Servants The grown Saints then we see do much in a little when Babes at and while such do but a little though they keep much ado in all they do Love and Faith do more in a day than Fear will be able to do in many daies or years But 3. To come to the highest step and degree of Repentance 't is not only for but from dead works there is a reformation and fruits worthy of proper and suitable to this their Repentance Men that repent do not only say What have I done and mourn for that but what Lord what wilt thou have me to do and so fall into a way of obedience When John the Baptist called for fruits worthy of Repentance 't is very observable that Luke 3.7 14. the people askt What shall we do Vers 10. and the Publicans What shall we do Vers 12. and the Souldiers What shall we do Vers 14. To all whom he gives directions to leave their former particular sins and to lead new lives directly contrary to their former lives which is the proper fruit of Penitents When they were prickt at heart Acts 2.37 they cryed out What shall we do And the Jaylor Acts 16. Sirs what must I do And Paul himself Acts 9. Lord what wilt thou have me to do True Penttents are not only for humiliation but reformation they repent not only for but from dead works yea the Babes do so How or in what sense Thus Dead works are properly such sins as they lived in before conviction and conversion such as are the course of the world and of men acted by the Devil as is clear by Eph. 2.1 2 3. There are other sins which are deadly workings for to be carnally minded is death Rom. 8.6 which yet cannot in a strict sense be called dead works which are the sins of men dead in trespasses and sins So that though grown Saints do mortifie not only the flesh but the lusts and affections too yet Babes scarce go further than leaving the works of the flesh the sins in which they lived before conversion thus did the Prodigal he spent no more of his time and substance upon Harlots and riotous living Zacbeus begins with mercy and restitution as to any wrongs he had done to any Luke 19.8 So Paul to Preach the Christ and the way which he had persecuted Acts 9. The Jaylor from making wounds turns Chirurgion and binds up the wounds which he had made Acts 16. Throughout the Scripture you will find that babes became clean contrary to themselves you shall not find them retaining the sins which they were first convinced as guilty of and this is their Repentance from dead works And this shall suffice to have been spoken concerning the Explication of the first attainment of Babes or their eating the first portion of Gospel-milk viz. Repentance from dead works The Application follows I. With reference to them that have not Repented and so are not Babes 2. To them who are Babes and have repented from dead works 1. WIth reference to them who have not repented and are not yet Babes not new-born Alas there are but too many who live under the Preaching and Profession of the Gospel are called Christians who have not received into themselves this first spoonful of Milk nor learnt the first principle of Repentance from dead works Though men take up the common Principles which I named above but newly yet they have eyes and see not ears and hear not so as to understand with their heart to be converted and healed Their hearing and seeing doth not affect their hearts they are still without a sense and feeling of sin How many that know Drunkenness Uncleanness c. to be sins and that they live in such sins yet are not prickt at heart they never yet so saw sin as to feel it nor so selt it as to confess and be sorry for it or never so complained or sorrowed as to repent from dead works to cry out What have I done Or Lord what wilt thou have me to do they have done more than enough to undo themselves have been told the way of recovering and saving themselves and yet these things are but to them as idle tales and we are to them as Let to his Sons in Law like them that moâ—k that flatter them with promises or scare them with threatnings as if we were not in good earnest But that they may yet at last be awakened and if peradventure God may give them Repentance I shall intreat them to consider these things 1. Consider this that all the common principles which thou hast received from the light of Nature Law or Gospel will not be sufficient to justifie but they will to condemn thee as Rom. 1.18 21 c. and chap. 2.14 27. Our Lord Jesus Christ will one day sit in Judgement upon men and he will then convince and condemn them from their own Principles Mens Consciences will be one of the Books that shall then be opened and they will be self-condemned As for example suppose Christ Jesus to ask these Questions Did not you believe and know that there was a God Yes Lord we did Why then did you not serve him Did not you believe that his Word declared his Will Yes Lord saith Conscience Why then did ye not obey his Word c. Men will be speechless and silent having nothing to say for themselves as he that came without a wedding garment If thy Principles do not convince thee now they will condemn thee hereafter and thou wilt cry out when 't is too late my perdition is of my self even I being Judge I have rewarded evil to mine own soul 2. Confider how many times God hath been knocking at thy door and how long waiting to be gracious unto thee How many times hast thou been smitten at a Sermon and trembled like Felix how often thou hast been almost perswaded as Agrippa to be a Christian how many times thou hast purposed and promised to sin no more and yet after all this thou hast given up thy self to sin and even like another Ahab sold thy self to work wickedness How thou hast eaten drunk played and slept away the convictions that have been upon thee How thou hast forgotten or smothered and put off these things thus 't is true sin is an ugly thing but it hath its pleasure for the present 't is time enough and I intend to repent hereafter others are as bad as I and yet we scape well enough only a qualm and gripe comes over us now and then but it goes off again Ministers must have leave because 't is their place to reprove sin but God is merciful c. Thus do many put off all convictions and though they have been gashed and wounded yet like Dogs they lick themselves whole again as they think Yet after all this it pleaseth God to take more pains with thee this day he calls on thee once more to hear his voice lest thou be
they were but Babes chap. 3.6 12 13 14. and 10.23 35. and tells them that the just shall live by Faith that which they had that is they should continue believing to the end and not draw back to perdition Veâ—s 36. 39. To seek out this and clear it too let us consider some other places which shew that a going on and continuing in the same grace or an holding fast of what they have is that only which is required of some Christians as Rev. 2.24 25. 'T is said to them of Thyatira who kept free from Jesabels doctrine I will put upon you none other burthen but that which ye have already hold fast till I come keep your ground so again Rev. 3.11 't is said to Philadelphia who had but a little strength Vers 8. Hold fast that which thou hast and to him that overcometh c. So that perseverance in the little strength that any have hath the promise of Salvation and is all some Saints growth He that continueth to the end shall be saved and this is called overcoming which hath the notion of some kind of growth in it And therefore it seems clear that the gain of Babes is in not losing and their growth in not decreasing and declining or if you had rather express it so the Babes growth is in reiterated acts of the same kind or in abounding in acts which is a growing in degrees of the same kind as also in desires after higher attainments as I shall shew anon eating more and more Milk repenting more and more and believing more and more even unto the end increasing in these things to their fulness and not in passing into another state I speak still of one appointed to this state alone And on this occasion before I close up this Chapter it will not be amiss to take notice in relation hereunto of the Covenant of God made with all Saints and the promises of God made but to some Saints the promises of growth by addition I humbly conceive are not made to Saints as such but to Saints under such a qualification and acting such and such graces and duties in such and such degrees as for instance Psal 1.3 there is a promise of growth 't is not every Saint shall but he shall who is that he viz. he that delights in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night this meditation shall be to him as the watering of the River is to a Tree But now the Covenant as it gives so it secures grace it is made to and with the lowest Saint and warrantiseth it against falling away only Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me As Christ pray'd for Peter that his Faith might not totally and utterly fail Luk. 22.32 And this I speak for the incouragement of poor Babes that they may not stamble at this that they do not grow as others do I tell them and would have them bless God for it that they grow with a growth suitable to their state i. e. they rely and cleave close they Apostatize not but hold fast they persevere in eating milk till death them do part they attain to the extent of the Covenant perseverance and to the end of their Faith the saving of their Souls And this much of the Attainment of Babes in the general The more particular attainments of Babes as Repentance Faith c. From Heb. 6.1 2. THE Apostle doth not in this place put the Babes upon laying aside these things but speaks his own intendment to lay them aside as to his present further discourse concerning them and to go on to treat of other and higher matters more perfect doctrine i. e. such as belongs to perfect and grown Saints he calls these Doctrines Foundations and therefore doubtless would not have them dig'd up but would have them build on these other and higher stories even to the laying of the top stone At present he only names them to shew what these Babes had attained to These six principles are as I may call them six portions of Milk which the Babes did eat and were nourished by the two first viz. Repentance and Faith are internal graces wrought and working in them the other four are proofs of this internal work the two first of the four viz. their submission to the ordidinances of Baptism and laying on of hands are proofs of their Conversion in the fight of men the two latter of the four viz. their practical belief of the Resurrection and eternal Judgement are proofs of their Conversion Repentance and Faith in the sight of God and these should not be separated for submitting to Ordinances without believing the Resurrection and eternal Judgement thereupon are no proofs of Repentance and Faith No for without this Faith the other is in vain and men are yet in their sins as our Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 15.12.17 And else what shall they do that are Baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then Baptizâ—d for the dead q. d. Baptism is in vain submitted to if there be no Resurrection When the very notion and design of Baptism is to denote the Resurrection from death Rom. 6.3 5. Col. 2.12 13. So on the other hand to believe the Resurrection and Judgement as the Jews did is no proof of Conversion without submitting to Ordinances of Baptism c. Therefore when our Saviour bid his Disciples Preach the Gospel 't is thus he that believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 Well then all these principles conjunctly are the discoveries of the Babes attainment of all which I shall now proceed to speak in order as they lie in the Text. Of their Repentance from dead Works REpentance is the first Milk which they suck take in and best of all digest they repent not only for but from dead Works i. e. such works as they do who are dead in sins Ephes 2.1 2 3. They escape the gross pollutions which are in the world through lust The other portion of Milk viz. Faith is of more hard digestion with them and stays long in their mouth before they let it down For saith the Text 't is but Faith towards God it is but in motion and tendency rather in fieri than in esse in acting than acted and this not so much and properly towards Christ as towards God not excluding Christ but that they have less still in exercising Faith towards Christ than towards God But as to Repentance they are better skill'd and able to act it at a better rate than Faith In relation to this there are three things which I shall do 1. Shew that this is the first Milk that Babes eat And 2. That they are better at eating this viz. Repentance than Faith 3. The nature of Repentance and how Babes act it 1. That this is the first Milk they eat which will the better appear by considering who
Baptismes may not refer to the Baptizing of Gentiles as well as Jews and laying on of hands also refer to both a thing which the Jews could hardly bear I submit to the consideration of others As to our present purpose not to meddle with Controversies I do conceive that by these two things is noted in general how Babes do submit and give up themselves to the obedience of such institutions duties and ordinances as they are capable and convinced of And further than this I shall not handle the Doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands and this all agree in Babes do submit to such ordinances and duties as I say they are capable and convinced of for of all they are not nor are they required at their hands till in a capacity What ever Doctrine comes under the name of strong meat they cannot bear Our Saviour would not put meat into Babes mouths no more than men would put new Wine into old Bottles and therefore they were not put upon fasting for want whereof in part they could not cast out one kind of Devils Mat. 17.19 21. till Christs departure and the delcent of the Spirit Mat. 9.14 17. This duty of fasting how formally soever used by the Pharisees is a duty too strong for Babes to be put much upon Our Saviour had many things more to say which they could not bear till the Spirit came upon them Joh. 16.12 13. they could hardly endure the doctrine of Christs death Matth. 16.21 22. they understood it not Luke 9.44 45. nor the doctrine of his Resurrection Mark 9.9 10. nor that of his Ascension to the Father and Intercession for them Joh. 16.16 18. which are the strong meat that grown Believers feed upon as they also afterward did Rom. 8.34 they were while Babes exceeding sorry at these things Matth. 17.22 23. which yet were to turn to their greatest joy after they came to a riper understanding of his Love and design herein as Christ told them it should Joh. 16.19 28. and so strong Believers find it Rom. 8.34 39. he had some things also to tell them by way of Command as that they should go and Preach to the Gentiles Baptize and lay hands on them also which as yet they could not bear and while they were under this weakness their first Commission was but for the Cities of Judaea Yea after Christs Ascension Peter himself was not convinced but by a Vision that they might go to the Gentles and 't was a matter of great admiration to the Jewish Converts who generally were but Babes that to the Gentiles God had granted Repentance to life Acts 11.18 and as they were Babes in point of gifts for they were to do greater things after Christs Ascension than they could before Joh. 14.12 viz. such as we read of Mark 16.15 20. which was much beyond both for the persons to be Preacht to and things to be done by them in the first Commission Matth. 10.1 so were they Babes in grace also they were but of little Faith Matth. 6.30 they were very carnal in their apprehensions of Christs Kingdom as if it had been of this world they were very dull of hearing the Doctrine of his death c. as was toucht even now there was much strife and envy among them and a wrathful spirit calling for fire from Heaven they were forward to promise but not so to perform for they could not watch with him one hour c. by which it appears they were as carnal and but Babes not capable of strong meat for Doctrine or duty What they Babes are and what they are not capable of or able to bear I shall not undertake to determine only this I am sure of that they are not to be received to doubtful disputations if that be the meaning of the place Rom. 14.1 of which I think the Margent gives a better account But now what they are capable of and convinced of that they submit to and act accordingly Acts 19. There were Disciples that had not heard whether there were an Holy Ghost or no but as soon as they were convinced they submitted The Disciples were not convinced of the Messiahs Offices but in the general notion without distinct apprehensions of the manner and way of restoring the world and therefore till after his Ascension which proved theirs too they had asked nothing in his name Joh. 16.24 26. Christ indeed had declared his Fathers name The Lord gracious and taught them to Pray Our Father and tells God that they had kept his Word and believed that he came out from him as sent by him Job 17.6 8. but a more particular Faith in him and praying in his name was to be taught by the Spirit and were things they were not yet convinced of The great thing I have now to do is to shew how and after what manner these Babes attend upon Ordinances and do their duties which alas is in a very poor low way the weaknesses whereof God overlooks and accepts their will for the deed and better than that many times 1. They are more at duty than in it and use Ordinances much but make little use of them and if I may so speak are very full of duties but little dutiful very little comes of all their attendance upon and addresses unto God they are where and as they were still little earnings do they make God knows They drive a great trade at hearing and praying c. hear precept upon precept and line upon line heap duty upon duty but are very bunglers at it and unprofitable after it Like young children that make many meals eat all the day long and spoil as much as they eat they mangle and crumble what is set before them and dwindle away their time without feeding Thus it was with the Hebrew-Babes they did eat and eat yet were alwaies in need of milk they do not cannot walk in the strength of their meat as the Prophet did but are hungry again presently the Word profits them little because not mixed with Faith they have a bad digestion and as ill a concoction so that though they eat much they are lean from day to day The Disciples who heard Christ Jesus Preach so often were yet like the Hebrews dull of hearing and ever and anon were to know the meaning of this and that very plain and easie Similitude and Parable with which Christ taught them and understood not this and the other saying They were so unacquainted with praying that they must needs have a Form of Prayer or a Directory set before them Though the Jews fasted often yet to God not at all or very little they abound in performances and keep on the road and round of duties yet make no riddance not work of it there is little Faith in their believing little love in their loving little obedience in their obeying there is much of quantity but little of quality there is a great bulk of duties but little of Spirit
flesh to free from this fear Heb. 2.14 and instead of it to bring in the Spirit of Adoption 2 Tim. 1.7 Gal. 4.4 5. and so 't is spoken of Rom. 8. to bear them up against sufferings which they were under as appears by Vers 15 18. and accordingly 't is mentioned to encourage Timothy notwithstanding others Pauls or his own suffering 2 Tim. 1.7 8. And 't is observable that since the death of Christ and the pouring out of this Spirit the Saints many of them have been as desirous to die as before under the Law they were most of them afraid or loth to die Well then in the general the Gospel state is as far advanced beyond that of the Law as liberty is beyond bondage and courage beyond fear as to them that have received not simply the Adoption but the Spirit of it SECT 2. A Continuation Position 2. THE Spirit of Adoption is an addition a superaddition to Son-ship under the Law they were servantsons but now they are Son-servants they have the Spirit of Sons saith the Apostle Now ye are no more Servants but Sons viz. you that have received the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 7. They are Sons as all Babes are before they have this Spirit of Sons to cry Abba Father Indeed when God is pleased to translate a Babe into an higher Form and to place him among the little Children this Spirit of Sonship or Adoption doth begin to exert it self before it have a clear and full witness thereof but ordinarily as among the state of Babes though they be Sons yet there 's little of the Spirit of Adoption but much of bondage appears in them so that the Spirit of Sons is an addition to Sonship as Gal. 4.5 they received the filiation and Adoption and after that the Spirit Vers 6. and so by degrees they came to call Abba Father So Rom. 8.14 they are called the Sons of God and upon being Sons received the Spirit of Sons or of Adoption Vers 15. they were Sons before they could call Father which they could not do but by the Spirit of Sons or of Adoption Position 3. The witness of the Spirit of God comes upon not barely the son-ship or Adoption but the Spirit of Adoption for it bears witness with our Spirits viz. them of Adoption for our natural Spirit doth not bear witness that we are the Children of God 't is our Spirit of Adoption doth that and with and thereunto doth the Spirit of God bear witness The Babes are Sons but have not the spirit of Sons and therefore have not the witness of Gods Spirit or assurance but assoon as the Spirit of Sons begins to put it self forth then usually doth the witness of the Spirit joyn it self to it Position 4. Upon the witness of the Spirit which gives assurance that they are the Children of God which was doubtful before because they had only the single witness of their own spirit and yet that left them not without hope I say then doth such a soul cry out aloud with freedom and boldness My Father my Father Abba Father it might hope this before and faintly and brokenly indeavour to liâ—p out Father before but now it opens its mouth wide and speaks My Father 'T is observable that the Spirit of Adoption whereby we â—y Abba Father is called the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 such as was in Christ who did but once My God my God alwaies pray to God with the Appellation of Father and once Abba Father Mark 14.36 and all these after he had received the witness of the Spirit that be was the only and beloved Son of God Matth. 3.17 So when we have the witness we do not only think or hope that God is our Father but with confidence and assurance a Plerophorie of Faith we draw near to God and cry Abba Father which we cannot so freely do before we have the knowledge of the Father to be ours and that we are his Children So then the Spirit of Sons and the witness of the Spirit of God therewith is not the Babes or Servants but the Childs portion and their that are above their Form viz. the Young men and Fathers and henceforth they are taken from being Servants into the glorious and noble liberty of the Children and friends of God Rom. 8.19 21. Gal. 4.7 Joh. 15.9 Position 5. To have the Spirit of Adoption and the witness of the Spirit thereunto whereby we cry Abba Father is a choice and transcendent priviledge to have the Adoption barely seems I consess to be an advance beyond their Son-ship under the Law as 't is Gal. 4.5 As if they though Sons were yet Sons of another denomination and nature viz. servants or servile sons yet to have the Spirit of Adoption is more than Adoption and to have the witness of the Spirit is more than the Spirit of Adoption for from hence is our boldness to call and cry Abba Father 'T is the height of Gospel glory to converse with to enjoy and obey God as Children do a Father Though the Sons under the Law were under bondage 't was yet a state of more freedom than other Nations and people had but this is a state of liberty glorious liberty 'T is a great advance and preferment to pass from servants to friends Joh. 15.15 to pass from Babes to Children from as carnal to spiritual I and to have not only the Spirit of Christ without which we are none of his Rom. 8.9 but to have the peculiar Spirit of his Son an Emphatical distinction â— whereby as he did we do cry Abba Father which the other that are Christs and have the Spirit of Christ cannot do without this special Spirit of his Son In relation to this priviledge I shall 1. Prove that 't is a great and glorious one 2. Shew wherein the glory excellency and sweetness of it is SECT 3. Proving this to be a glorious priviledge THat to know the Father as I have spoken of it is a great attainment and glorious priviledge will be evident by these following Considerations or considerable proofs to begin with the Old Testament 'T is Prophesied of in the Old as the glory of the New Testament The Prophecies of the time and world to come the Messiah or Gospel dispensation were glorious far beyond their present injoyments and the Prophets were more Seers in respect of what was to be than of what was so the Apostle tells us expresly 1 Pet. 1.10 12. and when the day dawns and the day-star ariseth in our hearts it supersedes the Prophecis they being then know in accomplishments so that we may say with a little alteration as Joh. 4.39 42. Many believed because of the Prophecies which testified of these things but more believed because of his own word and now they may say We believe not only because of their sayings but because we have heard and selt him our selves 1 Joh. 1.1 3. and know that this is indeed the
but against God which goes most to my heart and if God pardon me what 's that to thee is thine eye evil because God is good and gracious may he not do without thy leave what he will with his own Lastly 6. Satan to stop thy mouth I have an Advocate with the Father both his and mine Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for my sin 1 Joh. 2.1 2. Thou hast nothing to lay to the charge of Gods Elect for he justifies Rom. 8.33 Canst thou condemn seeing Christ hath died yea and is risen again he died for our sin and is risen for our Justification Rom. 4.25 yea he is at the right hand of God and appears in Heaven for us and ever liveth to make Intercession for them that come to God by him and so saves perfectly and to the utmost what hast thou to say to this away Satan for I have heard a voice a loud voice saying from Heaven Now is Salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of the Brethren is cast out which accused them before our God day and night but they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and loved not their lives unto the Death Rev. 12.10 11. This shall suffice to have spoken to this thing from whence a fair way is open to proceed in to shew what is meant by their having overcome the wicked one where I am to shew what the notion of overcoming doth import and in what sense and how far they have overcome the wicked one CHAP. VI. What is meant by their overcoming the wicked one TO their being strong and the Word of God abiding in them this is added that they have overcome the wicked one viz. the Devil That it is so needs no proof for St. John's saying so is witness enough And we know that his witness is true Joh. 21.24 That therefore which we have to do is 1. To shew in what sense they have And 2. how and how far they have overcome the wicked one To overcome is a word that is used in a Forensick and in a Military sense as it refers to the Court and to the Camp 't is a Law term and a term of War in a legal or Court sense 't is to overcome by right and justification to be cleared and justified as to any charge and indictment laid against them to overcome in a Military sense is to conquer by might by dint of Sword which in the School sense is to overcome by force of Argument In the first sense to be cleared and justified is to overcome as appears by comparing Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 in the Psalm 't is that thou maist be justified and cleared in the Romans 't is that thou maist be justified and overcome now in this sense not only the Young men but all the Saints are conquerors and do overcome that is there is no condemnation but justification to and for them Rom. 8.1 with 33 34 38 39. though they are condemned by men yet justified by God as Christ was put to death in the flesh but justified in and by the Spirit Though the Devil accuse yet Christ their Advocate pleads for and to their justification and they are freed in foro Dei in Gods Court which is a relieving Chancery against the cruel Sentences of Common Law so that nothing separates them from the Love of God in Christ To this sense speaks also the 1 Cor. 15.57 1 Joh. 5.18 But in the Military sense 't is that we are most specially to understand the conquest and overcoming spoken of these Young men in our Text they have overcome by meer strength of the word and Faith so that they not only overcome him as justified from his charge and indictment but overcome his temptations by dint of Sword i. e. by strength of Argument from the Word abiding in them If the Devil plead sin and guilt they plead Christ and his satisfaction if the Devil witness against them that they are not they produce the witness of the Spirit that they are the Children of God and so overcome him So that the Young-man is a double conqueror by right and might by Word and Sword at the Bar and in the Field they overcome by strength of Faith or believing in Christ or rather by the strength of Christ believed in But then How and how far have they overcome the Devil is not slain he is in being still and hath a power of tempting still how then is it said that they have overcome the wicked one may not the Devil rally and recruit again may he make no more onsets on the Young men To this some make Answer thus that the Praeter Tense is put for the Future q.d. you shall as certainly overcome as if you had overcome while the Word of God abideth in you you shall never be overcome and so do overcome and may be said to have overcome So the called of God are said to be saved because they shall be saved 1 Cor. 1.18 with 2 Tim. 1.9 So Christ is said to have yea saith that he hath overcome the world Joh. 16.33 when yet his conquest was not compleat till his Resurrection and Ascension nor is fully and wholly so till all his enemies be made his Footstool So he saith Joh. 17.4 I have finished the work thou hast given me to do when as yet he had not died which command he was to obey having received it from his Father Joh. 10.18 Many other places are spoken at this rate to denote the certainty of what shall be 't is said to be done because it shall be done So say they here the Young men have overcome the wicked one i. e. they are to fight and though the dispute be so hot and fierce as that to a stander by it may be doubtful whether the Young men will overcome the Devil or the Devil them yet 't is so sure that they shall overcome that 't is said they have overcome But though this be often true and may be admitted as a truth here yet I doubt not but there is a reality and not only a figure in the speech they have overcome they are conquerors and have obtained victory already I shall therefore shew how they may be said to have overcome the wicked one in the Scripture sense as to what is past the incounters that have hitherto been between them When the Devil is resisted he flees and so is for the present conquered as he fled from Christ and was conquered as so that battel Jam. 4.7 1 Pet. 5.9 He who attains to do that which he is exhorted to attains that for which he exhorted to it so that being exhorted to resist the Devil that he may flee they find that when he is resisted he doth flee and so is conquered for that season Beside they stand and keep their ground which is a further expression of
it set forth the greatness of the Victory I now proceed to shew the signs and tokens of this Victory and so make way for the young mens triumph CHAP. X. The tokens and signs of the Victory PErhaps some will be apt to say That this is but a Romantick story a kind of Knight-Errantry 't is but for talk and discourse where are the erected Pillars and the trophies of honour that should witness the Victory where is Goliahs sword and head where are the spoiles and the booty the signs of their victory But hear ye despisers and wonder for we have not brought to you a fiction or a cunningly devised fable but words of truth and power as shall be yet further evinced And seeing we have formerly paralleled the Temptations which Christ did and these Young men also did undergo and conquer after the witness of the Spirit received we shall now parallel the signs and tokens of their respective victories When our Saviour was tempted and the Devils thrust put by and his argument defeated he wholly waves the assuming of it and shifts his ground as not able to stand upon it nor to it which is one sign of his being so far conquer'd He attempts the second time another way but with no better success and therefore sounds a parle and comes to treat which is another sign that his Forces fail'd him when he can do no good no evil this way neither he doth not only retreat but run away asham'd as one that flees in Battel as 't is said of them a Sam. 19.3 so that the field was left to Christ Jesus and thereupon the Angels came and ministred to him i.e. did him homage as to a great conqueror singing and celebrating his praise as we have cause to believe After this our Saviour went in the power of the Spirit into Galilee like a conqueror that had won the day and night go where he would as 't is remarked concerning him Luke 4.14 15. Though the Devil attempted to invalidate the witness of the Spirit yet he went in the power of the Spirit and that Testimony ever after it being not at all weakened by the encounter but went up and down teaching his Gospel and giving forth his Laws yea delivering Captives c. as it follows Vers 18. See Luk. 11.22 But it seems the Devil departed but for a season for he came again Joh. 14.30 't is true but pray observe that he never attempted with the former weapons again never disputed Christs Son-ship again but falls to down-right persecution without â—inding any thing in Christ whereof to accuse or wherefore to condemn him as the Devils own Judge even Pilate himself declares in open Court once again But here also Christ was too hard for him for though the Devil bruised his heel yet Christ brake the Devils head according to the first Promise Gen. 3.15 by dying he did destroy him that had the power of death viz. the Devil Heb. 2.14 and accordingly keeps the Keys to this day Rev. 1.18 so that the Devil was hugely out in his Politicks and was never so much defeated as now since he was a Devil for when Christ was Crucified he spoil'd principalities and powers triumphing over them Col. 2.14 15. So that now the Saints need not fear either Law Death or Devil Heb. 2.14 15.1 Cor. 15.55 57. Yet further our Saviour not only rose from the dead and so was declared to be the Son of God with a non obstante notwithstanding the Devils guard kept the Sepulchre but he ascended on high and rid in triumph through the Devils principality the Air of which he is Prince and as the Devil could not hinder him from ascending to the Father so nor his gifts from descending on men another token of his victory and triumph then then 't was that he led Captivity Captive Ephes 4.8 9. I might now draw resembling tokens of the Victory of our Young men the Armor-bearers of Christ who slay after him but I shall not stay to shew these parallels which may easily be observed by the Reader I will produce only â— me as evidences of their Victory They stand firm and fixed and lose no ground nor strength for ye are strong saith the Text and the Word of God abideth in you after this war and in the power of the Spirit and his Word of witness they as our Saviour did go about their work and imployment finishing that as he did which the Father hath given them to do and so glorifie him on earth The very Angels become ministring Spirits to them Heb. 1. ult They have their journals to shew how and where they conquer'd his broken weapons and defeated arguments they carry away as spoiles and come out of the Battel inrich'd with experiences which with their Prayers to God for them they distribute as so many gifts unto their Brethren as Paul did 2 Cor. 1.4 6. and these are no small signs of their hitherto victory no to mention the Devils flight As to what may be hereafter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sufferings which attend them from the envy of a defeated Devil these also they overcome by not loving their lives but being faithful to the death Rev. 12.11 and 2.10 none of these things move them Acts 20.23 24. for in as well as after these things they are more than conquerors Rom. 8.36 37. They are of so great and noble Souls and spirits that they accept not deliverance but expect and shall obtain a better Resurrection Heb. 11.35 And this perseverance to the end is often called overcoming in the Epistles to the Seven Churches I now go on to shew the conclusion of the whole matter viz. the issue and success of the Victory as to their after frames and Conversations CHAP. XI The result of the Victory as to their frames and Conversations BEsides what flows from their having the witness of the Spirit which is the same with that of the little Children of which before there is a further influence from this victory which almost doubles their joy love and obedience it being another witness as it were or a confirmation of the former an assured assurance 1. It fills them with joy and rejoycing in the Lord that of him they make their boast and to him they give the glory all the day long They rejoyce not only as the Disciples did that the Devils are subject to them but that their names are written in the Book of Life Luke 10.17 They triumph in the praises of God and say Thanks be to God who hath given us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ When they erect an Altar the name and Motto is Jehova nissi the Lord my Banner and the Lord my strength 't was he that taught me to fight and gave me the victory Not to us not to us but to thy name be all the glory They set up their Eben-Ezer saying Hitherto the Lord hath helped us They rejoyce in the Salvation of
and the Sons righteousness in our eyes that we may be nothing that God and Christ may be all in all that we may admire the God of all grace glorifie his Son Jesus for ever and for ever The best admirations are those which spring from knowledge and assurance ignorance is the Mother of but saint languid piteous devotion but that which flows from knowledge is strong and vigorous and therefore doth the Spirit bear witness that our admirations devotions and adorations may be such 'T is to indear God to us that we may love him the more and serve him the better that he may be not only the dearer for his mercy but dearer than it and we may live to the praise and glory of God in righteousness and true holiness in this present world that is all the daies of our life yea and that to come too in Eternity I might add that this witness designs to wean us from this world that we may put the scorn upon the lust of the eye and flesh and pride of life and live above above the grandeur and gallantry pride and pomp pleasures and prettinesses of this world I say that we might live above where the way of life is to them that are wise so wise as to have their affections and conversations in Heaven Thus it follows upon our Text 1 Joh. 2.15 where he bespeaks the Fathers Young men and little Children Not to love the world neither the things that are in the world upon this very account that if any man love the world the love included in the knowledge of the Father is not in him he doth not know the Father So that if any conceit themselves to be Children of God and yet admire themselves grow proud wanton and worldly minded they deceive themselves for they have not the witness of nor this witness from the Spirit Gods Children are of another world while in this and they that know him to be their Father live like men of another world in this Psal 73.25 Phil. 3.20 Heb. 11.13 16. And hence there is fair way made for me to pass on to the third part of this discourse viz. to shew more at large the result of this knowing the Father or that by the witness of the Spirit they are the Children of God as to the priviledges and the injoyments of this attainment of the little Children CHAP. III. Shews the priviledges and injoyments of the little Children in knowing the Father in four Sections SECT 1. HOw upon having received the witness of the Spirit they do triumph over the Law Sin the world and present enjoyments I have declared long since in a little short Discourse in Print called the Triumph of Assurance being an Appendix to the first part of my Orthodox Paradoxes to which I refer the Reader and proceed to discover other the priviledges and enjoyments of these assured ones Which priviledges must be more than ordinary or common because to know the Father is more than common knowledge and the more excellent the knowledge the more excellent the enjoyment is whether it be in kind or but only in degree That which I shall chiefly instance in is the great priviledge dignity and honour of being able to cry Abba Father by the Spirit of Adoption received into and witnessing in our selves not barely Adoption nor only the Spirit of Adoption but by it to cry Abba Father is the great thing I shall instance in according to Rom. 8.14.15 16. compared with Gal. 4.1 7. Now whether the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father be the same thing with the witness of the Spirit whereby we know the Father i. e. that we are his Children or something precedaneous to it or something succeeding it and following thereupon is a great question in so critical and nice a thing we need be wary and cautious Yet with all humble submission I shall speak what I think to be most clear and evident in this case which I suppose to be this viz. that the Spirit of Adoption may in part and a little precede the witness of the Spirit as the dawning of the day doth the Suns rising to our view withall that more of it may come and appear together with the witness but especially and chiefely that most of all as to exercise use and comfort doth flow from the witness after the receit thereof that is the Children of God who are led by the Spirit do act most in and by the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father after they have received the witness of the Spirit whereby they know the Father and that they are his Children For the better clearing hereof I shall from comparing Rom. 8. with Gal. 4. lay down several gradual positions all which well considered will not a little contribute to the deciding of the question according to what I have already hinted Position 1. These Texts with several others do discover the great advantage and dignity of the Gospel state beyond that of the Law under the Law they were Sons and Heirs but under age i. e. Babes Gal. 4.1 The Heir as long as he is a Babe so the Word is and Vers 3. So we while we were Babes so the word is there also which we render Children yea they were Sons by Adoption or by grace Acts 15.11 for none have been the Sons of God any other way since the fall of Adam But under the Law they were under a Spirit of bondage more than of Adoption and differed not from servants Gal. 4.1 were under bondage Vers 3. and received not the Spirit of Adoption till the redemption by Christ was over Vers 4 5. and till they received the filiation or Son ship by Adoption thus manifested they had not the Spirit of the Son crying Abba Father Vers 6. and after this they ceased to be servants Vers 7. that is they ceased to be Sons and Heirs as Babes only which differeth nothing from a Servant Vers 1. and became Sons and Heirs of God through Christ Chap. 3. from 23. to the end The state under the Law was a Law of bondage the Law is called A yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 and they under it were under a spirit of bondage which in the genuine and proper sense of it is a weak slavish and cowardly spirit of fear opposed to that of power love and a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 This spirit of bondage is usually interpreted to signifie a slavish frame of heart whereby the Jews like slaves and superstitious persons did serve God out of fear and this I shall not deny their religion at the best was called The fear of the Lord yet I shall add this unto it that they did serve God not only from fear or out of fear but that they were afraid and under bondage though they did serve God their service did not free them from fear They were afraid of suffering Death and Hell notwithstanding their Services and Sacrifices for Jesus Christ took