of it If I have never so good an evidence and lay it out of the way or blot it the fault is not in my Evidence if the Title be questionable again which it confirms And the truth is very few of Gods people enjoy an un-interrupted actual Assurance Indeed 't is such a sparkle of glory that a soul cannot bear it And as a Testimony though never so full to a Cause so that in one Court it carries the judgment without farther ado may be upon review in another Court called into question again and be perplexed so by a cunning Lawyer that it may seem questionable again So the evidence of the Spirit that once gave full assurance in the conscience may by Satan be brought to the Court of sense and reason and made disputable again Yet as to habitual assurance it is true that it can never be quite extinguished by doubting It may be dipp'd but not drown'd It may be in a swoune but not dye A Saint may say to Satan when he tryumphs most over his assurance as the Church Mic. 7 8 9. Rejoyce not over me c. when I am in darkness c. God hath promised it Isa 57 15 16 17. Heaviness may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning Psal 306. And indeed Assurance being Gods Seal and Earnest if this gift of God be not without repentance neither is his Covenant for eternal life and glory irrevocable If God recal his Earnest he recants his bargain as the taking an earnest back again among mâ—n makes the bargain void and the puâ—ling off a Seal cancels the Deed. Yet let me not herein be mistaken I would Caution not be conceived to affirm that a child of God always recover his Assurance again after loss in this life in as full a measure as he once had it A man may lose his Assurance for his ill managing of it and possibly such may be the hainousness of such a miscariage as may provoke God to let him lye long under broken bones and whenever by renewed repentance he recovers it he may justly withdraw from him some measures of that boldness and confidence in his presence which he had before Nay I know not why a true child of God may not after lost Assurance if lost in such a way of provocation on his part go mourning all his dayes and hardly ever be able to Isai 3â— 15. act it again directly and formally yet the habit of it may be stil firm and unmoveable and in it self stil capable to be reduced into act but that he is by reason of those obstructions which he hath laid in his own way incapable of reviving the Acts of it Now that even in such an one the habit of it remains still is evident from hence that he still produceth some visible fruits of it keeps up a contest though but a weak and faint one with doubting and doth not quite lay down the weapons to despair that though he apprehends his hopes exceeding smal yet he wil not be bought out of them by all Satans offers and even in this darkness many times chuseth affliction for righteousness sake as that holy Martyr that under those sad desertions was going to the stake and reâ—olved to dye though he had not received that actual assurance again which made him cry out He is come He is come But Glover all these acts are not the direct acts of Assurance but indirect and vertual acts such as suffice to keep the life and soul of Religion together as we use to express our selves but such as discover much of the vigour of a Saints spiritual constitution to be impaired Other Questions there are that might be prâ—mised here but I shall find time to take them up in the Application CHAP. XXII Popish Doctrine concerning doubting and uncertainty confuted Our own certainty and Assurance of Salvation examined Where several Cases concerning the distinction of the Spirits testimony from Satans or our own hearts THis affords us matter of Confutation of the Erroneous Doctrine of doubting Application and uncertainty which the Papists and persons among our selves un-experienced in the things of God take for truth viz. that a man cannot in this life be certainly assured of his own salvation These persons rob the Holy Spirit of one of his special Offices that of being the Comforter the Lord Jesus of one of the glorious fruits of his Ascension which is the sending the Holy Ghost to his people to that end God the Father of a great deal of glory and service at least of the most noble and generous part of it that that proceeds from love and thankfulnesse the Saints of their greatest encouragement to obedience support in tribulations comfort in sufferings and hope in death and lastly evacuate one main end of the very Scriptures themselves which were therefore at least a main part of them written that the Saints may know that they have eternal life 1 John 5 13. And if there were no other reason why we should abhor the Romish Synagogue yet were this sufficient that they professedly hold forth a Doctrine of despair that is such a Doctrine in which a man can neither comfortably live nor dye But 't is no wonder that those that preach up the merit of works should preach down certainty of Salvation for if God love me or hate me as I believe or not believe obey or not obey persevere or not persevere it s no wonder if from the sight of my own frequent failings I be in a perpetual hesitancy as to my estate No certainty in the conclusion can be gathered from uncertain premises Vse 2. This lets us know whether the perswasion that we have of our own good condition and the peace and joy that possibly we get therefrom be sound and certain or no. If the Spirit witnesse it it is sound if the Spirit witnesse it not it is suspicious and can afford no sufficient and satisfactory peace unto our spirits Quest But how shall I know whether the perswasion that I have that I am a child of God do proceed from the Testimony of the Spirit or no May not Satan be the Authour of such a perswasion and may not I reason my self into it and if so how shall I know the Spirits testimony from these Answ This is a very difficult Question And therefore I shall take up some time more then ordinary to sift the difficulty to the bottom and then take it away as God shall enable me Something 's I shal premise by way of Concession As 1 It is undoubtedly true that Satan may so transform himself into an Angel of light as to suggest to a man a certain perswasion of his own good condition He is a lying spirit in the mouth of false Prophets and inspires them with plausible Doctrines and comfortable dreames where with they pronounce peace to those to whom the Lord saith There is no peace And this he doth not
2 Cor. 1. 9. upon the pronouncing whereof the Law lays heavy fetters and chaines of darkenesse upon the soul that keep it shut up to the hope that afterwards by the Gospel is revealed 3. The proper impressions of this condition must needs be fearfull And thence is this Spirit said to be the Author of bondage to fear And is therefore called the Spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1. 7. This is that fear which the Author to the Hebrews 2. 15. tells us that men may be all their lives long enslaved unto til Christ deliver them A fear of Death i. e. of eternal death the wages of sinne A fear that gives a convinced sinner a tast of hell here it is the very anguish and smart of the arrows of God sticking fast in Job 6. 4. a mans spirit the very wales and furrowes which when the back of conscience is plowed up with the knotted whips of its own guilt do fester and stinke and corrupt as David Psal 38 5 expresseth it that is make the spirit of a man a burthen to it selfe and that intolerable This is the condition which the Apostle expresseth and I am to handle under the notion of the Spirit of bondage i. e. That Work of Gods Spirit whereby he convinceth and terrifieth sinners in order to conversion 4. And when he doth so in the fourth place we are said to receive him that is to be through free grace the patient and submissive subjects of this influence of his bearing the indignation of the Lord because we have sined Lam. 3. 29 against him and laying our mouth in the dust if so be there may be hope until God shall command deliverance for us and pull us out of the horrible pit and out of the deep mire and clay and break those chains of hell and snares of death wherein we are fettered and bring us forth into a large place 5. The Subjects of this Work of the Spirit the Apostle expresseth under the pronoun Ye including the generality of believers among the Romans and in them the generality of beleevers among all Nations in all times these works being of a common nature to all the people of God there being nothing in any one Saint which renders him a more incapable subject of this work then in another and nothing in the Word elsewhere to priviledge one above another herein 6. And lastly the time of the Saints being under this work the Apostle plainly expresseth not to be then when by faith they could call God Father the influence of the Spirit of Adoption enabling them so to do delivered them out of that fearful condition whence it follows that the experience they had of this work was before their Adoption and relation to God thereby as before I have declared And so much shall suffice for this first Chapter the clearing of our Subject And this done wee will proceed to the handling of it in the following Chapters CHAP. II. Wherein the first grand Thesis or Proposition concerning this state of Bondage is explained I Shall begin with this state as a work of the Spirit of God laying this Thesis or proposition for a foundation of our following discourse That those convictions shakings and terrours The first Proposition or Thesis of conscience under which unregenerate sinners suffer bondage when the Law chargeth them home with the guilt of sinne and apprehensions of wrath are ordinarily the works of Gods blessed Spirit I say ordinarily because sometimes Satan brings or at least keeps souls and those the souls of Gods Elect too under this bondage He promiseth liberty when he tempts to sinne but brings into bondage when he accuseth for sinne And therefore we must make a distinction between the bondage which the holy Spirit and the bondage which the wicked spirit brings into or keeps under First therefore There is a bondage which admits and is mitigated by the conjunction of hope of liberty and works towards a deliverance and there is a bondage that excludes all hope and possibility in the apprehension of a sinner of ever being removed A bondage in which the chains with which the conscience is held and fettered are of the same nature with the Devils bonds of death chains of darknesse and despaire Now such as these the holy Spirit knits not except the despair be partial and bear relation only to humane helps and means of escape and such a despair is in every soul that makes out after Christ those that we speak of now Satan lays on the conscience these must needs call him Father because they are black dismal apprehensions like him Such he wrought in Kain and Judas that made the former desperately blaspheme the mercy of God the other deâ—perately to lay violent hands on himselfe and to those despairing terrours is a soul given up when justly excommunicated and therefore is said to be delivered 1 Cor. 5. 5. to Satan for that censure binding sinne upon a man and God having promised to ratifie that sentence in Heaven the Devill the tormentor is at hand to load such a soul with Matth. 16. 19. terrors enough if he do not contemptuously go on adding sin to sin but be any way sensible of it he endeavors to drive him to despair whence the Church is bidden upon this knowledge of Satans devices to comfort such a man and confirm comfort to him by absolution lest he be swallowed up of sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. 8. 11. These satanical terrours have sin in them and therâ—fore as such can no way be the effects of the Spirit of God Indeed the Spirit of God may cause them inchoativè by discovering to a man his sinne and misery but the improvement of these discoveries in such a measure and to such an issue is the work of Satan who in this as in things of other nature can counterfeit the very Spirit of God and so perswade a poor soul that 't is his duty to refuse comfort and despair of Salvation 2. I say these terrours when they are wrought by the Spirit of God are in unconverted sinners which makes a farther distinction between the worke of the Spirit of God and the spirit of Satan herein the Devil makes it most of his businesse to trouble converts As for unconverted wretches that are his fast enough he seldome disturbes them as a Souldier will not disturbe his own Quarters but his enemies a Magistrate will not if he be well advised harrasle his own dominions But the Spirit of God speakes terrour to the Consciences of unregenerate sinners to whom it belongs when he speaks Law he speaks to them that are under the Law Rom. 3. 19. 3. But therin is a difference also If the Spirit of God lay the conscience under terrours it is for conversion they are not penal only but medicinal also they are one sort of Gods â—ods by which he brings men within the bonds of the Covenant Ezek 20
place he bestowes upon us the right of Adoption as the most properworker of this union And as our Faith is the instrument of union so hee is the giver of faith 1 Cor. 12. 9. Faith indeed Divines ordinarily call an Instrument but 't is but an improper instrument for as all its efficacy depends upon the relation which it hath to Christ as an hand is the instrument to make rich when it receives a treasure or layes hold on it when freely offered so it doth nothing at all on Gods part But the Spirit is in a sense a proper instrument on both parts applying both Christ to us and us to Christ Christ to us by reaching us a promise to lay hold on and us to Christ by giving us an hand to lay hold on it and rest our souls upon it 2. Hee is the witnesse of our Relation And this work is principally set out to us in the verse preceding that which is the ground of our discourse The Spirit also witnesseth Rom. 8. 14. with our spirits that we are the Children of God Concerning the manner of the Spirits testifying I shall say somewhat hereafter onely take notice now that he is said to witnesse with our spirits i. e. to say the same thing with our consciences rightly informed of their condition Thus he is a seal and an earnest not to confirm on Gods part but to assure our legal title on our part Eph. 1. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 22. In the discharge of this work he is the comforter who takes of Christs and shews unto John 6. 14. his people i. e. not only saving truth in illumination and saving grace in regeneration and justification but also speciall light and comfort in manifestation of our interest in God through Christ he takes the Deed by which Christ is made the adopted head of his family and all the territories of heaven and earth are given to him and his seed for ever and shews it to the Saints and bids them cheer up for though they be now poor and persecuted wandring in sheep-skins and goat skins hiding among wild beasts in dens and holes of the earth yet they are heirs to all that heaven and earth contains and the time will come when this great estate shall come in hand and therefore they should lay out liberally upon their hopes at present and throw away all these things in a kind of holy prodigality when God calls for them being assured that their future inheritance will make amends for all This is the assuring act of the Spirit and differs from the former thus there hee barely discovers to us a promise and stirres us up to adventure upon it upon general invitations here he gives us an evidence that that promise is ours and enables us to make use of it by particular interest 3. He is the Advocate of our Cause And thus he is said also in this Chapter to make intercession for us When our title at any time comes under dispute or when any thing is detained from us which our relation and the evidences which confirm it entitles us unto he enables us to sue out our interest or if any thing befal us unworthy the children of God he helps us to write letters to our Father to complain of and bemoan our condition Rom. 8. 26 27. And this is that that is principally intended in the Text together with the former which is the ground of this the Spirit helps us to cry Abba Father by assuring us that God is our Father and putting us upon earnest and importunate requests to him as the requests of children use to be to a tender and compassionate Father And this work of the Spirit is so frequent and constant in the Saints that it is in effect attributed wholly to the Spirit God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crying as if he meerly acted our tongues Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. 4. He is the great guide of our way Ps 143. 10 He is the Tâ—tour of our youth we are not adulti till we be ripe for glory Ephes 4. 13. So we are said to Walk after and to be led by the Spirit verse 1 4 14. of this Chap. Therefore new obedience is call'd the Law of the Spirit of life v. 3. And the Spirit of the Lord is said to give liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. Cameron in locum And so divers interpret the words of my Text with an opposition of servile obedience and filial obedience CHAP. III. Two practical Queries concerning the extent of this worke as to the subjects of it in the forementioned particulars Qu. WHat sense must this proposition be understood in That the Spirit of Bondage in Gods elect ends in a Spirit of Adoption Under which are comprized these farther enquiries Que. 1. Whether the Spirit of Adoption do work all the aforesaid works upon the hearts of all those that are elected or some of them onely upon all and all but on some Qu. 2. Whether upon all of them that have been under a Spirit of Bondage the Spirit do perform all the aforesaid workes or no Answ To both I shall give this preliminary answer and then give a more particular to each by it selfe 1. The Spirit doth give all Gods Elect at one time or other a true reall and unquestionable title to the grace of adoption and all the priviledges belonging thereunto 1. In justification making application of the soul of every elect person to Christ and of Christ to the soul 2. In sanctification making them partakers of the Divine Nature by the application of cleansing promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. For else two links of the chain next election would be broken Rom. 8. 30. Whom he predestinated them he called and whom he called he justified And this is the first work before spoken of 2. The spirit doth work in all persons that are really converted whether in the method of a Spirit of Bondage or no at one time or other so much perswasion of the love of God as encourageth the soul to lay hold upon the promises of the Gospel and to lay claim to them and to adventure the soul upon them For this is the ground of that reliance by which the soul leans upon God and hangs upon Christ for salvation wherein the nature of justifying faith in my judgment doth consist But there is a difference between this and particular assuring faith For this is grounded only upon the free and unlimited offers of the Gospel which offers Christ and Salvation to all that receive him and come to him and the Gospells invitations to accept of it that is grounded upon particular evidence that we have already accepted of him and thereby he is become ours and we his from the effects of a true and saving reliance upon him And this general perswasion so far emboldens all Gods elect that upon the warrant of that they lay claim to God as their Father
Estate or the weakest Evidences for the best part of his Estate it troubles him not much so long as he hath still the firmest Evidences of the best part of his Estate remaining because those he may bear the losse of without undoing But if these be lost he is losttoo You may lose your Evidences of your earthly estate and if heaven be sure you may not only not grieve but even rejoyce in the loss But if you lose your Evidences of heaven you are as to all the truest comfort of your lives undone men And yet if you lose but some of these and retain the main you are in a happy condition It may be you lose the evidences of Grace the spirit of Prayer in its sensible assistance the verdure life and activity of your souls in the wayes of God nay you lose the Promises you canot find one Promise in the Word of God that you dare own Now stick to the Testimony of the Spirit keep that and you have an Evidence still in stead of all and that will recover them all againe 2 It may easily be lost as to the actual enjoyment of it though the Habit cannot be lost The check of one holy motion may grieve the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. the commission of one sin especially by way of presumption and back-sliding may remove him See in David Psalm 51. 12. Lusts be cunning Theeves and if they get into your heart again the thing they most rob you of is your Deeds and Evidences for glory and then they know you are prone to be perswaded to take a portion here seeing you have lost all certain grounds of expecting a better 3 Satan is alwayes at hand to deprive you if possible of the influence of the Spirit this way He knowes what a mighty rub it is in the way of all his Temptations that Gods people walk in the light of Gods countenance and in the comfort of the Spirit Therefore the greatest and most desperate temptations of converted souls tend to the hindering or weakning of Assurance As a cunning Adversary in Law layes plots if possible to weaken the validity of his Antagonists strongest evidences or to get them into his hands and suppress them 4 The Evidence of the Spirit lost will not easily be recovered again It cost David many a tear and many an heart-pang ere he could recover him again Psal 51. 11 12 Satan having gotten your deeds into his hands or made them suspected in the Court of Conscience or it may be damned in the Starchamber of a mans own deluded heart for counterfeit it will be an hard matter to prevail for their admission ever to appear in Court again The greater intimacy and secrecy of communion there hath been between thy soul and the Spirit of God the more difficulty will there be to make up a breach if it fal out between you See Prov. 18. 19. 5 Lose that and you lose all the rest Graces will not shine Duties will be cold and dull Promises will speak nothing our owne spirits when they are called forth will bear false witnesse if the Spirit be dumb They will all say as the King to the poor woman How can we relieve thee except the Lord help thee 2 King 6. 27. Thou maist go to the Word and not one syllable of it but will witnesse against thee to thy own heart and that is possessed by Satan and dismal despair and there is nothing but blackness Call forth thy Graces and ask them and there is not one will answer to his name If thou say Come forth Love and evidence for me I am mis-called saith Love I am but selfishness Call forth Faith that is not my name saith Faith I own no name but Presumption Repentance will be called by no name but Legal sorrow Zeal will be called fury and rashness new obedience hypocrisie and formality c. Call to Duties and Prayer will say I am tongue-tied and cannot speak Hearing will say All that I can meet with in a Sermon is terror the Sacraments will say thou hast eaten and drunken damnation there is not a dram of comfort for thee in us If the Sun hide the Moon and Stars give none or a very obscure light All Hamans intimate friends when the King but frowns are so far from daring to speak for him that they cover his face and are all ready to have him away to the Gallowes whereas on the other side every grace duty providence ordinance hath something to say for a man when the Spirit of God is the foreman of the Jury they all say as he sayes CHAP. XXVI How this may be done And first concerning keeping Records of them Quest BUt how shall I keep the Testimony of the Spirit when I have it Ans 1. Record it carefully That is the way for a man to secure an Evidence of his Lands or estate to serve him at all turns to record the Deeds of bargain and sale or Donation or whatever other way the Title is secured with all the formalities of Law c. that may illustrate or confirme them There be two Courts in which these evidences are to be pleaded or impleaded And therefore it will concern you to have a Duplicate of this Evidence that there may be a copy in each Court 1 The Court of Heaven Now it is true that God enrols all such Acts of his Spirit there but this is but a private record as I may say with reverence for Gods own use The Lord knowes who are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. This private record I cannot produce at any time because Secret things belong to God Deut. 29. 29. But there is another way of laying up a more serviceable Record in Heaven which a man may have forth coming as we use to say upon all occasions that is by commending our Evidences to God in Prayer desiring his own Spirit that gives them to be our Remembrancer of them in times of need This is one of the Offices of the Holy Ghost not only to be the Comforter of the Saints but their Remembrancer and Recorder too John 14. 26. Christ had told his Disciples many comfortable things in the whole preceding part of the Chapter and now towards the upshot and period of all the great comfort with which he interlines all the rest both in this and the following Chapters is I will send you another Comforter And the Comforter shall come whom the Father shall send in my name But what shall he do when he comes Why he shall first be their Instructer and the Promoter of their farther progresse in saving knowledg wherein they were but Novices till Christs Ascension He shall teach you all things and he shal be their Recorder or Remembrancer he shall suggest so Beza renders the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suggeret or prompt your forgetful memories in all things which I have told you True there 't is not spoken barely of the things immediately preceding but of all
less sensible Because God permitts this darkness in designe for some special ends of his owne Now the person a man puts on upon designe commonly he useth to over-act even beyond what he would if he were reall So although when God was really an enemy as before conversion he carryed himselfe by secret supports and encouragements of the soul as one that was not utterly irreconcileable yet when he meerely intends to appeare so he carries himselfe so strangely that the soul really believes he is in earnest and intends its ruine irrecoverably Lam. 3. 5. 7 8 9. The church aggravates her sad condition from extraordinary appearances of Gods dealing with her God in such a case leaves the soul alone like a sparrow on the house Psal 102. 7. And woe to him that is alone Eccles 4. 40. 4 And thus fourthly The grounds of the horrid troubles that Gods Saints fall into after assurance may be and are occasionally from the Spirit of God though immediately and by way of an efficient cause they are not from that spirit Thus the Spirit led Christ into the wildernesse Mat. 4. 1. 1 By an active suggesting to the soul such considerations as may start a soul-trouble As when it makes a fresh disâ—overy of New committed sinnes and stirs up the soule to renew repentance for them Such motions may be the occasion of farther enquiries into a mans own heart and so of questions concerning his estate And thus by degrees they may grow into as palpable Legal Terrours as any ever the soul groaned under 2 By withdrawing that assistance from the soul which should maintain the soul in peace and joy of the Holy Ghost When the Sun hides behind a cloud or is under an Eclipse it must needs be dark If the Father let goe the little childs hand in a dark and dangerous place he will surely fall And thus is the Spirit the negative cause if I may so express my self of the saddest bondage that comes on the people of God after Assurance 5 But Lastly the Spirit to be sure doth never cause and work a feare of bondage in the soul after Assurance as it did before and that may be seen in these differences 1. Before there was a time when he convinced the sinner of a state of sin and enmity to God After it never doth tel a man so any more 2. Before there was a time when he convinced the soul of a state of wrath and condemnation arising from that enmity but having once effectually converted and assured the soul of reconciliation he never presents hell and wrath any more to the soul as its portion 3. Besides He sometimes presented every act of sinne as unpardoned Now he never doth so any more in that sense wherein he did so formerly That is that I may not be mistaken He never presents Gods vindictive or avenging Justice unto the soul as unsatisfied for such a sin though he may present Gods fatherly Justice as displeased at it 4. Before hee sometime presented every suffering of this life to the soul as a part of the curse of the Law and the earnest-penny of Hell Now he never leads the soul to the view of sufferings under that notion but only as fatherly corrections and chastisements by which God endeavours to quicken the soul into a speedy return unto him by renewed repentance and humiliation CHAP. XXXIV The proof of the Thesis from 1. Scripture 2. Reason THe truth of this point is abundantly cleer Proof from the Scripture and Reason For Scripture Take notice of the names by which the Spirit is set out to us in the Word 1 He is called the Comforter John 14. 16. And this in his peculiar Office to the Saints Now he would fail in the discharge of it if ever he should bring Gods adopted children into bondage againe Therefore when our Saviour promiseth the Comforter he also engageth that he shall abide with the Saints John 14 16. 'T is true their comforts are many times fleeting comforts But the Spirit of God is not to be blamed for that Ordinarily 't is their own fault and oftentimes Satans temptations eclipse the comforts and refreshments of the Spirit to the soule Though their comforts be fleeting the Comforter is not To debase himself from being the Comforter to the Divels imployment the Accuser of the Brethren is dishonourable to the Holy Spirit 2 Besides he is called our Seal and how long doth he continue so unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. Hee will not to day scale an evidence of heaven to the soul and tomorrow seal its Mittimus to hell 3 Moreover he is called our Earnest and can we think that God will give us an earnest of heaven one day and revoke it again the next or ever deny the bargain which that Earnest secures unto us An honest man will not do so far be it from God to do what common honesty will keep man from Rom. 11. 29. 4 He is the Spirit of Adoption testifying to us that we are the children of God ver 16. of the chapter in hand And can it be imagined that he will ever tell a child of God that he is become a child of the Divel There is no lesse Reason For Reas 1. I have shewed before that The Spirit and the Word never crosse each others Testimony Now the Word never pronounceth bondage to any one that hath received the Witnesse of the Spirit nay not to any one that hath the least grace of the Spirit The Word every where speaks comfort to such Isa 40. 1 2. Rom. 8. 1 34. Reas 2. That which is the badge of a false Prophet and which God dislikes in such cannot without blasphemy be attributed to the holy Spirit of God But to make the heart of the righteous sad is a badge and sin of false Prophets Ezek 13. 22. Reas 3. That ought not to be supposed to be wrought by Gods Spirit which as often as it is on our spirits is our sin and infirmity but to doubt of the saving love of God after enjoyment of the manifestation and feeling of it is our sin and infirmity Psal 77. 20. And therefore the Spirit cannot be the Author thereof because the Holy Spirit cannot be the Author of sin Reas 4. That which hinders the most proper and peculiar work of the Spirit of Adoption cannot be the work of the Spirit except we suppose the Spirit so indiscreet as to counteract himself But if the Holy Spirit ever become a Spirit of bondage to the soule after tastes of Gods love communicated thereunto the Spirit would be guilty of counter-acting its most proper and peculiar work which as the next Doctrine from the last words of the Text shews you is to embolden and enliven the heart in Prayer For how can he call God Father with confidence to whom the Spirit witnesseth that God is an enemy Reas 5. The Spirits Testimony if it could ever become a Spirit of Bondage
that made the wound know it and so afterwards give him an account of the carrying on or obstructions of the work in all considerable particulars How seasonably might he advise preach pray and how sutably apply himself to them 12. Take special care of sincerity and uprightness of heart in all your progresse this way The heart oftentimes in such a condition is afraid to appear as bad as it is and therefore though for ease men will discover something of their condition to a Minister or godly friend yet it hath ever and anon an aptnesse and disposednesse to prevaricate and mince c. O be sure that you deal candidly and clearly in such businesses And take heed lest when you begin to find a change in your selves you be tempted to Psal 51. 6 be willing to appear to Gods Ministers or people better then you are that you may get them to speak peace to you or esteeme you the more c. 13 As you find improvements and enlargements labour to keep your hearts humble It may be when you have confessed your sins to God and wept bitterly and prayed fervently c. you may find a kind of quiet begotten in your heart thereby your wounds do not ake and smart as before and you have an interval in your trouble are prettily well pacified but whence is it is it not hence Now you think you are in a faire way sure God will look on you now c. and therefore you rise well pacified for the present Take heed of this snare Rather when you have so done labor to rise with the lowest thoughts of what you have done as long as you find such a thought in you never leave till you have prayed it downe God cannot but be offended at such thoughts as these And this is one of the greatest blocks in the way of saving grace that can be God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble James 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. I am confident this is the very thing that undoes many thousand souls under such workings of spirit God sees they begin to tye him to their performances and therefore God leaves them to themselves and they either go away presuming they have gotten what they sought and so all the work dies in a form of godlinesse or else if God save them he lets them so cool again that they see the former heat was meerly from him and makes them beg hard for one of those meltings again ere they can attain it Rather on the other side Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. Your own time may be an undue time You never arise with honour from your knees till God say to you Arise CHAP. XXVII Persons altogether unacquainted with this work exhorted HEnce also we ground a fourth Exhortation to those that are altogether unacquainted with this work Labor for it in order to conversion Object What can we do towards this work 'T is the work of Gods spirit and he bloweth where and when he listeth John 3. Answ 1 True and yet there are Ordinances and duties that are vehicula Spiritus the chariots of the Spirit although the Spirit may choose whether hee will use these Chariots or no. As Jacob when Joseph sent him the Chariots from Egypt that was the way if ever he hoped to conveigh his old Father thither but yet he might have chosen whether he would have used them or no. So when the Spirit comes inâ—o the hearts of People it is by the Chariots of Ordinances and duties But yet the spirit is a free agent The saylor spreds his sayles to receive the wind because he can make no Voyage without it But yet whether the wind wil fill them at least so as to further his Voyage he cannot assure himself When thou waitest upon the spirit in his Ordinances thou dost as it were spred thy sailes if the Spirit fill them thou wilt make a good Voyage if not thy endeavours are nothing Yet as the saylor knowes he cannot command the wind so he knows he must not therefore neglect to have his sayles in a readinesse to receive it when it blows so it concerns thee to take care that although the Spirit be not necessarily tied to Ordinances yet thou do not therefore neglect attending them Though the Spirit doe not alwayes come in that way yet when he comes he will come in that way ordinarily 'T is a known story and the Application of it is no lesse vulgar of the poor man that waited at the pool of Bethesda the water was the instrument the Angel stirring it the cause of their healing Had not the Angel come and stirred the water they had waited in vain but had they not waited there the Angel would not have stirred the water John 5. 3. When God hath appointed means of conviction and conversion it is a tempting of God to look for it in any way else with a neglect of those means 'T is a sad thing when people are of Naamans spirit till hee was better advised are not Abanah and Pharphar rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel may I not wash in them and bee cleane 2 King 5. 12. No foolish man those Rivers are unsanctified Rivers they are not set apart by God for that use and therfore they wil do thee no good so many thousand souls cry now adaies why should we attend upon the word of God in publick that from the mouth of a Minister though some will scarce owne them now by that name may I not as well profit and be converted by an honest tradesman in a private house I answer positively no for God having appointed means and called men to be publick officers to dispense them for thy good God will not go out of his way to meete thee such irregular wayes are heaven-cursed heaven-blasted waies God hath threatned it long agoe Jer. 23. 22 32. when Prophets run upon their owne errands and pretend the Lord sent them there is a curse upon them they shall do no good they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord. And find mee any one separated society in the world that slights and tramples upon publick ordinances where there is any sound conversion to Jesus Christ or any building up in holinesse humility self-denial c. or where the most that is gotten is not errour and loosenesse and that in some knowne remarkable way and I professe I shall repent of and lay aside much of my zeale and eagernesse of spirit against those wayes and you will doe very much towards making mee a Proselite But I dare confidently affirme that there is no such society to be found which is not so branded by God And therefore Friends if ever you will have your hearts wrought upon let publick ordinances be precious in your eyes 2 You can commend your selves and your condition before to God in
with him to give them up to please themselves with a false and unsound conversion under some extraordinary delusive energy of Satan and to mistake that very extraordinarinesse of delusion for an extraordinary work of Gods Spirit 2 Thes 2. 11 12. Object But if I bring my selfe under such sad and melancholy apprehensions as accompany a Spirit of Bondage I fear lest Gods terrors should even distract me as Heman complains and we see by experience that many out of such spiritual troubles arrive Psal 8. 15. at downright madnesse at last Answ 1. It is Gods usual way and the way he puts any man upon he is engaged to protect them in If our Saviour Christ had a warrant from God to cast himselfe down from the pinnacle had there been no other way down he would not have stood so much upon it as he did the promise of angelical protection would have secured him being in his way which was Gods way A man may adventure to cast himselfe into Hell it selfe as Peter leapt into the Sea at Christs command when God bids him and yet come off as untouched by the fire and brimstone as the three children were in the fiery furnace See Isa 43. 2. 2. If the cure be dangerous yet the disease is desperate Better adventure distraction then damnation God can save a distracted man but he cannot an unconverted man because he hath no where said the contrary to the former but he hath to the later A man in a gangrene adventures the cutting off of a legge or an arme and thinks it safer to adventure his life in a way of cure then under the power of a certainly-mortal disease 3. The longer thou continuest out of this way the more art thou endangered hereunto The greater weight of sinne thou contractest by continuance the greater terrors thou layest up in store against the day of evil and if the terrours of God be distracting the fewer the better 4 'T is the ill managery of persons under such terrors that occasion such distractions many times either their owne keeping the Divels and their owne hearts wicked counsel or indiscreet handling by others c. 5 Seldom or never hath it been seen but such distempers as are meerly symptomatical as Physicians speak are removed with the removal of the principal Disease that occasioned them A frenzie gotten by a fever departs with it And so suppose the like procured by soul troubles the removal of them in Gods time will remove it again Quest But how shall persons under deep troubles be managed so as such mischief from over-great oppression of spirits may be prevented Answ Hereunto in a word to conclude this Treatise especially because much hath been said before and more will be said in the next point to this purpose 1 If thou have a child or other friend under the terrours of God enquire what was the ground and cause of it what Ministry such a party hath frequented whence 't is likely the wound was received 2 If the wound were made by a standing Minister of the neighbourhood go to him principally and acquaint him with it He who made the wound is most likely to heal it If it were made by any other unknown hand acquaint the next godly and experienced Minister with it and discover what you observe of that kind in your friends though perhaps they be unwilling to it themselves 3 Let other Christians be sent for who have been under the same condition and let them be communicative 4 And lastly Keep them from erroneous and unsound company But all of these I shall speak more fully in the second Treatise THE Second TREATISE Concerning the SPIRIT OF ADOPTION CHAP. I. Containing a Preface to the Discourse a third Proposition from the Scripture mentioned and a description of the Grace of Adoption occasionally premised A Man would wonder if he saw the names of such and such particular men written in the Book of Life whom he beholds lying under the chaines and fetters mentioned in the former Treatise roaring and howling in the bitterness of their spirits under the lashes of not onely the Law as a School-master but Conscience as a Jailor and withal were hee blinded and hood-winked that he might not see beyond Gods present dispensations towards them I say such a man could not but wonder what strange design God hath in such an appearing inconsistent carriage and would no doubt be a very diligent observer of the series and method of Gods managing this condition for the good of those whom though he love yet he thinks fit to keep under so severe a discipline it may be for divers years And possibly by this time some one or other who have gone along with me in the former Treatise may be almost in the same maze of uncertainty at least if he be a sufferer under the Spirit of Bondage himself or if not he may well be affected with a serious itch of inquiry after the end of such providences And therefore I thought not fit to send forth the former Treatise alone lest I should hold a poor soul under so uncomfortable an incertitude or hesitancy and afford him no help for his satisfaction The latter part of Rom. 8. 15. the Text formerly insisted on tells such an one that the same Spirit of God who lays on them those fetters in his due time knocks them off again and brings them forth into a large place becomes a Spirit of Adoption from a Spirit of Bondage and enables them to call God Father and come to him as children whom but a while since they dreaded and fled from as a Judge But ye have saith our Apostle received the Spirit of Adoption whereby c. In the discovery of which second spiritual Work or Mystery of Godlinesse I shall in proportion to the Preface of the former Discourse take this second part of the Verse asunder and therein observe these Particulars 1 Some lines running parallel herein to the former such as these three 1. The cause which is the same Holy Spirit of God 2 The way and manner of this work as it denotes derivation of influence from that efficient cause upon the Subject here as there called Reception 3 The Persons or Subjects of this Work Yee the same Romans 2 Some lines thwarting and crossing them such as these three 1. The Effect of this Spirit here though still he be the same Spirit is Adoption which was there Bondage 2. The Impression of this Effect upon the same Subjects which is now crying Abba Father was fear 3. The time when this alteration is made and makes impression upon these Subjects Implyed in the succession of this effect and impression to those and that is after the work of the Spirit of Bondage is done which is at and after conversion 3. A twofold particle amplifying the present change and aggravating the mercy of it 1. One Negative Not again Ye received the Spirit of Bondage once but no more Not
not as actually and assuredly so but as one that hath offered himselfe to that relation and will own it to those that upon that offer claim it at his hands Thence though they know not God to be their Fateer yet they lay hands on him upon his free offer as engaged to be their Father and so by frequent acts of relyance grow up into assurance that he is so when they find such fruâ—ts of their reliance as evidence a real relation between God and them I know many of Gods Saints do and I think they should call God Father when they scarce know whether they may be so bold or no and speed that way 3. That if any one of Gods elect want the assuring testimonies of Gods Spirit it is their own fault seeing God holds it forth to them in many a precious promise And if they dare not call God Father it is because through clouds of temptation and corruption they darken those evidences which might demonstrate their sonship For justification and sanctification if discovered are sure foundations of comfort and assurance Thence their condition is exprest by darknesse which is not the extinguishing of light in the object or in the eye but clouding it 4. Of those that have this assurance and enlargement thereupon very few or none keep it at all times alike and can alike improve it on every occasion Great sinnes and great troubles c. may many times cloud and sometimes as to the act blot out the evidence of their Adoption Thus David wanted this Spirit Psal 51. 11. 12. A child having offended may scarce dare call Father whiles that guilt remains uncovered 5. Even the high and heroical acts of assuring faith in Gods Saints are not always free from some mixture of doubting else there were no difference between assurance and plerophory or full assurance Answ â— But to answer more particularly 1. To the first Question 1. All the Elect of God have not presently when called the particular assuring testimony of Gods Spirit though even that belongs to them because of some obstructions that either from Satan or their own hearts may be put in their way A man may be long a child of God before he know himself to be so There must in order of nature be the certitudo objecti before certitudo subjecti for I can never be sure of a thing before it is And how long this proposition I am justified may be true before this I know I am justified I cannot tell it may be divers years 2. An elect child of God for any thing I know or to my utmost knowledge the Scripture reveals may go to heaven without that particular actual assurance or a particular confidence to addresse himself to God as his Father otherwise then by claim as before for I conceive it is not essential to the having of eternal Life to know that a man hath grace actually but only to have those things in him whence the evidence of the truth of grace may be to a clearer and more enlightened spirit discovered Though it be said He that believeth not shall be damned yet it is no where said he that knows not he believes shall be damned 3. Yet is every such elect child of God The reality of his relation to God produceth in a Saint those fruits even when he himselfe doth not know them As appears in second troubles in Gods people after conversion Faith produceth those acts not by its assuring but uniting act carryed out after holinesse and obedience to God by the secret seed of God that is in him by a natural inclination I mean from the new nature though he be not so visibly acted by moral perswasion or force of argument from graces received as those that see they have grace and are adopted usually be As in those creatures that want reason there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Infants a natural love to parents though they cannot argue themselves by reason into the duties that evidence it from the particular knowledge of that relation And upon the same account they are affected with the evil of displeasing their parents although they feele no stripes and do not draw out that sorrow by argument from their Fathers love 2. To the Second Question I answer 1 That neither is it necessarily thus in all that have been under a Spirit of Bondage though elected upon the reasons before alledged 2. Yet have such that have been under a Spirit of Bondage more special promises of this kind which could they lay all hold on they would attain it but Satan taking the work of the Spirit out of his hand and finding them prepared for such impressions of trouble by the former work keeps the very stamp of a Spirit of Bondage on them when they are as to their condition under a Spirit of Adoption Mat. 11. 28. Isa 57. 15. 3. Nay when they get comfort and assurance it is commonly the stronger and more full and firm Understand this point thus then That usually and in Gods ordinary way of dealing with his Elect when he hath brought them under bondage by the Spirit he doth send them a Spirit of Adoption in its evidencing acts as well as in the rest Though he may sometime vary from the usual and ordinary rule And the giving of the Spirit of Adoption in these acts is to be understood as that of the Spirit of Bondage and its method before discovered that except possibly in some few singular cases it is ordinarily so CHAP. IV Arguments to prove this Thesis or Proposition NOw let us advance to the proof of the Thesis Quest How appears it that God doth so ordinarily Ans 1 By his Promises 2 By his Design in bringing under the Spirit of Bondage 3 By the Duties that he expects of his Saints 4 By the Experiences of his people Arg. 1 By his Promises which engage him thereunto John 16 10 11 12 the same spirit that is promised to convince of sin saith Christ shall convince of righteousness and of judgment Of righteousnesse because I go to the Father i. e. he shall convince poor burthened souls that there is a sufficient righteousness in me to cover the guilt of all their sins and this by my Ascension which declares the full discharge of the debt which on the behalf of my Elect I contracted and because I go to my Father my admission to my Father gives full assurance that I am again received into his favour and so there remains no cause of his displeasure against mee or mine that cast themselves upon me for righteousnesse Of Judgment i. e. of the truth and reality of their own graces as Isai 43. 1 3. Or Of judgment because the Prince of this world is judged i. e. a judgment of absolution of their persons and cause which shall appear by the contrary sentence on their accuser it shall be made appear that God hath condemned him that accused you and kept you in
bondage and shall enable you to set your feet on his neck c. More clearly Isai 61. 1 2 3. He gave Christ and annointed and sent him for that end to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound and not only to proclaim it by the Word but to apply it by the Spirit ver 3. To appoint to them beauty for ashes the oyl of joy for mourning and the garment of joy for the spirit of heaviness or the Spirit of Adoption for the Spirit of Bondage So Psal 126. 5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy c. And Isai 57 15. a remarkable Promise I dwell with the contrite and humble spirit wherefore To revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever lest the soul should fail before me and the spirit which I have made See v. 18 19. The Spirit that is promised by Christ is called the Comforter Why so if not to denote the principall part of his work the comforting of the hearts of Gods people John 14. 26. Arg. 2. The Designe of God in troubling the conscience Soul-troubles are not brought on us meerly for their owne sakes for God afflicts not willingly nor grieves the Lam. 3. 33. children of men but they are ordinary Prologues of Comfort and Peace and therefore ordained to fit us to receive and prize it Hos 2. 14. I wil bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her to her heart Heb. Into the Wildernesse i. e. a maze and wood of troubles that she shall know no way out of into such a condition in which a dram of comfort will be dearer then all the world and then I will speak to her heart when she is quite out of heart Gods usages to his people in this world are like Tragi-Comedies sad beginnings divers times that put all the Spectators into a maze to think what will come of them that so he may come off the more gloriously at the last by giving a comfortable close beside all mens expectations He sets off as Painters do a light colour by the neighborhood of a dark He caused light at the first to shine out of darknesse not before it or 2 Cor. 4. 6 without it but out of it And as he doth in conversion so in comfort First darknesse in conversion then light Ye were darkness Ephes 5. 8 c. so he doth in the work of consolation When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light to me saith the Church Micah 7. 8. So in the Apostles experience We had the sentence of death in our selves that we might trust not in our selves but in him that raiseth the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. And as Christ would not keep Lazarus from dying when he could have done so but rather chose to raise him from the dead by a miracle so will Christ deal with his people quite bring them to the grave that then he may get the glory of a kind of miracle and say Return ye sons Psalm 90. 3 and daughters of men Now can we think that God will lose the glory of his grace when he so aimes at it in those troubles that work it And surely he will do so if his people perish under them Thence the Spirit of God teacheth the Saints in darkness to urge that as an Argument Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead c. What remembrance of thee is there in the grave where all things are forgotten Psalm 88. 10 11 and 6. 5. q. d. I know thy aim in all these dark nights that I undergo is to make thy glory shine the clearer and is this the way to let a poor soul that would fain praise thee to drop into the grave and for ought he knowes into hell in darknesse without the least smile from thee c. Arg. 3. The duties God expects of his Saints which cannot be so perfectly and ingenuously performed by any as by an assured spirit Indeed the truth of them may proceed from a soul that is not assured but such high and noble measures cannot 1 Love to him again A man may and every Saint doth love God by a holy sympathy as soon as he is regenerated whether he know it or no and the demonstration of that love in the Saints when they come to discerne it becomes a means of assurance to them As in Antipathies sometimes they are strong in nature and no reason can be given for them Non amo te Sabidi nec possum dicere quare c So in sympathies founded in the nature of the things Why doth Iron love the Load-stone and cleave to it or the needle touched with it point Northward This I constantly affirm that where the soul loves God Gods love is the cause of that love to him and so it is whether it be manifested to his conscience or no because every grace is a fruit of Gods eternal love This I am sure is held out in that excellent place 1 John 4. 19. though I shall not grant it a fruit thereof only when knowne 'T is not said Because we are assured he loved us first but Because he loved us first But yet the love that is without assurance is not so strong so rational so active as that that proceeds from assurance when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost for this will enable a soul to love much Luke 7. 47. to rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5. 3 5 and do many other difficult duties with more vigor and activity A young child may truly love the Father when it is unable to reason it selfe into the duty of love from experience of the Fathers love but the love that a growne child shews to the father after his experience of many acts of love for many years is more strong solid and rational So when a soul can say as David I love the Lord for c. Psal 116 1 Now God requires his children should grow up into an ingenuous filial love upon grounds of thankfulnesse and reciprocation Ephes 1. 16 17 18 19 He would have them be rooted and grounded in the experimental knowledg of the love of Christ and thence to draw strength to obey him in all things And therefore it must needs be his ordinary way to those Saints from whom he expects this fruit to give them the Spirit of Adoption to testifie this Love to them And there is a Promise that love of good will to Christ shall be seconded with manifestation of love from Christ Joh. 14. 21. 2 Joy in the Holy Ghost and that alwayes 1 Thes 5. 16 Now although a soul may have some sprinklings of joy upon the general hopes which it gathers to it self from general Promises yet it is nothing to that whicâ— particular assurance gives Now God will have the joy of his Saints full joy John 15. 11. And
fight for it Satan and Numb 13. 23 a mans corrupt heart are apt to discourage a soul under Bondage from hence What profit Job 21. 14 Lam. 3. 8. is there in serving God c. Thou prayest and he casteth out thy prayer thou hearest and art in trouble still Now God props up his people against such temptations by such Promises to all and performances to most of his Saints Reas 5 God doth it to wean his people from this world Now Lord lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation sayes Simeon when he had seen Christ in the flesh Luke 2. 29. And when a soul after long troubles of spirit recovers the assurance of Gods love O what poor things are all the treasures of the world to him Lord saith David lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and then take corn and wine and oyl who will Psal 4. 6. And then let the eyes of wicked men be even ready to strut out with sat and let them have all that they can wish yet saith he in another place I will not change portion with them for the Lord is the strength of my heart c. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and bring me to glory Psal 73. 25 26 27 28 A man that is called to be a Favourite to a King will quickly grow into a dis-esteem of his shop and retaile Trade his sheepfold or cow-stal Take no care for your stuff saith Joseph for all the fat of the Land of Egypt is yours Gen. 45. 20. So saith God to an assured soul Take no care for these earthly things thou hast in heaven a richer and more enduring substance Reas 6. Because God delights to hear from his Saints often Not only as a Master from a Servant nor as a rich man from a beggar nor as a Conqueror from a Captive but as a Father from a child as a husband from a Spouse Cant. 2. 14. The voyce of a Spouse of Christ in the cleft of the Rock i. e. relying on him upon assurance of his love is sweet Joseph could not abide long under the mis-apprehensions his brethren had of him My Lord and Thy servants Joseph thought were strange Titles to that of Brother hee longed to hear them call him by a name of relation so saith God Hosea 2. 16. to an afflicted Church CHAP. VI. A Question concerning the mediate and immediate Testimony of the Spirit HOw doth the Spirit testifie our Adoption For although divers godly Divines are of a different judgement in the point of immediate evidence yet I cannot be perswaded but that there is something in the work of the Spirits testimony which may deserve to be so expressed Ans Two wayes 1 Immediately 2 Mediately I. Immediately wherein the Spirit acts as in illumination and infusion of good motions into us by his secret influence upon the heart quieting and calming all those waves of distrust and diffidence concerning its condition by his own immediate power without the present application of any Scripture grounds to convince a mans reason that his testimony is true I shall parallel it with the motions of the Spirit thus As the Spirit many times excites a man to such or such a duty by laying his hand immediately upon the heart and therewithal a kind of secret force and power inclining the heart to obey those motions and as it many times opens the heart to such and such spiritual impressions by a physical injection of holy motions into it and warming the heart to receive them so in this case when a poor soul sits in darknesse and sees no light sometimes upon a sudden a light from heaven compasseth it about and it is it knowes not how in a moment as it were taken up into the third heaven its fears are banished by a soft whisper from the Spirit of God in the heart Thy sins are forgiven thee and this is in such a way that though the spirit of a man really believes it and is immediately calmed by it yet it cannot tell how it comes to passe And so it is sometimes in overcoming temptations a soule some other times is enabled to knock them to the ground by a scriptum est as Christ did Matth. 4. but sometimes it is stirred up to decline them and abhorre them by a secret rising of the spirit against them and to club them downe by meere force setting the bent of the will and affections against them without any present direct recourse of the soule to the written word And of this kinde is that worke of the Spirit stirring up in us sighes and groans in prayer that cannot bee uttered whereas at other times it furnisheth us with abundant matter of prayer from the promises and other straines of Scripture useful thereunto And thus as I said in conveying the evidences of Gods love the Spirit can and surely oftentimes doth alter the whole frame of a mans Spirit by a secret irradiation of comfort a man cannot tell how for as there is a kind of spiritual instinct in the soul by which it doth the things that are pleasing to God after conversion though many times it knowes not the principles upon which it acts so is there a secret and spiritual faculty in the divine nature that is infused unto us by which when the Spirit speakes peace to the soule it closeth with it without any reasoning or recourse to evidences as at other times As saith a learned man there is in the eye lumen innatum Rutherf on Jo. 12. p. 100. and in the eare aer internus a certaine imbred light to make the eye see lights and colours without and a sound and air in the eare within to make it discerne the sounds that are without so is there grace a new nature and habitual instinct of heaven to discerne the consolation of Gods spirit immediately testifying that wee are the sons of God There are some secret and unexpressible lineaments of the Fathers countenance in this child that the renewed soul at first blush knowes and ownes it But for the understanding of this you must observe with mee these few particulars for explication of this secret of experimentall godlinesse 1. That although the Spirit may testifie this immediately without any expresse and formall application of a word yet he never testifies but according to the word i. e. to subjects capable thereof and in such wayes as they are discovered to be capable by the word so that the Lords speaking peace to the soul being in the Scripture bound up to persons under certain qualifications the Spirit never speaks peace but where those qualities are real though not alwaies visible in the soule As for example if a man that feels not sin a burden heavyer then all the world that throwes away all duties of religion never prayes reads heares meditates nay goes on in some sinful way without remorse be filled with joy and peace and assurance
comprehends every grace in kind and it concerns him to come to the Sacrament to promote it Caution Yet let me add lastly that I speak not this to encourage a lazy credulousness by which we are apt to be easily perswaded without any sufficient enquiry to take it for granted that we have grace because we have now and then some good wishes when as our own hearts if they were well searched would witness to us the faintness coldness inconstancy laziness of our affections towards heavenly things especially in comparison with those large measures of earnestness importunity and diligence with which they are attended in the things that concerne this present life which might be a sufficient confutation of all our good conceits that wee have of our selves Friends take heed that you do not make such truths as these a protection for your supine negligence to examine your selves more throughly and exactly The truth is the persons to whom this cordial is intended are only those who after earnest enquiry after their own estate from other evidences are driven to this Sanctuary as their last refuge not to those who because they wil spare their pains to enquire more at large and particularly fly to this as the most compendious way and that wherein least pains is required to satisfie themselves concerning their condition Yet I fear such truths by Gods just judgment accidentally stumble many souls and no wonder the Doctrine of free grace I dare say accidentally damnes millions CHAP. XVIII Three other Directions And a Case of Conscience concerning the discerning the Motions of the Holy Spirit from tentations and the inclination of our owne hearts 3 TAke notice of the least approaches Direct III. of the Spirit of God to the soul in a witnessing way and follow them by Meditation and Prayer Sometimes the witnesse of the Spirit is not full and through to the satisfaction of all our doubts yet it speaks something tending that way it speaks many things severally and by parcels which laid together would amount to a ful Testimony Now in such cases a soul must be very watchful to take and improve the least hints of the Spirit As in an humane Testimony the witnesses that witnesse in a case before a Judge do not all speak point-blank to the case in question but sometimes very faintly brokenly and imperfectly Now a good Judg in such a case doth not slight such Testimonies as come not full up to a businesse but observes and retaines in memory every thing that is deposed though very defective as to a full proof and at last what one testimony did not sufficiently clear in terminis many testimonyes will make up a full proof of if laid together by a skilful and judicious Lawyer This Art we find the Church using in desertion Cant. 29. There she discovers Christ first at a distance leaping upon the Mountains removing the great impediments to the manifestation of himself suppose conquering mountainous corruptions and mountainous temptations suppose deadnesse and flatnesse of heart in duty c. which looks like a mountain of separation betweene Christ and the soul ver 8. she finds her self unexpectedly enlarged and opened in her addresses to him Thence she concludes he is a coming he prepares his way as 't is said in another case of John he makes every mountain and hill low Isai 40. 4. and every valley he exalts that he may make his way smoother then she espies him behind the wall looking in through the lattess neerer then he was but yet he stands much undiscovered the wall and the lattess here it may be are the obstacles of prejudice and doubting and distrust in our own hearts which keep us from seeing Christ clearly when he comes to us but yet something of Christ shines through them and the Church takes notice of these dark approaches puts a Behold upon them all Behold he cometh behold he standeth behind our wall And at last he calls her forth into a pleasant converse and walk with him v. 10. 11. and there fully manifesteth himselfe to her If God write thee a love-letter though the hand in which it is written be but uneven and it be not to be read but by spelling every word wilt thou not take that pains that thou mayst understand it The spirits testimony when it comes under Gods hand and seal to the heart is oftentimes so obscurely written that a man is fain to spell and put together many words experiences providences to make it up However the evidence may be sufficient that is pick'd out of them altogether Think then such a time I was refresht at a sermon enlarged extraordinarily in such a Prayer my heart was affected with an extraordinary measure of tendernesse in such a Sacrament I was even ready to despaire and God stayed me by a promise even ready at another time to make away with my selfe and God stayed me with an unexpected providence c. All these put together may perhaps make up as much as this Fear not I am thy Salvation c. Thy sins are forgiven thee God answers sometimes Psalm 85. 8 in a soft voyce in a whisper and it concerns us to observe narrowly as Benhadads servants 1 Kings 20 33 4. Labour aftâ—r more of the Spirit of sanctification and that is the way to get the Direct IV. witnesse of the Spirit of Adoption The spirit that seals us up to an holy assurance is an holy Spirit Ephes 1. 13. This is certain the more holinesse the more assurance The promise runs so Isai 32. 17. The work of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietness and assurance for ever I conceive the place intends inherent righteousnesse comparing it with the former verses where it is attributed to the Spirit as his work in barren hearts The like promise we have from our Saviour Jo. 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him I am confident the reason why many persons do not recover an evidence of the Spirit assuring their consciences of their good condition is either that in their judgments they preferre peace before grace ease before holinesse and powre out many more prayers and tears for those then for these or else that they content themselves with finding in themselves some generalities of good desires and sincerity in the main and so sit down in a forme of godlinesse contented to stand at that stay Beloved it will concerne us to press hard after the Lord to follow after reach forward and press on they are the phrases of the Apostle Ph. 3 12 13 14. that we may apprehend that for which we are apprehended 1. If an evidence be never so faire yet if we be carelesse of it and let it gather dust or dirt or filth we may not be able to read it And certainly
such a defiling sullying thing is the guilt of sin For sin making a man obnoxious to the Law occasionally ingenders to See in the case of David Psalm 51. 12. bondage Gal. 4. 24. 2. Nor will the glory of God permit him to seal assuring evidences of his love to such whose conversation would reproach him for admitting them to so much intimacy As to a Covenant-interest in God so it is in Covenant peace when a wicked man claims it God stands upon termes of defiance Psal 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thy back To whom then will God indulge such a boldnesse See ver 5. Gather my Saints together and vers 23. who so ordereth his conversation aright to him will I shew the salvation of the Lord. 3. Regular assurance as I have told you before ariseth from the discovery of grace Now the more large the matter of my assurance is the more must my assurance be Me thinks the connexion of these four verses in Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. shews this When grace that appears to us teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts c. See what follows then we are most likely to look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And that prayer of the Apostle for his Ephesians speaks it as loudly That God would grant them to be strengthened by the spirit c. to be rooted and grounded in love And what then That Eph. 3. 16 17 18. ye may comprehend with all Saints the length and breadth of the love of God 5. Follow the guidance and conduct of the Direct V. Spirit in all things Stifle not any motion of the spirit Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Grieve not the Spirit by unkind repulses And that is pressed upon this ground Eph. 4. 30. by which ye are sealed to the day of redemption Certainly if wee sadden the Spirit the Spirit will not comfort us And there is nothing that saddens the Spirit of God more then the dishonour and unkindnesse of a repulse Great men if they shew extraordinary favours to us they expect we should observe them and be ready to serve them at every nodd and beck 1. He that will be a favourite in a Princes Court and enjoy his constant smiles must be very carefull of all punctilio's of observance If you will obtain the holy Spirits smiles you can surely do no lesse then observe every breathing of the Spirit and follow him where ever he leads See v. 14. of this Chapter in connexion with my Text. They that are led by the Spirit of God those are they that receive this Spirit of Adoption to call God Father 2. The Spirit best knows the mind of God towards thee and the season and way wherein the Love of God will break out to thee and if thou misse of following any motion of the Spirit thou mayst put thy selfe out of that very way wherein thou mightest have found comfort and assurance The Spirit it may be urgeth such or such a duty and thou neglect'st it How knowest thou but hadst thou been guided by the Spirit in such a motion thou mightest have obtained that that thou longest for When the Spirit blowes thou must hoise thy sailes and be assured that gale can carry thee no whither but to the region of peace and comfort When the Angel conducted Peter out of Prison he follows his deliverer step-by-step So when the Spirit comes toward thee to deliver thee from the Spirit of Bondage take heed thou leave him not one step And the caution which God gives to the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt is very usefull here Exod. 23. 20 21. Behold I send an Angell before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voyce povoke him not c. Apply it to the present case If God send his Spirit before you beware obey his voyce c. Qu. But how shall I know the motions of the Spirit of God from temptations and the motions of my own heart Answ 1. Thus The Spirit of God always moves according to the Word If I leave the word in any thing I cannot follow the Spirit 'T is clear that that Spirit is a Spirit of truth and therefore cannot contradict Joh. 14. 17. himselfe and those things which he delivers in the Word hee cannot deliver 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. 21. the contrary to them in my heart The true evidence of the Spirit of God in the heart is dependance on the Word of God 1 John 4. 6. 2. The Spirit of God alwayes presseth to some Duty or other some exercise of holinesse or other And when any motions arise in our hearts prejudicing it against any ordinance or duty of Religion this prejudice is no motion of the Spirit We receive the Spirit in hearing Gal. 2. 1 2. Pray by the Spirit Eph. 6. 18. 3. The Spirit moves regularly and orderly makes not duties and ordinances to clash and enterfere The present opportunity of an ordinance is the season of the Spirit If the Spirit come in a private ordinance it is in its season if in a publick in its season Publick ordinances separated from are not the badge of the persons that have but that want the Spirit Jude 19. CHAP. XIX A Case What is to be thought of a man that as to his own sense and other mens lives and dyes without any experience of this Testimony Qu. SUppose I never attain the Testimony of the Spirit but live and dye in a state of darknesse as to assurance of Gods love what think you of my case Answ 1. I suppose thou labourest after it diligently and constantly in the use of all the means prescribed and other such Otherwise I have nothing to say to thee in this case but this that that man is neither fit for assurance here or glory hereafter that thinks much of his pains to attain them But supposing as I said I say to thee farther 2. I know no place of Scripture that says No man shall enter into the Kingdom of God that knows not of it before hand I readily yeeld the Papists teach all believers a doctrine of desperation when they tell us that no man can be assured of Salvation till he come to heaven and I am confident that occasioned many of our Protestant Divines engaged in the Controversy against them to make perswasion of salvation of the essence of justistifying Faith But I conceive they needed not to have bended the bough so much that way to set it straight 'T is no good rule for Christian disputants which is observed by cunning tradesmen Iniquum petere ut aequum ferant to aske double that they may perswade those with whom they deal to give a sufficient price I believe this proposition
Some beleevers are and all believers may be assured of tâ—eir Salvation in this life well proved sufficiently confutes the Papists erroneous Thesis that no believer can be assured And I fear the maintaining the universall necessity of actual assurance to Salvation will trouble more tender Protestants then it ever confuted Papists But to returne where I left I say to thee that propoundest the Question Thou needest not fear exclusion from heaven for want of that which Scripture requires not as necessary to Salvation I must tell thee that I verily believe if any of Gods Saints dye without some glimpse or other of Gods love it is a rare case and I perswade my selfe God seldome takes a Saint of his away in such a sort except such an one as hath so shamefully fallen that it concernes God in point of honour if he save him to let no body know of it Yet I dare not barre the door of heaven against such an one as living holily dyes comfortlesse 3. Labour to accept of claim and rely upon the Lord Jesus for Salvation on the termes of the Gospel 'T is impossible a soul should go to Hell that can cling fast to any promise truly apprehended according to the intention of the Gospel There are three or four promises I perswade my selfe the reliance whereon hath ferried many humble souls to heaven who have been afraid to say in all their lives I know that I am a child of God those are Mat. 11. 28. Jo. 6. 37. Isai 55. 1 2. Apoc. 22. 17. 4. Lastly If thou think this will not serve the turne in such a case I think such a thought may condemn the generation of the Righteous Are there not some in the fruits of whose holy conversation both publick and private we see abundant cause to pronounce them by a judgement of charity children of God would be by this judgment condemned to Hell concerning whom it cannot be affirmed either in their own knowledge or the knowledge of others that ever they received this witnesse in their spirits to the last moment of their lives And truly for my part I humbly conceive this assuring Testimony of the spirit to be part of our reward as the Apostle calls the Spirit the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1. 14. and therefore God may choose whethe he will give any part of it here or no as he sees most suting his glory and our good 'T is for his glory sometimes that his people are in Jobs case Job 13. 15. CHAP. XX. The second Thesis cleared by Scriptures and Reasons A Case from the first branch of the reason Whether a man may be assured of his sonship à priori from the first Acts of Faith and Repentance in conversion COme we now to the second Thesis or proposition which is The witnesse of the Spirit of Adoption is a certain evidence of a state of Adoption This ariseth from the connexion of this verse with the former In the former the Romans are told by the Apostle that as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God this he confirms in my Text and the verse following For saith he they that are led by the spirit have ordinarily the witnesse of the Spirit who never witnesseth to a falshood witnessing with their own spirits and upon that testimony enabling them to call God Father So much for the ground of the proposition It amounts to no more then this That man may be certainly assured that he is a child of God to whom the spirit testifies that he is so I shall not need be long in the proof of this point but onely lead you into the consideration of some particulars not so much for evidence of this truth although they will also make it out abundantly unto us as for the clearer opening to you some points by the way which will yield some special use or other that will not so orderly fall in any where else The proofe is partly Scripture and partly Argument 1. Scripture The Spirits Testimony both concerning sinne righteonsnesse and judgement is a convincing Testimony John 16. 8 9. 10 11. that is such a Testimony as will not suffer any scruple to remain but as soon as any appears it presently falls before the light of its evidence There are also two expressions Eph. 1. 13 14. very full to this purpose The Spirit seals the Saints puts a mark upon them by which he knowes them and gives them ground enough to know themselves to be the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritu ilso qui non adfert legis servitut is terrorem sed promissionem gratuitae adoption is obsignat in credentiu animis Est autem hoc loco triplicatus Articulus diligenter observandus Beza in locum And to this purpose it followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is the earnest of our inheritance So that it is clear it is not meerly a privy sâ—al known to the Spirit alone as that 2 Tim. 2. 19. but a publick seal by which the party himselfe as well as others may and ought discerne him to be an heire and such an one as may sue for his inheritance as a debt For an earnest is nothing if it be not a security to the receiver the principall intent of an earnest is to assure the party to whom it is given of the full payment The meere giving of grace although it be materially an earnest from God of eternal happinesse yet is not a formal evidence to me till it work certainty in me because I can no farther plead it then I can adventure my estate upon it To this purpose and in the same expressions the Apostle also speaks to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. where you may also take notice of one clause that confirms the exposition before-given of Eph. 1. 13 14. and that is this v. 21. He tells them that the confirmation of al the promises both as preached by Ministers and received by hearers dependeth upon the merit of Christ He stablisheth us in Christ i. e. by uniting us to him by the communication of the Spirit in and through them from the Father Now from the Spirit the Apostle drawes two Arguments to assure them the first is its renewing work and that is the matter of our regular assurance as I told you formerly in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath annointed us Now although there be an annointing with gladnesse as well as grace yet the annointing with grace is here meant because it is distingnished from that annointing by an also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. v. 22. who also hath sealed us and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts This is the second argument it s witnessing work which is on Gods part a sufficient assurance and the reception of it renders it so also on our part So then the witnesse of the Spirit is the seal and earnest that confirmes all the promises to us they
a total alienation of mind from it It may be so though at the present I cannot but think it is otherwise with me Now it is true as I before said that divine Assurance if it proceed not from a full Testimony of the Spirit excludes not doubting but the difference between divine and rational Assurance in point of doubting is very great For when a man divinely assured doubts it is only so with him because and whiles his evidences are not full and clear But let a rational assurance that is meerly so be never so full yet its utmost height and perfection is thus incumbred with haesitacines and unresolvednesse of spirit In a word he that observes in his own spirit the differences between an Opinion and a certain Knowledge may give by the same rules of difference a very probable ghesse at the difference between a meerly rationall and divine Assurance But there remains yet a third and fuller mark of distinction which is 3. The way in which a rational assurance comes And this may give some farther light to discover it As for example Judge by these six things 1. If assurance be ushered in with an impatient wearinesse of soul-troubles This is apt to put a man upon contriving his own escape and therefore may be a temptation to an endeavour of reasoning them out of the soul Now it is true that the soul may and ought in cases of desertion and discomfort to put it selfe to the question as David doth more then once Psalm 42. and 43. why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me And the reason is because the soul-Troubles of Gods Saints after assurance had are mostly groundâ—d on phantasy and not reason so that if he put that question many times to himself he will find he is able to give very little reason why he is troubled and therefore he may lawfully endeavour to reason down reasonlesse Scruples although possibly it may be safer sometimes to cast them off without vouchsafing them so much respect as to spend reason upon them But in this case I must take heed how through wearinesse of staying Gods leasure for a release I betake my selfe to these reasonings for this is to abandon Jordan and fly to Abana and Pharphar to forsake the waters of Siloah because they run softly and Isaiah 8 6. make not so much speed towards us as we desire and labour to quench our thirst in muddy streams of our own This is to endeavour to break the Spirits prison as I have before told you rather then to stay his leasure til He turn the key And when a man seeks his Assurance only from his own reasoning 't is just with God to leave him to try it out what he can do in that way 2. If it be attended with a low esteem of prayer and other Ordinances of God as those which begin to appear bootlesse and unprofitable after so long trial to so little advantage Reason managed by prayer and by holy pleadings with God in prayer is a special means in the hand of the Spirit to work assurance but it is dangerous when it comes in the stead of prayer The nearer a soul is to a divine assurance the more hee values these divine duties and Ordinances of Gods appointment but when he growes slacker in these and flyes to Reason out of a distrust of these the more he is endangered to a rational Assurance 3. If a man when he sets upon reasoning out his evidences find himself overwilling to receive satisfaction and to take every smal hint as sufficient to bottom his confidence upon is willing to think the best of himself and so ready not so much to answer as to silence material doubts with general salvo's of the freenesse and fulnesse of Gods grace the general offers invitations and promises of the Gospel which as I have told you are rather foundations for relyance and hope then Assurance and evidence and apt to sit down upon these without descending to more differencing and distinguishing enquiries this is suspicious that the peace that ariseth thence though it be sutable to the estate of such a soul and so he being within the Covenant materially true is but rational Assurance 4 You may guess at it from the frame of your spirit under after-desertions A man that hath been assured by the Spirit is much maintained in his dependance by a reasonlesse support I call that a reasonless support which keeps up a soul in a way of relyance and dependance when he sees no reason why he should do so nay it may be sees reason why he should not do so As it is said of Abraham in another case That he believed in hope against hope Rom. 4. 18. that is Faith told him there was hope that he should be the Father of many Nations when Reason told him there was none So a soul after Assurance received from the Spirit can appeal to his former tastes and experiences and believes himselfe out of a plunge when Sense and Reason tell him there is no hope But a meer rational Assurance when it is counterbalanced by reason as probable on the contrary side affords no prop at all but sayes such a souâ— I perceive now all my former hopes were but delusions and dreams of golden mountains for I am yet in the gall of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity I shall easily grant in this as in most of the preceding differences that the distinction between the Spirits evidence and reasons to be gathered hence is not alwayes certain For possibly the Spirits evidence may afterwards be called to the Bar of suspicious reasoning and a soul that hath had it may by Satans Sophistry be at a losse but sure a man is not so liable to be reasoned out of that Assurance as one whose Primitive and Original Assurance was meerly rational As a man will easier be baffled out of the dictate and conclusion of his reason then of his sense And the Assurance of faith or divine Assurance is something in the soul like sense in the body 5 Ordinarily the Assurance that the Spirit gives surprizeth a man unexpectedly God therein loving to endear himself to his Saints comes upon them when they look least for him I mean as to the particular time of his coming though they look for him indefinitely every day he takes them at unawares There is little of mans plotting or contrivance in the bringing it about it may be in a Sermon that a man came accidentally to in a Prayer or Sacrament whence if a man might judge by the frame of his own spirit he had least cause to expect good it may be in casting a transient glancing eye upon a Scripture without a mans pre-determining such a means at least in a way of special confidence upon or expectation from it to such an end In rational Assurance a man layes the whole designe in his head before hand Now saith he I will
benefits to be laid hold on by me being the ground of faith the frequent repetition of that representation especially by such visible signes must needs feed it And suppose it feed meerly a faith of Applicatory reliance and adherence yet as you have been also before taught Acts of Reliance frequently exercised will grow into Acts of Assurance 4 Conference with the people of God especially those who have maintain a constant communion and familiar acquaintance with God such as walk in the light of his countenance and the joy of the holy Ghost all the day long A man that will keep a good constitution of body will sometimes converse and discourse with an aged healthy father know of him how he hath ordered himself to live to that age and maintained a constant good temper of body so long And it would be much for our advantage to converse with such persons as are most commonly in the Sunshine to learn from them how they maintain such a constant light upon their spirits whereas others have it but as a flash of lightning and it vanisheth away again how it comes to passe that God that is to others but like a sojourner or a Traveller that tarryeth but for a night becomes their constant Inmate Besides such persons mouthes are usually full of the high praises of God they speak of Psal 149. 6 the righteousnesse of God and make their boasts of God all the day long They will tell Psal 44. 8 and 71. 24 you what God hath done for their souls Psal 66 16. and glad they will be that you will give them the hearing with any delight Now it must needs feed the same gracious assurance in you to find others record the same great things of God working for and towards them which you find in your selfe As it increaseth confirmeth a mans knowledg to talk with knowing men concerning their experiences in that way of learning in which he himself is a Practitioner A melancholy man is affected more deeply with the sad stories of a melancholy companion and no question but there is a like sympathy in the affections of joy and confidence c. So it is in way of Duty As iron sharpneth iron so doth the countenance of a man his friend saith Solomon And no question God will blesse that means which he himselfe hath bestowed upon others that they may administer upon occasion 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2. Strengthning Exercises Exercise of Acts of assurance strengthens the Habits Renew the Acts of that faith of evidence which thou hast every morning and evening or oftner if it may be frequently every hour as God gives occasion Get renewed experiences of the love of God often by trusting him often in particular cases David often doth so for the conquering of such or such a corruption for the resisting such or such a particular temptation c. Adventure your selves now and then upon the credit of particular Promises which are so many Specimina so many exemplifications of our interest in God Answers of Prayers in particular cases are a great strengthening to Assurance Saving gifts and sanctifying gifts are in themselves evidences of Gods love much more when particularly asked Yet take need of tempting God Which I do 1 When I oblige him absolutely where he is bound but conditionally As in temporals and in spirituals not absolutely necessary in themselves or not so necessary as some other thing may be which possibly we ask not 2 When I put too much weight upon my desires as resolving to make experiments of Gods love by them and to conclude in case of suspension or denyal that it is an answer from God that he loves me not God will not have them made trials of his love A Father will not allow a child to say Father if you love me give me this or that But when a child submissively begs and receives them he will allow him to say Now I know my Father loves me by his giving such and such things 3 When I tye God up to circumstances of time manner measure Let me ask the things believingly according to the rule of the Word as far as they are good for me i. e. may not hinder some better designe of God or a greater good to me and if I receive take comfort in my Answers from God as those that are so many pregnant examples of his care for me 3 Strengthning Providences Providence alone is no evidence that God loves me but when he doth love a man before and a man knowes it by more certain rules this is a good confirmation to our faith Psalm 41. 11. such a one David calls a token for good Psal 86. 17. Some passages of providence have a stamp of some immediate interposition of divine grace and power for a mans good CHAP. XXVIII The discovery of several moths that eat out a Christians Evidences 3 TAke heed of several things that tend to the weakning of Assurance that promote Satans malignant design against it 1 Of spiritual pride This is a sin which is fed by the highest attainments of a Christian in this life It is thought it got into heaven in the falling Angels 'T is a hard matter for a poor contemptible worm to be taken up into the bosom and familiar acquaintance with God and not to be proud of it The proudest persons in earthly Courts are those who from a mean estate are raised up to be Favourites The stronger the liquor is that a man drinks the sooner it will flye up into his brain and intoxicate him Temporal distinctions between Saints and others find matter enough in our corrupt natures to blow up our hearts with high conceits And certainly then that which makes great difference if it find an heart apt to kindle will make the fire of pride and self-conceit flame much more But this is a dangerous sin in such a case 'T is the ready way to procure an abatement at least if not a total with-drawing of the fewel that kindles it This is a continual smoak in Gods nose a thing that wil make him turn away his face Isai 65. 5. See a remarkable example in this case 2 Cor. 12. 7. The Apostle Paul had been taken up by a special rapture into the third Heaven and had abundance of high revelations and likely enough hee was apt to be lifted up with them in his own spirit But lest it should be so God graciously prevents the kindling of spiritual pride by a Messenger of Satan which was sent on purpose to buffet him to prevent it and he was in such a case that he was faine to pray hard and often I petitioned the Lord thrice and yet he could not prevail for the removal of it If God give such harsh potions for the meer prevention of this Disease how bitter think we will he give for the healing of it Sad temptations sad falls and sad desertions ordinarily attend spiritual pride 1 This occasioneth the
embraces welcom to you but his Commandments troublesom and his yoak intolerable especially considering that he affords you those refreshments that they may oyl the wheeles of your spirits and make them goe the more nimbly in his wayes Is it not just with him to with-draw the encouragements and leave you notwithstanding to your tasks of duty to toile in the brick-kilns and work out your very hearts in an uncomfortable drudgery without the least refreshment at all to quicken your spirits thereunto These are the terms upon which God will manifest himself so to his people as to dwel and abide with them John 14. 21 23. If a man love me he will keep my words And my Father will love him and we will come to him So it may be will a soul say but how long will he stay when he comes Why the next words shew We will make our abode with him We will dwel with him for continuance That expression of our Saviour Christs seems a strange expression When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants why Because we have done but what was our duty As if it were to be the complaint of a Saint that he can do no more for God then he should CHAP. XXX An Exhortation to improve Assurance received by 1 living upon 2 pleading our Evidences II. LAbour to improve and make use of Exhortat 2. Assurance had to the utmost You need not forbear this duty because your Title is but weak and disputable This makes a man many times carelesse of bestowing cost upon a piece of Land because there is a flaw in his Evidences But here you need not with-hold your hand for that because yours are as sure as heaven and earth can make them Quest But you will ask me how I answer Answ 1 Live on it at all times A Christian hath a threefold life here by faith The Just lives by faith 1 A life of Justification and this life he lives by faith in an applicatory relying Act in its adhering depending act John 5 40. Rom 1. 17. 2 A life of Sanctification And this we live by the same Act of faith radically originally Because it is that grace which on our part makes application of Christ to the soul and the soul to Christ and so the Instrument of union Now from this union and engrafting into Christ for Justification Christ becomes to us a root of Sanctification John 15. 5. But we live a life of Sanctification quoad actus exercitos in the fruits and streams of actual holinesse not only from that act of Applicatory reliance but also because these fruits are moral acts and so must be brought forth in a moral way by Motives and Encouragements and in their most noble actings they are alwayes so from the Faith of Assurance or Evidence as was before shewn So Gal. 2. 20. 3 A life of Consolation John 14. 1. And this life we live by improving a Faith of Assurance only Faith of Relyance as I have shewne may give support but it cannot give comfort But faith of Assurance gives comfort in the saddest cases 2 Tim. 1. 12. Improve your Assurance then to a life of Sanctification and consolation 1 Improve it to a life of Sanctification Believe up your graces when they are low believe down your corruptions when they are high Believe into your Judgments light in darknesses and doubts into your Wills strength and resolution in temptations and assaults Every grace that is purchased by Christ promised by the Father wrought by the Spirit you may challenge You may if you want any materials for the spiritual Edification of your souls have recourse to your Evidences and they warrant you to take it upon the Lords soil where-ever you can find it Go to the Lord boldly and say Lord I am troubled with barrennesse and deadnesse but I find in my Evidence a Promise that my soul shall be as a watered garden Isai 58. 11. that the desart shall blossom as a rose c. Isai 35. 1. I find a great deal of weaknesse faintnesse and wearinesse upon my soul in holy Duties But I find upon my Deeds that the yoak of Christ shall be easie Mat. 11. 30. That they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength that they shall mount up with Eagles wings they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not be faint Isai 40. ult That the way of the Lord shall be strength to the upright Prov. 10. 29. I am fickle and fleeting in my resolutions But my Copy saith Be strong and God shall strengthen your heart Psal 31. 24. That God will strengthen me with the right hand of his righteousnesse Isai 41. 10. That hee will write his Law in my heart and his Statutes in my inward parts that I shall not depart from him Jer. 31. 32 33. and 32. 40. I am very subject to powerful and domineering lusts and corruptions but I find in my writings that my old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin may be destroyed That sin shall not have dominion over me Rom 6. 6 14. That God will subdue mine iniquities Micah 7. 19. I want particular graces I cannot believe But my Evidence runs by way of Promise The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. That thy people shall say My God we know thee Hos 8. 2. I want Repentance but Lord it is written Thy Saints shall look and mourne Zech. 12. 10. Patience but I find that thou art my God and thou art the God of patience Rom. 15. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 13. I am under Affliction and I desire it may be sanctified And 't is written That all the fruit of Affliction shall be to take away sin Isai 27. 9. That it shall make me partaker of thy holinesse Heb. 12. 10 11. Say Lord I find those in my Deeds sealed in the Sacrament and I know they are growing on the soile of thy love and Christs merit Lord give them me 2. Improve it to a life of Consolation There is no condition but thou hast peculiar comforts to live upon For Spirituals Isai 40. 1. Against sins Isai 1. 18. Mic. 7. 19. Hos 14. 4. Against sufferings spiritual Isaiah 50. 10. Against Temptations 1 Corinth 10. 13 In Temporals as far as they are good Psal 84. 11. Against poverty Psal 34 9 10. Against sicknesse Psal 91. 3 4 5 6. and 41. 3. Against reproaches Math. 5. 11 12. Against persecutions Math. 5. 11 12. And abundance more of all sorts you may find in that excellent Treatise of Mr. Leigh concerning the Promises There be some special comforts which are depending upon the doctrine of the Assurance of the Saints by the Testimony of the Spirit and you have several of them in the following part of this 8 of the Romans 1 That however low your condition be for the present and how sad soever Gods dispensations of providence may seem toward you
To drink of the cup of which he drank and to be baptized with the Baptism wherewith he was baptized Mat. 20. 22 23. Besides some of the causes of Christs sufferings are the same with those of his members although in all there be not a parity For our Saviour Christ was under the Discipline of the rod and a learner by it God opened his ear with a rod as he doth the Saints Isai 50. 5. He was made perfect by sufferings Christs graces had an additional perfection of degrees Luke 2. 52. and in them he grew as other Saints under the Ordinances and among other Ordinances under the rod Heb. 2. 10. 17 18. He learned obedience by the things which he suffered 2 As for Temptations consider 1. The Policy of Satan who first disturbs thy peace by unlawful and vexatious clamours and then perswades thee thou hast no right to it because he hath unjustly rendered it litigious which is as if a vexatious Lawyer should call my Free-hold in question unjustly and then endeavour to perswade me to quit my Title to him because he hath made it disputable 2 Is it reasonable for me to conclude that God is not my friend because the Divel is my enemy Or rather is not the Argument more true on the contrary side because God is my friend therefore Satan will be my enemy What is Temptation but a malicious persecution of the soul by Satan tending either to foil or defile the soul and in both to work its discomfort And shall Satans malice be a ground sufficient for me to dispute Gods love upon If Satan could by temptations render such a dispute rational what child of God should ever sit quiet in the possession of Gods favour or countenance whom he hath either malice or power enough to tempt 3 Is not Christs example in this case of sufficient weight to carry this conclusion in it that no child of God is free from the worst of temptations in this life seeing our Savior himself had the most monstrous black â—uggestions that hell could yeild presented to him such as Idolatry the worst of Idolatryes worshipping the Divel himself Infidelity and distrust of Gods providence and the use of unlawful means for necessary supplies and lastly self-murder though not in the fore-head yet in the bosom and inside of that temptation Cast thy self down c Mat. 43 6 9 4 The way to be free from temptation is not to yeild them the victory in the cause they contest for but to resist them stedfastly in the faith If they weaken thy faith in the Assurance of Gods love they will quickly lay thee on thy back in more fowle failings miscariages When Satan is winnowing then a Saints faith should be most weighty that it may not easily be blown away No temptation ever got the field till faith quiâ—ted its ground Faith is the Bulwark of all other graces if Satan batter down or blow up that or any way can but make a breach in it he will quickly enter with Legions CHAP. XL. The Case of not hearing Prayers and abilitie to pray as it occasions the like Questionings stated Obj. BUt what if I have long cryed to God and he wil not bear me nor vouchsafe me an answer I am told that God hears not sinners and 't is because I am such that God will not hear me A. Surely God hears sinners in a sense or else hee hears not Saints or which is more absurd Saints are not sinners The truth is God hears not men in a sinful state under the guilt and power of sin but hee hears men guilty of sinfull acts otherwise it were sad with all the best men on earth If thou doubt thou art in a sinfull estate because God hears thee not then I enquire 1. Did God ever hear thee formerly in the dayes of thy peace If he did then either thou werst not a sinner or else God did hear sinners And if he hear thee not now then either Satan must prove that thou art now a sinner otherwise then thou werst then or else if thou be as formerly that is not the cause why God hears thee not now as hee did then because God hears not sinners 2 But the truth is the Argument is fallacious God hears not sinners the Tempter saith and therefore seeing he hears not thee thou art a sinner The consequence is invalid He should have framed it thus God refuseth to hear none but sinners therefore if he hear not thee thou art a sinner But whereas he saith meerly God heareth not sinners This Proposition may be granted and so may this also God hears not some that are not sinners and so it will not follow more that thou art a sinner then that thou art not a sinner from Gods not hearing thee 3 How many Saints have complained of this usage from God That he covers himself with a thick cloud that their prayers cannot passe thorow That he fortifies against them and when they cry and groan hee shutteth out their prayer Lam. 3. 8 44. That he is farre from helping them and from the words of their roaring Psal 22. 2. 4 Gods delayes are not denyals Except we could set down the time how long God may delay the sute of a child of his we can never draw conclusions of enmity from that delay 5 Are the things thou askest necessary to thy being here in grace and hereafter in glory or are they but things additional and convenient In such things as are not necessary to the being of a Christian many times delayes are mercies and denyals more Hasty grants even in very useful and necessary things might lose God much in point of honour and thee in point of patience faith humility c. How much more then in unnecessaries Besides sometimes thy petitions may be improper to thy condition and good things ill applyed and not administred with due respect to the patients particular case may be poyson In such a case denyals are acts of tenderest love and affection No man but accounts it an act of truest love to deny a friend a knife when he is mad Object But now in comes another objector and he may plead thus Indeed were my case such as the last you answered I could from those answers rest satisfied But my condition is yet worse For I cannot pray nor be heard because I cannot pray And I know Gods Spirit is a Spirit of supplication Ans Thou canst not pray Couldst thou ever pray A child of God may be smitten dumb who was able to speak Father plain and tell large stories of his owne condition And in such a case 't is evidence enough that thou hadst once the Spirit of Adoption that thou once couldst pray though now thou canst not 2. Thou canst not pray Nor ever wilt againe as thou hast so long as thou wilt own no relation to God If Satan can make thee question thy relation from thy impotency in this particular hee hath
from sin How do thy old garments fit thee Dost thou more and more grow out of love with sin and more and more put it off at least in the love of it This growth the Apostle saw when he could see none else Rom 7. 20. This is most discernable in the combats between the heart and Original sin when a man clubs it down in its first motions 't is a good token of growth A moral man may forbeare those sins in act which a godly man may fall into but a Saint labours more at the root of sin when moral men pare off the branches 3 A growth of heavenly mindednesse These toyes and trifles of the world how do they take with thee That which the Apostle saith of childish knowledg c. I may say of childish desires 1 Cor. 13. 11. A Saint then growes a man when he throwes away childish things Dost thou grow more liberal and open hearted The more a mans heart is loosed from the earth the nearer it growes to heaven Grace here is glory in the cradle and it daily growes heavenward 4. A growth of aimes and desires What dost thou purpose to thy selfe Will not small things content thee then thy appetite is growne The more manly we grow the more manly our aimes are See how the Apostle calls this growth of aimes perfection Phil. 3. 15. So that thy trouble that thou growest not and thy aimes at farther improvement discover that thou art improving Vse 3. This Thesis also is three waies for Consolation to Saints For 1. This confirms us in the Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints For if a true Saint might fall away from grace the Spirit might justly again become a Spirit of Bondage to him For he that falls from grace falls under the Law and he that falls under the Law is liable to all its terrors as his proper portion For all that the Law speaks it speaks to them that are under the Law Rom. 3. 19. If a child of God to day might prove a child of the Divel to morrow surely the Spirit might safely tell him so 2 This scatters and dispells the greatest venom that imbitters Saints second troubles When a man looks on God as leading him into temptation it is far more bitter then when a man falls into it by his own neglect or Satans malice When a man apprehends the Spirit of God whom he expects as a Comforter to become his Tormentor this is a double torment Now against this the Lord gives us this cordial assurance once for all that to a Saint no such thing ever can be the work of the Spirit 3 This shewes Saints a ground upon which if it be not their own fault they may live in constant peace to wit by maintaining continual correspondence and un-interrupted amity with the Spirit of Adoption Surely he that never speaks Bondage after he hath spoken peace may be heard speaking peace alwayes were it not our own fault Did wee heed what hee sayes and acquaint our selves more with his voice we should find him a Comforter still But we are apt to give more eare to our owne carnal reason and Satans tentations then to his gracious and comfortable tidings Few Saints should they put their souls to Davids question Psalm 42. were able to answer it satisfactorily except there be reason why men should trouble and distract their owne spirits whether God will or no. And thus much shall suffice for this third point CHAP. XLV A fourth Thesis with its explication NOw come we to the last Thesis from the Text which is the fourth in this Treatise Doct. That one principal work of the Spirit of Adoption in the soul that hath received it is to enliven and embolden it in prayer That we may not mistake in the sense of the Proposition observe with mee first a few things tending to the Explication of it When I say a principal work I mean not to compare the assistance he gives to prayer with his work of uniting the soul to Christ in justification of quickning the soul with habitual grace in Sanctification or the work of Assurance it self For no stream can rationally be admitted into comparison with its fountain Now the Spirit of prayer is but an emanation of grace and Adoption first a Spirit of grace and then a Spirit of supplication Zech. 12. 10. And therefore this must be understood of those operations which flow from habitual grace and Assurance that of them there is no nobler act of the Spirit of Grace and Adoption enabling us to and in them then this Qu. 1. What act of the Spirit of Adoption thus works Answ When I speak of this particular boldnesse as the work of the Spirit of Adoption I would be understood of the Spirit of Adoption chiefly in his witnessing Act of which we have hitherto principall treated though I shall not here more then in the former point exclude him in his other acts only I shall shew from which work of the Spirit of Adoption this which wee treat of doth more immediatly arise For whereas I before told you twice of four works of the Spirit of Adoption to unite to witnesse to intercede to direct whereof the uniting act is the most noble and the fountain of all the rest union with Christ being the source of all communion you must farther know that the rest of these Acts do not alike primarily flow from the first but by the meditation and interposition of one another The spirit intercedes in us but by the help of his assuring work he produceth its most fervent and confident petitions And the last work his guiding work he performes by both the former viz. perswading the soul upon assurance of successe to fetch direction and assistance from God in all its wayes by faith in the promises and prayer Q. 2. Doth the Spirit work thus in all Saints Answ 1. When I say it is the work of the Spirit of Adoption I must not be understood to affirme a constant and perpetual assistance of the witnessing Spirit in all the Saints to the performance of this Duty in a like high spiritfull and confident way For the dearest Saints of God whiles they enjoy the Spirit of Adoption may be under strange deadnesse distraction and indosposednesse in Duty and under no lesse doubting suspiciousnesse and jealousie of God and his affectons to them which must needs hinder their boldness in calling him Father 2 Thus accordingly as we must distinguish times so we must distinguish between degrees of livelinesse and boldnesse in praying Between praying to God as to a Father and calling him Father aloud in Prayer or as in the words of the Text crying Abba Father For the Spirit as He unites the soul to Christ is a Spirit of Supplication helps us to pray and that with life and boldnesse But because he may possibly not alwayes act in his witnessing way although even then the soul is enabled to pray acceptably
it may not alwayes be the condition of a Saint to cal God Father with alike confidence whiles yet he may pray with abundance of holy importunity 3 Distinguish therefore between that livelinesse and boldnesse of the soul in prayer which flowes from the actual witnesse of the Spirit and that which ariseth meerly from the gracious influence of the same Spirit as he unites us to Christ 1 As for liveliness in prayer it may in a godly man proceed not only from the Spirits witness but sometimes from 1 Conscience of Duty When a man quickens up his desires and other affections upon this consideration that he is in the presence of a living God and therefore it becomes him not to offer dead services to such a God 2 Or from sense of want That is it which usually addes life and activity to our endeavours Beggars when ready to starve are importunate 3. Or thirdly from hope to speed Now this hope to speed is either positive and particular which I receive from a paricular assurance of Gods engagements to me or more general and negative taking away all discouragements which I may fancy to my self Now the former hope a man under the witnessing act of the Spirit prayes by the latter quickens every godly Christian whether he have actually or ever had the testimony of the Spirit or no. Now the hopes of a Saint are grounded either on certainties or probabilities probabilities remove discouragements certainties only give a positive and particular well grounded hope And yet probabilities may enliven though certainties do farre more A soul may come upon the general encouragements upon which God inviteth sinners to come to him and may thereby be much enlivened in prayer although not with so great life and vigour as a man that can plead a particular right and title to God 2. So concerning boldnesse of the soul in Duty A soul that walks in darkness may be bold in some sort 1. Upon sense of want which dispells all shamefastness A man in necessity though he dared not open his mouth before to aske relief of a great personage through shame keeping him back from it yet when there is no help he will put a good face upon it as we say and embolden himself to adventure to sollicite supplies So the soul says in such a case I must begge my life or perish aske or starve for want of supply I will adventure into the presence of God as Hester into the presence of the King and if I perish I perish 2. Upon the discoveries that the Scripture makes of the nature of God that he is a God of infinite mercies that wayts to be gracious expects opportunities to manifest it A man will when he is in want more boldly adventure to aske of a man who is reported to be propense to acts of bounty and ready upon all occasions to manifest it then of another whose disposition is not so known Thou art a God that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Psalm 65. 2. 3. Upon encouragements of invitations promises examples Such as Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will answer thee Psal 50. 15. And that Psal 32. 6. Although a man have no particular ground to conclude that he shall be heard yet upon these general grounds he can many times urge God very confidently But a soul under the actual Testimony of the Spirit of God may embolden himselfe from a particular interest as David doth Ps 119. 94. Lord I am thine save me And the Church Isa 63. 19. and Psal 86. 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy or one whom thou favourest And can urge his own experiences As the Church Lord thou hast been our habitation c. Ps 90. 1. c. Thou hast been favourable to thy Land Psalm 85. 1. The point therefore is to be understood thus where the Spirit of God is actuâ—lly a witnessing Spirit of Adoption there he mainly discovers himselfe by enlivening and emboldening the soul unto special importunity to a particular claim and especial confidence in prayer CHAP. XLVI Some Proofs thereof THat this is a principal work of the witnissing Spirit of Adoption to raise the fervencie and boldness of the soul in prayer may be evidenced to us by the parallell place of Scripture Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his sonne into your hearts It is to be understood of the witnessing acts of the Spirit because this gift followes upon sonship because ye are sons He saith not that you might be sons then indeed it must have been understood of the sanctifying and uniting grace of the Spirit which makes sons but because ye are sons which supposeth their present standing as children to be the ground of this gift and therefore it is understood of the witnessing act of the Spirit And what followes from it What get they by this Spirit of Christ administred in this way what doth the Spirit there He cryes not enables them to cry though that be true but he cryes in them Abba Father cryes with earnestnesse Father with confidence and Father Father with holy importunity And this appears farther 1. From the nature of the witnessing Acts of the Spirit of Grace The Spirit is a witness to all Gods promises and obligations to us and he puts Gods seal to all the Covenant of grace Now to the vigorous and confident putting a bond in suit an expresse witness to the sealing and delivery is a great encouragement By prayer the soul puts Gods bonds in suit The Spirit comes into Court at the same time whiles the bond is pleading and saith Lord I witness this bond to be true I did put thy seal to it by thy own appointment And to the soul he saith Soul do not be nonsuited do not let thy suit fall I will witness for thee plead thy bond â— the utmost I will justifie it what an encouragement is this 2. From the comparative straightness and flatness of spirit and that cowardliness and dauntedness of spirit which possesseth the Saints when the Spirit is withdrawn from them David when he had lost the joy of Gods Salvation his mouth was shut his heart was straightened and he is fain to go to God for enlargement by his free Spirit He complains of casting away from Gods presence c. Psal 51. 11 12. Vphold me saith he with thy free Spirit that is prop up my zeal and confidence which is even falling to the ground without such a support 3. From the removal of all discouragements to a fervent and confident address to God The great discouragement of the soul is either a distance conceived between God and the soul or the guilt of sinne that makes it The Spirit assures us that sinne is pardoned and that breach made up and that we may come when we will and be as bold with God as if there had never been any occasion of breach on our part or act of
when the Spirit suggests matter of prayer as in expressions Without all question the Spirit when hee supplies will not supply the lesse materiall part of prayer and not the more principall and momentous A man of a nimble invention and a fluent tongue may be able to speak high strains of Rhetorick in prayer but is the heart warmed sutably to the expressions If the stream run only from the teeth outward as we say 't is not supplied from a divine spring 5. If the heart be warmed also yet I ask doth its warmth produce the language of prayer or rather the language it Some good natures as we call them will weep at a passionate discourse either of their own or another mans The heart is first hot where the expressions are from the Spirit It may be expressions may add to the quantity of heart-affection in duty as on the other side dull expressions will much take off from the edge of a good affection But whence was the rise of thy heate in the substance of it from without or from within A natural mans expressions in prayer are the spring of his affections a godly mans affections are the spring of his expressions 3. Adde also that the fayling of expression in prayer is much our own fault 1. Sometimes we over-prize it In desiring it too sollicitously when absent in rejoycing and pleasing our selves too fondly when present discomforting our selves when we want it as if we wanted the Spirit because we have not a wished supply of the gift and laying the foundation of our hopes of acceptance upon that when present which we may be accepted without 2 Studying more to pray then praying that we may pray Spiritual abilities for prayer of whatever kind they be are usually fetched in by prayer Luke 11. 13. as water in the well is fetched up by putting water into the pump Whiles we are asking God hears and that he may enables us to aske He giveth the Spirit to them that ask him 3. Want of meditation I mean not of expressions but things Well studyed matter yeilds plentifull expressions the Poet observes Verbaque praevisam rem non invita sequuntur Horat. art Poet. Well-conceived matter is never stifled in the birth for want of the midwifery of apt expressions 4 Want of acquaintance with the Word of God Many people complain they have a great dearth of expressions in prayer but the cause of it is in themselves They do not study the Word of God which as it is a compleat magazene of matter so it is the best and most genuine spring of expression in prayer The language of confession petition thanksgiving which the Saints of God use in the Scripture is in a sort a supply from the Spirit fetched in by industry For it is all of it indited by the Spirit to our hands Those are surely therefore the most acceptable meet expressions to send up to heaven which first descended from heaven There is a strange vein of expression in prayer that conceited persons affect in these dayes which a man if he compare with Scripture will easily conclude to be a gibberish of a wanton age unknown to the Saints of God in former times The Spirit of God loves to indite your prayers when hee doth supply your defects that way in his own familiar expressions which are those of the Scripture CHAP. XLIX Saints are informed what deadens them in prayer Where also a case what to be done when a Saint cannot call God Father and in case some sinne streighten him As also how to maintain boldnesse and fervency in prayer NOw to apply this usefull point 1. In the first place this lets many poor souls under darknesse know whence that deadnesse and flatnesse of spirit which they are ever complaing of in prayer doth proceed They do what they can to darken their evidences and take delight in finding matter of charge against themselves to the shaking of them and yet take it ill that they cannot have that freedome and liberty and livelynesse in prayer which they desire This is as if they should cut off their own legs and then complain that they cannot go They clip the very wings upon which prayer should raise it self heaven-ward and then they complain they cannot fly so high in duty as they would Qu. But what shall I do if by reason of this darknesse I cannot call God Father with confidence Answ 1. Acknowledge with sense and feeling that unworthinesse of thine which discourageth thee Say Lord I confesse I am unworthy to be called thy sonne as the Prodigal doth and endeavour as much as thou canst to fill thy face with shame and confusion in the sense hereof 2. Acquaint him with thy particular straightnesse of spirit and the cause of it tell him what tyes thy tongue that thou wouldst pray but thou darest not own any relation to him desire him for his own glory to discover that relation to thee that may embolden thee to his service 3. Maintain notwithstanding this thy claim to God as thy Father upon those promises upon which at first thou didst believe God warrants every soul to call him Father that is brought to a desire to become his child None ever call'd God Father out of a sincere desire to that relation and the duties of it from whom God refused to accept of the title We never find God quarrell with any upon this account for calling him Father except they were such as denyed him filial duty and reverence Supposing then that thou canst not call God Father upon evidence of particular faith yet do it upon grounds of relyance such as his offers invitations promises plead that promise of Relation 2 Corinth 6. 18. 4 Ask spiritual good things of him under the obligation of that relation And urge him with his Fatherly bowels in Jesus Christ to all poor souls that come unto God through him Call him Father at adventure upon Christs score and see whether he can disclaim the name The advantage of this will be the hearing and granting of thy petitions and the Answer of prayer will be an evidence of thine Interest No greater foundation of Assurance then the Answer of our Prayers Psal 66. 19. See what a kind of Argument the holy man drawes Assurance from in that place If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer But verily God hath heard me That is the Minor Proposition the Conclusion is natural therefore I do not regard iniquity in my heart So in this Case the Argument will be undenyable God heareth none but sons But God heareth me Therefore I am a Son Quest But suppose some Sin of a deeper dye then ordinary straighten me and weaken my confidence in approaching to God Answ 1 Then sensibly confesse and bewaile that sin before God Acknowledge that thou dost not only deserve the darkning of thine own faith but also the darkning of his face and that not only here but
without fear of being made an Offender for a misplaced word for a fault of circumstance as other strangers are Nay when God doth not hear the Saints voice as many times when they are under some pressures that over-burthen them he may not How he calls for them and invites them to speak Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove let me hear thy voice for thy voice is sweet q. d. I wonder I heare not from such or such a child of mine It may bee my little child thinks I cannot away with broken language the language of a troubled spirit O yes the broken and stammering tongue of a child is sweet It is a mighty encouragement to boldnesse that a man cannot be more bold then he is welcome 4 This is the purchase of Christs blood We have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this bold liberty of speech through the blood of Jesus Heb. 10. 19. We may draw nigh which is an action importing confidence when we have to do with our betters but upon what account Upon the account of Christs bloud when strangers must stand off and keep distance Ephes 2. 13. And it is the fruit of his Intercession Therefore Heb. 10. 22. we are bid to draw neer in full Assurance of faith that God wil not bid us depart his presence or stand further off and the ground of this boldness is the purchase and intercession of Christ v. 20 21. Hee that hath made his way by an acceptable present or hath the protection of some honourable and acceptable Courtier will draw nigh and present a Petition to an earthly Prince with confidence God never received a present that he was more delighted with then the active and passive obedience of his Son nor can wee come to God under the wing of a more powerful Advocate On this last Head I could enlarge abundantly As by representing to you The dearnesse of this Son to God He is his beloved Son Mat. 3. ult in whom his heart is at rest The infinite value of his obedience which we plead in proportion whereunto the things we ask are lesse then nothing Hee offered that to God which by the merit of its worth might have sufficed to purchase infinitely beyond what 't is possible for us to enjoy The earnestnesse sensibleness importunity authority if I may so speak with reverence of his Intercession See the former Hebr. 4. 14 15. and 2. 17 18. The latter John 17. 24. There are in a sort Verba Imperatoria words of command shall I say Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am 5 The Spirit of God is the Framer of our Petitions and we may then be bold to present them because he makes Intercession according to the will of God If a skilful Lawyer frame a Petition for a man and put every word in its place a man will be more emboldned to present it then if it were his own composure Rom. 8. 26 27 6 'T is for Gods dishonour when his children come sneakingly and pusillanimously to the Throne of Grace If a man should see a Father that his children did scarce dare to speak to but in a mumbling tremulous manner would he not have cause to look upon him as a cruel tyrannical father unreasonably severe to his children CHAP LIV. A Question answered How a man may procure this boldnesse both those that have never had it though under Assurance and those that have and have lost it are directed Quest BUt suppose I cannot come to God in this manner with an holy boldness how shall I procure it Answ I answer either 1 Thou hast never had this actual boldness and confidence in prayer though thou hast had a just right to it Or else 2 Thou hast had it and hast now lost it 1 If thou hast notwithstanding thy Assurance of Gods love or at least some comfortable whispers thereof in thy heart never had this boldnesse in Gods presence as it is possible it may bee the case of many a child of God Some children even of earthly parents though they be assured of their fathers love yet cannot for their hearts put on a bold face to speak to them as some others can and so 't is often according to the different tempers of Gods children to be seen in their addresses to God I say in this case 1. Thou must look upon it as a duty so grounded as before and such a duty as God is exceedingly delighted withall and so strive to break the bonds of sinfull modesty There is a sinfull modesty which the very Philosophers condemne as a vice in morality and call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is nothing but a rustick and foolish weakness of countenance by which a man is hindred from just and honourable actions because hee cannot look discouragements and oppositions in the face as he ought to do This is an infirmity even in Gods people They come to God many times in Duty as if they were doing that that they are ashamed to bee seen in and are afraid of being taken in the fact This they must labour exceedingly against as an infirmity and often remember that they offend against an expresly commanded Duty if they come not boldly to the Throne of grace 2. Labour to fortifie thy selfe against all such things as may weaken thy confidence Such as 1 The consideration of Gods greatness and majesty with thine own vilenesse and unworthinesse In which case consider 1. True this should stirre up a fear of reverence and caution that thou do nothing unworthy so great a presence Eccles 5. 1. But thou must take heed of a fear of diffidence a fainting discouraging fear and to this end consider 2 That though God be a great God and a great King above all gods yet he is thy Father and Royal dignityes though they require a reverence sutable to the distance that ought to be between a Prince and a subject and that even from a sonne yet they stoop themselves exceedingly to relations Ahasuerus though none be dispensed with for intruding into his presence without a solemne call by the holding forth of the golden Scepter yet remitts of the rigour of that ceremonious distance to Hester his wife and Solomon Hest when his mother Bathsheba comes to him upon the throne he arises and commands a seat to be set for her on his right hand 1 Kings 2. 19. 3. That that great God hath promised to stoop and condescend to a way of communion and familiar converse with such vile creatures under the sense and apprehension of their own vilenesse Isa 66. 2 57. 15. Psalm 138. 6. Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect to the lowly So that no man hath more right to boldnesse in the presence of God then he that is most sensible of his own vileness God will not upbraid such a petitioner with his vileness Jam. 1. 5. 4. That the Saints of God have married these two together a serse of
their own vileness and a gracious boldness in the presence of the Lord. David never prayes more boldly then when he acknowledgeth his own unworthinesse 2 Chron. 29. And 't is remarkable how bold Abraham was and yet how much humility he manifested in one chapter Gen. 18. 27 30 32. 5. That the worthiness in which we are to expect acceptance from the Lord is not in our selves but in the Lord Jesus so that although in our selves we have cause to hang down our heads yet in him we may lift them up with confidence We cannot plead we are worthy but we may plead Father though we are not worthy yet he is worthy for whom thou shouldst do this Father thou canst not be just I confess to me if thou do not punish my sinnes but thou canst not be just to Christ if thou do not pardon them Thou art not just to me if thou do not reject my person and prayers but thou art not just to Christ if thou do not accept them 'T is no wonder the Priesthood of Christ is every 1 John 1. 9. Rom. 3. 25. 26. where made the ground upon which we are pressed to this boldnesse As in the places before quoted Heb. 4. 15 16. 10. 20 21 22. 2 Against the present unfitness and indisposedness of thy heart in prayer and the unsutablenesse upon that account of thy prayers to his greatnesse majesty and holinesse another hindrance fortifie thy self by considering 1. That although it be thy duty to strive against and grieve for and labour by all possible means to quicken thy selfe from that dead and dull frame of spirit yet thy Father knowes how to pity and pardon invincible distempers of spirit and defects in prayer especially when thou groanest under them Psal 103. 13. As the Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Now a Father will look upon the good will of a child that offers at the performance of a service to him beyond his strength and accept it with pity to and compassion upon his weaknesse God accepts in this case the will for the deed and according to what a man hath not according to what he hath not 2. That our boldnesse and confidence in prayer is injurious to Christ if we lay any of the weight or stresse of it upon our own performances Because our prayers were never intended for such means as procure acceptance by their own efficacy but mreely as means sanctified by God to conveigh to us what God gives upon the account of Christs purchase So that if I put any prevalency upon mine own prayers when never so excellent or make the imperfections of them a ground of distrust I wrong Christ 3. That Jesus Christ is an High-Priest consecrated by God for this very purpose to take away the iniquity of my holy things Exod. 28. 38. This was typified in Aarons plate of pure gold upon his forehead wherein was written Holinesse to the Lord which he alwayes wore before the Lord to signifie that he was to bear the iniquity of their holy things whose offerings he presented And thus Jesus Christ stands before the Lord with a plate of pure gold even the perfection of his owne righteousnesse and merits upon his forehead and in them is written Holinesse to the Lord upon the account whereof the Saints may bee assured of the acceptance of all their services as holy Compare this with Apoc. 8. 3 The Angel of the Covenant is there represented standing at the Altar with a golden censer and much incense a golden holy nature in which there was no sinne and much incense of merit which hee offers with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar of his divinity before the Throne 3 Against the guilt of sin another hinderance consider 1 Forgiven sinnes are no sinnes in the account of God Therefore saith God I will blot out your iniquities as a thick cloud Isai 44. 22. The cloud when it is scattered by the wind and Sun hinders no influences from the heaven upon the earth Neither doe the sinnes of Gods people hinder any entercourse between God and the soule when God is once reconciled unto them againe The Lord is said also to put away the sins of his people as far as the East is from the West Psal 103. 12. to cast them into the depths of the Sea Micah 7. 19. to blot them out so as to remember them no more Isai 43. 25. So that though sinne should be sought for yet there shall be none Jer. 50. 20. 2. That we have an Advocate to plead with God that hath satisfied for them and therefore can answer all objections in that behalfe 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. 3. The neglect of prayer under the guilt of sinne will harden the heart and alienate thee the more from God The longer a child keeps out of the fathers sight after a fault the more he dreads it 3 Study promises Those are the great charter of a Christian what God hath promised I may boldly aske O never be beaten from that plea. All thy present discouragements are but Satans tricks and querkes by which he endeavours to baffle thee out of thy pleas and claims to make thee urge promises faintly and doubtingly and if he can do that be gets an imcomparable advantage upon thee When I have an honest mans promise if he seem to act contrary thereunto I will never leave urging his promise till I have obtained what I desire come to God and say Lord I confess hadst thou not promised I should not have dared considering mine own unworthiness to have opened my mouth before thee but seeing I have a promise I will never hold my peace I will not be daunted out of my suit by any possible discouragements If thou canst not shake off thine own promises and merciful engagements I am resolved thou shalt not shake off me 4. Be frequent in thy converses and familiarity with him Acquaint thy self with God A man that is shy of asking of a friend at first sight growes more acquainted by use and custome of acquaintance 'T is Eliphaz his good counsel Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with God i. e. by familiar converse and it followes Thou shalt lift up thy face to God ver â—6 This will make thee bold to come to God in prayer 5 Study God in Christ more and take heed how at any time thou viewest God out of him I have given you some light touches before of the improvement of Christs name in prayer for the attainment of spiritual boldnesse I shall here enlarge in some few things more which do not so properly relate to the particulars which occasioned those touches and so require a distinct consideration 1 Study God in his Engagements to Christ in thy behalf That he shall have the full power of all the Treasures of God whence any particular souls wants may be supplyed Treasures of Grace Isai 11. 2. and these for his people The
Psalm 102. 24. When I can aske competency of estate not to spend on my lusts but to glorifie God benefit the Church refresh the bowels of the Saints and that in poverty grieves us most that we cannot do so to tell God so in prayer how successefull is it likely to be When in spiritual desertion I can say Lord I want a frame of spirit fit to glorifie thee I cannot pray read hear meditate without wofull distractions I dishonour religion by drooping c. therefore lift up the light of thy countenance upon me that I may speak great things of thy name that I may glorify thee Psalm 51. 12. 13 14 15. 142. 7. This Argument also affliction suppeditates 5. The advantage which a man in such a condition may make of an experience of Gods goodnesse in hearing prayer in such a needfull time If a man can plead as David Psalm 142. 7. Bring my soul out of prison i. e. of spiritual troubles and the righteous shall compasse me about and Psalm 51. 13. Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse O Lord then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners upon the report of thy mercy to me encouraging them shall be converted unto thee So Psalm 32. 5 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time wherein thou mayst be found If he can plead thus Lord give me and others of thy people an experiment upon which to trust thee with the more boldnesse for time to come It 's true thy faithfulnesse needeth no such avouchers but my faith and that of others needs such props many of thy people will be much refreshed by what thou shalt do for me I will tell them what God hath done for my soul Set me up as a patterne of mercy and tender compassions to them that after shall believe 1 Tim. 1. 16. And this Argument also an afflicted condition principally administers because experience of God in an afflicted condition is a double experience 't is more notable more encouraging then at any other time Now it is true in the last place none of these arguments work any alteration of God who is the same before we aske as when we aske and because he intends to give fits and frames our hearts to aske but it is much to us when in prayer we can urge such arguments as may support our faith in expectation of an answer God is not the more disposed to give by such arguments but we are made more inclinable to believe we shall receive upon such considerations and by so believing more disposed and qualified for the mercies we begge at his hands Arguments urged in prayer stirre up our faith and the more faith we pray withal the nearer are we to an answer Vse I shall make but this one Use of the poâ—nt to exhort all that hear me this day in stead of those many uselesse improper and sinfull wayes which they are apt as most people are to take in a time of affliction to resolve upon this course This let me presse upon you from these few motives Mot. 1. 'T is a course that will very much lighten the burthen Strangulat inclusus dolor Can a man in this sense carry fire in his bosome and not be burnt Prov. 6. 27. Every passion like the heat of the stomack when it hath no food feeds on the heart and burns up the soul that imprisons it The wind imprisoned in the earth causeth earthquakes and fire pent up in a watry cloud thunder No wonder if grief whiles it wants that kindly vent torture a man raise heart quakes Whereas on the other side when burthens of spirit have vent that a man can discharge them freely in prayer they are much allayed Prayer is an exercise that warmes a man into an holy sweat by which he sweetly breaths out the malady that vexed him If a man have but a faithfull friend that will suffer him under any pressure to sit down by his side and patiently tell him the sad stories of his pressures what a refreshment is it But to see how a child that hath gotten a grievous fall if he can but go to the father and shew him the wound and complain of the mischance if the father will take up the child in his armes and blow upon the part it is well presently How much more will prayer ease an oppressed spirt by recourse to God who is more friendly then a thousand friends and more fatherly then a thousand Fathers His bowels are beyond those of the tenderer sex whose pity and compassion is commonly most abundant as Jonathans beyond the love of women 2 Sam. 1. 26. and those of the tenderest relation in that Sex Can a woman a mother forget her sucking child c. Yet will I not forget thee Isai 49. 15. 2 'T is a course that will mightily lay the distempers of our own spirits which ordinarily are the bellowes that blow every suffering into a flame and make it a devouring fire that should be but a refining one A mans heart in an affliction is like the sea in a tempest and as that disturbs it self and tosseth it self up and down in unquiet motions one thought as so many waves dashing in pieces another it spares no body falls out with men quarrels with meer senselesse instruments occasions and providences takes pet at God himselfe and how many thousands more mad pranks of passion and discontent doth it play in such a condition What a frantick bedlam-frame for the while was that of Jobs spirit in his fit of impatience To curse the day of his birth Alas that day was past many years before and never to return again a meer non-entity he might with as much discretion have cursed latter Lammas as we use to say a day that shall never be as the day that is past and can be recalled no more Then he falls out with the knees that dandled him and the brests that nourished him his mother or if we can imagine that the fashion of putting out children to nurse was then brought into the world his Nurse This was a worse distemper an unnatural rage against those to whom he owed most love And a while after he falls out with God and will needs reason the case with him Like a mad man in a throng he deals blowes about him and cares not or at least considers not where they light on friend or foe But when God once brings us down upon our knees O what a calme is there How soon doth the Soveraignty of God the holinesse justice wisdome of God compared with our dependent condition our basenesse guilt folly c. set before the eyes of the soul when it is powred out in prayer make us tame and meek and self-resigning and reconciled to Instruments even blessing them that curse us and praying for them that despitefully use us and laying our mouthes in the dust that God may be glorified in our abasement And 't is a
man may be assured of his Sonship à priori from the first acts of faith and repentance in conversion ch 20 A Case Whether this evidence be so certain as to exclude all doubting chap. 21. Popish Doctrine concerning doubting and uncertainty confuted Our own certainty and assurance of salvation examined Where several Cases Case 1. How to distinguish the testimony of the Spirit from Satanical or self delusion Vnder which Head it is again enquired 1 How far Satan may go in giving assurance Immediately Where a test of revelations and comfort arising hence Mediately from the Word And 2 How far we to our selves from Reason only chap. 22. This Case branched into particulars Quest 1. How to know a false assurance when it is collected from Scripture by the collusions of Satan and a mans own heart to be false chap. 23. Quest How to know whether the true assurance that a man hath of his own good condition be from the collections of his own reason meerly or from the witness of the Spirit With Cautions about it chap. 24. The Duty of keeping these Evidences of the Spirit once attained pressed with several Motives chap. 25. Quest How this may be done Where 1 The Records of these Evidences chap. 26 2 The means to maintain them chap. 27 3 The Moths that eat them out ch 28 4 The use of them in a livelihood of Love Thankfulness Obedience ch 29 The Duty of improving them urged Quest How Answered in two particulars 1 By living on them a life of Sanctification Consolation 2 By pleading them chap. 30 The Duty of recovering lost Assurance added wherein also Quest How Answered 1 Rest not in its absence 2 Enquire how it was lost and how that enquiry is to be made Several tokens to furnish an Hue and Cry after that sin that hath robbed a soul of such a Jewel chap. 31 3 What to be done in case some sin have stolne it away 4 5 6. What to be done in case no appearing sin occasion it A Case How faith may be exercised in desertion Several things proper to bee believed then As also three other Directions chap 32 Thesis III Gods Holy Spirit after he hath once been a Spirit of Adoption never again becomes a Spirit of Bondage to the same soul Explained Saints after conversion and assurance subject To troubles of consciences yea To Bondage Yea and that longer and greater then ever before upon sive Reasons How far the Spirit causeth them and how far not chap. 33 Scripture Reason Proof of the Thesis chap. 34 A Question stated viz. What then is the cause of legal terrors in the Saints after conversion and assurance c. 35 And how they befal them Saints convinced of folly in giving way to such after terrors chap 36 And that such troublesom thoughts may be cast out without disputing as blasphemous and Atheistical thoughts by the common advise of Divines should be Case How far I may safely do this Case How to know the Work of Satan undermining assurance from the work of the holy Spirit putting a man upon a warrantable and wary self-examination chap. 37 Grounds upon which Satan endeavors to weaken assurance answered Case How far a soul soundly converted and possibly assured may fall into sin Whether into gross sins Whether into the same sins as before What regret and reluctancy in a renewed conscience against sin and how differenced from that of a natural conscience terrified ch 38 Case of afflictions and tentations stated as they may be laid for grounds of questioning a renewed state ch 39 Case of not hearing prayers so far also stated Case of inability to pray thus far also stated chap. 40 Case of decayes in spiritual affections deadnesse burthensomnesse of Duty c. thus far also stated Well meaning contradictions of good souls Complaints whether hypocritical or no chap 41 Case How in a supposed decay of spiritual affections a saint may know whether he be dead or no A farther case whether and how farre an hypocrite may delight in the tydings of comfort from God c. 42. Case Whether in stead of growing a Saint may not decay in the actings of some graces and yet those very graces grow more habitually and radically strong in him c. 43. Case How a Saint may in the midst of his most sensible actual decayes know whether the habits of grace grow or no Saints comforted by an inference of Saints incapacity of total and final Apostacy from the premises c. 44. Thesis IV. One principal work of the Spirit of Adoption is to enliven and embolden the soul in prayer Qu. How and in what sense this work is the main or chief work Qu. What act of this Spirit produceth it Qu. Whether the Spirit thus work in all Saints Saints in darknesse how farre capable of being lively and bold in duty c. 45. Some evidences of the Thesis c. 46. Three cases stated Case 1. Whether in all Saints that have once been assured there be alwayes the same measure of boldnesse and fervency Case 2. If not whence proceeds the difference that is in them at times from what they were formerly c. 47. Case 3. Whether the Spirit furnisheth the soul at all times with like life and vigour of expressions Facility and fluency of expressions in prayer what evills it often occasions A touch of Formes pro and con A Case Language of prayer when from strength of parts and when from the supply of the Spirit How we lose our ability of expression in prayer c. 48. Saints Informed that darkening evidences of Gods love deadneth prayer Case What to be done when a soul cannot call God Father Especially in case some sinne streighten the spirit As also how to maintain heat and boldnesse in prayer c. 49. Three duties pressed upon all assured Saints 1 To be much in prayer upon eight motives c. 50. To stirre up the grace of God that is in them to a due proportion of life and fervency upon six motives c. 51 Qu. How the deadness and formality of Saints in prayer may be recovered Where more largely of formes and extemporary prayer c. 52. 3. To come boldly to the Throne of grace upon six motives c. 53. Case How shall I procure this boldness if I cannot come to God in this manner where those are directed who notwithstanding assurance never had it And those who have had and lost it c. 54. Case How to mix boldnesse and godly fear together in prayer Stating 1. This boldness what it is and wherein it consists 2. This fear also and its nature c. 55. Saints have some comfortable meditations suggested from this truth that the boldness and fervency of Saints in prayer is from the Spirit of Adoption Case How shall I know whether my actual fervency and boldness be not from my own spirit or Satan rather then Gods Spirit c. 56. Reader these Books are lately published and sold at the Ball in Pauls Church yard Dr. Kendals Answer to Mr. John Goodwin â—n two Volumes fol. viz. Concerning the Death of Christ and the Perseverance of the Saints Mr. Sheffeild a Treatise of Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse 8o. Mr. Rob. Bailie a learned Treatise against Anabaptism 4º Catechesis Elenctica Errorum qui hodie vexant Ecclesiam 12o. His Vindication of his Disswasive from the Exceptions of Mr. Cotton and Mr. Tombs 4º Mr Cawdrey and Mr. Palmer on the Sabâ—ath in four Parts 4º Dr. Tuckneies Sermons on these Texts viz. Jer. 8. 22. 1 Cor. 15. 55 Acts 4. 12. 12o. Mr Jenkyns Exposition of the whole Epistle of Jude 4o. Jus Divinum Ministerii 4º Mella Patrum per prima nascentisâ— paâ—ientis Ecclesiae tria secula Per Fran. Rous Preposit Etonens 8o. January 5. 1655.