the humble and mocke Those who set upon things rashly without prayer as though they were Lords of all and without dependance upon God promising themselves good successe they make Idols of themselves as a proud man is an Idoll hee worships himselfe whilst he leanes to his owne wit plots and parts carnall men thus Idolize themselves Againe you have some who are none of the worst 7. Idolatry is committed by trusting to the performances and tasks of Religion who commit this great sinne of Idolatry by trusting to the outward performances and taskes of Religion thinking that God must needs be bound unto them when they have done so many taskes read and prayd or heard so many sermons or done a good deed But heere lyeth the spirituall subtilty in that they set up these things too high when if they finde not that successe they looke for then they inwardly murmur against God when rather all these things should be done with a spirit of Humility and subjection using them onely as meanes whereupon we expect Gods blessing craving his assistance and strength to doe them in a holy and a selfe-denying manner when we doe otherwise and trust to the outward taskes and performances we doe wee make them Idols And you have many that goe along with outward performances who never come to a dram of grace because they trust to the outward performances and looke not to the life and soule of them which is the Spirit of God assisting quickning strengthning blessing them The life of a Christian is a perpetuall dependance upon God in the use of meanes and not an Idolizing of them to bee carelesse when he hath done his taske 8. It is Idolatry so to trust to the worke of grace as to neglect justificatioÌ„ and acceptation to life everlasting But a more subtill Idolatrie then this is of an other kinde when we trust too much to the worke of grace and rely not upon God in Christ in the matter of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which is a fault both 1. Before 2. After Conversion First before Conversion When we thinke we have not done so much good and beene sufficiently humbled and therefore that God will not be mercifull to us as if Christ must take us with dowry of good deeds or else hee cannot whereas all grace is promised upon our entry and comming into the Covenant of grace upon our believing when we come with emptie hearts and hands The poore saith Christ receive the Gospell Mat. 11.5 Mat. 9.13 Mat. 11.21 and those that are lost Christ is sent to save them and to call in the weary and heavie laden And after Conversion those that are in the state of grace oftentimes want that comfort in the maine point of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which they should have because they looke into their imperfections seeing this and that want and so are swallowed up of discomfort whereas if we had all the graces in the world yet we must live by Faith relying upon the merits of Christ For our good works bring us not to Heaven as a cause but onely are helps and comforts to us in our walking to Heaven For if we had all the sinnes of all men yet Christs all-sufficient Righteousnesse is sufficient for to doe them all away if wee can goe out of our selves and cleave to that Therefore in trouble of conscience we must not looke either to our good or our ill but to Gods infinite Mercy and to the infinite satisfaction of our blessed Sâ—viour the Lord Jesus Christ there as it were loosing our selves seeing our sinnes as mountaines drowned in the infinite sea of his Mercy The blood of Christ that will pacifie and stay the conscience nothing else can give rest to our soules If we looke to our workes and to the measure of our sanctification what saith holy Paul in the like case Yea doubtlesse Phil. 3.8 and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ even his Righteousnesse and best works therefore there is no regard to be had of them in that case Wherefore when wee would speake comfort to a distressed conscience wee must not looke to his ill or good but to the command This is his command that we believe 1 Iohn 3.23 and looke to the all sufficiencie of God in Christ and the promises whereby we honour God in giving him the glory of his truth and depart with comfort Therefore though wee hate grosse Idolatry yet we see there are many wayes wherein the soule may bee seduced whereby we may come very neere that sinne which our soule hateth by trusting too much to something out of God Vse 5 If then the case be thus how shall we come to reforme it for a Use of Direction so as to flie from all Idolatrie How to reforme our selves so as to flie from Idolatry and to say with Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols First of all doe but consider Gods hatred unto all sorts of Idolaters for he accounts such to hate him and so accordingly punisheth them In the second Commandement those that are given to Idolatrie in any kinde are such as hate God which is a horrible thing and yet notwithstanding this is the disposition of all such as are Jdolaters so farre forth as they are Jdolaters they hate God for the more we know God the more we shall hate all Idols What have I now any more to doe with Idols Labour to grow in the sound knowledge of God and of Christ and of their all-sufficiency Marke S. Paules method Coloss 2. and in other places when he would draw us from all outward things he speakes gloriously of the fullnesse of Christ In him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily and In him you are compleat Col. 2.9 When he would draw them from touch not taste not handle not worshipping of Angels and from counterfeit humility hee labours to dispossesse them of these Idolatrous conceits and to possesse them of the fullnesse of Christ If in him we have fullnesse why should we looke for any thing out of him If we be compleat in him Jf all fullnesse be in him why doe wee seeke any thing out of that fullnesse Thus the holy Apostle shutteth up his first Epistle Babes keepe you from Idols What is promised there 1 John 5.21 Christ is eternall life all is in him whereupon presently comes this Babes keepe you from Idols If life and happinesse and all be in Christ If we be compleat in him and the fullnesse of all be in him why should we goe out of him for any thing Gen. 17.1 When God would perswade Abraham to leave all Idolatrie and all things else to depend wholly upon him what doth he first possesse him with I
with an everlasting former love not beginning at that instant discoverie thereof Vse 1 The Use heereof is first of all against those who measure Gods love and favour by their owne feeling because as God loved them before so hee loves them as well and as dearely still when he hideth his face from them as when hee suffered his loving kindnesse to shine most comfortably upon them Hee loved Christ as dearely when he hanged on the tree in torment of soule and body as hee did when he said This is my beloved sonne Mat. 3.17 in whom I am well pleased yea and when hee received him up into glory The Sunne shineth as cleerely in the darkest day as it doth in the brightest The difference is not in the Sunne but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof So God loveth us as well when he shineth not in the brightnesse of his countenance upon us as when he doth Iob 42.7 Iob was as much beloved of God in the middest of his miseries as he was afterwards when he came to enjoy the aboundance of his mercies I will love them freely c. The last Point which we gather from hence Observ as a speciall ground of comfort is this That this free love and favour of God is the cause of all other mercies and free favours whereby hee discovereth his love unto us 1. It is the cause of election Rom. 5.11 even so then as this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace So 2. For Vocation when the Apostle had shewed that the Ephesians were saved by Grace Ephe. 5.7 hee adds that in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his grace In his kindnesse towards us through Christ Iesus hee afterwards sheweth when this grace began first to have being Ephe. 2.10 For wee are his workemanship created vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that wee should walke therein 3. Forgivenesse of sinnes In whom we have a redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinns Ephe. 1.7 according to the riches of his grace So 4. For the grace of Love Wee love him 1 Joh. 4.19 because he loved us first 5. For Justification and Sanctification It is said that Christ hath loved us Rev. 1.5 why For he hath washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood and Saint Iohn saith He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father 1. Kings to fight against the world the flesh and the divell 2. Priests to teach instruct reprove and comfort our selves and others by the word of God and then to offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart in prayers and praises All comes from freedome of love 6. So every good Inclination comes hence For it is God which worketh in us Hos 5.14 Phil. 1.13 both to will and to doe of his good pleasure So 7. Every good Worke For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which he had before ordained that we should walke therein For by grace ye are saved saith he through faith Ephe. 2.8.10 So 8. For Eternall life the Apostle sheweth It is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. This should teach us in the first place to bee humbled in that we are so miserable naughty servants doing so little worke nay nothing as we should yet should have so good wages 1 Cor. 4.7 Ephes 2.9 but God loves us freely c. It should rather humble us the more then puffe us up in pride in regard that there was nothing in us which might deserve any thing at Gods hand Vse 2 And hence also it followeth infallibly Ioh. 17.23 24. that if he loved us from everlasting with a free love in a sort as he loved Christ that therefore the effects of his love towards us shall never faile as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Faith and Repentance being fruits of his love wrought in us shall hold out therfore the weakenesse of these graces as they shall not hinder our salvation no more should they discourage us or hinder the comfort of our profession Because that Faith and Repentance which wee have is not any worke of ours but the worke of Gods free love in us therefore they shall bee continued and accepted For our Perseverance doth not stand in this that wee have strength in our selves to continue faithfull to God but because he out of his free love continueth faithfull to us and will never faile nor forsake them whom he hath once taken into his everlasting favour on whom hee hath set his everlasting free love as the Apostle speakes of Christ Who also shall confirme you unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 9. that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ but upon what ground God is faithfull by whom wee were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. So that if any of the Elect should fall away God should be unfaithfull The case in Perseverance is not how faithfull wee are but how faithfull God is who guides us heere with his Counsell in all things Psal 73.24 and afterwards receiveth us into glory So in another place after the Apostle had prayed Now the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholy 1 Thess 5.23 24. and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ What maketh he the ground of this his Prayer Faithfull is hee that calleth you who also will doe it Vse 3 If then wee would have God to manifest his free love to us let us strive to be obedient to his Commandements and stirre up our hearts by all meanes to love him who hath so freely loved us Quest Now how should we manifest our love to God Answ How to manifest our love to God First in loving his Word as Psal 19. Psal 119. Secondly in loving his people 1 Ioh. 5.1 2. Thirdly in longing for and loving his second comming Revel 22.20 Now followeth the Reason of the discoverie of this free love shewed now in time to them For mine Anger is turned away from him Here is the third Branch of Gods answer to their Petition Mine Anger is turned away from him which is included and implied in the former I will heale their backsliding how could hee doe this if he were Angrie No he saith I will love them freely which argues that his anger was appeased God knoweth that variety of words and expressions are all little enough to raise up and comfort a doubting wounded galled soule which when it is touched with a sense of sinne and of his displeasure cannot heare words enough of comfort This God knowes well enough and therefore hee adds expression upon expression I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely for
Praisinâ— of God the incouragements to it page 60 c. Praise an honour to God page 60. Praise a gainefull trade page 60 61. Praise a noble act of Religion page 61. Praise a larger Sacrifice then Prayer page 61. Praise an heavenly action page 62. Praising God brings joy page 62 63. Praise how to know when it is accepted page 63. Promises Promises of Christ knowne worke grace in us p. 238 239. Promises how God stablisheth us in them page 239. Prudence See Wisdome Heavenly Prudence definition of it page 430. Providence The waies of Gods Providence are right page 442. R Returning Of Returning to the Lord page 8 c. How to know whether wee have Returned page 10 11. Reformation Reformation of life must be joyned with Prayer and Praise p. 66 Repentance True Repentance is of the particular sin we are most addicted too page 67. Repentance a tryall of it page 68. Repentance not to be delayed page 139. Repentance turnes away Gods anger page 188 c. Reproofe Reproofes for sin patiently endured is an evidence of the pardon of our sins page 315 316. Reproofe of sin how to be ordered page 317 318. S Sacrifices Sacrifices of Christians under the Gospell page 45 c. Salvation Our Salvation is certaine p. 175 God willing to Save men page 143 c. No Salvation out of the Church page 267. Stability Stability of Saints whence it ariseth page 228 250 251. Comforts arising from Saints Stability page 234. State State of Gods children firme page 232. State of the wicked unstable page 232 333. Difference betwixt our State in Adam and in Christ page 407. Sincerity Sincerity makes a Christian page 290. Serve It is not in vaine to Serve the Lord page 419. Sinne. All Sinnes alike hated by a sincere Christian page 25. All Sinne why to bee prayed against page 25. Sin brings judgement page 12. Sinne hatefull to a conscience awakened page 26. Sinnes formerly committed to be remembred page 28. Sinnes how to know they are forgiven page 29 c. Sinnes bitternesse causeth Repentance page 9â— Sinne is a disease p. 131 c. All Sinnes God is willing to pardon page 145 146. Sinnes neglected prove incurable page 133. Sinnes being diseases are presently to be cured page 138 139. Sin to be searched out p. 151. Sin subdued is an evidence of the pardon of sinne page 156. Sin why suffered to remaine in us page 161 162. Sin is the object of Gods anger page 183 c. Sinne contrary to Gods nature page 184. Sinne must not onely bee left but hated page 310. Sinne how knowne to be hated page 311 c. Sinne truly hated when it is universally hated page â—11 312. Sinne truly hated when implacably hated page 312 313. Sin truly hated when chiefely hated in our selves p. 313 314. Great Sinnes must bee hated in the greatest measure p. 314 315. Not to love to be flattered in our Sinnes is a signe of the true hatred of our sins page 316. Sinne the occasions of it to bee avoided page 316. Sinne how wee may come to hate it page 321 c. Sinne set forth as it is in its owne nature will make us hate it page 322. Sinne is the bane of all our comforts page 324. Sinne the onely object of the hatred of Gods children page 367. Sinne helps to make us hate it page 368. Sinne the cause of all ill page 368. Sin our greatest enemy p. 369 Sin renounced will make God heare our prayers page 375. Want of Conviction of Sinne makes us carelesse of sin p. 40. Sinner Impenitent Sinners not to be envied page 138. Sinners unrepenting their dangerous condition page 323. Soule Soule diseases how to know them page 134 c. Soule God is willing to save page 142 c. Suffer They who will not Suffer for Christ make Christ an Idoll page 349. T Thankefullnesse Assurance of Gods love works Thankefullnesse in us pag. 53 54. Thankesgiving See Praise Thankesgiving verball ought to be justified by deeds p. 49 50. Thankesgiving how to know it is accepted page 63. V Vengeance Vengeance neere those that profit not by the meanes of salvation page 255. Vnworthinesse Sight of our Vnworthinesse should not discourage us p. â—75 Vowes Vowes their use page 42. Vpright See Iust. W Wayes Wayes of God right page 443. Wayes of God wherein hee walkes to us page 441. Wayes which God prescribes to us page 442. Wayes of Gods providence all right and just page 442. Man ought not to be a prescriber of his owne Way page 44. To justifie Gods Wayes in evill times a note of Gods elect page 459 c. Before men can walke in Gods Wayes they must have spirituall life page 461. Walking in Gods Wayes justifies men to bee true Christians page 462. Wayes of God must be walkt in and not only talkt of p. 474. Having our end in our eye will enable us to walke resolutely in Gods Wayes page 468 469. To walk on in the right Wayes of God we must walke wisely page 469 c. In walking in Gods Wayes what we must avoid p. 472. Wayes of God the safest waies page 472. Wayes of God the pleasantest waies page 473. Wayes of God the most holy and cleane waies page 473. Walking in Gods Wayes what it implies page 493 464. How to know we walk on in Gods Waies p. 464 465 c. Who will walke aright in Gods Wayes must be resolute against all opposition p. 466. And pray to God for strength page 467. Good company a meanes to enable us to walk resolutely and constantly in Gods Wayes p. 467. Walkers in Gods Wayes their happinesse page 474. Warre Warre the lawfullnesse of it page 77 78. Water Water every yeare turned into wine page 222. Weake Weake Christians not to be discouraged page 289 290. Warning God gives Warning before he smites page 6. Wicked Wicked mens condition is fading page 234 c. Wicked men abhominable to God page 260 261. Wicked men most miserable in that they have not God for a shelter page 387. Will. How men make their owne Wills and wits Idols p. 346 c. Will worship no sleight matter page 338. Wise Truely Wise but few p. 426 427 All men naturally desire to bee thought Wise page 428. Wisedome Heavenly Wisedome the definition of it page 429. Heavenly Wisedome the signes of it page 432 c. Word Word of God is perfect p. 445. Word of God to be beleeved page 446 447. The Word without the Spirit is uneffectuall page 434 435. The same Word of God that is a Word of life to the Godly is a Word of perdition to the wicked page 476. Word of God not to bee loved the worse because wicked men are made the worse by it p. 477. Words why used in prayer p. 22 Works Want of of good VVorks ought not to hinder our Conversion or Justification page 452 453. Good VVorks why they cannot merit Page 405. VVorld VVorld not able to deprive us of Gods Spirit and grace page 414 415. VVrath VVrath of God makes crosses curses page 141 142. FINIS
bring mee forth in the light and I shall see his Righteousnesse If Adam sinne hee shall find a Hell in a Paradice if Paul returne and returne to God hee shall finde a Heaven in a Dungeon It should move us therefore to seeke unto God Vse 2 by unfained Repentance to have our sinnes taken away and pardoned or else howsoever wee may change our plagues yet they shall not bee taken away nay wee shall still like Pharoah change for the worst who though hee had his judgements changed yet sinne the cause remaining hee was never a whit the better but the worse for changing untill his finall ruine came Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is Death Sinne will crie till it hath its wages Where Iniquitie is there cannot but be falling into judgement Therefore they are cruell to their owne soules that walke in evill wayes for undoubtedly God will turne their owne waies upon their owne heads Wee should not therefore envie any man be hee what hee will who goeth on in ill courses seeing some judgement is owning him first on last unlesse he stop the current of Gods wrath by Repentance God in much mercie hath set up a Court in our hearts to this end that if wee judge our selves in this Inferiour Court wee may escape and not be brought up into the higher if first they be judged rightly in the Inferiour Court then there needs no review But otherwise if wee by Repentance take not up the matter sinne must be judged some where either in the Tribunall of the heart and conscience or else afterwards there must be a reckoning for it Vse 3 Thirdly hence wee learne since the cause of every mans miserie is his owne sinne that therefore all the power of the world and of Hell cannot keepe a man in miserie nor hinder him from comfort and happinesse if hee will part with his sinnes by true and unfained Repentance as we know Manasses 2 Chro. 33.12 13. as soone as he put away sin the Lord had mercie upon him and turned his captivity So the people of Israel in the Iudges looke how often they were humbled and returned to God still he forgave them all their sins as soone as they put away sinne God and they met againe Psal 106.43 44. Psal 107.19 So that if we come to Christ by true Repentance neither sinne nor punishment can cleave to us Thou hast fallen c. Fallen blindly as it were thou couldest not see which way thou wentest or to what end thy courses did tend therefore thou art come into misery before thou knowest where thou art A sinner is blind 1 Cor. 4. the god of this world hath put out his eyes they see not their way nor foresee their successe The Divell is ever for our falling that we fall into sinne and then fall into misery and so fall into despaire and into hell this pleaseth him Cast thy selfe downe saith he to Christ downe with it downe with it saith Edom Hell is beneath the Divell drives all that way Take heed of sinne take heede of blindnesse ponder the path of your feet Vse keepe your thoughts heaven-ward stop the beginnings the first stumblings pray to God to make our way plaine before us and not to lead us into temptation Verse 2. Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him c. These Israelites were but a rude people and had not so good meanes to thrive in grace as Iudah had Therefore hee prompts them here with such words as they might use to God in their returning Take with you words whereby we see how gratious God is unto us in using such helps for our recovery and pittying us more then we pitty our selves Is not this a sufficient warrant and invitation to returne when the party offended who is the superiour 2 Cor. 5. desires intreates and sues unto the offending guilty inferiour to be reconciled God is willing to be at peace with us But this is not all he further sheweth his willingnesse in teaching us who are ignorant of the way in what manner and with what expressions we should returne to the Lord. He giveth us not onely words and tells us what we shall say but also giveth his Spirit so effectually therwith as that they shall not be livelesse and dead wordes but as Rom 8.26 with unexpressible sighes and groanes unto God who heareth the requests of his owne Spirit Christ likewise teacheth us how to pray wee have words dictated and a spirit of Prayer powred upon us As if a great Person should dictate and frame a Petition for one who were affraid to speake unto him Such is Gods gratiousnesse and so ready is he in Jesus Christ to receive sinners unto mercy Take unto you wordes None were to appeare empty before the Lord at Ierusalem but were to bring something So it is with us we must not appeare empty before our God If we can bring nothing else let us bring wordes yea though broken wordes yet if out of a broken and contrite heart it will be a sacrifice acceptable This same taking of words or petitions in all our troubles and afflictions must needs be a speciall remedie it being of Gods owne prescription who is so infinite in knowledge and skill whence wee observe That They who would have helpe and comfort against all sinnes and sorrowes Observ must come to God with words of Prayer As wee see in Ionahs case in a matchlesse distresse words were inforcive and did him more good then all the world besides could for after that hee had bin humbled and praied out of the whales belly the whale was forced to cast him out againe Luke 15.18 So the Prodigall sonne beeing undone having neither credit nor coyne but all in a manner against him yet hee had words left him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired servants After which his father had compassion on him And good Hezekiah Isa 38.2 being desperately sicke of a desperate disease yet when hee set his faith a worke and tooke with him words which comfort onely now was left unto him wee know how after hee had turned his face towards the wall and prayed with words God not only healed him of that dangerous disease but also wrought a great miracle for his sake causing the Sunne to come backe ten degrees Thus when life seemed impossible yet words prayers and teares prevailed with God Iehoshaphat also going to warre with Ahab 2 Chron. 18.31 against Gods commandement and in the battell being encompassed with enemies yet had words with him readie and after prayer found deliverance James 5. Eliah likewise after a great drowth and famine when raine had bin three yeares wanting and all in a manner out of frame for a long time Tooke with him words and God sent raine aboundantly upon the earth againe The Reason
fruitfullnesse shade and fruit concurring hee thinkes himselfe marvellously happy This is the state of a Christian that hath God for his God being in covenant with him he is not onely a strong protection and defence from all annoyance as God shadowes us and is a Buckler from all evills both inward and outward from Sathan and all kindes of evills and wrath but he is also a fruitfull tree too From mee is thy fruit found The end of the twelfth Sermon THE THIRTEENTH SERMON HOS 14.9 J am like a greene firre-tree from me is thy fruit found THIS holy Prophet as wee heard heretofore did prophecie more then sixtie yeares among the tenne Tribes even untill the time immediately preceding their captivity and misery in like manner as Ieremy and Ezekiel did to the other Jewes Now because in the worst times God alwayes had a remnant and yet hath therefore it is the Prophets care in this Chapter which we have gone over to instruct them in divers particulars of Reformation as we have heard at large To returne to the Lord to take words to themselves which words as we have heard are also taught them backt with many sweet promises and incouragements in Gods answer to their petitions The last whereof insisted and stood upon was this that God promiseth to be like a greene firre-tree unto Ephraim who personated all the ten Tribes Ephraim thought before to shadow and fence himselfe by Idols and league with other Idolatrous Nations which were like Ionas rotten gourd unto them poore shadows and defences but saith God I will bee a firre-tree for shadow to Ephraim to defend him from all dangers whatsoever and then in the next place he ads From me is thy fruit found A firre-tree is a greene tree but it hath no fruit the excellencies of the creatures are applyed to God but not the defects Therefore when comparisons are taken from the creatures and given to God we must alway except the defects supplying the same by some other cleering comparison So God is not onely a firre-tree for shelter and defence but he is a fruit-full tree so a firre tree is not and therefore without comparison God hath more in him then any creature hath For all that excellency which is in all the creatures is in him and that in a farre more eminent manner therefore hee is both a shelter and fruit If a passenger in distresse have not onely a firre tree to shelter him and shadow him but a fruit tree also to feed him he thinkes he is made when God thus comforts him So a Christian he hath not onely shelter from the wrath of God but hee hath also a place of rest and quiet the mercy of God to keepe him and the Word and Sacraments to feed him God is a fruit tree as well as a firre tree From mee is thy fruit found That is whatsoever is gratiously or comfortably good to us in us or issues from us is all from God hence first of all we observe for our instruction Observ From a mans selfe comes nothing that is gratiously good Whatsoever is savingly good is altogether from God Joh. 15.5 without mee saith Christ you can doe nothing S. Paul was wondrous charie of this point 1 Cor. 15.10 he saith he laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I he recalls himselfe but the grace of God in him that did all and of my selfe as of my selfe I cannot so much as thinke a good thought Jt is from God that we have meanes to make us fruitfull and from the gratious working of his Spirit comes it that they are effectuall that we think a good thought or open our mouthes to speake a good word it is from Gods Spirit inabling us thereto Open thou my mouth saith the Psalmist and my lips shall shew forth thy praise We are toung-tyed and our lips sealed unlesse God open them we cannot speake one savoury seasonable word to further our accompt we may speake empty words but never a word comes from the heart that is gratious and good but it must be by the Spirit of God It is he who workes all our workes in us and for us Isa 26 12. Phil. 1.6 He begins the good worke in us and perfects it to the day of the Lord the truth of this is wondrous cleere If this be so then undoubtedly the differences in the graces of men it is from another meerely from God and Gods Spirit There is indeed difference in men but this is originally fetched from the grace of Gods Spirit The good use of freedome that we talke so much of it is from God as well as the indowments of it Wee have free will but the use of it is not in our power Phil. 2.13 to use this or that at our pleasure for It is God which gives the will and the deed of his good pleasure Not onely the deed but the will too we should make the will an Jdoll else For so many wills so many Idols if we thinke one man in himselfe can difference himselfe by his will Againe in that God saith from me is thy fruit found we may learne hence Observ That fruit that is gratious comes from us and from God too Quest. It is our fruit and Gods so that there is a subordination of gratious workes under God the fruit we have is from God yet it is our fruit too How can this be Sol. Yes easily we speake the words but it is God that opens our lips We beleeve but it is God that gives us grace to beleeve We doe the action but God gives us grace to do it Acts. 16.14 God opened the heart of Lydia to beleeve so that God and we meete together in the same action We have parts understanding will affections bodies and soules therefore the actions are said to be ours because God workes in us as understanding creatures but God sets the wheele a going so that the actions are originally his and ours subordinately under him From mee is thy fruit found If so be that God and man joyne in one action From mee is thy fruit found Why good works cannot merit as though he should say whatsoever thou hast or sayest that is good it is from me here we see how and why good workes cannot merit though they come from God as all goodnesse doth yet in regard they come from us too we add some tainture thereunto from our corrupt nature What God and Christ himselfe doth is absolute and perfect as Justification but what fruit he workes in us there is somewhat of the old Adam in us which taints the beauty of the worke it is Gods fruit comming from him and yet our fruit also comming from us which being so much tainted should humble us in that we adde nothing to the truth of Gods worke in us but abasement and defilement by our corruptions From mee saith God is thy fruit found so much as is supernaturally good but because our
maine So it is with the soule that is truely convinced it is safe for the maine yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and feares but their Anchor is in Heaven Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all beleevers that the Spirit of God so farre convinces them of Christs righteousnesse as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ and God will not quench that sparke though there be little or no light yet there will be heate God will send his Spirit into the heart so farre as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire and let such a beame into the soule as all the power in hell shall not be able to keepe out but it is our owne neglect that we are not more strongly convinced so as to breake through all This is the priviledge of a constant carefull Christian to bee strongly convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ Vse Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righteousnesse other things I must omit If this be so I beseech you let us not loose our priviledges and prerogatives doth God give grace and give Christ with all his righteousnesse and shall not we improove them Let us use this righteousnesse in all temptations Let us pleade it to God himselfe when hee seemes to be our enemy Lord thou hast ordained a righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice and he hath given me a title to Heaven howsoever my soule be in darkenesse yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour that thou wouldest perswade my soule of that righteousnesse I would glorifie thy Name Wherein wilt thou be glorified In mercy or justice O in mercy above all I cannot glorifie thee in thy mercy unlesse thou perswade me of the righteousnesse of Christ Can I love thee except thou love mee first Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me unlesse J be convinced that Christ is mine Now Lord I beseech thee let me be such as thou maist take delight in Beloved since we have meanes of such a gift let us never rest till wee have it If Satan set upon us hold this out if he tell thee thou art a sinner tell him I have a greater righteousnesse then my owne even the righteousnesse of God-Man I have a righteousnesse above all my unrighteousnesse Satan saith God is displeased with me J but he is more pleased with me in Christ then displeased with me in my selfe Satan saith J have sinned against God I but not against the remedy send Satan to Christ O but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee runne into this sinne and that sinne but there is a spring of mercy in God and an over-running fountaine of righteousnesse in Christ an over-flowing sea of the blood of Christ Therefore let us labour to improove this righteousnesse of Christ to God and Satan and against al temptations yea against our own consciences I am thus thus yet God is thus and thus all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Christ Let us exalt God and Christ and set up Christ above our sins above any thing in the world as S. Paul who counted all things dung and drosse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Quest. You will aske me How shall wee know whether we be convinced of this righteousnesse or no Answ I answer we may know by the Method Christ uses in convincing First he convinces of sinne and then of righteousnesse for a man to catch at righteousnesse before hee bee convinced of sinne it is but an usurpation for the Holy Ghost first convinces of sinne Therfore you have many perish because they never were abased enough Beloved people are not lost enough and not miserable enough for Christ and not broken enough for him and therfore they go without him Quest But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sin so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ unto my selfe Onely thus if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition of nature and life Answ so as to worke in me an hatred of sin and to alter my bent another way and so make Christ sweet unto me then I am sufficiently convinced of sinne This in answer to that Question by the way To returne in the next place I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteousnesse of Christ by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit The Spirit brings light and faith the work of the Spirit hath a light of its owne as I know I beleeve when I beleeve but sometimes wee have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our owne graces to our selves but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God upon this apprehension that God is mine and Christ is mine the soule is constrained to love whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart and a prevalency of comfort above all discomfort for love casteth out feare This one comfort that our sins are forgiven and that we have right and title to Heaven when the soule is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition then what is poverty and what is imprisonment not worthy to bee reckoned in respect of the glory that shall be revealed Againe where the Holy Ghost convinces enough there is inward peace and great joy sutable to the righteousnesse As the righteousnesse is an excellent righteousnesse of God-Man so that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakable peace and joy So that when the heart sees it selfe instated in peace and joy as you have it Rom. 5. Being justified by faith wee have peace towards God not only inward peace and joy but a peace that will shew it selfe abroad a glorious peace a peace that will make us glory verse 3. We glory in tribulation A hard matter to glory in abasement not only so but we glory in God God is ours and Christs righteousnesse ours when Christ hath satisfied Gods wrath then we may make our boast of God Againe where this conviction of righteousnes is it answers all objections the doubting heart will object this and that but the Spirit of God shewes an All-sufficiency in Christs obedience and that sets the soule downe quietly in all crosses and calmes it in all stormes in some degree Where the soule is convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ there the conscience demands boldly It is God that justifies who shal condemne It is Christ that is dead and risen againe and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen So that a convinced conscience dares all creatures in Heaven and Earth it works strongly and boldly I shall not need to inlarge this you know whether you are convinced Vse To end the point I beseech you labour to live by this