that the Lord requires and if ye pray unto God for them Look to the sixth Commandment and see whether or no thine heart doth not often rise in anger against thy neighbour without or for a very small cause and thy mouth doth not break out into miscalling of him yea perhaps in cursing him which is the very height of murther And remember what our Saviour saith He that is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgement Or whosoever shall say to his brother thou fool or any thing as ill as this is in danger of hell fire Consider also the seventh Command and remember how it also is to be extended to thy heart and to thy speeches and so meets with all thy unclean thoughts and unclean speeches And look how thou hast carried and doest carry thy self in the other points of sobriety in thy drinking in thy eating a point certainly that many fail in and few consider yea and in thy wearing Consider the eight Command and see if perhaps thou hast not wronged thy neighbour in his goods but how hast thou imployed thy own how wilt thou clear thy accounts to him who will take account of the talents he hath committed to thee hast thou not spent much superfluously and unnecessarily when the members of Jesus Christ have been like to starve for want Look to the ninth Command which forbids thee to speak to the disgrace of thy neighbours name whether it be true or false that thou speakest for love should cover imperfections and we are commanded to do as we would be done to And see the propension of thy heart to break this Commandment nothing so incident to us as in our discourses to fall upon our neighbours imperfections and to talk of them with delight a signe we want that love which is the summe of all As for the tenth Command those that see any thing cannot but see that body of death I have gone briefly through the Commandments touching onely these things that I think people are most guilty of so to lead you to the knowledge of sin without which there can be no humiliation no repentance no amendment I beseech you take heed to the particulars and apply them to your selves and pray the Lord more and more to give you the eye-salve and to open your eyes that ye may see the wonderfull things of the Law that ye may see what is displeasing to him and dangerous to your own souls II. Secondly having thus applyed the Law to your selves for the knowledge and discovery of sin Then in the second place apply the threatnings and curses of the Law to your self for your humiliation and to this end consider the severitie and greatnesse of them the universalitie and extent of them they are certainly exceeding great and fearfull they extend to the body to the minde to the temporal and spiritual care of a man to this life and to the life to come and they are very fearfull in all these respects Consider chiefly the universalitie of these threatnings in regard of their object every one great and small young and old he or she are lyable to the curses of the Law we should consider this for we are exceeding prone to make an exception and to blesse our selves in our hearts when God curses and to slip the choller But what saith the Scripture Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things c. And tribulation and anguish is on every soul that dâ—th evill c. We should also consider the truth of him that hath pronounced these threatnings even God that cannot lye Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jâ—t of his Word shall passe away Now all this is little enough to move us for we are wonderfully given to this to shift the threatnings of the Law off from our selves although we cannot deny that the Lord is true that hath pronounced them yet indirectly our unbeleeving shifting hearts do it like those of whom the Prophet Jeremy speaks Chap. 5.12 They have bolyed the Lord saith he and said this evill shall not come upon us What else do they that walk in their sins and yet think that the threatnings of the Law shall not over-take them but even give the Lord the lye And again although the threatnings and curses of the Law be so generall and univerfall as ye may see Deut. 29. the Lord fore-sets that there shall be some and alas would to God that the most part were not so who when they hear the curses of the Law shall neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts and shall say I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart how many are there of this kind that ban swear and drink and rail and break the Sabbath securely and yet neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts think that no such thing shall overtake them all secure sinners are of this sort O but what saies the Lord to such a soul The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses of his book shall come upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name under heaven O that secure finners would consider this But what shall I say of the slownesse of men and women to beleeve the Lords threatnings the curses of the Law they are so senslesse and stupid that when they see them executed upon others yea when they feel them upon themselves diseases upon their bodies grief upon their minds c. yet they conceive not they consider not that it is by vertue of the Lords threatnings that this comes upon them so to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God This the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 5. sets down to have been the senslesse condition of the people of his time Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast confumed them but they have not received correction And he concludes Surely they are poore they are foolish they know not the wayes of the Lord nor the judgement of their God This is a lamentable case and yet a common case we should pray the Lord to save us from this senslesnesse They are happy that when adversitie comes upon them get grace from God to acknowledge it to be for their sins and so humble themselves and are not condemned with the wicked world for so they prevent the wrath which is to come But happie were we if we would beleeve Gods threatnings without feeling of them for then we should prevent afflictions also would we judge our selves we should not be judged c. Now there be two things especially that stand in the way and hinder the threatnings of Gods Law from having their due operation upon the hearts of men and women and makes men and women to be secure notwithstanding of the peremptory threatnings of the Law And I beseech you take heed unto them that ye be not also lulled
the hardest condition that can befall it for what are other crosses which are to be but for a moment what are other comforts so long as the main iâ— wanting that soule hath more then good reason cheerfully and carefully to serve the Lord who hath bestâ—wed so precious a pearl upon it but alas I misse all or the most part of these Marks and so my case is most dolefull p. 188 Indeed I may justly accuse my self that my praying hath not been so frequent nor so fervent so constant nor so earnest as it ought to be but I have often prayed and as earnestly as I could and find but little increase either of Faith it self or of these Marks of Faith p. 190. I dare not apply the Covenant the promises to my self I think they do not belong to me although very sweet in themselves and that because I fiâ—d not these Marks in me which are in Gods children now the promises belong onely to such p. 198. 205. 248. Wâ—ether our good works and sanctification of â—ife be a sâ—fficient ground and Mark of assurâ—â—â—e p. 200 I have spent all my daies in sinning so that justly I may fear that the day of grace is expired the doore of mercy is shut p. 213 I continually slide back to the same sins daily p. 215. Many are called but few are chosen why may not I be of the number of these p. 219. But you will say although the Lord will not be the first yet when we break with him as we do continually will not the Lord then as he may most justly break with us and so alter the Covenant p. 244. I hear that upon my repentance I shall have accesse to this precious Covenant though after 70. times 7. times sinning yea infinitely often for Gods wayes are not like mans wayes but are above them as far as the heaven is above the earth which is very comfortable and also that the Lord will take pains with me to bring me to repentance will visit me with the rod c. O but what if I continue in sin without repentance if I be not to be reclaimed no not by rods and so fall away altogether p. 228. But may it not be objected that this doctrine of the surenesse everlastingnes and steadfastnesse of the Covenant is ready to faster security and to prove an obstruction to Christian obedience p. 249. When I consider this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant surely I must think them happy that have propriety and interest in it but I fear that I have none p. 251 O but I am so unworthy guiltie sinfull gracelesse I cannot think that it belongs to me p. 252 O but this Covenant promises that I shall have a new heart be cleansed from my filthinesse c. those things I find not hence is it that justly I doubt that the promises of remission of sins belongs not to me seeing the other promises of sanctification be not accomplished p. 255. O but I fail in these two I cannot beleive nor pray as I should and therefore I fear to come short of these precious promises p. 261. O but I am so unworthy that I dare not beleive it belongs to me so gracelesse and so full of wants so full of by-past guiltinesse of present sinfulnesse p. 264. O but I want the condition that should be on my part I cannot beleeve I cannot repent how shall I then lay hold on the Covenant for remission of sins seeing it is at what time a sinner repents the Lord will do away his iniquities p. 264. THE TOUCH-STONE OF CONVERSION OR The Marks of true FAITH 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Q. WHat are we to consider to stir us up whereof our selves are so slack and so secure to discharge this so necessary a duty diligently and without delay A. I. You should seriously consider the dolefull and dreadfull case of those who want this true and saving faith which certainly if truly beleeved throughly seen and duly thought upon is a most fearfull and lamentable condition for it is full of sinfulnesse and guiltinesse They be the slaves of the devill Ephes 2.7 yea of sin which is worse then the devill Rom. 6.16 they be the children of wrath Ephes 2.13 Now who knows the power of his wrath even in this life Psal 90.11 besides that which is to come 1 Thes 5.10 They have the Lord who is infinitely good kinde mercifull and gracious the fountain of all goodnesse not onely to be a stranger unto them Ephes 2.12 which is lamentable as depriving them of the interest of all sort of good things and favours but which being duely considered is most dreadfull they have the infinitely holy just powerfull soveraigne God for their unreconciled Enemie Col. 1.21 which makes them lyable to all sort of judgements Or clearly to set down unto you the fearful estate of those that want this true faith they are without the right and interest of all blessings spirituall temporall or eternall and they be lyable to all sorts of judgements spirituall temporall and eternall if their eyes were opened to see it First I say they be without right or intrest to any blessing or favours for for spirituall favours they be altogether strangers from them they are strangers from the Covenant the promises without Christ or God in the world Ephe. 2.12 For temporall blessings they may well have the possession of them but 1. without right to them because they are without Christ 2. Without any assurance of them because they are without the promises 3. They but tend to their conviction their table is a snare to them and so all things else as all evils work for the best to Gods children so all good things work together for the worst to them and for eternall blessings and everlasting happinesse they shall be without being debarred from that celestiall Jerusalem Rev. 22.15 they shall come short of the glory of God Rom. 2.23 they shall be holden at the gate of Heaven when they shall come from the East and from the West sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of God then shall they be thrust out Luke 13.28 As they have not interest in any sort of Gods blessings and favours as being strangers from him so they be lyable to all sorts of judgments as being his enemies 1. To spirituall judgments blindnesse of mind hardnes of heart vilenes of affections benummednesse of conscience a man that wants this true saving faith all his thoughts words and actions are sinfull withâ—ut faith it is impossible to please God whatsoever he be thinking speaking doing he is sinning against God and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath upon his own soule as the Scripture testifies his ploughing is sin and so all the actions of his calling all his
soul Ho all ye that hunger and thirst all ye that are weary and laden Every one may have a strong consolation who hath fled for refuge c. Obj. O but I fear I hunger and thirst not I am not weary and laden I have not fled for a refuge and so want this condition A. This very fear of wanting the condition shews that there is in thee a desire an hunger and thirst for mercy as also a fear and consequently a flying for refuge to the hope that is set before thee a wakening a seeking a What shall I do to be saved for otherwise thou wouldest never be affected nor take to heart nor fear the want of the condition wherefore art thou so troubled and feared for want of the condition but because thou art hungering and thirsting for that which thou thinkest is the condition would make belong to thee to wit mercy and forgivenesse and fearest and art troubled for want of the condition to be deprived of it So then thou who art troubled and fearest to want the condition required in those to whom mercy is offered doest indeed hunger and thirst for mercy doest indeed fear and wouldst fly unto the refuge for were it not so there would not be all this fear with thee thou wouldst even be as the rest of this secure world and as perhaps sometimes it hath been with thy self never care how it went with thee in so principall a point whether thou hadst the condition or not Now then to such as thou art who fearest who doest hunger and thirst the Promise is clearly universall it doth belong to all such none is excepted as ye heard in the places before cited Ho all ye that hunger and thirst c. Who is he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant let him trust in the Name of the Lord c. A fifth notable Mean to beget Faith or to strengthen it concerning the remission of our sins it is to consider the gracious and precious new Covenant wherin the Lord hath covenanted with us even with us who be the seed of the faithfull I am thy God and the God of thy seed And 2. who hast received the seal thereof in Baptisme that he will be mercifull to our iniquities and remember our fins no more this new Covenant was first made with Adam Gen. 3.15 and renewed with Abraham Gen. 17.7 But is most sweetly and at length set down Psal 85. Isa 55. as also 42. v. 6 7. and 16. Chap. 39.21 So Jer. 31. repeated Heb. 8. Chap. 32.39.40 and 50. Ezek. 36. Now this very thing in generall that the Lord hath made a Covenant with us to pardon our sins should greatly strengthen our faith concerning the remission of them for so it is that we have not onely the Lords promise for this point which certainly in it self is fully sufficient but we see he hath gone further on to draw us from infidelitie the which we are so prone unto and to move us to beleeve he hath made a sure and solemne contract and Covenant with us to forgive us our sins If we have an honest mans promise concerning any thing we will in some sort yea even in a good measure rest upon it but if he hath indented with us and hath by contract bound himself unto us c. this puts us out of all doubt concerning the matter especially where there is no doubt of abilitie and power How much more then should we confide when the businesse is between us and the Lord God of truth Who keepeth truth for ever Psal 146. Now there be three properties of this new Covenant serving greatly to strengthen our faith to wit 1. The surenesse and steadfastnesse of it 2. The freenesse of it 3. The compleatnesse and absolutenesse of it 1. Then it is a most sure and steadfast Covenant unchangeable unalterable everlasting what can be more comfortable this is clear Isa 55. where it is called The sure mercies of David 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet hath he made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure whereupon he rejoyces and addes This is all my salvation and all my desire Psal 89.34 35. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David And certainly how can it be but a sure Covenant when it hath Christ the Son of God for the suretie and cautioner Heb. 7.22 Surely of a better Covenant how may we be sure who besides so sufficient a principall hath so responsible a caution And also to be the witnesse of it Psal 55. Now he is the faithfull witnesse the Mediator of it Heb. 9.15 Mediator of the new Covenant and hath sealed it with his own death and blood and in the history of the Sacrament Further to shew us the surenesse of it the Lord cals it the everlasting Covenant never to be made null nor broken on the Lords part Gen. 17.7 Isa 55.3 Jer. 32.41 Ezek. 16.6 as also Psal 89. 2 Sam. 23.45 Q. But you will say although the Lord will not be the first yet when we break with him as we do continually will not the Lord then as he may most justly break with us and so alter the Covenant A. No for it is an everlasting Covenant and surely were it so it should not be everlasting but of very short continuance But this is the point when we break the Covenant on our part by our daily transgressions the Lord neverthelesse with whom there is no varying nor shadow of turning is not like the son of man that he should repent but keeps still his part of the Covenant being a God who keeps Covenant and mercy and gives unto us liberty to renew our part of the Covenant by faith and repentance so that happy is the soul that once doth get within this Covenant this point is evident by that which I have spoken of the greatnesse of Gods mercy notwithstanding the renewing of our sins he bids us pardon seventy times seven times in case of repentance how often then will he pardon who is infinit in mercy as far as the heaven is above the earth so much are his waies above your waies thou sinnest daily it is true but he hath allowed thee daily to crave pardon and so to expect forgivenesse of sins as well as to pray every day for our daily bread Iniquities prevail against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions saith David Mercie and forgivenesse belongeth to thee although we have sinned against thee This point is also notably cleared and confirmed by that 1 Joh. 2. If any man sin saith he even after he hath entred into the Covenant what shall become of him shall he be cast out of the Covenant again No but the same who is the Mediator of the Covenant and by whose means he first entred into the
Covenant of reconciliation even he shall intercede for him that he be not cast out of it again Jesus Christ our Saviour is the Mediator of the New Testament in such a sort not onely to enter us once in the Covenan with his Father but which is most comfortable when we fail he is ready to intercede for us He sits at the right hand of the Father making request for us And hence is it that this Covenant is so sure and so everlasting a Covenant This point is also notably and clearly set down and made good by that style that Daniel Nehemiah Ezra give unto God O Lord who keepest Covenant and mercie A sweet saying and style for both on his own part he keeps Covenant and then for us when we break and sin he hath mercie for us So in the Scripture we have it more then once that sweet combination of mercy and truth Psal 57. He will send out his mercie and his truth Psal 25. all his wayes are mercy and truth c. His truth is to perform his promise his mercie is to cover our sins and to pardon them that they be no impediments for him to perform his mercie towards us Had he onely truth our comfort would be but small for we make the first breach and fail in the condition so that the Lord may without any breach of his truth and justice break his promise with us but when he joyns mercy with truth and is a God that keeps Covenant and mercie in this stands our comfort and happinesse and this is it that makes it an everlasting Covenant As also in that notable Psal 89. My faithfulnesse and my mercie shall be with him And again notably v. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him His mercy endureth for ever How often repeated in Scripture a notable comfort against our renewed sins But of all most notably clearly and expresly is this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant set down in that same Psalm where the Lord professes which is indeed most wonderfull and sweet that although sin and the devill should have so far prevailed against us as to make us forsake Gods Law that though he may well visit our transgressions with the rod and our iniquitie with stripes so to bring us to repentance yet His loving kindnesse he will not utterly take from us nor suffer his faithfulnesse to fail so that he will not break his part of the Covenant for all this O the wonderfull goodnesse of God in his Son Christ who although we change every moment yet he changeth not whom he loves he loves to the end his gifts and his graces be without repentance Q. I hear that upon my repentance I shall have accesse to this precious Covenant though after seventy times seven times yea infinitely often for Gods wayes are not like mans wayes but are above them as far as the heaven is above the earth which is very comfortable and also that the Lord will take pains with me to bring me to repentance will visit me with the rod c. O but what if I continue in sin without repentance if I be not to be reclaimed no not by rods and so fall away altogether A. Thou shalt not get leave to do this for this is a part and a clause of this precious and sure Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their heart that they shall not depart from me to wit altogether or without returning this puts on the very top-stone of the surenesse of the Covenant That place is worth the noting for in it the Lord undertakes both his own part and ours This point is also notably and clearly set down Heb. 8. where the Apostle setting down the difference between the old Covenant and the new he saith of the old indeed they abode not in that Covenant but for this he saith I will write my Law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts So Ezek. I will put my Spirit within them and cause them to walk in my statutes to do them So ye may see that this is still a most sure and everlasting Covenant Q. But may it not be objected that this doctrine of the surenesse everlastingnes and steadfastnesse of the Covenant is ready to faster security and to prove an obstruction to Christian obedience A. It may well make one relent of that slavish or at the best selfish obedience flowing from fear and arising from self-love and self-respects But as for that acceptable obedience which flows from Faith and from the love of God The love of God constraineth me surely it doth greatly advance and fortifie it for why as ye see it fortifies faith exceedingly this point of the surenes of the Covenant and everlastingnesse on Gods part now faith produces this acceptable obedience faith which worketh by love the more faith the more working and that by love the more heartie and cheerfull obedience So whatsoever doctrine serves to increase faith in us to breed in us the full assurance of faith is so far from rendring us carnally secure and so sluggish as on the contrary it renders us spiritually secure it makes us the more working and diligent it addes spirit and life heart and courage to work Faith which worketh by love it both increases and rectifies our obedience whereas faith which is the tree being weak good works which are the fruit must be few as the assurance of Faith rouses up the soul to go on in a cheerfull and right course of obedience with an eye to God whereas otherwise all our obedience is at the best felfish if not slavish Do ye fast unto me saith the Lord and even for this restraint of fear to stand in aw and not to sin This Covenant for all the sweetnesse of it hath sufficient ground for as ye hear although the Lord for the main take not his loving kindnesse away yet neverthelesse he visits with the rod and with stripes even with sad and sore chastisements even where he is favourable he takes for all that vengeance for transgression even where he corrects in measure he suffers not altogether to passe unpunished Hence is that complaint Thou hast wounded me with the wound of an enemie and chastised me with the chastisement of a cruell one And again The Lord hath chastised me sore but hath not delivered me over to death There was never so much pleasure in thy sinning as thou who ever thou art shalt find bitternesse in thy chastisements for sin even although the main thing and the punishment be remitted so that thou hast need to stand in awe and not sin So that this Covenant though full of confidence yet hath some place also for fear and aw Obj. When I consider this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant surely I must think them happie that have propriety and interest in it but I fear that I have none that it belongs not