asleep by them in such a sort that the trumpet of the Law and thundrings cannot awaken you 1. The first is that people do not consider duly of the patience and long suffering of the Lord and therefore they come to mistake and misdoubt his justice and the truth of his threatnings they see no such thing they have been living in their sins so long and never found that things went otherwise then well with them no dint of any such threatnings yea they see others so also none living more pleasantly nor more prosperously then those who take very great liberty to themselves to break the Law of God and this certainly hardens the heart of many a sinner as the Scripture bears witnesse Because sentence is not executed against the wicked speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to do evill because men are not presently punished and taken out of hand as we say but get leave to go away and escape with their sins for a time therefore both themselves and others take the greater liberty to sin and surely we have need to take heed to this for we have all a tang of it were sin but instantly punished we would stand more in aw to offend then we do But this the Apostle meets with exceeding well and peremptorily Rom. 2. at the beginning first he layes down a peremptorie conclusion against such persons Thinkest thou this O man that thou shalt escape the judgement of God No think thou what thou wilt saies he we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them who commit such things O but saies the other I feel I fear no such thing I have lived long but have not found it so and others have lived out their life and dyed peaceably and have had no bands in their death To this he replyes two things the one is the reason that thou art not dealt with according to Gods justice and judgment and threatnings is not from thy deserving but from the riches and the goodnesse long suffering and patience of the Lord waiting upon thy repentance which if thou despise when the date of it is run out thou shalt find the truth of his threatnings and the debt of his justice so much the greater The other thing he replyes is this although thou shouldst escape the Lords justice and judgement all thy life time here what of that is there no other place for justice for judgement for the accomplishment of Gods threatnings then in this life is not the chief in the life to come Alas thou considerest not fare it with thee here as it will that yet thou art treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the just judgement of God O that you would consider this now that ye are not a haires breadth further off or at least the freer from the curses of the Law that they are not instantly powred out upon thee what of that yet surely as the Lord is true they do abide thee and when the Lord hath given a sufficient proofe of his patience towards thee they shall come upon thee when thou least expectest as pains on a woman in travell if not in this life yet in the life to come and therfore be not the securer for this that they are not yet come upon thee but if thou wilt prevent this humble thy self under the mighty hand of God The other main impediment hindering the Law with the threatnings of it to have the due operations of it upon the hearts of people as any may see is their presumption both in misapplying the Lords mercy and Christs merits to themselves when as indeed they have no interest in them and yet this is it that makes them secure against all the threatnings and also mistaking the manner of obtaining mercy First then I say they presume and misapply Gods mercy and Christs merits to themselves this is the thing that makes many a soule to perish and therefore I beseech you take heed unto it they acknowledge that they are sinners and that the curses of the Law does belong to them O but they believe in the mercy of God and in the merits of Christ in him who hath freed them from the curse of the Law and so they leap over the threatnings of the Law O but deceive not thy self this is the way that many perish in see that thy relying upon Christ and the mercy of God be upon good grounds sure warrants do all beleive that say or think they beleive come to any almost will they not say they beleeve as well as others but the Scripture saies that Many are called and but few are chosen it saies that many are deceived and why mayest not thou be deceived among the rest Indeed if thou hast ever been humbled for thy by-past sins and so hast fled unto Christ and striven to rest upon him If thou hast broken off the course of thy iniquity and turned thy back upon thy sins and art endeavouring to repent of what is past and to abstain for time to come if the Spirit of God hath made any work in thy soul then thou mayest be bold O but if none of these be no work of the Spirit in thee whereof I was speaking hast thou not broken off the course of thy iniquities but still walkest according to the imagination of thy own heart and yet doest blesse thy self notwithstanding the curses of the Law Be thou sure it shall be true which the Lord saies Deut. 29. all these curses shall come upon thee Walkest thou in darknesse that is to say after the dictates of thy own corrupt heart and the courses of the wicked world doest thou as thou seest others do and as thy own heart gives thee leave and takest no heed to order thy wayes according to the lantern of Gods Word for this is to walk in darknesse then beguil not thy self this shift will not serve the turn it will not free thee from the curse of the Law Christ it 's true is able to do it but thou hast nothing to do with him as yet What saies the Apostle He that saith he hath fellowship with him and walks in darknesse he is a lyar and the truth is not in him For these again who deceive themselves by mistaking the manner of obtaining mercie they think that when they have sinned all their life time that a God have mercie upon them shall serve their turn and then think that they may beleeve repent and get mercy when they will and for a word O but let me tell such these things are not so easily gotten and none so far from getting mercy as they that presume upon it yea did not many of Gods children find it hard enough all their whole life to get faith repentance and mercy and wilt thou come so easily by them and thinkst to get mercie for a word of thy mouth And finally to end this point
a word they may know grosser sins but not lesser as we may see by Christs interpretation of the Law compared with that of the Pharisees yea Paul sayes I knew not concupiscence to be sin but by the Law the naturall mans light or sight of sin is like an ordinarie light which discernes grosse palpable filthines but will not discover moats But the spirituall mans light is like the light of the Sun which discovers very moats which an ordinarie light will not discover 2. The Spirit gives to a man a sight of his gracelesnesse and wants they see their faith love repentance fear to be weak I beleeve Lord help my unbelief I love Lord help my love Lord increase our faith Thus they be poore in spirit The wicked and naturall men are not so but as it is to be seen in the Church of Laodicea they think they have need of nothing so look to the ordinarie course of men O why fear I not love I not God c. 3. The Spirit when he works he gives to a man a sight of his unrighteousnesse even of the imperfections of his best actions Our righteousnesse is like a menstruous cloth saies the Prophet When ye have done all that ye can do say that ye are unprofitable servants they know that the Lord pondereth the heart and they see so manifold imperfections defects corruptions in their best actions â—o that instead of meriting by them they think it a mercie not to be punished for them their heart rests not till they flie to the righteousnesse which is by faith to him who hath taken upon him the iniquitie of our holy things who perfumes the very prayers of his Saints with the incense of his merits and intercession The ungodly not so the hypocrite pleases himself with the work done the form of godlinesse cares not for the manner according to that The wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart As the Pharisee not onely pleased but puft up with good service I fast twice in the week c. The Papists think to merit no lesse then heaven by them and that to others Now the Application is easie 1. for comfort First of all hast thou gotten indeed a sight of thy sinfulnesse corruptions of the flesh and spirit corruptions of the several faculties of thy sinfull nature so that from the heart condiscending upon particulars thou can say that thou aâ—â— sinfull O then thou art in case for the Phisitian The whole needs not the Phisitian but these that are sick And â—ee their spirituall sicknesses thou art one whom Christ calleth I came not to call the righteous in their own eyes but sinners to repentance that is that see themselves to be sinners Be of good comfort behoâ—d he calleth thee 2. Hast thou gotten a sight of thy owne gracelesnesse and wants O then thou art poor in spirit and so blessed thou art in a better case then those of Laodicea 3. Seest thou the imperfection of thy best services thou art not like the naturall man or Hypocrite who contents himself with the work done who 1. Ponders not the heart and therefore his waies seeme good in his own eyes 2. A token thou resâ—s not upon the forme of godlinesse but dost labour after the power 3. Thou worshipest in spirit and truth Now for câ—nviction O but thou who 1. seest not thy sinfulnesse and corruptions mayest well for the fashion confesse thy selfe to be a sinner but canst not condiscend to particulars or if to any it is but to outward grosse ones which the naturall mind may see but seest not the whoreing of the heart unthankfulnesse impenitency c. 2. Thou who thinkest that thou beleevest lovest fearest sufficienly and didst never finde the weaknesse of these thou hast not so much as attained to the very first degree of blessednesse thou art not poore in spirit c. Thou hast not the very first work of the spirit thou hast not gotten the eye-salve And thirdly thou who findest no fault with thy services for the manner of them when thou hast done them no great difficulty to get them rightly performed when thou art about them 1. Thou I say ponderest not the heart and therfore thy waies seeme good in thy owne eyes 2. Thou hast but the forme of godlinesse but wantest the power thereof 3. Thou worshipest not in spirit and truth but in shew and in hypocrisie and drawest â—eer with the lipps c. II. The second Mark of true humiliation and of that preparatory work of the spirit going before faith is from the sence of sin and of ones own guiltinesse and the feare of Gods justice anger threatnings judgments against him for them feare goes before faith the spirit of bondage before the spirit of adoption The Lord he first puts his feare in the hearts of these in whom he works effectuaâ—ly by his Spirit even the fear of his justice for otherwaies they would never prise his mercy and the merits of his Son they would never be humbled for by-past sinnes to fly to the mercy of God and merits of Christ for forgivenesse and so could not be saved according to that Come unto me all that are wearie and heavie laden As also that No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him And also they would not stand in aw for time to come which is the other maine end why the Lord works this work of humiliation and feare in the hearts of men according to that I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me See then if ye have this feare which is a point of the Covenant and so a token that one is in the Covenant Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but take heed that it be the true and constant feare of God spoken of and promised in the Covenant for even a wicked man may have some feare of committing sin and yet not the right feare Now try it by the two marks in the words of the Covenant 1. If it be Gods fear I will put my fear 2. If it be the constant fear of God and they shall not depart from me the wicked man I say he may have some feare of committing sin but this his feare 1. Is not the feare of God but the fear of man and therefore he stands not to committ small sins that men count smal I mean as to ban swear be prophane in discourse miscall his neighbour and he stands not also to commit secret sins entertaines sin in his thoughts omit secret duties though both these be offensive to the Lord who sees not then that this his feare is a feare of men and not of God doest thou commiâ— little sins doest thou entertaine any secret siâ— though but in thy thoughts thou hast never had this feare which is aâ—mâ—ke going before faith Then shâ—ll I not be ashamed wheâ— I have respect to all thy Commandements Againe a wicked man
thou harbourest some sin and wilt not submit thy neck to the yoke of some duty or other O then thy desire thy care thy wakening thy wound hath not been serious hath not been deep enough to bruise out all corruption thou shalt be ashamed and disappointed of the Religion thou hast because thou hast not respect unto all Gods Commandments He that offends in one is guilty of all thou regardest iniquitie in thy heart the Lord will not hear thy prayer thou art but counterfeit coyn for thou wantest the Lords stamp and seal to wit to depart from iniquitie even every iniquitie thou givest not all diligence to make thy calling and Election sure by well doing even every sort of well doing Adde to thy faith vertue c. which thou wouldst do were thy desire and care but serious Lastly be thy thoughts heart affections otherwayes taken up all the day long and run more upon other things then upon the plealing of God the making of thy own calling and Election sure the keeping of a good conscience And doth thy contentment or discontentment thy grief and joy peace or unquietnesse arise from other grounds at night Then be sure some other thing goes nearer thy heart then God or Christ or thy own soul thy care is not serious thou fulfillest not the rule thou seekest not first the kingdom of heaven thou art not herein exercised alwayes to keep a good conscience thou doest not set the Lord alwayes before thee and so canst not conclude that he is at thy right hand and so shalt not be moved MEANS OF HUMILIATION VVE have already spoken of the generall directions concerning the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his children how we ought to carry our selves upon the discovery of the want or weaknesse of any grace or work of Gods Spirit in our souls to wit not to give place to despair but first of all by earnest and frequent prayer to have our recourse to God who gives liberally to all and upbraids none and who hath promised not to deny his holy Spirit to them that ask it Now although this be a good and main way to obtain what we want yet we must not rest here but to prayer must joyn the use of the means or else we shall not speed pray we never so diligently The Lord will have us put to our hand and therefore commands us work out c. And to this we are commanded even to humble our selves although it be the work of Gods Spirit I tell you that a point very much to be taken heed to was that in using the means it is not enough to use the means in generall the Word and the Sacraments but we should consider the particular means the fittest and nearest means to beget or strengthen such a grace and for want of this we may take very great pains in generall and we shall hardly speed and therefore we should see how far the work is proceeded in c. And as what our wants be and where the stop lyes and then to pray and to use means most diligently and to use the particular and neerest means and therefore I thought it most needfull to lay out the nearest and most particular means of this work of humiliation that so we using them the Lord blessing and concurring by his Spirit those who have not found this humiliation at all as yet may have it wrought in them and such of us who have found it in some measure may get it increased and strengthened and so all of us may be taught how to give obedience unto this exhortation Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God I. The first and indeed a main mean to work humiliation in us is seriously to miditatâ— upon the law the threatnings thereof and to apply them to our selves in particular considering withall the truth of him that hath pronounced them This by the concurrence of Gods Spirit will be a notable meane both to bring us to a right sight of our sinnes and to humiliation for them for as the Apostle saies By the Law is the knowledge of sinne it is the glasse and mirrour that only can let us see the foule spots of our souls And again to consider the threatnings will bring us to humiliation While I was without the Law I lived but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed would you then take a course to get this worke of humiliation wrought First of all get the cleere knowledge of Gods Law and examine thy self by it lay the rule of the Law to thy own heart and so see how great a transgressour thou art for want of this the most part of men and women live in sin without knowing that they sin and so without either repentance or amendment which is both pitifull and dangerous pitifull in regard of the Lords holy will dangerous to your own souls all will say they are great sinners but I fear they see not wherein and so can neither repent nor amend O but if thou wouldest apply the law to thy self thou wouldest see that thou hast bin and still art an exceeding great transgressour Consider the first Command and see if thou dost not sin exceedingly against it if thy heart does not whore and commit spirituall adultery with the creature delighting and trusting more in it then in the Creator God blessed for ever and thou shalt find also that thou puttest thy self most frequently in Gods place making thy self the utmost end of all thy actions which how horrible sins they be I leave to thy self to judge Was not this last Herods fault whom the Lord destroyed Consider the second Command and thou shalt see there be many points of Gods worship that thou I fear dost altogether neglect as that of meditation and conference and that all of them are for the most part superficially and slightly discharged by thee and that thou comest within the compasse of that curse Wo be unto them that do the work of the Lord negligently Consider the third Command and not to speake of thy frequent prophaning of Gods name see what either thou hast done or spoken to the honour of Gods name notwithstanding it is the many things that thou wast made for Look to the 4th Command and see how thou hast sanctified the Sabbath in thy thoughts and discourses yea see if thou hast not done in this point against thy light and even refused to return and hast hated to be reformed chosen rather to displease the immortall God then mortall men chosen rather to follow thy own will then the will of God and that notwithstanding he hath recommended it as a special point of his will unto thee and hath bidden thee remember to keep it holy Consider the fifth Command ye that are superiors whether ye render to those that are under you that which is just and equall And ye that are inferiors if ye give your superiors that honour and respect in your hearts
to be neglected but greatly to be laboured for for being joyned with the former it fortifies it strengthens the anchor of the soul it fils a man with Christian courage comfort and cheerfulnesse and makes him fruitfull in good works as is evident 2 Pet. 1.8 and 10. Onely about these two assurances we are to beware of these two things 1. That we betake us not to this last assurance onely for thus we will deceive our selves for it cannot be upright unlesse we have the other first we may well have a shew or form of it for we may have some change of life without faith but no true change without it we should not then betake us to it onely for then we both mistake the nature of faith and as I was saying cannot but deceive our selves which is most dangerous 2. We should also beware that we betake us not to this second assurance in the first roome for then we mistake the order of things and shall but discourage our selves and bewilder our selves in the point of our first assurance and hold our selves back from beleeving for the first assurance being to beleeve and the second to know that we beleeve how shall we know that we beleeve untill it first be and yet this is the course that many take they will first know that they beleeve before they do labour to beleeve they will needs have the second assurance before they have the first though it is evident that they must first have the first for the second flows from the first yea and not at the first but from it being somewhat strengthened they will not have the first assurance unlesse they have first or at least with all the second whereas they shall never have the second untill first of all they have the first and that in some good measure But this point of mistaking the order of things will be clearer being spoken of in the termes we did propose You say that you misse many of the Marks of Faith feel not your heart purified from corruption find not the love of God repentance and so forth and therefore this troubles you discourages you and weakens you that ye cannot or dare not apply the Promises or Means of faith unto you I answer this comes from mistaking the order of things if these Marks ye misse were of things that either go before or accompany faith you had it may be some reason for this complaint but seeing they come from these things that follow faith and are the effects of faith why should the want of them discourage you to beleeve yea rather they should stir you up to beleeve that so you may come by them for they being the effects of faith how shall ye think to obtain them unlesse ye first beleeve that is take and apply the promises I pray you wherehence flows victory over corruption but from faith Is it not faith that purifies the heart And wherehence flows the love of God but even also from faith apprehending the love of God towards us according to that of the Apostle We love him because he loved us first And for repentance or godly sorrow it flows from that love and is according to the measure of that love as our love is according to the measure of our faith so outward acts of obedience faith works by love so then to suspend our faith and beleeving till we get these is the high way never to get faith Further whence are all these things to be gotten the want whereof discourages us to beleeve are they any other where to be gotten but from Christ or any other way to be gotten from him but by faith can we get the bloodie issue of our corruptions any otherwayes cured but by drawing vertue from Christ and the power of his death Can we get our spirituall wants otherwayes supplyed then out of Christ his fulnesse or our spirituall weaknesse otherwayes helped and strengthened I am able to de all things through Christ that strengthens me So then I say we must not delay our beleeving that is applying of the Promises to our selves till we find these things redressed but on the contrary we must beleeve that we may have these things helped thou wilt not beleeve and apply the Promises untill thou findest these things but thou shalt never find these things untill thou first beleeve and apply we would rather have some worthinesse in our selves then come by faith to Christ but we can have none Further observe that these things do not onely flow from faith but from faith somewhat strengthened A tree cannot bring forth fruit at the first untill the time it be well fastned and take some rooting Now these things ye speak of being the fruits of faith how think ye shall they be produced without faith somewhat rooted how shall ye expect them as long as ye hold the tree of your faith thus shaking and tossing through your own default suffer it not to take root So then to conclude I would advise all those who feel the want or weaknesse of Faith not to run presently to the Marks of Faith I mean those which are taken from the effects of Faith for this will but encumber their faith and weaken their applying this will also make them to stagger at the promise but I would advise them I say to flie to the Means and to apply the Promises what ever their corruptions or wants be even to do as Abraham the father of the faithfull did he looked not to any insufficiencie in himself but to the power and faithfulnesse of the promiser he considered not the deadnesse of his body c. and therefore staggered not at the promise but being strong in faith he gave glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Even so should we we should not at first look to these discouragements that present themselves unto us from the deadnesse and diseases of our own souls for then we shall never beleeve for these will never cease untill we first beleeve But let us look to the promise of a true and powerfull God that he is both faith full who hath promised and that he is able to perform what he hath promised This was the ground and prop of Abrahams and Sarahs faith the parents and patterns of the faithfull Rom. 4.21 Heb. 11.8 And these should be the props of our faith But we will have a way of beleeving of our own and such is our mischievous infidelitie that we cannot rest upon God alone his promise his power and his truth unlesse we find something in our selves It is both remarkable and comfortable Heb. 6. that the Spirit of God there allows us not onely confidence simply and consolation but even a strong consolation and that from no ground in our selves but onely from God his great truth in his oath and promise Further let this be added to the advise to wit that those who find their faith weak
drive us from infidelitie so do they clearly testifie the Lords great willingnesse to have poore sinners saved which is also a great encouragement to beleeve for not onely saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but here is our fault about this point of the Lords willingnesse to save us we will not rest upon the Lords revealed will as we ought to do but run to his secret will so weakning our confidence for which his revealed will affords us such plentiful grounds and so needlesly perplexing our selves for secret it is and secret it must be We should hold our selves then to the Lords revealed will and not pry into his secret this seems to be enjoyned by these two places especially to wit Deut. 29. v. last Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us and to our children even all the words of his Law that we should do them As also Rom. 10. cited out of Deut. 30. Say not in thine heaâ—t Who shall go up to heaven c. But what saith it The word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart even the word of faith which we preach So that in the point of our beleeving or perswasion concerning our election and salvation or of the Lords willingnesse to save us we should not look to the secret will of God thus perplexing our selves but we should betake us to Gods revealed will and Word and that two wayes to wit 1. to the word of faith Rom. 10. or of promise cleaving unto it for it is the ground and warrant of our faith 2. To the word of the Law Deut. 29. thus making our calling and election sure by well doing and evidencing to our own conscience the truth of our faith it working by love 2 Pet. 2. For if ye do these things entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly c. Would you then be wise to salvation this is the way of it the way to be saved is to beleeve the word of promise Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not be ashamed the way to know if thou beleeve is by some effects of faith Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Look if thou be such a one Both these two be set down in the former place Rom. 10. This is also clear that such a course as this is to be taken to leave the Lords secret will and to hold us to his revealed will 2 Tim. 2. where the Apostle saith The Lords foundation standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his Q. But you will say the Lord knoweth it is true who are his but how shall I know this also my self if I be one of his A. This is his seal Let him that loveth Christ depart from iniquity try thy self by this his seal so then perplex not thy self with the Lords secret will But 1. beleevest thou the word of faith which is neer unto thee then thy faith hath saved thee be of good comfort Wouldst thou again know whether thy faith be true see if thou callest upon the Name of the Lord. 2. If thou depart from iniquity for then thou art a sealed soul but if thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer Job 15. then thou art not right A fourth notable Mean and prop and seed of Faith to obtain it and to strengthen it are the plentifull promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sins set down unto us in the Word even as the Apostle cals them Exceeding great and precious promises these well considered should mightily strengthen our faith Have we but the promise of an honest man for any businesse will we not rest and repose upon it and will it not breed in us and beget a great measure of assurance about the thing promised and shall we not then be made sure of this point of the remission of our sins by so many promises so often renewed of the faithfull and true God who is truth it self and not onely will not but cannot lye as the Apostle speaks will we rest upon the Word of a faithfull man and will not we rest upon the written Word of the true God So that we have both his Word and his writ for it he is a God of truth so called by Moses Deut. 32.4 and 7. v. 9. saith emphatically Know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God who keeps Covenant and mercie he styles himself abundant in truth Exod. 34. Great is his faithfulnesse and love who keepeth truth for ever Psal 46. He is a God of truth Christ is called Truth it self The Way the Truth and the Life the faithfull Witnesse the holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth the Word of Truth And shall we doubt of the performance of these promises No let us with Sarah judge him faithfull who hath promised that so we may by faith also with her obtain the thing promised his truth shall be thy shield and buckler This might be sufficient for this Mean but for the further stirring up of our backward hearts of unbelief to beleeve let us consider these two things about the promises of forgivenesse 1. Their pregnancie and pithinesse 2. Their largenesse and extent 1. Then the promises of mercie and forgivenesse of sin be very pregnant and pithie the more to perswade and win upon our untoward hearts of unbelief for not onely doth the Lord simply promise to pardon our iniquities but he promises to blot them out Isa 43. and Col. 3. The same phrase is used to blot out the hand-writing of ordinances which was contrary unto us that he is not onely content to give us a discharge of the debt of our sins but because that may seem not sure for that may haply be lost therefore he will destroy the bond it self that it be not brought forth against us even blot it out Moreover lest blotting out should not seem sufficiently sure for some letters may remain and the whole purpose may be taken up by these few he hath promised to wash away our sins Ezek. 36. I will cleanse you from your filthinesse c. Isa 1. I will make you as the wooll Further lest even after washing some stain should remain in the third roome he is said to cover our transgressions Psal 32. as also 85. O but will ye say he hath a piercing eye and will see through any covering therefore the Scripture speaks of his casting our sins behinde his back that is out of his sight Obj. But you will say what cannot be seen may yet be remembred what cannot be seen by the eye of the body may be seen by the eye of the minde A. This he promises and it is a part of the Covenant that he will not remember our iniquities the words are very emphaticall lest we should think that faults once forgotten may be again called to memory therefore he saith expresly I will remember their sins No more Once forgot and ever forgot In that day the iniquitie of Jacob shall be sought for