to have a clear and exact knowledge in the Mysteries of Truth It is not in vain that the Scripture doth so earnestly call upon men to learn and to get and to keep the truth of Doctrine delivered in the Scriptures Buy the truth and sell it not Prov. 23. 23. Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle 2 Thes 2. 15. not unwritten traditions the Doctrines and Commandments of men but such as have been taught by the Apostles either by word or by their writings Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong 1 Cor. 16. 13. The word of God is full of such warnings and admonitions as these are And not without cause whether we consider the worth of truth in it selfe or the usefulness of it unto us It s necessary to the soul in many respects it s the light by which we see our way by which we know what to do what not to do it s a great part of our spirituall Armour by which we fight against temptations It s as great a strengthening to the Christian in fighting against Satan and his Instruments as the Souldiers belt or girdle is to him in the day of battel Take two Christians of equall grace and let them be assaulted with the same Temptation and let the one be sound in the Doctrine of Truth and the other corrupt and you will easily see the difference between the one and the other by the issue of the temptation the Doctrine of truth is as necessary for fighting against Satan as the grace of truth I note this to let all of us see what little reason any have to be displeased either with the Ministers of God or other of the Servants of God for their earnestnesse pertinacy if I may so speak in preserving the truth of Doctrine both among themselves and others They know the many advantages of it and therefore they are so zealous for the maintaining of it Paul though he was of as flexible and condescending a spirit as any other whether Apostle or ordinary Saint in all other things for he became all things to all men that he might by all means save some 1 Cor. 9. 19. 20 21 22. yet he was so positive and peremptory for the Doctrine of truth that he would not give place by subjection to false Brethren for an houre that the truth of the Gospel might continue with the people of God Gal. 2. 4. 2 'T is no wonder to see Satan use such endeavour to deprive the Sons of men of the Doctrine of truth In all ages of the Church he hath raised up his Instruments to draw men aside from the truth of Doctrine There shall be false Teachers saith the Apostle amongst you as there were false Prophets amongst the people 2 Pet. 2. 2. The Church of God as it was never destitute of true Prophets so never was it without false Prophets In the Church of Israel there were a numerous Company of seducing Prophets As there was an Elijah a holy and zealous Prophet of God so there were 456. Prophets of Baal 1 King 18. 22. The state was corrupted and they made to themselves a corrupt Ministry of their own an apostatizing State must have an apostatizing Clergy that will humour them and subscribe to them in every thing they do when Satan had perswaded Jeroboam to set up golden Calves he helped him to a Ministry that would worship them and teach others to do the like State Ministers will cry up Calves for gods rather then want promotion or lose preferment And thus it was in the Gospel Church All Pauls Epistles shew it This ariseth 1. partly from the sinfulness of men They must have their lusts and a lust cannot thrive if it have not a false Prophet to nurse it and give it suck And 2 partly from God he in his wisdom and justice permits it to be so that they that would not obey the words of a true Prophet should follow the pernicious Doctrines of falâ— Prophets 1. Reg. 22. 23. And then 3 it comes to passe from the policy and malice of Satan that he may by this means rob men of the truth and so make them fit preys for his temptations And we need not much wonder at this policy Satan knowes he is in danger of being foiled if he suffer this girdle to be upon the soul and that he shall certainly overcome if he can but pluck this off the loyns therefore he is so diligent in attempting it laying snares to intrap the true Ministers of God and opening a wide door for false Prophets and seducers to enter in and corrupt the truth 3 We have no cause to wonder to see the Devill so prevalent amongst hereticall and erroneous persons Woful experience shews us what desolations are made by Satan in our corrupt Generation what mischievous wayes of iniquity many are led into Many are drawn aside into great profanenesse of life others are sunk deep into rebellion others are gone aside into the way of perjury and Covenant-breaking others into wayes of cruelty persecution and oppression others almost into grosse Atheisme we may take up the Complaint of the Prophet Isay 59. 3. 4 5 6 7 8. Your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity your lips have spoken lies your tongue hath muttered perverseness none calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders Webs he that eateth of the Eggs dyeth and that which is crushed breaketh out into a Viper their works are works of iniquity and the act of violence is in their hands Their feet run to evill and they make haste to shed Innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their paths The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings they have made them crooked paths whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace A man would wonder to see and hear the horrible wickednesses that many are fallen into some openly profane the Sabbaths others defile their Neighbours wife and think they do not sin in so doing The cause of all these may be given in the words of the same Prophet Isay 59. 14. 15. Truth is fallen in the streets yea truth faileth The Devil hath taken away from them this Girdle of Truth and now they stop at no kind of abominations The Girdle of truth is quite loosed and this doth so enervate and weaken them that they are forced to do what ever the Devil requires of them And can ye wonder at it The losse of truth will certainly introduce all kinde of iniquity And that both ex Natura Rei and ex justo Dei judicio 1. Ex Natura Rei The understanding is the first wheel in man it turns about the whole man as the Helme doth the Ship if
and therefore they must of necessity yield obedience 7 'T is no wonder to hear of Satans prevailing upon those persons and in those places where the Ordinances are not planted Some of the Heathens they are contented to worship the Devil as their God and many in our own Land in the dark corners of it they are tempted to Sorcery Witchcrafts and to Divinations and such Diabolicall Arts. This is a condition to be much lamented but 't is certainly not much to be admired unless it be that it is no worse for they are destitute of that which is and should be for the defence against such assaults they are unwalled Villages which lie open to the Devil at his pleasure The Ordinances of God are a guard to prevent the incursions and invasions of Satan this guard they want and therefore no wonder if Hell be amongst them Where there is no Vision saith Solomon the People perish Prov. 29. 18. Piscator reades it Nudatur populus the people is naked and the word in Hebrew signifieth as well to uncover and make bare as it doth cessare or rebellis esse or dissipare as others render it The Ordinances of God are a very great part of a peoples defence and if this defence be removed or not erected Satan must needs rage very furiously amongst such a People 8 This let 's us see why Satan is such an enemy both to the grace of God and to the Ordinances of God That he is an enemy to grace will appear from all the endeavour he useth both to hinder the planting of it where it is not and to root it up where it is planted and established Never did the Lord go about to work saving grace and conversion in the heart of any Creature but Satan used all his power and policy to hinder this Conception either by himself immediatly or by some of his Instruments When Paul by the preaching of the Gospel at Paphos began to work some saving effect upon the Deputy Sergius Paulus Elymas the Sorcerer the Devils Instrument labours by all meanes to turn him from the Faith that he might not be converted Act. 13. 8. And when he cannot hinder the effecting of the work he useth all meanes to destroy it as soon as it is wrought The Devil is like unto Pharaoh if he cannot hinder the conception of grace in the heart at first yet he will endeavour that the Manchild may be utterly destroyed as soon as ever it is born He stands vigilantly before the woman which was ready to be delivered for to devour her Child as soo◠〈◊〉 it was born Rev. 12. 4. And if he cannot hinder it from living yet he doth what he can to keep it from thriving by reproach by persecution by quenching the motion of Gods Spirit and all other wayes And he is no less an enemy to the Ordinances of God then he is to the graces of God When Paul and Silas were going to prayer a Spirit of Divination met them to take them off from that Duty Act. 16. 16. When Paul endeavoured to set up the Gospel and the Ordinances at Thessalonica Satan stirs up the unbelieving Jews to raise persecution that the work might be hindred Act. 17. 5 6 7. And when he endeavoured to have come to the Thessalonians afterwards Satan took him off and hindred him once and a second time 1 Thes 2. 18. Nothing doth he desire to overthrow more earnestly then the Ordinances he knowes he can never set up his golden Calves till he hath taken down the golden Candlesticks The reason of his endeavors is this These Graces and Ordinances are the soules Armour by which he is hindred in his Temptations and if he can but destroy this Armour he knowes he shall invade the soul at his pleasure without disturbance When an enemy would be Master of a City we know they take away that which may hinder them they first seize upon the place of Ammunition remove the Guards and Gates and Châ—â—ns out of their places and so bring the Inhabitants into perfect slavery Graces and Ordinances are the Ammunition of the Soul when the Devil hath removed these he hath nothing to oppose him he may then come when he will to rifle and plunder the soul In order to the accomplishment of this it is that he hath such an aching tooth against the Ministry and Ministers that desire to be firm and faithful he knows the Ordinances and they must fall together therefore he endeavours either to corrupt them or if that cannot be utterly to destroy them that so he may rule and bear sway without controll 9. What great Adversaries are those to themselves that have quite cast off the Ordinances of God Amongst many other soul-destroying Opinions which prevail in our licentious times this is one That the fulness of time is not yet come for Ordinances That Ordinances are but fleshly and carnall things and that Christ is crucified in all these things to a Christian c. and hereupon some have quite laid them aside They will neither pray nor hear nor communicate in the Sacraments but are above all these things These men have done the Devills work for him they have disarmed themselves and its just with God to leave them to the Devills cruelty to deal with them as he pleaseth that he should hurry them into Atheisme profanesse and all kinde of ungodly practices here and into Hell hereafter Certainly Satan hath not truer friends to his cause and Crown in all the world then these men are 10. How necessary it is for Christians to use all care for the proving of their graces and for the strengthening of their graces The Scripture calles much upon us to make tryall of the truth of our graces Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith or no c. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Graces are our Arms and if our graces be counterfeit Satan will soon pierce them in the day of temptation To fight with false graces is as dangerous as to fight with painted Armour instead of true Armour never be contented therefore till you come to the certain knowledge of the truth of every grace And as its necessary to prove them so its good to be strengthening them against the day of assault This God calls for as well as the other Add to your faith vertue and to your vertue patience c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. 6 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Growe in grace c. Thinne Armour is almost as unserviceable as false Armour a Sword without an edge will not be much better in a day of temptation then a woodden Sword Weak graces will make but weak defence and not strong offence neither especially against such an enemy as we have to do withall 1. Jesus Christ hath received for Christians not onely variety of grace but fulnesse of every grace also Of his fulness we have all received grace for grace John 1. 16. one degree of grace after another Now the strengthening of
Observation from all kind of employments of men that he may be compleatly fitted for this great Work But I come to the Particulars First The girdle of Truth Having your Loyns girt about with Truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium His malè affectis contrahitur corpus aut certè vacillans vel modicè impulsum corruit Bullinger Therefore the Apostle begins with these which he would have girded with Truth Truth in the Scripture is used to fet out two things there is a two-fold Acception of Truth 1. It is used for the Doctrine of Truth That Doctrine which is held out and revealed to the sons of men in the written Word and thus Truth is opposed unto Errour In this sense it is used in many places as Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth And 1 Tim. 2. 4. God will have all men saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth And 3. Ep. Joh. 4. I have no greater joy then to hear that my children walk in the truth 2. It is used for the grace of truth And so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie In this sense it 's used Psal 51. 6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts that is sincerity and integrity of heart so Josh 24. 14. Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth and so Joh. 4. 24. God is a a spirit and they that worship him must worship him inspirit and in truth Spiritual Worship is there opposed to Ceremonial and Truth of Worship is opposed to Hypocritical Worship Now amongst Interpreters there are some who expound this Text of the grace of truth so doth Calvin and others Others understand it as spoken of the Doctrine of truth Baldwin vera Doctrina Religione Zanchy Constantia in Doctrina veritatis Dickson 1. Both Interpretations are agreeable to the Analogy of Faith 2. Usefull Instructions may be gathered from both 3. There is nothing in the Text which doth necessarily limit and confine it to one and therefore I shall refer it to both for Vbi Scriptura non distinguit non est distinguendum And so I shall lay before you a two-fold Observation from this two-fold Interpretation 1. Understanding it of the Doctrine of Truth as some do we note this Doctrine viz. That firmness and stability in the Doctrine of 1. Doct. Truth is an excellent meanes to be preserved and to overcome Satan and his Instruments in the day of Temptation I say Firmness and Stability because the phrase of being girded about notes constancy and firmness in the Truth When the Loyns are fast tyed and compassed about with this girdle they are in a good way of security from the assaults of Satan when those who forsake and fall from the Truth are snared and overcome then shall those who adhere and stick fast to the Doctrine of Truth be delivered and escape This is promised to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia upon this very consideration Rev. 3. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth If a Church or Person be stedfast in the Doctrine of Truth God will either keep them from temptation or else he will preserve them in temptation that when others fall they shall stand I shall give you three Reasons of this viz. 1. Truth unites us to God and God to us It is of God and hath a Divine Strength God is truth and so far as a person hath the truth he hath God and so farre as he loseth the Truth he loseth God 'T is true a person may have the Truth of God sticking in his Judgment He may be very stedfast and constant in it so that he may willingly part not onely with his substance but even with his life to maintain it and yet not be savingly united to God by Christ for salvation 'T is not the fides quae creditur but the fides quâ creditur which is the bond of this Union But yet the very holding of the Doctrine of Truth gives a person some kind of union with God by which union he is more able to stand when any storm comes then he that is destitute of the Truth 2. Truth helpes a Christian both to discover a Temptation and to answer Arguments used to set on the Temptation The Truth of God in the Judgment is one of the Eyes of the Soul he that wants this is blind and cannot see afar off Now as a clear Eye is a very great help to the Souldier for the discovering of the Dart or the Bullet before it be upon him so is the clear distinct knowledg of the Truth a very great help to a Christian to discern the temptation before it be upon him He is better able by the power of Truth to see the reach of Satan and what it is that he drives at when he spreads his snare to surprize him then another can be who hath lost the Truth Any fallacy is easily put upon a person that is destitute of the truth of an Art or Science whereas he that hath the knowledge of that Art is able presently to avoid it and to answer it And therefore the Devil when he comes to tempt the woman to sinne first labours to blind her Understanding Ye shall not die but ye shall be as gods knowing good and evill Gen. 3. 4 5. and when he hath stollen that principle of truth out of her judgment We may not eat lest we die He doth without any difficulty perswade her to eat of the fruit 3. Truth doth much help a Christian in the managing of all other parts of his Armour aright He that hath lost the Doctrine of Truth will be unable to use the Bread-Plate of Righteousness For to the using of this after a right manner it is requisite that the Doctrine of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to a sinner be tâ—roughly understood and firmly believed The Helmet of Hope will soon be knocked off the head of a Christian if he do not well understand the Nature of the Grace Hope The shield of faith will be presently pierced by Satan if he that weares it do not rightly understand the nature of faith and prayer will do but little good if he that makes the prayer be unsound in the truth Prayer is to be made in faith else it doth not prevail it is to be made not only with the grace of faith but also according to the Doct of faith A Doctrinal errour in prayers will nullifie them as well as want of the grace of Faith for this is the confidence we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14. Information We may from this Doctrine 1. Vse gather these three conclusions viz. 1. This shews us how necessary it is for a Christian
we know once and a second time he fell into an act of gross Dissimulation once in Egypt Gen. 12. 13. and a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. But a man of Truth doth not allow or approve of any such acts in himself it is not his Constitution it is not his Custome he hath his conversation in Integrity godly Simplicity as the Apostles speak of themselvs 2 Cor. 1. 12. and therefore he cannot be called a guilefull man or a false-hearted man though he may do a guileful act 2. It is opposed to Pretence Phil. 1. 18. The Apostle speaking of False-Teachers hath this expression Whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and therein I rejoyce and will rejoyce Pretence and Truth are there opposed one against another Now a man of Truth is such a one as is really what he pretends to be whose inwards and outward are of the same alloy and complexion when a man is Holy in Heart as well as in outward appearance The Apostle speakes of some that did glory in appearance but not in heart 2 Cor. 5. 12. Our Saviour chargeth the Scribes and Pharisees with this Ye are like unto whited Sepulchres which appear beautiful without but inwardly are full of rottenness and putrifaction Matth. 23. 27. When a man shall pretend to be a Saint and act the part of a Devil When a man like Joab shal pretend a friendly salute Art thou in health my brother and really intend to wash his hands in his blood 2 Sam. 20. 9. When a man shall pretend like Judas to kiss his Master and intend onely to betray his Master When men shall oppress and devour widows houses and for a pretence make long prayers Matth. 23. 14. Such kind of persons are utterly destitute of this Grace of Truth such a one was that wicked Ishmael the son of Nethaniah of whom you read Jer. 41. 6 7. He goes forth to meet a company of sad-hearted men and pretends to conduct them to Gedaliah the Governour but when he hath them in a snare cuts their throats and buries them in a Pit 3. It 's opposed to Word and Tongue 1 Joh. 3. 18. My beloved let us not love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth When the Tongue and the Lips are as different from the Heart and Actions as the Jewes and Samaritans which have no Commerce one with another this Grace of Truth is not in such persons A man of truth is one whose hands and feet act what his lips and tongue profess The Prophet speakes of some men that had an oily Lip but a bloody Heart Psal 55. 20 21. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him he hath broken his Covenant The words of his mouth were smoother then butter but warre was in his heart His words were softer then oyl yet were they drawn swords this was a very truthless man such men as these we read of Jam. 2. 15 16. They had the language of the merciful man Go in peace and be warmed and filled Here is Charity in the Tongue and Lip but they gave nothing either to feed or refresh him this was not truth of Charity so we may say of other Graces 2. By way of Exposition or Illustration and so there are many synonymous words used to explain truth of Heart viz. 1. It 's explained by perfection 2 Reg. 20. 3. I beseech thee ô Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart A true hearted Christian is a perfect hearted Christian There is a two-fold Perfection The one is Legal The other is Evangelical The Legal Perfection is not to be found in any meer man since the Apostacy of Adam The Papists they dispute not onely for the possibility of the attainment of this perfection but they teach also that it is actually attained by many But that 's a meer Dream and purposely held by them to maintain their wicked Doctrine of Merit and Supererogation for the Scripture cleerly asserts the contrary and the servants of God in the highest form have utterly disavowed any such thought Job in the Old Testament Job 9. 20. If I justifie my self my mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it also shal prove me perverse And Paul in the New Testament though he might have stood upon his legal righteousness as much as any other Phil. 3. 2. yet Phil. 3. 12. he disclaimes Perfection Perfection of this kind is a thing to be much wished for but it is not attainable by any 2 Cor. 13. ver 10. The Evangelical Perfection is two-fold the one of Justification And in this respect every one who truly is in Christ by saving Faith is exactly perfect Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. 7. Jesus Christ by one offering hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. The other is of Sanctification And in this respect the truly-godly are called perfect in three respects First because they are so in part there is in them a perfection of parts they are renewed throughout in every Faculty of the Soul the Understanding Will Conscience Affections c. are all sanctified truly though not throughly Secondly because they are in the progress of Perfection it 's that Mark they levell at they will not sit down without it so Paul Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the Mark for the prize of the high-calling c. this he cals Perfection v. 15. Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Thirdly because they allow in themselves none of their imperfections Their smperfections are their burthen their sorrow their shame they take no contentment or pleasure in them 2. It 's explained by uprightness of heart so ye have it 1. Reg. 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and in uprightness of heart and in righteousness Uprightness of Heart is a Heart without crookedness a Heart that doth not bend and bow this way and that way for gain for advantage sake A swarving Heart is opposed to an upright Heart Psal 125. 4 5. Do good ô Lord to those that are good c. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked wayes c. A Heart of Truth is a Heart that doth not warp to the right nor to the left hand he will not be swayed from his way for fear of men for hopes of preferment for the avoiding of outward detriment and loss He is a man that lookes right on and his eye-lids look straight before him he doth not turn to the right hand or to the left Prov. 4. 25 27 It 's a metaphor as some think taken from the Plow-man He hath his eyes not wandring this way and that way but he looks straight before him that he may make the furrow even so doth a man of truth he is fixed in his way and
ariseth 1. from that Naturall Distemper which is in it by reason of sin The Fall of Man did so bruise and crack this golden Vessel that it doth leak ever since and cannot hold that which is put into it The Apostle in Hebr. 2. 1. speakes of this Distemper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The memory is like a Vessel which is rent and full of holes Those golden Hoopes which God in the first Creation did set about this Vessel are either quite broken off or much loosened And then there are secondly also other things which make it so lubrick and crazy as to the retaining of things Spiritual and Divine viz. First it 's over-charged with too many Three Causes of a weak Memory worldly and sinful things the world is so much laid up in this Treasury that there is very little room for Heavenly things to be stowed there Secondly want of Meditation and recollection by this means it comes to pass that many Truths which are recorded in the Memory are as if they had never been set down in regard of use and improvement because by meditation and discourse they are not revived There is an Act of the Memory proper unto man which the Philosopher calls Eustach Phys p. 261. Reminiscentia when a thing which hath been recorded and is forgotten is by the help of Discourse and Reasoning recovered again and made present and without this it is impossible to keep alive the remembrance of many things Now it 's a very general fault not onely amongst wicked men but even amongst the people of God that they neglect this Duty of Discourse and Meditation they do not chew the Cud as they are required and so quite lose many things which they have heard understood and sometimes remembred Isaac went into the fields to meditate Gen. 24. 63. David used to meditate on Gods Statutes as well as to read and hear them Psal 119. 15. Thirdly the Devil he pilfers out many Truths he comes with his false Key and picks the Lock of the Memory and so the soul is bereaved of many a precious Truth vid. Mat. 13. 19. He comes and searcheth the books and whatever he finds there that may be prejudicial to his Kingdom he either quite takes it off the File or else so blurs it with his black Lines that in a very short time the Record becomes altogether useless Therefore for the strengthning of the weak Memory it 's not without need that things of moment and concernment should be inculcated and repeated 3. in regard of the Will and that 1. from the deadness and slowness and untowardness of the Will and Affections to embrace and give entertainment to saving truths at first when offered The heart of man is like hard Marble harder then any Adamant Zech. 7. 12. Impressions are not made upon it with one blow the Iron is not heated through with once putting into the fire there is a reluctancy and contradiction in the Will against the receiving of things of this Nature Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. The Apostle speakes of many Remora's and Obstructions in the heart which hinder the effectual working of the Word 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Strong holds carnall reasonings things exalting themselves against the knowledge of God and high thoughts c. The soul is full of surmisings prejudices objections and strong opposings the strong man armed keeps the house and by force of Arms contends against divine Truths especially such as are of weightiest concernment And therfore there is need of urging and pressing the same things over and over and that with earnestness that these high Towers may be levelled And then 2. After that the heart hath submitted and yielded it doth in a very short time through the prevalency of indwelling corruption revolt and grow stiffe again and is very backward to practise Truths subjected unto It was the sad complaint of one of the Ancients that of all Trades and Imployments Chrysost that of the Ministry is most difficult as in other respects so in this that he can never finde his work as he leaves it Let a Carpenter or Mason or any other Crafts-man shape and square and polish his work and when he returns he findes it so but the Devil he mars a Ministers work as soone as ever he hath done When he hath digged a well of godly sorrow this Philistine comes and stops it up presently When he hath stubd up the thorns the Devill comes and plants them again or more in their room When he hath cast down the Wall in one week yea in one night he findes it set up again c. Every observing and selfe-searching Christian knowes the truth of this by sad experience When any holy Resolution hath been with much labouring begot in the heart Satan and his own corruption working together do soon cool check the form he brought with him from hearing the word is soon unfashioned again Oh Israel thy goodness is as the Morning dew and as the early Cloud it presently vanisheth away Hos 6. 4. Commands are not easily obeyed therefore there must be precept upon precept The consolations of the Gospel are not easily preserved therefore there must be promise upon promise It s a hard thing to go on in duty constantly the heart will backslide It s a hard thing to keep it light and constant and close c. The Church of Ephesus had left her first love Rev. 2. 4. 5. Ephraim was a back-sliding heyfer Hos 4. 16. they were revolted and gone Thy people saith God to Moses have soon corrupted themselves c. Exod. 32. 7. 8. Paul had faithfully preached the Doctrine of justification by faith to the Galathians when he was personally with them but in a very short time they were apostatized by the fraudulency and craftiness of false Teachers therefore he is forced to write to them the same things again vid. Gal. 1. 6. We see the Disciples of Christ though they were commanded and intreated by their Master to watch with him when he was in his Agony ready to die for them yet as soon as he was departed they fell asleep again and though he came and reproved them yet they fell asleep again vid. Matth. 26. 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45. A man would wonder that when Christ had told them that the pangs of death were upon him yet they should fall asleep c. We have a discovery in them of the hearts Apostacy Vse 2. This should be a Directory for the Ministers of the Gospel That they would not be contented onely once to name necessary truths but to be ever and anon as they observe the slackness and negligence of people in practising pressing and urging the same again and again There are some Doctrines which are as standing Dishes as the Doctrine of faith Repentance c. these are of necessary and daily use and people must be
work and his desire is that he may make an even furrow that he may draw a strait line and keep himself in Gods way let come on him what will Not as if a Child of God might not warp from Gods way they have their deviations Peter and Barnabas two great Apostles they did not alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vid. Gal. 2. 12. 13 14. but then they do not continue in their wandrings they do not justifie their turnings aside they do not compel others to turn aside after them or do say that they have done well in so doing They are not angry with such as reprove them for their deviations Neither Peter nor Barnabas so much as murmured much lesse reviled Paul because he told them of their present deviations but presently reformed 3. It s expounded by Sincerity and godly simplicity So ye have it 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast c. with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Truth and sincerity are all one and sincerity and simplicity are one and the same thing also 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. That which is sincere is simple and unmixed like white wooll never died Mel sincerum is honey unmingled without wax Farina sincera is flower never leavened A heart of truth is a heart uncompounded a heart not double a man of truth hath not a heart and a heart one for God and another for Mammon one for sin and another for righteousness he hath but one tongue and one heart he is single tongued and single minded his tongue and heart go together as Companions And then sincerity notes soundness a sincere heart is a sound heart a heart not putrified with rottenness and hypocrisie Though all men have hypocrisie in them yet all men are not Hypocrites Now take up all these together and they will declare fully what is meant by the grace of truth with which the Apostle would have us to be girded Not false hearted not in pretence and appearance not in word and tongue but a perfect an upright a sincere uncompounded Christian 2. For Caution I shall lay down two Rules 1. Though truth be of such use c. yet may a sincere and true hearted Christian be foiled for a time by some prevailing temptation We are not to judge either our selves or others to be presently hypocrites because we are surprized and overcome by a Temptation Hezekiah was a man of a perfect heart 2 Reg. 20. 3. and yet he was vanquished in battel in the day of temptation 2 Chron. 32. 31. In the buisness of the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon c. God left him to try him David was a man of an uncorrupt heart God gives him that testimony and yet in the matter of Vriah Satan overcame him As a hypocrite and wicked man may stand out in some temptation so may a single hearted Christian be overtaken and insnared It s true they will recover themselves again out of these snares as Hezekiah and David did but they may be for a time taken prisoners Noah was a perfect man and that in a perverse and crooked Generation Gen. 6. 9. yet Satan surprized him and drew him into the sin of drunkenness Gen. 9. 21. Lot was an upright man in the sink of Sodom and yet he was overcome by temptation and drawn into the foul sins of drunkenness and incest Gen. 19. 32 33 34 35. We may soon take away sincerity from the earth if we make such conclusions 2. Though truth be of such use c. yet no Christian stands in the day of temptation for the merit of his sincerity Though no man have a promise of standing without this grace of truth yet is not any mans truth of heart the meritorious cause of his standing We stand by our sincerity but not for our sincerity As the Apostle concludes concerning faith 1 Pet. 1. 5. so we may conclude concerning uprightness We are kept by the power of God through sincerity Sincerity is the instrumentall cause but the power of God is the efficient This Paul confesseth in his temptation 2 Cor. 12. 9. I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me III. The Reasons of the Doctrine how it is that truth of heart is so useful for this warfare 1. Because this is the strength of all other graces and of all Ordinances Some Divines look upon sincerity not as a distinct grace but as that which is the perfection of every grace Truth of love is the perfection of love Truth of faith is the perfection of faith Truth of obedience is the perfection of obedience c. All which is within a man without the grace of truth is but like rotten wood which will soon break and never do any service in the day of Battel All which a man doth without sincerity is to no purpose He can suck out no vertue from any of the Ordinances of God neither prayer word Sacraments c. 2. Sincerity is that which engageth God to take our part in all temptations Where-ever integrity is there God is by his speciall grace to assist and enable the soul He stands far off from the rotten hearted Christian but his countenance doth behold the upright Psal 11. 7. That is an excellent place to this purpose which we have in Gen. 20. 5. 6. In the integrity of my heart c. Yea I know thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart c. therefore suffered I thee not to touch her We cannot say of Abimelech that he was a sincere believer for he was a profane King his integrity or truth of heart was but a meer morrall integrity he would not have taken Sarah had he known her to be the Wife of another man and therefore he professeth what he had done was done in the simplicity of his spirit God bears him witness that he spake the truth and therefore saith God I have kept thee that thou hast not touched her God did so approve of that simplicity of his that he preserved him from falling into that great sin and delivered him from the Devills snare if naturall and morall honesty doth engage God to take part with a man how much more will the grace of sincerity engage him James 4. 7 8. Resist the Devill and he shall fly Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you c. Purifie your hearts ye double minded The Apostle in that place would have Christians to engage God on their part in the day of temptation There will be no prevailing if God be not on our part But how shall we obtain this assistance from God he tells us Purifie your hearts ye double-minded A single-hearted Christian shall not want either the presence or power of God in the day of Battel This is clear also Gen. 15. 1. with 17. 1. Information 1. Do not wonder to
see Satan 1. Vse prevail so much against hypocriticall and false hearted men The Heretique wants the Doctrine of truth therefore he is insnared the Hypocrite wants the Grace of truth and therefore he cannot stand the one wants soundness of head the other soundness of heart he is ungirt and unblest Satan may easily winde him any way he may make him carry any yoke he may make him to serve him in any kinde of employment though never so vile never so abominable contrary to the light of the word and light of nature vid. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. Men shall be lovers of themselves covetous proud boasters c. who are they that are drawn aside into such paths as these They are hypocriticall men that want the grace of truth having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof A man that wants the grace of sincerity if the Devill will have him to be proud he will be puffed up presently If Satan say Blaspheme his lips are full of blasphemies presently and those of the worst kinde doctrinal blasphemies If Satan command him to be incontinent he cannot withstand If he will have him break Covenant he hath no powerto oppose he wilnot only break Covenant but forswear it If he be tempted to commit treason he rebels presently and if to disobey Parents naturall or civill his hand is lifted up against his Father c. Satan can lead him into any path that wants this Girdle LECT 10. Decemb. 12. 1649. 2. HOw requisite it is for Christians to examine and prove themselves Lect. 10. whether they have this Grace of Truth in their hearts or no. The Holy Ghost here puts great stress upon it setting it in the first place He is like to be quite undone in that day of temptation that wants it Every Christian is willing to suppose that he hath it therefore it 's good to be at certainty about it I shall for the helping of you lay down these ensuing Rules by way of Evidences viz. 1. He that hath the Grace of Truth in his heart chuseth the Word of Truth to be the Rule of all his Actions He dares not make men his Rule because he knowes men of high degree are vanity and men of low degree are a Lie Psal 62. 9. He knowes wicked men are out of the way and good men may miss the way and therefore he dares not walk according to men Micajah would not say Go up and prosper though all the Prophets of Ahab had said the same with one consent Whatsoever God puts into my mouth that will I speak 1 Reg. 22. 14. This is that which David layes down Psal 119. 1. and this is that which he practised in himself Psal 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth thy judgments have I laid before me And as he dares not make men his Rule so neither dare he make any outward Dispensations of Providence his Rule He is a man that adores Providence and admires Providence and rests satisfied with all Acts of Providences and searcheth into Providence but he dares not make it the Rule to walk by the Glass to dress himself by 1. He knows all things come alike to all and that the worst men and worst causes have sometimes good success at least for a long time And 2. He also knows that the wayes of Providence are very often like the way of a ship in the Sea or of an Eagle in the Ayr they are full of Riddles and Labyrinths so that man cannot expound or trace them 3. He knows that the actings and workings of Providence are various these wheeles do not alwayes keep the same track therefore he dares not make them his Rule The Word of Truth is visible certain uniform given for a Rule and therefore this he chuseth from this he doth not willingly depart vid. Psal 18. 21 22 23. 3. He that hath the Grace of Truth in his heart useth true and warrantable meanes for the accomplishment of all his Actions He doth not think it lawfull to pass through all kind of formes that he may attain his desires he dares not put upon him any shape but one Not but that a sincere Christian may be hurried by a Temptation to use some meanes unjustifiable Jacob and his Mother Rebeckah both of them holy persons yet did use dissimulation to obtain the blessing from old Jacob Gen. 27. 6 7 8 c. But they were severely punished for this sinne Jacob was banished from his Fathers house served 20 years a hard Master where he had wages changed ten times and we do not read that he and his mother ever saw one another upon earth But though a child of God whose heart is sincere may fall into such a practice yet he dares not justifie any such action David durst not take away the life of Saul to come to the Crown though he was anointed King by that God who disposeth of all kingdoms he would not permit another to do it vid. 1 Sam. 26. 7 8 9 10 11. yea when an Amalekite came and told him that he had slain Saul and that by his own desire when he was full of anguish and could not have lived many hours David commanded him to be put to death for that wicked act 2 Sam. 1. 13 14 15. He that hath truth of heart knowes well that God hath forbid him to do evil that good may come thereby and that he must not lie for God Job 13. 7 8. He will not chuse sinne to escape affliction Elihu chargeth Job with this and useth it as an Argument to prove him unsincere Job 36. 21. A true-hearted man knowes that God hath prescribed meanes and lookes at them as much as ends and yet wicked means discredit and condemn the best ends vid. 1 Sam. 13. 8 9 10 11 12 13. there was a very good end c. not fighting without seeking Gods face c. So 1 Sam. 15. 15 16 21 22. This was a good end to sacrifice to God of the spoyl of his enemies c. but the meanes were nought therefore GOD abhorres it as an act of Rebellion 2. He that hath truth of heart doth all his Actions to a good end His aymes are sincere and incorrupt at least he desires they may be so and is much troubled that they are not so He knowes that a good Action is discredited if he that doth it have not a good end 2 Chron. 25. 2. Jehu failed in this 2 Reg. 10. He did very many good things put all the Priests of Baal to death c destroyed Baal out of Israel ver 28. God testifies for him that he had done that which was in his heart ver 38. unto the house of Ahab But all these things were done for base ends to establish himself in the Kingdom therefore Hos 1. 4. God threatens to avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu Our Saviour makes this a distinguishing Evidence between a painted Hypocrite and a real
yet according to the tenour of the Gospel I hope thou wilt pardon me for thou knowest my heart is right in thy sight and Psal 7 8. he prayes that God would judge him according to his integrity and according to the righteousness that was in him 6. This Grace of Truth is the way to have fellowship and communion with God Hypocrisie and false-heartedness is a bar in the way of our Communion God will not shew his face with joy unto such whose hearts are rotten Hypocrites may tell you of much Communion they have with God and of great joyes they find in their spirits but this their joy is but like a Land-flood it is quickly dryed up again a few Sun-shine dayes sokes-in all this joy It is indeed but a false joy which comes from Satan transformed into an Angel of Light and it shall be but for a moment Job tels us Job 13. 6. that a hypocrite shall not come before him He shall not see the face of God with any joy No no Communion with God is onely promised to sincerity Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God c. Cleanse your hands ye sinners purifie your hearts ye double minded And therefore David upon the profession of this integrity calls upon God for his presence Psal 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me I will walk in the midst of my house with a perfect heart 7. Integrity is the way to dant all your enemies To warp from the wayes of God will much encourage your adversaries it will make them more bold and more violent but perseverance and holding on in your integrity will in due time make your hearts fail Herod was afraid of John Baptist because he was a sincere man Mark 6. 20. And it 's said of Saul that because David behaved himself wisely he was afraid of him 1 Sam. 18. 15. 8. Sincerity of Heart will be a strengthning Cordial to your soules in the day of affliction and trouble Integrity is the best way to keep you from trouble and to deliver you out of trouble but if at any time ye do fall and lie under trouble Integrity will be a soft Pillow to rest your heads upon in the evil day vid. 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. This was that which made the Martyrs so joyful in Prison This was that which kept up the heart of Job in his great sufferings and this made Paul and Silas sing with so much joy when their feet were fast in the stocks Act. 16. 9. Integrity will make the end of your life peaceable You may have Contentions and Warrings and unquietness in the way but you shall be sure to find calmness and serenity and peace in the end This is promised Psal 37. 37. Mark the upright man c. for the end of that man is peace The beginning and the middle of the Hypocrite may be in some kind of tranquillity but the end will be a storm Job had many a sore storm but his latter end was peaceable and serene That 's well that ends well the Hypocrites portion is to lye down in sorrow Esa 50. 10 11. Thus for Motives 2. For Directions to get and keep sincerity take these viz. 1. Study well and improve aright the Doctrine of Gods Omnipresence and Omniscience He that doth truly believe that Gods Eye is upon him will not give way to Deceitfulness and Hypocrisie in heart remember that God is a Heart-searching God This is that Direction which God himself gave to Abraham to keep his heart sound Gen. 15. 1. Walk before me and be upright This was that which kept David intire Psal 18. 23. I was upright before him or in his sight and kept my self from mine iniquity The want of this is made the reason of all the fals-hood of Ephraim Hos 7. 1 2. They consider not in all their hearts c. 2. Take heed of worldly policy Fleshly wisdome is like rust it will eat up sincerity if ye hearken to it The Apostle opposeth these two one unto another 2 Cor. 1. 12. In sincerity and godly simplicity not with fleshly wisdome The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enmity with God God would have his people to be prudent and to hear the voyce of right reason Reason is not given in vain Be wise as Serpents c. but he would not have them make carnal Wisdom their Oracle He consults first the justum and then the commodum He that consults with flesh and blood will hardly keep upright in declining-Times Fleshly Wisdome would have dictated a hundred things to Daniel would he have hearkened to it 3. Be much in the Duty of self-searching Take heed of putting too much credit and confidence in your own hearts He that trusts in his own heart is a fool Prov. 28. 26. You have the seed of rottenness in your soules and if you do not keep them in a constant course of Physick they will grow corrupt before you be aware David's prayer should be your prayer Psal 139. 23. 24. Search me O Lord c. 4. Consider the end of Hypocrisie It will be your shame in this world Psal 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes c. Hypocrisie is an in-let and door to all other sins 2 Tim. 3. init a man that hath the form of godliness without the power will be any thing in time It will be your sorrow in another world Hell is said to be made for Hypocrites Mat. 24. 51. Thus much for the first piece of this Armour The Girdle of Truth LECT 11. Decemb. 19. 1649. EPHES. 6. 14. Stand therefore having your loyns girt about with truth and having on this Breast-plate of righteousness V. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THese words contain the second piece of the spirituall Armour And this is fitly added to the former having your loins girt about with truth In lumbis maxima vis est stantium If the loyns be infirm the whole man is full of trembling and with the least violence presently falls to the ground Integrity and sincerity strengthen the loyns and make the body stable Deme Christiano veritatem corruet protinus Bullinger in locum Now the breast is as necessary for our sure standing as the loyns though the loyns be girded yet if the breast be open to violence the party comes suddenly to the ground All the vitall parts the heart liver lungs c. are in the breast and if those be not carefully secured and preserved death and falling doth suddenly ensue A little wound in the breast is mortall and incurable Therefore the Apostle would have his Souldier to make careful provision for that part he must be as careful to put on his Breast-plate as his Girdle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both the breast viz. the whole upper part of the body before from the neck to the thighs and it also signifies that Armour which
a practical transforming knowledge His knowledge is diffused into every step of his life into every action his life is reformed by his knowledge and conformed to the truths of God whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver neither changeth his heart nor life except it be from evill to worse his knowledge puffeth him up 1 Cor. 8. 1. it makes him more proud and more sensual It s said of the Heathen that they retained nor God in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. but became vain in their imaginations the one hath onely the form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. the other hath not onely the form but the power and the life also 3. The knowledge of faith is a knowledge which raises the heart nearer to God The knowledge of a Beleiver crucifieth the world unto him and him unto the world Gal. 6. 14. vide Phil. 3. 8. 10. whereas the knowledge of an unbeleiver bows down his soul nearer the earth 2. Concerning the assent of an unbeleiver it differs from the assent of true faith thus 1. The assent of faith is a chearful assent It s free But the assent of an unbeleiver is without joy Jam. 2. 19. The devils beleive and tremble so do the unbeleiver at least concerning some truths 2. The assent of faith is universal So is not the assent of an unbeleiver at least his chearful assent There are some truths in the Scripture which threaten ruine and destruction to all in his condition these he cannot assent to at least joyfully There are some truths which call him to the practise of such things which he hath no affection to the crucifying of sin the mortifying of corruptions cutting off the right hand c. he had rather these were not truths than real truths he hath secret wishes that these truths were either raced out or else that they had been propounded with a greater latitude 2. Mistake is about Application He that can truly apply Christ to himself hath true faith in Christ for this is the Ratio formalis the special act of faith Now many an unbeleiver thinks he can apply Christ as well as any other Those in Luk. 13. 25 26 come to Christ with much seeming confidence as if they had been of intimate acquaintance with him Lord Lord open to us and yet never had saving faith in him I shall here shew a threefold difference between the Application of a Beleiver and an unbeleiver 1. The Application of saving faith is from something of Christ wrought savingly within him He finds the Image of Christ in him he hath well grounded hopes of it and therefore applies Christ to him As Thomas in another case sees the print of the nails and then saith My Lord and my God So a true Beleiver sees upon his soul the print of the nails the dyings of the Lord Jesus the Characters of his death burial resurrection and therefore applies him to himself Whereas the application of Christ made by an unbeleiver is meerly from that discovery which is made of Christ in the Scripture and not from any intrinsecal worth which he finds upon his own heart vide Galat. 2 20. there you have Pauls application I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. What ground can you shew within you why Christ is yours 2. The Application of saving faith is alwayes agreeable to the tenor of the Promise and Covenant wherein Christ is held forth Vide Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. Faith applies the grace of Christ as well as the merit of Christ applies Christ for sanctification as well as for justification applies the water as well as the bloud the application which an unbeleiver makes is onely or chiefly of the comforts and of the purchase of Christ c. he applies the Merit of Christ not the Spirit of Christ the Promises not the Commands c. whereas true faith applies him universally his Kingly and Prophetical Office as well as his Priestly vide Phil. 3. 9 10. 3. The Application of faith is alwayes accompanied with self-Resignation The true Beleiver doth as chearfully surrender himself to Christ as applies Christ to himself So did the Apostle Phil. 3. 12. he would not onely apprehend but be apprehended And so the Church Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his He doth not onely apply the sin offering but he offers also the burnt Offering The Apostle Rom. 12. 1. would have Christians to yeeld themselves to God c. The unbeleiver he onely applies Christ to himself he doth not voluntarily yeeld himself to Christ he doth not dedicate himself to Christ by holiness and obedience 2. I shall now give some positive evidences of true faith I shall ground them upon several places of Scripture 1. That of the Apostle Acts 15. 9. Purifying your hearts by faith Heart purity is a necessary concomitant and consequence of saving faith Jesus Christ saith the Apostle is made unto us of God wisdom righteousness sanctification c. 1 Cor. 1. 30. If by faith thou hast Christ for thy righteousness he is also thy sanctification He whose heart is unpurified is destitute of the grace of faith Now the purification of the heart may be known by these five evidences 1. A purified heart is a heart that truly bewails all pollutions and impurities The most clean heart hath some pollution unmortified but he hath no defilement unlamented his stains and sores and spots are his greatest burthen his heaviest sorrow Pauls body of death put him to more grief than all the troubles which befel him in his whole life Rom. 7. 23 24. Is it so with thee Dost thou bewail the uncleanness of thy heart cordially sadly secretly Thou wouldest gladly be delivered from it Thou canst neither eat nor drink nor sleep quietly with it The impurity of thy heart turns thy sweetnesses into bitternesse This is certainly an effect of true faith Vide Zech. 12. 10. Looking upon Christ is beleiving in him this beleiving is expressed by sorrowing And if thou wouldest in truth be rid of thy corruptions thou wilt then diligently make use of all meanes be they never so painfull never so costly that may cleanse them away 2. A purified heart will kindly accept of brotherly reproof for his impurity or any advice that may make him clean He will love a person better all his life for any faithful rebuke or counsel Psalm 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness c. David shews the purity of his heart by his accepting the rebukes of Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. A heart that is purified is best pleased with that Sermon that comes closest to his conscience he would have all his heart discovered to himself Hide nothing from me said Eli to Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 17. Yea he begs that God would search his heart for him Psalm 139. 23 24. Whereas a heart that is unclean cares not to have any spot discovered he either openly flies in the face or else secretly hates
sense of present comfort This is an Objection which ordinarily Beleivers make against themselves to their very great prejudice For the answering of this Argument I shall lay down these two propositions 1. That there may be and ordinarily is true saving faith where there is no assurance There may be the faith of adherence where there never yet was the faith of evidence The sons of Jacob had their money in their sacks mouths a good space before they knew of it the treasure of faith is in the soul often very long before the soul have assurance of it These three Arguments will prove this position 1. From the descriptions that are made of faith in the word of God It s called coming to Christ Math. 11. 28. It s called casting our burden upon the Lord Psalm 37. 5. It s nothing but the souls venturing it self upon Christ faith is but the coming to Christ as Esther did to Ahasuerus If I perish I perish It s called looking upon Christ Mic. 7. 7. None of all these are words of assurance A man may come to another and not be assured that he will not turn from him A man may roll his burthen upon the shoulder of another who is not assured that he will carry it for him A man may look for a person whom he is not assured he shall find c. 2. From the instances given in Scripture of some that have had true faith and wanted assurance The father of that Daemoniack of whom we read Mar. 9. 22. he was not assured that Christ was able to cast out the dumb spirit much less was he assured that Christ was willing If thou canst do any thing have compassion on us and help us This was far from assurance and so that which he saith ver 24. Lord I beleive help thou my unbeleif here was no perfect assurance and yet true faith as the Esay 50. 10 Psalm 38. per totum Heman a true beleiver issue of the story sayes the Devil was cast out of his child 3. There must be faith from the nature of the thing before there can be assurance Therefore there may be faith without assurance Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. A man may not onely be elected but called and yet not sure of his effectual calling you must have a title to a possession before you can be certainly assured of such an interest Sealing with the holy Spirit of promise comes after beleiving ordinarily Eph. 1. 13. A child as soon as he is born hath reason but he wants a reflected act to know that he hath reason so it is in Regeneration 2. Assurance may be lost for a time in those who have formerly enjoyed it He that hath walked in the light of Gods countenance may come to walk in darkness again Esay 50. 10. There are three cases in which this doth ordinarily fall out 1. In the hour of temptation when God lets Satan loose to buffet the soul assurance may be lost in such a time 2. in the day of spiritual desertion when God hides his face from the soul Jesus Christ was in this condition My God my God c. Math 27. 46. A man in a swound doth not know he lives 3. In the state of relapses when a beleiver hath fallen into some sin God withdraws the assurance of his graces and leaves him to gain his faith and other graces takes away the joy of his faith and leaves him nothing but deadness and horror in his conscience This was the Prophet Davids case Psalm 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Though he had not lost the grace of faith yet he had quite lost the joy of his faith 2. Satan endeavours sometimes to argue Christians out of their faith by comparing it with the faith of other of God Servants which hath been very strong Abraham saith Satan was strong in faith he did not desceptare but was mighty in faith Rom. 4. 20. Job he had a powerful faith Though he kill me c. Job 13. 15. but thy faith is weak c. To help you against this stratagem I shall lay down these four considerations Viz 1. That the strongest of these great Champions have had their staggerings and their faintings Abraham though he was mighty in faith at that time when God promised him a son yet at another time did both stagger and fall Twice he denied his Wife for fear of men once in Egypt Gen. 12. 12. a second time at Gerar Gen. 20. 2. David though he had so much strength of faith at one time that he durst encounter Goliah with his sling when the hearts of all the valiant men of Israel trembled 1 Sam. 17. 32. yet at another time his faith was so faint that he said all men were liars Psalm 116. 11. and for want of faith fled out of the land of Israel into the country of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27. 1. Moses whose faith was so strong that he forsook the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and chose rather to suffer affliction c Heb. 11. 24 25. and yet at another time when he had had many experiences of the power of God was not able to beleive that God could bring water out of the Rock he smote the Rock twice Numb 20. 10 11. God bids him speak to the Rock and he smites it twice out of unbeleif And though he was so strong in faith that at one time he could beleive that the red Sea should be divided Exod. 14. yet at another time he was so weak in faith that he thought God had over-spoken his power when he promised to give the people flesh for a moneth Numb 11. 21. The people amongst whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole moneth c. 2. Though these had never staggered yet is the promise made not to degrees of faith but to truth of faith The Devil is not able to shew one word in all the Book of God which requires such a measure of faith for salvation Yea the Promises are made to the weakest acts of faith Look unto me and be saved all ye ends of the earth Esay 45. 22. Looking is but a weak act of faith and yet salvation is promised to it Weak faith unites a person to Jesus Christ as well as strong faith A shaking hand can receive an almes as well as a strong hand He that shoots in a long Bow draws all by the strength of his arm much strength is required to draw the bow but he that shoots in a Cross-bow hath strength enough if he can but let off the string a child may shoot as far as a Gyant because the strength lies in the Bow not in the Arm so is it with faith If the King should pass a grant that every living man in his Kingdom should enjoy such and such priviledges do you think weak men would be excluded They are men
but a dry barren shell unprofitable for nourishment but if you break the shell you shall find it full of most delicate nourishment The Grace of Hope to the outward appearance is like to a dry shall but if you open this shell you will find it full of most delicate nourishment We are upheld by Hope when we stand We rise by Hope when we are cast down We live by Hope We are saved by Hope It 's that which encourageth us to all Duties We pray in hope we hear in hope Take away Hope and the Soul will not be able to do any duty It 's that by which we bear all disappointments It 's a Sun in the darkest midnight Take away Hope and the Soul will be swallowed up with the least cross every wind will blow it down every wave will drown it every difficulty will overwhelm it It 's the Grace of Hope which holds the Chin above water in every trouble it s the grace of Hope by which we live in the want of present comforts Take away this Grace of Hope and all the Promises are but as withered grass and dry bones and empty vessels which cannot give satisfaction All disquietments and vexatious cares arise either from the want or the weakness of the Grace of Hope David chargeth all his disquietness upon this Psal 142. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul why art thou vexed within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Hope settles the heart in every condition it turns darkness into light and storms into calmes and makes the shadow of death as the morning Tbou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Esa 26. 3. I am the larger in this because there is such a generall neglecting of the exercise of this Grace The Grace of Hope is almost lost Christians make but little use and very little account of it Faith is in some repute but Hope is buried whereas indeed Faith is not more excellent then Hope Hope begins where Faith ends 2. This lets us see why Satan uses so much endeavour to drive the servants of God into a state of desperation There are two great Rockes on which Satan labours to split the souls of men the one is upon the Rock of Presumption many souls perish this way The other is the Rock of Despair and there are many more then a few destroyed this way Judas and Cain and Saul fell by this Temptation My punishment is greater then I can bear saith Cain And Judas out of horrour of Conscience puts an end to his own life Mat. 27. 5. Satan is very busie in our age this way suggesting unto the hearts of men that salvation doth not belong to them We see there is reason why Satan should use his skill this way This is a Christians Head-piece and if he can but perswade him to cast off this he will very easily make a prey of him Despair of mercy is a greater sin then all other sins Judas despair was greater then his Treason First It 's derogatory to the Mercy of GOD for it calls in question his truth and goodness Secondly It 's derogatory to the Merits of Jesus Christ it calls in question the All-sufficiency of his bloud c. 3. That the assurance of Salvation is a Doctrine very profitable for Christians and very prejudicial to Satan If the hope of Salvation help a Christian in temptarion surely the assurance of it will much more help him in these Assaults The Papists look upon it as a great and groundlesse presumption for any man to talk of assurance of his salvation But we know from Scripture First That many have attained to assurance we know that if our Earthly Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. 2 Cor. 5. init Secondly That all the people of God are commanded to labour after the attainment of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Thirdly That so many Evidences of a man that shall be saved are not laid down in vain The Scripture is full of the Characters of a person that shall be saved We know we are translated from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3. 14. Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. Fourthly That one great Office of the Spirit of God which dwelleth in the hearts of the regenerate is to seal them Ephes 1. 13. To testifie with their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. The Holy Ghost is a witnessing and sealing Spirit as well as a sanctifying Spirit a Spirit of Revelation as well as a Spirit of Grace Now the Argument is firm If the hope of Salvation be a Helmet to protect us then is the full Assurance of Salvation a helmet much more strong LECT XXII March 6. 1649. Exhortation 1. To all in generall Let this put all the Sons of men upon the getting of well-grounded hopes of salvation FOr the urging of this Exhortation these Vse 2. two things are to be opened viz. 1. To remove some false grounds of hope 2. To hold out some positive grounds upon which Salvation may be infallibly and certainly hoped for and expected 1. There are three false grounds upon which many are deceived viz. 1. Outward prosperity is no certain ground of salvation Many men do certainly conclude their Estate is good and that they shall be saved and that God doth undoubtedly love them with a saving love because their portion is fat in this world they have the blessing of God upon whatever they put their hands to God prospers them greatly in the world c. therefore they hope they shall be saved For the removing of this 1. Something is to be granted 2. Something to be denyed 1. It is to be granted That true piety and holiness is the high and ready way to outward prosperity 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of the life that is to come Many promises are made in the Scripture of these outward things to the godly as Prov. 3. 16. 17. Psal 112. 1 2 3. onely this promise is to be understood with this caution of Reference and subordination to their spirituall good This Caution is alwayes in Scripture to be understood when prosperity is promised to the godly and it is sometimes expressed as in Psal 34. 10. 2. It is to be denied that outward prosperity is any evidence of salvation And that I shall prove by these three Arguments 1. The worst of men have and may enjoy much of these things who shall never see salvation Mat. 16. 26 our Savior supposes there more then ever any man shall enjoy he that hath the whole world must have these four things 1. All the Riches Honours Pleasures of the world 2. A heart capable to take delight in all these 3. A time of enjoying these from the first man to the last
damned c. 2 Thes 2. 11 12. If Satan tempt you to apostatize from the truth for fear of suffering the Scripture will tell you that if any withdraw Gods soul will have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. ult and he that putteth his hands to the Plough and looketh back is not fit for the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 9. ult If Satan tempt you to be hypocritical the Word of God will tell you that Hell is prepared for Hypocrites If Satan tempt you to cast off Duties as Prayer Hearing the Word of God will tell you the sad consequences of such neglect c. And our Saviour teacheth us this use of the Scripture in the day of Temptation by his own practice Satan tempts him to work a miracle at his command by turning stones into bread in the time of hunger Mat. 4. He answers that temptation by shewing him out of the Scripture That man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God ver 4. Satan tempts him again to cast him self down from the pinacle upon a perswasion of the protection of God Our Saviour answers that from the Scripture ver 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Satan sets upon him with a third Argument to fall down and worship him Our Saviour answers that by a Testimony from Scripture shewing him that Divine Adoration was due to God onely ver 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely thou shalt serve 2. The Word of God strengthens and teacheth a Christian how to use aright all the other parts of the Spiritual Armour First For the Girdle of Truth if you understand it of the Doctrine of Truth the Word helpes you in that hereby we know what is Truth what is Falshood Take away the Word of God and there is no standard to measure Truth withall If you understand it of the Grace of Truth Sincerity and Uprightness of heart the Word of God is the Preserver of it I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity for all his judgments were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me Psal 18. 22 23. The Word of God as the Sun exhales all the vapours of hypocrisie out of our hearts Secondly For the Breast-plate of Righteousness The Word of God strengthens and preserves that if we understand it of the righteousness of our persons the Word of God teacheth where it lies and how to put it on and to use it Rom. 1. 17. This righteousness is revealed in the Word If you understand it of the righteousness of our course and conversation the Word of God directs us for this also Psal 119. 9. The Word is the measure of righteousness he hath shewed thee O man what is good Mic. 6. 8. 3. For the Shooes of the preparation of the Gospel It is the Word of God that helpes us to take up and enables us to persevere in these resolutions of going through with the profession of the Gospel against all difficulties and inconveniences and disadvantages the Word whets the edge of these resolutions when they grow dull and blunt 4. For the Shield of Faith The Word is both the Seed which breeds it and the Nurse which feeds it and gives it suck It 's called the Word of Faith not onely because it is the Object of Faith that which is to be believed but also because it is the Seed of Faith and the Food of Faith Faith must have a written word to lean upon else it dies 5. For the Helmet of Hope The Word of God to the grace of Hope is as the light to the eye of the body it is the Cable of the Anchor of Hope the Word layes the promise down upon which Hope is grounded the Word shewes Gods faithfulness whereby Hope is cherished the Word is the fewel that keeps it burning I have hoped in thy Word 6. For Prayer and Supplication We can neither tell what to pray for nor how to pray aright without the direction of the Word of God By the Word of God we come to know what we want By the Word of God we come to know what God hath promised The word of God heats the affections to pray with zeal strengthens the heart to pray in confidence enables the Spirit to pray with perseverance Take away the Fewel of the Word and the fire of Prayer will be abated if not quenched LECT XXIV March 20. 1649. VSE I. Information 1. That it 's a marvellous great mercy that God hath been pleased to commit his Mind to writing VVEE might else have been to seek for this Sword when we should have had occasion to use it The Church of God for about 2500. yeares wanted this blessing The Doctrine of God was preserved by the Tradition of a lively voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 1. 1. Somtimes by the immediate voyce of God himself by the Ministry of Angels Heb. 2. 2. By Dreams by Visions by Vrim and Thummim but never in writing till the time of Moses Then God was pleased to commit it to writing for many causes First That by this means it might be kept more pure and incorrupt We read how much soyl the Truth of God contracted by passing through the hands of men while it was by Tradition transmitted from Parents to Children Gen. 35. 2. We read that even in Jacobs Family there were Idols found And so Josh 24. 14. And the Idols of Egypt were amongst the Israel of God Though they were Holy and religious yet was there much pollution cleaving to the Worship of God in those dayes Secondly for the help of mans weak memory many of Divine Truths might in continuance of time have slipt out of the leaking Vessel of mans memory and so the Church of God should have suffered much loss Thirdly for the greater stability and firmness of the Doctrine of Truth against all those who should either deny it or corrupt it or infirm it vid. Luk. 1. 3 4. By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth secretly innuere propter corruptelas quorundam qui vivâ voce aliena ab Evangelicâ veritate tradiderunt opus fuisse accurato scripto rem prout gesta fuit usque ad finem exponente The Church of God by this meanes hath a greater certainty against the fraud and deceit of Seducers of the truth of God 4. For the more facile propagation and spreading of the Doctrine of Truth while it was delivered by Tradition it was onely consined among the Jewes and there was no probability that ever it should spread any further than their Coasts but by the writing of it it is divulged throughout the world 'T is a mercy to be acknowledged Had not the Word been written this Sword would have been as a Sword in the Scabbard or Armory but by the writing of it it is drawn out of the sheath and made of much more use to us in the day of battel 2.