Men of publick spirits shall never die as Jehoram did undesired and unlamented Men of publick spirits lye most open to snares temptations and oppositions c. This all sober Christians well understand and therefore they can't but pray hard for such The names the lives the liberties the estates and all the concernments of men of publick spirits alwayes lye nearest their hearts who lye neerest to the heart of Christ Men of the greatest name and of the greatest renown and that have had the greatest stock of prayers going for them all the world over have been men of publick spirits But Sixthly and lastly When Christians of publick spirits come to dye their publick spiritedness and general usefulness will be no small comfort and cordial to them Nehemiah was a man of a publick spirit and accordingly he pleads it with God Think upon me Neh. 5. ult See Chap. 13.22 O my God for good according to all that I have done for this people This was that which sweetned death to Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord to remember now how I have walked before thee in truth 2 King 20.3 Acts 13.36 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And when David had served his generation he fell asleep Sleep is not more welcom and sweet to a labouring man than death is to him who has made it his business his work sincerely and faithfully to serve his generation Such Magistrates 2 Tim. 4.7 8 9. John 17. Ministers and Christians who have made it their business according to their different measures faithfully to serve their generation have found the King of terrors to be but the King of desires to them when death to men of narrow selfish spirits hath been like the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. very terrible Many score Instances might be produced out of History to evidence this Take one for all Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Wâ—nchester and Chancellour of England a man swallowed up in self interest in the Reign of Henry the Sixth when he perceived that he must dye Acts and Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy O! how terrible was death to him and O! how did he murmur and fret and vex at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For saith he wherefore should I die being so rich if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie upon death saith he will not death be hired will money do nothing I might instance in men of a higher rank but then I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle The second sort of men that my self and all others are bound 1. Highly to prize 2. Cordially to love And 3. Greatly to honour Are men of charitable spirits men of merciful spirits men of tender and compassionate spirits The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful to note that the godly man is the merciful man and the merciful man is the godly man Loving kindness is an ingredient unto godliness The godly man is frequently called Chasid gracious or merciful it notes one that hath obtained mercy goodness grace piety and benignity from the Lord and that is pious kind The Italian form of begging is Do good to your selves gracious and merciful to others Though charity bounty is the most compendious way to plenty and giving to getting and scattering to encreasing and layings out to layings up Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth Ver. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Yet how few in our dayes do honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 how few look a this as a duty to consecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord or of their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Most men now carry it as if God himself had last his propriety and as if there were no rent-penny due to his poor But yet some there are who have liberal hearts and open hands Deut. 15.11 some there are who do open their hands wide to the poor and needy Now here give me leave to say Mat. 25. Prov. 31.8 9. That these 1. Discharge their consciences in the duty of charity 2. These rightly improve the talents of mercy with which they are intrusted 3. These treasure up a stock of prayers Job 29.13 2 Tim. 1.16 both for themselves and theirs the blessing and the prayers of them that were ready to perish will come upon them and theirs 4. These evidence the liveliness of their faith James 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Ver. 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 5. These take the surest way the readiest course to assure their own souls of Gods eternal favours and mercies to them 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this world Ver. 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Ver. 19. Aeterna vitae vera vlta Aug. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Charitable Christians are as wife Merchants happy Usurers parting with that which they cannot keep that they may gain that which they cannot lose 6. These take the surest way to draw down more outward mercies upon themselves The fountain is not diminished Pedagog 3. c. 7 Clemens Alex. but augmented by giving water to the thirsty The widows oyl did increase by running we do not lose but increase our mercies by imparting of them for God's honour and the comfort and benefit of others Luk. 6.38 Give saith Christ and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom The Jews more large and loose garments so that they could bear away much in their bosoms Hence this expression into your bosom The meaning is That the Lord will largely reward the beneficence of his people yea that he will so reward them that they shall perceive that they are rewarded Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 10. so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine God will certainly bless their substance who honour him with their substance The Jews at this day Godw Heb. â—ntiq 27.7 though they are not in their own Countrey and though they have not a Levitical Priesthood yet those who will be reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase to the
Promises to trust in the name of the Lord Isa 50.10 Job 13.15 and to stay themselves upon their God Job in a cloudy stormy day resolves to trust â—n the Lord though he should slay him and so must you And O that this rule were more seriously minded and effectually observed by all doubting trembling and staggering Christians But The Thirteenth Maxim or Consideration THirteenthly Consider you must never judg your selves unsound The grand Rule by which we must try and judg of our spiritual and eternal estates is the word of God Isa 8.20 in this Scripture the Prophet plainly shews whither we must go with our doubts fears scruples questions and with whom we must consult and of whom we must take advice and that is the Law and the testimony or Hypocrites by those things which the Scripture never makes a Character of an unsound Christian or of an Hypocrite or of Hypocrisy Mark as you are to receive no comfort but what is backt with clear Scripture nor no evidences for the goodness and happiness of your spiritual estate and condition but such as are backt with clear Scriptures so you are to receive you are to admit of no Arguments nor pleas nor reasonings to prove your self an Hypocrite or unsound or that you have no Grace or that your spiritual estate and condition is not good but such Arguments pleas and reasonings as are backt with clear Scriptures Now tell me O thou weak doubting staggering trembling Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves wandring thoughts in Duty or that proves narrowness or straitness of Spirit in a duty to be characters of an Hypocrite or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound tell me O thou sighing Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves the want of a good memory for the best things or the want of those gifts or abilities that many Christians have to Pray to speak to discourse to open Scripture or to dispute for the concernments of Christ and his Kingdom to be characters of an Hypocrite or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound Tell me O thou distressed Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that will justify thee to conclude that thou art an Hypocrite because thou art without the present evidence of thy sincerity Are there not many of the precious sons and daughters of Zion comparable to fine gold Isa 50.10 1 John 5.13 Gen. 44. Lam. 4.2 who have true Grace and sincerity in their hearts though for the present it be hid from their eyes Josephs Brethren had their mony in their sacks though they did not see it nor know it till they came to their Inn and opened them So many of the dear children of God have sincerity in their hearts though for the present they do not see it nor know it O Sirs t is Christs work not Graces to evidence it self so clearly and fully to our eyes as to enable us to own it t is one thing for the Spirit of God to work Grace in the Soul and another thing for the Spirit to shine upon his own work now till the Spirit shines upon his own work the Soul is in the dark 1 Cor. 2.12 the Graces of the Spirit are best seen in the light of the Spirit as we see the Sun best by his own light T is good for doubting Christians when they are in the dark to hold fast this conclusion viz. that they may be upright though at present they are not able to see their uprightness Now though this will not bring in a full Tyde of comfort into their Souls yet it will keep them from despair and it will support and uphold their hearts till the Spirit who is a Messenger of a thousand shall shew them their uprightness Tell me O thou mourning Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves deadness dulness and indisposedness in duty though it be sadly lamented bewailed and mourned over and much striven against yea though it be the great grief and burden of the Soul to be characters of Hypocrites or of hypocrisy or of one that is unsound Tell me O thou disquieted Christian if thou canst where are those clear Scriptures that proves the want of those enlargements ravishments joyes comforts In all Soul cases God expects we should consult his word and cleave to his word without warping or turning aside either to the right hand or to the left John 12.48 That book that shall try you at last and that shall save you or damn you in the great day is the only book by which you must make a judgment of your present and future estates Clemens of Alexandria speaking of the Word saith it is the touchstone of truth and falshood peace or assurance that some others have to be characters of Hypocrites or hypocrisy or of one that is unsound and yet upon the account of the above mentioned things on the one hand and under a sensible want of the things last cited on the other hand how exceeding apt and prone are many poor weak doubting trembling Christians confidently and peremptorily to conclude themselves to be Hypocrites and to be unsound and that they have not a dram of Grace nor no saving interest in Christ at all O Sirs remember this once for all that as you must never admit of any Arguments Pleas or Reasonings for the comfort peace and refreshment of your souls but such as are attended with the evidence of clear Scripture but such as are backt with pregnant Scriptures So you must never admit of any Pleas Arguments or Reasonings to trouble vex perplex and disquiet the peace of your souls but such as are attended with clear Scripture evidence but such as are well backt with Canonical Scripture Now if this choice Rule were but wisely observed and carefully frequently and conscientiously practised by many weak doubting trembling Christians how would it set them at liberty from their fears doubts and misgivings of heart how would it knock off all their chains and wipe all tears from their eyes and remove that sadness that lyes like a load upon their hearts and how soon would it bring them into a condition of peace comfort quietness and settlement O Sirs every working and appearance of hypocrisy doth not presently prove the person in whom it is to be an Hypocrite A man may be hypocritical either 1. Really Or 2. In Opinion and fancy many of the dear children of God are very apt and prone many times both to suspect and falsly charge the true estate of their souls A child in a distemper may question the inheritance which is entailed on him c. But remember this if thy heart be upright all comfort is thy portion for as our distrustful fears do not prejudice the reality of the estate of grace So our frequent suspitions that we are hypocrites does not cut us off from the title and right of promised
Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Augustin Where there are sincere desires of grace there are the seeds of grace the conception of grace the buds of grace Sincere desires of grace are those holy seeds those divine beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace springs and grows up to its measure and perfection O Sirs look as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire and yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it And why it is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself hath there wrought let no man say I have no faith no repentance no love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of those things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all things in the world and would be willing as it were to buy even with a whole world the least measure or dram or drop only of such grace Now let me ask him who is it that hath wrought this desire in him Not the Devil for he would rather quench it than kindle it in him not his own corruption for that is naturally averse to every thing that is good it must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and who pronounceth all them blessed that thus desire after grace Kemnitius Ursini Catechis When I have a good desire saith one though it doth scarcely shew it self in some little slender sigh I must be assured that the Spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Wicked men do not desire the grace of the holy Spirit whereby they may resist sin and therefore they are justly deprived of it for he that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it already because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the Spirit Taffnies Book of the marks of Gods children Our faith saith another may be so small and weak as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be lively felt in us but if they which feel themselves in such an estate desire to have these feelings namely of God's favour and love if they ask them of God's hands by prayer this desire and prayer are testimonies that the Spirit of God is in them and that they have faith already for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the Spirit it is of the holy Spirit who bringeth it forth only in such as he dwells in c. Then those holy desires and prayers being the motions of the holy Ghost in us are testimonies of our faith although they seem to us small and weak As the woman that feeleth the moving of a child in her body though very weak assureth her self that she hath conceived and that she goeth with a live child So if we have these motions these holy affections and desires before mentioned let us not doubt but that we have the holy Ghost who is the Author of them dwelling in us and consequently that we have also faith Again saith the same Author 1. If thou hast begun to hate and flie sin 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and corruptions 3. If having offended God thou findest a grief and a sorrow for it 4. If thou desire to abstain from sin 5. If thou avoidest the occasions of sin 6. If thou doest thy endeavours against sin 7. If thou prayest to God to give thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other than from the Spirit of God Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 8.10 12. ought to be as so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee It is as impossible for us naturally to do the least good or to desire the least grace as 't is for a Toad to spit Cordials Sincere desires after God and Christ and Grace is sometimes the all that the people of God find in themselves This was all that Nehemiah could say of himself and the rest of his brethren Neh. 1.11 That they did desire to fear God's name And so the Church Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thy holiness And vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night So the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 3. So David Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 They must needs be sure of grace that have an unfeigned desire of it This is a Maxim that we must live and die with viz. That no man can truly desire grace but he that hath already grace certainly he that desireth grace hath grace to desire it It is an infallible sign that that man hath already some measure of grace that doth seriously desire to have it he would never seriously desire to fear God who stands not in some awe of him already nor he would never seriously desire to love God who has not in him some love to God already nor he would never seriously desire to believe who has not in him some faith already nor he would never seriously desire to repent that hath not repented already nor he would never seriously desire sanctifying grace whose heart in some measure is not already sanctified by the spirit of grace It is the very essence of righteousness saith one of the Ancients for a man to be willing to be righteous Angustine Pars magna bonitatis est vellâ— fieri boâ—um Sen. Ep. 34. And the poor Heathen could say It is a principal part of goodness for a man to be willing to be good It is natural for every one to desire his own natural good but to desire spiritual grace holiness sound sanctification faith unfeigned the true fear of God serious repentance c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do No man did ever desire to eat which had not eaten before nor no man did ever desire to believe that did not believe before all true desires after faith spring from faith as the root of them Certainly wicked men don't nor can't so much as desire saving grace Job 21.14 Isa 53.2 and that First Because grace is above the reach of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The water riseth no higher than the springs from whence it came so natural men can ascend no
most excellent Saints John 17. Heb. 2. Isa 63.3 Rom. 8.30 31 32 33. Heb. 7.25 John 14.1 2 3 4. Acts 10.38 Phil. 2.4 5. Christ made himself poor to make others rich but men of narrow souls make others poor to make themselves rich 1 Cor. 6.8 2 Cor. 8.9 Christ left his Fathers bosom for a publick good he assumed our nature for a publick good he trod the wine-press of his Fathers wâ—ath for a publick good he died for a publick good and he rose for a publick good he ascended to heaven for a publick good and he continues in heaven for a publick good when he was in this world he went up and down doing good he healed others but was hurt himself he fed and filled others but was hungry himself Christ was all for a publick good Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Though self be a great stickler yet he that will write after Christs Copy must neglect himself to serve others That Christian acts most like Christ who prefers the publick interest before his own private interest The Stars have their brightness not for themselves but for the use of others and the Sun hath her shining light but not for her self but for others In the natural body every member is diffusive the eye conveys the light the head spirits the liver blood c. And why should it not be so in the politick body also And as Christ so Moses was a man of a publick spirit when God made a very fair profer to him that he would make him a great Nation Exod. 32.10 11 12. So Num. 14 4 10 13 14. if he would but stand Neuter till he had revenged himself upon a rebellious people but Moses had no mind to preserment upon those terms he preferr'd the publick good before his own honour profit and advancement and therefore follows God closs and never gives over pleading for them till he had procured their pardon Ver. 13.14 and turned away the wrath of God from them So Joshua was a man of a publick spirit Josh 19.49 When they had made an end of dividing the Land for inheritance by their coast the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them Joshua might have served himself first and he might have taken as large an Inheritance as he had pleased but he preferr'd the good of the people before his own he who had divided the Land to others was himself contented with very mean preferment for his inheritance was among the barren Mountains Hierom. as some observe So Jehoiada was a man of a publick spirit 2 Chron. 24.16 you read that they buried him in the City of David among the Kings because he had done good in Israel both towards God and towards his house Men of publick spirits shall be honoured both living and dying Neh. 5.14 15. So Nehemiah was a man of a brave publick spirit he holds on twelve years together in publick work upon his own cost and charge Esther 4.16 So Esther was one of a publick spirit and therefore she takes her life in her hand and goes in to the King with an If I perish I perish And so Mordecai was a man of a publick spirit Mordecai the Jew was next unto King Ahashuerus and great among the Jews Esth 10.3 and arcepted of the multitude of his brethren seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed Mordecai was more mindful and careful of his peoples peace prosperity and welfare than he was of his own concernments And so Dâ—vid was a man of a publick spirit for after he had served his own generation he fell asleep Acts 13.36 The spirit of the Lord has put this upon record for Davids honour and our imitation Davids soul did not live in a narrow Bowling-alley he was not a man of so poor low and narrow a spirit as to make himself the center of his designs and actions David was a man of a generous noble spirit the publick good lay nearest his heart and to serve his generation he was willing to spend and be spent The publick spirited man of all men is most like to Christ and to those Worthies who were once glorious on earth and are now triumphing in heaven The Apostle speaks of some who are lovers of themselves 2 Tim. 3.2 and who are seekers of themselves Phil. 2.21 and who are minders of themselves Phil. 3.19 They mind earthly things Of all these we may say as God speaks of Israel Israel is an empty vine Hos 10.1 he brings forth fruit unto himself yea of all these we may say that light is not more contrary to darkness heaven to hell glory to shame than these are contrary to Christ and to those precious servants of his who are crown'd and chronicled in the blessed Scriptures for their publick spiritedness and publick usefulness in the world But Thirdly Men of publick spirits are rare men excellent men of all men they most resemble God Mat. 5.45 Vir bonus magis aliis prodest quam sibi who does good to all there are none so excellent and truly honourable as these All the Instances cited to make good the second particular evidences this to which I may add that of Daniel who was a man of a publick spirit and of that excellent spirit as that he carried the Bell from all the Presidents and Princes of Darius his Court Dan. 6.3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the Presidents and Princes because an excellent spirit was in him and the King thought to set him over the whole Realm I might give you many other Instances from the Patriarchs and Apostles but what need that when blind nature speaks so loud in the case Men of publick spirits have been very excellent and honourable in the very eyes of all the Heathen Take a few Instances among the many hundreds that might be produced M. Attilius Regulus was a man of that publick spirit In Austins account he was the gallantest of all the old Romans that he valued neither State nor Life to serve his Countrey and preserve his own honour he got very much for his Countrey but little for himself seven Acres of Land being all that ever he had he was a man highly honoured among the Romans Titus Vespasian was a man of a publick spirit he governed so sweetly moderately and prudently that he was generally termed Delitiae humani generis the delight of mankind he was greatly honoured whilst he lived and when he died the people wept so bitterly for him as if they had been resolved to have wept out their yes Curius Dentalus was a man of a publick spirit and very victorious when his Countrey was setled he was found at dinner feeding hard on a few parched Pease when the Ambassadors were
and repentance is a conversion to God Page 284 285 286 W Of walking There is no condemnation to such who walk after the Spirit Page 47 48 Of the witness of the Spirit Their mistake pointed at who have made the witness of the Spirit the only marks or evidence of our interest in Christ Page 1 2 3 4. There is at the end of this Book a Catalogue of all Mr. Brooks's Books ERRATA PAge 4. line 14. fleshly for flashy p. 16. in the Margent r. dance p. 17. Margent pat for part p. 18. l. 32. for gradually r. perfectly p. 19. l. 2. r. it l. 25. for Marcol r. Murcot p. 30. l. 2. hat for that p. 35. l. 8. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 39. l. 31. r. Asa's p. 63. l. 17. for wateâ— r. children p. 106. l. 15. r. gerandum p. 110. l. 28. r. Antiperistasis p. 142. l. 30. add only p. 239. l. 2. for heels r. feels p. 258. l. 19. outging for outing p. 292. Margent r. vitiums for vitium p. 117. l. 16. for were r. where p. 311. Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 326. l. 22. r. word for world p. 333. l. ult add the p. 347. l. ult add as p. 356. l. 21. for five r. three l. 26. for five r. three l. 34. for five r. three p. 357. l. 8. springs for spring in the Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 368. l. 13. r. patent p. 376. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 383. l. 16. to for in in the fourth leaf of the Epistle in l. 9. blot out one in the same leaf l. 32. conclusions for confusions CHAP. I. Containing eighteen special Maxims Considerations Rules and Directions that are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up of a mans interest in Christ the saving work of God upon his own soul and his title to all the glory of another world The first Maxim or Consideration FIrst Some have made the witness of the Spirit to be the only mark or evidence of our interest in Christ But this opinion being well laid asleep in these dayes I shall not put my self to the trouble of awakening of it afresh but leave it to sleep with the Authors who are now in their graves and deny all signs from the fruit of the Spirit but this is to deny the fruit growing upon the Tree to be a sign that the Tree is alive whereas our Saviour expresly tells us That the Tree is known by his fruit Mat. 12.33 Certainly 't is one thing to judge by our graces and another thing to rest on our graces or to put our trust in our graces or to make a Saviour of our graces there is a great deal of difference between declaring and deserving Doubtless Christians may look to their graces as evidences of their interest in Christ justification and salvation though not as causes of their interest in Christ justification and salvation O Sirs we must alwayes carefully distinguish 'twixt the root and ground of our comfort and between the testimonies or evidences of our interest in the root of our comfort Now it must be readily granted that Jesus Christ is the only root and ground of a Christians comfort and triumph and therefore saith Paul Gal. 6 14. God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the Cross of Christ And so in that 2 Cor. 2.14 New thanks be unto God which alwayes causes us to triumph in Christ So that if at any time we behold this or that saving grace or this or that part of holiness shining in our hearts or lives we take comfort in it not as the cause or root or ground of our comfort or triumph but as in a testimony or evidence because it doth manifest our interest in him who is our comfort Luke 2 25. Col. 3 11. Gen. 9 13 14 16. v. our peace our joy our salvation our all in all Look as the Rain-bow is not a cause why God will not drown the world but a sign that God will not drown the world and as it is a sign that God will not drown the world we may and ought to rejoyce in it and to take comfort from it So here c. 'T is agreed on all hands that sanctification is a precious benefit of the Covenant of grace Jer. 33.8 9. Ezek. 36.25 26. Heb. 8.10 12. c. as well as justification and what crime can it then be to evidence one benefit of the Covenant of grace by another benefit of the same Covenant That he that is justified is also sanctified and that he that is sanctified is also justified is so clear so bright so sparkling and so full a truth contained in the Covenant of grace that no man or devil can deny Now what evil or error can it be for a man to assert That he that is certainly sanctified is certainly justified it being the very language of the Covenant of grace and that therefore he that knows himself to be sanctified may also know thereby that he is justified Certainly those persons that shall deny sanctification to be a most sure sweet and comfortable evidence of a mans justification they must not only blot out and abolish the Epistles of James and John but must also race out and abolish all those Evangelical promises of grace and mercy of happiness and blessedness that are made to such persons as are invested enriched and bespangled with the several graces of the holy Spirit this might be made evident by many hundred Scriptures but take that one for all Mat. 5. where our Saviour himself who was the most Evangelical Preacher that ever was in the world makes eight or nine promises of mercy and blessedness to those very persons that had the graces of the Spirit inherent in them as poverty of spirit mourning meekness hungering and thirsting after righteousness c. O Sirs why should we be so frequently and earnestly call'd â—pon to try and examine our selves 2 Cor. 12.5 ver whether we be in the faith or no if we were not to come to the knowledge of our faith in a discoursive way arguing from the effect to the cause Have not the Saints of old come to assurance and the knowledge of the goodness of their estates this way Ponder seriously on that 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world Mark their joy was founded on the testimony of their conscience and their conscience gave in this testimony from the sincerity of their conversation in this world So Paul in that 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Certamen illud praeclarum certavi Beza I have fought that excellent fight By wrestling the Apostle useth the same Metaphor also in that 1 Cor. 9.25 v. I have kept the faith henceforth
lay a stumbling block before the blind this were to delude poor souls Ezek. 13.22 v. and to make them glad whom God would not have made glad yea this is the high-way the ready way to make them miserable in both worlds The rule or evidence that every Christian is to measure himself by must be neither too long nor too short but adequate to the state of a Christian that is it must not be so long on the one hand as that all Christians cannot reach it nor yet so short on the other hand as that it will not reach a true Christian but the rule or evidence must be such as will suit and fit every sincere believer and none else Some Christians are apt to judge of themselves and to try themselves by such rules or evidences as are competent only to those that are strong men in Christ and that are grown to a high pitch of grace of holiness of communion with God of spiritual enjoymenâ—s and heavenly attainments and sweet and blessed â—avishments of soul and by this means they come to conclude against the works of the blessed spirit in them and to perplex and disquiet their own souls with needless fears doubts and jealousies others on the other hand are apt to judge of themselves and to try themselves by such things rules or evidences that are too short and will certainly leave them short of heaven as a fair civil deportment among all sorts and ranks of men a good nature paying every man their dâ—e charity to the poor Mat. 23. Luke 18 9 10 11 12. v. Isa 1.2 3 4 5. a good name or fame among men yea happily among good men outward exercises of Religion as hearing praying reading fasting or that they are good negative Christians that is to say that they are no drunkards swearers lyars adulterers extortioners oppressors Sabbath-breakers persecutor c. Phil. 3.4.5 6 v. Gal. 6.3 Isa 33.14 Thus far Paul attained before his conversion but if he had gone no further he had been a lost man for ever and by this means they flatter themselves into misery and are still a dreaming of going to heaven till they drop into hell and awake with everlasting flames about their ears And oh that all that preach or print read or write would seriously lay this to heart some in describing the state of a Christian shew rather what of right it should be than what indeed it is they shew what Christians ought to be rather than what they find themselves to be and so they become a double edged sword to many Christians But The fourth Maxim or Consideration FOurthly consider Where there is any one grace in truth there is every grace in truth though every grace cannot be seen Look as a man may certainly know a wicked man by his living under the reign and dominion of any one sin As they say of the cardinal vertues Virtutes sunt inter se connexa The vertues are chained together so we may say of the graces of the Spirit c. Mark saith Chrysostom 't is not working of miracles casting out of devils but love to our brethren that 's the infallible proof of being a Disciple though he does not live under the power of other sins because there is not any one sin mortified in that man that hath any one sin reigning in him and that does not set himself in good earnest against it as his greatest enemy So when a Christian can but find any one grace in him as love to the Saints for grace sake for godliness sake he may safely conclude that there is in him all other graces where there is but one link of this golden chain there are all the links of this golden chain Joh. 13.35 By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another He doth not say if ye work miracles if ye raise the dead if ye give eyes to the blind or ears to the deaf or tongues to the dumb or feet to the lame but if ye love one another There have been many yea very many precious Christians who have lived and died with a great deal of comfort and peace from the application of that Text to their own souls 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren Sincere love to the brethren is a most evident sign of a Christians being already passed or translated from death to life observe the Apostle doth not say we think we have passed from death to life but we know we have passed from death to life nor he does not say we conjecture we have passed from death to life but we know we have passed from death to life nor he does not say we hope we are passed from death to life but we are assured that we are passed from death to life that is from a state of nature into a state of grace because we love the brethren for ever remember this when all other evidences have failed many gracious Christians and all other Texts of Scripture have afforded them no comfort here they have anchored here they have found rest for their distressed souls and upon this one single planck this one evidence they have swam safely and comfortably unto the haven of eternal happiness Every real Christian hath in some measure every sanctifying grace in him as a child so soon as it is born is a perfect man for integrity of parts and entireness of limbs though not for bigness and bulk of body so every regenerate person at the very first hour of his conversion 1 Thes 5.23 John 3 5 6 7 8. Chap. 1.16 Psal 45.13 The new creature hath all the paâ—ts and lineaments as in the body there is a composition of all the elements and a mixture of all the humours he is in part renewed in all parts all the habits of grace are infused into the soul by the Spirit at once at first conversion the soul is bespangled with every grace though every grace is not then grown up to its full proportion or perfection so that where there is one grace in truth there is every grace in truth that soul that can truly and seriously conclude that he has any one grace in him that soul ought to conclude that there is every grace in him Such as diligently search the Scripture shall find that true blessedness Mat. 5.3 4 5 6 c. Every child of God hath all the graces of the spirit in him radically though not gradually happiness and salvation is attributed to several signs sometimes to the fear of God sometimes to faith sometimes to repentance sometimes to love sometimes to meekness sometimes to humility sometimes to patience sometimes to poverty of spirit sometimes to holy mourning sometimes to hungering and thirsting after righteousness so that if a godly man can find any one of these in himself he may safely and groundedly conclude of his salvation and justification
that have not the image of God the image of grace and holiness stampt upon them I pray God saith Mr. Marshal that many of God's people do not want these evidences If our souls saith another shall like of Christ for a Suiâ—or when we find no other jointure but the Cross Mr. Dod on the commandments page 313 314. we may be sure we are Christians A man may want the feeling of his faith and cry and call again and again for it and feel nothing all this while and yet nevertheless have true and sound faith For the feeling of and mourning for the want of faith and the earnest and constant desire of it is an infallible sign of faith For this is a sure Rule that so long as one feeleth himself sick he is not dead and the high estimation of faith joined with a vehement desire of it is a singular evidence that there is a sound and lively root of faith in our hearts 1. Pet. 1.2 Mr. Love his zealous Christian pag. 29. last part All the elect of God shall have the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ upon their hearts sooner or later I do not press the having of these things gradually but sincerely an elect person may want many a degree of grace but if he have them in sincerity Dr. Sibbs his commentary on the first Chapter of the second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians ver 22. pag. 491 492. though in the least measure it is a sufficient evidence of his election An earnest is little in regard of the whole perhaps we have but a shilling to secure us of many pounds so then the point is this That howsoever we may be assured of our estate in grace and likewise that we shall hold out yet the ground of this assurance is not from any great measure of grace but though t be little in quantity it may be great in assurance and security As we value an earnest not for the worth that is in it self but because it assures us of a great bargain we have an eye more to the consummation of the bargain than to the quantity of the earnest so it is here grace is but an earnest yet notwithstanding though it be little as an earnest is yet it is great in assurance and validity answerable to the relation of that it hath to assure us Though grace be little yet as little as it is seeing it is an earnest and the first fruits as the Apostle saith which were but little in regard of the whole harvest yet it is of the nature of the whole and thereupon it comes to secure A spark of fire is but little yet it is fire as well as the whole element of fire and a drop of water is but little yet it is water as well as the whole Ocean When a man is in a dark place put the case it be in a dungeon if he have but a â—ittle light shining into him from a little crevice that little light discovers that the day is broke that the Sun is risen Put the case there be but one grape on a Vine it shews that it is a Vine and that the Vine is not dead So put the case that there be but the appearance of a little grace in a Christian perhaps the Spirit of God appears but in one grace in him at that time yet that one grace sheweth that we are Vines and not thistles or thorns or base plants and it shews that there is life in the root Thus you see how fully this Reverend Doctor speaks to the case That friend that writes the life and death of Mr. John Marcol once Preacher of the Gospel at Dublin saith See his Treatise published by Mr. Winter Mr. Chambers Mr. Eaton Mr. Carryl and Mr. Mantou pag. 36 37. That in preparation for the Supper-Ordinance he would bring himself unto the Test and to say the truth was very clear in the discovering and making out his own condition being well acquainted with the way of Gods dealing with the soul and with the way of the souls closing with Christ Instance April 3. 1653. Upon search I find 1. My self an undone creature 2. That the Lord Jesus sufficiently satisfied as Mediator the Law for sin 3. That he is freely offered in the Gospel 4. So far as I know my own heart I do through mercy heartily consent that he only shall be my Saviour not my works or duties which I do only in obedience to him 5. If I know my heart I would be ruled by his Word and Spirit Behold in a few words saith he that writes his life and death the sum and substance of the Gospel By these Instances we may see that some of the precious servants of God have found a great deal of comfort support rest content and some measure of assurance from a lower rank of evidences than those that many strong Christians do reach unto c. But The seventh Maxim or Consideration SEventhly consider That all men and women that are desirous to know how it will go with them in another world they must peremptorily resolve to be determined by Scripture in the great matters of their interest in Christ the blessed Scripture is the great uncontroverted Rule This we believe when we first begin to believe that we ought not to believe any thing beyond Scripture Tertullian and therefore if a person can prove from Scripture that his graces are true or that he is in a gracious estate or that he has an interest in Christ or that he has sayingly graciously stricken Covenant with God then he must resolutely and peremptorily resolve to grant so much as unchangably to acquiesce in it to stick fast to it and to hear nothing against it from the world the flesh or the devil God hath plainly told us in his blessed Word who shall be saved and who shall be damned though not by name yet by the qualifications by which they are described in the Bible there are the Statute-Laws of heaven and the standing Rule by which all must be tryed every man must stand or fall be eternally blessed or eternally miserable as his condition is consonant to or various from the infallible characters of saving grace contained in the holy Scripture witness that Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or no morning in them So John 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass on jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled So John 10.35 And the Scripture cannot be broken or violated or made void but though this be an indispensable duty yet certainly there is especially in
to do worse than the Dâ—vils â—â—r they believe and tremble Though the word of the Lord desâ—rves the greatest credit that any mortals can give unto it he being truth it self that hath said it though it had no Oaths nor no Asseverations to be its surety yet God in his infinite condescending love to poor sinners that he may sink the truth of what he saith deeper into the hearts and minds of his people and leave the fairer and fuller print in our assents to the same he sets on the word of Promise with the weight of Asseverations and Oaths yea and to all these he hath annexed his Broad Seal the Lords Supper and the Privy Seal of his Spirit O unreasonable unbelief shall not the Oath of God silence all Disputes A man would never desire of any honest man so much as God hath condescended to for the confirmation of our Faith witness his Promises his Covenant his Oath and his Seals and therefore let us give glory to him by believing and quietly rest upon his faithfulness O Sirs that soul that dares not take his sanctification as an evidence yea as a choice and sure evidence of his interest in Christ and of the Lords precious love to him according to the Promises of his favour and Grace several of which hath been but now under consideration that Soul ought to acknowledg it as his sin yea as his great sin for which he deserves to be smartly rebuked as making God a loud Lyar. O my friends it is a spiritual peevishness and sinful crossness that keeps many good men and women long in a sad dark doubting perplexed and disconsolate condition and certainly 't is no small sin to set light by any work of the blessed Spirit and the joy comfort and peace that we might have by it ah how many are there that fear the Lord who quench grieve vex and provoke the holy Spirit by denying his work and by quarrelling against themselves and the blessed work of the Spirit in them Certainly 't is the duty of every Christian to hear as well what can be said for him as what can be said against him Many poor Psal 77.2 Psal 88. Job 15.11 chap. 16.8 9. weak and yet sincere Chr stians are often apt to be too sowre rigid and bitter against their own souls they love to practise a merciless severity against themselves they do not indifferently impartially consider how the case stands between God and their own souls It is in this case as Solomon speaks in another There is that maketh himself rich Prov. 13.7 Ever since man ceased to be what he should be he striveth to seem to be what he is not It is not the outward shew that shews what things are and yet hath nothing And there is that maketh himself poor and yet hath great Riches That is there be those in the world that pretend they are rich and make a shew before men as if they were men of great estates whereas indeed they are exceeding poor and needy There are not a few that stretch their wing beyond their nest that bear a port beyond their Estates that trick up themselves with other mens plumes laying it on above measure in cloaths in high entertainments in stately Buildings in great Attendance c. when not worth one groat in all the World but either they dye in Prison or lay the key under the door or compound for twelve pence in the pound c. And there are others again that are exceeding rich and wealthy and yet feign themselves and look upon themselves to be very poor and needy To apply this spiritually 'T is the damning sin of the self-flattering Hypocrite Rev. 3.17 to make himself rich to make himself significant to make his condition better than 't is And it is the vanity the folly of some sincere Christians to make their condition worse than indeed it is to make themselves more miserable and unhappy than indeed they are Ah Christians 't is sad with you tâ—s night with you when you read over the evidences of Gods love to your souls as a man does a Book which he intends to confute Is it not sad when Christians shall study hard to find evasions to wheel off all those comforts refreshings cheerings and supports that are tendered to them that are due to them and that they may upon Gospel-grounds justly claim as their portion as their inheritance And O that all such Christians would seriously and frequently lay to heart these eight things First that they highly dishonour the blessed God and the work of his Grace by denying that which he hath done for them and wrought in them Secondly they are spiritual Murderers they are self-Murderers they are soul-Murderers for by this means they stab and wound their own precious souls and Consciences through and through with many a deadly dart Now is there any Murder like to spiritual Murder to self-Murder to soul-Murder surely no. But Thirdly They are Thieves for by this means they rob their own precious souls of that joy peace comfort rest content assurance and satisfaction which otherwise they might enjoy Now there is no theft to spiritual theft and of all spiritual theft there is none to that which reaches the precious and immortal soul Mark all prevalent Disputes about our personal integrity they do hold off the Application and tasts of comfort though they do not disanul the title and right Even the good man will walk uncomfortably so long as he concludes and strongely fears that his Estate is sinful for sensible comfort riseth or falleth cometh on or goeth off according to the strength of our judgment and present apprehensions observe it is not what indeed our estate is but what we judg of it which breeds in us sensible comfort or discomfort a false heart may even break with a timpany of foolish joy upon an erring perswasion oâ— his estate and so may a sound sincere heart be very heavy and disconsolate upon an unsound misconstruction and judging of its true condition But Fourthly They bear false witness against Christ his Spirit their own Souls and the work of Grace that is wrought in them O how many dark doubting drooping Christians are there who if you could give them ten thousand worlds yet would never be brought to bear false witness against their poorest Neighbour Brother or Friend and that out of Conscience because of that Command Thou shalt not bear false witness c. who yet make no Conscience no bones of it frequently to bear witness against the Lord Jesus Christ and his gracious works upon their own hearts But Fifthly they joyn with Satan and his work and his suggestions and with that strong party he has in them against the Lord Jesus Christ and his work and his weak party in them See Mr. Dod on the Commandments p. 310 311. and p. 321 322 323 324. Sin is Satans work and Grace is Christs work Now how sad is it
to see a Christian fall in with Satans work in him against the work of Christ that is in him Satan has a strong party in their souls and Christ has but a weak party now how unjust is it for them to help the strong against the weak when they should upon many accounts be a helping the wâ—ak against the strong a helping the Lord against the mighty a helping weak grace against strong and mighty corruptions An how skilful and careful are many weak Christians to make head against the work of Christ in their own Souls and to plead hard for Satan and his works in them as if they had received a Fee from him to plead against Christ and their own Souls O Christians that you would be wise at last and let Baal plead for Baal let Satan plead for himself but do you plead for Christ and that seed of God that is in you Well remember this John 1.3 9. that as fire is often hid under the embeâ—s so grace is often hid under many soul distempers and as a little fire is fire though it be even smothered under the embers so a little Grace is Grace though it be even smothered under much corruption Now by these short hints you may easily perceive how many Royal Commands these poor Christians transgress who deny and bely the blessed work of the Lord in them But Sixthly They rob the Spirit of all the honour and glory that is due unto him for that blessed work of grace and holyness that he has formed up in their hearts O what a grief and dishonour must it be to the holy Spirit that when he hath put forth a power in mens hearts Rom. 8.11 equivalent to that by which the world was created and by which Christ was raised from the dead to find it overlookt and not at all acknowledged Spiritus sanctus est res delicata the Holy Spirit is a very tender thing but do these poor doubting Souls carry it â—enderly to him surely no. Dear Christians the standing Law of Heaven is Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 Now if the word Spirit is not here taken essentially for the three persons in Trinity nor yet metonymically for the fruits of the spirit but Hypostatically for the Third person in Trinity as some conceive then you must remember that you may grieve and quench the Spirit 1. Not only by your enormities Isa 63.10 2. Nor only by refusing the Cordials and comforts that he brings to your doors yea that he puts to your mouths Psal 77.2 3. Nor only by slighting and despising his gracious actings in others Acts 2.13 4. Nor only by Fathering those sins and vanities upon him Mark you cannot despise the gifts or graces of any that are sincere but by interpretation you judg the Spirit and despise the Spirit as it is said of the poor in Prov. 17.5 that are only the Bâ—ats and fruits of Satan and your own hearts But also in the fifth place by misjudging and miscalling the precious Grace that he has wrought in your Souls as by judging and calling your Faith fancy your sincerity hypocrisie your W sdom folly your light darkness your zeal wild-fire c. Now O Sâ—rs will you make Conscience yea much Conscience of Quenching the Spirit in the four first respects and will you make no Conscience of Quenching the Spirit in this fifth and last respect O how can this be O why should this be But Seventhly They keep Grace at a very great under for how can Grace spring and thrive and flourish and increase in the soul when the soul is full of daily fears and doubts that the root of the matter is not in it or that the root is still unsound Job 19.28 1 Thes 1.5 or that the work that is past upon it is not a work in power or that t is not a special and peculiar work but some common work of the spirit which a man may have and go to Hell But Eâ—ghthly and lastly They very much discourage dishearten and dâ—sanimate many poor weak Christians who observing of them of whom they have had very high and honourable thoughts for the Grace of God that they have judged to be in them to be still a questioning of their integrity and still a doubâ—ing of the graciousness and goodness of their conditions do begin to question their own Estates and conditions yea and many times peremptorily to conclude that surely they have no grace they have no interâ—st in Christ and that all this while they have but put a cheat upon their own souls Now O that all poor weak dark doubting Christians would never leave praying over these eight things and pondering upon these eight things till they are perfectly cured of that spiritual malady that they have been long labouring under and which has been very prejudicial to the peace and comfort of their own souls Dear hearts a gracious soul may safely boldly constantly and groundedly say that which the Word of the Lord saith Now the Word of the Lord saith Matth. 5.3 4 6 8. That the poor in spirit are blessed and that they that mourn are blessed and that they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness are blessed and that they that are pure in heart are blessed and therefore he is blessed And assuredly he that cannot embrace and seal to these as true and blessed evidences of a safe and happy condition is greatly to lament and mourn over his unbelief and earnestly to seek the Lord to perswade his heart and to satisfy and over-power his Soul in this thing as the poor man in the Gospel did Mark 9.24 And straightway the Father of the Child cryed out with tears Lord I Believe help my unbelief O Sirs the condition of the Promises last cited being fulfilled the Promises themselves must certainly and infallibly be fulfilled else the great and blessed God should lye Josh 21.45 chap. 23.14 15. 1 John 5.10 11 12. be unrighteous unfaithful and deny himself which is as impossible as for God to dye or to send another Saviour or to give his glory to Graven Images Assâ—redly the too hard the too harsh the too severe the too jealous thoughts and conjectures and the too humble if I may so speak censures and surmises that many weak doubting Christians have of themselves or of the goodness or graciousness of their Estates by reason of the weakness of their Graces or depth of melancholy or the present prevalency of some unmortified lusts or the subtilty of Satan shall never make void the faithfulness of God or the Promises of God which in Christ Jesus are all Yea and Amen Doubtless God will never shut any poor weak doubting Christian out of Heaven 2 Cor. 1.20 because through bashfulness or an excess of modesty or the present darkness thaâ— is upon his understanding or through the ungroundedness of some strong fears of an eternal miscarriage he cannot entertain such good thoughts such
that Wine that is sharp and harsh A little grace will make a very glorious shew in such men and women whose very natural tempers are sweet soft gentle meek affable courteous when a great deal of Grace is hardly discernable in those men and women whose very natural tempers are cross crooked cholerick fierce passionate ruff and unhewen As a good man said of an eminent light now in Heaven That he had Grace enough for ten men but scarce enough for himself his natural temper was so bad which he would himself often lament and bewail saying to his friends That he had such a cross crooked nature that if God had not given him grace none would have been able to have lived one day quietly with him A sincere Christian may have more roughness of nature and more sturdiness of passions than is in many a moral man he that hath more Christianity may have less Morality as there is more perfection of animal and sensitive faculties in some bruits than in some men T is an old experienced truth that those sins are with the greatest pains labour travel and difficulty subdued and mortified which our natural tempers complexions and constitutions do most strongly incline and dispose us to and were but those lusts subdued and brought under it would be no difficult thing to bring all other sins to an under when Goliah was slain the Philistims fled when a General in an Army falls 1 Sam. 17.51 52. the common Souldiers are quickly routed So t is here get but the sins of your natural tempers complexions and constitutions under your feet and you will quickly ride in a holy triumph over the rest When Justice is effectually done upon your constitution sins 2 Sam. 18.14 ult other sins will not be long lived thrust but a dart through the heart of Absolom and a compleat conquest will follow Now before I close up this particular let me advise you frequently to consider that you can never make a true a right a serious judgment of your selves or of your spiritual estates and conditions without a prudent eye upon your natural tempers complexions and constitutions granting to your selves such indulgence and grains of allowance upon the account of your natural tempers as will stand with sincerity and the Covenant of Grace But The Sixteenth Maxim or Consideration SIxteenthly Consider If you cannot if you dare not say that you have grace Mark 4.26 27 28. yet do not say that you have no Grace for the being of Grace in the soul is one thing and the seeing of Grace in the Soul is another thing A man may have Grace and yet not know that he has Grace he may have a seed of God in him and yet not see it 1 Joh. 5.13 he may believe and yet not believe that he does believe the child lives before it knows that it lives If you cannot say that your Graces are true yet do not say they are counterfeit lest you bear false witness against the real work of the Spirit in you There are none so apt to question the truth of their Grace as those are that are truly gracious though Satan cannot hinder the holy Spirit from working true grace in the Soul 1 John 4.4 Psal 77. yet he will do all he can to fill the Soul with fears and doubts and jealousies about the truth of that grace that the holy Spirit has wrought in it When did you ever know the Devil to tempt an Hypocrite to believe that his Graces were not true and that certainly he had not the root of the matter in him if you cannot say that you have an interest in Christ yet do not say that you have no interest in Christ for a man may have an interest in Christ and yet not see his interest in Christ not know his interest in Christ there are many precious Christians that walk in darkness who yet have an interest in that Jesus that is all Light Life Isa 50.10 and love if you cannot say that your pardon is sealed in the Court of your own Conscience yet do not say that t is not sealed in the Court of Heaven for many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the Court of Heaven Psal 51. before t is sealed in the Court of his own Conscience A Pardon sealed in the Court of Conscience Rev. 2.17 is that new name and white stone which God does not give to every one at first Conversion God will take his own time to Seal up every Christians Pardon in his bosome If you cannot say that your name is written in the Book of life yet do not say that t is not written in the Book of life the Disciples names were first written in Heaven before Christ bid them rejoyce Luke 10.20 because their names were written in Heaven A man may have his name written in Heaven and yet it may be a long while before God may tell him that his name is written in Heaven I you cannot say that the precious Promises are yours yet do not say that they are childrens Bread and such dainties that your Soul shall never tast of t is not every precious Christian that has an interest in the Promises Psal 77. Psal 88. 1 Pet. 1.4 that can run and read his interest in the Promises If you cannot say that the heavenly inheritance is yours yet do not say that t is not yours do not say it shall never be yours A Christian may have a good title to the heavenly inheritance and yet not be able to make good his title to clear up his title as a child in the arms or in the Cradle may be heir to a Crown a Kingdom and yet he is not able to make good his title If you cannot say that you have Assurance yet do not say that you shall never have Assurance for a man may want Assurance one year and have it the next one Moneth and have it another Luke 19 1-10 Acts 16 29-35 Rom. 11.33 one week and have it another one day and have it another yea one hour and have it another If you cannot say that you shall certainly go to Heaven yet do not say that you shall undoubtedly go to Hell for who made you one of the Privy Counsellors of Heaven who acquainted you with the secret decrees of God c. Now were this Rule but throughly minded and conscientiously practised O how well would it go with many tempted troubled bewildered and clouded Christians O how would Satan be disappointed and poor souls quieted composed and refreshed But The seventeenth Maxim or Consideration SEventeenthly When ever you cast your eye upon your gracious evidences it highly concerns you seriously to remember that you have to deal with God in a Covenant of Grace and not in a Covenant of Works Every breach of peace with God is not a breach of Covenant with God Though the Wife hath many weaknesses and infirmities hanging upon
their falls they fall and continue to fall Isa 55.12 to morrow shall be as to day But persons in Covenant with God though they do fall yet they do not fall nor cannot fall as they do that are out of Covenant with God For first There is in all such persons an habitual purpose to keep Covenant with God 2. An habitual desire to keep Covenant with God 3. An habitual resolution to keep Covenant with God 4. An habitual endeavour to keep Covenant with God Now where t is thus there that man is certainly in Covenant with God and that man walks in Covenant with God he is under a Covenant of Grace his sins are pardoned and therefore they shall never be his ruine Isa 63.17 Doubtless many precious Christians have charged and condemned themselves for those things that the great God will never charge them with nor condemn them for Blessed Bradford wrote himself an Hypocrite a painted Sepulcher but doubtless God will never bring in such a charge against him O Sirs the stirrings of sin and the workings of sin and the prevalency of sin for particular acts will stand with the Covenant of Grace though not with the Covenant of Works You may not by any means conclude that you are not in a Covenant of Grace because such and such corruptions stirs in you or because such or such weaknesses now and then breaks forth and discovers themselves either in your lips or lives Did Christians but study the Covenant of grace more and understand better than they do the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works how would their fears and doubts about their spiritual and eternal estates vanish as the clouds before the Sun when it shines in its greatest strength and glory c. 'T was the saying of an eminent Minister on his death-bed That he had much peace and quietness not so much from a greater measure of grace than other Christians had or from any immediate witness of the spirit but because he had a more clear understanding of the Covenant of grace than many others having studyed it and Preached it so many years as he had done Doubtless had Christians a more clear and a more full understanding of the Covenant of grace they would live more holily serviceably humbly fruâ—tfully comfortably and sweetly than they do and they would dye more willingly readily and cheerfully than many may I not say than most Christians use to do But The Eighteenth Maxim or Consideration EIghteenthly and lastly That trouble grief and sorrow for sin that drives a man from God is sinful and must one day be repented of and wept over All true trouble Hos 5.14 15. chap. 6.1 2 3. Jer. 31.18 19 20. Psal 51. Hos 14.1 2. Psal 25.11 grief and sorrow drives to God as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent Suppose thou hast so and so sinned yet t is a false inference that therefore thou shouldest be discouraged and let thy hopes sink and thy heart faint as if there were no help no hope no comfort for thee in thy God Quest But when is a mans trouble or sorrow for sin sinfull Answ 1. When it keeps Christ and the Soul asunder 2. When it keeps the Soul and the Promises asunder 3. When it unfits a man for the duties of his place and calling wherein the providence of God has stated him 4. When it unfits a man for the duties of Religion either private or publick 5. When it takes off the sweet and comfort of all outward comforts and enjoyments and renders all our mercies like the white of an Egg that has no tast or savour in it 6. When it weakens wasts or destroyes the outward man all godly sorrow is a friend to the Soul and no enemy to the body And thus much for those divine Maxims Considerations and Rules that are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up a mans Interest in Christ and his title to all the glory of another world Certainly these Eighteen Maxims Considerations or Rules if God shall please powerfully to set in with them are of singular use for the clearing up of the saving work of God upon poor souls And therefore it highly concerns Christians seriously to ponder upon them as Mary did upon the sayings of the Angel in her heart Now these things being premised I shall come in the next Chapter to lay down some infallible evidences of saving Grace Luke 2.19 CHAP. II. Containing many choice precious and infallible Evidences of true saving grace upon which a Christian may safely and securely comfortably and confidently rest and adventure the weight of his precious and immortal Soul and by which he may certainly know that it shall go well with him for ever and that he has a reall saving interest in Christ and shall be everlastingly happy when he shall be here no more c. FIrst There are some things in regard of sin and a Christians actings about it that speaks out a gracious estate and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul I shall instance in these Eleven particulars First A universal willingness to be rid of all sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in a mans Soul Isa 28.15 18. Isa 30.22 Hos 14.8 Rom. 7.22 23 24. the first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul is the dividing between sin and the soul t is a making an utter breacl betwixt sin and the soul t is a dissolving of that old League that has been between the sinner and his sin The first work of the Spirit is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy to hate it as an enemy to loath it as an enemy to fear it as an enemy and to arm against it as an enemy When the holy spirit takes possession of the Soul from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit was upon him O saith Saul that I were but once well rid of this David and O saith the gracious Soul that I were but once well rid of this proud heart this hard heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this froward heart this earthly heart of mine c. Gen. 26.35 Look as the daughters of Heth even made Rebeccah weary of her life so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life Many a day have I sought death with tears said blessed Cowper not out of impatience distrust or perturbation Restraining grace doth only suppress and abate the acts of sin it doth never alter the disposition and will of a man as to sin You may chain up a Lyon but you cannot change the nature of a Lyon but because I am weary of sin and fearful to fall into it Look as when Christ hath won the will he hath
and a murtherous or adulterous heart is worse than a murtherous or adulterous act c. And therefore true grace makes head against heart-sins against spiritual sins against the most inward secret sins against those very sins that lye not within the reach of reason or the Sword of the Magistrate or the piercing eye of the most knowing or observing man in the World but are only obvious to an omniscient eye But now carnal men as they make little of outward sins so they make nothing of heart-sins of spiritual sins If they are not drunkards nor swearers Matt. 19 16-27 nor extortioners nor whoremasters nor cursers nor cheaters nor oppressors nor lyars nor persecutors if they are good negative Christians then they think themselves very good Saints and in a very fair way for heaven and that no man can say Black is their eye when their hearts are as full of evil thoughts and secret lusts as Ignorance Atheism unbelief pride envy discontent anger formality hypocrisy indifferency lukewarmness deadness and hardness c. as the Sun is full of light or as Hell is full of darkness Restraining grace common grace only makes head against gross enormities against palpable vanities as you may see in the Scribes and Pharises but saving grace makes head against heart-sins against spiritual sins Common grace is all for washing the outside but Saving grace is for washing the inside as well as the outside Common grace is only for washing the feet and the head but Saving grace is for washing both feet head and heart Look as in a dark night we can only see those stars that are of the greatest magnitude Matth. 23. John 13.9 10. so by the star-light of natural Conscience the natural man can only see those sins that are more great and gross Natural convictions can reach no further than natural light but spiritual convictions reach to the most inward secret spiritual and undiscernable sins Certainly that is a sincere heart a heart more worth than gold that smites a man for inward sins as well as for outward sins for sins done in a corner as well as for sins acted upon the house top for spiritual sins as well as for fleshly sins for sins against the Soul as well as for sins against the body for sins committed in a Closet as well as for sins committed on the most publick Stage Certainly that trouble and grief that springs from heart-sins from spiritual sins from secret sins bears a more immediate relation to the holiness of God who only observes them and is offended by them and so is a most sure and infallible evidence of saving Grace and of the work of the spirit in power upon the Soul When open commissions do humble and abase the heart and secret inclinations to sin do even break and burst the heart asunder then the heart is certainly sincere with God A Christian will readily grant that his God is a good God and that Jesus Christ is the chiefest of ten thousand and that the Gospel is a glorious Gospel and that the Promises are precious Promises and that the Ordinances are blessed Ordinances and that the lively communion of Saints is the Sweetest communion in all the world But yet he will say I have such a proud heart such a hard heart such a flight heart such a carnal heart c. and I am so vexed and molested with sinful motions and with sinful imaginations and with sinful inclinations and with Atheistical risings and with private murmurings and with secret unbelievings and that in despite of all my conflictings and strivings and prayings and mournings and sighings and groanings and complainings that I am oftentimes even weary of my life And if this does not speak out Christ within and grace within and the Spirit within such a Soul I know nothing O friends remember this once for all viz. That the main Battle the main warfare of a Christian lyes not in the open field it lyes not in visible skirmishes but his main quarrels and conflicts are most within and his worst and greatest enemies are them of his own house they are them of his own heart A little grace at first conversion may reform an ill life but it must be a great deal of grace that must reform an ill heart A little grace may make a man victorious over outward gross sins but it must be a great deal of grace that must make a man victorious over inward sins secret sins spiritual sins heart-sins yea a through conquest of these sins will hold a man play all his dayes But Sixthly He that abstains from sin he whose heart rises against sin he that sets himself against sin because of the evil nature of sin 2 Cor. 7.1 I have read of the Ermin that she will rather dye than be got into the dirt to defile her beautiful skin And rather than Joseph will defile his beautiful soul by defiling his Masters bed he will to a dirty Dungeon He had rather that the Irons should enter into his Soul Psal 105.18 than that sin should enter into his Conscience He had rather that his chains should eat into his flesh than that sin should pollute his soul Isa 59.1 2. Amos 3.6 Acts 5.39 because of that vileness and filthiness that is in sin he certainly has a principle of Grace a seed of God in him He who refrains from sin and whose heart rises more against sin because of the purity of the Law which forbids sin then because of the severity of the Law which condemns sin is certainly under the power of renewing Grace of saving Grace Psal 119.140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it 't is only pure Grace that can inable a man to love the Word for its purity The Apostle to set forth the formidable evil that is in sin expresses it thus Rom. 7.13 That sin might appear to be sin He could find nothing more evil and odious to express it by than it self Sin is so great an evil that it cannot have a worse Epithet given it Paul can call it no worse than by its own name sinful sin Had the Apostle said that sin might appear to be a snare a Serpent a Viper a Toad a Plague a Devil a Hell c. he had said much but yet not enough to set forth the transcendent evil that is in sin and therefore he calls it sinful sin All other evils are but outward they only reach the name the body the estate the life but sin is an inward evil a spiritual evil an evil that reaches the precious and immortal Soul and therefore is the greatest evil Death puts an end to all other troubles viz. poverty sickness disgrace scorn contempt crosses losses c. but sin is so great an evil that death it self cannot put an end to it Eternity it self shall never put a stop a period to this evil of evils All outward evils can never make a man the subject of Gods
should make it our great business and work to come up to them and to imitate them to the life O friends the examples last cited should be very awakening very perswading very convincing and very encouraging because in them you may see that though abstinence from the appearance of evil be a difficult thing yet 't is a possible thing Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our friends and shall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of those eminent Saints that had the lively picture of Grace and the lovely Image of Christ fairly stampt upon their hearts and lives 'T is both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples and to follow the footsteps of those Christians that have been most eminent in Grace as you may plainly see by comparing of these Scriptures together Prov. 2.20 Heb. 6.12 1 Thes 1.6 Phil. 4.9 2 Tim. 3.10 11 12. Heb. 12.1 Phil. 3.17 1 Cor. 11.1 Titus 2.7 He that would fain write a fair hand had need have his eye often upon his Copy and he that would fain abstain from all appearance of evil he had need often to eye the gracious examples of such who have made Conscience of abstaining from appearing evils as well as from apparent evils But Eighthly and lastly Consider what some refined Heathens and civilized Pagans have done in this very case There are stories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent Beauties lest they should be ensnared Dâ—mocritâ—â— pluckt out his own eyes to avoid the danger of uncleanness Socrates speaketh of two young men that flang away their Belts when being in an Idol-Temple the lustrating water fell upon them detesting saith the Historian the garment spotted by the Flesh Alexander would not see the woman after whom he might have lusted Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took New Carthage by storm Aure victor at which time a beautiful and noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her Chastity he being four and twenty years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it would not suffer her to come into his sight for fear of a temptation but caused her to be restored in safety to her Father So when Demâ—sthenes the Oratour was asked an excessive sum of money to behold the beautiful Lais he answered He would not buy repentance so dear neither was he so ill a Merchant as to sell eternals for temporals Nor Caesar would not search Pompeyes Cabinet lest he should find new matters of revenge Memorable is the story of the children of Samosâ—ta that would not touch their Ball but burnt it because it had touched the Toe of a wicked Heretical Bishop as they were tossing and playing with it Now shall some refined Heathens shall civilized Pagans abstain from the appearance of evil from occasions and temptations to sin and shall real Christians fall short of them Shall blind nature do more than Grace Shall men fallen in the first Adam do more than those that are raised and enlivened by the second Adam But to prevent all mistakes let me add though many Heathens have abstained from the appearance of some evil yet they have not abstained from the appearance of all evil neither have they abstained from the appearance of any evil out of a hatred of evil nor from any principles of saving light or life or love nor out of any regard to any Royal Law of God nor out of any regard to the honour or glory of God but either out of vain-glory and popular applause the Pole-stars by which they steered all their actions or out of Hypocrisy which set a tincture and Dy upon all their actions what Writer hath more golden Sentences than Seneca against the contempt of Gold yet if Tacitus and others of his contemporaries may be credited none more rich none more covetous than he as if out of design he had perswaded others to cast away their money that he himself might come and gather it up again c. And thus you see that there are very great reasons why every Christian should avoid the very shew suspition or appearance of evil c. But Eleventhly and lastly He that sets himself resolutely mostly habitually against his bosome sins his constitution sins Psal 18.26 his most prevalent sins c. he has certainly a saving work a powerful work of God upon his Soul True Grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side and work the heart to take part with him against the most darling sins though they be as right hands or as right eyes True Grace will lay hands upon a mans most beloved lusts and cry out to Heaven Lord Crucify them Crucify them down with them down with them even to the ground Lord do Justice do signal Justice do speedy Justice do exemplary Justice upon this Head-lust this Master-sin Lord hew down root and branch let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces Lord curse this wild Fig-Tree that never more Fruit may grow thereon Certainly God and Christ is set up highest in that mans heart who bends most of his thoughts strength and endeavours against his constitution sins against the sins of his Place Calling condition and complexion 'T is very observable that the Jews after they had been in the Babilonish Furnace for Idolatry they ever hated and feared that sin as much as the burnt child dreads the Fire yea they would dye any death rather than admit an Idol Josephus tells us how stoutly they opposed Pilate and Petronius that would have set up Caesars Statue in their Temples offering their throats to the Swords of the Souldiers rather than they would endure that Idol in Gods house O when once the heart of a Christian comes thus to be set against all his Golden and Silver Idols then we may safely say Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile He that finds his lusts his bosome his darling lusts begin to fall before him 〈◊〉 6 1â— as Hâ—mâ—â— once begun to fall before Morâ—eoai he may safely and confidently conclude that he is of the seed of the Jews and that the seed of God abideth in him 1 John 3.9 But having discoursed so largely as I have concerning bosome sins darlâ—ng lusts head-corruptions in my other writings I need say no more at this time And thus you see that there are Eleven particulars in regard of sin and a Christians actâ—ngs about it that speaks out a true saving work of Grace to be in the Souls of the Saints But c. Secondly Where the constant ordinary standing and abiding purpose disposition frame and general bent of a mans heart soul spirit desires and endeavours are fixed and set for God for Grace for Holiness in heart and life there is a most sure and infallible work of God past upon that mans soul the constant bent and the setled purpose of a true child of God is for God for Grace for Holiness in heart
sincere Christian he looks to the circumstance as well as the substance to the manner as well as to the matter of the command when he prayes he labours to pray fervently earnestly Jam. 5.17 18. he labours to get his heart into his prayers when he hears he will hear with attention and intention of spirit when he walks Mich. 6.8 1 Pet. 2.12 3.1 2 3. 1 Thes 2.10 2 Cor. 1.12 Psal 110.3 he endeavours to walk wisely humbly faithfully fruitfully circumspectly exemplarily winningly convincingly blamelesly when he obeys he desires and endeavours to obey freely willingly cheerfully O Sirs if we pray and pray not fervently if we hear and hear not fruitfully if we obey and obey not willingly if we shew mercy Isa 58.13 and do it not cheerfully if we sanctifie the Sabbath and not with delight all is worth nothing all will come to nothing Mark there are some circumstances accessary some necessary some wherein the being and some wherein the well being of a duty doth consist and if you abstract these from them the duty is worth nothing take away fervency and humility from prayer take away faithfulness and fruitfulness from hearing and take away willingness and delight from obedience and all will be worth nothing God regards not only the matter but the manner Criton the Papist could say That God loved better Adverbs than Nouns not to pray only but to pray well Non bonum sed bene agere Not to do good but to do it well is the great wisdom of a Christian what is the Sun without light or the fountain without water or the body without the soul or wood without fire or a bullet without a gun or a Ship without a rudder no more are words in prayer without the spirit of prayer God looks more at the manner than at the matter of your prayers And let thus much suffice to confirm the first particular But Secondly That obedience that springs from faith is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God the Commands of God Ps 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Mat. 5.18 For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled John 10.35 If he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Chap. 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day 2 Tim. 3.16 17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine fâ—r reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the mâ—n of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Now the reasons why that obedience that springs from faith is an obedience that is only grounded upon the Word of God the Commands of God are these five And the first is drawn from the supremacy and soveraignty of God who alone is to prescribe to man his duty he is our great Lord and Master he is our Lord and Law-giver Isa 33.22 For the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King James 4.12 There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy who art thou that judgest another Now by the Laws of this Lord and Law-giver we must square all our actions Look as it would be very absurd in a servant to do that work which he thinks meet and not what his Master commands so 't is as absurd for men to think that God will accept of this or that at their hands when they can't plead his superscription and authority for what they do God will one day say to such Who hath required this at your hands Isa 1.12 O Sirs you must lay the command of God as a foundation for what you do or else all your buildings though never so glorious will certainly totter and fall in all you do you must be able to say Thus saith the Lord or else after you have done your best you may be undone for ever But Secondly God's promise and blessing is only annexed to God's command he that will have the sweet of the promise and the blessings of heaven he must look that his obedience be bottomed upon divine commands in holy actions 't is not thy performance nor thy grace nor thy warmth nor thy zeal but the command and the promise that is annexed to it that will bear thee out Gal. 4.28 Heb. 6.17 therefore we are called children of the promise and heirs of the promise The children of God in all their obedience should still keep an eye upon the command of God and the promise of God as ever they would run the race that is set before them Heb. 12.1 But Thirdly Our obedience must be grounded and bottomed upon a divine command because of that great corruption pollution blindness and darkness which is upon our minds and understandings which would carry us to what not if we were not to steer our Christian course by divine commands Col. 2.20 21 22. The Apostle condemns those things which had a shew of humility and great mortification because they were not bottomed upon a divine command and Christ condemned many practises of the Scribes and Pharisees because they were not bottomed upon a divine command As you may see by comparing the 6 15. and 23. Chapters of Matthew together But Fourthly Our obedience must be bottomed upon a divine command because else we can never be able to bear up our hearts comfortably couragiously confidently and resolutely under all the afflictions Psal 44 9 ult Ezek. 28.12 22. oppositions temptations persecutions and discouragements that we meet with in the wayes of the Lord and in doing the work of the Lord. All the Messages that the Prophets delivered were still grounded upon a divine command Acts 4.19 20. 5.29 Thus saith the Lord and this steeled their spirits in the work of the Lord this made them resolute and undaunted in the midst of all the afflictions and oppositions that they met with And so 't was a word of command that raised the spirits and encouraged the hearts of the Apostles in the work of the Lord in the face of all the oppositions threatnings and buffetings that they met with from the civil powers You know Absalom layes his bloudy command upon his servants as their highest encouragement to that bloudy work of killing his brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13.28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants his Assasines saying Mark ye now when Amnons heart is merry with wine and when I say unto you smite Amnon then kill him fear not have not I commanded you be
higher than nature Spiritual things can neither be discerned nor desired but by those that are anointed with the eye-salve of the Spirit The natural man is dark and blind and he sees no beauty nor excellency in grace that he should desire it or be in love with it Man in his natural estate is without Eph. 2.12 There are five withou t s 1. Without Christ 2. Without the Church 3. Without the Promise 4. Without hope 5. Without God in the world Now every natural man being under these five withouts how is it possible that he should have any serious desires after grace Such is the corruption of our nature that if you propound any divine good to it it is entertained as fire by water or wet wood with hissing propound any evil then 't is like fire to straw 't is like the foolish Satyr that made hast to kiss the fire 't is like that unctious matter which Naturalists say sucks and snatches the fire to it with which it is consumed Rom. 8.7 The contrariety and enmity that is in every natural mans heart against God and Christ and grace and holiness may sufficiently satisfie us that the natural man is a meer stranger to serious and sincere desires after God or Christ or grace or the great things that belong to his everlasting peace Such sincere and serious desires as these Oh that Christ were mine Oh that I were married to his person Oh that I were cloathed with his righteousness Oh that my soul were adorned with his grace Oh that I was filled with his Spirit Oh that he would be my King to rule me and my Prophet to teach and instruct me and my Priest to make an atonement for me Oh that I might enjoy choice and high communion with him Oh that I might sin no more against him Oh that I may do nothing unworthy of him Oh that after death I might live for ever in the enjoyments of him c. I say such serious and sincere desires are not to be found in the natural mans breast Secondly Because grace is contrary to nature The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 Fire cannot desire water nor water fire because they are contrary one expelling the other for either the water will quench the fire or else the fire will lick up the water So here nature would have a man love himself and seek himself and exalt himself but grace will have a man love God and seek God and exalt God c. Take nature when 't is most adorned enriched raised elevated c. yet then you shall find it at enmity with God and grace Ergo c. Thirdly Because grace is not only above nature and contrary to nature but it is even a hell to nature grace and holiness is a hell to a natural man See my Treatise on holiness page 64 65 66. Look as a glorified estate would be a hell to every wicked person Coelum est altera gehenna damnatorum saith one of the Ancients Heaven is another hell to the damned so would a gracious estate also Grace puts a man to take up the Cross of Christ to deny his natural self his sinful self his religious self his relative self and to give up a mans self to the strictest and exactest wayes of God and to crucifie his lusts and to pull out his right eye and to cut off his right hand c. And oh what hard work is this yea what a hell is this to nature c. Fourthly Wicked men don't nor can't so much as truly and seriously desire saving grace witness their daily withstanding and slighting the offers of grace Compare these Scriptures Prov. 1.20 ult Chap. 8.1 12. Ezek. 24.13 Mat. 23.37 Luke 19.41 42 c. Fifthly Wicked men don't nor can't so much as truly and seriously desire saving grace witness their common ordinary habitual provoking vexing quenching resisting and grieving of the spirit of grace Turn to these Scriptures Gen. 6.3 Isa 63.10 Act. 7.55 Eph. 4.30 Sixthly Wicked men don't nor can't truly and seriously desire saving grace witness that enmity hatred rage and madness that is in them against the Saints whose hearts and lives are enamel'd with grace Gen. 3.15 Psal 34.21 Psal 44.10 Job 31.29 Amos 5.10 c. I have read of a desperate wretch that when he came to die he gave good portions to all his children but one and to him he would give but twelve pence and being asked the reason of it he made answer he was a Puritan I have heard him say said his wretched father That he had a promise to live on let us now see whether a promise will maintain him or no. Certainly wherever there are true serious desires after grace there is a dear love to those upon whose hearts the work of grace is past Now by these short hints 't is evident enough that wicked men don't nor can't sincerely seriously desire grace certainly such that are poor in spirit and that mourn for their spiritual defects and that hunger and thirst after grace and holiness after a righteousness imparted and a righteousness imputed must confess themselves to be in a blessed estate and consequently in a state of grace for what true happiness is there out of it or else they must contradict our Saviour and charge truth it self with untruth who hath pronounced them blessed that are so qualified so affected Were this well weighed and seriously considered of how would it comfort refresh support and stay up many a troubled soul and what a well-spring of life would this be to many a wounded spirit Doubtless the greatest part of a Saints perfection in this life witness Pauls own ingenious confession after fourteen years conversion Rom. 7.15 18 19 21 22. say some and who ever went beyond him and how exceedingly do most fall short of him consisteth rather in will than in work and in desire and endeavour more than in deed There is so much good in good desires that it is the main that the godly have to speak of and to reckon of make an inventory of a Christians estate and search every room if you find not these you find nothing and if you set these down in the inventory you set down even all he is worth for another world Daniel is called a man of desires and so is every gracious man a man wholly made up of gracious desires Dan. 10 11. Mark God makes a judgment upon the sons of men according as their desires stand he that desires to steal he is a Thief in the account of God and he that desires to commit adultery he is an adulterer in the account of God and he that desires to oppress he is an oppressor in the account of God and he that desires to deceive he is a deceiver in the account of God and he that desires to persecute he is a persecutor in the account of God and he that desires to prophane the
happiness of a Christians condition There were some in James his time who cryed up faith James 2.18 and union and communion with Christ but were destitute of good works Well what saith the Apostle Shew me thy faith without thy works Ver. 26. and I will shew thee my faith by my works for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead Look as the body without the spirit or without breath as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primarily signifies is dead so that faith that is without works which are as it were the breathings of a lively faith is a dead faith Though it be faith that justifieth the man yet it is works that justifies a mans faith to be right and real saving and justifying So there were some in Johns time viz. the Gnosticks who talkt high of fellowship and communion with Christ and yet walkt in darkness they lived in all impurity and yet would make the world believe that they were the only people who knew God and had fellowship with God but John tells us they were lyars 2 Cor. 6.14 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lye and do not the truth What fellowship hath light with darkness Such walk in darkness who promise to themselves the future vision of God's face whilst they go on in the wilful breach of God's royal Laws Such who say they know him and are swallowed up in the enjoyments of him and yet in the course of their liveâ— walk contrary to him such are lyars He that saith I know him 1 John 2.4 and keeps not his commandements is a lyar Sanctification and justification are both of them benefits of the Covenant of grace and therefore to evidence the one by the other Jer. 33.8 9. Heb. 8.10 12. can be no turning aside to the covenant of works You may run and read in the Covenant of grace that he that is justified is also sanctified and that he that is sanctified is also justified and therefore why may not he that knows himself to be really sanctified upon that very ground safely and boldly conclude that he is certainly justified O Sirs the same spiriâ— that witâ—esses to a Christian his justification can shine upon his graces 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Joh. 4.13 14. and witness to him his sanctification as well as his justification and without all controversie 't is as much the office of the Spirit to witness to a man his sanctification as 't is to witness to him his justification But you will say Sir pray what should be the reasons why many men have and why some do still cry down marks and signs and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification c. and speak disgracefully of this practice that is now under consideration I conjecture the Reasons may be such as follow First Many Professors take up in a great name and in a great profession and in great parts and gifts though they have never found a through change 1 Thes 5.23 John 3.3 5. 2 Cor. 5.17 Acts 26.28 though they have never past the pangs of the new birth though they have never experienced what it is to be a new creature a throughout Christian And hence it comes to pass that they make head against this way of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans condition by inward gracious qualifications Of all men these are most apt to out-run the truth and to run from one extream to another and to be only constant in inconstancy But Secondly Many professors are given up to spiritual judgments which are the sorest of all judgments viz. luke-warmness dead-heartedness formality indifferency Apostacy blindness hardness and to strong delusions that they should believe a lye 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Now is it any wonder to see such men quarrel and wrangle and rail against the way and method of evidencing the goodness and happiness of a mans spiritual condition by inherent gracious qualifications But Thirdly In some this ariseth from their lusts which they indulge and connive at and which they have a mind to live quietly in they are desirous to keep their peace and yet unwilling to forsake their lusts and hence they exclude this witness of water or sanctification to testifie in the Court of Conscience whether they are beloved of God or whether they are sincere hearted or no or whether they have the root of the matter in them or no for the want of this witness water or sanctification is a clear and full witness against them that they are yet in their sins under wrath and in the way to eternal ruin and that they have nothing to do with peace Isa 57. ult Psal 50.16 or comfort or the promises or Christ or heaven to take God's name into their lips seeing they secretly hate to be reformed There are many fair Professors that are foul sinners and that have much of God and Christ and heaven and holiness in their lips when they have nothing but sin and hell in their hearts and lives These mens conversions shame their profession and therefore they cry out against sanctification as a sure and blessed evidence of a mans justification Such sinners as live in a course of sin that make a Trade of sin 1 Thes 2.12 that indulge their sins that take up arms in defence of sin that make provision for sin that make a sport of sin that take pleasure in sin and that have set their hearts upon their sins such sinners can't but look upon the witness of sanctification as the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. But Fourthly There are many who are great strangers to their own hearts and the blessed Scriptures and are ignorant of what may be said from the blessed Word 'T is sad to be a stranger at home and to be least acquainted with a mans own heart Aristotle to evidence the lawfulness of this practice that is under our present consideration And hence it comes to pass that they cry down marks and signs and deny sanctification to be a sure and blessed evidence of mens justification Ignorat sane improbâ—â— omnis ignorance is the source of all sin the very well-spring from which all wickedness doth issue 'T is said of knowledge non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem Ignorance inslaves a soul to Satan it lets in sin by Troops locks them up in the heart shuts out the means of recovery and so plaisters up a mans eyes that he can't see the things that belongs to his own or to others internal or eternal peace The Scripture sets ignorant persons below the Ox and the Ass Did men either see the deformity of sin Isa 1.3 or the beauty and excellency of holiness they would never delight in the one nor cry down the other Peter 2 Pet. 2.12
consolation doth as it were put his hand and seal to our receits Eph. 4.30 whence he is said to seal us up unto the day of redemption The graces of the Spirit are a real earnest of the Spirit yet they are not alwayes an evidential earnest therefore an earnest is often superadded to our graces For ever remember these few hints 1. That it is the work of the Spirit to plant grace in the soul 2. That it is the work of the Spirit to act and exercise the graces that he has planted there 3. That it is the work of the Spirit to shine upon those graces that he has planted in the soul and to cause the soul to see and feel what he has wrote 4. That it is the work of the Spirit to raise springs of comfort and joy in the soul upon the discovery of that grace which he has wrote in the soul O Christians till the Spirit of the Lord shine upon your graces Job 33. you will still be in the dark 'T is only God's own Interpreter that must shew a man his righteousness When the holy Ghost shines upon a Christians graces then a Christian finds the springs of comfort to rise in his soul and then he finds the greatest serenity and calmness in his spirit O Sirs no man can by any natural light or evidence in him come to be assured of the grace wrought in his soul Look as no man can see the Sun but in the light of the Sun so no man can see the graces of the Spirit but in the light of the Spirit 1 Joh. 5.13 A man may have grace and not see it he may be in a state of grace and not know it as the child lives in the womb but don't perceive it is heir to a crown but don't know it Isa 50.10 Rom. 8.13 O! till the Spirit shines upon his own work a child of light may walk in darkness and see no light Look as no man can subdue his sins but by the power of the Spirit so no man can see his graces but in the light of the Spirit The confidence that a believer hath of the truth of grace wrought in him springs more from the Spirits removing his slavish fears and answering his doubts and shining upon his graces and supporting his soul than it does from that excellency and beauty of grace which shines in him A man may read the promises over and over a thousand times and yet never be affected delighted or taken with them till the Spirit of the Lord set them home upon his soul And a man may read the threatnings over and over a thousand times and yet never startle nor tremble though he knows himself guilty of those very sins against which the threatnings are denounced till the Spirit of the Lord sets home the threatnings in power upon his conscience and then every threatning will be like the hand-writing upon the wall which will cause his countenance to be changed and his thoughts to be troubled Dan. 5.6 7. and his joynts to be loosed and his knees to be dashed one against another It is just so in the matter of our graces and gracious evidences till the holy Spirit shine upon them till in the light of the Spirit we come to see them they won't be witnessing comforting and refreshing to us and therefore let not the pious Reader think that by the strength of his natural light he shall ever attain to know the certainty of that grace which is in his soul but let him rather beg hard of God for his holy Spirit and that his Spirit may shine upon that good work which he hath begun in him that so he may be perswaded assured and comforted Without the light of the Spirit the work of the Spirit can't be seen no more than a book written in the fairest hand or print can be seen without light to see it or read it by But The ninth Proposition is this Sincere Christians may safely and groundedly rejoyce Most Christians by experience find that their assurance and joy rises and falls as grace and holiness and as the evidences of grace and holiness rise and fall in their souls delight and take comfort in those graces or in those divine qualities which in the light of the Spirit they see and know are wrote in their souls I don't say that a Christian should build the comfort of his justification upon his graces or that he should rest on his graces or trust to his graces or make a Saviour of his graces for this would be such a piece of Pharisaical Popery as is justly to be detested and abhorred by all that love Christ or are looking towards heaven But this I say a Christian may make several uses of his graces he may safly look upon his graces as so many evidences of Christ's dwelling in him and he may look upon his graces as so many heavenly bracelets or as so many love tokens from God in which he may safely rejoyce The gracious evidences that I have laid down in this Treatise are blessed symptoms of salvation and therefore to rejoyce in them can be no transgression of any royal Law of heaven He that can experimentally subscribe to any of the gracious evidences that are laid down in this Book has such a fair certificate to shew for heaven that no wicked man or hypocrite under heaven has the like to shew and why such a man should not rejoyce in such a certificate I can't at present see I may and ought to rejoyce in the works of Creation O! how much more then ought I to rejoyce in the work of Renovation in the work of sanctification which does so infinitely transcend the work of Creation I may and ought to rejoyce in my natural life health strength beauty and why then should I not rejoyce in grace and holiness which is the life health strength and beauty of my soul Cant. 4.9 Christ delights in the graces of his people Thou hast ravished my heart or thou hast behearted me as the Hebrew runs my sister my spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes or with one glance of thine eyes as some read it with one chain of thy neck The eye of faith say some the eye of love say others The chain of obedience say some the chain of spiritual graces say others ravished Christ's heart the one eye of faith the one chain of obedience unhearted Christ wounded Christ this one eye this one chain robbed Christ of his heart and laid the Spouse in the room of it Now shall Christ's heart be ravished with his childrens graces and shall not their hearts be ravished and delighted with those very graces that ravish Christ's own heart I may yea I ought to rejoyce in the graces of others 1 Thes 1 â— 3 4 5. 2 Thes 1.3 4. and why then not in my own I may yea I ought to rejoyce in others outward
highest Mountains and Hills yet were drowned So let men climb up to the highest duties yet if they be not housed in Christ in his righteousness they will be as certainly damned as the men in the old world were certainly drowned Adam and all his posterity was to be saved by doing Do this and live And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing but if salvation were to be had by doing what need of a Saviour Well remember this once for all such as rest on duties such as rest on their own righteousness or on any thing on this side Christ such shall find them as weak as the Assyrian or as Jareb they cannot heal them they cannot cure them of their wounds Hos 5.13 When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could they not heal him nor cure him of his wound Duties are to Satan as the Ark of God was to the Philistines he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties and to rest on their duties then he has his design then he claps his hands for joy then he cryes out Ah ah so would I have it There is no sin that doth so formally and immediately oppose Christ and reject Christ and provoke Christ as this of resting upon self-righteousness and therefore above all pray against this and watch against this and weep over this There is no man in his wits that hath a precious lading that will dare to adventure it in a crackt and broken vessel so there is no Christian in his wits that will dare to adventure the everlasting safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels and bottoms of his own holiness or services O Sirs your duties cannot satisfie the Justice of God they cannot satisfie the Law of God your present duties cannot satisfie for your former sins and rents that be behind A man that payes his Rent honestly every year does not thereby satisfie for the old Rent not paid in ten or twenty years before Thy new obedience O Christian is too weak to satisfie for old debts and therefore roll thy self on Christ and Christ alone for life and for salvation Bellarmine could say after all his disputes for relying on works on Saints and Angels Tutius est c. The safest way is to rely on Jesus Christ Now let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness and to take sanctuary alone in the pure perfect and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ and in the free-grace of God Austin Paul is called by one the best child of grace in the world Eph. 3.8 for whatsoever he was or had or did he ascribeth all to free-grace he was the chiefest of the Apostles and yet less than the least of all Saints he was very eminent in grace and yet what he was he was by grace By the grace of God I am what I am He lived yet not he but Christ lived in him 1 Cor. 15.10 Gal. 2.20 1 Cor. 15.10 Phil. 4.13 He laboured more abundantly than they all yet not he but the grace of God which was with him He was able to do all things but still through Christ that strengthned him O that these three last things might work you to be more in love with free-grace than ever and to be more in love with the righteousness of Christ than ever and to be more in love with the Covenant of grace than ever But The fourteenth Proposition is this The more grace the more holiness the more any man has of the Spirit of Sanctification the more clear the more fair the more full the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven for salvation and the more comfort and the more assurance and the more settlement and the more of the witness of the spirit of Adoption such a person will certainly attain unto That Spirit which is the earnest of our inheritance and which seals us up to an holy assurance is an holy Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. he is frequently called the holy Spirit Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 Isa 63.10 Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 4.8 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption Hâ— therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit To make a man holy is more than to create a world 't is a work too high and too hard for Angels or men it becomes none and it can be done by none but by the holy Spirit Sanctification is the Spirits personal operation 't is the great work of the Spirit to shape 2 Thes 2.13 1 Pet. 1.2 form and fashion the new-creature holiness in all the vessels of glory The Spirit is the root of all holiness and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the Spirit Holiness is the very picture of God Gal. 5.22 and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the Spirit of God Holiness is the Divine nature and none can impart that to man but the Spirit the Spirit is the great principle of holiness Now the more grace the more holiness any man hath the more he is the delight of the Spirit and the more the Spirit will delight to witness his Sonship his Saintship and his Heirship unto him Scripture and experience will tell you that commonly men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest assurance This is certain the more holiness the more assurance for so the precious promises runs Isa 32.17 The work of righteousness shall be peace to wit peace of conscience Rom. 5.1 and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Inherent righteousness for of that he speaks as is evident by the 15. and 16. verses of the same Chapter is the high-way to assurance and peace So Psal 50. ult To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God that is declare my self to be his Saviour say some say others I will give him a prospect of heaven here and a full fruition of heaven hereafter say others I will cause him to see and know that he shall be saved So John 14.21 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Ver. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Holy Christians shall have most of the spiritual presence of