or deny the same principle Naturall perswasion is no faith if Nature gave thee all thou hast thou hast none at all Secondly If it bee Moralities gift to thee it is no faith I call that a Moral perswasion which is wrought from the consideration and improvement of Morall Principles if thou beest perswaded to rest and rely upon God and his promises for salvation meerely upon this skore I live justly I tythe Mint and Annis I have taken no mans Oxe or Asse from him whom have I defrauded Alas thus Aristides and Cato might beleeve Thirdly If thy Faith be thy grandfathers Legacy to thee it is no hand that will reach the Lord Iesus Christ A traditionall perswasion is no faith If thou beest perswaded that Christ dyed for thee c. upon this skore My Mother told me so our fore-fathers held so and they were wiser than wee c. Alas friend there is as much difference betwixt faith and thy soule as there is betwixt heaven and hell This was the Samaritanes Religion which the good woman was as tenacious of as ours are now of the Common Prayer Book Joh. 4. 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and you say in Jerusalem is the place to worship It is the great objection wee have against the Church of Rome That they would have men beleeve as the Church beleeves But for the most part wee are condemned in what we condemne Doe not most men beleeve as their Fathers beleeved What a sinne it is thought to thinke of stripping Queen Elizabeths Reformation Are not most men limitted to this faith and is not here all the perswasion that men have of the saving Truths of God that Christ was God and man that he dyed rose and is ascended Why this was our Fathers Faith this wee were taught when wee were little ones and upon this skore being perswaded they must goe under the Notion of Beleevers and when heaven and hell meet this Faith shall save them Fourthly If thy faith be the Devills gift to thee it is no hand that will reach Christ The Devill hath his Apes-faced-Graces Morall walking instead of Gospell-obedience Feare of Hell in stead of feare of God and so presumption instead of Faith He carries too great designes 1. To flatter the soule to hell by presumption Thinke nothing ill of thy selfe sayes the Devill venture upon God let it never trouble thee venture all yes doe and cry confidently Lord Lord open to me I have prayed in thy name c. Hee knowes well enough that the answer will be Depart from me I know you not you workers of iniquity Feare not saith the Devill to apply hot boiling Lusts to the bleeding wounds of Christ you may rest upon him that dyed for you though you doe not take any such care to live strictly and holily with him other folk shall goe to heaven besides Puritanes God is mercifull Is thy faith such a one as this Christian O tremble at that Mat. 7. 24. And would not one thinke that this were the miserable faith of most of men It is impossible but when you heare so many peales in your eares of repentance as you heare in these dayes but you should have some thoughts what shall become of your poor soules And who so lookes upon your lives againe and seeth no repentance no sitting downe and saying What have I done no care of future obedience but a loose irreligious walking would he not bee confident that the Devill hath perswaded you to venture it is but a soule lost but poor wretch it is lost for ever and Christ is mercifull but to no such hell-hounds as thou art wretch O Lord it would make an heart tremble to come to some poore Creatures upon their Death-bed and examine the condition of their soules Why they are well they rest upon Jesus Christ they are confident he will save them who is bolder than blinde Bayard is our Countrey Proverb though all know the wretch never was sensible of his lost condition nor ever carefull to conforme himself in the least to Jesus Christ Faith is not the devils gift Diabolicall perswasion widely differs from faith But lastly Fiftly Faith is the gift of God It is grounded upon divine perswasion The Spirit of God and the Word of God and the Merits of Jesus Christ these are the grounds that perswade the soule to rely upon Jesus Christ Rom. 14. 14. I know my selfe and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ The worldling is perswaded after another fashion from naturall or morall Principles or Tradition or at best as concerning Ahab 1 Kings 22. 21. There is an evill Spirit gone forth and said I will perswade him and the Lord hath permitted and assented to it ver 22. Thou shalt perswade him and prevaile also But now the child of God is perswaded another way come to him and aske him Christian what perswades thee to rest upon Jesus Christ he answereth with Paul I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ Sir Ah Sir I was despairing almost the spirit of God by its inward motions inclined me to roll my selfe on Christ Or the word of God perswaded me I heard a Voice saying come I knew he that had promised was faithfull and able to performe it Rom. 4. 21. Faith is the gift of God saith the Apostle Ephes 2. 8. It is the Fathers work and gift the Sonnes gift and work the 1 Phil. 3. 9. Spirits worke and the Words worke 1. It is the Fathers worke and gift John 6. 37. All that the Father gives me shall come to me Faith is of his willing John 6. 40. It is the Sons gift and work I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ It is a piece of Grace and Christ is the well-head of all divine Grace 1 Cor. 1. 4. He is therefore called The author and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12. 2. It is the gift and work of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. 9. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisedome to another faith by the same Spirit It is therefore reckoned as one of the Spirits workes Gal. 5. 22. It is a fruit of the Spirit It is wrought by the Word which therefore is called the Word of faith Rom. 10. 8. Now try thy selfe Christian whether thy hand be a true hand Is thy faith a gift of God wrought by his Spirit and grounded upon his Word such must that hand be that plucketh the fruit of this Apple-tree of free grace Not mans much lesse the devills gift but Gods gift it will quicken thee in Gods wayes but I spake of that before I have now done with my rules of examination the Lord perfect this Application in every one of your soules Use 3 I proceed now to a third Use and and that is of Exhortation To all those that are through the mercy of God recovered out of that sad condition in which we were all by Nature that are now cleansed
I Have delightfully read over this following Treatise intituled Five Lessons for a Christian to learne being the summe of five Sermons and finding them to be sound solid zealous pious powerfull and very profitably seasonable I judge them well worthy to be printed and published John Downame FIVE LESSONS FOR A Christian to learne OR The summe of severall Sermons Setting out 1. The state of the Elect by Nature 2. The way of their Restauration and Redemption by Jesus Christ 3. The great duty of the Saints to leane upon Christ by faith in every condition 4. The Saints duty of Self-denyall or the way to desirable Beauty 5. The Right way to true peace discovering where the troubled Christian may find Peace and the Nature of true Peace By John Collings M. A. And Preacher of Gods word in Norwich London Printed for Rich Tomlins and are to be sold at his house at thâ— Sun and Bible in Pye-corner 1650. THE SPOUSE UNDER The APPLE-TREE OR The state of the Elect by Nature Wherein is discovered The distance that the highest Saints by grace stand at by Nature from the Lord Iesus Christ by which they may know they have nothing to boast of but what they have received By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. Psa 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me LONDON Printed for Rich Tomlins 1649. TO THE Right HONOURABLE the LADY St John Grace Mercy and Peace Madam THe deep sense that I have had of those Engagements by which it hath pleased your Honour to oblige me to your service hath imboldned me to command these Papers to wait upon your Ladiship to pay a debt by incurring â— further one if your Ladiship shall please to honour them with Acceptation These Sermons Madam were but ordinary labours and very unfit for a publicke view in this extraordinary time It was only a Sermon before published upon the Text that tempted out these to beare it companie yet did I not part with them without some parly The world is full of Writers and the Presse as much overgrowne with Authors as the Age we live in is with Professors But as the appearing spiritualnesse of many carries with it too much suspition that they would have the spiritualnesse of a Christian meerly to consist with a luxuriant wit and the superbiency of fancy so too many Writings seeme to have forgot the plainnesse of the Gospell which they so much pretend to and would make it the worke of a Christian meerly to gape for Notions and turne Religion into speculation To be able to speake high Notions of Christ and to wrap up the mysteries of truth in Parables of wit and expression is almost growne to be thought the All of a Saint And we may sadly feare lest wee should be about to study more to admire Christ than understand him more to contemplate Saints dignity than remember the Saints duty lest we should make it all our worke as Kings and Priests to be so taken with our Honour that we should forget that we are thus of Grace Humilitie is the Saint in Great If any one thinks he knowes any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know it The high spirit is infinitely more below Christ than he thinks himselfe above others Lest in these priviledged daies whiles so many are proclaiming before the Saints Thus shall it be done to the persons whom Christ delighteth to honour Christians should so farre admire their beautie that they should forget their dust I have been content to let these unpolished Sermons goe out to follow their Triumphs with Christiane memento quid fueris Christian remember what thou wer't It is as much a duty and will one day be found as Beneficiall to keep a Saint humble as to make him thankfull to learne him to abase himselfe as well as to admire his fellowes to shew him that all he hath is of Grace as well as to tell him what he hath in the possessions of grace and the Reversions of glory I wish professors carriages spake not too much heart-Popery as if they thought their dignity were earnings not Almes and I am sure no soule is truely thankfull that is not throughly humble This for the subject of the Sermons For the phrase Madam I remember it was Pauls glory that he came not 1 Cor. 2. 1 2 4. to the Corinthians with excellency of speech or wisdome to declare unto them the testimony of God And his speech and preaching was not in entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and in power Gospell Misteries had not need be darkened with a misterious phrase It doth not please me to see Religion in a Lantskip Christ crucified was plaine English Seneca-Sermons are for the most part but like the superfluous dishes of the table that serve meerly for sight but must not be tasted Preaching surely was never ordained to tickle the eare it 's businesse lies deeper then scratching an humour Wit is the soules worst carver and pieces of wit are no better than peices of selfe Christ never intended us an interpreter for every Sermon Madam as they were preached so they are humbly presented to your Honours hands I know your Ladiships humility to bee such that it will spare an eye to look upon them though not commended by any novelty of matter or excellency of Phrase I trust thus far the meannesse of their worth will advantage the worthlesse author viz. By letting your Honour know how much that weak nothing of a preacher stands in need of an improved interest in your Ladiships prayers who so much as he is truly is Madam Your Honours most humbly obliged servant in the Lord Jesus John Collings Chaplyfield house May 21. 1649. To the Courteous and Conscientious Reader of these SERMONS Reader SOme two yeares since some friends prevailed with me to let the last of these Sermons slip out of my hands into thine What was done then was in hast which hath put me to the charge of correcting some slighty mistakes Thy courtesie to the first hath troubled thee with the second impression in which thou art againer and a loser Thou hast lost the Sermon that was then its partner the narrow handling of the subject of it not pleasing my second thoughts but thou hast gained a further addition of some more Sermons since preached upon the same Text. I have made thee a gainer in thy hand and eye the Lord make thee a gainer in thy heart If thou pleasest to read these Sermons The first part may make thee humble The second may make thee thankfull The third may make the carefull If thou learnest humility from the first thankfulnesse from the second and thy great duty of beleeving from the third I am sure thou wilt learne from all the weak nesse of a poore creature and if thy selfe beest in ought a gainer if thou wilt let the author also be a gainer of thy prayers thou hast rewarded
Brother a Sister a Friend that hath no grace Lord what shall I doe for her in the day when she shall be spoken for Remember your owne misery and you will pitty their poor soules Thirdly and lastly Were you all borne out of Christ in a sad undone condition by Nature Then let mee perswade you to keep humble hearts Remember but what you were It is enough to tame the swellings of your spirits to thinke that you were not borne worth a ragge to cover your nakednesse you were cast out into the open field to the loathing of your person It was that which the Apostle urged to bring downe the swellings of pride in the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou hast received it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Let mee apply those very words to thy soule Christian Art thou proud of thy gifts and proud of thy graces that thou differest from another and excellest another others are nothing to thee c. I beseech thee to consider who maketh thee to differ How came there to be such a difference betwixt thee and other Christians I am sure you were once both under the Apple-tree together there your mothers brought you forth there she brought you forth that bare you Hath Christ made thee to differ What hast thou then that thou diddest not receive Now if thou diddest receive it why diddest thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Wilt thou boast boast of thy owne then Christian boast of thy workes not of thy gifts give Christ his owne and thou art not worth a farthing yea the Lord knowes ten thousand times worse than a begger Wee say and truely too that one that hath been very scandalous if ever the Lord brings him in he had need bee very circumspect and humble And so concerning one that hath been of a verie low and meane condition and by the meere favour of the Prince is raised up to some great dignity wee say it will be a great deale of policy in him to carry himselfe humbly in his place Truely Christian I know no actuall difference by Nature betwixt thee and the vildest damned Reprobate in Hell Indeed there was a difference in God the Fathers Book of Election and in Christs Book of Redemption which is but a transcript of the other but a Creature difference there was none no selfe-difference at all Hath the Lord brought thee in thou hadst need walke humbly and circumspectly Philip would have the Boy to cry at his Chamber doore Philippe memento mortalis es Philip thou art a mortall man remember it be not proud of thy Empire thy Diadem must lye downe in the dust I would have the Christian that the Lord hath given great gifts and parts to be minded of his first estate I would have my Text written in his heart repeated in his eares O remember Christian who it was that Raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee And now I have done with my Use of Exhortation in its several Branches Use 4 I have but one word more and that is Consolation Is it so that we are borne under the Apple-tree though under out of Christ yet under not out of sight or hope The Apple-tree is over us though by Nature we have no hand to reach up to it Here 's then a word of comfort and hope 1. To those that upon serious examination the Lord hath made seriously sensible that to this houre they are out of the Lord Jesus Christ if yet they be willing to get into him 2. To those of Gods people that walke with sad hearts for the spirituall estate of their children husbands wives friends c. considering that they were all borne out of Christ and for ought they can yet see they have yet no portion in him For the first Is there any whose hearts the Lord hath smitten with the sad apprehensions of this Truth that they are all borne out of the Lord Jesus Christ that begin to say what shall we doe to be saved Loe here is some comfort yet though thou beest borne for the present out of Christ yet possibly thou mayest be borne under the Apple-tree yea for ought thou knowest thou art Christ is the Apple-tree Christ exhibited in his Gospell in the preaching of the Word c. is a glorious Apple-tree full of ripe Apples dropping into the hands of every soule that doth but lift up his beleeving hand to take and eat This is certaine whomsoever Gods secret will shuts out of heaven his revealed will shuts out none who doth not shut out himselfe Come therefore Turne turne why wilt thou dye O thou sinfull creature For ought thou knowest thou art in no worse condition than Manasses and Paul and Mary Magdalene all of them were borne such as thou art Christ cals Hoe every one that thirsteth come c. Come then let not thy sinnes hinder thee there 's merit enough and mercy enough in him O let not faith be awanting in thee Behold it is now Autumne with us Autumne indeed for Gospell-dispensations have been but as green Apples formerly to the times wherein the Lord hath cast our lot never was there such a plenty of soule-enlightening powerfull preaching plenty enough the Lord grant we surfeit not with it O reach out an hand take eat live To encourage consider how the Lord pleads with you Some Apple-trees are so loaden with fruit that when the Apples grow once to their full quantity the boughes bend even to the hand of the gatherer such my friends are our dayes the boughes loaden with Apples of free Grace even bend again to your soules O take eat and your soules shall live The Autumne is plenteous The Gospell is free you may take what you will it shall cost you nothing Christ even bends to you loaden with Apples of Love Ah! how he reacheth out himselfe to your soules despaire not only plucke and eat you are under the Apple-tree Secondly Is there any one here that hath a child husband wife friend brother sister c. that he can have no comfort concerning in regard that they can see no sigues of grace in them let this comfort them yet they may be under the Apple-tree though the Lord hath not discovered himselfe yet to their soules yet he may doe it All the Apples are not gathered off the Tree of Life it is laden yet pray cry for them mourne for them the Lord may yet give them an heart to repent I thinke it was Ambrose told Saint Austines mother being sadly lamenting the condition of her sonne then a Manichee Be of good comfort saith he it is impossible that a sonne of so many teares should perish I will not say so concerning any one but I will say vix probabile est it is scarse probable
thee 2. Thee that wert as low as others Adam left thee as deep in hell as any reprobate there Loe here the infinitenesse of free grace Two were in the same house yea grinding at the same mill of iniquity and thou art taken and the other is left possibly thou wert in thy wildest youth seeming to ride faster to hell than the other were that were thy brethren friends and acquaintance yet the Lord hath raised thee and let the others lye wallowing in their bloud he hath not said to them live 3. Thee that wert his Enemy Was ever dying love yea love in dying extended to an enemy before You have heard of two stories one of a Grecian the other of a Roman paire Theseus and Perithous Pilades and Orestes that would have dyed for their friends each for another but hath any offered to dye for his Enemy Moses would offer to have his name blotted out for his people that were Gods people and which he loved but would Moses have done it for a Philistine yet this hath Christ done O love ye the Lord all his Saints 4. Thee that never askt it He was found of them that sought it not Alas mankind lay as well without a tongue to aske as an hand to help themselves and behold Christ pitied them and amongst them thee his love declared from Eternity towards thee had not so much cause in thee as a poore prayer would have amounted to he was not moved by thy sighs and teares but by his owne infinite love 5. Lastly thee that hast still Rebellion in thee Christ said within himselfe when he dyed upon the Crosse Now is my heart-bloud powred out for as vile wretches as any are and for those that I know will requite my bleeding wounds my dying love with new speares and thornes thus he knew that thou wouldst doe in the time of thy unregeneracie yea and after thou shouldst be called too Who lives and sinnes not Now Christian lay these things to thy heart meditate of study out this love and see if thou hast not cause to say My soule and all that is within me my tongue and all that is without me praise the Lord. But O remember Christian Remember Burnt offering and sacrifice he doth not require but this he requires that thou shouldst doe his will O say Loe I come I am ready to do it But more particularly let me point thee out some particular duties that the Lord requires of thee in a poor answer to his rich Acts of eternall love First hath not he thought his glory too deare to lay aside for a while for thee nor his Word and Truth too dear to pawne for thee nor his bloud too deare to spill for thee hath he valued nothing in comparison of thee O doe thou value nothing in an equall ballance with him be willing to deny thy selfe for him who in every thing hath denyed himselfe for thee Thy Lusts cannot be so pleasing to thee as Christs glory was to him Be content to leave them Thy Honour cannot be so great as his was which he left for thee and became ignoble in our eyes Surely when wee saw him we esteemed him despised smitten of God and afflicted Isa 53. 4. But it was when hee was wounded for our Transgressions and bruised for our Iniquities when the chastisement of our peace was upon him and that by his stripes we might be healed Thy Riches cannot be greater than his yet remember him O remember the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who though he was rich yet for your sake became poore that you through his Povertie might be made rich 2 Cor. 7. Thy life cannot be more deare than his yet he valued not his life for thee but powred out his bloud his precious bloud upon the Crosse that through his bloud thou mightest have remission purchased Learne hence Christian a lesson of self-deniall Be content to suffer for him who was content to suffer that he might raise thee value nothing in comparison of him This Lesson had Saint Paul learned Phil. 3. v. 7 8. What things were gaine to me I counted losse for Christ yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ c. ver 10. That I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death Looke upon nothing in an equall ballance with him 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongst you save Jesus Christ and him crucified Secondly hath Christ entred into a Covenant and given his word to his Father and kept his word with his Father for you O then learne of him Vow your selves to him and keep the vowes of your lips Say with David Psal 116. ver 16. Ah Lord truly we are thy servants we are thy servants and the sons of thy handmaids for thou hast loosed our bonds Say with David Psal 40. Mine eares hast thou opened and bored them Say Ah Lord we come to doe thy will Christ kept his word with his Father for you Ah keep your word with him pay him the vowes which you have made Thirdly Hath Christ to raise you taken upon him your flesh O then Take ye upon your selves his spirit He hath become for you the childe of man doe you become for him the children of God Be made partakers of the divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1. 4. Your Nature was full of imperfection and weaknesse the divine Nature is full of perfection and glory He hath raised you be raised put off your filthy rags and put on change of Raiment Fourthly Hath Christ died that he might raise you from the death of Sinne and from the power of the Second death O then dye to sinne Col. 3. 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry for which things c. The Apostle Saint Paul presseth the great duty of mortification from this very principle Likewise reckon yee also your selves to be dead to sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. and so on ver 12 13. Let not sinne therefore reigne in your mortall bodies c. Ah throw away the nailes that pierced your Christ Fifthly Did Christ rise from the dead that he might raise you from the death of sinne O then rise to newnesse of life The Apostle Saint Paul presseth this worke of Vivification also from Christs Resurrection Rom. 6. ver 4. We are buried with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so we also should walke in newnesse of life and so all along that Chapter Sixthly Hath he
WAY been their first If the Devill could have lost our Saviour in it we should never have found the way out of it A dangerous a disconsolate place well tearmed a wildernesse as the Saint will tell you that hath been in it 5. A fifth Wildernesse that the Spouse is sometimes in is the Wildernesse of desertion Here 's a sad wildernesse a desert indeed Quum Dens deseruit When God hath forsaken or withdrawne himselfe from the Soule this Desert Christ himselfe was in Eli Eli lama-sabachthani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me was the voice of the Lord Jesus hollowing in the wildernesse such a wildernesse was the Spouse in when she sought him but found him not Cant. 3. v. 2. In this desert the soule is solitary her God is gone and she knowes not what is become of him the soule never calls any company her company if her God be not there David was in this wildernesse too he is often crying out of the wildernesse he was in when God hid his face from him The foule that belongs to the Lord Jesus goes through many a wildernesse in this world but scarce any which Christ hath not walkt in before it and hewn a way through it through every wildernesse we may follow the Lamb in his own path 6. Nay lastly The Saints whole life below is but a wildernes Earth is a Christians desert while she lives here she lives in widowhood it is a sinfull place a dangerous place a thorny place and a place where she finds an abatement of the joyes she shall be swallowed up in in glory Mortality is but Meshech and her best habitations are but tents of Kedar nothing to the temple of Glory she shall worship her God in hereafter and the former deserts are but as severall corners of this wildernesse but she commeth up out of every wildernesse That is the next branch of Doctrine I hasten to Branch 2. That though the Saint of God hath had and may have her dwelling in the wildernesse she rests not there but commeth up out of it She cometh up It seemes to argue a propriety in the motion as if she were not driven nor drawne up nor made to come but of her selfe came and of her owne strength and yet not of her own strength neither her owne leggs would not beare her for the text tells us she comes up leaning she had fallen had she not leaned Here is the Question stated what the soule doth towards its conversion what power of doing any thing tending towards its conversion before it is sanctified or after it is sanctified whether it may meerly passive what she may doe what she cannot doe how far she may come where she must lean Whether hath the soule any power to come up out of the wildernesse of sinne to the Lord Christ to move one step heaven ward of it selfe And here I have a narrow path to tread betwixt the Pelagians and Arminians on the one side that would make the soule have more power than it hath and the Antinomians and Sectaries on the other side that are so farre from holding that the soule hath no power to come to Christ that they would make us beleeve she hath no power to come to Church neither I shall not know how to determine this Question better than in the words of pious and learned Bishop Davenant Determ Q. 9. 49. Non potest quodvis opus ex divina premissione ad impetrandam peecatorum remissionem aut adeundam possessionem regni coelorum ordinatum The soule cannot doe any thing that is ordained by God or hath the promise of God to obtaine pardon of sinnes or possession of the Kingdome of heaven she cannot savingly beleeve repent love c. for these are the acts of grace and God is the fountain and donour of all grace 1. But first she may by Gods generall restraining grace without speciall and saving grace abstaine from grosse sinnes the heathens did so the light of nature which God keeps from none will shew her that this is darknesse 2. Secondly She may by Gods exciting grace without any saving grace performe many previous actions that are required of men to faith and repentance she may by vertue of Gods generall grace his exciting grace goe to Church hear the word of God meditate of God peccat a propria consider are sēsu eorum expavescere saith Davenant Ay and she may beg deliverance from that wofull condition which she apprehends her selfe in but she stirrs not one of these stepps after a spirituall but after a naturall manner till the quickning grace of God come A man may in a wildernesse conceive himselfe lost look about for the way out call for help be willing to be out yet not be one step in the way that will lead him out and this the soule must doe so farr as it can Negamus etenim hanc gratiam regenerantem infundi hominibus inertibus sed animis per verbum Dei erectis subact is per praedictas actiones quodammodo dispositis viz. We deny that regenerating grace is infused into sloathfull men but into soules subdued by Gods word and law and after a manner disposed by the foregoing actions yet we say that even these foregoing actions have their first motions from God and the question is whether God doth not first work a sight and sense of sinne and an humiliation for it by his exciting grace before he comes with his regenerating quickning and saving grace into the soule we say he doth in his ordinary course of his dispensations Only I must bee here safely understood that I speak according to mans apprehension for in respect of God nothing is first or last he works all in an instant all graces together in the soule but the question lies not whether God works the habit of Repentance before the habit of Faith or no for without question he works together all his works but whether God makes humiliation act before faith which we say he doth Esau and Jacob may be in their mothers womb together but Esau may come out and be seen in the world before Jacob yet not tying up the Almighty to this method who can and will work any way even which way it pleaseth him Nor doe we say any such previous action can be performed by the Creature ut de merito congrui teneatur Gratiam dare That God is bound for the desert of any such privious action to give his inward and regenerating quickning grace But yet this Dave ibid. we say that in the Church of God where men are dayly stirr'd up by the word and spirit to repent and beleeve savingly God will give though not for any of these previous or dispository actions yet freely regenerating grace to all such as are capable of it unlesse they have resisted the spirit of God in the preceding operations and rejected his quickning grace but yet we deny that any man can performe these
characteristicall note of a Saint To come out of troubles and reduce the spirit to a quiet composure is a worke may be done by those that have not tasted how good the Lord is But in the midst of oppressing troubles to draw peace from Jesas Christ and to come out of worldly troubles with a Gospell-peace to have a soule calmed upon Gospell-principles Hic labor hoc opus est This is a work worthy of a Saints indeavour and a wages worthy of his paines Disturbed spirits may quiet of course nature may be out of breath with sighing and the fountaine of teares dried up the spirit of a man meerly as a man of an heroick high-borne gallant temper may beare his infirmitie and hee may break through an host of troubles meerely by the strength of his owne spirit or the force of his owne reason But to come out of trouble this way shall bring no comfort to the soule This is but breaking prison without a faire dismission or paying the Jaylors fees Troubles will overtake such soules with an hue and crie and fetter them in a worser manner and God will againe arrest them upon quare clausum fregit an heavier action than before But by this shall a Christian know if the wound of the spirit bee healed it is with the balme of Gilead if he hath come out of trouble fairly hee hath come out upon Gospell-considerations The peace in trouble that is not found in Christ is not worth the taking up and from it a Christian shall extract no comfortable evidence of peace to his owne soule but in his peace hee shall have great bitternesse I have often thought that a watching Christian might bee justly troubled to consider sometimes how hee comes off a trouble for it is usuall with us either to let nature tyre out it selfe and when our Passions are ridden off their legges then they lie downe or else to conclude it upon morall principles Thus if our spirits bee sick as if there were no God in Israel wee for the most part send to Belzebub the God of Ekron and forsake the cistern of living waters to digge up to our selves ciflernes that will hold no water or if any none long O that those that professe to live above nature and carnall reason would also act above them If our bodies be sick nature prompts us to a Physician and our reason forbids us to use an Emperick O that Gods children would learne this reason in the midst of all trouble to runne to the balme of Gilead to the Physician there for all other Physicians are of no value and will professe much but doe little to the setling of a disturbed spirit Madam I have presumed out of all those noble friends which God hath made mee happy in to pick out your Ladiship to present this worthlesse piece of my labours to partly because I know it holds out to your Ladiship a great piece of your Honours gracious practice and partly because it hath seemed good to our wise God to nothingnesse of the creature I am afraid the City will runne out at the Gates I shall therefore add no more but humbly offering it to your Ladiship shall take my leave and rest Your Honours most humble servant in the Lord Jesus John Collings Chaplyfield-house Septemb. 3. 1649. THE RIGHT WAY to true Peace c. JOHN 16. 33. These things have I spoken that in me you might have peace In the world you shall have trouble but be of good cheare I have overcome the world THis with the two former Chapters contains Christs last Sermon to his Disciples having fore-told them of his death and passion Ch. 13. they were troubled upon that occasion hee preacheth this Sermon which in whole is a consolation They were troubled and who could be lesse to part with such a friend They lived under the protection of his wings Hee begins his Sermon with Let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in mee The whole Sermon is partly an Exhortation partly a consolation hee exhorts them chiefely to continuance in the faith and to brotherly love hee comforts them partly against his death partly against their owne death and partly against that opposition which he knew would usher in their death and be intermediate betwixt his departure from them and their following after This is the sum of his whole Sermon In this Chapter Christ chiefely doth foure things 1. Hee foretelleth them what they should meet with from the Jewes viz. That they should bee put out of the Synagogue that they should kill them and think they did God good service and as he foretells so he comforts them against this ill measure from the 1 verse to the 15 verse 2. He foretells his owne death and comforts them in respect of his departure from them from the 5 v. to the 20 v. 3. Hee foretells their flight and desertion of him yet before his death and comforts himselfe as to that by the consideration of his fathers presence with him which made him not to be alone though in respect of creatures hee should bee alone v. 32. 4. Hee concludes the Sermon in this verse which I have read to you in which you may consider these three things 1. A Disease In the world you shal have trouble where note the subject of it you 2. The disease it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trouble Tribulation 3. The climate where it rageth that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world 4. The fate of it it is inevitable to those that live in that lower region you shall have trouble But as here 's the disease so here 's 2. A Remedy too The Antidote stands near the Poyson there you may consider 1. What it is Peace 2. Where it is to be found that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Christ in mee you shall have peace 3. Quibus for whom it is you saith Christ 4. The care Christ hath taken in providing it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things have I spoken c. And for feare of fainting during the Physick here is also 3. A Cordiall to refresh and uphold the spirits during the fit and there you may consider 1. The Physitian administring it Christ 2 The way of administration of it by words and words of command Bee of good cheare 3. The chiefe ingredient in the cordiall I have overcome the world Christ's victory over the world that was it Let me adde a few words now for the explication of the words before I come to the Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things have I spoken to you seeing your hearts dejected and cast downe because I told you I must goe away I have taken paines now to preach this Sermon to you wherein I have hinted to you many comfortable notes I have now done And the end that I have aimed at in all is your peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that you might have a quietment and rest of spirit in mee
or the transcript it is a peace with the whole Trinity The Father is he with whom it is made the Sonne is he by whom it is made the Spirit seales it and becomes Nuntius pacis the Messenger of that peace to the soule being hee to whom it belongs of office to set the broad seale of the Court to every pardon Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 4. 30. But why then is it called Christ's peace I easily answer 1. Because hee is the meritorious cause of it Eph. 2. 14 15. hee is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene us having abolished in his flesh the enmity c. v. 16. and that hee might reconcile both to God in one body by the crosse having slaine the enmity thereby And the spirit which conveyeth the newes of this peace to the soule is sometimes called his spirit hee was hee that while hee lived upon tho earth came and preached peace to them that were afarre off and to them that were nigh Eph. 2. 17. and through him wee have an accesse by one spirit unto the father vers 18. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their sinne 2 Cor. 5. 19. Wee that preach the Gospell of peace to you as though God did by us beseech you are Ambassadours for Christ and as in Christ's stead wee entreat you to be reconciled to God therefore it is called his peace and it is said to bee laid up in him and from this peace of justification and peace of conscience proceeds A third peace which is the peace of the members each with other a peace which is too sadly broken and too little pursued in our dayes 1 Joh. 1. 3. The Saints have fellowship one with another and their fellowship is with the father and the sonne Jesus Christ and could they walk together except they were agreed And thus I have now though in a discourse something too large shewed you what peace is and what this peace is that is Christ's peace and that is laid up in Christ for the Saints and they may find it in him in the midst of their earthly troubles But yet more particularly In what of Christ is this peace laid up for the Saints 2. How shall they come by it in the day of trouble To each of these give me leave to speak a word or two To the first In what of Christ is this peace laid up I answer in three particulars 1. It is laid up in the bloud of Christ in his bitter death and passion as the meritorious cause This peace Christian is written and sealed with the bloud of the Lambe the immaculate Lambe of God this is cleare in that place I before quoted Eph. 2. 16. Hee reconciled us both unto God in one body by the crosse vers 13. you are made nigh by the bloud of Christ his bloud was the bloud of expiation 2. It is laid up in the word of Christ in his precious promises That is plaine from the very words of the Text These things have I spoken that in mee you might have peace David had peace many a time out of a promise the word of the Lord quickned and comforted him hee had once a trouble that had sunk him had he not found peace here they are his owne words Psal 119. I had perished in my affliction if thy law had not beene my delight The Gospell is therefore call'd the Gospell of peace and the word of Christ is as well the word of peace as the word of truth how many poore soules have found this true by many precious experiences they hove been in spirit-troubles heavinesse hath made their heart to stoop till a good word hath come and made it better 3. It is in the spirit of Christ who is the Nuntius pacis hee that declares and seales up the peace to the soule and is the messenger of peace betwixt God and Christ and the soule that truly believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and believing in him hath life Thus it is in him Now if you aske how the child of God may draw this peace from Christ I answer these three wayes 1. By Meditation of him thus David Psal 104. 34. my meditation of him shall be sweet the soule-feeding upâ—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 â—â—on the gracious acts of grace in which the Lord Jesus Christ hath declared the yernings of his love to poor soules shall rather peace a quietment and establishing of spirit in the midst of all its troubles when the poore Christian is in the midst of troubles to sit down and think well yet my sinnes are pardoned yet God and I are at agreement this affliction this crosse comes not to me as a law demand not as a piece of vindicative justice but as a fatherly chastisement this shall administer peace to his soule his meditation of Christ shall be sweet to his soule That 's one way to gaine it 2. By a believing application both of what Christ hath spake and what he hath done Faith is the hand that the soule reacheth out for peace and by which the soule brings in peace to it selfe Rom. 5. 1. Beeing justified by faith wee have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Those that believe shall bee established and the more a soule believes the more it is established it is from some unbeliefes or other that any soule is disquieted Faith brings in peace it is not the bare knowing of the promise or the bare knowing of what Christ hath done but the chosen with the promise the chosen with Christ in what hee hath done and suffered for the soule that brings in peace to the soule 3. The soule gaines this place by a close walking with Iesus Christ a walking in the spirit Is 32. 17. The work of righteousnesse shall bee peace marke the upright man consider the just man the end of that man is peace the wicked mans conscience is continually throwing out myre and dirt There is no peace to the wicked saith our God Peace indeed is not the wages of a day well spent not a naturall result and fruit of a strict walking but peace is the reward of righteousnesse the reward not of debt but of grace The words of the Psalmist hint thus much to us To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50. 23. When a Christian hath ordered his conversation aright the salvation of God must be shewne him I have onely one thing remaining as to the doctrinall part of my discourse that is to shew you what paines what order Christ hath taken for his Saints peace in him while in the world they meet with trouble It may easily be gathered from what I have already spoken in short take it in these three words 1. He hath died upon the crosse that he might doe it Eph. 2. 14 15 16. It cost him his bloud to work out our peace 2. He hath
had Zimri peace that slew his master is damning a soule the way to save it A third sort dispute themselves out of troubles come out of disquietments of spirit upon morall principles these will argue the case with themselves what a shame it is that they should be ◠so much troubled for a lost friend or for a crosse in a worldly estate and conclude this is below a man or below their spirits the peace of these men is but a logicall conclusion upon false premises All these have not known the way of true peace no Christians no the way of peace they have not knowne True peace neither growes in the alehouse garden nor in natures garden no nor yet in the Philosophers neither It is a branch that springs out of the root of Jessee a conclusion upon gospell-premises an effect of the balme Gilead Are you under any burthens of spirit in any troubles and would you have peace runne up to Jesus Christ fetch it from his bosome extract it out of his bloud gather it out of his word This this is the peace which passeth all understanding this is the lasting peace that hath no worme at the root no defect no rottennesse in it All other peace will be as easily broke as it is slightly made Come out of your crosses and troubles Christians with a peace drawn from Jesus Christ come out this way I say otherwise you mistake the way of peace But I shall proceed no further in this first branch of application Us 2 Secondly Is this a truth that whatsoever trouble a Saint meets with in the world yet in Christ hee may have peace what means this weeping then Christians why doth Rachel refuse to be comforted why doth Asaph or Davids soule runne and not cease why doth their soule refuse comfort what is the businesse with Christians that their spirits are heavy night and day and no oyle will make their face to shine All the balme of Gilead will not close their wounds if the Lord doth but lay an outward crosse upon them if he doth but take away a friend call in the money hee lent them crosse them in a relation let their spirits but fall a little how are they troubled as if their fountaine of Peace were dried up and justification and Gospell-promises had lost the Nature of a Cordiall Christians doe not your sad disquieted troubled spirits deserve chiding when Christ hath taken such paines that in him you might have peace and yet you walke under a crosse as if there were no way of peace discovered For shame Christians know your duty are you troubled you are by your trouble invited to Christ that you might find peace shew for shame shew that your condition is different from those that have not tasted how good the Lord is that know not how to improve Christ in a day of adversity and Use 3 Thirdly you that are Christs Disciples bee of good cheare It is Christ's owne application 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get heart be of good cheare though in the world you meet with troubles if you walk long with troubled spirits it is your owne fault for in Christ you may have peace who will pity your starving when you refuse your meat you may have peace if you will take it Lift up your heads therefore in the midst of your worldly troubles Be of good cheare Christ hath overcome the world Disquieting your selfe is not your duty believing is your duty and will ease you when that will but adde vexation unto your spirit Are you under burthens of spirit doe worldly crosses trouble you what then these should drive you to Christ but not into the cave go and pray believe c. But what doest thou doe in the cave Eliah Runne to Christ as fast as thou wilt but why sittest thou still to weep bee of good comfort there is no trouble upon thy spirit bee it what it will But Christ hath spoken some word or other done some action or other from whence thou mayest extract peace in that trouble Ah but will a poore Christian say this is spoken to Christ's Disciples to them indeed Christ speaks in mee you shall have peace but I am afraid I am none of that number and then what have I to doe with peace How may I know whether I bee Christs disciple yea or no and secondly I am afraid if I should make up peace that it would not bee Christs peace To speak a litttle to these two things Let me in the fourth place insist a little upon an use of examination Use 4 How then doth it stand you in hand Christians to examine your hearts concerning these two great things 1. whether you bee Christ's Disciples or no 2. Whether the peace of your spirits with which you content your selves and in which you satsfie your selves after trouble sometimes be a peace of Christs making or of your owne making and so false and uncomfortable I shall speak shortly to both these c. 1. Would you know whether you bee Christ's Disciples yea or no I will give you notes from his owne mouth to informe you in that point 1. Did your soules ever effectually heare and imbrace the word of Jesus Christ this is one note Joh. 10. 27. My sheep heare my voice you have heard with your eares but have you had eares to heare have you heard with a poore and contrite spirit so that you have trembled at it Is 66. 2. Hath the Lord bored your eares with the word Hath the word of Christ beene transmitted as from the preachers mouth to your eare so from your eare to your soules you have heard the Ministers voice but have you heard Christ's voice to your soules in an ordinance that the word came not onely to you in the letter but in power and in the spirit of God This is one signe but not enough Many are called 2. Doe you continue in the word of Christ this is a notable marke marke that place Joh. 8. 31. If you continue in my word then are you my Disciples indeed not in name not in profession not in the account of men onely no but indeed Disciples to purpose can your soules say that you have made the word of God a light unto your feet and a la◠horne to your pathes that you have set the law of the Lord ever before you that as you have learned Christ so you walk in him you fall not back but continue in the word of Christ then are you Disciples indeed 3. If you beare much fruit then are you Christ's Disciples Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my father glorified that you beare much fruit so shall you be my Disciples Doe you bring forth much fruit of holinesse unto God and righteousnesse before men thus you glorifie the father thus you shall evidence your selves to be Christ's disciples by growing in Grace and thriving in Godlinesse 4. If you be humble selfe-denying selfe-hating meek creatures This is a signe that
you have learn'd of Christ for hee is meek and lowly see Luk. 14. 26 33. concerning this note Christ in plaine English saith whosoever hath it not cannot be his Disciple it is the first lesson of Grace Deny your selves But are you humble and selfe-denying ones selfe-loathing and abhorring creatures doe you even loath your naturall selfe and hate your righteous selfe and forsake all your selfe then are you Christs Disciples doth the spirit of Christ which is the spirit of meeknesse dwell in you and rest upon you then have you learnd of him 5. If you beare the crosse with that faith and patience which you should bear it then you may know you are Christ's Disciples Luk. 14. 27. without this you cannot be Christ's Disciple there is nothing shall more evidence a Christian to himselfe and to others to bee Christ's Disciple than his religious bearing of the crosse his religious carriage under trialls and burthens of spirit this is a great peece of the way in which Christ will be followed of all those that are his Disciples Lastly If you love one another then you may know and all men may know concerning you that you are Christs Disciples Joh. 13. 35 By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples if you love one another Saint John in his Epistles beates much upon this to love the Saints meerly because they are Saints not for their good nature or wit or parts or greatnesse or any respect but impartially because they are Saints It is a good note By these things you shall know your selves whether you be Christs Disciples or no if you be you have a title to his peace And from what you have heard that true peace for the soule in the midst of this worlds troubles is only to be found in Christ and onely that which is drawne from Christ Every Christian hath ground to bring the peace of his spirit the comming of his spirit after trouble to the touchstone that he may be able to know whether it be Christs peace or his owne I shall give you five or six notes for that 1. If it be drawne from some word of God it is true peace Thy soule hath been troubled thy spirit hath been burthened now it is quieted I pray how came your spirit off trouble what was it that helpt thy spirit out of the miry clay what didst thou close with some Gospell-promises didst thou bosome a promise and was that peace to thee this is Christs peace such a peace was Davids Psal 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened mee so v. 81. My soule fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word so v. 114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word so v. 147. Davids peace was drawne from the word of God from what God had spoken in reference to him in particular or at least in generall to one in such a condition Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto mee the joy and rejoycing of my heart Many a poore soule before me I doubt not but hath known this way of getting peace when his spirit hath beene full of trouble that he hath not known what to doe perhaps hath not been able to eat or drink or sleep through anguish of heart perhaps a Minister hath been made the sweet messenger of peace to the soule and God hath used him as an instrument to mind the soule of some promise or other which at such a time hath come into the soule as water to the thirsty ground and hath been even as an apple of gold in a picture of silver perhaps the spirit of God according to that promise Joh. 14. 26. Brings to remembrance something that Christ hath spoken some generall promise or some particular promise which proves as the balme of Gilead to the soule to heale its wounds This is a Gospell-peace a sweetly made peace a peace of Christs making in the soule according to the text 2. If thy peace ariseth from a due consideration and application of some thing in the nature of God as hee hath revealed his nature to us whether it be from Gods will or 2. from the meditation of Gods mercy and goodnesse or 3. from a meditation of Gods faithfulnesse the consideration of many things in Gods nature may command peace in a soule but especially these three are fountaines out of which the Saint drawes peace The consideration of the stroke that Gods will had in Davids affliction brought him peace Psal 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because I knew it was thy doing hence was Elie's peace 1 Sam. 3. 18. when his eares amongst the rest could not but tingle at Samuels news hee said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good Hence was Hezekiah's peace when he could not but bee troubled to heare what should become of his sons and daughters 2 Kin. 20. 17 18. yet hee had peace v. 19. he said good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Hence was those good peoples peace Acts 21. 13 14. They were troubled at Pauls departure considering what Agabus had prophesied concerning him v. 11. At last they quieted themselves and their minds stood upon this bottom v. 14. They said The will of the Lord be done now if thy peace be concluded upon this account the Lord hath sent a grievous crosse a grievous affliction upon thee and thou wert troubled but thou begannest to think why this was the will of the Lord concerning mee this is the Lords doing and upon the due meditation of this thy spirit growes quiet out of a meere submission and obedience to Gods dispensation This is true peace it was the Saints peace 2. Or perhaps it is from a due meditation of the Lords mercy and goodnesse thou hast a crosse and triall befallen thee but thou beginnest to think well yet the Lord is good to my soule yet the mercy of the Lord indureth for ever and upon this consideration thy soule hath peace this is true peace upon this account was the Churches peace Lam. 3. 21. This I recall to mind therefore have I hope It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not they are new every morning c. v. 25. The Lord is good to them that wait upon him even to the soule that seeketh him c. Hence shee concludes peace in sad troubles 3. Or is it from a consideration of the nature of God in his faithfulnesse Lam. 3. 23. Great is thy faithfulnesse Thou sittest down with thy selfe and considerest why am I troubled the Lord hath promised that joy shall be to the upright of heart and that light shall arise out of darknesse to the upright and that though sorrow be for a night yet joy shall come in the morning This God is a faithfull God hee hath said it and shall hee not
God in the Sanctuary and from hence did peace flow in like a river to thy soule I say that peace is a true peace Christs peace in which thy soule may rejoyce and triumph But I shall adde no more to this use of examination I have but one more to adde and that is of exhortation Use 5 Christians you have all heard mee largely discussing this doctrine in its severall branches That in the world Saints must looke for trouble but in Christ they may have peace the best peace peace without bitternesse joy without sorrow 1. Let me plead with you that yet are strangers to the Lord Jesus yet unbelievers Poore creatures O that this might perswade you to look after an interest in Jesus Christ who is our peace Indeed you make to your selves peace none live so joyfully and spend their dayes so in wealth as you there are none sing requiem's to their soules like you But consider 1. Your peace is a false peace you have cried unto your soules Peace peace when indeed their hath been no true peace to you There is no peace to the wicked saith my God no true peace It may be when you heare the words of the Lords curse you will blesse your selves in your hearts saying wee shall have peace though we walke in the imagination of our hearts to add drunkennesse to thirst but is there any such presumptuous wretch that saith so in his heart Harke what the Lord saith The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man and all the curses that are written in the book of God shall light upon his head and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate that man to evill c. Deut. 29. 19 20 c. It is true you have a peace sometimes under trouble but a cursed peace the Lord knowes a dreadfull peace indeed no peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Nay not only so 2. The very shadow of your peace is an inconstant shadow and will faile you shortly If you be put to it you will not know what to doe What will you doe in the day of your visitation whether will you flie for helpe but to this I spake before O now that you would be wise it is the wise man's part to see things a farre off and provide for them prudens quasi providens or procul videns but your trouble is not farre off and you have no way of peace for Christ is not knowne to your soules the way of peace you have not knowne When all your contentments are gone in the creature where will you have peace Now the Devill the world many say unto you as Jael to Sisera turne in hither feare not turne in to us feare not and it may bee in a time of prosperity they may cover your conscience with a mantle of security and give you a bottle of milke but if once you bee in the midst of a sleep of security they will take an hammer in their hand and come softly to you and smite a naile into you temples and fasten it into the ground What will you doe when you find trouble Poor creatures my soule trembleth for you O that you would consider But behold Christ saith to you and there is no deceit in his words Sinners turne in to mee and feare not in me you shall have peace while the day lasts before the decree goeth forth and the day passeth away as the chaffe before terrour strikes into your soule and seizeth upon you like an armed man O that you would be wise that you would look out for a portion in Christ that you would make him your friend that when your sinfull peace failes and your naturall shadowy peace failes Christ may receive you into everlasting peace and you may rest in his bosome Turne in to him sinners and you need not feare hee shall be your peace But secondly Let me speak to you that are believers to you that have known the way of Peace true Peace which flowes to your soul from Jesus Christ Let mee presse 3 words upon you Br. 1 Bee not disquieted with worldly trouble Christ is your peace in him you may have peace it was his legacy to you O let not your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in Jesus Christ Know you not that he is your Peace why are you cast downe why are your soules disquieted within you if you meet with frownes from the world crosses in your worldly interests yet why are you troubled In Christ you may have Peace To this end consider 1. That Christ hath overcome the world hee hath qualified the Mercury and Quickesilver of it and made that which was in it selfe poyson no more then Medicinall hee hath overcome the world hee hath taken the sting out of every crosse the poyson of every affliction The world is crucified to you O be you also crucified to it bee of good cheare O you Saints for Christ hath overcome the world 2. Doe but consider what a loser Christ is by your troubles If you be disquieted if you be troubled as other men you make Christ a loser by you a great loser 1. Hee is a loser in his bloud in the end of his death he died upon the crosse that hee might bleed out balme of Gilead for you that hee might bleed out peace for his Saints under every trouble 2. You make him a loser in his breath To what purpose are the multitudes of his precious promises but that by these things should men live and in these the Saints might find peace so David Psal 56. 4. What time I am afraid I will trust in thy word heark what hee sayes in the Text These things have I spoken that in me you might have peace To what purpose hath Christ held out his Gospell promises his good words but that they should make the hearts of his Saints better when heavinesse makes them stoop 3. As to you you make him a loser in his victory to what purpose hath hee taken paines to conquer the world for you if you must yet bee slaves to it and every crosse and triall every frowne and ill-look from the world must bring you into a distemperature Lift up your heads therefore Christians lest Jesus Christ bee a loser by your soules Bee of good cheare know and believe that Christ hath indeed and that for you too overcome the world Br. 2 Secondly This Doctrine calls upon you that are believers to live much with Jesus Christ gaine more and more acquaintance with him with his word with his spirit heighten your communion with him Thus shall you know every hiding place and bee acquainted with every hole of the Rock This is that that makes many a poore much at losse oft-times It is a truth that there is peace laid up in Jesus Christ for a poore soule in every
ther not love enough of God remaining to sweeten this soure potion to make pleasant this bitter dispensation will not Christ's dying for my sinnes and washing me with his bloud make me amends for Gods present bitter dealing with mee is there not faithfulnesse in that God who hath said Hee will never leave nor forsake his people who hath said joy shall come in the morning and that light is sowne for the upright in heart But thirdly Dir. 3 Sit downe and meditate in thy hour of trouble what particular promises the Lord hath made out to his Saints under such troubles that so thy soule may close with them and thou mayest be still'd with a good word from God some of you know what it is so to bee still'd to have a disturbed spirit quieted by the seasonable comming in of a Gospell promise in an houre of straits oh how sweet is that peace say now to your selves The Lord hath here brought an houre of trouble upon me hath he no where made out a word of promise to suit my condition I dare say it there is no condition no sad dark condition that a poore Christian can be in but somewhere or other the Lord in his word hath suited the soule in that condition with a speciall promise find it out Christian it is the bladder that under the arme-holes of the soule must keep the soule from sinking in the deep waters of afflictions Peace made by Gods good words you heard before is a true peace a peace of Jesus Christ's making in the soule Dir. 4 Sit downe in thy day of trouble and weigh Gods mercies against his frowns then thou shalt find that the beame of thy soule will stand even nay it will leane to the scales where his mercies are sit down and think with thy self here 's a bitter triall a bitter affliction but have I no mercies to countervaile them The Lord hath taken away one of my children but hath hee not left me my fruitfull vine yet hee hath nipt off one of my olive branches but hath he not left me many remaining about my table he hath left mee my husband my wife yet It may be he hath taken away part of thy estate but hath he not left thee food convenient for thee If not hath he not left thee an estate in Christs love yet a sure estate in Grace and a richer reversion in glory It may be hee hath hid his face from thee for a moment for a little moment but hath he not given thee everlasting mercies Think of this Christian and doe thus and thou wilt find thy spirit will begin to bee rightly quieted Dir. 5 Study in the day of trouble how far Christ hath overcome the world the frownes of the world as well as any thing else and is not his victory thine Christian sit downe and think well here 's a bitter crosse a sad dispensation but my Saviour hath pull'd out the sting of it it comes not upon mee as a law demand O crosse where 's thy sting O hell where 's thy victory this comes not upon mee as it would have come upon another as it would have come upon a Reprobate Is 27. 7. Hath he smitten them as hee smote those that smote them the gall and vinegar is taken out of the cup Christ had that when he hung upon the crosse for mee this will helpe something to calme thy spirit to think it is a fathers rod not a sword of an enemy Dir. 6 Consider the dayes of old thus I told you before David did Psal 119. 52. and the Psalmist Psal 77. sit downe and think how God hath dealt bitterly with thee but did he never deale kindly with thee hadst thou never the shinings of his countenance Think how graciously God hath formerly dealt with thee and see what that will doe towards thy peace Dir. 7 Let reason sleep and set faith on work I told you before that in a day of trouble peace may bee brought to the spirit as a conclusion from reason I cannot helpe it and it is a foolish thing in me to feare what I cannot avoid I cannot alter this dispensation why should it trouble me c. Let Tully or Cato work out their peace upon this account let heathens that know not faith's nature or objects quiet themselves upon such considerations Christian In the day of trouble if thou wouldst have peace let reason sleep and let faith act upon the promises and providence and nature of God Dir. 8 Lastly Pray unto God to settle thy soule to send thee his peace and wait upon God in his ordinances The way of peace is in the Sanctuary True Peace is some of the water of life that must be drawn by the bucket of faith out of the wells of salvation I shall adde no more by way of direction But now lest Christians should think this of flight concernment and that if they can get their spirits quiet it is no matter what quiets them Christian know there is a great difference betwixt Peace and Peace betwixt the world's Peace and Christ's Peace betwixt adulterate and true borne Peace I will not stand at large to set them together though they would best appeare so but in short saith Musculus the worlds peace is Fusa instabilis nudis verb is ad perditionem a large peace upon no good grounds an instable peace upon no good bottome a meer verball Peace and that which will end in everlasting trouble But on the contrary consider by way of motive that the Peace which I have been describing to you which is laid up in Christ for the Saint and may be drawn from Christ by the Saint in a day of trouble is 1. A true Peace the other is no Peace a meere truce Peace made with the spirit for a while till some new breakings forth a flattred shadowy Peace a conceited imaginary Peace Peace in a Picture where is onely the resemblance not the substance This is a true Peace Peace indeed to the soule 2. This Peace is a sweet Peace a Rose without Prickles a Potion without Gall a sweetned Cup without any rubbings of Wormewood Hezekiah complained that in his Peace hee had great bitternesse It is true though in another sense concerning all the world's Peace and all morall Peace but Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord makes rich and addes no sorrow therewith This is Peace with the Lord's blessing the other is but at the best the Peace of a warme Sun there will be no sorrow added with this Peace with all other Peace sorrow will be added 3. This Peace is a lasting Peace all other Peace will fade and die Nature in time may bee out of breath of course that it can sigh and groane and weep no more But let it get but breath againe and that Peace will be disturbed Reason may tame Passion a while but let but Passion at any time get the upper hand in Reason's sleeping time or let it
They are exhorted to forget it 78. The exhortation urged by 6 motives 79 80 81 82 83. Consider 1. How will you live when your fathers house failes 79. 2. The great joyes of a married life to Christ 79 80 81. 3. There is nothing in our fathers house but is more eminently in Christ 81 8â— 4. Christ left his fathers house for us 82. 5. It is the way to be beautifull 83. 6. It shall make you desirably beautifull to the King 84. 4. Directions for such people to help them in that hard work 84 85 86. 1. With a serious eye look upon your fathers house and see what in it can be desirable 84 85. 2. While you enjoy the things of the world let not your hearts out to them 85 86. 3. Learn to live from home betimes 86 87. 4. Cry to God to part you 86. 2. Br. Of the exhortation to Saints They are exhorted more and more to forget their fathers house 87. Three directions propounded 87. 1. Direct Study the vanity of the Creature more 87. 2. Direct Converse little with your Fathers house 87. 3. Direct Be more acquainted with Jesus Christ 87. One motive urged 88. Viz. Because the King hath desired your beauty 89. In the second Sermon upon that Text John 16. 33. The Chapter and text analysed and opened p. 1 2 3 4 5. 5. Doctrines noted out of the words 5. The doctrine insisted upon propounded viz. That though in the world the true disciples of Christ must look for trouble yet Jesus Christ hath taken such order that in the midst of their troubles in him they may have peace 5 6. The method of handling it propounded 6. 5. Things to be done in order to the explication of it 6 7. 1. Br. To open what is meant by the tearme world 7. It is taken chiefely in three senses 1. For the men of the world and that either 1. largely or 2. restrictively severall waies 7 8. For 1. Many of all sorts 8 9. 2. The unregenerate only 3. The reprobates only 4. The elect only 2. It is taken For the things of the world Sometimes 1. For the whole fabric of the creation 9. 2. For the earth only 9. 3. For the vanities of the world 10. 4. For the trafique of it 10. 3. For our present state of life in the world 10. In what sense it is taken in the doctrine 10. 11. 2. Br. Of the explication What is meant by troubles and what troubles Saints must meet with 11 12. What the word signifies 11. For the kind 1. Bodily sorrowes 12. 2. Outward crosses 12. 3. Inward troubles 12. For the degree the word signifies wearing breaking crosses 13. 3. Br. From what causes do Saints troubles arise A threefold head of causes assign'd 1â— 1. From God two waies God may be the cause 1. In his just ordination 14. 2. In Gods wise providence may lie hid a cause he may bring them upon his people To 1. Try them 15. 2. Purge 3. Weane 2. Themselves may be a great cause of their own troubles 16. 1. Through the infirmities of their natures 16. 2. Through the sinfulnesse of their soules 17 18. 3. The world may be a cause of the Saints troubles 18 1. In respect of the incertainty of its comforts 18 19. 2. In respect of the malice and ill nature of it inhabitants 19. 4. Br. What is peace what is Christs peace why is it call'd his how is it laid up in him how may Saints draw it from him what paines hath he taken about it What peace of every sort is 20. What peace with God is 22. What Christs Peace is 22. What the peace of our Justification is 22. What peace of conscience is 23. Saints have peace with the whole Trinity 24. It is called Christs peace because he is the meritorious cause of it 24. What peace with the Saints is how that is Christs peace 25. Peace is laid up for the Saints in the 1. Blood of Christ 26 27. 2. Words 3. Spirit 3. Wayes by which a Christian may draw forth this peace from Christ 27 28. 1. By meditation of him 27. 2. By a beleeving application of what Christ hath spoke and done 28 29. 3. A close walking with Christ 29. Now to gaine this peace Christ hath taken great paines Hee hath 1. Died upon the Crosse for it 30. 2. Given us many precious promises ib. 3. Sent us his Spirit ib The Application of the Doctrine â— p. 31. ad finem 1. For instruction in severall branches 1. Br. Learne hence what we are to expect from the world 31. 2. Br. Learne what is the peculiar lot of the Saints while they live here below 32 33. 3. Br. What a miserable condition poor creatures are in that are out of Christ 33 34 35 36 37 38. 4 s Br. What an happy condition are those in that have a part in Christ 39 40. 5. Br. Learn hence the onely way to find true peace in a day of trouble 40 41. 3. False wayes of peace discovered by which men use to come out of trouble 41 42 43. 1. Some let Nature worke out peace 41. 2. Some drink a way trouble 42. 3. Some dispute themselves out 43. 2. Use For Reprehension Of such Christians as have a part in Christ yet walk heavily 44 4. 3. Use For Consolation to such as have an interest in Christ 46 47. 4 Use For Triall Br. 1. Whether we bee Christs Disciples or no. 47 Six Gospell Notes to know that by 47 48. 49 50. 1. If you have effectually heard Christ 48. 2. If you continue in Christs Word 48 49. 3. If you beare much fruit 49. 4. If you be humble self-denying self hating meek creatures 49 50. 5. If you beare the crosse aright 50. 6. If you love one another 50 51. 2. Branch of the Use of Triall How we may know if the peace our spirits come off a trouble with be Christs peace or no 51 52 53 54 55. It is a true peace if N. 1. If it be drawne from some Word of God 51 52. N. 2. If it ariseth from a due consideration and true application of something in the nature of God commanding it silence 53 54. 3. Things in Gods nature which considered may still a spirit troubled 1 His Will 2 His Goodnesse 3 His Faithfulnesse 53 54. How to improve each of them accordingly 53 54 55. N. 3. If it ariseth from a due meditation and application of what Christ hath done for us 57. N. 4. If it be concluded upon some former experiences 59 60. N. 5. If faith be a Commissioner in making the peace 60 61. N. 6. If it be a peace after prayer 61 62. Any Temple-peace is true 62 63. 5. Use For Exhortation 1. To such as are strangers to Christ to get an interest in him 63. 2. Motives to perswade it 63 c. Consider Your peace is 1. A false peace 63. 2. An unconstant peace 64 65. 2. Branch of Exhortation to those that have a portion in Christ 66 67 c. 1. Be not disquieted with worldly troubles 66. To this end Consider 1. Christ hath overcome the world 66. 2. Christ by your troubles is a great loser by you In his 1. Bloud 67. 2. Breath 3. Victory 68. 2. Exhortation Live much with Christ 68 69. Causes of Saints trouble notwithstanding the peace laid up in Christ for them 69 70. 1. Ignorance 69 70. 2. Negligence 70 71. 3 Exhortation to Saints Learn in all your troubles to look to draw peace from Christ 72 73 c. 8 Directions given to Christians in this case 73 74 75 76 c. 1 Dir. In the beginning of a trouble sit dowâ— and think what there is of God in it 73. 2 Dir. Then consider what there is in God to helpe thee 75. 3 Dir. Consider what promises God hath made to his Saints under such troubles 75. 4 Dir. Weigh Gods mercies against his frowns 77. 5 Dir. Study how far Christ hath overcome the world 77. 6 Dir. Consider the dayes of old 78. 7 Dir. Let Reason sleep and set faith on work 78. 8 Dir. Pray unto God to settle thy soule in peace 79. Motives to perswade Christians to look for such a peace 80 81. Consider this peace will be 1. A true peace 80. 2. A sweet peace 80. 3. A lasting peace 81. FINIS A Note of the chief Errata's of the Presse in the two last Sermons PAge 18. for mandâ—rs read manners P. 19. for nundinalitia r. nundinatitia P. 42. for courâ— r. covet P. 57. for dilectis Deo r. dilecti Deo P. 58. for they received r. he received P. 63. for quest r. quit P. 64. for intent r. extent In the last Sermon P. 28. for rather r. gather peace P. 32. for peace or lot r. peculiar lot P. 33. for ratifie r. rectifie your error P. 42. for wiled r. veiled