit little sins what a small matter had it been for Daniel and the three children being brought into Babylon to have eaten of the meat and to have drunk of the wine which Nebuchadnezzar appointed for them but Daniel saw it was such meat as was contrary to the Ceremonial Law then in force and therefore he would not defile himself with it Dan. 1. 8. 3. He is afraid to omit the least duty Moses was commanded to fetch the people of Israel with their cattel and substance out of Egypt Pharaoh consents for the people and their little ones but he would have the Flocks and Herds stayed by no means saith Moses Our Cattel also shall go with us there shall not an hoof be left behind Exod. 10. 24 26. So in the setting up of the Tabernacle and in all other Services commanded by God he was faithfull in all things he durst not leave out one knop not one tach not one pin which the Lord prescribed about the Tabernacle c. 4. He is afraid to serve the Lord carelesly and negligently Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Psal 108. 2. With my whole heart have I sought thee Psal 119. 10. Not slothful in businesse fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. 5. He is afraid to do any thing that is of evil report which though in itself it may be lawful yet if advantage may thereby be taken to cause Religion or the profession to be reproached and evil spoken of he is afraid to do that thing 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints And why might they not do so what unlawfulnesse was there in that Is not civil Magistracy ordained of God 't is true but though all things are lawful all things are not expedient 1 Cor. 6. 12. At that time such applications would have exposed the Christian Religion and Profession unto scorn and contempt amongst unbelievers c. Give none offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God he speaks it concerning things indifferent 1 Cor. 10. 32. 6. He is afraid not only of apparent evils but also of the appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil if it hath the look or shew of evil it is enough to a tender heart to avoid it and abstain from it If it looks like pride if it looks like unchastity if it looks like unbefitting service of God if it looks like persecuting of the Gospel c. like error idolatry c. 7. He is afraid not only to do any thing that is evil Let not any iniquity have dominion over me Psal 119. 133. nor only to speak any evil Set
will never be quiet untill repentance be renewed and God appears to be pacified Thirdly If we have hearts spiritually soft and tender this will appear by the respectiveness of our hearts to the word of God And there are ten Properties of a tender heart in relation to the Word of God 1. It sets up the Word as a Light and Rule So Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths ver 133. Order my steps in thy Word 2. It studies the Word and meditates therein to understand the mind of God concerning it Psal 119. 15. I meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways ver 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word 3. It layes up and gives special heed unto what God saith in his Word 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 7. 1. My son keep my words and lay up my commands with thee ver 3. Bind them upon thy fingers write them upon the table of thine heart 4. It stands in awe of the Word Psal 119. 161. My heart stands in awe of thy Word 5. It is led and guided by the Word Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel Psal 73. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors Psal 119. 24. My sheep hear my voice and follow me Joh. 10. 17. 6. It keeps close to the Word in all matters of faith and practice receives all and admits no more will not go without it and dares not strive against it 7. It conformes itself unto the Word Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it even to the end Psal 119. 33. All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 24 7. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119. 5. He will teach us his wayes and we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine whereto ye were delivered Rom. 6. 17. Moulded cast 8. It is quickly reduced wrought upon and recovered by the Word As in Davids case when Nathan said Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord ver 13. So Judges 2. 2. Ye have not obeyed my voice why have you done this ver 4. And it came to passe when the Angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept ver 5. And they called the name of that place weepers Bochim and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. 9. It will often review and try itself by the Word lest it hath sinned or lest it should sin against God Psal 77. 6. I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search Psal 119 59. I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 10. It desires and endeavours to comply with all the Word of God and to fulfill all the will of God and to walk according to it in all things I have lived in all good Conscience unto this day Act. 23. 1. We trust we have a good conscience Heb. 13. 18. I have respect unto all thy commandements Psal 119. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances before the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. Fourthly If we have hearts Spiritually soft and tender this will appear by By our sensibleness in cases of Gods honour or dishonour our sensibleness and choice behaviour in the cases of Gods honour and dishonour This I think is one of the fullest discoveries of a soft and tender heart and therefore I will insist the more upon it by shewing unto you 1. The several wayes how God is honoured 2. The several expressions of a tender heart in relation unto Gods honour 3. The several wayes of Gods dishonour 4. The several affections and workings of a tender heart in the case of Gods dishonour First The several wayes of Gods being honoured God may be and is honoured How God is honoured As â—â— his Name and Attribuâ—es 1. As to his glorious Name and Attributes Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God When we do acknowledge and admire and exalt God in his holiness and goodness and mercifulness and Omnipoâ—ency and wisdom and greatness and authority and justice and faithfulness c. Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquiâ—y transgressions and sins and that will by no means clear the guilty Deuter. 7. 9. Know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandements to a thousand generations 2. As to his worship and service Psal 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name or as it is in the Hebrew the honour of his Name worship the As to his Worship Lord in the beauty of holiness When we set up the true worship of God and serve him only and worship him only in Spirit and in truth and keep faithful unto it now we do honour and glorifie our God Thou hast not honoured me with thy sacrifices Isa 43. 23. The place where God is worshipped is called the place where his honour dwelleth 3. As to his Word and truths when they are magnified believed and embraced At his Word and upheld and obeyed when they have liberty and prosperity and success of efficacy 4. As to his works of Providence whether merciful respecting the good As to his Works of his people or judicial respecting the punishment of his adversaries in both which very much of God is to be seen and admired and blessed Secondly Now a soft and tender heart is exceedingly affected with Gods honour How the tender heart is affected in case of Gods honor and glory and with all the wayes publick and private for the honouring of God Such a person will take much pains to recover and restore the honour of God as you may see in Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah and Josiah to restore the true worship of God such a person will be at much cost to promote the honour of God 1 Chron. 29. 3. Because I have set my affection to the house of my God I have of mine one proper goods of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for thy holy house even three thousand talents of gold of the
gold of Ophir and seven thousand talents of refined silver to overlay the house withall such a person will exceedingly rejoyce in any way by which God is honoured 2 Joh. ver 4. I rejoyced that I found of thy children walking in truth 3. Joh. ver 3 4. So Paul in Phil. 1. 18. That Christ is preached I do rejoyce yea and I will rejoyce So David Psal 122. 1. I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord Such a person will be content to lose his own honour so that God may have honour David will be yet more vile and counted so that he may the more promote Gods honour 2 Sam. 6. 20 21 22. John must decrease that Christ may increase and this was the fulfilling of his joy Joh. 3. 29 30. Such a person will make all his parts his gifts his graces his power and authority yea his very life serviceable to the honour and glory of God yea his very eating and drinking Whether ye eat or drink er whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God c. 2 Cor. 10. 31. Thirdly Now on the contrary there are several wayes of dishonouring of God The wayes of dishonouring God both publick and private as swearing blaspheming looseness of walking pulling down his true worship setting up a false worship forsaking the truth and holding error reproaching the true God the Persons of the Trinity the Gospel the whole Scripture the Ordinances of Christ and the practical wayes of Christ in holinesse and godliness c. Well A soft and tender heart is passionately sensible and working in the apprehension The workings of a tender heart in case of Gods dissionâ—r of any dishonor cast on God a person of such a heart will be troubled and mourn in this case When Hezekiah heard the blasphemies vomited out by Rabshakeh against the Lord he rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord this day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy Isa 63. 1 2 3. Will be stirred in his spirit as Paul when he saw the people of Athens given to idolatry his spirit was stirred in him Act. 17. 16. he could not bear it he could not hold he must testifie against it He will put himself to the utmost of his place and power as Phineas did against Zimri and Cosby and as Josiah did against all the idolatry and wickedness in his dayes Will hazard and expose all his honour and estate and his very life as Elijah did and Daniel did and the three children and those in Rev. 12. who loved not their lives to the death Will bear any reproach and injury done unto themselves more patiently and quietly than those done to God he can sit down under them and weep and makes his moan to God when they tear his own name but when comes to Gods Name now his zeal is kindled c. Fifthly If we have hearts spiritually soft and tender this will appear by By the acquitting of our selves in duties both for matter He makes conscience of duties to God and men the acquitement of our selves in duties both for matter and manner 1. For the matter concerning which observe these conclusions 1. A person of a tender heart makes conscience of duties both to God and to men not only of duties unto God nor only of duties unto men but of the duties which he doth repectively owe unto them both Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Mat. 22. 21. Render therefore to Cesar the things which are Cesars and unto God the things which are Gods Tit. 2. 11 12. The grace of God teacheth us to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Mar. 12. 29 30. The first of all the Commandments is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy minde and with all thy strength verse 31. And the second is like namely this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Many plead a conscienciousness of duty unto men they dare not but deal justly and squarely and honestly and yet they make no conscience of duties unto God no conscience of praying of keeping the Sabbath of fearing an oath of walking holily and many pretend a conscienciousness of duty unto God but yet they make no conscience of duty unto men they dare to revile and to controle and to oppress and rob a man of his right and to slander and reproach Neither of these are persons of soft and tender hearts but of deceitful and hypocritical hearts who fear not God and follow not him but their own lusts A person of a tender heart indeed dares not with-hold from God what is due to God nor from man what God requires to be done in way of duty unto man but as the Apostle speaks of subjection unto powers ordained of God That it must be for conscience sake Rom. 15. 5. so say I of a tender heart it performs duties to God and duties to man even for conscience sake it dares not defraud the one or the other Object But will some say What if God and man be contrary in their commands how can I obey and perform duty to them both Sol. I answer 1. There is no duty which God commands to himself and unto men which admits of contrariety but of subordination 2. If man commands any thing of us contrary to Gods command we must do as the Apostle did obey God rather than man Secondly A person of a tender heart makes conscience of all duties to God and of all duties unto all sorts of men unto whom he ows duty Of all duties unto God He makes conscience of all duties to God and man of fearing of him as of praying and of praises as well as of rejoycing in him of repenting of sinnes as well as of believing the pardon of sinnes of walking uprightly as well as of trusting in the promises of keeping the Sabbath c. Of all duties unto all sorts of men If they be his Superiors to honour and yield obedience to them if they be his Inferiours to regard and condeseend unto them if they be his enemies to love them and to pray for them if they be poor to pity and help them on whatsoever and to whatsoever God is pleased to lay a command there the person of a tender heart hath a readiness and willingness to obey Thirdly The person of a tender heart makes conscience of relative duties There is a Relation twixt He makes conscience of relative duties 1. The Magistrate and the people 2. 'Twixt the Minister and his flock 3. 'Twixt the husband and his wife 4. 'Twixt the Parent and the child 5. 'Twixt the Master and the Servant And many are the duties which reciprocally do concern all these persons in all their
several relations and any one who is of a soft and tender heart makes conscience of them all The tender Magistrate makes conscience of governing and ruling and believing and protecting and reclaiming and punishing and rewarding and dare not be unjust neglect or unfaithful or oppressing or out-facing or over-bearing and so people of tender hearts dare not to be disobedient unruly reviling despising c. The tender Minister makes conscience of feeding his flock with wholsome food and not to keep back any of the counsel of God concerning them he is instant and diligent in his work he instructs and exhorts and warns and reproves and comforts according to the several conditions of his people and the people will pray will love will honour will encourage will obey them that have the rule over them in the Lord. The tender husband will love and cherish his wife and the tender wife will love and please and reverence her husband The tender Parent will pray for will instruct will teach his children and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and the tender child will hearken c. Fourthly A person of a tender heart and soft heart makes conscience of all He makes coâ—scâ—ence of all duties 〈◊〉 the â—imâ—s the duties respecting the times and changes that do befall him He meets with times of adversity and with times of prosperity with times of love and with times of hatred with times of peace and with times of trouble with times of light and with times of darknesse with times of Gods clear presence and with times of Gods desertions And there are several and distinct duties proper unto these variations the which he strives to draw out and act in their time If his time be the time of prosperity he is doing whilst he hath that time and to honour God with his increase and to blesse him and to do for him and if his be the time of adversity he desires patient submission unto the hand of God and special instruction and improvement and refining c. In an high estate he will love his God and in a low estate he will by faith live still upon his God Fifthly A person of a tender heart will make conscience of duties 1. Though never so small and little thou shalt not lay a stumbling block before the blind nor cause the deaf c. thou shalt fear the Lord thy God The smallest 2. Though never so great and difficult and strict to deny himself to enter in at the strait gate to render good for evil blessing for The greatest cursing 3. Though contemned and reproached by profane men and erroneous Most contemned men or disaccepted by those unto whom it is performed 4. Though dangerous and exposing c. as Daniel of praying the three children Most dangerous of worshipping God only the Apostles of preaching Christ 2ly For the manner of performing these duties The manner of performance of duties A tender heart hath a special regard unto that he will serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb 12. 28. And as David after the due order 1 Chro. 15. 13. The duties which he performes they are by him done 1. Willingly Psal 110 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Rom. 7. Willingly 19. The good that I would do And Isa 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy Name freewill-offerings 2. Delightfully 1 Joh. 5. 3. His Commandements are not grievous Nay Delightfully Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy will It was Christs meat and drink to do the will of his Father that sent him Joh. 4. 34. 3. Humbly as Paul Act. 20. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of Humbly mind and with many tears 4. Believingly resting on the strength of Christ for their performance Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me And he acknowledgeth Believingly all that is done to be done in his strength 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me and expecting all the acceptance of duties for Christs sake Rev. 8. 3. The prayers of the Saints were offered up with incense upon the golden Altar 5. Sincerely with a plain honest obediential heart with all his heart Sincerely with his very soul and spirit in truth without guile and with a direct pure and single respect unto Gods glory These are the desires and these are the endeavours thus to serve and obey the Lord by every truely soft and tender heart and if he misseth or is interrupted in any of these his heart is troubled and grieved and he strives and wrestles with God to cloth him with the strength of his Spirit that he may thus serve his God according to his will Sixthly If our hearts be soft and tender hearts this will appear by the temper of our spirits in the occurrences of temptations There are temptations and suggestions By the temper of our spirits in temptations From Satan 1. From Satan he many times presents unto the minds even of the people of God thoughts of Atheism and blasphemy and other vile and inglorious thoughts O what an affrightment amazement and grievous burden are these unto a person of a soft and tender heart they do even crack and crush his spirits and take away all rest from him and fill his heart with tears and complaints and prayers 2. From the World to withdraw from God and Christ and the truth and From the World holy walking partly by reproaches scoffs threatnings restraints and punishments these a tender heart will bear and suffer and rejoyce in and by them grows more resolute for Christ and to hold fast his truth and to walk with him And partly by profits pleasure friendship fears and honours these a tender heart will trample under foot rather than sin against Christ Like Moses who refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter Hebr. 11. 24. Châ—sing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ver 25. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the creasures of Egypt ver 26. 3. From our own hearts in several wicked motions to several vile affections From our own hearts And if your heart be tender it will not dally with them in contemplation nor yield unto them in prosecution but will resist them and pray against them and strive to have them mortified and subdued and instead of them would have a daily frame of holy and heavenly thoughts raigning in the mind SECT IV. Vse 2. DOth the Lord promise to give unto all his people a soft and tender Get such a heart heart an heart of flesh Then by all means let every one of uâ— strive to get this heart which God promiseth to give Now for this I will propound 1. Some Motives
and to rest on his Arm acknowledging that our standing and safety is not in our strength but in the presence and influence of his grace 2ly The Means how to compass a soft and tender heart The Means First You must go to the Lord by Prayer for it a sinner can harden his own Beg it by prayer heart but God only can soften the heart If four things were wrought in the heart it would be soft and tender viz. 1. An experimental Sensation 2. A mournful Humiliation 3. A spirit of Fear 4. An yieldingness and plyableness of the heart to the will of God Object True will some say but who can work these things in the heart Sol. That can God and he hath promised to work every one of them in our hearts if we do earnestly and unfeignedly seek him 1. He can make us to see to feel to remember to consider our sins and our doings which have not been good Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me c. Job 13. 26. Thou makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth Ezek. 16. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed 2. He can make the heart mourning and humbling and lamenting Zac. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn c. Ezek. 7. 16. All of them mourning every one for his iniquity 3. He can put his fear in their hearts Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts And Hose 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness 4. He can make the heart yielding and plyable unto his Word and Will Psal 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Secondly You must to his Word which is the hammer to break and the fire to Attend the Word melt the heart Acts 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do 2 Chron. 34. 27. Thou diddest humble thy self before God when thou heardest his Word c. Object But many men hear the Word and that a long time and yet their hearts are not at all softned by it therefore it cannot be a means to soften the heart Sol. I answer 1. It is true that many men do hear the Word and for many years and are not softned but their hearts are more hardned under it nevertheless this induration comes not from the Word which is a means to soften but from the pride and perverseness of the hearts of men who do hear the Word but will despise and reject the Word 2. It is also true that though many men have not their hearts softned by the Word yet many others have their hearts softned by it Simile as although many who take Physick are nothing better by it yet many who do so are recovered by it and this we find by experience that though the Word be the savour of death unto death unto some yet it is the savour of life unto life unto others And as we must not conclude that the Word is not the means of saving faith because all that hear the Word do not believe so neither must we deny the Word as a means to soften the heart because many who do hear it do remain hardned but if we find First that God hath instituted his Word for such a purpose and end Secondly That God hath blessed his Word and made it effectual to that purpose Thirdly Doth call even sinners to come and attend that they may attain that blessing depending upon this Word And lastly that without the attendance upon the Word there is no enjoyment of that softness of heart but a greater access and confirmation of hardness of heart Thence we may confidently conclude that the Word of God is a means to soften the heart But 3. You must know that the efficacy of spiritual means doth not depend upon the meer presence of the means but upon the concomitancy and influence of the Spirit of God who sometimes doth put forth his power through those means and sometimes doth not so The Word by its own natural and proper vigour doth not convince nor convert nor soften the heart for then every one that hears it should be convinced and converted and softned nor then should it be a means but a principal efficient but those effects it doth work on all who hear it when the Spirit of God comes with the Word unto their hearts in his mighty power working that grace in us which the Word commands from us And therefore when we come to hear the Word to have our hearts softned we should look on the Word as the means but withall on the Spirit of God as the principal cause who works that effect by the Word nor should we ever hear the Word without special prayer and requests that the Lord would by his Spirit make his Word a lively and effectual means of knowledge of faith of all grace unto us and if we did do so the Lord would be found of us and he would give this softness of heart which he promiseth in his Covenant Thirdly If you would have softness of heart you must then get newness of Get newnesse of heart heart Your hearts can never be softned untill they be renewed and if they were renewed certainly they would be softned The old heart is an hard heart and the new heart is a soft heart You may as well expect that a dead man should weep and mourn and go and come as that an old sinful heart dead in trespasses and sins should be a soft and mournful heart for sins or be willing and ready to obey the will of God why hardness in all the causes of it and in all the effects of it is predominant and raigning in an unconverted graceless heart But if the heart were once changed by renewing grace then softness must needs fall into it Forasmuch as the change made by renewing grace brings into the soul another nature quite contrary to our sinful nature and other principles quite contrary to all our old principles Light contrary to darkness and humblenesse contrary to pride and yieldingness contrary to stubbornnesse and softnesse contrary unto hardness Fourthly if we would have softnses or tenderness of heart then we must get Faith for faith is indeed the foundation of a soft and tender heart and the Get Faith more of Faith the more of tenderness Quest What Faith will some say Sol. I answer a Faith 1. Of Knowledge or Credence that God is that he is a great God the living God the Almighty God the dreadful God most knowing most holy most righteous and faithful who will be so to us as his Word
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
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 â—f 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 looâ—â—s 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
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
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 â—hat 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
Causally in us c. 3. Without faith no salvation He that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. But without the spirit there can be no faith because that grace is the fruit and effect of his Almighty power So now you see plainly the infinite misery of being destitute of the Spirit of God Quest But how may we know whether the Lord hath put his own Spirit within How to knw that we have the Spirit of God us that the spirit of God is given to us indeed Sol. This may be known 1. By the works of the spirit 2ly By the qualities of the spirit 3ly By the properties of such who have the spirit in relation unto the spirit 1. By the works of the spirit The spirit of God is a vigorous and active and operative spirit and By the works of the Spirit when he is indeed put within any mans heart there he works in order unto the salvation of that man for unto that do all the works of God the Father as our Father tend and unto that do all the works of Christ the Son of God as our Redeemer tend and unto that do all the works of the spirit of God within us tend What are the works of Gods Spirit in them that shall be saved Now the works of the spirit in them which shall be saved are these .. Conviction 1. Conviction Joh. 16. 8. And when he is come that is the spirit whom Christ calls the Comforter ver 7. he will reprove the world he will convince the world of sinne Simile As when the light of the sun shines in a room this opens and discovers all the nastiness and sluttishness in the room so when the spirit of God comes into the heart he doth by his own light clearly discover and represent the sinful foulness that lies therein Here now I will briefly speak unto two Questions Quest 1. How the spirit convinceth a person of sin Sol. He doth convince of sin 1. By opening the Law of God unto us partly in the spiritualness of it as How the Spirit convinceth of sin reaching not only to our outward words and actions but also to our inward thoughts and affections both in the commands of it and likewise in the prohibitions of it that God doth not only command of us a Righteousness and holiness of conversation but also a righteousness and holiness of heart and nature not only that we do good but also that we be good not only that we hear him but also that we know and love and fear and trust upon him not only that we draw near unto him with our lips and bodies but also that we draw near unto him with our hearts and serve him in spirit and in truth That God in his Law doth not only forbid and condemn sinful words and deeds but also sinful desires and delights and motions not only murder in the hand but murder also in the heart not only adultery in the act but adultery also in the heart as Christ assures us himself in Matth. 5 28. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Perfection of it that it is so precise and exact that it expects from us not this or that particular duty but an universal obedience and full conformity unto all and every particular which is required and not for some little space of our life but constantly and invariably as to all the time of our lives and if we fail either in the fulness or in the continuance of obedience at any time in any particular presently the Law pronounceth a sentence of curse against us Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all these things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Secondly By opening our sins the transgression of the Law unto us Rom. By opening our sins to us 7. 9. When the Commandement came sin revived and I died i. e. when the Law came accompanied with the Spirit of God now sinne revived now it appeared now I saw what a sinful creature and what a miserable creature I was This is certain that when the spirit of God doth convince any one of sinne he then doth by an invincible evidence or lâ—ght so set out a mans sinful life and heart that he cannot but confess and acknowledge the same and withall himself to lye under the curse of God as long as by unbelief he remains in his sinful estate Quest 2. Whether a wicked person may not be convinced of sin and if he may how then can this work of conviction be any distinguishing character that we have the spirit Sol. To this I answer First I do not make every work flowing from the Spirit a character of his What are not characters of the presence of Gods Spirit gracious presence not illumination not conviction solitarily considered by themselves alone but as concomitantly considered with other more powerful and effectual works of the spirit following them 2. But secondly there is a difference between that conviction of sin in wicked The difference between the convictions of the wicked and the godly men and that in the people of God and the difference lies thus First The conviction in wicked men is ordinarily levis mollis it is such an evidencing of their sins as doth not much afflict and distress them indeed they cannot deny but that they are sinners yet they hope to escape well enough for all this c. Secondly The conviction in wicked men is ordinarily semiplena imperfecta it is of some outward gross sins as swearing lying adultery drunkenness but for all these they think their hearts are as good as the best they are seldom convinced their sinful hearts and natures and that original sin which is the fountain of all sins and which pollutes the whole soul Thirdly The conviction in wicked men if it be full and strong it is but Judicialis it is not Remedialis it is not in salutem but proves only in perniciem for when they are so convinced either they sin more desperately against the convincing light of the Spirit or else they fall into despair as Cain and Judas and Spira crying out that their sinnes are greater than can or shall be forgiven But now the conviction of sin by the Spirit in the people of God is another kind of conviction For 1. It is deep and powerful it makes discovery of the very root and foundation What is the conviction of the Spirit in Gods children of all sins even of that corruption and vileness in the heart In sinne did my Mother conceive me said David Psal 51. 5. And I see another Law in my members said Paul Rom. 7. 23. And Ecce cor meum Deus meus ecce cor meum said Austin Ah Lord what a wicked heart had I c. 2. It is graciously effectual this work of conviction works graciously upon
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 Exâ—ortation 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 â—â— 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 〈◊〉 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 refuâ—ing 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 aâ—d in the power of his might The Spirit of God is a most strong
and powerful Spirit and he puts forth a wonderful power in all them unto whom he is given e. g. First he raiseth every one of them from the dead what the Lord spake of the people of Israel touching their civil estate Ezek. 3â— 13 14. I have opened your graves O my people and brought you up out of your graves and will put my Spirit within you and you shall live That is true in a spiritual sense of all the people of God unto whom the Spirit of God is given Though before the donation of the Spirit they were dead in trespâ—sses and sinnes yet when the spirit is given unto them they are by the operation of that spirit quickned made alive and raised from that dead estate Ephes 2. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins they have the life of God and Christ in them O what a power is put forth in the raising of a dead man and yet there is a greater power of the spirit put forth in the raising of a dead sinner Secondly He enables them both to perceive and also to receive the things of God to perceive the glory and excellency of them and to receive the goodness and sweetness of them 1. To perceive them Mat. 13. 11. It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God but to them it is not given And 1 Cor. 2. 6. We speak wisdom amongst them that are perfect Ver. 7. The wisdom of God in a mystery Ver. 8. Which none of the Princes of this world know Ver. 14. Which are foolishnesse unto the natural man and which he cannot know q. they are spiritually discerned Compare these places together and you shall find two differences 'twixt them who have the Spirit and them that have not the Spirit concerning the things of God viz To the one they are wisdom yea and wisdom of God but to the other they Who have and have not the Spirit are foolishness When we preach Jesus Christ and the things of salvation the new creature self-denial living by faith in Christ promised c. and make offers of him unto a people some make light of him and regard not the offer at all they see no beauty at all in him that they should desire him Yet others see in him the glory as of the only begotten of the Father and do admire at that infinite mercy and goodness and love and life in and by him the reason is because the one knows him not but to the other it is given to know him and to discern the mystery of salvation in him 2. To receive hiâ— Joh. 1. 11. He came amongst his own and his own received him not Ver. 12. But as many as received him c. And who were these that received him See Ver. 13. Such as were born not of blood nor of the will of the the flesh nor of the will of man but of God So Acts 2. 41. They that gladly received the Word were baptized But 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God If Christ be offered the natural man will not receive him If Christ saith He that is my Disciple must deny himself This is a hard saying who can bear it Joh. 6. 60. And take up his cross and follow me the natural man will not receive this If the Word saith Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3. 19. The natural man will not receive this nor will he receive that truth in Matth. 7. 41. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life c. But every one who hath the Spirit of God as he hath a power given to perceive or discern the mysteries of the Kingdom of God and all the wayes and rules belonging thereunto so he hath also an heart given to close with the Kingdom of Christ and with every part and path of it Thirdly The Spirit enables them to pray and under the sense of their wants and troubles to come unto God as their Father and to open their conditions unto him with judgement affection and confidence Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ver. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Here you see that they who have the Spirit of Adoption have received the Spirit of supplication every son of God is able to call God Father and to cry unto him as his Father and that the Spirit of God is in this work of Prayer by making intercession for them appears 1. By enabling them to make requests for themselves with groanings which cannot be uttered 2. With fervency and earnestness of heart Object But will some reply This cannot be a distinguishing sign that we have the Spirit because many wicked men do pray and so do many hypocrites Isa 26. Whether the Spirit of Prayer be a sure sign of a child of God 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they have poured out a Prayer when thy chastening was upon them Ergo c. Sol. I answer First By way of Concession granting three things unto wicked men and hypocrites viz. 1. They may and do in their distresses put forth natural desires for help as the very beasts do under their burdens and wants 2. They may and generally do satisfie themselves with a form of Prayer which they read or hear read unto them which is another thing from the Spirit of Prayer 3. They may have the gift of Prayer or an ability to pray by the strength of gifts and parts and upon hearing of others to gather up some good expressions and fragments and â—utter them as if they did pray Secondly By way of Negation Notwithstanding those three Concessions I deny that any man hath the spirit of supplication who hath not the Spirit of grace because the spirit of supplication is given with the spirit of adoption which is proper to the sons of God Every one who hath the Spirit of Prayer he can come unto God and call him Father which none can do but such as are in Christ in whom he becomes our reconciled God and Father To pray with the Spirit of Prayer is to pray with a special My soule is sore troubled Psal 6. feeling of our wants and of our I am not worthy to be called thy sonne unworthiness and the desires of our soul c. with my whole heart and my soul follows hard after thee with affectionate earnestness of heart and with I believe therefore I have spoken confidence towards God in the name of Christ that he will give unto us the good things which he hath promised to us in his Covenant 2 Sam. 7. 27. Thou hast revealed unto thy servant saying I will build thee an house therefore thy servant
c. Who can pray thus but he who is a child of God but he who hath the Spirit of God to shew unto him his spiritual wants to stirre up in him spiritual and earnest desires to quicken his Faith on God and to depend on his good and faithful Promises in Christ c. Fourthly I will adde one instance more concerning the power in all who have received the Spirit and that is this All who have received the Spirit have received a power to do such works as none else in all the world can do for they are able in the strength and power of the Spirit 1. To abhor the dearest lusts which have formerly been more unto them than their lives and heavenly happiness 2. To forsake Father and Mother Husband and Wife and Children and Friends Houses and Lands for Christ and an afflicted estate with Christ 3. To prize communion with God and to take more satisfying delight therein than in all earthly enjoyments whatsoever But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Psal 4. 6. Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee c. 4. To live by faith in the times of desertion Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. and in times of desolation when as creature helps and comforts fail Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the Vine and the labour of the Olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat and the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Hâ—b 3. 17 18. The Lord God is my strength ver 19. 5. To be contented in every estate and to comply with it Phil. 4. 12 13. and to glorifie God under it O where is this power of the Spirit of God where are any great things or works of the Spirit within us I cannot pray saith one and I cannot leave my sins saith another and I can find and take no delight in God or communion with him saith another and I cannot trust on his Word nor wait upon his Promise c. Few men have any Spiritual power and therefore few men have the Spirit of God Fourthly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Liberty is a freedom from bondage or slavery and Gospel-liberty which principally respects the soul is a freedom accruing unto us Partly by price and purchace namely by the blood of Christ The Lord Jesus by his death hath purchased many glorious liberties for us he hath freed us from the Law as it is a Covenant of Works Gal. 3. 11 12. and from the curse and wrath ver 13. and from all condemning power of sin c. Rom. 8. 1. Partly by strength and efficacy this liberty comes unto us by the Spirit who puts forth a strong and mighty hand upon all the hearts of all the people of God and rescues and frees them from spiritual slavery under which they were held whiles they were in their natural condition The Spirit of God doth free them First From slavery to sin See Rom. 8. 2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death i. e. The power of the Spirit hath freed me out of the hands and power of sin so that it shall not command and rule over me as heretofore it is no longer my Lord nor am I any longer his servant I am delivered and freed from the dominion and tyranny of it and service unto it by the Law i. e. by the powerful and authoritative command and work of the Spirit upon this account the Apostle affirms that all the servants of God are made free from sin Rom. 6. 18 22. they are not in bondage they are not at the command of it sin hath lost its law and authority in them the yoke is broken by the spirit which is given unto them sin indeed will stirre and trouble and usurp but slavery unto it is taken away Isa 10. 27. The yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing Secondly From slavery to Satan Before we receive the Spirit of God we are in bondage unto the Divel who rules or works effectually in us Ephes 2. 2. and takes us captive at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. as one that hath a bird tyed c. O what power hath Satan over a natural man how he fetters and shackles and binds him and imprisons him and makes him to drudge in the fulfilling of his motions and obeying of his suggestions and temptations But now when the Spirit of God comes into us he spoiles the strong man armed and takes from him all the armour wherein he trusted Luke 11. 21 22. For he is stronger than he 1 Joh. 4. 4. He leads captivity captive he turns us from Satan unto God Acts. 26. 18. Object But Satan still tempts and assaults never was man so tempted as I am Sol. Temptation is one thing and salvation is another he bestirred himself in tempting and we obeyed he now tempts and we resist He frees us from him 1. By making us to abhor his Kingdom 2ly By translating us out of his power into the Kingdom of Christ 3ly By arming us with the armour of God against his assaults 4ly By stirring us up to resist him Jam. 4 7. Resist the Divel and he will flee from you And 5ly By strengthening us to overcome him 1 Joh. 2. 13. Ye have overcome the wicked one Thirdly From slavish fear and a slavish spirit in working in this respect he makes us to serve God without fear Luk. 1. 74. that is without servile fear for there is a twofold fear There is Timor filialis which is grounded in the love of God as a Father and there is Timor servilis which looks upon God only as a Judge and hath a respect to fo wrath Now when the Spirit of God is given unto us we do not serve God tor fear of wrath and punishment and damnation but out of love and reverence and ingenuity Though there were no Law to curse us though there were no Conscience to terrifie us though there were no Hell to burn us yet the Lord our God and Father we will love and him will we serve Fourthly From slavish indispositions as averseness to what is good and indelightfulness in it They that are anointed by the Spirit and power of God it makes them ready and willing out of love and working out of love Fifthly The Spirit of God is a Spirit of truth Joh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter Ver. 17. even the Spirit of truth John 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come he will guide yâ—u into all truth SECT I. THere are divers
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 hâ—ve 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 〈◊〉 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
men destitute of the Spirit though we be civil and courteous and friendly and helpful if we be born of the Spirit c. Gal. 4. 29. as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Here is Ishmael born after the flesh i. e. an ungodly and wicked wretch and here is Isaac born after the Spirit i. e. according to the promise of the Spirit and according to the powerful and gracious renewing of the Spirit and presently he is persecuted by Ishmael That must needs be good which Nero persecutes so he must needs be good he must needs have the Spirit of God against whom all the scoffings and mockings and reproaches and persecutions of the wicked are raised Fourthly They that have the Spirit do walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit you read those expressions Gal. 5. 25. and Rom. 8. 4. We walk not afâ—er Such walk in the Spirit the flesh but after the Spirit Now as to walk after the flesh is to set anâ— order the course of our life after our corrupt reason and wills and affections following them as our guides so to walk after the Spirit is to dispose and order our conversation according to the rules and motions of the Spirit so to lead our lives and move on in our courses as the the Spirit of God doth teach us in the Word and stirs us up inwardly to follow Thus doth every one who hath the Spirit of God he walks after the Spirit his conversation is in heaven Phil. 3. 20. His course of life is the course of new obedience that newness of life which the Word sets forth He walks not as the men of this world walk nor according to his own lusts in the times of his ignorance but before God in Holiness and Righteousness for by the Spirit he is sanctified to obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1. He prayes with David Psal 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word Ephes 5. 10. Proving what is acceptabe to the Lord. 2. For the paths Psal 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way Ver. 8. I will walk in thy statutes Isa 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightnesse 3. For the end so as to advaace the Kingdom and advance the Gospel a living unto the Lord. Fifthly They that have the Spirit are spiritual worshippers The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father seeketh Such are spiritual worshipers such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth John 4. 23. 24. So Paul in Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son Phil 3. 3. We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit Beloved take these two things for certain truths viz. 1. Carnal men are but carnal worshippers a form of worship satisfies them bodily service outward performance Isa 29. 13. This people draw near me with Carnal men are carnal worshipers their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart farre from me c. Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth and farre from their reins 2. But spiritual men or men of the spirit are spiritual worshippers they do worship God in spirit Object But you will say What is it to worship God in spirit Sol. I answer to worship God in spirit is First To have our inward man taken up imployed and acting in all those Religious duties which we do owe and which we do present unto him As when What it is to worship God in Spirit we draw near to him in prayer for power to repent to believe to obey c. not only our mouthes do pray but our very hearts also do pray and our prayers are the lifting up of our hearts Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Psal 25. 1. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. And the very desires of our souls Isa 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name And when you come to him in confession of sins not only your lips do acknowledge them and condemn you for them but your very hearts are ashamed of them and bewail them and judge them And so when you come to hear the Word a bodily presence doth not satisfie you but your hearts do come with your bodies and your hearts do hear and your hearts are ready to receive the Word with gladness and fear Secondly To have an edge upon our hearts in the services of God a kind of heavenly vigor and strenuousnesse so that our souls do come in to it with all the actual strength which they have for the present Indeed a Christan hath sometimes a stronger and quicker keeness of spirit than he hath at other times but still he puts forth as least in his desires and endeavours what power he hath in his communion with God As he seeks God with his mouth so he seeks him with his whole heart Psal 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee he doth not serve the Lord with a cold formal indifferent spirit but as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12. 11. He is fervent in spirit serving the Lord He prayes and hears fervently and repents fervently and believes fervently 'T is true that he falls very short yet what he doth to the Lord he doth the same in good earnest it is his work and his business and if he finds it otherwise with himseâ—f if he finds a dulness and deadness upon his spirit this troubles him and he strives to shake it off by stirring up himself as the phrase is Isa 64. 7. and that of 2 Tim. 1. 6. and by awaking of his heart and graces I my self will awake saith David Psal 108. 2. and beseeching of the Lord to quicken and to enlarge his heart I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psal 119. 32. Sixthly They who have the Spirit of God are most pleased and delighted in Such delight in spiritual ministrations spiritual and vigorous ministrations which deal most with their spirits and do in a spiritual power most reach their hearts and spiritual condition Beloved this you shall find in experience that a profane heart cannot endure but alwayes hates and despiseth a spiritual and searching Ministry A formal heart hath most satisfaction in a formal Ministry A gracious heart is alwayes best pleased with a spiritual and powerful Ministry with that Ministry which doth come in power and in the demonstration of the Spirit and makes it self manifest unto the consciences of men which is quick in operation and piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. and which is mighty
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
many times we know not what to do and cannot do any good that we would and now the Spirit of God comes and strengthens our feeble hands and supports our fainting spirits and puts out his power upon our hearts and carries us on in our wayes and works You do find it thus in several cases viz. 1. Frequently when we are to pray we are at a loss and cannot go on with Gods spirit helps us in prayer the heavenly work our ignorance our unbelief Satans temptations and distractions all these hold us down and bind us up and we cannot help and free our selves But then the Spirit of God comes in with his strength and with his help and stirs up our hearts and enlargeth our hearts and new desires flow and groans abound and affâ—â—ctions work and faith works with confidence to the throne of grace to find grace and mercy to help in time of need 2. Alwayes in our spiritual warfare with our own corruptions with Satans temptations In our spiritual warfare in these conflicts we feel our own weakness and their power and violence so that we many times cry out O wretched men that we are who shall deliver us Rom. 7. 24. Or as Jehoshaphat in another case We have no might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to do 2 Chron. 20. 12. And verily we may say concerning our own corruptions what he spake of his enemies If it had not been the Lord who was on our side if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick Psal 124. 1,2,3 so if the Spirit of the Lord had not been with us and if the Spirit of the Lord had not strengthened and helped us sin had been too hard for us But in those conflicts the Spirit of God hath made us strong still to pray still to believe still to wait still to resist and at length to conquer 4ly The spirit of God which is given unto us is a reconciling and a restoring spirit He is a restoring spirit he restoreth my soul saith David Psal 23. 3. Even the people of God sometimes are circumvented by Satans temptations and are overpowered by sin that dwelleth in them what I hate that do I saith Paul Rom. 7. 15. They do many times fall very grievously and sadly and are not able by their own strength to rise again but there they lye with their weakness and losses and complaints and tears Now in this condition the Spirit of God puts forth his hand and recovers and raises them up again he doth not leave them when they are fallen but by the power of his assisting grace 1. He awakens them out of their sleep by a quick conviction upon their consciences He awakens out of spiritual sleep to see the great evil which they have done I have sinned saith David as soon as Nathan said Thou art the man 1 Sam. 12. 2. He melts their hearts into singular grief for that evil which they have done Melts their hearts into grief David watred his couch with tears Psal 6. 6. And Peter goes out and weeps bitterly Luk. 22. 62. he makes them to mourn and to be ashamed and to loath themselves 3. He stirs up their hearts to confess and acknowledge their sinnings and to judge themselves before the Lord for their unfaithful dealings and unworthy walking Stir them up to confess their sins and likewise earnest wrestlings and strivings with the Lord by prayer for pardoning mercy and restoring grace and a more stedfast spirit Psal 51. 9. Blot out all mine iniquities Ver. 10. Renew a right spirit witbin me Ver. 12. Vphold me by thy free spirit 4. He enables them by faith to lay hold on Christ to be their peace and to Enables by Faith to lay hold on Christ make Reconciliation and thus doth the Spirit of God recover and restore their fallen souls and assures them that their sin is pardoned Fifthly the Spirit of God which is given unto you is a comforting Spirit Christ He is a comforting spirit himself calls him the Comforter Joh. 14. 16. and you find him actually comforting the people of God Acts 9. 31. They walked in the comforts of the Holy Ghâ—st He is called the Comforter by way of Eminency and Excellency there is no such Comforter as the Siprit of God Psal 77. 2. For 1. He can comfort your very souls with proper comfors and consolations Thy Comforts the soul comforts delight my soul Psal 94. 19. 2. He can comfort you against all your discomforts 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth Comforts against all discomforts us in all our tribulations 1. From Conscience 2. From the Divel and the world 3. From Providence when it seems to be cross to us 3. He can comfort you under all absences when there is neither Father nor In all absence and wants Mother nor Husband nor Wife nor Child nor Friend nor Land nor House yet he can comfort you he alone can shew you the salvation of the Lord speak peace and joy and assure you of mercy and cause you to rejoyce in believing Psal 27. 10. When my Father and my Mother for sake me then the Lord will take me up 4. He can comfort you and none can hinder him nor men nor Divels nor fears nor doubts for he can create you peace and create you joy and create He cannot be hindred in comforting us you comfort he himself alone is a sufficient cause of comfort Object How so how doth the Spirit comfort Sol. 1. By opening all the springs of comfort unto you the fountain of mercy How the Spirit comforts By opening the springs of comfort By actuating our Faith Zech. 13. 1. the Fountain of grace the Fountain of the blood of Christ and of justification 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. Rom. 5. 11. We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the attonement 2. By actuating your faith to behold all these fountains of joy and to dig water out of the wells of salvation and making you to suck the brests of consolation 3. By applying them to your very souls clearing and witnessing your right unto By opplying them to our souls them your propriety in them that Christ dyed for your sins that God is reconciled to your souls that you are justified and accepted unto life and that you are the children of God Rom. 8. 4. By enabling conscience to testifie 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this By enabling Conscience to testifie the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation Sixthly The Spirit which is given unto you is dwelling and an abiding spirit He is a dwelling spirit in all the people of God Rom. 8. 11. By his Spirit that dwelleth in you Joh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he
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 upâ—olding 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 â—hrist 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 â—1 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 fiâ—e 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 dâ—oss 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 withâ—n 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 diminâ—sh 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
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 hâ—s 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 wâ—ich 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 〈◊〉 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
will you weary my God also said the Prophet Isa 7. 13. So say I Is it a small thing that you injure another but will you also injure the Spirit of God Simile If a friend should help you out of prison and heal all your diseases and sores and furnish you with clothes and money and house and lands do you not wrong him in saying upon every discontent What hath he done he hath never done any thing for me Why it is the Spirit of God who hath quickned you from the dead who hath delivered you out of the power of darkness who hath renewed and healed your soul who hath begun every saving grace in your hearts who hath been your life and strength and after all this is it meet for you to say What hath he done and he hath wrought nothing for us nothing why how came you to be so sensible of your sins how came your hearts to be broken and mournful whence came those desires after Christ and grace whence came those fervent prayers and importunate cries whence came those resolutions to walk with God and careful endeavours to honour and glorifie him O Christianâ— be humbled for thy rashnesse and for thy unthankfulness and for this injuriousness done unto the good Spirit of God disown him no more and deny not any work of his any more though it be but little yet do not disown it though it be sometimes hidden from thee yet do not disown it though it doth many times work but weakly do not disown it though it be put sometimes to a stand though thou dost not in every particular answer the motions and rules of the Spirit yet do not disown the work of the Spirit condemn every sinful work which is thine own but do not deny or dishonour any work that is his Secondly By not crediting the testimony of the Spirit Beloved sometimes By not crediting the spirit we do bear witness or give testimony for the Spirit as when we humbly and thankfully confess his workmanship in our hearts saying This is the Lords doing this he hath done for my soul c. Sometimes the Spirit bears witness or gives in testimony unto our hearts he bears witness saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 16. that we are the children of God and concerning this he gives in his testimony partly by his works of Faith and Regeneration which are to be found in all and only the children of God And partly by extraordinary assurance letting in such a ligâ—t and evidence and perswasion which abundantly clears up our Relation that without doubt God is our Father and we are his children If now after both these testimonies in assurance of the Spirit in after times of darkness and desertion and temptation we call the testimony of the Spirit into question and charge it for a false delusion do we not exceedingly injure the Spirit of God in some sort to make bim a lyer and a false witnesse Object But we do not do so and we dare not do so his testimony is true only How to know the testimony of the Spirit we fear that the testimony which we have found was not his testimony but a delusion either of Satan or of our own hearts Sol. O but what if indeed that testimony was not the delusion of your hearts but the very testimony of the Spirit which you have challenged and rejected as a delusion are you not then very guilty of great injuriousness unto the Spirit And that it was the very testimony of the Spirit of God may thus appear 1. It was a testimony after deep humblings of the heart for sin 2. It was a testimony after importunate cries and wrestlings for mercy and assurance 3. It was a testimony after your believing and closing which Christ offered and accepted 4. It was a testimony after the matching of the promises with your souls condition 5. It was a testimony that filled your heart with joy unspeakable and glorious and with a love most dear and superlative and with most humble and serious care and diligence how to walk more exactly and chearfully to the praise and honour of this most gracious God If it was thus it was no delusion it was indeed the testimony of the Spirit and you have dealt unkindly and unworthily thus to requite him and thus to disgrace his precious testimony Thirdly By disregarding and slighting the Ordinances of Christ Some people do think that because they have the Spirit therefore there is no need of Ordinances By slighting Christs Ordinances at least for them perhaps they hold that the Ordinances may be useful for others who as yet have not received the Spirit but yet they are needless for them who have received the Spirit And three places of Scripture they alledge for this Jer. 31. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them saith the Lord. 1 Joh. 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a most sure Word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts With your favour I will speak something in 1. Opposition to this Opinion it is the Opinion of the Libertines of old and of some now amongst our selves The Libertines answered who desire and endeavour to subvert the Ministry and the Ordinances of preaching 2ly In resolving the true meaning of those places of Scripture First I affirm that Gods giving of his Spirit unto his people was never intended by him to put a period unto any Evangelical Ordinance or to render them useless unto any of his people this may be demonstrated thus First From the scope of the Scriptures All Scripture saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Iâ—struction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works ver 17. If the Word of God be given for these ends For Doctrine to teach us the matter of faith for Reproof to convince errors for Correction to condemn sin for Instruction to shew us our duties and to make us perfect To beget us Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the Word of truth To build us up Acts 20. 33. 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 which are sanctified then certainly the presence of the Spirit and the Ministry of the Word are not
inconsistent nor are they to be dijoyned Secondly If the Lord Jesus himself hath instituted some men particularly for his service and the benefit of his Church and hath committed the dispensation of Evangelical Ordinances unto them then no man under pretence that he hath the Spirit may slight and neglect the Ordinances but Christ hath instituted some persons in the Church for Ministerial service c. Ephes 4. 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers Ver. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ c. Ver. 13. till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ What need of these if the presence of the Spirit without these be sufficient 1 Cor. 12. 28. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secundarily Prophets thirdly Teachers Ver. 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers To these and not to all hath he committed the dispensation of the Evangelical Ordinances 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Matth. 28. 19. Go ye and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself c. and hath committed unto us the word of Reconciliation What are all these Ordinances instruted and fixed and that by the will of Christ and yet useless for men that have the Spirit of Christ Thirdly What mean those several passages in the Scriptures Jam. 1. 19. Be swift to hear 1 Per. 2 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby 1 Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit Ver. 20. Despise not Prephesying Luke 10. 16. He that despiseth you despiseth me c. Isa 59. 21. This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit that is upon them and my Spirit which I have put within thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord hence forth for ever Fourthly If the Spirit be given unto us to make the Ordinances effectual unto us then his presence should not take us off from Ordinances but the Spirit is given to make the Ordinances effectual they are so farre life unto us as the Spirit gives life unto them 2 Cor. 3. 16. The Spirit giveth life Secondly Having spoken these things I shall now look upon those forementioned Scriptures and see whether they conclude the needlesness of Ordinances after the reception of the Spirit Object Jer. 31. 34. They shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me c. Hence the Anabaptists do conclude that there is no need of Teachers nor Anabaptists answered Learning Sol. First I would fain know Whether these people have among them a Church of Christ yea or no if they have then I would know Whether they have any The Scriptures opened Teachers of the Word and Labourers in the Word and Doctrine any teaching publickly in their Churches Secondly But to the place of the Prophet who sets out the difference between the Old Testament and the New 1. In respect of efficacy this he layes down in ver 33. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after these dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts c. 2ly In respect of Clarity that in the times of the new Covenant there should be a more clear and plentiful effusion of knowledge than in the old Covenant for when Christ came then did the Sun of Righteousness arise the light of which was sevensold to what the light was before his coming they before his coming had but a dark knowledge those after his coming had a more clear and full knowledge Object True and they had so much knowledge that they needed not to be taught they shall no more teach Sol. That expression is not to be taken litterally and absolutely as if those that live under the Gospel should need no teaching at all for we read an express promise relating unto Gospel-times to the contrary Isa 2. 3. Many people shall go and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go out the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem But the words are to be taken Restrictively and Comparatively therefore if you observe them it is not said only they shall no more teach every one his neighbour but they shall no more teach every man his neighbour saying know the Lord So that God doth promise under the Gospel such a measure of knowledge as that his people now shall not be Alphabetarii any more need to be taught the first Principles of the Doctrine of Faith any more these they should all of them clearly know and much more clearly than many or most living under the old Covenant or Testament Object 1 Joh. 2. 27. You need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. Sol. The Apostle having in the former words delivered many excellent and comfortable truths he concludes with a perswasion of their knowledge of and assent unto them q. d. you are the people of God you have received his Spirit you know these things to be true I write them unto you not as to the ignorant but knowing Christian you know them assuredly the Spirit given unto you hath enabled you to know and to acknowledge them so that no man needs to teach you them c. Object 2. Pet. 1. 19. Vnto which you do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in darknesse untill the day dawn and the day starâ—e arise in your hearts Sol. Untill the day dawn i. e. Pleniori apertiori cognitione quà m sub legis umbris fuerit 1. He commends the Jews for regarding the Prophetical writings 2. He prefers the Apostolical Writings which had more light in them 3. Vntil is gradual and not exclusive Fourthly lastly the Spirit is injured when any do Father upon him their odd Opinions and wild fancies and delusions and sometimes their abominable blasphemies which are not to be named amongst Christians but with detestation The Spirit of God is the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of holiness and to entitle him unto any errors or wickedness it is no less then to blaspheme and reproach him Fifthly The fifth Caution which I would
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 â—orth 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 tumâ—ltuousness 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 pâ—ide 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
Spirit but did you ever find him a witnesting Spirit Now improve your interest in the Spirit for these soul-renewing works which you long for but never yet found why beâ—eech the Lord to give you the Spirit of Joy as well as the Spirit of Faith the Spirit of Peace as well as the Spirit of Holiness the sealing and witnessing Spirit as well as the renewing and changing Spirit The Spirit of gladness as well as of mourning Say unto my soul I am thy salvation Be of good comfort go in peace thy sins are forgiven thee Thy heart is ready to sink and break for want of comfort why Go to the Lord Lord comfort my soul thou hast promised joy and comfort to thy people and biddest thy Ministers to comfort them O comfort me with thine own Spirit it is his work it is his Office to be the Comforter c. Secondly For the works which he hath begun but hath not as yet perfected and finished within you as all the works of grace of knowledge of faith of love c. be not content with a little of these but as the Apostle exhorts in Ephes 5. 18. Be filled with the Spirit labour to encrease and abound in all fruits of the Spirit Psal 92. 13. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the house of our God Ver. 14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Here I will briefly answer two Questions 1. Quest One is Why they that have the Spirit of grace should strive to increase Why such as have grace should labour to grow in it and to abound in grace Sol There are five Reasons for it First This will testifie the truth that is in them That they have the graces of the Spirit indeed there are three things amongst many others which do testifie grace in truth 1. One is Power 2. The second is Growth 3. The third is Perseverance Dead things and Artificial things have no growth q. because they have no life Every branch in me that beareth fruit the Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit saith Christ Joh. 15. 2. Secondly Yea and this testifies that the Spirit is in you of a truth for the Spirit changeth us from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. When the Spirit changeth us at the first from sinfulness to holiness this is a glorious change for as the natural estate is vile and inglorious so the renewed and sanctified estate is an excellent and glorious estate and when the Spirit begins a glorious change he proceeds and makes it still more glorious the spirit changeth us from glory to glory Grace makes us glorious and more grace makes us more glorious the more grace the more glory and where the Spirit of God is there he carries on his work from glory to glory Thirdly The more that ye do grow in the graces of the spirit the greater and fuller is your conformity unto Christ Grace is in Christ as in a Fountain and perfection as in a pattern Now the more you have in answerableness to the pattern the fuller is your conformity a little grace in us resembles that grace which is in Christ Simile But as those who lived under the Old Testament had some glimpses of Christ but they that lived under the New Testament had a more clear knowledge of him face to face So they that have but a little of grace there is some resemblance and manifestation in them of the image of Christ but they who are high in grace they are nearer to Christ in the resemblance of his excellent perfection of holiness and to speak plainly there is much more of Christ in them Fourthly The more you obtain in the proportion of grace the greater Revenue of honour will you be able to bring in to God I told you that the weakest grace can enable you to bring God some honour why then much grace can help you farther in that service it can set up his Name on high A little Faith can honour God but a strong Faith such as Abrahams or Moses's will bring more honour to his goodness and faithfulness a little love will make you to do something for Christ but much love will make you do much more The more grace that you attain the more gloriously will you shine in your conversation and in all the fruits of Righteousness with more fulness evenness and stedfastness and all this glorifies your Father which is in heaven Fifthly You your selves would gain more if your graces were increased more e. g. You would certainly find more peace in conscience and more freedom from slavish fears and doubts and more confidence in your accesses to God and more sweetness in the Ordinances of Christ and more enlargement of heart in all your communions with God and more wisdom and strength against the temptations of Satan 2. How may one know that he hath much of the Spirit of God in him that How to know that we have much of Gods spirit in us If more humble grace is increased and raised that he is more spiritual Sol. You may know it thus First If you be more humble The more pride alwayes either no grace or very little but the more humility still the more grace mark the Records in Scripture and you shall find the most excellent in grace have been the most eminent in humility e. g. Abraham Jacob Moses David Paul c. For much grace 1. Discovers most wants 2ly Most failings 3ly Most self-insufficiency 4ly Most self-unworthiness 5ly That all our receptions are from meer grace and mercy Secondly If you be more exact in your walking giving no just occasion either If more exact in our walking of offence to the weak or of grief to the strong Christians or of reproach to them that are without A man that can order his conversation so as good men are edified by him and wicked men have their mouthes stopped or cannot speak ill of him without lying he hath a great measure of grace Thirdly If a man be able to drink of the cup which Christ did drink and to If able to suffer afflictions be baptized with the baptisme wherewith Christ was baptized Mat. 20. 22 23. this man hath got on far in the work of grace The more able that you are to suffer reproaches and losses yea death itself for Christ the greater is your faith and the stronger is your love when you can rejoyce in tribulations bear the reproaches for Christ taking the Cross as your Crown and triumph that ye are counted worthy to suffer for his Name Fourthly If you be able to govern your tongues with wisdome and meekness If we can wisely govern our tongues and grace and truth this is a sign that you are strong in grace Jam. 3 2. If any offend not in word the same is a perfect man Fifthly The less careful we are for outward things and
the more able we are to trust God and to look on his Promises with as much chearfulness as others do If able to trust God without carking cares only in their performances If we can bless and praise God when he takes away as well as when he gives Psal 56. 10. In God will I praise his word in the Lord will I praise his word Sixthly The more complyance with and contentedness in all the changes which do befall us in our journey to heaven in these dayes of our pilgrimage certainly If contented in all changes this declares a presence of much grace The Lord saith of Job that there was not a man like him in all the earth he was eminently good and upright and he it was who blessed God in his great changes Job 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Chap. 2. 10. Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil See Paul that strong Christian Phil. 4 11. I have learned in whatsoever estate I am therewith to be content Ver. 12. I know how to be abused and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Fourthly A fourth duty which concerns you who have received the Spirit is Our hearts must be carried out to spiritual things this your hearts should be more earnestly and fixedly and entirely carried unto and laid out for spiritual things spiritual objects and treasures should be of more value with you and they should draw out your thoughts and affections to the utmost other things should be of small account with you If the Spirit be in you then the things of the spirit should be in you as wickedness is in the wicked man and the world is in the worldly man so should spiritual things be in a man of the Spirit In him i. e. his heart still in the mindings of his heart and in the projects of his heart and in the cares of his heart and in the desires and longings of his heart and in the delights and satisfactions of his heart he should be wholly given up to them and his soul should be resolved into them Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee The spiritual man should be so addicted to spiritual things that he should spiritualize all things he should spiritualize the world and all his dealings in the world and he should spiritualize all the comforts of the world look on them as from his God and raise his heart more to God have much more delight and sweetness in him he should spiritualize all the afflictions and troubles of the world learn Righteousness and more holiness by them and more to live by faith Nay he should spiritualize all his fails grow more fearful selfdenying mournful watchful fruitful well he should spiritualize his conference and converse with all men edifying the good and admonishing the wicked comforting the weak supporting the feeble But to the main thing his heart should lay out it self for spiritual things O more of the favour of God and more of Jesus Christ and more of the fruits of the Spirit c. 1. The great Promises are of thâ—se 2. And the Promises of them are only unto you 3. They are the best portion and your best portion and your only portion 4. These are eternity or for eternity 5. The Spirit is given unto you to carry out your hearts for these 6. These are most suitable to a spiritual nature Now in the desires of spiritual things remember to 1. Desire grace infinitely more than gifts 2. Desire strength and power more than joys and comfort 3. Desire the means as well as the end 4. Desire all for the honour and glory of God SECT VII 5. Use DOth God promise to give his Spirit unto his people Then let us all be Let all look after the gift of the spirit perswaded to look after this great gift of God not to content our selves under the want of it but by all means to obtain it For the managing of this Vse I will present unto you 1. Some Motives to excite us 2ly Some Means to enjoy 1. The Motives to look after the Spirit of God e. g. First The Spirit and Christ come alwayes together If any man hath Christ The Spirit and Christ come alwayes together he hath the Spirit if any man hath the Spirit he hath Christ if any man hath not the Spirit he hath not Christ Christ and the Spirit ever go together Should not this provoke us to strive with God for his Spirit what sinner on earth would not have Christ what will become of us without Christ how happy is every soul in the enjoyment of him how miserable in the want of him how longing are the hearts of some for Christ and for the knowledge that Christ is their Christ But if the Spirit of God be yours then the Sonne of God is yours Here is a double portion at once a double gift at once the Spirit of God and Jesus Christ at once If you mind not the Spirit for the Spirits sake yet mind the Spirit for Christs sake your desires after him must come from the spirit and your union with him must come from the spirit and your knowledge of the person 〈◊〉 propriety or interest in him must come from the Spirit A man may think he hath Christ but if he hath not the Spirit Christ is none of his Rom. 8. 9. A man may fear that he hath not Christ but if the Spirit be given unto him then assuredly Christ is given unto him Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Joh. 3. 4. Secondly Forgiveness of sins and the Spirit alway are given together Though The Spirit and pardon of sin go together forgiveness of sin be one thing and the Spirit in us another thing yet they are both given together A man hath not his sins pardoned and yet he remains unsatisfied without the Spirit and a man is not sanctified by the Spirit and yet his sins remain unpardoned but both are given together at the same time 1 Joh. 5. 6. This is he that came by water and blood even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness 1 Cor. â— 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 of our God It is true that the blood of Christ is the only meritorious cause of the forgiveness of sins God forgives our sins for Christs sake but then it is as true that assurance of forgiveness and reconciliation of the Spirit are given together Hath God sanctified thy heart by his
Spirit assuredly he hath forgiven thy sins Hath God indeed shewed thee mercy in forgiving thy sins he hath then assuredly given unto thee the Spirit of grace to change thy sinful heart Now would you have your sins forgiven do you look on forgiveness as a desirable mercy as a mercy of life and of peace and of hope O then get the Spirit of God God never forgives a man his sins but he gives his Spirit Forgiveness of sins is the great deed of mercy written in the blood of Christ and the giving of the Spirit is the seal of that deed Thirdly The Spirit and excellency alwayes go together Can we finde such a one as this is a man in whom the Spirit of God is said Pharaoh concerning Joseph Gen. 41. 38. Before we receive the Spirit of God there is no excellency in us we are but The spirit and excellency go together low and vile nothing of worth in our hearts they are wicked corrupt and dead in trespasses and sins and short of the glory of God nothing of worth in our thoughts All the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are only evil continually Nothing of worth in our affections they are set upon evil and set upon the world no love of God nor fear of God nor desire of God nor delight in God nothing of worth in our conversations they are unprofitable vile vain loose and dishonouring of God But when the Spirit of God come into us then comes an excellency into us and a true excellency into us The Spirit of God is stiled an excellent Spirit Dan. 6. 3. And they that enjoy the spirit are men of an excellent Spirit Prov. 17. 27. and to be more excellent than other men there is no way to attain unto it but by getting the Spirit and this I shall shew in particular all that have the Spirit they immediately enjoy 1. An excellent Nature They are made partakers of the Divine Nature Such enjoy an excellent nature An excellent Relation 2 Pet. 1. 4. They are changed into the glorious image of Christ 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. An excellent Relation They are born again of the Spirit Joh. 3. 3. And are made the sons of God they receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4 5. And by the Spirit given unto them cry Abba Father ver 6. 3. Excellent Ornaments Ezek. 16. 7. An excellent wisdom which excelleth folly Excellent Ornaments as far as light excelleth darkness Eccless 2. 13. An excellent knowledge even the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord Phil. 3. 8. An excellent faith which is precious and more precious than gold An excellent love even the love of Jesus Christ in sincerity An excellent joy which is unspeakable and glorious An excellent hope which makes not ashamed which is as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19 4. Excellent Priviledges To come with boldness to the throne of grace to have Excellent Priviledges the golden Scepter still held out unto them to lay claim to all the purchases of Christ and to challenge their right in him to make use of and apply any promise of God respecting any condition of their souls or bodies to appeal from themselves to Christ and from the sentence and severity of the Law unto the mercy and salvation of God in the Gospel In a word they that have the Spirit they are thereby made an eternal excellency Isa 60. 15. 5. Excellent conversation Holiness Uprightness Righteousness and unblameableness Excellent conversation The spirit and alsufficiency come together of life a life in Christ according to godliness Fourthly The Spirit and Alsufficiency comes together Whatsoever your condition may be whatsoever your exâ—â—â—ences may be whatsoever your troubles and sorrows may be whatsoever your wants may be whatsoever your works and services may be if you had but the Spirit you had enough for all his presence and efficacy can supply you with all 1. Are you weak he can strengthen you 2. Are you ignorant he can teach you 3. Are you doubtful he can counsel and guide you 4. Are you fallen he can raise you 5. Are you tempted he can succour you and make you to persist and conquer 6. Are you brought low in wants he can make you to live by Faith 7. Are you filled with sorrow he can fill you with comfort 8. Are you in darkness and can see no light he can open your eyes to see the salvation of God 9. Are fears upon you he can satifie and quiet you 10. Is dulness on you he can quicken and enlarge you 11. Are you doubtful of Gods love and mercy he can shed abroad the love of God in your hearts and make mercy turn unto you 12. Are you to 〈◊〉 to suffer to live â—nd dye he can enable you for every good work and in your sufferings be a spirit of glory unto you while you live he can make you to live unto the Lord and when you come to dye he can make you to dye unto the Lord O who would not who should not wrestle with God for this Spirit without whom no Christ no life no peace no joy no faith no help no hope and with whom comes Christ and Mercy and Excellency and Heâ—p and all Spiritual tasts Earnests Sealings Rejoycings and Glory 2ly The Means to get the Spirit Means to get the spirit Lay down prejudices against the spirit First If you would get the Spirit of God you must then lay down all prejudices against the Spirit As men have prejudices against Christ which hinder them from the receiving of Christ so men have prejudices against the Spirit of Christ which do hinder aâ—d withdraw them from desiring of the â—pirit There are four Prejudices especially and Exceptions in this case viz. 1. The humbling work of the Spirit Prejudices against the spirit 2. The mortifâ—ing work of the Spirit 3. The sanctifying work of the Spirit 4. The deâ—isions that befall men for the Spirits sake Object We would be content to have the Spirit but that he will shew us our sins and trouble and humble us for our sins Sol. I answer First Of a truth he will do so for he is a Spirit of Conviction and a spirit of The first prejudice taken away bondage to fear Secondly Nevertheless this should not take off our hearts from desiring the presence of the spirit For 1. The troubles from the Spirit are good troubles Of necessity we must be Troubles from the spirit are good troubles troubled for our sins either in this life or in hell the troubles for sins in hell are unsufferable and remediless but the troubles of this life for our sins especially when they come from the Spirit they are good they are penitential troubles and tend only to stir in us a loathing of our sins and a separation from our sins which have been so dispâ—easing and injurious to God and have
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 â—â— 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 lâ—osly 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 resâ—st 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 unâ—o 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 aâ—l 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
would not seem unto us a servile burden but a gracious priviledge and special favour that we might freely approach to God and be imployed as servants unto him Object Onely here take heed of a mistake that you do not look on love to God as the rule of your obedience but only as a sweet inward spring or principle of it Sol. Some who would cancel the Law as to believers would make our Love is not the only rule of our obedience love to God the rule of all our obedience to God but this is not sound doctrine For 1. That which is a part of our obedience cannot be the rule of our obedience Now love is a part of a mans obedience as well as faith and fear c. Antinomians confuted 2. No rule of mans obedience must be imperfect but perfect and full now our love is imperfect and therefore it cannot be the rule of our obedience Get humble and tender hearts Sixthly If you would walk in Gods statutes and do them then you mâ—st gâ—â— humble hearts and tender hearts Simile It is with our hearts as with mettals digged out of the earth which are impure and hard and as so of little or no use but when they are melted and purged they are then capable of being useful and being serviceable vessels Thus it is with our hearts whiles they are unbroken and hard and proud they are rebellious disobedient reprobate to every good work Exod. 5. 2. Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to leâ— Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Psal 119. 21 Thoâ— hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandements Jer. 44. 16. The proud men Chap. 43. 2. spake As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee But when the Lord gives unto men humble and tender hearts now they will close with and submit unto Gods statutes and to a walking in them Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thy hand and they sate down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy word Lord said Paul when the pride and rage of his spirit was off and himself himself what wilt thou have me to do Acts. 9. 6. You read in James 4. 6. that God gives grace to the humble And Psal 25. 9. The meek will he teach his way c. Hence saith Christ Matth. 11. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart intimating unto us that there is no taking upon us the yoke of obedience untill we first learn of him the lesson of lowliness of heart An humble and tender heart is wholly at Gods disposing and ready for his service most affraid to offend and dishonour him and most ready to give audience to every part of his will and to to do it and to bring him honour and glory in the whole course of a mans life Beseech the Lord to give you this humble and tender heart without which you will neither regard God nor his statutes 2. Quest What mistakes are we to take heed of in walking in Gods statutes or What we must take heed of in walking in Gods wayes in the performance of our duties of obedience unto him Sol. There are these things which you must take heed of in your walking and in your performance of duties First You must take heed of formality and resting in the opus operatum in the meere doing of duties commanded There are two parts of duties there is Of Formality the body of it and there is the soul of it there is the work and there is the manner of working As in Prayer there are the words of prayer and there is the Spirit of Prayer and in hearing of the Word there is the meer hearing and there is the right hearing or the spiritual hearing of the Word Now we must take heed that we content not our selves with the meer outward doing of any duty because 1. God requires more then the meer outward work My son saith he give God requires the heart me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. And Christ saith that God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 4 2. God Abhors and rejects the meer outward service Isa 29. 13. Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me and have removed their hearts far from me and their fear towards me is taught by precepts of men Ver. 14. therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvellous worke amongst this people a marvellous work and a wonder for the wisdom of the wise men shall perish c. Now there are four things which demonstrate that men do perform duties in a formal manner and content themselves with the meer opus operatum Why do men rest in the work done It s an easie service 1. One is the facility of their obedience To perform any one duty to make any one prayer in a spiritual manner will cost us much care and watchfulness many workings of heart many workings of faith and fear but to perform duties in a carnal formal way costs a man nothing if he can but read or say his prayers this is all and there he rests 2. A second is the deadness of the services It is a service without any heart It s a dead service at all the understanding acts not and the will acts not and the affections act not in it the man confesseth sin without any grief of heart for sin and even prays for grace and mercy without any longing desires or faith in Christ or the promises to obtain it 3. A carelesness of service The formal man minds not God nor any communion A careless service with him and minds not prayer and minds nothing beyond prayer whether his own heart be right or no and whether God regards him and answers him this he minds not 4. A fruitlesness of doing Nothing comes of the formal work of duty the man saith a prayer but no good comes of it and he hears but no good comes of it A fruitless service still he prayes and still he hears and still he reads and still he is drunk and still he swears c. Secondly You must take heed of neutrality in walking in Gods statutes neutrality Take heed of neutrality is an indifferent participation of both extreams it hath something of the one and something of the other as luke-warm water hath something of heat and something of cold So the man who is guilty of neutrality in walking in Gods statutes he hath one foot in the wayes of God and another foot in the wayes of wickedness he halts between two Opinions he is not only for God nor only for Baal 1 King 18. 21. he is not altogether for Gods commands nor
iniquity I never knew you saith Christ These things being thus premised I will now shew unto you 1. How a man may so perform his obediential works that he may please God and they may be accepted How we may so perform duties as to please God 2. How he is to walk in Gods Statutes so c. 1. Case How a man must perform obediential works so that he may please God and that they may be accepted of God Sol. For this take these answers First He must be in Christ It is a sure rule That the person must be accepted The person must be in Christ before his works can be accepted Now no persons are accepted but so far only as they are in Christ He hath made us accepted in his beloved saith the Apostle Ephes 1. 6. If the Lord looks on any person as out of Christ what shall he find him what shall he behold in him nothing but a sinful cursed enemy an object of his justice and wrath an offending and offensive displeasing and provoking creature and he cannot but loath him and what comes from him only in and by Christ doth he look upon uw with grace and favour Secondly He must have the Spirit of Christ For they that are in the flesh cannot He must have the Spirit of Christ please God Rom. 8. 8. The Apostle in the precedent verse saith That the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be whence he instances in this verse That they that are in the flesh cannot please God A wicked unregenerate man defiles every good work which he takes in hand Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles saith Christ Matth. 7. 16. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit ver 17. That of Solomon is pertinent to our purpose Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight And ver 29. The Lord is far from the wicked but he heareth prayer of the Righteous By all which you plainly see that a person must be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ if he would have services or performances pleasing to God and accepted of him if God sees not something of his own work in our works he accepts them not but that cannot be unless our work comes from his Spirit within us c. Thirdly He must worship God in Spirit and in truth this our Saviour delivers He must worship God in spirit and in truth in Joh. 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And ver 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth A bare external bodily service the Lord utterly dislikes if the soul and heart come not within our duties they are of no account to God Spiritual service is proper for God who is a Spirit and this pleaseth him Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit Ephes 6. 18. Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Fourthly He must perform all his duties of obedience in Faith For without He must perform them in faâ—th Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now to perform our duties in faith implies 1. That we know and discern the will and command of God concerning the duties which we do perform unto him This is a certain truth That what God requires not that God accepts not He appoints all the paths of obedience unto the sons of men and will not be obeyed according to our mind but according to his own mind and whatsoever we do if we do it not with faith i. e. being not perswaded that this is that which God requires of us it shall not be accepted For Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne 2. That we rely upon the grace and strength of Christ to walk and perform the duties commanded For without him we can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. It was a good speech of Bernard upon that passage in Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon his beloved Frustra nititur qui non innititur no good can be done but by leaning on Christ from him is the strength of your sufficiency and not from your selves 3. That we offer them up to God in the Name of Christ resting on his merits and not on our own duties on his doings not on our own doings and expecting acceptance for his sake Joh. 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do Ver. 14. If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye shall do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus The prayers that were offered up with the incense upon the Altar were pleasing Rev. 8. 3. and came up with acceptance Ver. 4. The brethren were kindly used for Benjamins sake and David shewed respect to lame Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake Simile All our services and duties are pleasing to God and accepted of him not for their own sakes but for Christs sake 4. That whatsoever we do in the way of obedience let it be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Do all to the glory of God For Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 2. Case Now I come to shew you the choice Rules which do concern us Rules concerning our walking in Gods statutes in walking in Gods statutes or the manner how we must walk in them if c. Sol. The Rules which I will propound all of them shall be taken from the VVord of God and they are these First VVe are to walk in them willingly As Ephraim is said in a contrary We must walk in â—hem willingly sense to walk willingly after the command he was not compelled oâ— forced but freely of his own accord gave up himself unâ—o idolatrous worship So should we in a true spiritual sense willingly walk after the commands of God The willingness of our hearts is all in all in the duties of obedience and the more of that the more precious and acceptable is our obedience to Gods statutes 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts q. d. Look well to this for God takes special notice of this and looks more at this than any thing else Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power This is the choice Character of the people of Christ they shall be a willing people the word signifies they shall be
David I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever then mayst thou confidenly say with him Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the dayes oâ— my life Psal 23. 6. 2ly Their great sin in Revolting and giving over walking in Gods The great sin of Revolters Statutes There is a Question which I have read somewhere of Infidels and Hereticks and Apostates which of them do sin more heinously And it is Resolved that the Apostate is the greatest sinner of them defection is a greater sin then the negation of subjection because in defection or Apostasie 1. More of God is rejected and the Apostate sins more against God Why Apostaâ—es are such great sinners 2. Having received the knowledge of God and his wayes 3. And likewise breaks asunder more bonds which lay upon him to continue his obedience And indeed the Apostle speaking of Apostates delivers three things concerning them which do set out their sins unto amazment Heb. 6. 6. First One is that its impossible to renew them againe unto repentance How great It s impossible to renew them is that sin which doth so harden the hearts of men that he doth never repent of it nay can never repent of it nay that it is impossible to renew him again to repentance A Second is that they crucify to themselves the Son of God they deal with They crucify to themselves Christ a fâ—esh Christ as the Jews did who rejected and crucified him O what a sin is this to crucify the Son God and to crucify him a fresh to pierce his heart and to shed his blood the second time The third is that they put him to open shame they themselves do put a reproach They put him to open shame and contempt upon Christ and cause others so to do as if Christ were not a master fit to be followed and his wayes were not worth our regarding and that the poor woâ—ld and our base sins are rather to be regarded and embâ—aced and followed then the Lord Jesus and his precepts and his wayes And take one thing more that never did any fall off or turn away from walking in Gods statutes but he grew far more wicked then ever he was before and likewise a desperate enemies to the wayes of God 3ly Their great danger and judgement This I shall shew unto you in three Particulars First Revolters or Apostates are judicially given up to the great power of Satan The great danger and judgement of Apostates They are given up to Satan The Lord doth in his just judgement give them over unto Satan that he should rule them and that they should be his sworn servants who will break off with God and refuse to serve him any longer Mat. 12. 44. That unclean spirit returned unto his house from whence he came out ver 45. and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and enter they in and dwell there and the last estate of that man is worse than the first Secondly They are judicially given up to the power of their sinful lusts they And to the power of their lusts grow worse and worse they having cast away the cords and all fear of God there is no wickedness but they are ready to obey it and they do now go on in their daring wayes of bold profaness with seared consciences Thirdly They are judiciously given up to the powers of damnation therefore And to the power of damnation it is said that they draw back unto perdition Heb. 10. 39. And the soul of God hath no pleasure in them Ver. 38. O what a dreadful condition is this to forsake the path of life and heaven and to turn back to walk in the path of death and Hell Fourthly They are many times in their life given up to exceeding terrors They are oft given up to terrors of conscience and despair of conscience and despair You may read this in Judas who turned back and what horror did that poor creature fall into he forsook his Master and left the path of life for a few pieces of silver but what got he by this he lept out of the ship into the Sea he could never meet with rest or peace afterwards but conscience brake in pieces and did so pursue him with guilt and terror that thereupon he fell into absolute despair and made an end of himself Simile The like you read of Spira who revolted from the truth and the path of Evangelical obedience after clear convictions and secret warnings of Conscience but what befell him O he presently fell into terror of conscience and despair and never could recover the least hopes of mercy to his dying day Fifthly They are many times punished by some extraordinary judgement here They are oft punished with extraordinary judgements on earth Take an instance in Israel and Judah they gave up to walk any longer in Gods statutes and wayes they forsook God and his Laws and what came of this why God forsook them and gave them up to their own hearts lusts and at last overthrew them with an utter destruction and scattered them over the face of the earth So you read of Joash who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehoiada the Priest 2 Chron. 24. 2. But afterwards Ver. 18. He left the house of the Lord and served Groves and Idols but what befell him for this you read of two great judgements that did befall him one in verse 24. That the Syrians came in with a small company of men and the Lord delivered a great Host into their hand because they had forsaken the Lord so they executed judgement against Joash The other is in ver 25. His servants conspired against him and slew him SECT II. 2. Use SHould the people of God continue proceed on and persevere in walking in Gods statutes then you who are the people of God give me leave to offer unto you 1. A few Cautions about your walking 2. A few exhortations concerning our walking 3. A few encouragements for your walking continued walking in Gods statutes 1. The Cautions about your walking You see that it is your duty to walk on to proceed to persevere in walking in Gods statutes therefore take heed unto your selves and beware of four Cautions about our walking in Gods statutes Beware of slothfulness things First Beware of slothfulness and carelesness at any time in doing the will of God or in walking in his wayes Rom. 12. 11. Be not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. When a man doth a business slothfully he doth it with a slight spirit he doth not put out himself not his strength he hath no care in doing of it he doth it not with a serious and diligent spirit but remisly and indifferently as one not affected about what he doth nor addicted unto it saith the Apostle Heb. 6. 11. We desire that every
a twofold wearinesse as to a walking in the paths of God Beware of weariness in this way 1. One ariseth from contrariety of Spirit and dislike of those wayes Mal. 1. 13. Ye said also Behold what a weariness is it and ye have snuffed at it saith the Lord of Hosts Isa 43. 22. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob thou hast been weary of me O Israel 2. Another ariseth from dispondency of spirit by reason of the many discouragements and troubles befalling us for our walking in Gods statutes and faithful keeping of them As you read of Elijah when Jezebel threatned to take away his life 1 King 19. 2. the good man hereupon did faint and was discouraged and therefore saith he Ver. 4. It is enough O Lord take way my life for I I am not better than my Fathers Jer. 20. 8. The Word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me and a derison daily Ver. 9. Then I said I will not make mention of of him nor speak any more in his name but his words were in my heart as a burning fire c. Now though this kind of weariness be apt to put it self upon us yet we should put it off by prayer and by faith we should not be weary in well doing the Apostle presseth it twice Gal. 6. 9. and 2 Thes 3. 13. And I will give you four Reasons why we should not be weary and faint and discouraged although we see little good of all the pains which we take and although Why we should not be weary we meet with evil for good reproaches scorns and crosses when we are most careful to walk with God First because the Lord doth appoint these things he will have them to befall Because God appoints them us to try our love and faithfulness unto himself and true zeal for him and to exercise our faith and patience and to do us good If evil men did know how much good the people of God do get by their wicked words and carriages towards them I am perswaded that they would forbear much more in this kind little do they think that the people of God upon these occasions do more search their hearts and wayes and do the more humble their souls and are more in prayer and are more watchful over their wayes c. Secondly Because nothing that you meet with from men can make the least diminution of any true comfort unto you e. g. They cannot diminish our comfort 1. It cannot abate one jot of your happiness Your happiness consists in the fruition of God to be your God in Christ and this sun doth shine in the midst of all storms let men disgorge themselves and throw out all the filth they can yet God is your God and Father and loves and owns you Rom. 8. 35. to 39. 2. It cannot hinder any peaceable testimony of your conscience let mens speeches and censures and dealings be never so bitter and base yet you have still the Testimony of conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity you have had your conversation 2 Cor. 1. 12. all is well and chearful here 3. It cannot prejudice any acceptance of your holy walkings or workings with your God at all God doth not accept of you because men do approve and commend you nor doth God disrespect and disapprove because men do disappâ—ove and condemn you but as Peter spake in Acts 10 34. I perceive that God is no respecter of persons ver 35. But in every Nation he that fears him and worketh righteousness is accepted of him 4. It cannot deprive you of your reward of well-doing whatsoever hard entertainment you may find with men regard it not your reward is sure from the Lord 2 Tim. 4 7. Isa 49. 4. Then said I I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgements is with the Lord and my work with my God They all come from wicked persons Thirdly Because all these discouragements come only from wicked persons and the basest sort of them who watch for your halting and would rejoyce to see you turn away from walking with your God Observe and consider seriously who they are that set themselves against you and still strive to make your hearts weary and your hands faint and would baffle you in your holy walking in Gods statutes why they are either Papists or Popishly affected or Hypocrites or some Apostates or a company of Whores or Whoremongers or drunkards or swearers and should your hearts faint for these men whom God abhors and a civil person would scorn to be a companion unto them Should such a man as I flee said Nehemiah Chap. 6. 11. I will be yet more vile said David 2 Sam. 6. 22. They are the common â—ot of Gods people Fourthly Because all these discouragements are the common lot and portion of all the people of God yea of Christ himself Therefore seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses c. Heb. 12. 1. let us run with patience the race that is set before us Ver. 2. looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God SECT III. Secondly NOw follows the Exhortation to the people of God concerning their progressive walking in Gods statutes to use all the means 1. Of continuance and perseverance in walking in Gods statutes that they may How we may be enabled to persevere stedfastly hold out unto the end If you would hold out unto the end in a right walking in the paths of Gods Commandements then Get you hearts crucified To every sin First Be sure that you get your hearts to be really and soundly mortified and crucified But unto what will you say I answer 1. Unto every sin that you hate it with a perfect hatred with such a hatred as will never admit of Reconciliation and friendship with such a hatred as will make you to contend against it and delight in the destruction of it Simile if there be any one sin in you which you will allow favour connive at spare and deal gently with you shall never be able to contiue stedfast in a right walking That one sin will be a withdrawing byas and a corrupt humor which will break out and make you to halt and slip aside Unto the world 2. Unto all the world you must be able to say with Paul The world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6. 14. or else you will never continue and persevere in c. The Apostle Paul saith that the love of money is the root of all evil which whiles some coveted after they have erred from the faith 1 Tim. 6. 10. And the Apostle Peter speaks of some who forsook the right way and were gone astray following the way of Balaam
comforts from God 23. 11. And the night following the Lord stood by him and said Be of good cheer Paul c. Psal 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Ver. 18. When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up Seventhly You cannot serve a better Master than your God therefore continue stedfast walking in his statutes and doing of his woâ—k Mich. 7. 18. We cannot serve a better Master than God Four Masters Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity c. Hose 2. 7. I will return to my first husband for then it was better with me than now There are four Masters and of necessity we must serve one of them 1. Satan 2ly The world 3ly Our sinâ—ul lusts And 4ly God himself Are you not ashamed to compare these Masters unto God and their service unto his God is the best Master 1. For authority 2ly For dignity 3ly For liberty 4ly For the service God is the best Master and why commanded 5ly For privilâ—dges 6ly For present benefit 7ly For future reward Other Masters are base and cruel and their service is bondage and their pay is destruction but God is a gracious Master and helpful and beneficial and blessed and therefore c. Eighthly Although you do many times halt and are drawn aside and go astray yet your God whom you serve will be merciful unto you he will God will pardon our weaknesses not forsake you nor cast you off but will recover and pardon you There are three unspeakable mercies which the Lord shews unto all his people in Covenant Three mercies which the Lord shews his people in Covenant He pardons all their old sins He looks after them when they wander 1. One is that he pardons all their old sins in which they walked before they came into Covenant with him he blots them all out and will never remember them any more casts them all into the depth of the Sea 2. A second is that he will look after them and seek and find them and bring them home again when they lose themselves by sinning and wander from him Psal 119. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep seek thy servant And did not the Lord indeed seek and find David when he exceedingly strayed in the maâ—ter of Vriah he sends Nathan after him with such a message as convinced and humbled and turned him again and so when Peter went astray Christ lookt back upon him he did not leave him but toucht his heart and turned him as he in Luke 15. 4. that had an hundred sheep when he had lost one of them he went after that which was lost untill he found it Thus is it with the Lord if any of his servants should lose themselves yet the Lord will not lose him he will not cast him him off The Lord saith Samuel will not forsake his people for his great Name sake 1 Sam. 12. 22. but will send after him such a message by his Word or by afflictions or by conscience or by his own Spirit that he shall come back again Hose 2. 6. I will hedge up thy way with thorns c. Ver. 7. Then shall she say I will go and return to my first husband c. 3. A third is that he will accept of them again into love and favour Hose 14. 4. I will heal their back-slidings I will love them freely for mâ—ne anger is God will accept of them turned away from him Jet 31. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repeated c. Ver. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. 9. A ninth Encouragement for you is this the Lord in whose wayes you walk God stands by us to strengthen us in his wayes doth stand by you to strengthen you his eyes are upon you for good he doth behold all your works and labours and pains and is sensible of all your injuries and sufferings and troubles 1 Pet. 3. 12. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers Ver. 13. Who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations Rev. 2. 9. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not Ver. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer c. 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 10. Lastly Your time of walking and working is almost at an end your day Our time of working is almost at an end is ending and it is but a little time more and then he that shall come will come your life is near expiring and your reward is hastning Rev. 22. 11. He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Ver. 12. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be SECT IV. 3. Use THe last Use from this That the people of God are to walk in his statutes and to hold on in that course all their dayes shall be of perswasion unto us all in general unto three things 1. To repent of and to forsake our sinful walkings 2. To approve of and to like of this walking in Gods statutes 3. To yield up your hearts to God and to make some essayes of walking in Gods wayes First To repent of and to forsake all our former sinful walkings It is high Three things we are exhorted to Repent of our former miswalking Arguments to perswade us hereto Such shall have mercy time to awake out of sleep Rom. 13. 11. The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lusts excess of wine revellings banquettings and abominable idolatries 1 Pet. 4. 3. I will present four Arguments to perswade you to harken unto this counsel 1. You may have mercy if you do so Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly paâ—don So Ezek. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed and keep all my statutes c. Ver. 22. all his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him in his righteousness which he hath done he shall live 2. You will certainly perish if you do not so Prov. 1. 29. For they hated knowledge
run to hell 3. If you would enjoy liberty indeed then become the servants of God and walk in his wayes If the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed Joh. 8. 36. Now your shackles and fetters and prison doores are broken open we are freemen in a spiritual sense when we are freed from sin Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sin we became the servants of Righteousness We are freed from all slavish fears by reason of sinne when we receive the free spirit of liberty we become a voluntary people to serve the Lord with newness of spirit and freeness of spirit Dsal 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant thou hast loosed my bonds 4. Object But men will disesteem us neglect us cast us out of their favour and But then we shall be disesteemed reproach us if c. Sol. 1. It is their sin to do so but it is our duty to walk as God would have us to walk 2. What men will do so none but ungodly men who speak evil of us because 1. we run not with them to the same excess of riot 2. A goodly conversation is a reproach to their ungodly life and shames them 3. Regard not the praises of men but the praise of God this you shall be sure to meet with he will own you and honour you though men do not Psal 27. 10. When my Father and my Mother forsake me then the Lord shall take me up The Pharisees reviled and cast out the blind man cured by Christ but Christ met with him and owned and saved him Joh. 9. 35 36 c. 4. You will give a fair account to God that you feared man more than God Lord I should have walked in thy wayes but c. 5. Object Then I will walk in these statutes hereafter Then I will do it hereafter Sol. 1. Hereafter may be too late Gods command is for all our dayes and for the set time whiles it is called to day c. Secondly Continuance in sinful wayes will harden your hearts in them keep up the love of sinne and render the wayes of God more distastful unto you Thirdly And God may in judgement give you up to your own hearts lusts to walk in the counsels of them because you do not hearken unto him See Psal 81. 11 12. 6. Object But I have assayed aad can make no work of it But I find I cannot do it Sol. First Because you assayed slightly and not with all your heart Secondly And because you assayed in your own strength 7. Object But it is a great work however to walk in Gods statutes and How shall we get power to do it what shall I do for power to enable me to walk in them Sol. God who requires us to walk in his statutes doth promise to give us power I will cause you to walk c. Ezek. 36. 27. And cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgements and do them THese words as I have heretofore observed contain in them two parts 1. The work or duty which concerns the people of God viz. to walk in his statutes c. this Subject I finished the last Lords day 2. The help or sufficiencies for all that work and duty I will cause you to walk in my statutes whence observe CHAP. XV. Doctr. TThat the people of God have the promise of God to enable them to God will enable his people to walk in his wayes walk in the statutes of God I will cause you c. Zech. 10. 12. I will strengthen them in the Lord and they shall walk up and down in his Name saith the Lord. Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Isa 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our works in us Chap. 45. 24. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength For the opening of this excellent and comfortable Truth I will shew unto you five things 1. The many parallels 'twixt Gods command of our duties and Gods promise of help for these duties 2. The parallels 'twixt promises to and instanceâ— in Gods people 3. The several wayes how God doth cause or enable his people to walk in his statutes and do them 4. How far the Lord doth engage his strength of grace to enable his people to walk in his statutes 5. The Reasons both in respect of God and in respect of his people why he will cause them to walk in his wayes or statutes c. 1. The parallels 'twixt Gods commands and his promises or 'twixt the Parallels betwixt Gods commands and his preceps duties commanded by him and the helps promised to enable his people First The Lord commands his people to know him and his wayes 1 Chron. 28. 9. Know thou the God of thy Father c. And God doth promise to cause them to know him Jer. 24. 7. I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord. And Jer. 31. 34. They shall all know me from the least of them to the greattest of them saith the Lord. Secondly The Lord commands his people to trust upon him Psal 62. 8. Trust in him at all times Isa 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever c. And God doth promise to enable his people to trust on him Zeph. 3. 12. I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord. 3ly The Lord commands his people to fear him Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him So Deut. 8. 6. Thou shalt keep his Commandements and walk in his wayes and fear him This likewise hath God promised unto his people Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Fourthly The Lord commands his people to love him Deut. 11. 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God Psal 31. 23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints and God doth promise to give them an heart to love him Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise the heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul Fifthly The Lord commands his people to pray unto him and to call upon his Name Call upon me Psal 50. 15. Pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17. I will that men pray everywhere 1 Tim. 2. 8. And the Lord hath promised to give unto them a spirit of prayer Zech. 12. 10. I will poure upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and the Spirit of supplication Sixthly The Lord commands his people to mourn for their sinnes and to loath their sins and to turn from their sins Isa 22. 12. In that day did the Lord call to weeping and to mourning Jam. 4. 10. Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord And
this God doth promise to give unto his people Zech. 12. 10. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son c. Ezek. 7. 16. They shall be on the mountains as the Doves of the valleys all of them mourning every one for his iniquity Psal 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Rom. 12. 9. Abhor that which is evil This also is promised Ezek. 36. 13. Then shall ye remember your own evil wayes and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations Ezek. 18. 30. Turn your selves from your transgressions Hose 14. 1. Return unto the Lord All this is likewise promised to be given unto the people of God Isa 30. 22. Ye shall defile the covering of thy graven images of silver and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Jer. 24. 7. They shall return unto me with their whole heart Seventhly The Lord commands his people not to suffer sinne to reign in them Rom. 6. 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal body And he promiseth that sin shall not reign in them Rom. 6. ver 14. Sinne shall not have dominion over you Eighthly And he commands his people to make to themselves a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18. 31. Make you a new heart and a new spirit and he promiseth to give these Chap. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Ninthly What shall I say now The Lord commands his people to walk in his statutes 1. Impartially 2ly Willingly 3ly Affectionately 4ly Uprighlty 5ly Sedfastly And all this he doth promise to cause them to do 1. Impartially Deut. 30. 8. Thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all his Commandements 2. Willingly Psal 110. 3. They people shall be willing in the day of thy power 3. Affectionately Isa 60. 9. Who are these that flee as a cloud and as the Doves to their windows Zech. 8. 21. The inhabitants of one City shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also 4. Uprightly Jer. 31. 9. I will cause them to walk by the Rivers of water in a strait way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a Father to Israel c. Isa 61. 8. I will direct their work in truth Zech. 8. 3. Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth Isa 30. 21. Their ear shall hear a word behind them saying This is the way walk ye in it when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left 5. Progressively and stedfastly Job 17. 9. The righteous shall hold on in his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Isa 40. 30. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint 2ly The parallels 'twixt Gods promises and experimental instances Parallels betwixt Gods promises and the Saints experiences wherein you may find that God hath enabled his people there to walk as he hath promised First He hath enabled them to know him Gal. 4. 9. After that you have known God or rather are known of God 1 Joh. 5. 20. He hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true 1 Joh. 2. 21. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth but because ye know it Secondly They are enabled to trust upon him Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will trust upon thee Psal 18. 2. The Lord is my Rock and my Fortress and my Deliverer my God and my Strength in whom I will trust Psa 22. 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee 25. 2. My God I trust in thee 31. 1. In thee O Lord do I put my trust 52. 8. I trust in the mercy of God Thirdly They are enabled to fear him I fear God said Joseph Gen. 42. 18. One that feareth God said God of Job Job 1. 1. They that feared the Lord spake one to another Mal. 3. 16. I fear the Lord thy God said Jonah Chap. 1. 9. The Churches walked in the fear of the Lord Act. 9. 31. Fourthly They are enabled to love the Lord so David Psal 116. 1. I love the Lord. And Psal 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength Fifthly And they are enabled to pray unto him and to call upon him David Hezekiah Daniel Paul and to mourn for their sins David Peter and Mary Magdalen and to hate sin David Paul Psal 119. 104. I hate every false way and to forsake sin Hose 14. 8. And 1 Thes 1. 9. Ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living aad true God and Rom. 6. 22. Seventhly And so for all the rest of the Particulars you have clear instances that the people of God have been enabled to walk willingly constantly affectionately uprightly and stedfastly in his waies 3ly The several wayes how God doth cause or enable his people to walk in his Statutes and to do them He doth cause them to walk in his Statutes How God enables his people to walk in his statutes First By giving unto them his Spirit who doth 1. Change their hearts and infuseth into them all Holy and Heavenly Graces which are so many inward principles enabling them to acts or works of obedience as our sinfull and corrupt principles make us willing and ready to walk in the wayes of sin so holy and spiritual principles do make us willing and ready to walk in paths of righteousness 2. Excite and quicken their hearts and stir them up to works of obedience by secret motions and workings and by setting the Commands and Promises of God upon their hearts with strong impressions by which they are led out unto a willing and cheerfull and upright performance of obedience 3. Comes in with his Special and Immediate Assistance to all the works which they are to do he helps their infirmities and guides their feet and strengthens their hands The servants of the Lord are strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man Ephe. 3. 16. In the day when I cried unto thee thou heardest me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Secondly By giving faith unto them and enabling of them to live by faith in all their particular walkings and workings Beloved there is a living by faith for mercy and there is a living by faith for duty A man lives by faith for duty when he goes out of himself as insufficient to afford him strength to perform it and applies himself unto and relies upon Jesus Christ and the promise to give him the ability because this and that duty oâ— work of
do much more but all those gracious experiences without any assistance and influence from God will not be sufficient unto you Secondly We should especially depend upon God for his strength and sufficiencie then when we do meet with the greatest strength of opposition to the performing of any good work or works as David in another case when the people spake of stoning him he did then encourage himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Or as Jehoshaphat when that great multitude came against him and God promised him deliverance said he Believe in the Lord your God and ye shall be established 2 Chron. 20. 20. So should we do when we meet with strong â—ppositions and hinderances when we are to work or when we are working the work or works commanded us of God we should now by faith look up to God and rest on his arme of gracious power to uphold our hearts and to cary us out unto our dutiful performances How many temptations do we many times meet with from Satan and how many threatnings and scoffs and reproaches and incounters do we meet many times with from ungodly men and from carnal parents and friends and from secret enemies of â—od and his wayes All which do tend to discourage our hearts and to weaken our hands and to interrupt or divert our feet from walking in Gods wayes and from doing of the works which God requirs of us in our places Now this is the time to look up to God and to trust on him to encourage and enable the heart to serve him to hold on in walking before him with all faithfulness wisdome zeal and patience now make use of that promise in Esa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Zech. 4. 6. This is the wâ—rd of the Lord unto Zorobabel saying Not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the Lord of hosts Ver. 7. Who art thou O great mountain before Zorobabel thou shalt become a plain and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace unto it Thirdly We should especially depend on God for his strength when we are most sensible of our own indispositions weaknesses streitghtened and insufficient hearts How often do we finde these things upon us how apt are we under them to shrink to complain to give over O but our work when we are not able to do our work is by faith to look up to God to quicken and enable us to do his work Psal 119 159. Consider how I love thy precepts quicken me O Lord according to thy loving kindness Esa 45. 24. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come Object But I have no might or power at all to do any thing Sol. Consider now that precious promise in Esa 40. 29. He giveth power to the faint and unto them that have no might he encreaseth strength Phil. 2. 13. He worketh in us c. Object But I have lookt up with such weak desires and with such a weak faith as I have and yet finde no more strength Sol. Read on ver 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength c. So Psal 31. 24. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your hearts all ye that hope in the Lord. Object But did any servant of God ever finde him coming in with strength when sensible of his own weakness and calling upon him for help and strength Sol. See two places of Scripture instances for this Psal 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion fore ver Psal 138. 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Fourthly We should especially depend on God for strength when we are called to do any work wherein the glory of God and the good of his Church and our own salvation are more singularly concerned First These are services and works of the highest and of the greatest consequence there is no work whatsoever wherein we can deal which is or can be of a higher nature for excellencie necessitie felicitie Secondly Miscarriages under these would prove very woeful and ruinous that Gods glory should faile in my hand or the good and safety of the Church in my hand and my own soul should perish by my own neglect Thirdly And of all works these do meet with the greatest opposition from without our selves and from within our selves the gates of hell are opened c. Yet for these hath God most of all engaged his power and presence and strength as you may see in the varietie of his promises and in the glory of his providences therefore when you are called to do any work which hath a neer and special respect to these things fall down and pray look up and depend as he said de deo nil sine deo we can know nothing of God without God so say I pro deo nil sine deo we can do nothing for God without God nothing for his glory without his assistance O Lord the work which I am now endeavouring thou knowest that it concerns thy name and glory the good and welfare of thy Church which is the apple of thine eye and the dearly beloved of thy soul and it respects mine own eternal salvation which thou wouldst have me work out with fear and trembling good Lord leave me not hide not thy self but appear in thy strength for the carrying on of these works come in with thy wisdom to direct me and with thy grace to quicken me and with thy spirit to lead and uphold and prosper me Fifthly When the work is extraordinary and universal of much difficultie and danger and requires more then ordinarie hight of spirit and courage and resolution now is your time not to consult with flesh and blood not to consider your own proportion of gifts and abilities but by faith to look up to him who commands the work and promiseth his assistance and presence for the work Exod. 3. 10. I will send thee unto Pharoah saith God to Moses that thou mayst bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt ver 11. And Moses said to God Who am I that I should go unto Pharoah and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt Ver. 12. And he said Certainly I will be with thee Josh 1. 5. As I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not faile thee nor forsake thee Beloved as the weakest duties are above our strength so the greatest and hardest are below Gods strength it is not what you are but what your God is who commands you and what he will be unto you who hath promised his own power and strength Sixthly
When neer great and suddain changes do befall us as the loss of a husband wife child parent friend estate c. this is a time wherein ordinarily we are weak and do stand in need of more strength than our own to bear the hand of God with patient submission and to make a sanctified use of the same And this is a time when we should in a special manner look up to God and trust on him for his help and assistance who hath promised to be with his people in the fire and in the water Esa 43. 2. And to debatâ— with them in measure Esa 27. 8. And to wipe off their tears and to turne again in mercy and that all things shall work together for their good Seventhly When we have made solemn vows in our distresses of particular reformation or of better walking with God O if God will spare me if God will hear me then this I will be and thus I will walk c. Indeed the sin is great to answer for such works and God will certainly require them at your hands therefore when God hath answered you O begg for his grace for his strength to enable you Esa 10. 21. They shall make a vow unto the Lord and perform it Eighthly We should in a special manner depend upon God for his own strength to be revealed unto us when we have experimentally found any work or duty sticking long upon our hands and we cannot get it forward and accomplish it with our strength as many times a man resolves to leave such and such a sin and is very serious in his resolution and yet he findes himself hampered and captivated by it And many times a man resolves upon such or such a heavenly duty which is of an excellent nature and yet he cannot get up his heart unto it but he still omits and neglects it or is by carnal counsel and pleasures taken off from it In these and the like cases we should go and weep before the Lord and confess both the deceitfulness and insufficiencie of our own hearts and earnestly beseech the Lord to take 1. our hearts and 2. our works into his own hands that he would change our hearts and that he would direct our steps and that he would mortifie our sinful lusts and by his strength tread down strength that he would lead captivitie captive that he would break our bonds for us and set us at libertie by the power of his own Spirit 3. Quest Now follows the third Question How may one know that he doth How we may know that we make God our strength indeed make God his strength and doth depend or relie only upon him for all the works which he is to do to cause him to walk in his statutes and to do them Sol. If one doth indeed set up God for his strength and doth depend and relie upon him c. First He will be much in prayer unto God be will not take up or set upon any work without prayer when any duty is to be performed by him his first work is with God Lord give thy strength unto thy servant he will not first venture upon the work and then look up to God but will first call in the help of God and then attempt the work Beloved remember this that the more that any man depends upon himself the less he is in prayer to God for saith he I have wisdom enough and I have strength enough to do this work and the more that any man depends upon God the more will he pray unto God he that believes most will pray most Psal 62. 8. Trust in him at all times ye people poure out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us Because if you do indeed trust on God if you do indeed believe that God is your strength and refuge you will then poure out your heart in prayer before him Psal 116. 10. I believe therefore have I spoken Secondly He will be much in fear Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that Works in you to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 12 13. Quest Of what is the man afraid who acknowledgeth and relieth on God as his strength for every good work Sol. He is afraid 1. Of himself even in his best sufficiencies for not by might and by power but by my spirit saith the Lord. Zech. 4. 6 As Johoshaphat who had an army of above eleven hundred thousand men 2 Chron. 1â— from ver 14. to 19. yet when the Moabites and the Ammonites came against him he goes unto the Lord and saith 2 Chron. 20. 12. O our God wilt not thou judg them for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee Why said he we have no might Had he not above eleven hundred thousand fighting men Were these no might No they were not self-sufficiencie is no sufficiencie and self-might is no might and therefore he feared him self in the highest of his own sufficiencies and his eyes are upon God in and from him was might and sufficiencie indeed The like you read in a spiritual case of Paul as able an Apostle and as laborious and as powerful as any of them all and one that relied as much upon the grace of God in Christ and one that had as choise and eminent abilities of knowledge and grace yet saith he 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God Ver. 6. who hath made us able ministers of the new testament 2. Of doing any thing which may offend his God and provoke him to withdraw himself from him How jealous was Moses when the two Tribes and an half petitioned to have their portion on this side Jordan lest they had been upon a sinful designe which might move the Lord to leave them Numb 32. 14. Behold you are risen up in your fathers stead an increase of sinful men to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord towards Israel Ver. 15. For if ye turn away from him he will yet again leave them in the wilderness and ye shall destroy all this people See how afraid Moses was lest any thing should be done which might move the Lord to leave them And so indeed it is with every one who knows that God is his strength and sufficiencie he is afraid of every thing which may move the Lord to depart from him and to leave him unto himself he is afraid of every grosse sin and of going against the light of the word and against the working of the spirit and against the checks and warnings of his own conscience as knowing that for these things God hath left his people and hath withdrawn his actual assistance from them as you may read in Sampson and David and Hezekiah and Peter 3. Of giving way to
God doth look upon the humble and contrite spirit and he will hear the desire of the humble He will prepare their hearts and cause his ear to hear Ezek. 16. 61. Thou shalt remember thy wayes and be ashamed c. ver 62. And I will establish my Covenant with thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. 4. If you would have God to be your God in Covenant then you must get Get faith faith for God is a God in Covenant only with believers and there are three degrees of faith necessary unto this work one is a faith of acceptance a second Three degrees of faith necessary is a faith of dependance a third is a faith of reliance I will explain my self in all these 1. A faith of acceptance is necessary to put us into the Covenant and to finde A faith of acceptance God to be our God that is we must have so much faith as to accept of Christ and to unite us unto Christ for in that union twixt us and Christ in this relation of God to us is he to be found By him we have accesse unto the Father Ephes 2. Out of Christ you shall never finde God to be reconciled unto you nor to be your God As to Christ God first is a God in Covenant and Father in Covenant so to us God becomes our God and our Father upon our being in Christ Christ received the Covenant for himself and for all who are his he is as it were the head and the principal in the Covenant all his come into Covenant under him as in relation to him 2. A faith of dependance upon Christ particularly for his great satisfactions A faith of dependance unto God that is we must depend upon the blood of Christ and by faith offer that up as a satisfaction for all our sinnes and transgressions which have all this while kept God and us at distance and difference his blood is the sacrifice by which Gods justice is satisfied and truly untill divine justice be satisfied for our sinnes there is no hope of a Covenant to be made 'twixt God and us and therefore by faith look upon the blood of Christ and offer up that blood by faith Lord here is the blood of the Covenant here is the blood of Christ to satisfie for my sinnes and to expiate my sinnes now in this blood of his become my God in Covenant 3. A faith of reliance upon the mediation of Christ as the atonement and A faith of reliance peace and reconciliation Christ did make peace by his blood and he did reconcile us by it Colos 1. 20 21. And we who were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Ephes 2. 13. I know not a more exact way to get God to be our God than by getting into Christ in whom alone our re-union with God is to be found and by whom alone God and we are knit together again not without cause is he called the Mediator of the new Covenant who undertakes between God and us as you shall hear ere long he undertakes to take away all which may keep up the difference 'twixt us and he undertakes to present all which may make a reconciliation betwixt us he doth make the way so open and so clear that our entrance into Covenant will certainly follow if once we were possessed of him by faith his blood being shed for the remission of our sinnes and likewise to procure a reconciliation 'twixt God and us and therefore above all things strive for faith to unite you to Christ and then by faith plead out the reconciliation purchased by Christ 5. Apply your selves unto the Ordinances of Christ which are the means to work all these things in you and particularly this faith which is so necessary and so immediate Apply your selves to the Ordinances of Christ to our admission into the Covenant Ephes 1. 13. In whom you also trusted after that you heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation the Gospel is that Ordinance by which God makes known the Covenant of grace and by which faith is wrought to bring us into Christ and by him into Covenant with God and by which our faith is so enlarged and confirmed that at length we come to know that God is indeed our God in Covenant 6. I will adde one direction more as an help to bring us into the Covenant Seriously meditate and taking of God to be our God and that is a serious meditation of God himself and of the nature of this Covenant of grace 1. A serious meditation of God there is nothing in him to discourage you Of God from coming into Covenant with him and there is all in him to encourage you 1. There is nothing in him to discourage you from coming into Covenant with him There is nothing in him to discourage us He doth not in this Covenant treat with you for any personal satisfaction for the wrong which you have done him neither doth he insist for any goodnesse that you should work in your own hearts nor doth he except against you for any unworthinesse in you nor doth he distinguish you away for the greatnesse of your former transgressions nor yet doth deny you hope and accesse although you have a long time denied him audience unto his gracious offers nor doth he capitulate with you in your own name but by a Mediator who is most pleasing to him and prevalent with him 2. There is all in and from him to encourage you to come into Covenant There is all in and from him to encourage you with him for he doth expresse himself to be a merciful God towards sinners to be a gracious God to the sinners that come to him to be a tender God easily moved at the tears and cryes of those who would be his people to be a willing God to accept of you and to close with you and therefore he first makes known this Covenant and he first offers to treat with you about this Covenant and he makes the termes of agreement as fair as grace it self can frame them and he out of his own cost provided and sent Jesus Christ to be both the Messenger of the Covenant and the Mediator of the Covenant and besides all this he affords unto you the Gospel to work faith in you that so you may become the people of his Covenant and moreover he makes promises unto you of every thing which belongs to the making of a people to be the people of his Covenant yea and he promiseth his own Spirit to them that ask him by whose mighty operation we come indeed to be his people Truly a serious meditation of all this might conduce much to perswade our hearts to come in unto him and take him for our God in Covenant A second meditation of the nature of this Covenant of grace both as to the Of the nature of