mistaking of these or any of these infirm kindes of faith instead of the true justifying and saving faith several errours have received their original especially that uncomfortable errour of the Saints falling from Grace received through the unsteadfastnesse of their faith But I dare be bold to affirm that such Apostates did never feel the force of an effectual faith of a justifying faith This is the gift of God Rom. 12. 3. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. I will not say but a man may fall grievously in it but he can never fall finally from it For the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. And truely I conceive this discovery to be very pertinent to our present purpose For faith being the onely condition to be performed by us in this Covenant of Grace It is very necessary that we be rightly instructed therein Least peradventure we either satisfie our selves with empty shadows instead of the true substance Or torment our selves with causelesse discomforts concerning the losse or uncertainty of that glorious inheritance which our gracious God by the purchase of Jesus Christ hath so long since estated upon a true and a lively faith according to this eternal Covenant We proceed now to consider why the Lord propoundeth faith for the Proviso or Condition of this Covenant of Grace First I conceive because he would have his gift received which would otherwise become fruitlesse and unprofitable He gave his onely begotten Son And were it not a world of pitie that such a precious gift should be neglected and not received applied and improved Well how are we to receive him Into our houses No but into our hearts By what instrument or means Verily by faith onely According to the Scriptures By faith Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. And by faith Christ dwelleth in us in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. Questionlesse there is no relation between the Saviour and the souls of his Saints but what is contracted fixed and confirmed by his affection and their lively faith Secondly the Lord requireth faith That so this gift of his might be beneficial to the whole World in all places and at all times indifferently For were Christ to be received any other way then by faith All men could not have been capable of receiving him at all seasons Suppose he had come into the World in the day of the Creation and continued in the World till the day of dissolution Yet in regard of his passive Nature his humanity he could not have been received by any two persons in any two several places at one and the same time But wheresoever he abideth faith will instantly finde him out and lay hold upon him And therefore there is no cause now why any man should say in his heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach saith St. Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And this word of faith which we preach if truely believed and rightly applied will do both It will bring down Christ from above with the virtue of his Resurrection and Ascention And it will bring up Christ from beneath with the virtue of his death and passion It will do all things that may concern the Remission of our sins the justification of our persons and the salvation of our Souls by Jesus Christ our Lord. So then saith the same Apostle in the same Chapter faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 17 18. And to that very purpose the Lord Jesus Christ after his Resurrection gives his Apostles this universal Commission Go ye saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel unto evâ—ry Creature Well what is the tenour or substance of that Gospel He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved That is he that receiveth Christ by faith and manifesteth the same in his Profession shall be saved as Rom. 10. 10. he that believeth not shall be damned Marc. 16. 15 16. And as this Gospel this word of faith is universal so is it likewise everlasting And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Cospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saith St. John Rev. 14. 6. But why doth God require nothing else but faith We know there may be divers Provisoes in one and the same Conveyance or Covenant Truely faith by it self is enough provided that it be such a faith as apprehendeth Christ He that hath the Son hath life saith Saint John 1 John 5. 1. And it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell saith St. Paul Col. 1. 19. Whatsoever had been required besides faith according to our apprehension either it must have proceeded from or reflected upon our own persons or performances And then it is more then probable that our corrupt nature would have mislead us to neglect this all-satisfying gift to repose our selves either wholly or partly upon our own deserts or abilities But faith comes empty-handed and by that means it takes the surer hold When a man gives liberally we say he is open-handed And truely he that will receive freely and hold firmly it is necessary that he be empty-handed Faith is very fitly called the hand of the Soul For as we use to receive an earthly gift from man by the hand so we must receive this heavenly treasure from God by faith And therefore the Evangelist in reference to this most blessed gift intimateth unto us that receiving and believing do signifie the same thing As many as received him saith he to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to soem that believe on his name John 1. 12. A place very well worthy of our consideration for the proof of this particular Verily this onely begotten Son of God is beyond all thought of exception the most satisfying solid and substantial gift the most compleat and weighty gift that either heaven or earth can possibly afford us And therefore whatsoever we have or seem to have of our own whether it be work or worthinesse suffering or satisfaction ability or possibility our faith must cast it wholly to the ground or otherwise we shall never receive the Lord Jesus Christ so as to make him our own for ever A second Reason which I conceive to be most proper in this case is this Because whatsoever had been required with or besides faith It would have been destructive of the very nature of this Covenant of Grace For if by grace then it is no more of works
towards eternal death Yet originally and as it affordeth a being to the Creature without which he could not be capable of everlasting life So it may properly be said to be part of Christs purchase and included within the compasse of this Covenant of Grace The next is the spiritual life For that was not firsi which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 46. This spiritual life is the fruit of that regeneration or new birth whereby we are said to be born of God John 1. 13. And this birth is perfected when the seed of the word is quickned by the Spirit in the womb of Faith First the seed of this new birth must be the word of God Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever saith Saint Peter 1 Pet. 1. 23. 2ly this word must be quickned by the Spirit It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I spake unto you they are spirit and they are life saith the Son of God John 6. 63. And thirdly this word must be quickned by the Spirit in the womb of Faith Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God saith S. John 1 John 5. 1. And this may really be called a life for it shall never be overcome of death If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do morâ—ifâ—e the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8. 13. Live eternally for none can live this spiritual life this life of grace but he that is raised from the death of sin Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and Christ and shall reigne with him a thousand yeaos Rev. 20. 6. A thousand years Not according to the Millenaries account who dream of an earthly Kingdom to continue for a thousand years contrary to that of Christ himself My Kingdom is not of this World saith he John 18. 36. But whilest they contend for this earthly Kingdom doth it not appear that Their wisdom is earthly sensual c. According to that of St. James Jam. 3. 15. But a thousand years The thousand years of the great Sabbath that eternal Jubilee that shall be celebrated by the Saints of God in that everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Verily this spiritual life is the greatest good that we can injoy in this World Whilest we live a meer natural life we live at the best but to our selves and we shall finde our selves but bad pay-masters He is an empty Vine that bringeth forth fruit unto himself saith the Lord by his Prophet Hosea 10. 1. But in serving our selves we commonly serve worse Masters then our selves For we serve sin also Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin saith our Lord Christ Joh. 8. 34. And the wages of sinne is death saith St. Paul Rom. 6. 23. Yea and in serving sin and our selves we serve the Devil too In time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the aire the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. And from such a cursed Master we can expect but a sorry reward The Devils wages is a Mark Rev. 13. 16. But he that receiveth that Mark The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb Rev. 14. 10. But being by this new birth or this spiritual life delivered from these bad Masters we are sure of a blessing For being made free from sin and become servants to God Ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Rom. 6. 22. And the end everlasting life You see here that the end of this spiritual life is everlasting life But in regard that many do dis-relish and dislike this spiritual life as disquiet and uncomfortable therefore I shall desire you to take the peacefull life in your passage St. Paul exhorteth That supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. I will not deny but there are many enemies both spiritual and temporal that do continually endeavour to infest and molest this happy passage towards eternity But what hurt or hinderance can it be to a well resolved spirit though the Devil with all his smoaky legions do thunder forth their phantastick false alarums The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will blesse his people with peace saith that man of War Psal 29. 11. Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid saith Christ to his Disciples Joh. 14. 17. And he that said it is well able to perform it For he is the prince of peace Isa 9. 6. This is the peace of God and it is more then an ordinary peace It is a perfect and a perpetual peace an infinite and an inward peace First it is a perfect peace Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee saith that Evangelical Prophet to his and our God Isa 26. 3. Secondly it is a perpetual peace The Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee According to that of the same Prophet Isa 54. 10. Not so perfect and perpetual that it shall never be interrupted but so perfect and perpetual that it shall never be utterly overthrown Thirdly it is an infinite peace it passeth all understanding And fourthly it is an inward peace It keepeth your hearts and mindes The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and mindes saith the Apostle Phil. 4. 7. Yea and it is an outward peace also when a mans wayes please the Lord. he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him saith that wise man Prov. 16. 7. Or if they will not it shall be upon their own peril For his heart is established he shall not be afraid untill he see his desire upon his enemies Psal 112. 8. This is the peacefull life or the spiritual mans peacefull passage to eternal salvation or everlasting life which is the fourth and last degree and that which is expressed here in this Copy as the onely intire happinesse and perfection of all the former For the matter what
were negligent and carelesse Be sober therefore be vigilant saith St. Peter because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Peter 5. 8. And be ye doers of the Word and not hearers onely deceiving your own selves James 1. 22. Secondly take heed how ye hear deceitfully Thou son of man saith the Lord to his Prophet Ezekiel the Children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses and speak one to another every one to his brother saying come I pray you and hear what is the Word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse Ezek. 33. 30 31. See how these Hypocrites do vilifie the Prophet of the Lord in private Neverthelesse they seem to be very zealous for the word of the Lord in publick and thereupon they come unto the Prophet and they sit before him as Gods own people and they do hear his words But here is the deceit they will not do them for they are Hypocritical and self-ended with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And may there not be deceitfull hearers in these our dayes that follow the word meerly that they may be accounted good Christians or because they think this to be the onely prevailing way both to make them capable of all manner of imployment though they be never so unfit and undeserving And likewise to countenance all their proceedings though never so corrupt and unconscionable And therefore if you observe it they will seldom or never hear the word though never so sincerely plainly and powerfully delivered but when they think it may conduce to their carnal profit or preferment The cry of their heart is who will shew us any good not Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us as Psalm 4. 6. Is not this to hear the word of God deceitfully Is it not a work of the Lord to hear the word of the Lord Truely it is such a work as doth very well manifest who is our Master He that is of God heareth Gods words Ye therefore hear them not â—ecause ye are not of God saith the Son of God to the unbelieving Jews John 8. 47. And cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully saith the Prophet Jer. 48. 10. Thirdly take heed how you hear despightfully Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed saith Salomon Prov. 13. 13. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me saith Christ to his seventy Disciples Luke 10. 16. He therefore that despiseth despiseth not Man but God saith that Apostle 1 Thessa 4. 8. But you will say that there is no man so ungracious as to despise the word of God in the mouth of his Ministers No What think you then of those factions frantick spirits that wry the mouth at every Doctrine which agreeth not with their own erronious or peradventure blasphemous opinions Or what do you think of those foul stomacks that will by no means disgest the sincere milk of the word but will rather spet it out in reproches unlesse it be sweetned with faithlesse revelations flattering Prophesies fair promises false invectives fresh intelligence or the like frivolous extravagancies which taste like Sugar to their corrupted appetites Or what do you think of those preposterous hearers that come to Gods Ordinances Not with Davids resolution To hear what God the Lord will speak as Psal 85. 8. But with an Athenian prejudice What will this babler say as Acts 17. 18. Neither shall the Son of God escape better then his servants For some said he is a good man others said Nay but he deceiveth the people John 7. 11. Whereas in truth they deceived themselves Is not this to despise both Christ and his Gospel He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight unto the spirit of grace saith the Apostle to the Hebrews Hebr. 10. 28 29. Wherefore let the Preacher perswade you to keep your feet when you go into the house of God and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools Eccl. 5. 1. That is keep or see to your affections which carry about the Soul as the feet do carry about the body and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools what sacrifice is that why you know that under the Law they did use to offer beasts in sacrifice And these as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed do offer themselves to speak evil of the things that they understand not and shall utterly perish in their own corruption according to that of Peter 2 Pet. 2. 12. But take heed that ye do hear the word of God attentively reverently and obediently First take heed that ye hear attentively We finde that the Lord commended Mary for attending to his Sermon when her sister Martha accused her for neglecting his service Luke 10. 39. c. Attention is the Lords own work for it was the Lord that opened the heart of Lidia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul Acts 16. 14. And the Lord himself will reward it We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God saith that good Centurion to St. Peter Acts 10. 33. Here was a Testimony of their attention And the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word verse 44. There was the reward of their attention They received the gift of the holy Ghost A gift so precious that it is impossible for any to value it but onely such as have truely received it Secondly take heed that ye do hear reverently Receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Ja. 1. 21. And for this cause thank we God without ceasing saith Paul because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. Contrary to these are they who proud of their own parts do creep into the sheepfold of Christ to put the whole flock into a confusion endeavouring not to obtain grace from Christ but to disgrace the faithfull Ministers of Christ And to that purpose where they cannot take occasions of offence they will be sure to make occasions of offence Neither can the most weighty and well-grounded arguments suffice to
with Philip. and wondered beholding the miracles and signes which were done Acts 8. 9 to 14. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy Ghost Acts 8. 18 19. Now let us lay all these together He beleeved and was baptized and continued with his teacher and was so desirous of the gift of the holy Ghost that he would have bought it with his money a commodity that few will part with upon such terms and what can any man desire more Yet Peter said unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter For thy heart is not right in the sight of God Acts 8. 20 21. Truely according to the outward appearance this Simon the sorcerer performed as much as might be expected and yet we see that all was to no purpose because his heart was not right in the sight of God It is like that his evil heart propounded unto him this outward profession for the only means to compasse his carnal designes And this will the rather appear by Peters insuing exhortation Repent therefore saith he of this thy wickednesse and pray to God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8. 22 23. Truely these examples may serve for seasonable admonitions to such as make use of religion onely as a fig-leafe to cover their shame or to countenance their covetousnesse cruelties or confederacies Keep thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. Out of the heart are the issues of life or the wayes of life yea and of death too A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth for evil things saith the Son of God Mat. 12. 30. And as he knew all mens hearts so we finde that he distinguished between the Hypocrite and the true believer by the heart Ye Hypocrites saith he well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Mat. 15. 7 8. To confirm and conclude this truth that the heart is the onely receptacle or place of residence for an effectual faith I pray observe That when the Eunuch made the motion to Philip of being baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest Acts 8. 36 37. Haply he remembred the Sorcerers evil heart whom he had then but lately baptized and fearing least this Eunuch might be poysoned with the like Hypocrisie and so become lyable to the like reproof he telleth him that he may be baptized provided that he believeth with all his heart And truely this is not without great reason that the heart should be principally regarded in matter of faith For first God sendeth faith into the heart to purge and purifie it as Acts 15. 9. And faith bringeth Christ into the same heart along with it According to that prayer of Paul for the Ephesians Eph. 3. 17. which seemeth likewise to be most sweetly insinuated by the believing love-sick spouse I found him whom my Soul loveth saith she I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me Cant. 3. 4. And when the gracious Soul hath thus brought Christ to dwell in her heart by faith then she beginneth to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory according to that of St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 8. But whereupon must this faith be built For that is the third Question I answer that it must be built upon the Rock which is Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Not upon Thoughts or Opinions Not upon Traditions Not upon Humane Inventions Not upon Dreams or Fancies Not upon Prophesies Not upon Prognostications Not upon Wrested Expositions Not upon Works of Righteousnesse But upon The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. First a justifying faith must not be built upon Thoughts or Opinions For the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are but vain 1 Cor. 3. 20. I verily thought with my self or I was directly of opinion that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus saith St. Paul Acts 26. 9. But that opinion of his made him a persecuter and not a believer Secondly not upon Traditions Beware least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men and not after Christ saith the same Apostle Col. 2. 8. And our Saviour told the Scribes Pharisees that they transgressed the commandment of God by their Traditions Mat. 15. 3. Thirdly not upon humane inventions They are whores deceitfull whores as the Prophet David insinuateth Psal 106. 39. For therefore was the wrath of God kindled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance verse 40. Cursed are they that father their own adulterous conceptions upon the Spirit of God or that dare forge a Gospel according to their own inventions If we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached let him be accursed saith that faithfull Apostle Gal. 1. 9. For we preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake saith the same Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 5. Fourthly this faith must not be built upon Dreams or Fancies For in the multitude of Dreams and many wâ—rds there are also divers vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 5. 7. I have saith the Lord heard what the Prophets said that prophesie lies in my name saying I have dreamed I have dreamed Jer. 23. 25. Fifthly not upon prophesies The Prophets prophesie falsly saith the Lord Jer. 5. 31. we finde that for one Elijah there were four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18. 22. And for one Micaiah about four hundred lying Prophets 1 Kings 22. 23. Truely in comparison of the multitudes of lying Prophets there were but very few that were approved to be true faithfull even then under the shadows of the Law when prophesying was very necessary to declare the will of God and to confirm the mindes of men in the promised Messias But God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. And it may seem that Peter desired to have conference with those great Prophets Moses and Elias But behold a voice out of the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 4
He bursteth out with the Prophet David in his 51. Psalm Sometimes by way of confession saying I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me verse 3. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me verse 5. Sometimes by way of petition for the remission of his sins Purge me with Hysope and I shall be clean Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Make me to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities verses 7. 8 9. Sometimes by way of supplication for supplies of spiritual grace Create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit verse 10. 11 12. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise verse 15. And thus with David the poor humble Soul bemoans her self after a mournfull manner yet in the midst of all her passions she 's confident to say with the same Prophet A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise verse 17. For the Lord hath pronounced her blessed and promised her comfort saying Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Math. 5. 4. The second question is this By whom is this humility wrought To which I answer By the Lord our God God maketh my heart soft saith Job Job 23. 16. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wildernesse to humble thee and to prove thee saith Moses to the Congregation of Israel Deut. 8. 2. It was the Lord of heaven that humbled the proud heart of Nebuchadnezzar King of all the earth and made him a companion unto beasts whereby he perceived that he was no better then a beast in comparison of the living God Insomuch That he blessed the most high and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever c. Dan. 4. 33. 34. And because his son and successour Belshazzar humbled not himself though he knew all this but lifted up himself against the Lord of heaven the same Lord did put him into a condition worse then of a beast As appeareth by his desperate agony and his unexpected end Dan. 5. 22 23. Now albeit this abasing or humbling did work upon these mighty heathens no otherwise then to manifest Gods more mighty power and Majesty Yet where it becometh effectual through faith it fitteth and prepareth the heart towards the attaining of everlasting salvation And the preparations of the heart are from the Lord saith Solomâ—n Prov. 16. 1. But how is this humility wrought Or by what means doth our God work it in us For this is the third question Verily it appeareth unto me that the ordinary means whereby the Lord begins to break and soften and humble our rebellious hard hearts is by affliction which being sanctified unto us by the sweet influence and operation of his holy Spirit it directeth us unto the Agent the Cause and the Cure of all our miseries both outward and inward temporal and eternal Insomuch that every one who is become poor in spirit will freely confesse with the Prophet David I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Psalm 119. 75. For our better satisfaction in this particular we must consider that we are all by nature proud insolent disobedient and obstinate No man repenteth him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Every one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel saith the Prophet Jer. 8. 6. And that is fiercely furiously and dangerously untill the Lord in pity of our Souls claps his restraining bridles in our jaws And to abate us of our desperate speed layes burdens of afflictions on our backs on some more heavy and on some more light according to his wisdom and our temper For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust saith David Psalm 103. 14. And when the Lord with his afflicting hand hath fill'd her with occasions of complaint the Soul beginneth to cast down her pride her stout behaviour and her haughty looks and to devise from whence those woes proceed And being now in this perplexity 't is ten to one but some of her acquaintance some miserable carnal comforters are ready to perswade her that her distresses come by accident by chance by fortune or by evil tongues or by the disposition of the Stars or by the malice of her enemies or treachery of some deceitfull friends And hereupon they will prescribe her remedies suteable to these devilish suggestions To turn her eyes from looking towards God and so to drown her in a Sea of sorrows But having now begun his work of grace her God strikes in and sends her to his word where she findeth That affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5. 6. But the Lâ—rd killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich c. 1 Sam. 2. 6 7. And being thus instructed and confirmed in these and the like godly principles she crieth out with mournfull Naomie The Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me Ruth 1. 21. And having found the Agent to be God she knows the action must be just and right For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145. 17. And going forward in her heavenly search She findes that God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men Lam. 3. 33. And therefore there is some impulsive cause which doth constrain him to these sad proceedings Well what is the cause for which the Lord afflicteth why this his Church confesseth to be sin We roar all like Beares saith she and mourn sore like Doves we look for judgement but there is none for salvation but it is far from us For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us c. Isai 59. 11 12. c. And thus by the Prophet Jeremie We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Jerem. 3. 25. And this the Scriptures every where affirm And what is sin why sin is the transgression of the law 1 John 3. 4. Resolved thus the Soul draws forth her life and layes it to the level of the law and findes it so repugnant to the rule so crooked crosse deformed and destructive That now she feels not what she hath received but fears to think of what she hath deserved Her sorrow now is turned into anger Anger against her self her sinfull self she wonders how the Justice of the Almighty hath spared her so long and not inflicted
fully satisfied that now the match between her Lord and her is absolutely made and finished For as she apprehends his love by faith so she returns her love by resolution She hears him sing That he is overcome and ravish't with her beauties and her love Cant. 4. 9 10. And in consideration thereof she gives consent and so confirms the contract My beloved is mine and I am his saith she Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine or I know that my beloved is mine There is the consideration And I am his or I do freely give my self to be his There is the consent And from these deer conclusions they proceed to solemnize their heavenly nuptials He brings her unto the banqueting house and his banner over her is love Cant. 2. 4. And she holds him and will not let him go untill she hath brought him into her mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived her Cant. 3. 4. And now he weds and beds her For as the Bride-groom rejoyceth over the Bride so her Lord rejoiceth over her as Isa 62. 5. And the sweet Soul is made so sensible of her deer Lords embraces that she breaks forth into these the like sacred raptures A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts As Cant. 1. 13. His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth embrace me Cant. 2. 6. And being thus become a married wife she studies how she best may please her husband And to that purpose she consulteth not with flesh and bloud but with his holy Spirit By whom she begs that she may be directed unto the knowledge of his blessed will according to the tenor of his word And first she findes this exhortation under the hand of his Apostle Paul Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord Eph. 5. 22. Here is both a rule and an example She submitteth her self therefore unto God According to Saint James his exhortation James 4. 7. Yea she submitteth her self to every ordinance of man for her Lords sake whether it be to the King as supream or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well According to that of the Apostle Peter 1 Peter 2. 13 14. Secondly she findeth by St. Peter That wives ought to obey their husbands even as Sarah obeyed Abraham 1 Peter 3. 6. And thereupon she saith unto her Lord as the people of Israel sometimes said in the presence of Moses All that the Lord hath said I will do and be obedient as Exod. 24. 7. Yea she saith with the Propher David I delight to do thy will O my God Yea thy law is within my heart Psal 40. 8. Yet lest she should mistake in her accounts she oftentimes doth pray with the same Prophet Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statues Psal 119. 12. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts c. verse 26. And teach me to do thy will for thou art my God Psal 143. 10. She prayes that she may do as well as understand And as she prayes so she resolves to practice That so she may prove what is that good that acceptable will of God According to St. Paul his milde request Rom. 12. 2. From whom she likewise meets with this instruction This is the will of God even your sanctification c. 1 Thes 4. 3. c. And from St. Peter thus As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written Be ye holy for I am holy 1 Pet. 15. 16. And therefore in obedience to his will She endeavoureth to cleanse her self from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God as in the 2 Cor. 7. 1. And for as much as she conceives that she cannot attain to that perfection of holinesse that will be requisite she calls upon her husband for supplies Who of God is made unto her wisdom and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. So that though she be a poor Soul yet she hath a very rich husband Thirdly she findeth that the wife must see that she reverence her husband Eph. 5. 33. And therefore this new-married Soul doth strive to raise her thoughts above the common rate and fix them on such venerable objects as may provoke to reverence and honour Doth Majestie require a reverence Why with her Lord is terrible Majesty Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice Job 37. 22. 23. Is wisdom to be had in reverence Why in him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2. 3. Is it required that we reverence Age Why he is the ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 9. The eternal God Deut. 33. 27. Or do we reverence and honour goodnesse Surely we ought so to do Why there is none good but he Matth. 10. 17. If these or any other excellencies are to be reverenced in the Creature according to their limits or degrees By how much more must they be honoured and reverenced in the great Creator where they are matchlesse perfect infinite Therefore the Soul that 's married unto Christ considereth his might his Majesty his wisdom goodnesse and eternity with all his fulnesse and perfections that so she may have grace whereby she may serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear as Hebr. 12. 28. And though she is not superstitious to place the strength of her devotions in outward forms bodily performances knowing That bodily exercise profiteth little as 1 Tim. 4. 8. And that God being a Spirit must be worshiped in Spirit and in truth as John 4. 24. Yet neither is she barbarous or rude to exercise such incivilities in the partaking of Gods Ordinances as she would fear to practice in the presence of civil persons or societies We know there is a reverence belonging to husbands fathers masters Magistrates chiefly as they are subordinate to God whom they do personate or represent according to their weak proportions And shall we honour these imperfect shaddowes more then we honour that most perfect substance for and by whom they are made honourable Do we conceive both cap and knee too little wherewith to reverence our superiours when we do meet them in their several stations And think we one of these to be too much to reverence the great King of Kings withall when we attend him in his Ordinances There are many in this time of pretended or inforced or desired famine of the word that will go as far to a Sermon if they like the Sermoners as to a Sias or Sessions I do not discommend them for that Yet they will not allow the least reverence to the word of God in the Sermon that they will afford to the word of Man in the Sessions I do not
doth or can make good our Title to eternal salvation That more then most excellent inheritance which the Saints of God do and shall injoy in the Kingdom of glorie And this in spite of the Devil and all his adherents is most manifest throughout the whole word of God Faith is the evidence of things not seen saith the Apostle Hebr. 11. 1. And eye hath not seen nor eare heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. Verily Verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life saith our Lord and Saviour Joh. 6. 47. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus saith St. Paul Gal. 3. 26. And if children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ saith the same Apostle Rom. 8. 17. Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith and Heirs to the Kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him saith the Apostle James Jam. 2. 5. Ye are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 5. And to confirm us yet more perfectly in this general truth we finde Faith to be the onely condition exemplified in this Copy of that Covenant whereby we stand intituled to everlasting life even from all eternity God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life ANd now concerning the right Heir to this inheritance you shall very hardly meet with any man or woman whatsoever but they will be ready to lay claim thereunto Yea and they will inforce their Allegations and produce their evidences such as they are And therefore to avoid confusion in this case I shall endeavour to reduce the multitude of Pretenders amongst us that will be called Christians unto these few heads As namely The obstinate Offender The ignorant Infidel The good honest Man The zealous Reformer And The legal Professour And in them I shall briefly consider their Actions their Allegations and their Evidences The first in this Catalogue is the obstinate Offender And by him I intend such a one as runneth on in his sins according to a Reprobate sense without contradiction or remorse of conscience I shall give you no other account of his actions then what I finde recorded by the Spirit of God Least by lighting accidentally upon the corruptions of some particular persons I be looked upon either as envious or injurious In the tenth Psalm beginning at the fourth verse the Prophet David describeth him thus First by his Pride The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts verse 4. Secondly by his Behaviour His wayes are alwayes grievous thy judgements are far above out of his sight as for all his enemies he puffeth at them verse 5. Thirdly by his Security He hath said in his heart I shall not be moved for I shall never be in adversity ver 6. Fourthly by his Subtilty His mouth is full of cursing and deceit under his tongue is mischief and vanity ver 7. Fifthly by his Treachery He sitteth in the lurking places of the Villages in the secret places doth he murder the innocent his eyes are privily set against the pâ—or He lyeth in wait secretly as a Lion in his Den he lieth in wait to catch the poor he doth catch the poor when he draweth him into his Net he crouhceth and humbleth himself that the poor may fall by his strong ones verses 8 9 and 10. Sixthly and lastly by his Blasphemy He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it verse 11. These are his Actions Neither are his Allegations any thing unsuteable For let either Magistrate or Minister or any private friend reprove or admonish him concerning the evil of his ways or the sad condition of his poor Soul And they shall soon finde that he will return reproaches for reproofs and bad language for good counsel What do you think he knows not what he hath to do as wel as any foolish Hypocrite of them all Is there any man that doth not sin He that saith to the contrary is a lyar What are his offences but infirmities or humane frailties And he can say as much or more by other men then they can say by him These are his best thanks But commonly he is so throughly instructed by the Devil his Master that with lying accusations and scornfull Allegations he is able to silence the most confident Christian living But you will say dares any wicked wretch so odious in the sight of God and man lay claim unto this heavenly inheritance Yea verily dares he For if pride and contempt will afford him so much patience as to hear or discourse concerning the same he is ready presently to produce his evidence And commonly part of it will be this He believes that God is mercifull for did he not proclaim himself after this manner The Lord The Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34. 6 7. And what can any man desire more Why I desire that he would proceed a little further in that seventh verse And that will by no means clear the guilty But this is past his learning and contrary to his liking For by this it appears that this evidence of his is nothing worth For God is not so mercifull as to destroy his Justice Neither can he in Justice pardon sin without satisfaction But yet he is neverthelesse confident in his Title For this is but one clause of his evidence he proceedeth yet further and saith he groundeth his assurance upon that saying of Paul where he telleth Timothy That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom he is chief 1 Tim. 1. 15. Who doubts of that But he must know that the true saving Faith consisteth not in believing that Christ came into the World to save sinners But in receiving Christ and applying the promise to our own particulars whereby we get assurance that he is ours and we are his According to that of the faithful spouse My beloved is mine saith she I am his Can. 2. 16 And thefore the foresaid Apostle Paul Know ye not saith he that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. But how shall a man know whether Christ be in him or not Why If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse saith the same Apostle Rom. 8. 10. See how this miserable wicked wretch deceives himself to the dishonour of God and the destruction
First if it deserveth the right name of hatred it is impartial And therefore he that truely hateth sin he doth hate all manner of sin and in all manner of persons He must hate all manner of sin He may not hate riotousnesse and love covetousnesse hate swearing and love lying hate publick prophanesse and love private perfidiousnesse or the contrary I hate every false way saith good David Psal 119. 128. And to that purpose he prayeth unto his God saying Incline not my heart to any evil thing Psal 41. 4. Doubtlesse 't is hard to finde a man whose heart is not inclin'd to many evil things But wher 's that Soul amongst us that is not so wedded unto some bewitching lust some Dalila one bosom sin or other of which we are inclineable to say as Lot did sometime say concerning Zoar Is it not a little one Gen. 19. 20. Yet every sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. And cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. And therefore the Prophet David Search me O God saith he and know my heart try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Psal 139. 23 24. And the Apostle Paul Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And likewise St. Jude exhorteth To hate even the Garment spotted by the flesh Jude 23. Alluding haply to those forbidden things of the Law whereby their very Garments were defiled And intimating to us under the Gospel That we ought to abstain even from all appearance of evil according to that of Paul 1 Thes 5. 22. And as we must hate sin in general so we must hate all sinne in every person A man would think there had been no great cause of offence for Jehosaphat to assist Ahab in the recovery of Ramoth Gilead They were both of the stock of Abraham joyned in affinity professed the same Religion the cause was just and the enemy an idolatrous Heathen Neverthelesse Jehu the Seer said unto Jehosaphat the King Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. And are there not too many amongst us that do professe much detestation against the miscarriages of such as are either averse or unprofitable to our designs whereas a little affinity or friendship or faction or the like carnal complyance will easily over-rule us to approve and patronize the most abomiâ—able actions Like wicked Ahab who hated the saving truth in the mouth of Micaiah because it was contrary to his intention and imbraced a pernitious lye from the mouths of his false Prophets because it was agreeable to his present resolution as in the 2 Chron. 18. Yea such is the damnable deceitfulnesse of self-love that many of us are thereby bewitched to censure those sins most severely in others which we our selves are ten times more notoriously guilty of And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God saith Paul Rom. 2. 3. Verily this carnal self-love must of necessity be turned into spiritual self-hatred either temporal or eternal For we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things as saith the same Apostle Rom. 2. 2. Nothing is so offensive unto God or so destructive to our selves as sin The pestilence in our bloud the poyson in our bowels and the sword in our sides all these together can but kill the body according to a temporary death But sin is of so desperate a strain that it destroyes both soul and body too and hurries them into eternal torments And therefore he that hateth not all sin and in all persons chiefly in himself his seeming hatred is Hypocrisie and his love to God and his own Soul is nothing bettter Therefore be not deceived God is not mocked Gal. 6. 7. Secondly hatred if 't is true and perfect it is impetuous or violent nothing will satisfie it but the death or the destruction of every thing whereon it resteth We finde that Esau hated his brother Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father had blessed him And Esau said in his heart the dayes of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Jacob Genes 27. 41. And doubtlesse he had done as he intended had not the Lord his God preserved Jacob according to his power Gen. 32. 11. We likewise finde how that the sons of Jacob did hate their brother Joseph Gen. 37. 4. And they consulted together to slay him verse 20. And if we deal more kindly by our sins it is a sign we are but angry with them we do not hate them with a perfect hatred like that of David wherewith he did hate the haters of his God Do not I hate them O Lord saith he that hate thee And am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred Psal 139. 21 22. There are two great evils in and belonging unto every sin to wit the evil of iniquity Psal 32. 5. And the evil of punishment Lam. 3. 39. Whereof the first is essential and offensive to the spirit the second is accidental and offensive to the flesh And from hence it proceedeth that the spiritual man hateth sin for the iniquity thereof In reference to God But the carnal man is angry with sin onely because of the punishment thereof in relation to himself God is not in all his thoughts saith David Psal 10. 4. And therefore because he hateth not the iniquity which he ought to hate the punishment which he hateth shall fall upon him unto his confusion Gen. 4. 13. Whilest he which hateth that which God doth hate shall surely be approved of by God Rev. 2. 6. And therefore it will be of special use unto us to consider with what vehemency the Prophet David endeavoureth to aggravate the violence or the severity of his hatred against sin and sinners in his 101. Psalm Wherein he maketh divers protestations or promises unto this very purpose saying I will see no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me verse 3. A froward heart shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person verse 4. Who so privily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer verse 5. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my hâ—use he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight verse 7. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the citie of the Lord verse 8. Thus
Yet she must likewise perfect holiness in the fear of God And be renewed in the spirit of her minde And put on that new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse as Ephes 4. 23 24. Or she esteems her self unfit for Christ These are the beauties that her Lord delights in And therefore now she seeks to deck her self with these new ornaments Not with broyded hair or gold or pearls or costly aray as good St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 9. And yet much lesse will she deform her self according to the fashions of this world But she endeavours to adorn her self in the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which in the sight of God is of great price According to St. Peters exhortation 1 Peter 3 4. And being thus arayed and adorned with precious robes instead of specious rags beyond the power or police of nature and past the industry of humane art She seeks the good hand of her God upon her for which she humbly magnifies his grace saying as in Isaiahs Prophesie I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegroom decketh him self with Ornaments and as a bride adorneth her self with her jewells Isa 61. 10. And thus attired with all humility she waiteth to receive her soveraign Lord and panting for his most desired presence she sings as in the song of Solomon stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2. 5. Set me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thine arm for love is strong as death Cant. 8. 6. Make haste my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices Cant. 8. 14. And now her blessed Lord who all this while from the first in stant of her new creation wrought secretly upon her sinful heart melting it in the furnace of affliction discovering the Agent cause and cure of all her miseries instructing her in her own sinfulnesse and wants and weaknesse disposing her to seek and find relief removing all occasions of offence and renovating her to his own likenesse And all this by the level of humility the first and fairest fruit of faith and love Now he appears to her more visibly For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse shineth in her heart to give the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ as in 2 Cor. 4. 6. At which the poor Soul fares as one transported Not by the spirit of illusion of pride vain glory or Hypocrisie like those that labour to dishonour Christ in his eternal Mediatorship by their conditional Election that magnify the broken arm of flesh by their free-will and carnal confidence that wrest the word of God to overthrow Scripture by reason that will make the Law of none effect by their traditions that do despise rule order government and lift themselves above Gods Ordinances that make their Christian liberty the Cloak for their ambition avarice and envy that dare with shamelesse impudence proclaim themselves for Saints whereas their practice proves that they are altogether otherwise That say stand by thy self come not near to me for I am holier then thou These are a smoak in my nose c. saith the Lord Isa 65. 5. But in the spirit of a meek sound minde with upright Job she sayes unto the Lord I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 42. 5. 6. And with that Evangelical Isaiah wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts Isa 6. 5. And with that good Centurion she saith Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof Math. 8. 8. And thus the nearer that her Lord approcheth with his pure spotlesse glorious perfections the more unworthy she esteems her self untill she seems unto her self as nothing Yea worse then nothing All her braveries her beauties honours pleasures wit and wealth are lying Witches all her fair professions are painted Vizards of Hypocrisie her moral vertues and most precious parts are filthy garments spotted by the flesh For so she values them and casts them from her And having stript her self of all such rags she humbly layes her self at her Lords feet saying as Ruth did sometime say to Boaz I am thine handmaid spread therefore thy skirt over thine hand-maid Ruth 3. 9. And wheresoever this Humility hath wrought this work No doubt but Christ is there and brings assurance as his next attendant And so it followeth in the fourth place That wheresoever Christ is there is Assurance In him we have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him saith St. Paul Eph. 3. 12. And that strong fortresse wherein this Assurance is to be lodged and established is the free promises of God in Christ according to the Covenant of Grace There are too many that do seek for this Assurance in their own sanctification And that in order to their victories over their sins their abilities to serve their God according to the rule of his Commandments And this I must confesse is a fair building but yet exceeding subject to the blasted in time of tryal and temptation when every filching undermining sin shall catch occasion to break in and shake or shatter all or part of their Assurance But that Assurance which is fortified by the sure promises of God in Christ is much more safe secure and satisfying Wherefore if thine Assurance steps aside and seems to slight thee fly unto the promises where thou shalt hear thy Lord returning him with this or the like comfortable language Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Math. 11. 28. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life John 6. 47. He hath it already First he hath it of Christ by promise Secondly he hath it from Christ by purchace And thirdly he hath it in Christ by posession I say that every true believer hath eternal life And first of Christ by promise My sheep hear my voice saith he and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life c. John 10. 27 28 29. And therefore fear not little flock saith he for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12. 32. Secondly he hath it from Christ by purchase by Christ his purchase and that under seal and in the earnest thereof After that
c. The second sort of these deluded Souls are such as ground their peace upon mistakes perswading themselves that God is as it were ingaged to defend and preserve them And why Because say they he is mercifull It is true indeed the Lord is very mercifull For so he proclaimeth himself Exod. 34. 6 7. But what is all that to thee He will by no means clear the guilty as in the same 7th vers God cannot be so mercifull as to be unjust his justice must be fully satisfied which thou art never able to perform And therefore unlesse the guilt of thy sins be washed away by the bloud of Jesus Christ thou hast no present interest in Gods mercy Thou art still in thy wickednesse And the wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa 57. 20 21. Now every one of these three sorts of peace is such a judgement as exposeth us to Gods just wrath and indignation For he that blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against that man c. Deut. 29. 19 20. But the fourth sort of peace is a safe peace And this is that which doth inseparably attend upon the person of our Lord. And for our better understanding and satisfaction in this particular we must know that this true peace must be grounded upon the assurance of that reconciliation which God in Christ hath concluded between himself and us For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And having made peace through the bloud of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the bodie of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight Colos 1. 19 20 21 22. Now whosoever hath been formerly sensible of that great emnity that was between God on the one part And his own corrupt sinfull nature and conversation on the other part And is now fully satisfied and assured by a lively faith That God was thus in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them As likewise the same Apostle 2 Corinth 5. 19. That Soul I say may confidently boast that she injoyes a safe and solid peace For that she is joyned unto the Lord of Hosts in an offensive and defensive league And is thereby impowred both to fight the good fight of faith and so to lay hold on eternal life as at 1 Tim. 6. 12. And also to resist the Devil and to make him flee as James 4. 7. By which we may perceive that this true peace consisteth not in an absolute freedom from war but in the assurance of Gods Almighty favour and protection Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee saith that Prophet unto the Lord Isa 26. 3. Not such a perfect peace as feeleth no interruption but such a perfect peace as feareth no dissolution He shall not be moved for ever saith the Psalmist Psal 112. 6. He may be moved by some violent incounter But it will not be long before he returneth unto his resting place Doubtlesse it maketh much for Gods glory to exercise his Souldiers in a continual warfare That so he may make bare his own holy arm in the eyes of all the Nations and that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God as Isa 52. 10. Verily the godly nor are nor ever shall be without adversaries Neither do they wrestle onely against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spiritual wickednesse in high places wherefore they take unto them the whole armour of God that they may be able to withstand in the evil day according to Saint Paul's direction Eph. 6. 12 13. And in truth the servant of Jesus Christ is still more doubtfull of some intestine treachery then of any forraign invasion And therefore he keepeth his heart with all diligence according to that word of command Prov. 4. 23. He placeth a strong century in that center And for his outworks He walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he despiseth the gain of oppressions and shaketh his hands from holding of bribes he stoppeth his ears from hearing of bloud and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil according to those safe postures Isa 33. 15. And therefore he shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure His eye shall see the King in his beauty they shall behold the land that is very far off verse 16. 17. Briefly thus He shall rest securely and fare sufficiently He shall see the King in his Majesty and travail safely under his protection And in every conflict he is sure of conquest I can do all things through Christ which strenghteneth me saith he with St. Paul Phil. 4. 13. And therefore with the Prophet David he likewise concludeth saying I will love the Lord my strength The Lord is my Rock and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high Tower c. Psal 18. 1. c. This is the godly mans garrison and it is invincible And in this confidence I will both lay me down in peace and sleep saith he for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safety as in Psal 4. 8. This indeed is a safe peace Such a peace as passeth all understanding And he belongeth to our Saviours guard For he shall keep our hearts and mindes through Christ Jesus Philip. 4. 7. And where this peace is quartered he provides to entertain his pleasant partner joy This is a compleat Courtier whose office most properly proclaims his Prince his presence Psal 16. 11. But being of that frolick disposition he is much mistaken and as much abused by some that seem to be his fellow servants For you shall hardly meet with one in forty but is deceived in this particular which we shall very easily maintain when we shall finde there are five sorts of joy whereof the first is a cursed joy The second is a counterfeit joy The third is a carelesse joy The fourth is a carnal joy And the fifth is a compleat joy The first I say is a cursed joy And this is when a man rejoyceth in any evil either against God or his Neighbour Their Soul delighteth in their abominations saith the Lord Isa 66. 3. Every sin hath some sweetnesse wherewith it delighteth the
Souls of the wicked And the Devil who is a strict observer of all our actions is thereby so well acquainted with our several inclinations that he will hardly lose his opportunity to present us with such sensual objects and such suteable assistants as will most easily allure us and as easily carry us on to a cursed conclusion If Absalom delighteth in ambition and will ascend thereunto by an unnatural conspiracie he shall neither want for councellers nor confederates 2 Sam. 15. If Ahab delighteth in the commodiousnesse of his Neighbours inheritance he shall not want for the furtherance of a bloudy wife of false witnesses or of corrupt Magistrates as 1 King 21. If Judas delighteth in covetousnesse he shall have a bribe to betray his Master and the malicious chief Priests Captains shall be as glad to give him money as he is to receive it Luke 22. 4 5. Or if Herod delighteth in vain-glory he shall have enough to cry him up Acts 12. 22. All these together with many others attained unto their several purposes and pleasures I cannot say that they injoyed them though they rejoyced in them For therewithall they verified Zophars proverb The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment Job 20. 5. Verily it is a cursed joy that endeth in damnation and such is the reward of all those that have pleasure in unrighteousnesse 2 Thes 2. 12. And therefore let those idolatrous Israelites sit down to eat and to drink and rise up to play Exod. 32. 6. unto their shame verse 25. And let those insulting Philistines when their hearts are merry call for Sampson out of the prison-house to make them sport Jud. 16. 25. unto their destruction verse 30. Yet Moses will chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season as Hebr. 11. 25. And Job will protest against rejoicing at the destruction of them that hated him Job 31. 29. It is a hard matter to perswade scorners not to delight in scorning as Prov. 1. 22. And evil men not to rejoyce to do evil as Prov. 2. 14. And fools not to make it their sport to do mischief as Prov. 10. 23. But these are infallible signs That they do not joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement According to the practice of the Saints Rom. 5. 11. And so consequently they do not love the Lord Jesus Christ And if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha Let him be accursed or had in execration even unto the death saith the holy Ghost by St. Paul 1 Corinth 16. 22. The second is a counterfeit joy And this is when a man seemeth outwardly to be merry whereas inwardly and in truth his heart is sorrowfull This is to put a good face upon a bad case To sing songs to a heavy heart saith Solomon Prov. 25. 20. And in another place he compareth the fained laughter of a fool to the crackling of thorns under a pot where the noise is more offensive then the heat is beneficial Eccles 7. 6. Sometimes this counterfeit mirth is very hurtfull and injurious unto others For as a mad man who casteth fire-brands arrows and death So is the man that deceiveth his Neighbour and saith Am not I in sport Prov. 26. 18 19. Sometimes it is more hurtfull unto our selves For it contradicteth the cry of an accusing conscience which otherwise might happily perswade us to a godly sorrow working repentance unto salvation not to be repented of like that in St. Paul 2 Cor. 7. 10. But at the best it is both preposterous in the use and uncomfortable in the end For even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Pro. 14. 13. The third is a carelesse joy when a man will rejoyce at every trifle when a man rejoyceth in a thing of nought as the Prophet speaketh Amos 6. 13. Yea folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom saith the wise man Prov. 15. 21. Of this sort are they that will be merry meerly for company sake but nothing according to St. Paul's exhortation Rom. 12. 15. For albeit they will rejoyce with all that rejoyce yet they will not weep with any that weep Neither will they rejoyce either with godly men or in a godly matter or after a godly manner according unto Pauls intention And therefore we may say with St. James All such rejoycing is evil Ja. 4. 16. And as it is evil so it is also unsafe They take the Timbril and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ They spend their dayes in mirth and in a moment go down to the grave Job 21. 12 13. They die in the midst of their jollity And whither then Verily to judgement Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Eccles 11. 9. Yet this is but the beginning of sorrows The Harp and Viol the Tabret and Pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands saith the Prophet Isa 5. 12. There is their carelesse mirth Therefore Hell hath inlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glorie and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it verse 14. There is their endlesse misery The fourth is a carnal joy As when a man rejoyceth or taketh delight in such things as are meerly carnal such things as are altogether pleasing to the flesh and no lesse displeasing unto God Such are all impure lustfull idle envious malitious ambitious treacherous covetous proud or blasphemous thoughts All flattering foolish filthy lewd lying prophane prejuditious or provoking words Together with all ungodly unjust injurious uncharitable and dishonest actions And whosoever delighteth in these or in any one of these it is evident that his joy is carnal sensual and sinfull Secondly this carnal joy doth manifest it self by rejoycing carnally and sensually in things that are otherwise indifferent as being usefull and beneficial for the managing or carrying on the affairs of this life As when the wise man glorieth or rejoyceth in his wisdom the mighty man in his might or the rich man in his riches or the like which God forbiddeth Jer. 9. 23. Thus great Goliath boasted in his strength 1 Sam. 17. 10. Benhadad of his forces 1 Kings 20. 10. Rabshakeh of his victories 2 Kings 18. 35. Hanan of his advancement Esther 5. 11. The Pharisee of his works Luke 18. 22. And Pilate of his power John 19. 10. And in all these the words of James were verified They rejoyced in their boastings all such rejoycing is evill James 4. 16. And
this we wait upon the Lord our God without repining murmuring or offence even in the greatest tryals or distresses Ye have heard of the patience of Job saith Saint James and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitifull and of tender mercie Jam. 5. 11. This patience expecteth no reward but what the Lord is pleased to allow and she as willingly will wait his leisure for the performance of his gracious favour If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it saith St. Paul Rom. 8. 25. Be of good courage therefore and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord as Psal 31. 24. I will not say but patience may miscarry And hope deferred may make the heart sick But this Patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ who is the God of patience and of hope Rom. 15. 5 13. This verily is such a threefold cord as never can be broken And thus according to this patience we must continue and conclude the work begun by faith and laboured in by love For let this patience have her perfect work and ye shall be perfect and entire wanting nothing According to that of the Apostle Ja. 1. 4. And when our actions shall be undertaken by such a faith as onely respecteth Gods Commands and laboured in by such a love as onely affecteth Gods glory and continued by such a patience as onely expecteth Gods favour Then we may certainly assure our Souls they have brought forth the fruit of godlinesse And to confirm you further in this Rule I shall present you with some few examples Behold it first in father Abraham In that great work of offering up his son He undertakes it first by Gods command Gen. 22. 1 2. And therefore in the obedience of faith And Secondly his labour is of love of love to God For in comparison of that his love to God he loved not his Son his onely Son Thirdly his willingnesse did manifest his patience his patience of hope who against hope believed in hope saith the Apostle Rom. 4. 18. See it again in Josephs abstinence His Mistris courts him to commit a sin odious to God injurious to his Master and thereupon he could not but believe it was the minde of God he should refuse her Gen. 39. 7. 8. And here his love to God was evident How can I do this great wickednesse saith he and sin against God verse 9. And was it not a sign of Patience that he would rather suffer then accuse his lustfull Mistris or excuse his own abused innocency as verse 20. We likewise find this power of godlinesse in the three children as we use to call them In Shadrach Meshach and Abednego The king injoyns them to fall down and worship his golden image Dan. 3. 14 15. A thing quite opposite to Gods command Exod. 20. 4 5. And therefore in obedience to faith they disobey his heathenish injunction For they answered and said O Nebuchad-nezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O King But if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set up Dan. 3. 16 17 18. In which reply it likewise may appear they loved God more deerly then their lives Nor is their patience lesse observable in that they went to their intended torture without recanting murmuring or repining As verse 21. Yet one example more and that from Paul The author of this Rule this Golden Chain and in relation to his Ministery unto the which he was commissionated by God in Christ Acts 9. 15 16. Which is yet more exactly set forth Act. 26. 15 c. And set his matchlesse love unto his Lord in his undaunted resolution Act. 20. 22. to 26. And with what patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ he suffered the afflictions of the Gospel it may most perfectly appear unto us in that he gloried in such tribulation We glorie in tribulation also saith he knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed c. Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Now these and every work of the like nature whether it be of doing or of suffering of speech of action or of abstinence begotten by God in the womb of faith and born unto God by the hand of love and nursed for God at the breast of patience This is the sweet fruit which the teeming Soul doth usually bring forth unto her husband to God in Christ her husband And therefore it may very well be called according unto Gods name Godlinesse or after Christs name Christianity I will not say that ever any man except the Son of God both God and Man did fully and exactly steer his course according unto these points But I say that he which failes in any one of these so far he falleth short of godlinesse And yet 't is not denied but he may be a godly man that oftentimes doth misse to shape his actions to these principles Provided that his heart be well disposed that his desires be orderly and good and his endeavours vigorous and constant A Ship at Sea may sometimes be becalm'd and sometimes weather-beaten by a storm so as she cannot keep a steady course Sometimes the winde may set so sore against her that you would think her sailing to a Coast far distant from the Port that she intendeth And yet the Pilot is a skilfull man and brings his Vessel to his wished Haven in a good hour Even so the precious Soul may sometimes want Divine assistance sometimes such a storm of strong temptations may circumvent her as may inforce her from her good desires or Satan in his malice may beset her with some such difficulties as may drive her far distant from the course of her endeavours And yet the body joyned with this Soul is a good godly person and so full both of the seed and fruit of godlinesse That he may lay a warrantable claim unto the title of eternal life as a joynt Heir with Jesus Christ his Lord through the obedience of faith and love by vertue of that Covenant of Grace For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life FINIS The chief Heads contained in and pertaining unto this Copy of the Covenant of Grace  Page Page THe Covenanters 1. to 25. The Consideration 25. to 29. The Gift 29. to 38. The Provisoe 38. to 55. The Prevention 55. to 65. The Inheritance 65. to 93. Several Pretenders to the said Inheritance together with their Actions their Allegations and their Evidences 93. to 125. The right Heir discovered 125. to 133. His Evidence examined 133. to 200. His rich Plantation 200. to 243. His Souls affection 243. to 258. Her Profession 258. to 270. Her Inquisition 270. to 288. Her Confirmation 288. to 371. Her Satisfaction 371. to 388. Her gracious marriage 388. to 397. Her godly seed 397. ad finem Errata PAge 23. l. 3. r. in the wayes p. 54. l. 3. r. and of the gift p. 103. l. 6. r. of the Lord p. 14. l. 15. r. yet it p. 152. l. 11. r. me to do 193. l. 6. r. but in de p. 199. l. 16. r. such as p. 201. l. 4. r. find it in p. 204. l. 6 r. yet this p. 210. l. 4. r. strange flesh p. 206. l. 5. r. must not be p. 251. l. 13. r. Cant. ◠3. p. 298. l. 24. r. the praises due p. 270. l. 27. r. his prayer p. 271. l. 28. r. 1 King p. 277. l. 19. r. Son p. 281. l. 28. and 29. r. speak p. 283. l. 3. r. learns p. 284. l. 14. r. is leading p. 298. l. 4. r. if the. p. 301. l. 14. for intimated r imitated p. 302. l. 14. r. nor according p. 307. l. 6. r. this is p. 328. l. 13. r. Jo. 1. 29. p. 329. l. 21. r. and is in p. 346. l. 26. r. world lieth in p. 349. l. 2. r. drink wine p. 360. l. 8. r. Haman l. 17. r. or future p. 373. l. 15. r. wary Soul p. 381. l. 8. r. is the third p. 383. l. 19. r. and it is p. 408. l. 17. r. and see his