these Sacraments and nature of these seales what rivers of comfort must needs flow into the heart of him who rightly partaketh them Look as Princes grave their owne portraitures in their seales sitting in state upon their Thrones invested with their royall apparell adorned with their Crownes and Scepters So the Lord Jesus Christ in these his Signets hath lively represented himselfe in his death conquering triumphing and leading captive all our enemies and even trampling them under our feete But Princes can grave nothing on their seales but their dead Images Not so here For in these the very person of the Lord Jesus is given us as being not onely represented but presented and exhibited to the faithfull The body of Christ feeding and strengthning the blood of Christ washing and more than wine cheering up our fainting spirits is there offred and given us who reach out the hand of faith to receive him Now how hee should be unhappy who hath Christ or misse of comfort whose soule is filled with the Lord Jesus it is not possible to conceive But let us consider them a little severally Baptisme is that Sacrament wherein God applyes the bloud of Christ to wash us from all the pollution of our sin and to communiâ—â—te unto us his own glorious purenes Let us therefore take some notice first as well of the filthinesse of sinne as our filthinesse by it and then of this excellent purenesse Certaine is it that our created understanding cannot find power in it selfe to conceive much lesse words to expresse the infinite loathsomnesse of sinne Hence is it that in Scripture the wisedome of God resembleth it to all those things which are to our senses most abhorred sinne to stinking mudde a sinner to aswine wallowing in that mire sinne to a loathsome vomit a sinner to a dogge licking up his vomit in a word sinne to death a sinner to a rotten carkasse and his throat to an open Sepulchre exhaling and belching out stench and putrefaction so infectious that one sinne entring into the world tainted and slue the whole world with sinne turning Saints into swine Angels into Divels so loathsome that even both the materials of man in the very touch defile and the most pure and holy duties passing through a sinfull heart are altogether abhorred and abominable It staineth the very righteousnesse of the Saints who are not on earth yet absolutely clensed from it so that in it selfe it is no better than a filthy clout This is our estate from which by Christ applied unto us in Baptisme wee are delivered Secondly ponder well what is this image of Christ which Baptisme imprinteth upon us It is even the Divine nature that glorious beauty of holinesse which in God the blessed Angels above all other attributes admire and prayse Esa. 6.3 Surely if any thing can be in God more excellent than other then holinesse is it As the face is in the body so is holinesse in the Lord the very beauty of the Divine Nature And as a passionate Lover is even ravished with the presence and sight of his beloved so is it the compleate happinesse of the creature to behold that face of God shining with that ravishing bewty of holinesse Men sweare by the greater but because none is greater than God therefore God sweareth by himselfe but in himselfe by nothing that I remember but his holinesse Oh then how unspeakeable is the comfort of this holy Ordinance which clensing us from such a filthinesse washeth us into such a beauty Againe the Lords Supper is that holy Mysterie wherein the Spirit perfecteth this worke which hee hath begun in us and throughly assures us Christ. Looke as when the wax is hard the first impression changeth the forme and makâ—th some though no perfect print of the Image ingraved in the seale so that Image of God which by Baptisme is stamped upon us but by reason of our sinfull hard hearts as yet in part onely is by often applying the Lord in that other Seale more perfectly expressed and more lively pourtrayed in us So being entred into life by Baptisme wee are nourished by the Lords Supper and more strengthned till wee attaine unto full growth and ripenesse CHAP. XII Meditation in these comforts given in the Sacraments NOw here againe let us commune with our owne hearts and say Why oh my soule art thou so distracted and rent with doubts and distrustfull feares Hast thou not the seales of Gods Covenant for thee yea in thee If hee will doe thee good shall any creature bee able to hurt thee If he will knit my heart to him in his feare what shall separate it from his love Oh be perswaded for which thou hast so strong evidence and assurance That no tribulation nor anguish nor life nor death nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to seperate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now therefore cast thy burthen upon his truth leane and stablish all thy hopes upon these his sealed Promises Oh let perfect love cast out all distrust and feare Assure thy selfe hee will not nay in his truth cannot faile thee in such assurances How should not he pitty his owne though never so weake life in thee who pittied thy death in sinne How should hee hate thee now his childe who loved thee once an enemy Oh my God as thou hast given me an eye in some measure to see my sinfull filthinesse so hast thou given me an heart in the same measure to loath my selfe so polluted and filthy Lord thou hast made mee to know and I desire with more feeling to acknowledge that I am beyond measure beyond mine owne apprehension in nature horrible and lothsome my roote rottennesse my stalke corruption my fruit contagion more vile than the earth I tread on more polluted than the dung I scorne to tread on But oh incomprehensible heigth depth bredth and length of thy grace those thine infinitely pure eies could even then with compassion behold this unmeasurably impure and infectious mire when no eye pittied me when I had no pitty on my selfe even then hadst thou compassion on me When I was cast out as the execrable and loathsome dunghill of the world even then dâ—ddest thou not despise me I was dead in sinne stinking in the grave of my lusts yet even then didst thou say unto me Live Thou washedst mee with the water of life the Blood of the Lord Jesus annoyntedst me with the oyle of thy gracious Spirit and diddest set thine owne beauty upon me Thou hast nourished me with the true Manna That bread of heaven which giveth life unto the world And daily dost thou vouchsafe to renew mee after thine image and to strengthen thy life and nature in me And now my God is there any thing like this to be like to thee Oh what an honour what a Crowne is this unto me In all other
we shall come to that general assembly and the Church of the first-born which are written in heaven Now then when wee here converse and conferre with them it cannot but be a great delight and refreshing to our soules And the more because in all occurrents and occasions they will furnish us in any duty In receiving of any blessing how shall we see their hearts swell and their lips overflow with all thankfulnesse How doe they melt in humiliation and swimme in teares How doe they sharpen their voyces in fervent petition In any desertion what expressions of longueings What sighing pining mourning How doe they fill their mouthes with insinuating arguments to wooe the Lords returne and regain the sense of his favor giving him no rest till they feele the joy of their salvation restored CHAP. X. The application of this comfort by meditation HEnce also may an afflicted Spirit take words unto it selfe and say Why doe I thus vexe mine owne heart and disquiet my selfe in vaine Doe I not still enjoy the holy blessed Word of my God Is there any losse which it doth not richly supply Can I be poore who possesse those precious Promises Can I be miserable who attend on the posts of his dores and heare him If I lose father mother house lands have not I a promise of an hundred-fold for the present beside that eternal life to come Mar. 10.30 If I am in any distresse have I not a promise that when Father and Mother forsake mee he well take me up Psal. 27.10 Have I not his command to cast my care upon him Psal. 55. 22. and his promise That hee will care for me 1 Pet. 5.7 Have I not his word that he will never turne away from me to doe me good that he will rejoyce in mee to doe me good His promise is that I shall want nothing that is good and his word is good as good as his deed How then shal I be destitute of any good blessing who have the Promise of this life and the life to come Why then oh my soule art thou cast downe and troubled within mee Is not that immortall seed of the Word cast into thy heart Doth it not still abide and remaine in thee Yea though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death I will feare no evill for thy rod and staffe comfort me Is not thy Word my way a way leading mee to life a lamp in the way enlightning mee and a Guide with a light directing me a burning light quickning my frozen heart when it is dull a sweete Companion refreshing me when I am weary Is it not a plaine way an even way a cleane way a strait delightfull and pleasant way Diddest thou ever oh my soule tread one step in it but that thou foundest some precious Jemme and Jewell What treasures of knowledge and wisedome of faith hope love and every rich grace have there offered and even thrust themselves into thy hands Oh what lovely fellowship what heavenly company what sweet and ravishing conferences have and doe I there enjoy No sooner stepped I into that path of faith butâ— instantly that Father of the faithfull went before me and with an hundred sweet comforts drew me on to those his steps that walking in the same faith I might obtaine the same blessing When I entred into the tract of Godly sorrow and true Repentance how cheerfully did that weeping Marie leade and conduct me When I set my foot into the way of heavenly love how fervently did that most zealous Apostle draw mee after him See see how many glorious Saints see oh see the King of Saints and glory thy gracious Saviour in every good way directing sustayning cheering and even carrying thee along to that heavenly Paradise What my soule Shal those three Easterne Sages when one Starre alone leading them to Christ then a poore despised Infant went before them shall they rejoyce rejoyce with exceeding great joy And wilt thou or for very shame canst thou hang downe the head when so many heavenly lights when the Sunne of righteousnesse himselfe comforting thee with his owne and such his Starres presence and chearefull beames leadeth and conducteth thee to that inheritance of light and infinite glory Oh then thou eternall Word Way and Light who hast brought my feet and entred them into thy Word a lightsome way settle me yet more deepely in it that my heart may stand fast in thee my way Put thy Word into my mouth that my mouth ever talking of it may grow fruitfull in edification Oh cleare mine eies with this true heavenly light that I may behold with joy the light of thy countenance CHAP. XI Comforts sealed up in the Sacraments IT hath also pleased our gracious God to adde seals to his Word That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye wee might have strong consolation Certainly every word of God is infallible Heaven and earth shall passe but not a word that he hath spoken God hath not therefore annexed seales to his Covenant that it or his purpose but that our weake hearts might bee strengthned and confirmed How unspeakable is this comfort that the Lord should be so farre from despising our weake faith and disdaining our poore soules strugling under unbeleefe that hee should yeelde to our weaknesse and underprop it with these powerfull abetters of his truth Hee might shake the head at us when hee seeth so little credite given to his Word but hee rather strengthneth us with these sacred mysteries which are to us as the hand of Christ reached out to Peter to save our wavering soules ready to sinke through unbeleefe The Covenant of God is I will be their God and I will not turne away from them to doe them good but will put my feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from mee Yea I will rejoyce over them to doe them good The consolationsâ— flowing from this Covenant thus sealed how strong how full For first throw downe a man thus sealed up in this covenant of grace from all the joyes of this world into a very hell upon earth Had hee lost all his substance children health of body nay peace of soule also in some measure as Iob yet may hee thence with strong comfort infallibly conclude That this estate is good for him nay best for him For God is faithfull and his Covenant sure beyond all possibility of deceiving or being deceived who hath promised and sealed his promise to doe him good to rejoyce over him in doing him good Hence the faithfull soule will build this conclusion and rest upon it It is good for me to be thus afflicted It is good for mee to beare the yoake in my youth Oh if my faith were as strong as my sense I should taste much more sweetenesse in Gods goodnesse than bitternesse in his affliction Againe especially when wee consider the matter of
endowments every creature may excell me Stones more durable Plants more vegetative Beasts more sensible even Divels more wise and understanding But herein hast thou magnified thy grace toward me thy abject Creature that I excell other workes of thy hands in that wherein thou my glorious God excellest thy selfe that thou hast printed thy holinesse thy Divine image and beauty upon me and crowned me with thy glory and honor Rejoyce then oh my soule in the Lord and dance for joy His grace hath prevented and farre out-runne thy wishes As the first Adam lost all his happinesse by his ambitious desires to bee like unto God in knowing good and evill so the second Adam hath restored all happinesse by satisfying our ambition in making us like himselfe in loving good and hating evill The life and estate which thou enjoyest in Christ the nourishment of that life and the assurance of that estate equalleth and transcendeth thy most ambitious desires and wishes Rejoyce then in the Lord againe I say rejoyce for the world is thine things present and to come are thine life and death are thine nay the Lord of life is thine thy portion the seale of thy portion and of thine inheritance in glory CHAP. XIII Comforts arising from Prayer A Third Ordinance of God in which hee yeeldeth us much consolation is Prayer wherein whether we consider the privilege which wee enjoy namely that we dust and sinfull ashes may speake unto the glorious Lord of heaven and upon all occasions at any time of need boldly through Christ approach unto his presence and make all our wants knowne unto him or the power and efficacie of Prayer that we never speake in vaine but prosper in all our suits what can bee a greater consolation to an afflicted Spirit What Hath God opened an eutrance for us unto his grace through the meditation which is in Christ Hath he set out the Sonne of his love to be our Intercessour Clothed him with our infirmities that he might be an high Priest for us mercifull sensible and tender of our weaknesse Hath he appointed this Angell of the Covenant to incence and perfume our praiers with his most fragrant mediation so to bring them into his presence Hath hee exempted no time but made every howre every minute a season for this holy Ordinance so that the oftner wee come the more welcome and the more importunate our suit the more sweete and pleasing Hath hee not permitted but commanded Call upon mee in the day of trouble and instantly promised and I will deliver thee Hath he not bid Aske ◠and assured us you shal receive Doth hee wish us Be carefull for nothing but in all thiugs let your requests be shewne to God in prayer And because we know not how to pray as we ought hath hee given us his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and to make intercession for u◠with grones which cannot be uttered And can any man want comfort who enjoyeth this privilege of Gods children and of the favourits of the King of heaven But some perhaps will reply here Doe not wee see many Saints complaine and have not I found by experience that God doth not alwayes grant what wee aske Ans. The Rules here of that Ancient Father are good Sometimes God giveth in wrath what is asked of him sometimes denieth in love And againe The Lord is gracious who often giveth not what we aske that hee may give what wee should aske And yet againe God alwaies heareth us not alwaies our wils but alwaies our profit God giveth the Israelites flesh in wrath and with store of flesh leanenesse of Spirit He giveth a King in anger when they aske him but hee denyed Paul in love that hee might keepe downe his heart from rising in pride and stablish it with sufficiency of grace Sometimes our Children aske of us things which are no way good and sometimes they aske things that are good but out of due time wee give them neither Thus often doe we and therefore receive not But fully to answer this objection we must by no means forget that in all petitions there is both a generall intention and purpose of asking good and a desire of some particular which we suppose to be good but through our dulnesse in understanding and want of a discerning Spirit may bee good or evill Againe wee must remember that in God there is an infinite wisedome which clearely and perfectly discerneth what either in it selfe or to us is evill or good Now then if the Lord should satisfie us in our mistake granting the particular which we cōceive to be good and he knoweth evill and so should deny us the good which he knoweth we intend and purpose this under a seeming grant were a plaine denyall whereas the contrary seeming a deniall yet is and wil hereafter plainly appeare to be an evident grant though not of that which wee ignorantly aske yet of that which in truth we desire Certaine is it that by reason of our great ignorance in asking every faithfull Christian prayeth with al subjection to Gods will and wisdome so we are taught as well by precept Thy will be done as by practice Not my will but thy will be done and as certaine that what wee so aske we shall without faile receive For hee that gave Christ unasked to us when we were enemies will not deny any grace when hee is entreated to them who are reconciled in Christ and aske in his name This then is sufficient for a Christian that he first knoweth that God hath willed and decreed to give him Christ and with him all good things secondly that whatsoever he asketh according to that will he shall without all faile receive 1 Ioh. 5.14 CHAP. XIV An Answer to some further objections BUt some weake dejected Christian will bee ready to reply All things indeed are possible to him that beleeveth but alas I have no faith to pray True it is that prayer is but the speech of faith And how can they call upon him in whom they beleeve not Faith saith that excellent Father gives life to prayer and praier gets strength for faith For answer let an humble soule well consider how a man with griefe should sensibly feele want of faith if he had not some faith to give him sense and feeling How should spiritual sense be without life or spirituall life without faith As he in the Gospel first found his sight in the defect of it that hee saw men like trees So might weake Christians easily discerne some measure of true faith even in this griefe and complaints for want of faith Againe we shall easily perceive in these Complainers much detestation of sinne not onely in others but especially in themselves and passionat desires to glorifie God in all faithfull service And from what root can these fruits arise but from that faith which purifieth the heart Some others
principall act of saving faith without which the other profit nothing that action of the will letting al goe and taking hold of Christ for salvation choosing him as the supreme good and happinesse and bringing him to his heart whereby he is washed and purified And hence blasphemously imagining Christ to bee but as a cloake for his sinnes he pleasantly dreames of obtaining grace without any trâ—e repentance or change of the whole man Hence the promises of God thus by himselfe abused are welcome and a false joy followes a false hope But the command of God much more the threatning word and reproofe for breach of the command is grievous to him and insupportable hated as cords as bonds as death and the very Crosse. For esteemiâ—g his lusts to bee himselfe and indeed he is little else he accounts himselfe in them wounded fettered and crucified when his lust is restreined he is imprisoned when his sinne is pierced his very heart is wounded when his corruption languishes he faints and is dead in the nest and with as much joy will he goe to the Gallowse as to that Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to him and he unto the world See this exemplified in that noted hypocrite Herod The preaching of Iohn as of Christ and all his Messengers Mar. 1. 14 15. consisted of two maine points Repent and Beleeve Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand and Behold the Lomb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 Now it is easie to finde what in the preaching of Iohn this incestuous beast hard so gladly Is it any marvell if such a wretch fancying a remission of sin without forsaking sin impunity by Christ should with much joy heare of such a Savior as he blasphemously supposed But that other necessary part of the Gospell Repentance rising from faith Let every one which nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquitie this hee hated and the Preacher of it to the death Now then had it beene the truth of God in which he rejoiced the doctrin of repentance forsaking sin would have bin as wel entertained as the doctrine of remission and pardoÌ„ of sin because both are equally the word of the same God but wheÌ„ we see the one received with joy honor of the messenger the other rejected with hate death of the speaker who discerns not that his joy sprung from that fond dream of his rotten spirit that though he walked according to the stubbornnesse of his own wicked heart he should have peace Most unlike is the joy of the faithfull hearer who loves the Word with a most entire unexpressible affection Oh how I love thy Word and therefore loves it because a word of truth and a pure word an unreconcilable enemy to all sinful filthinesse and when he heares that double promise the one of remitting the other of snbduing sinne when he heares of glory and holinesse he is as the Apostle in a strait and knowes not which to preferre esteeming the conformitie to the death and life of Christ brought in the Word nothing lesse then the fellowship with him in glory Take a further view of this in some instances The uprightnesse of Davids and Hezekiahs heart with God was seene in this For when that bitter reproofe touched the quicke David taketh all the blame upon himselfe I have sinned Hezekiah further confeâ—seth the Word not onely just but good Esa. 39.8 But Amaziah who did that in the generall which was right but not with an upright heart like his father David 2 King 14.3 discovers that hypocrisie of heart in rejecting the Word when it came neere and home to his sinne 2 Chro. 25.2.16 To couclude this point remember this palpable difference betwixt an upright and dissembling heart The faithfull loves rejoyces in that part of the word of God which the hypocrite hateth and in the selfe same respect the one detests grieves at it the other loves and rejoyceth in it why doth the rebuke of Christ sound as death to the dissembler but as the glad tidings of life to the upright In both because it is the trumpet of God to sound an alarum against sin that as the wals of Iericho it shal fall at this blast and be destroyed This very nature and effect of the Word that it is the Sword of the Spirit piercing every sinfull lust to the heart and mortifying these earthly members is the very cause why to the sound Christian it is a precious oyle and perfume to the dissembler as a reproach hee cannot delight in it Ier. 6. 10. CHAP. XXX Differencing the zeale and desires after Christ in the hypocrite and faithfull ANd yet further even in godly zeale and earnest longings after Christ the hypocrite wil seem to hold pace with the souÌ„dest best Christian he can be very zealous in divers things Iehâ— had a zeale â—or the Lord yet a transparent dissembler See 2 King 10. 16. 28 29 31. Hee tooke no heed to walke in the law of the Lord with all his heart Paul before his conversion and other Iewes all persecutors yet zealous of the Law of God Acts 22.3 Rom. 10. 2. And certainly for thaâ— holy Apostle it is hard to say whether before or after conversion hee were more fervent against or for Christ and his truth How zealous was the Pharises in the observation of their fore-fathers Traditions How zealous of old those false Teachers in abstinence Touch not taste not handle not how seemingly humble neglecting the body and giving it no honour c. So the Papists â—t this day with much shew oâ— zeale maintaine their traditions abstinence from flesh from marriage lying in haire-cloth c. But where is the difference 1. The Dissembler is very hot in some particulars which concerne Gods glory but hath his owne ends in them all and therefore when those ends faile is as cold in other things which are as or more needful than the former How zealous was Iehu against Ahabs Idols He rooted out the Baalims Not so much warme against Ieroboams Idols but served the Calves of Bethel whereby hee plainly uncovered his dissembling heart and manifested his hypocrisie to every eye 2. The hypocrites zeale is all externall flaming out in bitter termes against some other who dishonour God but never moved to see God dishonoured in his owne heart and actions But the faithful as they cannot but grieve and burne when they see others grosly offending blaspheming and provoking God so are they most vexed with their own though farre lesse rebellions and failings 3. Lastly the dissembler spends his heat in matters of no moment his indignation wil be much more kindled in the use or disuse of matters of indiffereÌ„cy then in the weightiest things of the Law or Gospell But the upright heart knowes well that there are some things in which he must contend earnestly for matters of faith even to
this day and much more abundant as if a man should seeke for Paradise under the frozen Poles for heaven in hell Now as nothing is more vaine then to search for comfort against the sorrowes of this world in this world of sorrowes so as fond were it for a Christian to rake out any comfort from the puddles of heathen and naturall men Their best Physitians and medicines can never possibly worke upon the part affected thâ—t is the Conscience The choice of them are but as Ioâ—s friends mâ—serable comforters Their barrennes in this fruit will yeeld us an excellent document how beggar-poore our nature is in any grace when we obserue what weake comforts those strong wits with all their studie and helpe of nature produced in the necessities of themselues and their friends Looke what difference wee finde in swoons and qualmes betweene hot water and small beere such infinitely more shall wee obserue betweene the consolatioÌ„s given by God in the Scriptures and naturall men in their writings See it in some instances As first against affliction in generall All calamities say they are either casuall and a wise man will despise chanceable events or else fatall such as by destiny are set out for us and therefore cannot be avoided but must be borne Now consider what vertue there is in such a plaister to heale the least scratch of any trouble Compare with this the comforts of the blessed Spirit .i. God offers himselfe to thee in affliction as a Father armeth thee with proportionable strength to passe through it clenseth thy defiled heart by this purging fire and purifies it from the drosse of sinne prevents eternall condemnation and embrightens thy heavenly crowne by it And what wound so deepe which these ingredients will not perfectly cure and skin soundly Come to particulars In banishment the Phylosopher will tell thee Every soyle is a valiant mans Country In disgrace and infamy It is but popular breath lighter theÌ„ ayre In death Cities say they States the whole world of men are mortall Now alas what strength is there in these weake reeds to beare up a soule plunged and even swallowed up in feare and horror Certainly if a man were sinking before these comfortours would be so farre from raising his dejected heart that they would rather utterly overwhelme and drowne it in all hopelesse perplexity But our great comfort maks us to see that here we are strangers and Pilgrims neither can we be exiled from God and from our heavenly Ierusalem and Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you and say all manner of evill of you Reioyce and leape for ioy for great is your reward in heaven Hee maketh us to know that death is buâ— a sleepe in the Lord a rest from all labouâ— which cannot separate from the love of God but uniteth us unto Christ. By these and such like the soules of the faithfull have beene revived and quickned in the midst of death and supported in spite of all opposition of Satan and his instruments Heathens then are Physitions of no value and all their Simples gathered from their naturall reason like to those of our Empiricks which perhaps will not hurt but certainly will nothing helpe us Therefore passing by these dry pits which will hold no water let us come to the spring-head even our glorious head the Lord Iesus who is both the Physitian and medicine of the broken heart and to his holy Ordinances the channels full channels of all heavenly consolation For I purpose not here to summe up all the Cordials which may refresh and glad an humbled dejected Spirit that must bee the worke of greater gifts and longer time Verely as the Bee drawes honey from every herbe eveâ— weeds and venemous plants so the faithfull Christian may extract comfort from all things even the most grievous and fearefull If he looketh up to heaven it was made for him here to light him hereafter to harbor him If downe to the earth it is given to the Sonnes of men especially the Sonnes of God as a Nursâ— of their temporall life and a bed in death All the Creatures are his nay death and hell yeeld him this comfort not onely that he is delivered from them but that they shall revenge him of his enemies and torment his tormentors But I desire to bee short therefore wil confine my selfe to narrower limits Now as in any great house there are not onely Cisternes retaining and by divers pipes conveighing water unto every Office but specially a living well or fountaine feeding these Cisternes So in the Church which is Gods house wee shall find certaine Ordinances of God wherein he layes up and whereby hâ—e conveyes these sweet refreshings unto our soules Afterward they will lead us on unto the Well-head that River of God nay Seas and Oceans of all consolation even the God of all comfort First therefore to omit many the Lord hath stored up for us bringeth home to us much comfort as well in other holy meanes as in affliction it selfe But as Nathaniel of Nazareth so some Christian perhaps will speake of affliction Can any good thing come out of evill CHAP. III. The description and distribution of Afflictions TRue it is that Affliction is of it selfe the very Spring of bitternesse worldly sorrow and death The naturall fruit of it is no other but murmuring cursing and desperate blaspheming but is wholly changed through the grace of God powerfully working in it Looke as the waters of Marah were very bitter yet whâ—n the Tree pointed out by God was cast into them they became sweet And as those Springs of Iericho flowed with death and barrennes yet were healed by Elisha with salt so when God seasoneth Afflictions with that Tree of Life who was himselfe consecrate through Afflictions and with that Salt of his Spirit he maketh them wholesome and pleasant The Crosse therefore is as some wine which though of it selfe it be tart unpleasant yet seasoned with a little Sugar it will not only goe down with delight but warme the stomacke and make the heart merry Now Affliction is nothing else as wee know but some evill and grievance pressing us either in body or soule drawn in by sinne and sent in by our just God in generall as an Herald of Armes to summon all men to lay downe their rebellion and come in by Repentance in particular a Messenger of wrath and beginning of hell to the reprobate and disobedient but an Embassadour for peace and the narrow gate to heaven to the Elect and faithfull Briefly to runne over this discription That Affliction is a grievous evill shall need no other witnesse but our sense yet further testified by that infallible Truth No chastisement for the present seemeth to bee ioyous but grievous That it is the attendant of sinne is evident Death entred by sinne and the wages of sinne is death
into this narrow way of affliction will safely lead us through it and bring our feet into a large place even the liberty of Gods children going along with us in all our evil and upholding us in it for our good and Gods glory Surely if the Furnace heated at once as for seven times could not consume the bodies of those stout Confessors nay could not singe a thred of their garments so long as the Angell of the Lord was among them what affliction or trouble shal hurt us when the Lord of Angels is with us nay in us supporting our weaknesse and bearing it out in all our troubles Lastly the many excellent delightfull fruits springing from this bitter roote will abundantly recompence and with great yea infinite usury repay all that evill which can possibly bee in any affliction First which before was mentioned The blewnesse of the wound serueth to purge the evill and the stripes within the bowels of the belly It purgeth out the old leven and maketh us a new lump Secondly the fire of affliction softneth our yron hearts and prepareth them for the hammar of the Word to frame us after the image of God and to set upon us the beauty of his holinesse It bringeth forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse Now what is there in all the world which if wee might wish and have wee would preferre or equall with this holinesse Neither should it too much trouble nay in some respect it should cheere us that we find inward terrors grievances doubts desertions buffeters of Satan we apply outward medicines to infants and weake ones but inward Physicke as it is given by expert Physicians to the strong so it worketh more strongly Inward stripes worke on the bowels clense the inward man this shaking rooteth our faith more stroÌ„gly and this disease of doubting occasionally seâ—leth us in more fulnesse and assurance of faith CHAP. VI. The application of this comfort by meditation NOw when we have well tasted and swallowed this Cordiall let us by some meditation and particular appliâ—ation labour to digest it and even incorporate this spirituall food into our soules For as it is with this earthly so is it with that heavenly fire of the Word it will soone bee extinguished or else lye dead uselesse unlesse it be blown up by meditation Thus therfore let the afflicted spirit confer and commune with it selfe Is it not my gracious God who reacheth forth this bitter cup of wormwood to me Commeth it not from his wonderfull love and faithfulnesse in his Covenant who promising to doe mee good hath therefore in my necessity tempered this potion for me My unfaithfull heart requireth it his faithfulnesse giveth it My dead cold heart and the sicke sinfull matter in my soule calleth for it his flagrant love his wisedome and compassion administreth it and shall not I then receive it If hee sent it in wrath should not I take it with humility and patience and if he reach it to mee in love and faithfulnesse shal not I receive it with chearefull thankfulnesse Oh shal not I drinke of the Cup which my Father hath given me Had it beene a Messenger of confusion well might I tremble and mourne yet not murmure but being an Embassadour of peace employed purposely for my Soveraigne and Supreme good and his glory shall I not make it welcome And will not hee worke his owne ends by it Shall noâ— this bitter root by his sanctifying power shoot forth that most pleasant fruit of holinesse and glory Oh thou ravishing beauty of Divine holinesse thou most excellent Image and nature of God! Oh thou unspeakeable and unconceivable happinesse with God in glory Shall any thing be unwelcome which bringeth you to me or carrieth me to you Were it water fire were it hell it selfe should I not passe through it to attayne you This light affliction bringeth with it a weight of glory This momentary affliction an eternall glory this despised affliction an excelling excellent glory and can then the root bee so bitter as the fruit delightfull Can I with a good will nay with pleaâ—ure eat a bitter or sowre sallat as helping to purge out some mellancholy humours and to whet the dull appetite and shall I not much more swallow this Pil which is bitter onely in the mouth but in the stomacke ful of sweetnesse and nourishment Nay are not all these afflictions being sanctified by God especiall evidences of my adoption and filiation through Christ Are not these stripes so many witnesses that I am his child And this smart a sure testimony that I am genuine and no bastard And with all the resâ— hath not he promised and assured me not to fayle nor forsake me but to uphold mee in it and bring mee through it and comfort me by it and glorifie me after it Have not all the members of that glorious body and the Head himselfe the Prince of glory beene perfited through afflictions Have they not all Head and members passed through this vale of teares this roaâ—ing wildernesse through many feares terrors grievous desertions crying out with strong cryes and bitter to him that is able to save them yet setting the joy before them have endured the crosse despised the shame and are now set downe in the glory of God Now therefore rejoyce my soule in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth patience and patience experience and expertence hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost who is given to to us Nay count thou it exceeding joy when thou falleâ—t into these temptations knowing that the triall of faith bringeth forth patience Onely thou oh my gracious God who scourgest every Sonne whom thou receivest receive mee whom thou scourgest Thou who chastisest where thou lovest oh love this poore soule which thou chastisest Thou who correctest not for thy pleasure but for our profit oh teach me to profit by thy correction Make my soule to partake of thy Sonnes holinesse and then lay on what measure thou seest good of his affliction Oh let me be conformed to his death and sufferings that I may bee conformed to his life and resurrection Gracious Father after thou hast crowned mee with his thornes crowne mee also with his glory CHAP. VII Comforts arising from the Word NOw as good Chyrurgians often heale some sores with lancing and cure with wounds so the Lord most frequently openeth some passage by affliction and maketh an issue for the sinfull corruption of our soules to drayne them and draw out the sinfull matter which is in them and maketh a lesser wound to cure the greater But as hee useth these lancers and corrosives so also hath he singular lenitives and anodynes to comfort and strengthen the wounded Spirit Three especiall meanes hath the wisedome of God set out for sovereigne Cordials to a sicke soule First his Word Secondly those holy
thou Eternall Truth which thou hast spoken I even I am hee that comfort you who art thou that thou shouldst feare a mortall man the son of man which shal be made as grasse Sure is it God cannot but be the greatest comfort to them whom enjoy him because he is the greatest good For even those heathens as truly observed that most judicious Divine and learned Father who consider him by the eye of the understanding and not by sense preferre him above all visible and corporall above all intelligible and spiritual natures Nor can saith heâ— any man be found who thinketh God to be that than which any thing can be better In this all men consent that they advance him above all things Let us therefore from this incomprehensible Sea of consolation draw out some especiall and particular comforts CHAP. XVII The more speciall comforts which are in God And first in the Father NOw as that glorious one God is distinguished into three persons so may we discerne in Scripture a threefold relation betweene us and every person full of unspeakable joy and sweetnesse God the Father vouchsafeth to bee our father God the Sonne hath undertaken to be our Saviour The blessed Spirit giveth himselfe unto us to be peculiarly and in more specialty our Comforter First then God the Father maybe considered in this relation either to God or the creature In the first kinde he is a Father onely to the Sonne by an essential communication of his substance In the second he is a Father either generally to all reasonable creatures by creation to Angels Iob 1.6 who are there called the children of God to men Thou art our Father and wee the worke of thy hands and hence Adam stiled the Sonne of God or else more particularly he is a Father to the faithfull by grace and that as well by adoption as by regeneration For the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ culleth out from amoÌ„g the families of worldly men those whom before hee hath predestinated and bringeth them into his owne family setteth out for them and instateth them into a portion of grace and inheritance of glory Read Gal. 4. 4,5,6 and Ephes. 1.4,5 and then by that immortall seed of his Word begetteth them to that divine nature Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us Of his own will the Father of lights hath begotten us It is altogether impossible in this land of darknesse to behold the infinite light of heavenly comfort which floweth from this relation For what comparison betweene any earthly estate and our adoption into heaven The children of Nobles and of the greatest Princes in revolution of no long time fall backe into as meane a condition as the lowest Ioseph and Marie lineally descended from David a great and potent Monarch how soone could they slide downe in the current of this world into a very low estate Hee a poore Carpenter Shee his Spouse Thus is it in all earthly creatures Looke as in plants many little threeds grow up into a bigge roote and that shoots forth into a strong and mighty body which yet being divided into many armes and branches at length endeth in small twigs So is it with all the glory of this world gloriously it seemeth to glister for a short time in a fleshly eye and to flame and glitter to the admiration of silly men but as it is blowne up from a poore sparke so it quickly sinketh into a little dust and ashes But in this spirituall estate there is no measure in the glory or time but as their Father and elder Brother so are they Kings for glory unspeakeable for durance eternall For when the Almighty All-wise God accepteth and adopteth us for children unto himselfe he entreth into an everlasting Covenant with us of grace and love and bindeth up our unstable starting and warping soules in the bundle of life with a double tye first of his love to us secondly of our love to him I will never turne away from them to doe them good yea I wil delight in them to doe them good and I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Doe but consider what Spring-tides of infinite consolations flow into our empty soules from this Sea of comfort Certainly children recejve some comfort from bad parents much more from good But what earthly comfort can that child waÌ„t which is in the power of maÌ„ to give whose Parent aboundeth in love wisedome and riches Were a Father onely loving or onely rich or wise onely yet even from any of these â—ingle in a parent some benefit would be reaped by the children but when they all meet sed with much evill in this world nay are any men so full of wants and griefes Surely they neither want any true good or are oppressed with any thing which indeed is evill whose wants on earth are richly supplied with excellent treasures of grace and glory and evils of sense made fruitfull in all spirituall blesâ—ings For this is an especiall privilege of Gods children that as the wicked are ever cursed even in their blessings Mal. 2.2 so the faithfull are ever blessed even in earthly curses all things working together for their good and that they know Phil. 1.19 Doe but observe what a strong foundation is here laid for every faithfull Christian to build up his soule in unspeakeable comfort and to solace himselfe even in his worst estate Can any reasonable man deny but that such a condition is good comfortable nay best and most happy for a man which commeth to him from infinite love assisted with infinite power and wisedome Now then thus will a faithful Christian conclude in his most grievous affâ—ictions crosses Have not I a sure word and infallible that all these things come unto me not only from Gods power aud wisedome but from his love He maketh the heavens by his wisedome In wisedome hath hee done all his workes Come not all his chastisements from love from his fatherly love So againe an afflicted soule will hence cheere up it selfe in the midst of all troubles Howsoever these grievances are bitter in the mouth and seeme when they are tasted by sense and carnall reason very unpleasant and evill yet indeede if I better consider them their nature looking on them with a spirituall eye I shall discerne nothing but an outside and shew of evill but full within of much sweetnesse and precious treasure As that Heathens staffe which hee dedicated to his Idoll made of horne without but within filled with gold or as some fruites bitter in the rine but pleasant in the pulpe of them So is there here an appearance of evill covering a world of good when I have taken away the paring I shall taste the fruit very delightfull and wholesome they seeme messengers of death but they bring life they
seeme full of sorrow yet cause much rejoycing they threaten poverty but fill with riches The evill is in seeming onely but the good and profit reall It was a prerogative not proper to the Apostle but common to all the members of Christ that they are as dying but certainly nay eternally living as sorrowfull yet alwaies rejoicing as having nothing but indeede possessing all things Read 2 Cor. 6. 9,10â— CHAP. XVIII Applying these comforts by Meditation NOW when wee have throughly beheld considered and by faith applyed this truth to our hearts let us by some short meditation stir up our fainting spirits and quicken them in remembraÌ„ce of this great priviledge given us by God Let us take words with us turne into our owne soules and say Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hath not the Lord commanded thee doubled and often repeated that command Rejoyce in the Lord againe I say reioice Reioice evermore none in earth with thee And hath not he said unto thee as to them I will not faile nor forsake thee And wilt not thou then conclude If Father and Mother and all the world forsake me yet the Lord will gather me up Hath not thy gracious Lord and glorious creatour adopted thee unto himselfe brought thee home into his house setled thee in his Family Hath he not cast into thy heart that immortall seed of his Word and so begotten thee unto himselfe Hast thou not found his almighty power put forth in this quickning word to raise thee up from that grave of lusts in which thou layest dead in sinnes and trespasses rotting and even crawling with the wormes of hell Is the Lord then of heaven and earth the Father of Christ the Father of lights become thy Father and canst thou want any thing that is good were there not much more good in this conflicting and afflicted state then evill nay were not this by his over-ruling hand coÌ„verted wholly to thy good how should it come from him who is infinite goodnesse to thee whom he hath infinitely loved True oh most true his love is better then life and nothing caâ— proceed from that love but good but I cannot see that love through these teares through this thicke cloud of earthly sorrowes But oh his love is not more sweet then evident see oh see it in his gifts He hath not spared his onely Sonne but given him to the death even to the cursed death of the crosse How then shall hee not with him give thee all things also He hath given thee his holy Spirit the life of thy life and his owne glorious selfe and can he with himselfe the infinite incomprehensible good give any thing which is not good Assure thy selfe whatsoever is given by and with him cannot but be through him good exceeding good beyond that which thou dost or canst conceive Now therefore remember It is his covenaÌ„t to do thee good Know then know it of a truth and throughly perswade and settle thy selfe in it that as now thou art under the rod because it is good for thee to be afflicted so when it shall be good for thee thou shalt rest from al thy troâ—ble and shâ—lt bâ— satisfied with abundance of peace Oh then my soule bee not thou of an hasty spirit For he that beleeveth wâ—ll not make hast Hâ—d Ioseph appointed the time of his deliverance Had the oppressed Israelites set out the limits of their AEgyptian bondage or those three young captive Champions prescribed their fiery triall how would they all have hindred their owne happinesse and Gods glory If my righteous Brethren smite me it is a kindnesse their reproofe is an excellent oyle What then is the rod of my heavenly Father but his fatherly love What his rebuke but a rich perfume and precious balme clensing my defiled nature preserving it from all fleshly pollution Rolle then thy way upon the Lord and hee shall bring it to passe wait upon his hand and remember hee is not alwaies chiding For a smal moment hee may forsake but with great mercies he will gather me In a little wrath hee may hide his face for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will hee have mercie upon me Oh then my heavenly father who vouchsafest to wait that thou maist be gracious to me give me power with patience to waite upon thy grace Thou who makest it thy exaltation and glory to shew me mercy oh give me an hart to attend thy mercy till thou receivest mee to thy glory CHAP. XIX Comforts taken from the second person of Trinity AS God the Father hath vouchsafed us that unspeakeable comfort and honour to be our Father so the Sonne yeeldeth us no lesse in that hee undertakes to bee the Saviour of all the faithfull and not in part but an entire and perfect Saviour from all evill For evill may be considered either in the roote or fruit of it and our Saviour hath utterly abolished both for us The greatest evill and the very root of all other is sinne and the fruit of sinne is principally as including al the rest the wrath of God and death Now our Lord saves his people first from sinne in being a perfect sacrifice Heb. 10. 14 and consequently a propitiation for all their sinnes I Ioh. 2.2 Secondly he delivers his people from wrath and the curse by bearing the curse and wrath for them In a word he hath redeemed the faithful from all enemies of body soule See Luke 1. 71. 74. Death Sinne and the curse of the Law hee hath swallowed up into victorie 1 Cor. 15. 55 56,57 But some weake Christian perhaps will here sigh out an objection How hath Christ delivered mee from sinne when I still finde this cursed law of my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captive to the law of sinne How am I delivered from death when nothing is more sure to me than death I dye daily Ans. First observe that the Apostle who in the person of the faithful uttereth those words was even then devered froÌ„ sin by Christ and gives thanks in the words instantly following for his deliverance Hence it is apparent that even theÌ„ wheÌ„ sin rebelleth in us nay by strong hand carrieth us captive wee are delivered from it delivered first from the usurping power and dominion of it whereby we were enslaved and served it with greedinessâ— and againe from the guilt of it It shall not bee imputed or accounted to us but wee reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.19 Insomuch that where the Apostle confesseth plainly his sins both of omission and commission yet in this regard hee dares confidently and doth truly affirme It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me Sinne in the faithfull is as sicknesse in the body getting up now againe and having overcome yet not
wholly freed from al incombrance of the disease Now as when our children through bodily distemper and sickly weakenesse cannot doe what they desire and endevour to doe and doe some things which they hate themselves and are to us offeusive we impute to them neither their omissions or commissions so dealeth God with his children Secondly as the Lord by Jesus the Sonne of Nun brought in his people into the land of Canaan and trod all their enemies under their feetâ— yet left some of the Caâ—anites among them for divers ends So is iâ— with us For all that story of Israels passage from Egypt to the land of rest is but as a type or picture of Gods dealing with all his Saints The Lord our God hath given us the true Jesus to lead us into possession of that heavenly Canaan our eternall life and kingdom of glory Now hee hath already entred us into that eternall life for hee that beleeveth hath eternall life and taken and holds possession of glory for us For in him wee alreadie sit in heavenly places He hath conquered our enemies and led them in shew triumph yet for some ends hath left some of these enemies and hath not yet fully destroyed them And as among that people some of those Ganaanits were reserved as enemies some as servants the former to prove Israel whether they would hearken to the Commandements of the Lord and to teach them warre the other to helpe them in some workes as the Gâ—beonites Iosh. 9.21.27 so hath the Lord in the faithfull left some of these inhabitants of our corrupt nature as well to teach us spirituall warfare as to prove us whether wee will cleave to him and hence is it that hee frameth for us and giveth us spirituall armour and commandeth us to exercise our selves in it And such are all our â—infull corruptions and rebellions as some also to serve us to doe some good office for us and such is death which is to us as those servants to the Prodigall appointed by our Lord and Father to pull off our ragges that wee may be clothed upon and as those who tooke from Iehoshuah his filthie garments and set a faire Diadem upon him As Haman to Mordecai who against his will clothed him with royall appaâ—ell set the Crowne-royall on his head and brought him into the presence of the great King Now then looke as it was with those Israelites and the fierie Serpents when God had by the sight of the Brazen Serpent cured them of their wounds and bitings especially if withall hee had pulled out their stings they might be truly said to bee perfectly saved from those Serpents although they were yet among them and did many wayes annoy and encumber themâ— So when the Lord hath not onely cancelled our sinne and healed those poysonous bitings of it but taken out the sting also of it that it shall not be able to kill we are said truly to bee saved and delivered already from sinne and death which still are enemies but not able to effect their malice or doe any evill to us which Christ hath not or will not tnrne to our eternall good and happinesse Surely then this truth that the Sonne of God blessed for ever is our Saviour is a privilege wonderfull especially if wee consider the manner how he wrought salvation for us Looke then first to his Incarnation wherein he fitted himselfe for our redemption then to his passions and exaltation whereby he hath pâ—rfected our happinesse and we shall finde unspeakeable consolations in every one of them First there is no Creature can boast of so glorious a prerogative as a faiâ—hfull man that God refusing the nature of Angels hath taken our nature into him and become man lâ—ke us in all things covered and troubled with the same infirmities that from the sense of them in himselfe hee might more compassionately intercede for us more effectually and speedily helpe us The Word was made flesh Ioh. 1.14 of the seede of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. and of David Rom. 1. 3. conceived in the wombe of a Virgine and borne by her Thus hee became one with us Flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone so nearely was this our nature united to him that as body and soule make up one man so God and man make one Christ that as the Word is sayed to bee flesh so the blood of that flesh is called The Bloud of God Secondly in this our flesh hee gave full satisfaction to the Justice of God by suffering in that nature in which God was offended This Prince of our salvation was consecrate through afflictions Hee gave his backe to the smiters his cheekes to the nippers he held not his face from shame and spitting Hee was attached bound accursed and condemned as an offender in whose mouth there was no guile by the same Iudg who knew and confessed himselfe innocent he was rejected by the heathen by his owne people abused mocked and scorned by all sorts nayled to the Crosse there dyed and after buried and not onely swamme through his owne bloud but waded through the fiery streame of Gods wrath for us Oh then if he hath loved us to his death how much more will hee love us to our life Will the Lord after all his sufferings lose the soule for which he suffered Or can he who thus loved us being then enemies that hee chose to beare off the wrath of God for us by drawing it on himselfe suffer any part of that wrath to fall upon us now that hee hath redeemed us to himselfe killed the enmitie and drawne our hearts to thirst longue and pine for him and his righteousnesse Thirdly that he might perfect us as hee dyed for our sinnes so he rose againe for our justification ascended into heaven and having received all power and authority sitteth at the right hand of God a continual Intercessour for us and shall thence descend with the shout of an Angell and the trumpet of God to raise quicken aâ—d receive us to glorie I cannot but here therefore insert that sweet meditation of holy Augustine in Psal. 148. From his heavenly Countrey hee brought all good things unto us and in our Countrey endured all our evils yet promised us that wee should be there from whence he came and said I will that where I am they may be also with me So wonderfull was his love that because hee was with uâ— in our habitations wee should be with him in his Mansions Oh mortall man what hath he promised thee that thou shalt live for ever And dost thou not beleeve him Beleeve beleeve It is more that hee hath alreadie done then that which hee hath promised What hath hee done hee died for thee What hath hee promised that thou should'st live with him It is more incredible that the Eternall should once dye then that a mortall should live for ever Now
losse of life and therefore will not faile to strive wrastle for the truth of God the faith given to the Saints but speÌ„d al his strength in such contention live and dye in defence of it In other things hee must not strive for Gods Church hath no such custome 1 Cor. 11.16 In the last place as in zeale so in earnest desires an hypocrite will seeme to run as fast to Christ to thirst long for him as the most faithfull For when the hard skin of his seared consâ—ience is flayed off by those knives of circumcision the sharp law of God and the terrours of hell gate upon his galled soule in the sense of these agonies he will value Christ as highly desire him as heartily as wel to the sight of others as to his owne sense as any true member of Christ What in the world would hee not give nay a whole world to purchase one drop of that precious bloud This goes very farre will some say can any Christian goe further Yes verily For the faithfull soule in the day peace continues still as highly and dearely to esteeme the Lord Jesus even after reconciliation when he heares the blessed Spirit speaking peace to him then hee esteemes all things dung and losse in comparison of the knowledge of Christ. Here the hypocrite leaveth him In the storme hee will runne as fast to Christ the rocke and refuge from the tempest of Gods wrath as any in faire weather hee makes no hast hee goes backe or stands still The one esteemes Christ as medicine onely and therefore in extremity of paine when he is sicke at heart whither wil he not send for him and though the pocion and prescription be grievous yet then it is forced down though hee send it up againe but as soone as he is a little cheered he loathes his Physicke The other knowes him to bee as well his meate as medicine and therefore in health when he findes his heart assured of salvation longues and hungers for him and his righteousnesse The one desires him for justification in the day of wrath to wipe off his reckoning and enter him into glory The other also for sanctification to clense him from sinne and beautifie his soule in the glorious image of God If the Lord would give the hypocrite free leave to take his pleasure in sinne without feare of judgement how would he rejoyce as in a great and speciall privilege hee would account himselfe as happy in his liberty to sinne as in his exemption from the reward of sinne But oh how wofull a captivity how lothsome a grave how base a drudgery miserable thraldome would a faithfull soule account of such a licence as much haâ—ing the filthinesse of sinne as the punishment the spirituall death as the eternall CHAP. XXXI Applying these things for removing tentations rising from conceit of hypocrisie NOw then seeing we know how farre an hypocrite may seeme to goe in the good way let us proceed to remove that wavering which beares downe many a weake Christian in a very painfull discomfortable estate I find two especiall temptations applied by Satan to shake the faith of a weake soule and to hold it in suspence that it cannot rise up to any strong consolation in the sense and feeling of Gods grace favor The first and chiefe is that whatsoever â—hey do is done in hypocrisie True it is they can heare the Word they can frequent the assemblies reverence the sincere Teachers of it invite others to the fellowship of the same grace rejoyce in the Word but all this saith the Tempter and truly may bee in an hypocrite and in themselves they thinke it is all no better than dissembling They have some zeale they confesse to the truth but an hypocriticall zeale some desire and longing after Christ but hypocriticall all is meere hypocrisie Thus they say thus they thinke Now let such a Christian 1. seriously consider that the subtle Serpent doth not onely tempt men to presumption but also to distrust as is apparent in those assaults by which he set upon our blessed Saviour As hee allures him to a presumptuous casting himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple because the Angels waited on him to lift and beare him up so also he laboureth to draw him to a distrust of Gods providence and therefore as the sonne of God to command the stones to be made bread See Matth. 4. 3. 6. And as the ignorant and carelesse worldling is the most ordinary object upon whom hee workes grosse presumptuous dreams of salvation those hee perswades God is mercifull Christ came to save all men and therefore when he heares the word of the curse he causeth him from these grounds to blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke after the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart adding drunkennesse to thirst thus he rocks him in a dead sleep of sinne As thus he workes grosse presumptions upon the carelesse and blinde professour so hee never pursues any with those weapons of distrustfull and unbeleeving feares but those who are either quite gone or now going or at least setting their faces to goe out of his AEgypt in travell toward the heavenly Canaan So then when hee assaults thee with this weapon know assuredly that Satan plainely discerns that God hath wakened and raised thy soule from that drowsie cradle of sinne in which hee so long had lulled thee in deep security Againe remember thy corrupt heart is very deceitfull not onely to hide up sinne in it and to flatter thee with faire but false hopes and so to breede pride and presumption but as cunning also to conceale any grace which is in it and so to affright thee with likely but false feares It will bee then a necessary point of wisedome not to give full and rash credite to either hope or feare but diligently to weigh thy estate in that ballance of the Word which is the truth and cannot deceive thee First then humbling thy soule by prayerâ— and intreating the assistance of that holy Spirit who is purposely sent that thou maist know these things which are given thee of God take a perfect examinâ—tion and triall of thy estate Thou hearest and frequentest the Word so doe dissemblers But doth an hypocrite or can he follow it with an heart hungring after perfect obedience Doth he desire to finde every thought subdued to the yoake of Christ Nay even then in his hearing his hart not steals away but with good leave and full permission goes after his covetousnesse or some other corrupt lust and resolves to keepe himselfe reserved in some things making and setting up in his heart a law against the law of God namely that he will not so be tyed to it but that in some things he will use his owne liberty Againe both a sound and rotten heart rejoyce in the Word But thou findest love to the word not in thy
dwell in Christ and Christ in us by that holy Spirit Hence also may a faithfull soule surely gather God himselfe hath most clearely testified that if I love the Brethren I am translated from death to life that I am borne of God and therefore love the children of God because being my selfe his childe I love my Father Christ hath set his badge and cognizance upon me in that love and that holy Spirit is â—hee which by his presence hath brought my heart into obedience of this precept Certaine then is it that this love to the Saints is proper onely to the Saints even to those whom God hath begotten by his Word saved by his death and sanctified by his grace Seeing then I finde this love to the Saints rooted in my heart that my soule cleaves to their persons delights in their fellowship admires their excellencies sure am I that the same grace which I love fâ—ourishing in others is planted in my selfe that their Father is my Father their Head my Head and that Spirit which dwels in them resteth on me and will abide with me forever CHAP. XXXIV Recollecting and applying these things by short meditation NOw then in the last place let the troubled soule in some inward conference underset and prop up his shaken faith by applying these assurances unto himselfe Say then in thy heart How long oh my soule how long wilt thou suffer this feare which hath torment to hold thee downe in continuall affright and vexation how long shall it keep out that spirituall joy which is thy only Paradise on earth Search oh my Spirit search ouâ— in these heavenly Records those sure evidences whereby thy Lord hath graciously convâ—yed unto thee this happy and blessed estate Are they not layed up in the middest of thy heart See here first divers strong assurances that God hath clensed thee from reigning hypocrisie that hee hath given thee a thirst of righteousnesse not onely a desire to know him but to walke with him in all sincerity of obedience That hee hath given thee an unfeined delight and joy not onely in the Promises but in every Commandement of thy Lord liking and heartily loving that purifying fire of the Word whereby thou art refined as gold and seperate from this sinfull drosse which is so mixed and incorporate with thee A zealous anger and griefe burning within thee detesting every sinne whereby thy Saviour is dishonoured and above all thine owne in which thou unthankefull wretch too often forgettest that incomperable incomprehensible love wherewith hee hath compassed and embraced thee A continuall longing after the Lord Jesus after his death that thou maist be buried in it after his resurrection that thou maist be quickened by it and not only justified in that other but sactifiâ—d in this life and renewed after that his glorious image and divine beauty True indeed my weake soule too true thou art full of infirmities very unfruitfull very unprofitable every one out-strips thee and those who have set out long after thee in this heavenly race are now much before thee But yet comfort thy selfe for even in this estate thy gracious Saviour leaves thee not altogether comfortlesse but still affords thee some token of his eternall love for seeing thy weakenesse thou art humbled within me and broken with griefe of thy barrennesse Remember that he as much delights in the low feat of an humble spirit as in the loftiest Throne of his glorious heavens But rise my dejected soule oh rise up in strong consolations and glorious rejoycings See here oh see thou hast an infallible evidence that the Father of lights hath begotten thee through the word of Truth and that thou art borne anew not of mortall but immortall seede the Word of God and therefore entred not into a corruptible but eternall life For seest thou not that seede of thy Father abiding in thee feelest thou not an unslaked thirst of that sincere milke of the Gospell not that thou mightst have it in thy mouth for discourse but in thy heart for growth growth in all obedience growth in all holinesse and perfection Behold also behold with joy unspeakeable Thy Saviour hath assured his victory unto thee and hath already throwne downe the dominion of sinne in thee It is indeed an enemy a strong a grievous encombring vexing and ah too often prevailing enemy but an enemy thou professest no obedience but proclaimest open warre to every sinne how much more will he who conquered it reigning subdue it rebelling in thee yea certainely the Lord Jesus hath set up his victorious Crosse in thee and he that now hangs out a flagge of defiance will shortly set up his banner of triumph trample all thine enemies and bruise under thy feet both sinne and Satan Consider also that the bleâ—sed Spirit the life of thy spirit dwelleth and continually worketh in thee It cannot bee that uncleane spirit the Prince of disobedience it cannot bee the spirit of the world or that fleshly sinfull spirit within thee which is ever washing thee from uncleannesse seperating thee more and more from the world and the corruption which is in the world through lust which drawes and frames thy desires and actions to all obedience unto the Lord Jesus which gives thee no peace in sinne suffers thee not to rest in any imperfection discovers thy corruption causeth thee to groane under it puts thee forward in thy race enflames thy affections and orders thy feet to turne out of the evill into the good way and to runne in it Dost thou not finde in thee an unfeyned love to the Brethren Doth not thy judgement highly esteeme them Doth not thy will doe not thy affections entirely love and honour them Doth not thy whole soule blesse them How dost thou cleave to them in heart How dost thou admire those that excell upon the earth in holinesse How doest thou delight in them and art ravished with their heavenly fellowship Looke now to thy evidence sworne by the Father written by the Spirit sealed by the bloud of thy Saviour Is not hee borne of God who loves the children of God Is not hee a member who loves a fellow-member Is not hee quickened by the same Spirit who is united in the same spirituall love to those who live walk in the Spirit Rejoyce then oh my sonle rejoyce in the Lord and in these assurances of his everlasting truth and favour Cast out this spirit of bondage this servile this tormenting feare Bring in that joy of the Spirit seat it in the midst of thy heart There let it abide there let it reigne making thee to delight in the Lord to turne and tune thy grones and sighs to hymnes and spirituall songs ever blessing him who never ceaseth to blesse thee to love his glory and glory in his love to serve him in joy and rejoyce in his service CHAP. XXXV Conâ—luding all with Prayer OH glorious Trinity of persons in the unity of one God draw mee nearer
into that holy fellowship that more than heavenly Fellowship which you purposed purchased and sealed to mee O Father of all mercies seeing thou hast accepted mee so poore miserable sinfull wretch and adopted mee seeing by that immortall seed thou hast begotten me to thy selfe make mee oh make mee greatly to longue after my Fathers house weane mee from my pilgrimage suffer me not to stay and linger in these vanities suffer mee not to do at upon vexation Thy bountifull hand hath given mee all things Things present and things to come all are mine Some are mine to use some to enjoy to use this world not abusing it to enjoy thy selfe and the world to come Oh then let me not seeke to enjoy those things which I should onely use lest I be held from those things which I should enjoy Give mee every day more clearely to perceive that I am on earth a stranger and so journer a Traveller toward thy heavenly Jerusalem teach me to cast behinde my backe what I know I must shortly leave bhinde me and set my face fully toward thee For what inheritance have I in the world What portion on earth Thou art my rich inheritance my All-sufficient God oh cast mee not away from thee thou Supreme good and highest happinesse so shal I never want any thing that is truly good and happy Oh my gracious Saviour my soule panteth after thee weary of this sinfull world more weary of this sinfull flesh chained miserably to this body of death and led captive after sinne it lookes up to thee and sighes after thee my glorious deliverer when shall I appeare in thy presence When shall this weather-beaten Tabernacle be dissolved to be builded up againe and fashioned according to that Temple of thy glorious body O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid thou hast broken my bonds Now therefore take and challenge thine owne Other Lords beside thee have had dominion over me but I will remember thee onely and thy name Cruell imperious and shamefull Lords have tyrannized over me and wasted my soule The false world and worse than it Satan and worse then hee Sinne their service slavery their wages death When I was theirs I was neither thine nor mine owne But Lord rescue the price of thine owne blood restore mee to thee and to my selfe Nay cut me off from my selfe that I may be grafted and abide wholly in thee empty me of my selfe that I may be filled with thee let me dye in my selfe that I may live in thee let mee bee nothing in my selfe that I may be all in thee Oh ravish my heart with thy beauty and teach me to abhorre the painted harlotry of this sinfull world unite my heart unto thee by faith and knit it fast in love And seeing thou hast sought up this lost sheepe and brought mee into thy flocke fold me in thy protection and feed me in these greene pastures till I rest with thee for ever Oh thou holy and blessed Spirit who sealest unto mee those precious promises apply powerfully this signet to my heart and seale it up in thy Covenant Open mine eyes and fasten them on Christ and those things where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Make mee to know and remember that I can lose no good thing so long as I enjoy thee Oh with all thy other graces I beseech thee speake peace to this troubled heart and give thy servant to heare what thou speakest Say to my soule The Father of Christ is thy father the Lord Jesus is thy wisedome thy righteousnesse sanctification and redemption I am thy life thy pledge and earnest of that purchased inheritance I am thy stay I am thy Comforter Feare not peace be unto thee be strong and of a good courage so shall thy weake Temple be strengthened so shall all earthly sorrow and tormenting fears vanish as a morning cloud and my soule shall ever rejoyce in thee my most mercifull God my most gracious Redeemer and sweetest Comforter Amen Amen FINIS Greg. Naz. Luk 3. 38. Acts 17.11 Ioh. 1 13â— â—â—es â— 8 Mat. 5 3,4â— 1 Pet. 1. 8. Psalâ— 89.35 Esa. 50.10 See 1 Sam. 35â—6 Psal. 77â—2 Nehâ— 8.10 2 Cor. 5. â—1 Lam. 3.24 25,26 Revâ— 2â—â—2â—â— Revâ— 3.17 Psa. 73â— 4â—5 â— Cor. 12. 10. Heb. 2. â—â— 18. 4. 15â— Mat. 23 â—â— Maâ—â— 11. â—â— 1 Ioh. 5. â—â— Mat. 10.38 Gal 3. 13. Tiâ—â—1 13 2 â—im 4â—â—â— 2 Sam◠〈…〉 Esa. 40. 〈…〉 Neh. 1. 10 11. Mat. 11.29 Esa. 50.4 Rom. 7.24 Psa. 119.32 Luk. 4. â—â—â— 1 The. 〈…〉 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Iob 15. 11 Mat. 7 16â— Proâ— 18,1â— Psal. 4.7 Lu. 1â— 19â— 1 Cor. 15 3â— Esa. 56 12â— Heb. 1â— 7 1 Cor. 10â— 13. Pro. 20.30 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2 Cor. 14.7 Heb. 11.13 Phil. 3.20 Mat. 5.11 12. 1 The. 4.14 Rev. 14 1â— Româ— 8.38 39. Phil. 1. â— â— Exod. 15. 23.25 2 Kin. 2.19 20,21,2â— Heb. 2.10 Heb. 12. â—1 Rom. 5.12 6.23 Lam. 3.39 Ier. 5 25â— Lam. 3.38 42,43,44 45. Amos 3.6 Esa. 45.7 Ier. 18.11 Amos 4â— 6 7,8,9,10 11. Ier. 2.30 Esay 15. Deut â—2 22 23. Act. 14.22 Eccl. 9.2 Iobâ— 6 4. Iob. 13.26 Psalâ— 51.12 Heb. 12. 6. Rev. â— 19 Psal. 89.31 32,33 34 35. Ps. 115 7â— Rom. 1.18 2 8â— Deu. 32.22 Ier. 15.14 Heb. 12. â— â— Psa. 119.67 Rev. 3. 19. 1 Pet. 4,12 Iam. 1.2,3 Heb. 12 1â— Rom. 5.3 4,5 Iam. 13â—â—â— Lam. 3.19 20. Mat. 26.31 33. Ioh 21.15 2 Cor. 12.7 See Rom. 8.16.17 2 Cor. 4.17 Exod. 9.16 1 Cor. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 1.4 Iob 13.15 16.18 19.25 Acts 12. Psal. 4.8 1 Sam. 28. 20,21 1 Sam. 16. 14. Heb. 12.10 11. 2 Cor. 4.17 Rev. 16.9 Hos. 10â—8 Rev 6.16 Ier. 32â—40 41 Ier. 5. â—3 Heb. 3.12 Heb. 12.10 Lam. 3.33 Canâ— 1.1 Psal. 63.3 Cant 5 1â— Mat. 5. 11 12. Heb. 12,7 Heb. 12. 8. Heb. 11.25 Isa. 105â—19 Dan. 3. 1 Pet. 1.7 Iob 23. 10 Dan. 3. Pro. 20.30 Ier. 23.29 Ioh. 18.11 Heb. 2. 10. Heb. 5.7 Heb. 12.2 Rom. 5 5. â—am 1.3 Psal. 11â— 50.92 Psâ— 119.103 Pro. 25.25 Rom. 15.4 1 The. â— 18 Psal. 50.4 2 Tim. 4. 1,2 2 Cor. 1.4 5 6. Genâ— 37.15 Eph. 6.17 2 Cor. 10. 4,5 Psal. 23.1 Luk. 10.42 1 Pet. 1.23 24,25 1 Ioh. 3. 9â— Pro. 23.5 Esa. 5.14 Pro. 31.30 Psal. 90.10 Psal. 39. 5. Esa. 59 21â— Pro. 8.9 Pro. 4.18 Psa 19.8,9 Luk. 3.5 Ps. 119.103 Psa. 19.8 Pro. 3.17 Rom. 4. 18 19,20 Heb. 11.25 26 27. Luk. 7.47 Rom. 10. â—5 2 Cor. 5.14 â— Cor. 12. 15. Phil. 1.22 23,24 Iobâ— 13.15 Iobâ— 23.10 Hebâ— 12.1 Heb. â— 11 Luk. 24,25 Heb. 12,12 Eccl. 12. â—1 Ier. 2.31 Mat. 16.9 Heb. 12 5. Ier 17. 9. Heb. 3.12 1 Kin. 3.3 Gal. 4.15 18. Gal. 1.6 Rev. 2 3â— 4 Deu. 5.27 9.12 Luk. 24.32 2 Sam 12. Psal. 119. 32.50 Heb. 12 23â— Psal. 51. â—2 Pro. 8.34 Ier. 32.40 41. Psal. 34. 9 10â— 1 Tim. 4.8 Psal. 23.4