potestas a power in the Soul to do something peculiar in calling things to remembrance carries a flaming Torch in its hand over all the chambers of the Soul â—nuert Instit and by Physitians and Philosophers is reckoned one of the three inferior senses Now in this as in all other powers Faith hath its residence and acts in and from them upon its most noble and spiritual objects I shall not recount many Scriptures Some trust in Horses and some in Chariots Psal 20 7â— but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God even what he hath done for us of old and trust him still Saints use to call to mind former mercâ—ies to encourage Faith I will remember thee from the land of Jordan Psal 42.6 and of the Hermonites from the hill Mizzar the little hill Mizoar before Zoar. In which and the like places David escaped the violence of Saul Memory helps Faith in a gracious person recalling the ancient benefits of God to his Church and his wonders of old Help a Holy mans Memory as to former actings of Faith in his straits and you comfort him presently with the sweet hope of continued deliverances till he arise to the great deliverance in the Heaven of glory But lest I be tedious I shall prosecute no more but descend to the second Section of this Chapter SECT II. Of the Primary Efficient Cause of FAITH AS to the efficient Cause Author or Worker of Faith in the heart we know that every good gift comes down from Heaven And hence Faith is sometime ascribed to the donation of God essential being called the gift of God the Faith of the operation of God. Again Jam. 1.17 Eph 2.2 Col. 2.2 Phil. 1.29 â— Thess 1.11 Phil. 2.13 t is said to be given to the Saints to believe and the work of Faith is said to be the effect of his mighty power In which and in all other heavenly gifts and graces to will and to do are both wrought of God. As t is in true repentance a grace that 's alwayes conjoyned with Faith and leads out of our selves by the hand of Faith into Christ the former being given of God so is Faith. â— Cor. 3.5 All our sufficiency to think but a good thought slides down from Heaven Q. If you ask then How thoughts come into the heart A. I Answer They flow into the head or heart by the power of imagination thru the windows of the senses or from concreated ideas or by some instillations and special infusions from God as it is in all curious Arts and Sciences Prev 8.12 He is the finder out of all witty Inventions as we read in the case of Bezaleel for the Tabernacle and in Hiram for Temple works If you ask whence holy thoughts come I answer from the infusion of the Spirit Gen. 1.2 and his warming the waters of the Soul as it is exprest by Moses in the first Creation so it is in the new Creation from the breathings of the Spirit on the garden of spices which â—e himself hath planted in our hearts Isa 26.12 Psal 33 22 1 Chro. 29 18 1 Joh 2 27 So it is in the work of Faith as the Church expresses it Thou hast wrought all our works in us and for us he causeth us to trust or hope in his Word He begins and inspires good thoughts into us and keeps them in the imagination of our hearts He teaches and anoints us with the oil of the Spirit He makes all new within us and puts hearts of flesh into us Jer. 31 18 Ezek. 36 26 and turns us unto himself because he is the Lord our God having accepted us into covenant relation with himself Sometimes the work of Faith is ascribed to the Father as in that to the Ephesians Eph 1 19 20 we are made to believe by the exceeding grâ—atness of the mighty power of the Father even the same power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Joh. 6 4â— And otherwhere it is said that no man can come to the Son that is by Faith except the Father draw him by the golden chain of his electing love and teaches him from his chair in Heaven Besides the work is oftentimes ascribed to Christ who is said to be the Author and Finisher of our Faith and that he is exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sins Heb 12.2 Act 5.31 both which are intimately connexed with Faith as in the case of the Father of the tormented Child Mark 9.24 praying to Christ to help his unbelief But more especially and immediately it s attributed to the holy Spirit who works in our understandings to think of heavenly things and puts holy motions into our hearts which are the original of those sudden thoughts by darting of Scriptures and precious Promises into our memories Rom. 8.5 9. â— John 14.26 and kindling sparks of light and comfort in our hearts yea the witnessing of our spirits to him are wrought by him He inclines our wills to embrace himself and Christ our Lord. For if we have not the spirit of Christ Rom 8.9 we are none of his Yea Faith it self even as all other graces are given by one and the same spirit Again one of the fruits of the Spirit is recorded to be Faith 1 cor 12 9 and to speak with reverence it is from his implantation and inoculation in the new paradise of the Soul. Gal 5.22 Yea and after that we have believed we are also sealed up in the Faith by this holy spirit of promises He seals all his own gracious workings upon our hearts Sometimes Believers are said to receive the Holy Ghost presently upon the first work which evidently shews the connexion of Faith and holiness by the same spirit Eph 1.13.13 19.3 16 17 Hence t is observable that tho Prophecies be never so perspicuously and radiantly fulfilled and tho admirable miracles were performed to illustrate the presence of the Deity yet they wrought not the least grain of Faith without the energy of the spirit he must add thereto an inward miracle upon the heart Thus it befel the Israelites in the Arabian Desart Deut. 29.3 4. For God sayes Moses gave them not a heart to perceive unto that day Just so the Capernaites they saw Christs blessed person and his eminent Miracles but believed not as not being given to them by the Father Joh 6.36 37. John 12.37 and so it was with the Pharisees and other Jews tho he had done such great works before their eyes yet they believed not on him There must be therefore a working power of the spirit concomitant with the Ministry of the outward call of the Word else none shall believe the report of Christ by Isaiah Isa 53.1 unless the arm of the Lord be revealed within Hence it is that some have professed to have heard a kind of voice at their
upon the foundation or ground-work of our encouragement in the management of this great affair aright by the strength and co-operation of the spirit and that 's no other than by the divine promises laid up in the covenant of grace 'T is the promise allures us the voice of the word calls us the faithfulness of God secures us the motion of the spirit prompts incites and hastens us to come to Christ who most graciously accepts us kisses us and lays us down to rest in his most fragrant bosom And here it is worth our time if every minute were more precious than the whole universe turned into a massy diamond to expatiate upon the freeness the unsought and unforethought love of God in making them the certainty of their accomplishment as built on the essence and veracity of God their riches and preciousness as being equivalent to the Crown of glory encompassed with the golden ring of eternity When we have obtained like precious Faith we shall be made partakers of like precious promises 2 Pet. 1.1 4. Heb. 13.7 6.12 as if we follow the Faith of Saints we shall at last with them inherit the same promised Kingdom In the seventh Place I might trace a little the time of Faiths first infusion SECT 7. and first operation in the heart which is undoubtedly at the new birth when ever it is But how to prescribe and when precisely to determine that in the soul of a Believer is more difficult than to state the quickening or animation of an embrio in the womb of her that is with child or for any Naturallist so set the moment of the first separation of night from day at the initiating crepusculum or ascent of the first attom of the morning raies of the Suns body or the primogenial fermentation of the vegetative soul in the seed Corn in the Earth when it begins to chit or the first vapors in Mineral beds that procreare Mercury into a running liquid body which afterward is congealed by Sulphur into Gold. Its much more difficult to set down the first punctual workings of the Spirit in our hearts Q. But you may ask me Cui Bono To what end were it to be so accurate if it were possible A. I Answer In all humility tho we never attain the precise and nicest time yet as far as we may and with what holy modesty we can attain to dive into these heavenly secrets the sooner we discern the work by so much the sooner may our spiritual joy spring which animates our services and anoints the wheels of our Souls to become like the Chariots of Aminadab For which purpose I refer my Discourse to the third Chapter of this Treatise SECT 8. In the eighth Place I might shew the inseparable union and connexion between Faith and Holiness they are individui comites sweet companions never divided but delighted in each others smiles lovely twins brought forth by grace The heart of a Believer is purified by Faith and his life most orient and beautiful in holiness Act. 15 9 Whoso then pretends to be a Believer and walks not in holiness of life is a self-deceiver and wrongs his own soul But le ts reserve this to a peculiar Chapter below Chap. 6. I should now issue this Chapter but that I desire in the close of every one to answer one or more practical Questions for our spiritual improvement referring to what precedes in the same Chapter Q. 1. If any trembling soul should ask Have I this sound Faith of Gods Elect I should Answer briefly 1. Christ is precious to every one that believes 1 Pet. 2.7 the joy of his heart and delight of his soul when but under this sweet hope and when a little quickened and enlivened in communion I sat under his shadow with great delight Song 2.3 Faith and Love alwayes ride together in Solomons Chariot which is paved with love for the Daughters of Jerusalem 3.10 2. The promises of the Covenant are precious to such a soul they are ornaments of grace about his neck and aetherial Cordials in all its fainting Fits I had fainted Psal 27.13 sayes David had I not believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living It values them above a Kingdom Q. 2. If we fear our state how may we gain Faith Rom. 10. I Answer briefly 1. By diligent attendance on the Word of God Faith cometh by hearing 2. By hearkening to the inward motions of Gods Spirit in hearing the Word Luke 24.31 When thy heart is warmed by some passage in a Sermon take special notice of that particular point It s a sign Christ is conferring with thy heart as with the two Disciples near Emmaus whose hearts burned while he opened the Scriptures 3. Ponder and meditate deeply upon that which warmed thy heart to bring Christs counsel into a resolution for obedience 4. Sacrifice these intentions upon the Altar of Prayer in the Name of Jesus Chrâ—st unto the Father But these things requiring little tracts Gerson Bonaventur Scala I le conclude with that of Gerson the Chancellor of Paris who treating of Meditation states that for the sweetest when the soul opens it self towards Heaven receiving in its precious dewes Psal 85.8 without forced and artificial methods as David I le hearken what God the Lord will say for he will speak peace to my soul Ariani perilpl mar Ery thraeâ— Benjamin itinerar which is like the mother shell of the Oriental Pearl at Baharem which Naturalists relate conceives those precious unions by the dew of Heaven But I must now retire to the second Chapter and t is more than time only I dilated upon this a little the more as being a substantial head in respect to the essential nature of Faith. CHAP II. Various Expressions in Scripture setting forth the Nature of FAITH THe beginning and carrying on of the work of Faith in the heart is set forth in holy Scripture by many pertinent and sweet expressions which tend to enlighten and comfort the souls of dark drooping and weak believers and helping them to discern the inherence of this grace in their hearts Metaphors Parables and Allâ—geries many times teach us when direct Precepts will not do the work Vpon some whereof I shall endeavour to treat in this Chapter and present them as a climax or a Jacobs Ladder whereby to scale the Palaces of eternal joy 1. In the first place Rev. 24.6 22.17 We find this grace set forth by thirsting and hungring after Christ and his righteousness which are strong and vehement appetitions after supply of proper food and moisture to refresh the Spirits and to preserve natural vigoâ— Which if not timely satisfied produce pantings faintness swoundings Psal 42.1 and at last convulsive motions the very harbingers of death Thus did holy David pant after God as the hunted Hart having lickt up a fiery Serpent pants after
heirship and all the priviledges and liberties of the children of God Sanctification to mortifie the power and dominion of sin and to quicken our graces and duties to support us against and under all fiery tentations to eularge and fortifie our spirits under dificult services and to persevere to the end Phil. 1.6 1â— that at last we may attain the redemption of our bodies from the dust and the resurrection to glory But these resort more properly under the tenth and last chapter and therefore here I forbear 7. The next place sets forth Faith by our cleaving to the Lord with full purpose of heart Aâ—s 11 23. Isai 28.16 When the soul is glewed by an holy love to the mercies and goodness of God it will then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stedfastly abide with him It makes not haste out of the mountains of Zion as if full of bogs and quakemires Deut. 10.20 Josh 2â— 8 1 Cor. 1.17 2 Cor. 11 2 but as being setled on the strong and lofty rock of ages This closing of the soul with God is often set down in Scripture by that trust and assiance which a true believer hath in God adhering on cleaving to God is a term also which sometimes attends upon conjugal relation wherby true and faithful persons having the yoke of that union lined with the soft velvet of love 1 Cor. 6.17 become one as in person by the law so much more in spirit and delight To the same purpose the Apostle affirms that true believers being united to Christ by a true and lively faith become one spirit with the Lord and long daily to be more sully espoused by larger affections of the unction of Christs spirit in order to the solemnity of that glorious marriage-day of the Lamb. Rom. 7.4 Rev 19 7 Phil 3 20 And this is true faith indeed when persons long for the appearance of Christ in glory 8. Next follows that term of embracing of Christ as the Saints of old being first perswaded of the truth and goodness of the promises Heb 1â— 13 then at length embraced them utrispue ulnis with all affection and what are the promises but the precious fine linnen wherein Christ our sacrifice was involved after his death at his funeral which is the principal object of our saith even Christ in his sufferings This act of embracing notes our ardent affection to him delight in him and heavenly communion begun betwixt Christ and the heart of a believer Love is Faiths Agent and factor Faith worketh by love a true lover of Christ is certainly a true believer in him and this love increases by faith and faith by love For the soul determines it The more I know of his Excellencies the more I believe in him Rom. 5.4 5 and I love him more because I have the experience of Christs love to me In this very state of the valley there is a mixing of hearts and spirits but in heaven the soul is swallowed up in his love for ever 9. In the ninth place a Believer arrives at this reverent freedom with the Lord in all its streights and dificulties to cast its cares and burdens upon him being both commanded and encouraged by him to do it Whenever I am afraid saith David Psal 56.3 He trust in thee If the heart safely trust in a friend Prov. 31 11. there follows a mutual unvailing and disclosing of the most secret and bosome counsels Psal 71.3 Jer 20.12 Psal 142 2 So does the soul pour out its sorrows and open its whole cause before God. Three things make a friend or relation desirable power to protect wisdom to advise and love to comfort and mingle joys sorrows together All these are eminently and transcendently found in heaven There 's a heart large enough to entertain thy moans Jam 1â— wise enough to guide thee in the dark turns of Providence and so good as not to upbraid thee and can command Legions of Angels at a beck for protection â— Pet. 5 7. Let us therefore cast our care upon him for he careth for us and 't is worth notice what the Apostle terms thy care the Psalmist terms thy burden promising that the Lord will sustain thee to shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dividing cares Psal 55.22 heart-rending cares are great burdens But divine sustentation and support of the soul in trouble plainly shews that God takes a fatherly care of thee and will not suffer thee finally to be moved as Davids song in the end of that Psalm since thou art a righteous man and hast cast all thy soul-battering cares upon Gods promise which are but so many tentations to try thy faith and trust in him Besides this trust is exprest by casting anchor within the vail Heb 6 19 When the ship of the soul being turned up-side down as to the world though too near the earth in this bodily estate yet in spirit sails above the firmament and makes all its sails upward still Rev 11.19 and if any storm arises it then rides at Anchor upon the Ark in heaven within the vail beyond the starry Canopy as upon the rock of life the Lord Christ himself 10 In the tenth and last place faith acts by Resignation giving up all its comforts into his heavenly hand when a true believer both living and dying commends his spirit into his divine manutenency during this frail life in all the mighty turns circles or helixes of providence full of intricate meanders and mazes past finding out is led by a hand coming down from heaven So that all ends well with a Saint his stormy dayes do always end in a sun-shine evening He gives up himself to the guidance of his counsel and as to death both for time place way and method yields up all to his safe conduct and yet sometimes breaths out with a most humble and reverent motion his soul still lying in the dust of submission before him to grant him an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an easy departure out of this life if it may be his holy pleasure and still quietly hoping and waiting for his salvation Thus Jacob in the Old Testament in the midst of his last languishments cries out I have waited for that Salvation O Lord gen 59.18 Luke 2.30 23 46. and good old Simeon in the New Let thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen and mine arms embraced my Saviour and thy Salvation This did our most blessed Lord Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and so did blessed Stephen Lord Jesus receive my spirit testifying to the Deity of Christ Acts 7.59 the immortality of his soul and the resurrection of his body in the same prayer of resignation There may be found in Scripture some other passages exhibiting the nature of Faith and Trust as fixing the heart choosing of Christ waiting for his coming and expecting the blessed day much to the same effect
God permit And likewise the fifth about Entring into Covenant by Faith and shall now proceed to the sixth Chapter neither shall I handle that in the full Latitude I had prepared but speak more succinctly in some things under that Head for the same Reasons CHAP VI. The necessary and inseparable connexion between Sanctification and true FAITH WHat I may at present exhibit on this Subject may be comprized under these Heads 1. Let 's treat a little of the nature of Sanctification 2. Shew the undivided connexion between that and Faith. 3. Intermix some complaints about formal Professors 4. Answer a Case or two and end As to the first we may peremptoryly determine the point that wherever true Faith dwells there must and will be true holiness both in heart and life and where it is not that person who pretends to Faith without it is a self-deceiver and in his attendance upon Ordinances without life-obedience is but the servant of base hypocrisie Hei. 1.12 c Will any dare to tread Gods Courts on sacred dayes and lift up crimson hands in prayer that are full of blood and stain'd with bribery and oppression God loathes to smell any perfumes in such assemblies mixt with the unsavoury stench of their defiled bodies and putrid lives True Sanctification does not lie in outward solemnities and the gaudery of Temple-worship Jer. 7.22 as the Prophet treats the Jews in the Name of God that he commanded them not concerning Burnt offerings and Sacrifices or the Incense of Sheba 6.20 or the sweet Cane of Arabia that is comparatively no nor principally as he did moral duties of piety and honesty To obey is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 and to hearken than the fat of Rams Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of fed Beasts Mich. 6.7 or ten thousand Rivers of Oyl or the children of our bowels to smoke upon his Altar no no! But to to do justly love mercy Psal 50.17 and to walk humbly with God this O Man is good in his sight Will God eat the flesh of Bulls Psal 69.31 or drink the blood of Goats no! he requires the offerings of praise and thanksgiving this will please him better than an Oxe that hath young horns and hoofs Hos 6.6 Jos 5.7 10 Amos 5.25 Act. 7.42 Mat. 12.7.9 13. Mnrk. 12.33 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 and therefore in cases of mercy God dispenses with Ordinances as he did with Israel in the Wilderness both as to Circumcision and the Passeover for about forty years together but with Moral duties never Our Lord bids us therefore to go and learn this point more diligently For a Pharisee may be huge ceremonius with his white linnen about a platter but yet neglect the weighty matters of the Law Justice and Judgment and Mercy Whereas true Sanctification is a work of Gods Spirit renewing the whole man after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness whereby he is instructed and inabled in all wayes of Scripture obedience to mind the weighty and principal things of love to God and our Neighbour and not leave undone those lesser points which belong to any institution of God and not of man. By this inward work upon the heart the sanctified person immediately begins the practice of Mortification in dying to sin and of rising to newness of life but yet this work is not perfectly and compleatly wrought in any person during this life therefore we must interpret the Apostle in his prayer 1 Thess 5.23 that the Thessalonians might be sanctified throughout not in the highest pitch of degrees but of soundness and sincerity in every part 1 Cor. 6.17 and member of the new Adam There is a habit of holiness infused and wrought in the heart by the holy spirit of promise by which means we are joyned to the Lord and become one spirit with him We do not of our selves first believe and so receive the spirit of God this were to ascribe the actings of faith to the power of man before the infusion of grace but first the inspiring and inclining motions of the spirit descend into us â—oâ— 3.3 Eph. 2.22 whereby we are enabled to believe on the Son and to become by one Spirit united to him as our head All habitual graces are wrought in us feminally at first and at one time yea Faith it self as to the order of time is infused together with the rest in the same moment of our regeneration and sincere conversion to God. Habitual holiness therefore in the production of its blessed fruits and faith among the rest does antedate all the particular acts of Faith or other Graces As in natural Generation all the powers of life are in semine concepto animato formed at once Aristot d. gen animal l. Pecquet de venis lacteis but the heart having implanted within it the true sanguifying virtue becomes the primum vivens movens the first living and moving principle which is discerned by its pulsation like the desires of the Soul in the beginnings of Faith yet all sensation attraction digestion excretion sanguification formation of nervous juices and spirits with locomotion and the rest are all settled at once but display their operations afterward at the command of the rational soul Much like hereunto is the work of the new conception formation and exertion of spiritual and vital acts In the first actings of the Spirit we are passive being found of him after whom we sought not at first but after Isa 65.1 that by a connexed power and concourse of the holy spirit we act and rely on Christ in the promise of life Eph. 4 16 Col. 2.9 10 and receive all the supplies of nourishment from the glorious head of influence thru ' the spirit Even as the head of the natural body conveys the animal spirits thru ' the several conjugations of the nerves into all parts of the body to manage both sensation and motion Isal 44.3 Mat. 3.11 1 Cor. 6.11 As the Scripture expresses it we are sanctified in the â—ame and power of the Lord Jesus by the Spirit of our GOD. As to the Author of Sanctification it is no other than in all gracious works even God essential and the spirit of God in his more particular Operations and Applications As for preparations to grace in any spiritual way before the influences of the spirit Eph 2 1. they are insignificant and unsavoury notions for by nature we are dead in sins and trespasses T is the same holy Spirit who inclines at first to the use of means and warms the heart in and by them as appointed and sanctified of God. There are 't is true various degrees in moral habits and their actings by the common work of the Spirit in his ordinary efficacy but in many moral persons in the state of nature these moralities produce as of old in the Scribes and Pharisees strong and very
will so satisfie comfort and erect the Spirits of feeble and staggering Believers that they may the more sweetly and firmly lay the stress of their fears in life and death upon this Rock in Zion and if they will be but careful and vigilant as to holy walking and be earnest in Praver to enjoy the beautiful and Soul-refreshing influences of the Holy Spirit They may then walk safely and joyfully through the valley of the shadow of death till they arrive at the mountain of Glory And so I proceed to the second part of this Treatise about the nature and actings of Faith it self more immediate and particular PART II. Of the Nature of Faith in particular Having in the first part of this Treatise laid the precious foundation upon those two marble râ—cks the Dâ—ctrine of the Divinity of the Scriptures and the Deity of Christ which may be likened to those vast and stately fulciments which Solomon built on the sides of Mount Moriah to sustain the grandeur of the Temple I should now proceed to erect the strong hold of confidence the pleasant Palace of assurance wherein that beautiful Daughter of Zion the grace of faith sits as upon a throne of every within the Curtains of our second Solomon And this I shall endeavour in the Ten Apartiments or Chapters following Chap. 1. Of the Name and Nature of Faith. Chap. 2. The various Expressions setting out its nature Chap. 3. The lowest or least degree of saving Faith. Chap. 4. Of Justification the immediate effect of Faith. Chap. 5. Of entring into Covenant with God by Faith. Chap. 6. Of the necessary and inseparable connexion between Sanctification or holiness and Faith. Chap. 7. Of the Infirmities of Believers Chap. 8. Of assurance or joy of Eaith how attained with some clear signs Chap. 9. The danger of Vnbelief Chap. 10. The happy Fruits and benefits of Faith. And so conclude the whole with some Corollaries by the blessed leave and help of our gracious God. I intend not to enlarge very much on any but to be briefest on those where others have been copious On the second third sixth and eighth I would insist a little liberally it being my primary design to strengthen the weak believer and in courage sinking spirits beseeching them to meditate seriously on the directions for understanding the nature of Faith in the first and second and to be consciencious in their holy care of walking with God in the points prâ—scribed in the 6th chapter That so they may live more comfortably dye more sweetly and reign victoriously And now let us walk together into the first chapter by the gracious assistance of our holy and ever-blessed God. CHAP I. Of the name and nature of Faith THe Rise or Origen of this word is from the Italian Fede and that from the Latine Fides and that as some conceit from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to perswade and that from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cicero in his Offices descants on the word Fides as if so term'd quia fit quod diâ—tum because we believed what is spoken or promised shall be done Our English Saxon word Believe comes from the Dutch lieven and that as 't is thought from the old provincial Latine among the Roman Colonies in those quarters Libeo Libet to list or consent to a thing with love or liking and that the word Love comes from a Teutonick word of the same extract Verloff which signifies to assent Now as one of the Ancients says consensio est volentis consent is the act of a person that is willing so to believe is to consent freely and with love to the truth of what is spoken which breeds conviction and satisfaction on the mind of man. Now the inclination of the will to believe is wrought by God and if any question why one is perswaded by God and not another Psal 119.36 Let him take his answer from holy Paul that 't is God that maketh to differ and O man who art thou that repliest against God and if that please not let the bold fellow go look another 1 Cor 4.7 Rom. 9 20. But as Austin treats him caveat presumptores c. Let him take heed of presuming in curious searches and determining the mysteries of grace and the counsels of God. Is it not abundantly enough that thy heart is softned melted inclined to cast thy self wholly on the free-grace of the New-covenant when others repelling the glorious light of the Gospel run back again to the Old Covenant of works and split themselves upon the rock of presumption expecting divine mercy without the merits of Christ and so rush upon the pikes and spears of divine justice and vengeance to their eternal ruine But to prosecute our work To Believe is to be perswaded and satisfied in our hearts and consciences of what God hath spoken and promised in the holy Scriptures On the other side to beget a confidence and trust as to what any man speaks or asserts among several Nations according to their civil municipal Laws there must intervene a proof or an ascertainment made by the instrument of a publick Notary or by trusty witnesses of the vicinage as among the Northern Nations recited in Lindebrogius c. or else by sound arguments that cannot be refelled without incurring gross absurdities as in cases of unknown Murders the wonderful providence of God doth shine forth in their discovery by such methods and probable arguments which procure an acquiescence and quietation of spirit as to the truth of the things delivered But in divine cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am sufficiently satisfied and perswaded by the meer word of God Rom. 8.38 When I am sure that God has said it I believe it for in things Divine there can be no sublimer proof then the testimony of God himself For the very being of an infinite God determines his verity and when our imperfect and lapsed reason and many times misguided by education and the secret impressions of converse from designing persons that are apostates from the truth doth thr'u pride and envy and delight in contention study to contradict and invalidate the texts of sacred Scripture Let 's remember that infinite Wisdome had it so pleased him could have amazed us with such potent arguments that might strike us dumb and muzle and astonish us as our Lord did the Pharisees at every turn God is Truth and Truth Essential the fountain of all Truth and in him is no darkness at all Not one Iota or tittle of any of his sacred words can be infringed by the least or greatest of Errors John 1.5 Whence it comes that the truths of Gods revelation are the grounds of all the firmitude and stability of our spirits which otherwise might waver Isa 7.9 2 Chron. 20.1 and wander from their constancy per avia eserti through the gloomy by-paths of error to all Eternity In the significant language of the Hebrews
of my own deficiency and intreat a candid Reader to pardon what is here done out of a great thirst and desire to cast in some mites for initiated believers as may help I hope and add to their faith or the joy of faith and supply something of what is yet lacking in the faith of some weaker christians with whom we converse in Ordinances Divinity is an Ocean that hath neither shoares nor bottom there is room enough without envy for every one to spread new Sails and in continual travelling we may still see more wonders of God in these Deeps But yet not to prescind and cut off all proper method and genuine handling of this subject I shall first set down the true nature and essence of this grace of saving faith and then proceed to the rest of the chapters in their prescribed order Now since it hath pleased the goodness of God to give spiritual life to many thousands in these British Isles that have and do believe by the instrumentality of several burning and shining lights ever since the latter end of the Reign of Tiberius Gildas deexciâ— Britan. when the Gospel began first to shine among our praecessors whom God hath raised from age to age out of his infinite mercy as serviceable under his divine commission to open and apply the holy Scriptures from Joseph of Arimathea and his companions at Glastenbury as our Ancestors do generally determine it and have handed it through dark and gloomy times Spelman concil Tom. 1. till its brightness recovered again by the industry of German of Auxere and Lupus of Troyes their disputation at Vepulam against Pelagius his errors and heresies Nay through his divine goodness there never wanted some worthy patrons of the truth under British Saxon and Nerman Governments till the days of Wicklif that great Luminary whose rayes shone into Bohemia Helvâ—tia and thence into Poland as a late worthy Rector of Lesna an university in that Kingdom sometimes since did acquaint me that they own it And after him still sprang up more and more illustrious persons till the restauration from Popery Since which the doctrines of holy â—aith derived from Scripture have been set forth by the Reformed in several Nations and called a Body of confessions printed in quarto But to let them pass I shall for the maine follow that Type of truth which our own teachers have gather out of those sacred pages In the first place then the church of England having exhibited the main doctrines consonant to the holy Scriptures in their Articles Catechism and Homilies I shall name some particulars to our purpose about Faith. In the eleventh Article we have this clause That we are justified by faith only is a most wholsome doctrine and very full of comfort See Nowels Catechism Homilies edit Lond. 1635. Fol. p. 22. Homily of â—alvation or justification part 1. p. 14. as is more largly expressed in the homily of Justification of which more fully in the confession of Faith and the defence of it by Bishop Jewel some hints see in the Catechism but especially the Homilies In the fourteenth Homily thus Lively Faith is a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ and farther that this true and lively faith is not ours but by Gods working in us and again p. 17. 'T is not the act of faith that justifies that were by some act or vertue that is within our selves c and again p. 18. By Faith given us of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercy and of the remission of our sins and yet still more fully in the third part p. 20. True christian faith is c to have a sure trust and confidence in Gods merciful promises to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his Commandments In the little Catechism there are hints to the same purpose as that in the answer about Baptism there is required Faith Whereby they stedfastly believe the promises of God. But le ts proceed to others The Assembly of Divines in their Confession of Faith after some previous Discourse about it expresly thus The principal act of saving Faith are accepting receiving and resting upon Christ alone for Justification Sanctification and eternal life by vertue of the covenant of Grace There 's also much to the same effect amplified in the larger and contracted in the shorter Catethism The Declaration of the Faith and Order of the Congregational Churches in England met at the Savoy in London by the Elders and Messengers Octob. 12. 1658. express it in the very same words Chap. 14. Sect. 2. Page 24. which are before rehearsed out of the confession of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster All these Societies then for substance do most harmoniously agree in the same Doctrine of Faith exclusive of works in the point of Justification And oh that they would also once agree to live quietly and peaceably by each other as becomes Professors of the same holy Faith washt in the same holy Baptism and called in one hope of the same calling and as becomes the worshippers of one Lord and one God and Father of all Eph. 4.5 who is above all and through all and in all that truly believe We agree in Judgment as to the great points of Salvation and why not affection and brotherly love and peace forbearing one another in little matters not introduced into the primitive Churches before the declension and apostacy began I am sure the Church of England teaches other Doctrine in the second and third part of the ☞ Sermon of Faith. Well then we are at amity in this great particular That Faith is the gracious acting of the whole soul or heart of a sincere Christian whereby he rests and relies upon a crucified Saviour for remission of sins and eternal life grounded on the precious promises of God which is infused and wrought there by the holy Spirit at our new birth and convertion from sin to holiness In this Declaration of the nature of Faith we may for distinction sake take more especial notice of the succeeding particulars in peculiar Sections SECT I. 1. FIrst We may enquire where this Grace of Faith is subjected and that 's exprest to be in the whole man. The Subject of its inherence is not this or that particular faculty but the whole Soul or heart of Man as the Scripture often expresses it and we may observe that some times the Heart is put for the a 1 King. 3.9 understanding sometimes for the b Act. 7.39 will other times for c 1 Cor. 7.37 purpose for the affection of d Mat. 6.21 love for inordinate e Rom. 1.24 lusts in their seat for f Eccl 6.7 desire and for the g Luk. 1.16 21.14 Acts 8 37 Luk. 24 Rom. 10.9 Prov 3 5 memory Now that Faith is scituate first in geral in the heart and then in
the particular faculties let us further manifest it and begin with that of Philip to the Eunuch of Ethiopia If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest he baptized so our Lord to the two Disciples O foolish and slow of heart to believe Again in the Epistle to the Romans If thou shalt believe in thy heart thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and we are commanded to trust in the Lord with all our heart And again Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by Faith and on the other side unbelief is fixed also Eph 3 17. Heb 3 12 or seated in the heart Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief I might multiply but its obvious in Scripture The Jewish Rabbins or Philosophers such as they are use to place the Soul and its understanding faulty in the heart Job 38 36 according to that in Job Barthol Anat. Hag. 165◠8 d. Cartesius l 3 c 6. p 336 Fromond de anima Who gives understanding to the heart but the Greek Schools in the head or brain where some Anatomists have found out a chamber of presence and therein the Glandula pinealis where this Empress sits in state and commands the little world or Empire of man. The Peripateticks give the Soul a Forest-range through the whole body others as Tremember conceit that it swims in the blood and flies up and down in the spirits c. and make a great stir about the fibula animae the button or bond that ties or links the rational and animal soul together and when they come to the powers and faculties of the Soul they make great distinction and from thence their notions are derived and mixed with many subtleties among the school Divines in the dark times before the Reformation appeared Whose works though in some things may be of good use to fix terms and distinctions yet ordinarily their niceties have eaten out the heart of solid Divinity till the happy dayes of the restauration of the Gospel As to what we are upon Durandus Q Scaliger c. I think with some of the School men and several other Learned men of late that there is no sound foundation in reason for this variety of faculties specifically distinct as some would have it yet having asserted that Faith is subjected in the whole Soul that I may conform to the received and used Opinion I would shew how Faith resides and acts in every reputed faculty and thence by induction of particulars in the whole Soul. That Faith is seated in the understanding is undoubted because it is a rational act of the soul being resolved into the divine authority of God who is insallible Since also our reason is finite corrupt and obnoxious to many impostures from satan I take him for the wisest and most rational person who in the deep and profound mysteries of Christian Religion 2 Coe 4 4 acts his reason by Faith in this life and waits for fuller Revelation when he comes to glory Here we see that is understand but in part but there we shall know even as we are known 1 Cor 13 12 In the work of Grace the understanding is first enlightned to know the truth called the opening of the heart in Lydia Acts 16 14 Joh 4 10 our blessed Lord tells the woman of Sichem if thou knewest the gift of God thou wouldest have asked him for living water There 's a thick massy wall broken through by the hammer of Gods word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the stony heart 2 Cor 10 4. and a clear christal window placed in the breach that the light of the glorious Gospel may shine into the mind 2 cor 4 4. which before was blinded by the God of this world that they should not believe the truth Eph 5 6 Ye were darkness it self sayes Paul more than Egyptian or Cymbrian this being the darkness of the bottomless pit but now are light in the Lord. This illumination from Heaven fetches off the scales as from the eyes of Paul and teaches us all to have a prospect of an Ocean of wonders in Gods Law and of deep mysteries in the promises yea to apprehend and apply them aright Isa 53 11 Therefore Faith is sometimes set out by knowledg Joh 10 38 by his Knowledg objectively shall my righteous servant justifie many Our Lord also proving his Deity by his Miracles 17 3 bids them if they will not credit his words yet believe his works that ye may know sayes our Lord and believe that the Father is in me and I in him Where knowledg and Faith are explicitly connexed together 14 20 Again This is life eternal to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent It was to that purpose our Lord made himself known and manifest to all his Disciples in the glory of his Deity Yea our Faith on him as God-man is wrought in us by revelation from the Spirit the eyes of our understanding being enligtned by him Eph 1 17 So that we have both the object and Organ illustrated at once Christ set forrh in the Gospel and our understanding shone upon by the Spirit and at length from the first degree of light the Saints proceed from Faith to Faith Rom 1 17 Col. 2.2 1 12 2 Tim 4 8 and then by holy Meditation with deligence arrive to that acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Nay to such sweet and full assurance at last that with holy Paul they come to know whom they have believed and wait for the Crown of Righteousness at his appearance and Kingdom From all this we may conclude that a true Believer takes Christ for his Saviour and Ruler with a clear and irrefragable Judgment 2. The second particular work in the order of nature tho conjoynt in time as to conversion is the inclination of the will to receive Christ Now because the Scripture delights exceedingly to set forth our Relation to Christ by Marriage union Eph 5 32 Song of Solom I shall a little insist upon it We say then in such covenants that 't is the Will that makes the Match T is not the saying a few words in the Chancel out of a Book by inforcement of Parents or Friends instigation against their own wills and minds such Marriages are but bruitish conjunctions when persons marry meerly for Money or outward Preferments not unfained love which God never ordained or appointed to be the ends of that blessed union but with the heart and sincere affection Promises are but dipt in falshoods and lies and often managed by some subtle false Judas for base ends where the sweet unforced inclinations of the will is not present which will after a while vent it self in captious perverse suspitions and unnatural reflections and seldom ends but in gall and bitterness
conversion as holy Austin declares expresly concerning himself under a fig tree in the Garden at Millain Confes l 8. c 1â— not difformous from that of the Prophet Isa 30.21 They shall hear a voice behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it Q. But some may say If Faith be wrought by the Holy Ghost Gal. 3.2 how is it said that we receive the Holy Ghost by Faith A. I Answer Tho the Holy Ghost work Faith in us at first that Faith which was wrought in us by him is further augmented and increased in us by the fame holy spirit and acts together with him in prayer for a further addition of his gifts and graces Besides in the primitive times it was the method of mercy that when persons had declared their Faith upon that they received the Holy Ghost in his dona ministrantia or gifts for good of the Church I might treat further of the adjuvant suborninate and instrumental causes the various and wonderful methods the seasons and times of divine working As Naaman was excited by a poor captive Maid at home and by his Servants abroad to believe God for his cure by the Prophet it is in thousands of cases and notable circumstances wherein God produces this blessed work but I must surcease and end with a deduction that since the work of Faith is supernatural and our conversion birth from the spirit then are we not the sons of God begotten by the will of man Joh 3 6 Joh 1 12. but of God and are breathed upon with the breath of spiritual life by that free agent the spirit of God. Not where and when the heady list and free will of man pleases that great Idol of a perishing World Act 18 29 Prov. 1.19 Eph 2 1 rejecting the free grace of God. Faith is of Grace There 's no power in nature to believe nay the very preparation of the heart is from the Lord. We are by nature dead in sins and trespasses and can no more believe than the old feigned Atlas can support the heavens or an inconsiderable fly with her impetuous hummings can shove a Mountain into the Sea. But I pass to the six Sections belonging to this Chapter whereof briefly hasten-to the Chapters I chiefly aim at SECTION 3. The next thing to have toucht was the more immediate and peculiar Object of Eaith and that 's no more than the person of our blessed Lord in his sufferings our beloved Saviour on the Cross viz. to believe on his Name to look up to the Antitype of the brazen Serpent John 1 12 Act 16.31 Rom 5 11 3 25 when lifted up upon the pole of the Gospel As Paul told the Jaylor If we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved a Lord to Rule a Jesus to Save and a Christ to Anoint us and so we shall receive the attonement For God hath set him forth for a Propitiation through Faith in his blood without blood there is no remission Heb 9 22 and without blood of an infinite value there can be no expiation to infinite Justice Now if any be so bold as to dispute with their Maker why this way and no other I Answer Rom 9 20 Who art thou that repliest unto God being thy self but a defiled shiver of a pitiful Earthen Vessel ready to be dasht in pieces every moment I shall rather turn off to answer the caril of a Jew who being askt how they can expect now to be saved since their magnificent Temple and the brazen Altar of Sacrifice lie in the dust whereas they are commanded not to presume upon Sacrifice but in that place at Jerusalem since also they can legally pretend to no pardon without blood and yet will rest upon that place misinterpreted of a poor mans Offering of a handful of fine Flower Lev. 5.12 and Moses his saying from the Lord that his sin should he forgiven him To which may be answered that the Temple was dâ—dicated and the Priest and the Altar were Consecrated with blood Mat 23 19 which gave a vertue to all the Sacrifices and offerings but I rather reply that this handful was to be offered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as we translate it according but upon the Offerings of the Lord made by fire This being joyned with the Lords Flower which was continually burnt with the Lords Lamb of the morning or evening Sacrifice and so had its vertue from that bloody offering But alas there 's now no place to offer either Lamb or Incense or Wine or Oyl or fine Flower according to Gods Institution since the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and Hadrian the Roman Emperors Let us pray therefore that the poor Jews might be enlightned to come to theâ— blessed Altar of the Cross of Christ and to this Priest of the Tribe of Judah Heb. 7 28 who is Consecrated for evermore But le ts remove to the fourth SECT 4. The fourth section should exhibit wherein the true and genuine essence of Faith consists The formalis ratio or that which gives to it the force and power to unite us to Christ and thereby to receive influences from him Of this having said somewhat already in this Chapter and intending God willing to dilate upon it in the next and shew that it lies in recumbency or relying upon the Lord Jesus Christ as he is set forth in the Gospel promises I shall strike off to the fifth SECTION 5. 5. The fifth particular concerns the great ends of Faith. The first and more immediate is the forgiveness of sin and justification of our persons by the imputation of the meritorious Blood of Christ Acts 13.38 39 As Paul in his Sermon at Antioch in Pisidia preacht the forgiveness of sins and that all which believed in him were justified from all things as to which they could not be by the law of Moses according as the Evangelist exprest it Mat. 1.21 He came to save his people from their sins A second is the Salvation of our souls according to Peter receiving the end of your Faith the salvation of your souls 1 Pet 1.9 The last and ultimate end as of all both persons and things is the glory of the wisdom justice and mercy of an infinitely holy God. Rom. 4.20 Johc 17.23 For he that believes on the son glorifies the Father also As Abraham being strong in Faith gave glory to God so Christ professes in prayer that he was glorified in his believing Disciples and when all the Saints shall triumph together in heaven their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or song of victory will be with blessing and honour and glory and power to him that sitteth on the Throne Rev 5.13 and to the Lamb for ever and ever even the Lamb that was slain even the same that taketh away the sins of the believing world SECTION 6. In the sixth place it 's of great use to amplifie
vigorous resistance against the more spiritual operations of the holy Spirit of God. 2. I proceed now to the second point premised which is to shew that Faith and Holiness are inseparable companions like Jonathan and David native twins coming up from the washing of regeneration both together which may be evident as follows 1. Because Faith is a part of holiness or the new creature in the renovation of the image of God whom to believe on his Word was the duty of Adam in Innocency and is indeed a branch of the first Commandment and part of that blessed pourtraicture is restored again by Christ under the new Covnant By nature since the fall 't is true we incline to distrust God and believe Satan before him and in not obeying him in trusting to his Son upon his Word we give God the un truth as to the method of salvation by anothers righteousness But indeed Faith is a prime part of our holiness whereby we trust God as to his promise of eternal life by his blessed Son Jer 17 7 Act. 26.18.15.19 and is the very critical and discerning character between a true convert and a carnal man We are said therefore to be sanctified by Faith in Christ and the heart to be purified by Faith not from it self as an efficient cause of holiness but as it daily fetches and derives holiness from him as head of the Church Gal. 5.6 So that Faith in sanctifying us after the first infusion of grace is a power or vertue co-operating with the spirit of God and enjoys a constant concourse of the same holy Spirit in all our spiritual actions 2. Another ground may be taken from the conjunct work of the spirit John 3. who in his very first impulse and motion to true and saving conversion at his coming down into our hearts for that purpose works both Faith and Holiness at the same moment 3. Because our blessed Lord came into the World 't is the end of his advent to us not only to be the object of our Faith but to save us from our sins Mat. 1.21 Tit. 2.14 1 John 3. â— and Faith must act upon him for that end to purifie and deliver us from our iniquities not only for salvation from hell or wrath to come but also from the guilt and filth of sin For we are chosen in him to be holy and created in Christ unto good works Christ gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity Eph. 1.4 2.10 Tit 2.14 to purifie us for a peculiar people zealous of good works I where we may observe justification and sancttification riding together in the same Chariot If then all gracious habits be wrought at once the too much nicety of arguing about the precedency of this or that grace is to be rejected as not agreeing to the uniform work of the new nature nor the inward experience of saints whose graces work according to influence opportunity of providence 1 Cor. 12 11 the good pleasure of the spirit in his assistances who divideth to every one severally as he will. We may admit somewhat as to congruity of the seeming order of nature or time but not press such conceptions over strictly for various experiences will contradict the curiosity of such notions But we may firmly determine that the understanding cannot spiritually discern the excellencies of Christ 1 Cor 2 14 nor the will of man stedfastly believe in him nor the affections savingly embrace him till we are first regenerated by Gods most holy Spirit who is powred out into every faculty and power of the soul at the very first initials of Conversion 4. Because the Commandments of holiness are part of the object of our Faith in its doctrinal foundation Rom. 7.12 Therefore Paul in his conflict sets down this as a maxim that the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good 5. Besides the truth of our Faith is demonstrable by holiness as its genuine effect It s vain for persons to pretend to Faith where this is wanting tho' it may not appear so evidently at the first Jam. 2.17 The Apostle James spends a large discourse upon this Argument to prove that Faith without the works of holiness is but a dead Faith. Indeed our holiness being imperfect does not justifie the person before God but it justifies the faith of the person to be true and the Apostle Paul conjoynes Faith and Holiness together and thence proves our eternal life 2 Thess 2.13 Blessing God for having chosen the Thessalonians to glory and proves it because they were sanctified by the Spirit and did believe the truth of the Gospel 6. Lastly Because the application of Faith or the working or actuating of our Faith upon Christ in the promise doth not only sweetly and clearly manifest our being justified but assists us also in the obtaining and increasing of holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 They walk and work together For how do the precious promises of the covenant purge us from sin and all filthiness of flesh and spirit but by the acting faith in Christ and so do embrace Christ for our sanctification 1 Cor. â— 30. and in his name and power derive holiness from those precious promises which are the golden Pipes or nerves that convey it from our glorious head Whence it comes that our belief of the inheritance promised and of Heavens aimiableness revealed by the Word and ratified on and by the verity of God helps us daily to walk more holily and to be made more meet for that Kingdom with the Saints in light And thus it is Act. 15.7 Lev. 4 20 33. that Faith purifies both the heart and life for glory Even as under the Levitical Law the action of the Priest in his offering the Bullock and sprinkling the blood before the Lord is said to purge away sin Rainold praelect vol. 1. p. 123. or make attonement for their sins that is instrumentally So may Faith be an instrument in deriving the sense of our justification and the sweet influences of our sanctification from our blessed Lord in believing the sanctifying promises made in his Name and actuated by virtue of his holy Spirit Now then according to that common and useful sentiment there be two works that attend Sanctity the first is to mortifie sin and the second to vivifie and quicken Grace Pet. 3.11 that we may be holy in all manner of conversation and this not of our own power either to begin carry on or finish but wholly by the work of the Spirit at first and then by his gracious concourse with every holy action of the new creature to the last being carried on by the power of God thru ' Faith to Salvation This is so great a Scripture truth that t is to be admired that the impugners of it who stand upon their own power so much both as to conversion and as to perseverance should be so noted for looseness
when thou hast wisely and deliberately weighed the various phrases in the promises then examine the frame of thy heart and if finding them suit in some sweet measure tho not so clearly as thou longest to have it yet fear not delay not to joyn thy heart and the promise together And this moreover I 'll say to thee for thy comfort that tho the hand of thy Faith should shake with some tremblings at present be not dismayed Mat 9.2 Mark 2.5 our blessed Lord who spake to the palsie man both can and will in due time for thy inward hope is an evidence of it speak that great strengthening word to the relaxed nerves and sinews of thy Faith Son be of good cheer 2 Tim. 2.13 thy sins be forgiven thee for if thou hold but the head nay if touch but the hem of his garment virtue will proceed and thou l't perceive it by some sweet settling quietings of Spirit as when the dew of heaven falls in a still evening For he will abide faithful tho we do not in so full and triumphant a manner act Faith upon him Psal 149.4.50.23 yet he will continue to be gracious and will shortly beautifie the meek with salvation If you order your conversation aright he will shew and make to shine the face of your Saviour and the Sun of his salvation upon you his beloved ones That person may certainly conclude himself to be in Christ who walketh in this World as he did all to our proportion and continue in acts of contemplation and adherence 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 12.6 embracing the promises Hitherto I have spoken somewhat to the application of the promises whereby we may argue true Faith and thence lay a strong foundation for assurance but before I relinquish this Subject I would touch upon the several Arguments used by the Apostle John which he insists upon in his Epistles written on purpose foâ— the comfort of Bâ—lievers 1 Joh. 1.4 5.13 1 John 3.23 that their joy may be full and that we may know that we have eternal life To which end it is Gods Commandment to believe in the Son and to love one another Let us then mention the chief in Order 1. The first evidence of eternal life is drawn from our walking in the Light that is of holiness 1 John 1.6 2 29. 3.6 9. walking in the truth Epist 3.3 in obedience to his Commandments 1 John 2.3 5 3.24 5.2 3. Epistle 2.6 In imitation of Christs holy walking 1 John 2.6 4.17 and in purifying of our selves according to his pattern 1 John 3.3 and yet all this must be qualified in respect to our infirmities and weaknesses 1 John 1.8 9 10. 2.1 2. 2. The second Argument to prove the truth of grace and assure our selves before God is love to the Brethren 1 John 2.9 10 and chap. 3.11 14. 4.7 12 20. and in his Gospel Joh. 13 35. 3. The third Argument is from our not loving the World nor the things thereof 1 Joh. 2.15 as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes or the pride of life ver 16. That is 1. Pleasures of all sorts as luxury in Diet Habit Houses Gardens rambling about the World without special ends and all inordinacy and intemperateness in the body as Jerom uses to express it iâ— ventre sub ventre For they that love Pleasures and Riotings shall not be rich in purse sayes Solomon nor in grace Prov. 21.17 sayes the whole current of Scripture 2. The lust of the eye which is as to all sorts of covetousness to get and retain by right or by wrong in an excessive appetition of the things of this World which must be left behind us and do not can not fill the heart of man no nor the eye with satisfaction Eccles 5.11 Nor 3. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Pride of Ambition Fastuousness Honour and advancement into great places and to be alone in the Earth These things eagerly pursued eat out the heart and power of godliness 4. The fourth Argument is assumed from the anointings of their Spirit 1 Joh. 2 20 27 3.24 4.13 whereof more by and by God willing 5. The fifth Argument is taken from a holy and reverent hearing of Gods Ministers 1 John 4.6 we may know what spirit we are of by this if we receive Christ as Hilary expresses it Qualis ab Apostolis praedicatus est as he was preached by the Apostles and submit to him in all his Offices and Ordinances such a one belongs to the spirit that is of God that keeps the Doctrine of Christ as the Apostle expounds himself Epistle 2. ver 9. 6. The last Argument arises from our love to Christ 1 Iohn 5.1 and in him to the Father Now if these things be found in us we shall then overcome the World 1 Ioh. 5.4 and shall not be touched virulently or fatally by Satan 1 Iohn 5.18 shall have access to God in prayer 1 Iohn 5.14 and shall have boldness in the day of Judgment 1 Iohn 4.17 and this will so settle our sense of the love of God to us that it will by degrees cast out the torment of fear For it will allure us to a holy familiarity with divine love 1 Iohn 4.18 and so sweeten our thoughts and affections of and to him that we may begin to enjoy a kind of heaven upon earth which the Father of his great mercy in Christ grant unto us by the Spirit Having hitherto treated about Argumentation I proceed now to the second Head about attaining Assurance which is by the irradiation of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of Believers For all is in vain as to gaining of solid and permanent comfort unless the Spirit of God come in and confirm us against the innumerable doubts and cavils that will arise upon us under all our Arguings because of the subtlety of satan the natural diffidence of our own hearts and the clouds that arise from the unholiness of our lives and the dread of eternity I design therefore to treat a little while about the witness of the spirit his immediate breathings his bright shinings and as it were speakings within our hearts when a holy soul hath this witness in himself 1 Iohn 5.10 2 Cor. 1.3 Act. 10.44 For in and upon believing the Father of Lights and of all consolations sends in his own due time this his holy spirit like a dove of peace into our hearts who helps us to discern the truth of the work of grace After ye believed sayes the Apostle ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Eph 1 13. He is sometimes set forth by a Seal and a Witness to the bond of the Covenant by a Seal and an Earnest to the contract about the inheritance 2 Cor. 1.22 by a Seal and a Love-Token or an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word used of old to note
bitter root of all this Wormwood and Gall and being very desirous to deal in compassion as having been under some tentations I spake with several and found upon conference these following to be the principal causes of this Bondage of Spirit The 1. Was great ignorance of the true nature of Faith and of the main fundamental Truths of the Gospel which did amaze me to find upon search in so many glittering talking but indeed shallow Professors 2. Another was the great Levity Vanity and Laxness of their lives trifling out their precious time in fidling querks tales and jests to please some whose Trenchers they hang upon like the Parasites in Theophrastus not liâ—e the blessed People of the former age who far outshined us in the purity of Conversation and therefore in the brightness of their assurance 3. Others I observed to be of a froward perverse ill-natur'd ill-conditioned sower humor full of prate and unprofitable multiplicity of words censures backbitings hollowness of true friendship often murmuring at God and quarrelling with their Superiors 4. Others I perceived to be naturally of a fearful timorous wavering inconstant suspitious spirit ever learning and never coming to the knowledg of the Truth 5. And to end most people extream worldly couvetous full of sordid over-reaching tricks and cunning cheats in dealing and unless for a show basely backward to any excellent works of charity and strict in examining the poor to find an evasion which Jerom so complains of in some of his age Such as these eat out the very power of godliness and rob themselves of the season of meditation Periclitatur religio in negotiis Piety is lost in a crowd of worldly business with these and the rest I must declare that the holy Spirit of God delights not to hold communion as being fiery or miry Spirits Hereupon in my retirements I hope by the Grace of God I pitcht my thoughts when I could not be so publickly useful as formerly upon the composing a small Treatise of the genuine nature of Faith and in a peculiar Chapter to shew the individual connexion of Sanctification of heart and life in every gracious Believer In the management whereof I thought it might not be inexpedient to lay its foundation upon the Doctrine of the verity of the Scriptures in one Chapter and of the Deity of our blessed Lord in a second after the Preface the former being the Doctrinal object of Faith the latter the personal Now forasmuch that in all Sciences there be certain Principles on which their Theoremes and Maximes are built we may consider of the like in Divinity that the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 16. being able to make us wise to Salvation are the only true Basis and Foundation on which all the great Doctrines of Holiness and Happiness do most firmly insist In particular that great point of Faith which bears it self on the new Covenant of Grace revealed in those sacred Pages I thought meet therefore briefly to endeavour the proof of this high point that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the undoubted Word of the living God and thereby to be received with all veneration imaginable as the solid fundamental of true Christianity in special of the weighty Doctrine of Faith And this I have the more willingly performed at the entrance of this Tract that good Christians may not I hope need to go otherwhere to draw but have sufficient to settle their Faith on this Foundation tho it be more amply enlarged upon abroad Now whereas it may be said that Principles are indemonstrable as in Mathematicks and other Sciences Suarez 5 to Mettaph L. C. we must understand that Maxim of the Principles of Essence and not of cognition or knowledg It is so as to the verity of Holy Scriptures we cannot demonstrate them any further and t is enough than that they are founded on the glorious Authority of the infinitely wise true and most holy God as consentanious to the verity and excellency of his nature and published by his injunction as the rule of life and means of communion with himself in eternal happiness The Lord hath spoken and who shall not tremble Amos 3.8 Oh that Majestick stile Ezek 14.4 c. Thus saith the LORD makes Men and Devils to quake and rottenness to enter into their Spirits when God sets it home upon their Consciences My Design then is to shew that at the Revelation and Exhibition of the holy volumes that I may both satisfie and confirm weak Believers and convince if possible scoffing Atheists that there were such mighty Testimonies of their divine original attending the dispensing of them to the Church and the World that may convince all of their Heavenly Off-spring if persons put not on the veil of wilful ignorance 2 Cor. 3.15 detaining the truth in unrighteousness And in the close it will appear that Hystorical Faith well grounded is useful to true and saving Faith. There are then two principal points which did await their sliding down from Heaven into the hearts of the illuminated Pen-men inspired by the Holy Ghost and the uttering of them to the People in their distinct Ages which may be comprehended in the first Chapter 1. The wonderful Oracles and Prophecies mentioned in those sacred leaves which have been punctually fulfilled in the several Generations of the Church 2. The Divine Miracles above and beyond the power of nature exhibited at those two great junctures the delivery of the Law by Moses and the promulgation of the Gospel at Mount Zion In the conclusion of this first Chapter I intend God willing to treat somewhat of the consignation of the Canon of Holy Scripture a Point much desired by some and may be of use to others In the second Chapter let us speak to the Deity of our blessed Lord which indeed is the grand point of Christian Religion the very Foundation of the Church of God as Nicephorus Callistus reports a Story of a deep Cave discovered at Jerusalem under the ruines of the old Temple when the Jews by the permission and instigation of Julian to contradict the Prophecy of our Lord would needs attempt to build it again but were beaten off by Thunder and Lightning where they found within it upon a Stone Pillar the Gospel of the Apostle John fairly laid and preserved Let the Patriarch protect the truth of the story I mention it allusively to this great Truth that lies at the Foundation of the true Church that the Deity of Christ the principal design of John's Gospel is the only Rock laid by the Father in Zion Isai 28.16 without which our Faith sinks and all our hopes vanish If that be a nullity all is gone Christianity is a vain Profession and our Bibles as to Christ and the new Covenant of Grace of no value Wherefore O Professors of this true Religion hold these two points inviolable as your lives The verity of the Scriptures and the Deity of
of wounded Spirits and their consolation under the darkest clouds and deepest confusions while we are in this valley of Dragons which is the reason why truly gracious persons wade and dive through Sicknesses Troubles and strong anxieties when wicked and ungodly men languish and perish a thousand times over and over because the former enjoy the sweet influences of the Spirit of God in the promises of the Gospel to cool their consciences and calm their spirits into a halcyon serenity and sometimes tread upon the Asp and Dragon without any fear By these and the like meanes the Scriptures confirm and ascertain themselves like self-evident principles when the Spirit of God strikes aside the Curtains and Vailes of Ignorance and purges the Corruptions out of the minds of men Let all the world rage in Storms of contradiction and like him in Laertius affirm Snow to be black or another that there is no sense in pain or boldly assert the Sun shines not when I see it or a cordial comforts not when I feel it Job 6.4 Psal 38 2. or that a troubled conscience is but a melancholly fancy when the Terrors of the Lord drink up the spirits of men These should be sent to Anticyrae to purge with Hellebor for madness Pray what Energy or power can he in a printed paper in the reading of a Chapter wherewith Austin and Junius were converted from sin to God or what powerful charm in hearing a mean Preacher perhaps none of the Learnedest like the blessed Fishermen of Galilee to change the heart if so many proud haughty and rebellious sinners who of direful Persecutors have sometimes turned tender cherishers and protectors of the Church of God Jer. 22.29 Psal 19.11 Heb. 4.12 Ezek. 2.4.3 11 17. were it not for the fire of the Word of the Lord of Hosts that melts the Stone of the heart and the hammer of that Word that breaks the rocks of the sturdy Zanzummims all to powder insomuch that bitter scoffers have been changed into witty Tertullians and turned their Satyrs into Panegyricks Some morese Philosophers have proved quick and acute disputants in the primitive times to defend the Christian Religion What can that be imagined to be that works so strange effects upon whole Nations from the East to the Western-Indies whitened the Black-Moores civilized the hearts of Scythians more ferine ragged and bruitish than the Rocks and Hyrcanian Tygers that gâ—ve them suck and beautified the barbariously painted Britains far beyond the Oratory of the Gaules It could be no other power than the awful dread of the Divine Majesly and the melting sweetness of his mercy concomitant with his heavenly Word Wherefore such are justly to be suspected for strangers to the work of grace like Nicodemus at first tho a great Doctor in Israel yet a great dunce in the excellenc point of the New-Birth Or like that Doctor at Oxford sometime since that searcht his Dictionary for the word Regeneration and could not tell what to make of it because he found it not there I say we may greatly fear that they never felt this mighty power of the Spirit of God to change their hearts Rom. 1.16 that dare talk so proudly and irreverently against the self-evidencing power of the holy Scriptures on the consciences of men when the Majesty of God shines ten thousand times brighrer in the Meridian of that Book than the Sun without clouds at noon-day in the Zenith of Africa I shall intreat my ingenuous and pious Readers kind leave to descend into the bowels of two arguments to give evidence to the truth of the Holy Scriptures and so conclude this present chapter Which are drawn from the Oracles and Miracles mentioned in this sacred Book The fulfilling of the one and performing of the other to the consternation and amazement of such as had the happiness to be spectators of either are in some part attested and confirmed by Heathens themselves and cleared off by several Writers of unquestionable authority confessing the matters of fact which were accomplisht in the successions of several ages with great exactness and punctuality SECT I. Of Scripture Oracles FOr this purpose it must be laid down for a standing rule that the certain and determinate foreknowledge and prediction of future events long before they come to pass is an undeniable evidence of infinite Wisdom and Power and compatible to no created being Hence the Lord challenges this glory to his own name that former things foretold by him did issue in the time predicted Yea further Isai 42.9 to lift up the people into the mount of observation tells them He would declare new things before they should spring forth of the Womb of Providence Nay Isa 43 9 10 calls to the Heathen to bring out their Witnesses if they had any to justifie their Idols as to the verity of their predictions and then appeals to the Jews as his own Witnesses that they might know believe and understand that he was God and before him there was no God formed nor shall be after him Which argument is amplified and prosecuted in the forty fixth and forty eighth chapters asserting the Divinity of his Essence and the verity of his declarations and prophecies Citations might multiply in which the silver Trumpets of the holy Prophets sound harmoniously in the ears of all Nations 1 Pet. 1.25 proclaiming this mark and character of his eternal Deity and that his words endure for ever and are filled up to the brim with veracity and run over the banks of all ages in chrystalline streams of accomplishments while in the mean time their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Delphian and Dodâ—nean Oracles have filled the Heathen World with crooked serpentine lies and cheats Mat. 5 16. Whereas the very Ordinances of heaven shall sooner be involved into their ancient dismal Chaos then any of these blessed sayings shall in the least tittle be dissolved or made void I shall now enter upon some of the famous Oracles of Scripture which have bin so plainly verified before the eyes of many Nations that several Philosophers and Historians of the Gentiles have confessed this truth and born witness to their eventual fulfillings and doubtless honoured and embraced those Divine Parchments with great veneration when many of them travelled into Syria and had the great happiness by the leave of some Rulers of Synagogues prece pretio using gifts and intreaties to behold and read those heavenly prophecies and 't is more than likely that many notions among the ancient Platonists are corruptions of and Compositions with the matter of those profound Writings But before further procedure I must premise that for want of my Library at hand since my sad recess from my most desired services I am forced to make the best use I can of my memory and therefore cannot make my Citations so perfect and exact as I else would and partly from the defect of Historians in barbarous ages we
the learned judg in answer to Anacreon in the 32 verse of his atheistical rhyme much like Horace and other Epicurean Ballad makers who often push at one another with scoffs and jeers Nay far better men then they some of the good fathers of the primitive times in the Apologies made in defence of the christian-church bring in multitudes of Testimonies out of Heathen writers against their Pagan Idolatries Superstitions Atheisms Persecutions and the vain boasts of the antiquity of their shamefull dunghil Deities which matter is obvious in the writings of Origen against Celsus Clemens Alexandrinus in his stromata Minutius Faelix Arnokius against the Gentiles Austin in his book of the city of God and Learned Jerâ—m in many of his Epistles and commentaries Let us then determine this point from what proceeds in the arguments assâ—meâ— from Oracles and Miracles Gelas Cizenes hist Niceâ— council nnd many other grounds briefly touched above that they are the very Word of God but particularly by their converting power upon the Soul commanding reverence and trembling and horror into the conscience both of men and Devils as they did upon the Spirit of that Petulant Philosopher in the council of Nice Nay so terrible is the weight of these Truths upon the Souls of some fleering atheists that they are forced sometimes to Hobbianize that is tremble to be in the darkâ— as he did at the Lord of Devonshires being afraid to walk abroad without Mastiffs or Pistols and how much more was he appaled at the approach of death Whereas on the other side how often have we seen with joy and delight this blessed Word of God to have comforted many a soul in the greatest conflicts and agonies of death whence it follows that these effects must be the issue of divine power that these writings are indeed the very Word of the holy God since no other books or preachings do or can so rouze and startle the proud conscience of man. Insomuch that else we might justly wonder what the man ails that is so tormented his heart raging like the troubled Sea till the Allablaster box of fragrant oyntment be opened out of the promises and the balsome when poured into a scalded and wounded spirit immediately asswages its pain and sinks the blisters which all the Divines and holy Orators in the world could never do till the presence of God stampt idea's of mercy and comfort speaking peace to the Soul. Whence we may sweetly infer that no other books can be received with any powerful convictive authority but where in they agree with the tenor and canon of holy Scriptures so that whoever walks according to this rule Gal. 6.16 peace shall be on him mercy as on the Israel of God. I shall then finish this first Chapter with that inference for which those mediums were brought That since Faith in Christ Jesus is the very scope and design the very sum and substance of the whole Scripture it follows that the acting of Faith upon them as the Doctrinal Object of such divine original is grounded on the holiness and truth of the omnipotent and eternal God. Wherein it is impossible for him to deceive us in not fulfilling his gracious promises Heb. 6.18 to humble contrite and broken spirits that â—rust in his mercy In like manner Eph. 2.20 the acting of our Faith on the Lord Jesus as its personal object for our Justification is built on the foundation of the holy Apostles and Prophets Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Psal 87.1 laid by the Father in the holy mountains Whoever then believes not God on his Word and Promise makes him a Lyar as far as in his power which every one should Tremble to think on 1 Ioh. 5.10 because they believe not the record that God hath given of his Son. Which pertinently leads me into the second chapter about the Deity of our blessed Lord the natural and eternal Son of God. Which Doctrine being evicted and manifested layes a most sure ground for Faith to erect the Temple of Glory and will secure our tenure of Salvation inviolable like a House built upon the Rock of Ages that will endure to all Eternity CHAP. II. Of the Deity of Christ TO Prove the Doctrines of Christ to be true and perfect we must demonstrate his person to be infallible and to prove his sufferings to be satisfactory to Divine Justice there must be an infinite value in that glorious person who was graciously pleased to suffer for the sins of the Elect. If this be clear then Faith builds upon a Foundation as firm as the Being Fidelity and Constancy of a holy and gracious God This can't be better fixed but by manifesting the Deity of Christ in the glorious Messiah who appeared upon Earth in the dayes of Augustus Caesar Now if Christ be God even the natural Son of God then the most precious Blood of his sufferings by communication of idioms or properties between the two natures may be called the blood of God Acts 20.28 Heb 1.3 9 12 Rev. 1. â— 8 Hornbeck Mareius Calovius c. as it is in the Holy Scriptures For the Proof of the Deity of Christ I intend no great Enlargement but refer to those who write directly against the Socinian Heresie it concerns us only to argue a little upon this point and deduce some intermixed consequencies As to this great Subject having already accounted for the Divinity of the Scriptures we may now take leave to use them as Testimonies sent from heaven and left upon Record in the Church to prove this Truth On which very score it s commonly received from the Antients that the Apostle John wrote his Gospel against Cerinthus and other primitive Hereticks by the instigation of the Asian Churches But most certainly by the inspiration of the spirit of God. After him Athanasius of Egypt Hillary of France and Fulgentius of Africa and several others have largly and nervously handled the sword of the spirit against the Arians Let us however touch a few arguments in the case 1. The first argument may be taken from the Eternity of Christ no Being can be eternal but must be God. Our Lord was in Being from all Eternity and therefore must needs be God he had a glory with the Father before the world was Ioh. 17 5â— but let us joyn it with eternal sonship and infer that if he were the eternal son of God then he must be true God in Essence Heb. 1.3 for he must be every way the character of his Hypostasis or as we translate it the express image of his Person This Argument of Christs being God because he was the eternal son of God. The Jews very well understood its force and therefore presently argued against him of Blasphemy in assuming the honour of being God. Iohn 5.18 For to be the eternal Son of God he must be coessential with God which confession that Christ was the
the word therefore which is translated by Faith is a conjugate from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verity or truth For as much as Truth is the peculiar object of trust and whence some think the word Trust to be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore judg that all lyars promise-breakers and false witnesses are unfit to be trusted with persons or matters of the very least importance and should be thrust out of all good mens houses and all civil society Psal 101.7 and should be forced to live among beasts or such as are like themselves which is worse and there cheat and abuse one another till their mutual extirpation or rather by godly and wise Magistrates be made to suffer the penalty prescribed by a wise and holy God Deut. 19.19 22 19. according to what their lies and false witness might have injured their brother whether in life member good name or estate they should suffer exactly the same punishment their eye should not spare nor pity according to the Lex Talionis or else the world will never be at rest nor quiet from wicked wretches But were this Law of God made the Law of Nations his blessing would follow it with more peace and tranquility then yet the world hath seen Well then as Truth is a most radiant attribute of God and dwells in his nature as he is Ens primum simplicesimum the eternal and uncompounded Being Job 4.18 And if Angels whom he charges with folly in comparison with himself do not raciocinari reason by mediums but act by intuiâ—ion how much more does that most abstruse and immense being the Father of lights both in his cognition of all things at once and according to the purpose of his own will act in expressing and manifesting what he pleases to his creatures and shining upon that manifestation with such a glorious ray of truth that were it not from the darkness of our lapsed estate we should without any dispute or hesitation immediately imbrace it for the highest and unquestionable verity Hence it is that in whatever he speaks from his most holy mouth by Oracles or Prophets ratified in their authority from him must be judged a great presumption and impiety to call for a reason of any of his words or actions by bold and daring and impudent creatures For from the raies of truth streaming from the immense and soul-dazling sun of his verity flows all the certainty and stabiliment in the spirits of angels or men to fix and settle us in our belief and obedience Whoever then does believe sets his seal to the Word that God is true and he that doth not believe as far as in him lies would seem to induce John 3.33 that the holy and true God should be a lyar and deceiver and not to be trusted Such is the most horrible consequent of unb lief Though I am well satisfied that there are some trembling fouls that either from natural timerous tempers or some other dark incidencies upon their spirits do not come up to clear and comfortable actings of Faith The Lady Thomson late of Osterley park but now in heaven that abhorr the very thoughts of not trusting God upon his word of Promise and are truly gracious at bottom though cannot discern and know it As I knew not long since a gracious Person when discoursing of the work of God upon her heart â— John 5.10 6.29 said that she trembled at that Scripture in John of making God a lyar and that the deep pondring upon it was the beginning of her conversion One is apt to think it were a very easy thing to believe the holy God upon his Word Eph. 1 19 2 Thes 1.11 Eph. 3.16 17. 1 Tim. 1.15 but indeed renewed and sanctified persons have found it one of the most difficult works in the whole world because its contrary to nature to found our salvation upon anothers righteousness therefore needs a miraculous work from God to effect it in us It 's true that the doctrine of the Gospel is a most faithful saying that is a most certain and undoubted assertion full of grace and truth and worthy of all acceptation or embracing utrique ulnis in utraque cordis camera in our most intimate bosomes that Christ came into the world to save sinners But it requires almighty power of the spirit of Christ to bring us to the obedience of faith But of this more God granting in the sequel Now I 'le proceed about some things in the nature of Faith to which end I may recount that good old saying of Austin cited by some Accipe signas receive it that is believe it and thou fealest to the truth of God. Thus Sarah acting by Faith judged him faithful who had promised and attained the end of her particular trust in the case whereunto God had spoken But not to dilate in generals I might proceed to the hononymy of the term and the various Synonymous expressions of it found in Scripture I might from fathers and schoolmen from confessions of the Reformed Churches and their commentaries common places and Systemes from controversial writings between us and the Romanists and from the many holy practical writers of our own on this very subject raise a great pile or mass of discourse and therein but actum agere over and over with the same in some little varieties But I forbear since my chief end and scope is principally to erect and comfort broken languishing spirits that hang in suspence as it were between the hopes of heaven and the fears of hell I would gladly put a Scripture staff even one of the staves of the Ark within the Sanctuary into the hands of every weary and heavy laden soul I shall not then be nice or over-curious in handling this point under the distinct heads of definition or description or in distinguishing it into several sorts and so proceed to examine all the causes effects properties adjuncts contraries and the several corollaries deducible from all or the cases of conscience doubts and objections afflicting troubled spirits for they are innumerable but only treat upon some particulars most practical and useful either past by or but lightly touched by others As Doctor Boodt that learned Physitian and of great request with the Reverend Bishop Vsher was more pleased to write de affectibus ommisses of cases not handled then to trouble the world with large bodies of Phisick over and over So should all endeavour not to burden the church of God with swelling discourses wrought up into a cumbersome Tympany out of others preceding who have done worthily in their generations but should either add quid novi or quid noviter either something new that may increase christians knowledg and grace or after a concise and clear method that may raise the fancy sortifie memory and take with such as are out of the church to help on their conversion Though I am sensible
the spirits instigation and inflexion then does God impute the righteousness of his beloved Son to that soul being now become a true believer and by inward intire love in the heart espoused to him Hence it follows that whatever the son hath the Father makes over to a Saint who by vertue of those espousals enters into a right and title to Christ Wisdom â— cor 1.30 righteousness sanctification and redemption and becomes a co-heir with Christ of the same inheritance in the kingdom of glory and as it is here in the kingdom of grace so much more in heaven above fulget radiis mariti the Church shineth not by reflected but by infused or implanted rayes of her husbands glory being one with Christ in mystical union the same spirit and the same glory being in them as our Lord sets it out I in them and thou in me John 17.22 23. Ezek. 16.14 John 1.12 and the glory which thou gavest me have I given them that they may be one even as we are one In his comliness we are made perfect For on them that receive him the Father bestoweth a powerful and magnificent priviledge to become the adopted sons of God. Having discoursed a little largely with thanks to the stronger christians for their leave and candid forbearance of time as to the weaker Saints about the nature of the will as being the principal seat of Faith and the seminary of its fruitful effects Let us now proceed In the third place to the affections of the soul which are indeed but several emanations or streams from the Will and may be compared to semidiametral lines that flow from this center and run out into the spacious circumference of actions For when the heart or will inclines this or that way or to their opposites it then shines forth in those extensive eradiations by the passions and several affections of the Soul. As for instance Isa 26. the church of God in the Prophet cries out with my soul have I desired thee in the night season So in respect to fear holy persons are said to fear God in the singleness of heart Col. 3.22 Dâ—ut 13.3 Judg. 16 152. Song 1 4 7 and others are recounted to love and trust in the Lord with all their hearts and love is stated to be from the heart In this love of our hearts to Christ lies the quintescence of our union and thence a spouse like reverence and a sweet holy fear to offend or displease him in the least Eph. 5.33 The like whereof is commanded in Scripture to be the holy deportment of all Wives to their Husbands Let the Wife sâ—e or look to it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that she fear or reverence her Husband Insomuch that Solomon brings in the Spouse with such a reverent care when her bridegroom was asleep that she charges all persons in and about the place to make no noise that may disturb or awake her beloved till he please â—ong 2.3 She is filled with an heart-ravishing joy in communion with him though here but through the lattesse of Ordinances takes sweet complacency in an holy rest in his fellowship â—ong 2.5 and feels a delicious faintness in the sick agonies of love is always satiated in his society but never satisfied always filled to the brim with pleasure and running over in his praise to the daughters of Jerusalem while the fountain of love pours out of the heart of Christ into the bosome of a Saint by a true perpetual motion this glorious person 〈◊〉 5.7 delighting in his goodness and rejoycing over us with singing These and many more are the pure unstained sanctified motions of the will so far as renewed rectified by grace and acting towards its native and genuine objects at first concreated with it as fit proper and qualified for it 'T is the will then â—sal 42.1 8.25 which desires loves thirsts longs and pants after the living God and is never quiet or settles its full complacency on any person or thing besides God alone but there 't is satiated with all manner of delight and joy for evermore 4. In the next place conscience comes in to act its part and having lookt round about upon all the pre-actings of the soul subscribes to the new creation with this eulogy Behold all the work of God is very good It is a mixt act of the soul flowing from the understanding and will together and proceeds from an inward work Simplicius as a philosopher expresses it if I remember right When the soul makes dialogues within it self It is the reflexion of the soul upon all its precedent acts whether radical or deduced wherein conviction is mainely concerned As the Evangelist speaks of some Pharisees that they were convinced of their own consciences John 8.9 which do accuse or excuse according to the nature of the light and integrity within and so helps the soul to assurance by a diligent intuition into the actings of Faith. Conscience is the souls looking-glass Rom. 2.15 wherein it beholds all the red flashings upon its face when others talk behind them at a distance This inward redness more especially rises from the immediate rebukes of this vicegerent and happy are such who have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience nil conscire sibi Heb. 10.22 nullaque aubescere onlpa To be conscious of no guilt and to have no faults staining vermilion upon the cheeks of conscience I might enlarge in the next place upon the power of fancy and imagination that anvill and hammer of thoughts in the work-house of the brain But I rather proceed to the last that I shall touch upon and that 's the Memory that wonderful faculty which Austin in his confessions does so extreamly and deservedly admire and the Platonists are so deeply affected with it that they thought the souls science to be little else then reminiscence or a recognition of what it had before its delapse from heaven into the body Memory is the souls christal cabinet replenisht with diamond cells or Loculi so termod by Tully wherein things heard and learned are safely retained and who is able to expound the reason of its rehearsals It is the recollection of the soul upon it self acting over and reviewing every thing at its pleasure and thereby hath a great influence upon the affections to excite them with delight or dolour meminisse juvabit dolehit When we lay up memorials in our hearts the end is to bring them forth of the treasury of a good and honest breast Luk. â— 66 Psal 139.18 63.6 like wise Scribes fitted for the Kingdom of God. Thus David remembers God sometimes to his comfort and when awake was still with God. At other times he remembred God and was troubled comparing his present dolesome state with his former more delicious times This faculty so we may term it Galen being a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a faciendi
beginners insist a little according to what I may by the help of grace and ponder on the first discoveries and discernings of this work in the heart under the beginning work of Regeneration that is under the present agitations and breathings of the holy Spirit To which purpose I may genuinely compare the sense which the mother of an Embrio begins to feel when discerns an inward conception by some secret pulsations â—s of a little wind in her bowels and some nauseous ebullitions from her stomack Ferneli de c. Weckerus de Secretis l. 4. P. 85. Bas. 1629.8 thereby perceives there is a new work of impregnation formed with in bevond all observations of the state of body since her birth and begins to give a right judgment that in Gods due time she may become a happy Mother indeed of some beautiful creature Or give leave to behold it in the glass of another Emblem It fares here as when persons by some unobserved and unforeseen emanations of spirits from the heart Plin. l. 11. c. 37 Song 6.5 4.9 and pressing through the optick nerves flow into their mutual eyes and dart themselves into one anothers breasts whence they become suddenly taken and as it were inkindled by certain lineatures in their feitures and are rapt into deep admiration of somewhat in each other which neither themselvâ—s nor the wifest Philosopher in being can give reason fagacious enough to unfold the surprizing influence when they are constellated to conjugal union So true is that I think of Lucretius Multa tegit sacro involucro natura neque ullis Fas est scire quidem mortalibus omnia c Nature with sacred mantle things does hide Nor can Man's wit such mysteries decide Much more deep shall we find it to be in spiritual and divine concernments when the Soul having heard or read of the admirable and unparallel'd incomparable excellencies of Christ begins by the powor of heavens influence to hearken to Gospel motions whence the first beginnings of grace are coucht in faint and weak though sâ—eet and pleasing inclinations to hear more of that precious and excellent person Then the Soul proceeds with the Daughters of Jerusalem to enquire further of his dignities and the blessed disposition of this kingly Saviour Next after intelligence received it never rests seeking for him with the lovely Spouse In Niceph call and when once come to a sight of that glorious countenance in which Majesty and Love sit upon their Throne as 't is reported of his external hiâ—w then does the soul by this interview break forth into holy Ardors after the enjoymâ—nt of his everlasting kindness and the bottomless bowels of his infinite mercy and affection This is the point which I would endeavour yet further to exemplifie in the sequel of this Chapter and labour to state the first beginnings of grace to lie in secret motions holy wishes and inclinations of the will to Christ this Princely Saviour of the Elect. The desire of a man sayes Solomon is his kindness thâ— he cant accomplish his will yet t is acceptable with God for the deed Prrv. 19.22 2 Cor. 8.12 When some spiritual good is presented to the newly sanctified will by the light of a heaven-born judgment it draws the soul to think ponder and study how to attain that happiness and this volition or extension of the spirit is found in different persons at various times Some feel a blessed inclination from their very child hood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Religious courses and the holy wayes of God. 2 Tim. 3.15 You may observe in some Children at four or five years old a love to the sacred Bible and the wise instructions of godly Parents It would do ones soul good to see how prettily and earnestly the little hearts will lean their heads to the wall or hangings and suck in the sincere milk of a mothers instructions as Solomon did Only let Parents be prudent and heedful in pressing too much or powring too long into little Venice Glasses lest it nauseate or run over Gen. 33.13 Remember Jacob would not drive the little ones too fast lest they died Children are like a Chicken or little Birds feed them too much and by night and you endanger killing them Be wise towards such Isai 28.10 and sow here a little and there a little and the work of God may prosper sweetly In Persons at the first workings of the Spirit of God you may observe 1. First There appears some savouring of the things of God which shews there is a new palate formed by the spirit of God in the soul â— Cor. 2.14 Rom. 8.5 suited to the Manna of heaven they begin to mind the things of the Spirit with a disrelish of vain and frothy company a happy inclination to virtue and wholsom infusions with some reverent awe to their Teachers and instructors which when once taken off from the heart all the Argument or Rhetorick in the world shall never fasten any good maxim upon such a person but now you shall see very young ones love to have their heads in a Bible and the tears ready to spring at some sweet passages in that blessed Book intimating to us that the same spirit who penned it hath begun to write the faithful counterpart on the fleshy tables of their hearts 2. They find and feel the inward bent of their soul to be towards God the byas of the will alwayes inclined Heaven-ward tho some rubs and hillocks may divert a while They are like the Sun-flower ever turning to that glorious Lamp or as the needle pointing to the Northern Pole. It may suffer some variations and supervariations and misteries of Declination not hitherto fully determined to heip the longitude but in the main its course bent and delight is toward that point of the compass The soul no otherwise having received an affrication or touch from divine love evermore bends the motion towards God and is enamoured upon the goodness and Excellency of our blessed Saviour Vain things like vinegar upon nitre gives an odious hiss Prov. 25.29 Eccl. 2 2. and fumes away in a Stench so does this gracious soul pity carnal mens laughter as a touch of madness and sayes of foolish mirth what does it 3. Again There is in this new heart of flesh this covenant heart an inward sweet sensibleness of that great stone of impenitence that as yet remains unbroken in pieces which with its ragged points and angles wounds the tender fleshy part and makes it bleed with joyful sorrow The holy new convert is greatly sensible of its proud flesh and that heavy lump that hangs like a talent of lead at the feet and the worlds bird-lime that sticks to the wings of the soul when it would mount up to heaven in holy duties Or as persons after a great autumnal fever labour under a squeazy stomack with a mass of baked humours at the bottom So does the
soul and weeps in secret and often bewailes it before the throne of God. 4. There is also found within it a secret joy in the discovery of light It takes inward pleasure in the launcing of the tumors of pride to lâ—t out the corruption of nature The lamp of Gods word is more precious and joyful to it than the dawnings of a Spring-morning out of the East It 's a sign of an unsanctified heart and a very proud spirit to snuff and snarl at godly reproof But this is a certain note of grace begun when no corruption is too dear no secret sin so delectable but it will part with it at the conviction of the Spirit Yea and the more searching any Ministry is the more it delights to sit under it dares not call that a legal preaching which drives men out of the School of the Law into the Temple of Christ 5. Besides the tender soul grieves under its fears of the want of true Faith and is never quiet till it gain some lively hope of its implantation into Christ which it cherishes and nourishes by the application of promises But till then it wrings its hands runs up and down mournfully through all the Streets of New Jerusalem being desolate in spirit as not having a comforting sense of any faith at all It cries lamentably from watch-man to watch-man bears many affronts and injuries in the tearing of her vail and smiting upon her bead Song 5.7 till at last she finds her beloved embraces him in the armes of Faith. Then the soul continues in the use of all prescribed means to attain the vision of his divine love in the glass of affiance 6. Again This troubled soul flies far from the land of excuses hates palliations and self-conceited applauses and layes all the fault upon it self heaps accusations and layes snares and tentations for its own feet and so great that the holyest minister and one skilful in cases of conscience can hardly sometimes answer and resolve Whereas the hypocritical Pharisee is commonly full of talk hath little or no solidity is confident and boasts of experiences with a false tongue and a deceitful heart But our gracious young convert is as sensible of the least sin as the tenderest hand hath a quick and immediate sense of the sitting of a flye or the gentle breathings of a Western Air. It laments over In-dwelling sin bewails its residence and sounds continual alarums against it For it cannot bear the domination of that proud Vice-roy of Satan to fullfil it in any lusts thereof If it prevail though but a little the soul triumphs as if its conquering flag were entring the gates of heaven For although its motions and impulses against unholiness be yet but weak tender and low yet are they the fruits of integrity and grow forward in Strength This is a true sign of grace and that the new life is in good earnest begun in that heart for it finds repentance towards God and true sorrow for sin conjoyned with real inclinations resolutions and workings in its gradual turning from it and an holy hatred of all thoughts of reversion to it 7. The soul feels within it self an holy inclination to sincerity in all its actions which like a fragrant perfume in every chamber of all its powers and faculties gives a grateful scent in every duty Psal 139.23 and delights to be unfeigned in every good word and work It hates painted garments of hypocrisie and therefore with great humility requests of God to search its heart and begs to be what God would have it and prays withal Psal 143 2â— 130.3 that he would not enter into a severe judgment and mark what 's done amiss with an urgent scrut iny for then no flesh can stand in his sight but intreats forgiveness of God that so he may be feared and worshipped From hence springs that solid sweet and comfortable doctrine of the Reformed Churches That the true desire of grace is true grace On which Basis sound consolation will stand inviolably when all the proud towers of Pelagius and Arminius shall moulder into dust at the fall of Babylon For now the soul in this humble and holy frame lies at the foot of God mourns for sin as committed against God thirsts after the righteousness of Christ alone and praves for the spirit of God to allure and draw it into fuller communion having taken God in the new covenant for its God alone 8. Lastly it studies the increase of holiness by all holy means and methods in meditation self-examining and conversing with old disciples and experienced believers For in such-like God communicates his gracious presence â— cor 7 1. and in these mountains of Zion commands the blessing and life for evermore In these and such particulars if serious Christians would please to go down the stairs of humility Psal 133.3 into the closet of their own heart and ponder more upon what they read with holy meditation they might better observe the motus primo primi the first infant motions of their hearts towards God and heavenly objects but cursory reading spoils all Some indeed advise an hours meditation to an hours reading I think a set quantity of time is not necessary but so much as may cleare and warm the motion upon the heart By experience it will be found that the spirit of God works by vacious methods and very different yet so that by one or other token any poor broken trembling soul may in some measure be comforted as to a true work begun in the heart Psal 51.6 and may learn to know divine wisdom in its secret formations of grace within its utmost recesses and retirements To conclude I take this to be one of the lowest sentiments of a true work when there are found continually secret inclinations motions thirstings and desires after God and holiness which by strict and careful observation may be perceived to grow and increase year by year and this note is common to all believers though in their weakest estate who would not change their slender hopes for all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them This work flows from the first breathings of the spirit of God and may be discerned as to truth and sincerity by these two notes 1. If conjoyned with patient continuance in well-doing Rom. 2.7 though weakly yet with the face toward Zion 2. If growing in spiritual strength tho' at present by small degrees and for a while scarce discernable 2 Pet 3.18 like the growth of a child or the augmentation of a plant or the motion of a shadow of the Style upon the Sun-Dial But so much of the first Let 's treat a while on the second branch of the chapter about a deserted soul and then come to an end 2. Of the lowest acts of grace in a deserted Soul. Here such as are inwardly for the main work truly gracious yet through vain walking and too
much frequenting and associating with vain company of frothy relations who because of nearness of blood or affinity some sweet tempers are loth to reprove for want of the grace of holy courage and wisdom finding too much carnal delight in them especially if witty and pleasant though it cost them many a salt tear in closets In this there lies a deep snare to easy and unthinking spirits not considering the after-pangs to bring forth a new birth of holiness tho' they be otherwise in the main truly pious Others are taken with apish garbs and habits fashions and gestures going bent as if troubled with some forraign disease conforming themselves to the image of this present world Rom. 12.2 Luke 16.15 which is abomination in the sight of God loving of trifling and unprofitable converses in their visits and wanting of secret and serious thoughts of eternity the world to come and of standing before the Son of Man in his day and this often joyned with too much neglect of secret and working communion at which the world scoffs when spending their strength and marrow in the worship of Mammon or Flora fall off at length too far from their zeal for the pure worship of God in Christ Others by various deordinations of life not here to lengthen about for want of caution and watchfulness over their hearts and lives grieve and vex the spirit of God and having wounded their own consciences have lost their crown of joy that 's withered away and they are now deservingly bemoaning themselves in the dark caverns of desertion and can see no light Isa 50.11 and are in danger to follow others who blazed a while and then went out in a snuff whereas it becomes true believers Heb. 4.1 to be very tender and careful that they do not so much as seem to fall short of so great salvation I answer before any comfort can break in to such they must repent and do their first works and take heed they do not further lose what they have wrought Yet to such I reccommend our Lords advise to Laodicea John. 8. Rev. 3.18 to buy eye-salve of him to anoint their eyes that they may see and acknowledge their sins and turn at his rebuke and chastening Then may they begin with some hope to search what vital acts are not as yet extinguisht Though in a swoone or a deliquium animae an ecclipse of spirits yet their pulse has not lost all its vibrations their eyes not quite set yet look up towards heaven though somewhat dismally There 's yet left a little warmth a little moisture a little breathing against the looking-glass of a promise held by a faithful searcher and obserâ—er of souls You may take notice that this partial back slider turns not wholly to prophaneness and an utter forsaking of the wayes of God but retains an impulse and a secret respect to those that are gracious but does not much care to shew it publickly and when they begin to revive out of their long fit of â—olly give a doleful motion of their eye to their near relations at whose checks they formerly scoft too much They are like the smoking flax or weiâ—k in the golden candfestick newly gone out which yet by admotion or putting to it a little lamp fire of the Sanctuary conceive afresh flame moving swiftly to it upon the oily smoke ascâ—nding from it Or they may be compared to the bruised reed which being battered by a storm of tentations lays down its hanging head upon the surging Waves of a violent torrent and is nigh to be swallowed up I say to such though now in a sorrowful case yet if they were once implanted truly into Christ the true vine of Lebanon they shall never finally wither and perish for the calling and grace of God is without repentance who always loves to the end For the foundation of his prescience and pre-electing love remaineth sure he knoweth who are his but let them take heed that they depart from all iniquity 2 Tim 2 19. and never return to folly more They may make a shift to get to heaven and sit within the door but with many a piercing sorrow and doleful agony and black Sack cloth on the loins of their hearts before they get thither But in the mean time if they are right as I hope and here suppose I would help a little that they may not totally walk in darkness I advise them to a serious search of their former ways and to holy resolutions add sincere endeavours of amendment and hereby they may possibly attain to find som inward motions upon their hearts that may manifest some vitality in the souls pulse towards things above some true desires of renewing communion with God though mixt with briny tears scarlet blushings of conscience and sore buffetings of Spirit Vital acts may begin to appear in recording the former times of the shinings of Gods face upon their tabernacles Yet as some Divines conceive that though Davids bones were well set after his sore fall yet there remained a callosity a stiâ—ffness and benummedness that was like an Almanack to him all his days after Psal 51.8 to his last But for the main I do believe he did recover the beams of Gods face and especially at his swan-like song had the clear Sun-shine of Gods love after his zainy clouds and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Sam 23.4 the sure mercies of David were made sure to him yea and that he went off with a ruddy evening portending a glorious morning at the resurrection And so mayest thou if thou quicken thy pace to redeem thy communion and walk with God more carefully But now no more to that only since the mention of means as necessary quoad nos to the working and knowing of that work of grace in beginners Inference false professors and in recoveries from backsliding I would inferr a few considerations towards some outward false professors who presume of having grace and of being received to mercy upon common terms of the amplitude of divine benignity and yet continue notorionsly and grosly neglective of holy duties unless by fits using them as bellows to blow up the blaze of false and flattering hopes for if they do at times hear read and pray yet spend not together with them such serious and searching meditation on the deep points of eternity as their cause requires But if they do now and then upon a fit of melancholly yet quickly abandon all their secret resolutions of amendment and slip out of all like an Eâ—le after thunder and seldom come near it more but if they chance to return a little it is upon some terror of God some disaster some sickness some loss some fear some fright of conscience and then theyâ— confess and seem to repent of sin and look full of flushes wipe their mouth with her in the proverbs and after vowes make enquiry expiate their wickedness with a sacrifice and
your feet in the way to bliss and happiness 3. Stop up the casements of thy senses at any approaches of vanity Prov. 4.25 Let thine eyes look right forward and take heed to thy going Wax up thine ears as Vlysses in Homer from the Syren-songs of fools that may split thy soul upon the Rocks of Charib dis The five senses are as so many rushing flood gates to set open the heart to all iniquity 4. Beg of God a quickned heart to secret and family-duties Cry to the Lord Psal 80.18 Jer. 10.25 Quicken me and I 'le call upon thy name and tremble to be among those families that for not calling on Gods Name shall have his fury poured out upon them Family-prayer is like some Elixir or morning antidote in pestilential times and like some anodyne or cooling cordial julep in an evening to procure beloved sleep in the bosome of God. I was told a notable passage from a holy man a native of Lancashire Mr. Hilton that a witch being to be turned over confessed at her Execution that she could never bewitch the person or family as I remember of a certain godly man in that country because she could never find him come out of his doors without prayer in a morning Again I beseech you let us take heed of Omission-sins and beg pardon for and assistance both of memory and strength against them yet be not too much discouraged if age sickness or weakness or some sudden disappointments hinder or impair thy work Nay if sometimes the sweet wind of the spirit do not breath so fragrantly upon thy garden of spices with the same benigne influences as to melt thy heart in holy ardors and flames of love remember that relentings and mournings under such apprehended absences of the spirit do manifestly infer the inward presence of the same holy spirit in the compunction and brokenness and languishments of heart for Christ do shew a sickness for want of communion visible by secret invisible touches of his love Behold he stands behind the wall Sâ—ng 2.9 and will by and by look forth at a window and shew himself through the lattesse to thee Let me here interpose an humble and earnest request to all persons who may light upon these lines to set upon a speedy and sincere reformation of all things displeasing in his sight that the Lord may bless us and restore and preserve our mercies and especially to conserve the Gospel among us Le ts ' also mix prayer with holy thankfulness for the least of mercies which reminds of a passage of Mr. John Ball when occasionally at a very short and mean dinner with Adams Ale as the Author terms it he breaks out into these words It would cost a man many a years labour to be truly and throughly thankful for one piece of bread and cheese Clearks lives p. 176. Oh how many poor persons in this land would leap at the crusts parings and offals which many lewd persons and wastful servants fling away presumptuously against the command of our Lord who could make bread by a word out of stones out of nothing and yet bids that nothing be lost while as they consider not what bitter poverty they may howl under John 6 1â— nor the dreadful judgment of a famine of bread and water But then how much more abundantly thankful ought we to be for the festival-days of the Gospel which we have enjoyed that so we provoke not the master of the feast to remove both his flourishing table and such ungrateful guests Since many people are even weary of their faithful and painful Ministers who are so disheartned grieved and wearied with abuses offered to them that we may justly fear lest God should prove weary of us all as we are weary of him and provoke him to take away the golden and put brazen candlesticks in their room as that holy man Dr. Owen exprest himself with much sadness to that purpose a little before his ascent to the spirits of just men made perfect Le ts earnestly implore the divine love and patience to forbid these dangerous symptoms and return in mercy to us again 5. Look well to the flocks of your families that no sin break forth without rebuke restraint and punishment as the matter requires study and beg for prudence in government Take heed of multiplying over-many especially impertinent words in family-prayer lest worshippers prove sleepers and disturb that duty by snoring Remember that God is in heaven and thou upon earth Eccles 5.2 therefore let thy words be few It often makes the ways of Religion tedious and irksome to young persons and sometimes hinders their looking towards heaven In all points labour to keep servants and children in full work and business and keep them from gadding with Dinah For womens chaste behaviour gives a flatter denial than their saying of no to wanton fellows They come too near a grant to airy women that would seem to deny it Let the reins of government be held in a gentle hand moderata durant Let not little faults be the object of severe chastisements yet wise correction is most necessary tho now fled from this dissolute age which is the true cause of many enormities 't is hard for good persons to retrieve it while wicked persons are so rampant and powerful but do what thou canst in the wisest way for a good mans paths are ordered of the Lord. Ill and sordid breeding and evil communications affects many thousands with corrupt manners all their dayes Good education helps to sweeten ill-tempers betimes as a new vessel that 's scented with a vinous liquor And although under bad influences at birth and in nursing by a froward milk as Plutarch points it yet wise parents by the blessing of God may greatly form and lick their conversation into some smooth civilities It s a weighty work to fashion young ones to religious habits it tames the heathen fierceness and barbarism of some natures and brings them up by degrees to advance in some measure the glory of God their countries benefit and their own peace Eph. 1.2 within and ornament without Whereas others who are hurt by bad presidents and examples in the ungraceful carriage of Superiours who care not to prune or lop off the wild luxuriancies of youth they often prove quarrelsome and contentious wretches in age disturbers of families the instruments of mischief in cities and towns and if many then they prove firebrands to whole Nations 6. Deliver your souls from this wicked generation fly youthful lusts Acts 2.40 fast away tentations beat down the flesh that great Ass as Hilarion terms it by moderation and abstinence especially from wine and strong drink and all excesses Shun as a serpent or a flying dragon the dreadful madness of these days which tends in the end to shame and beggery here to the ruine of many ancient and famous families who have swallowed many a park and many a
Tokens sent before Marriage and to be sure God will not lose his earnest nor be defeated of the fore tokens of his contract of love to souls sometimes the Spirit is compared to fire and yields both the light of joy the heat of love and influences or quicknings for service And 't is this lively Faith which works by love effectually thru ' the Spirit But I would speak a little more distinctly for the observation and the experience of holy men hath set to their seals that they do find and feel sometimes a most illustrious irradiation upon their hearts from the Spirit of God which I take to be of two sorts The 1. We may call an irradiation of concurse with our spirits The 2. An irradiation of incidence upon our spirits Give leave to use the terms and explain them to the meanest The First or the irradiation of concurse is then dispensed when he shines upon our Argumentation when we have laboured with our spirits used scripture mediums and upon examination suited them to our hearts in their most inward sincere and humble searches then comes the spirit of God and witnesses with our spirits that we are the children of God. When we have toiled and sweat many a time in our closets and brought things as we hope some times to a pritty good issue then thru ' one tentation or another our unbelieving hearts fly off from the Conclusion and all our comfort vanishes But now when our arguings by evident Scripture tokens are finisht over and over and yet still we demurre to lay hold on the Tree of life and while we stick in the mire of fear doubtings and hesitancies and wander under dark clouds in the depth of midnight then comes in the spirit of God Rom. 8.16 as the Morning Star glittering over the Horizon and clears all This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the co-witness of the Spirit of God. 2. The other is that which I beg leave from a term in Opticks to call the irradiation of incidence and is then illustriously performed when the Spirit of God in his most free and glorious agency is pleased to shine personally upon our spirits without and apart from all argumentation whatsoever This comunion with the spirit draws nigh to that of Angelical intuition where by acts of volition and luminous emanation they converse mutually together in a higher degree than we do here by ratiocination with mediums and consequences This is the point we are now upon to shew that the Spirit of God when he pleases without any previous foregoing arguments doth testifie by a secret still heart-ravishing voice Acts 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth sweetly and suddenly as 't is said in the Acts dart in a ray perswading and satisfying the soul in an instant that thou art a Child of God that sin is pardoned and that thou shalt be saved page 147. Which I reâ—ember the British Divines at Dort call the â—pirits speaking to the heart and even in darker times there were some of the Ilâ—uminate both of Spain and Germany and France that had to do I am perswaded with many distrssed souls in their secret confessions were acquainted with great worâ—nigs in the hearts of penitents but few of â—hem had skill to manage those inward methods Of which things we may find some â—otable footsteps in Bonaventure Gerson Thanlerus and sundry others So that of this inwaâ—d clear and bright perswasion of Gods love to the heart we have no solid reason to doubt but that some holy persons have enjoyed it Austin at his conversion in the garden at Millain had a voice though he had no vision as Paul had in the fields by Damascus I shall be sparing and touch but an instance or two Dr. Manton spake it in my hearing at Oxon of one that being in conflict in prayer had a beam shining into the chamber and being desired by him to have a care of delusion answered O Mr. Manton little do you know what God may do for his poor distressed children or very like words But the caution was wise and grave I know one also who being for almost a week deeply distressed about Eternity had an impression as like a voice within as if he heard it comforting in these words I will give thee rest and so iâ— followed speedily and joyfully and at another time I will not leave thee noâ— forsake thee I might also hint at the beam upon the wall in prayer to Dr. Winter in his life and the voices of Angels to Mr. Patrick Simpson I must confess they are great priviledges and sweetnesses which God may it his divine good plâ—asure and I am perswadâ—d doth sometimes instil and drop in to gracious when timorous hearts anâ— whose constitutions the great former oâ— hearts and spirits knows full well to bâ— naturally over subject to fears and inwarâ— commotions he like a most gracious and Tender Father full of pity and bowels discerns our frames See Mr. Maâ—hers prevalency of prayer Psal 103. p 17.14 at the end of his Tract of N. E. troubles Psal 40.17 By his loving eye and remembring that we are dust is mindfull of us in our low condition whereas many proud and disdainful persons set light by the inward sorrows of broken and contrite souls And are like lamps despised in the thought of him that is at ease But says David though I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh upon me and with how many precious thoughts his goodness is pleased to embroider and enamel upon the hearts of his holy humble meek and trembling children For your high exalted boasting persons tho' it may be have some few grains of grace at bottom are seldom visited with these inward joyes But the meek will he teach his ways Such blessed thoughts of grace David could not number Ps 139.17 18 they were more than the Sands of the Sea or the stars of heaven for multitude But now if these or such like lines should fall under the view or knowledge of any prophane or scoffing Ishmael that may vilifie the works of God and like bruits speak ignorantly of what they know not would advise them to forbear presumptious speeches 2 Pet. 2 12. Jude 10. lest their bonds be made strong lest the Terrors horrors of the almighty should one day drink up their spirits So that when Gods Servants shall rejoyce and sing for joy of heart they shall cry for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit Isal 65.14 But yet because there may be such things as Enthusiasines and transformation of Angels of darkness among some that call themselves Sweet-singers and among others that have more need to mourn over their follies and delusions in the dust of shame I would speak somewhat to that question of an humble Soul. Quest How may I comfort my heart that this irradiation you speak of is a true and immediate work of the Spirit of God and
no delusion Answ In answer to this I must first in all manner of humble modesty declare that I would not dare to meddle too far with such deep and mysterious workings and influences only professing with all thankfulness to the Majesty of divine mercy that having had some glimpses of hope a little sometimes and thirsting after some further and clearer helps from heaven we faint not utterly but striving after to attain towards the resurrection of the dead crave leave to set down somewhat that hope may be a clue to conduct us out 〈◊〉 the Labrinth and maze of delusion The first and best token that these aâ—â— no deceits can only arise from the spirt himself According to that saying of â—oy Iohn It is the Spirit that beareth witness that the Spirit is truth 1 John 5.6 Whitak de sacramentis p. As I remember thâ—â— learned Whitaker in his book of the Sacraments says it should be translated I have forgot the page my books being laid upâ—â— But this is a great truth as no better light to see the Sun by Psal 36.9.34.5 than his own light So 't is of the Spirit as David expresses In thy light we shall see light and they looked to him and their faces were enlightened This is the apprehension of learned gracious persons that the spirit of God never speaks by this his inward heavenly voice but that he graciously helps them to know that it is no delusion but that it is he even the spirit himself that speaketh to them This phrase of speaking to the heart and in and upon the heart is more visible in the Original Hebrew of the Old Testament and was well known to the Prophets of old and is much treated upon among Jewish Antiquiaries Out of whom I must not here stand to enlarge but call to mind what the Apostle Peter mentions of the Day-star arising in our hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 so that it is as clear when the spirit of God does thus shine and testifie yea and more radiant than the Sun at Noon-day without clouds I shall say no more to this but what our Lord to the Angel at Pergamus of them that have a new name written in the white stone Rev. 2.17 which none knoweth saving he that receiveth it 2. I need say little more but that wherever the Spirit doth so illustriously speak and shine it is concomitant with growing in holiness For this most holy Spirit of God is still a building and increasing in such the works of holiness they are of a heavenly frame rivers of holy discourse flow from their lips in prudent seasons they are not vain and trifling spirits but grave and serious and yet chearful For the joy of the Lord is their strength and they have inward delights and value not the cracklings of fools Divine joy is a weighty thing and yet greatly upholds the spirits and sustains their griefs and infirmities If you come into their company by a blessed accident as they say of the Adepti in Philosophy there 's a glittering star shines from their converse society 3. They are the most humble persons living For the humble he will teach his way and shew his Covenant Psal 25.9 I know they may fall sometimes and othertimes have need of a little holy courage against despisers But the main of their conversation is like them of whom the spirit of God says they took notice of them that they had conversed with Jesus Acts 4 13. who was meek and lowly if we imitate him we shall find this rest and remember that Moses the meekest man had the greatest interviews with God in the Mountain Such as are given to much prate and length of idle impertinent discourses are seldom and little or never acquainted with the Spirit of God. 4. They are also the sweetest persons and fullest of love though sometimes provokt by fierce evil spirits about them but if their natural tempers had been before somewhat eager and sharp yet now they are washed purged whitened and sweetned by the Spirit of God. Tender to the Tempted kind to the afflicted pitiful to all bear every ones burden with a gracious frame onely they are taught by the holy Spirit 1 cor 23 4.5 as to such as prate with malicious words against them to imitate hole John not to succumbe under a prouâ—â— Diotrephes 3 John 9. but loves a child of God as such with the full stream of his Spirit And this love to the brethren is much more to Christ himself being filled with the love of the Spirit which by degrees casts out the torments of fear 1 John. 4.18 and gives a blessed confidence as to the Appearing of the Day of Judgment To end this we must remember that the holy Spirit of God doth never witness or illustrate apart from the Word Isa 8 20. 〈◊〉 any light in you try it by the Word and Testimony and hence that as Tentations and afflictions sanctified so the manifestations and communions of the Spirit help us to understand holy Scriptures and promises by experience Let us then be sure as far as possible that the person that pretends to be thus illustrated prove himself to be an holy person in heart and deed or else all 's like a puft and swoln delusion and such an onâ— must lie down in sorrow For the Spirit of God is a most holy spirit and never seals but as he is the holy Spirit of Promise upon the holy heart of an holy child of God. Well then to end this second part of the Spirits illustration Eph 1 3. Rom. 8.16 1 John 4.13 I say it is not meant of the Spirit of God concurring or witnessing with our spirits in the point of assurance clearing up our doubts dispelling the mists and clouds uponour spirits But it is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or like an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bright shining Ray a most illustrious beam streaming down from heaven into the inmost chambers of our hearts and is an act distinct and apart from his former blessed concurse with our spirits in time of argumentation or the gracious application of the promises for our peace and comfort it is an irresistable evidence of divine love See Dr Owen of the spirit 167. scattering all the clouds of diffidence and distrust in that very moment and when this immediate irradiation flows in though it may be a distinct act from that upon argumentation yet it cannot be totally severed from it because in this glorious light though we may see further yet cannot but see any argument we think meet to touch upon to be also illustrated by it as the Moon in her increases may be seen in the heavens like a cloud in the day time which also has its light from the Sun while he is yet shining bright within our hemisphere at the same time and when these come together they make heavenly work indeed That these blessed
visits have been somtimes tho rarely afforded yet to some few besides Patriarks and Apostles I have no cause to doubt whatever some Pontisicians have said to the contrary to darken it The Holy Scriptures clear it experience doth witness it and seal it in the hâ—arts of some meek humble self-denying mortified and holy walking persons who haâ—ing lived a while in the light of Gods countâ—nance have afterward gone to heaven in a Chariot of Triumph Having now spoken what concerns this excellent point and observing that these Orient Jewels are such grand rarities and having placed them in the middle like a Diamond set in ouches of Gold give leave to descend again from the Spouses Tower of Lebanon into the Plains of Damascus Song 7.4 and walk again in the pleasant Gardens at the foot of the hill where streams flow with the comfortable Doctrines of Assurance A priviledg of high Dignity which tho it attain not to the first of David's Worthies yet does attend and that more frequently many of the children of God if they will labour to be holy and study this high point of Arguing and observing the accesses of the Spirit of God and in their diligent working and prying into it they may learn and perceive it thus 1. First We may obtain some sweet knowledg of this point by the Spirits interceding in our hearts helping to form and frame our Prayers both for matter and manner Rom. 8.18 teaching us both what and how to Pray 2. By His sweet pleading our evidences within us when we find a kind of divine holy force put as it were upon our spirits to determine comfortably and witness to the Spirit 's work not being able to deny some grace to be in us when strongly urged and put to it by some intimate and gracious faithful Friend 3. By His discovering our graces to us in times of tentation and conflict yea 1 Cor. 2.12 and in Communion at the Lords Table and in Meditation 4. By His cogent Apologies for us in our Consciencies upon our Reptenance and Humiliation in the sight of God Psal 51.12 proving and clearing up to us our love to God so that weak Believers who at present have but little glimmerings of joy yet finding true love in themselves by his light may by degrees thru ' his happy testimony arrive to further clearness both in love and joy III. Now by the order prescribed in the beginning of this Chapter I should proceed to the third Branch and that is to treat of some Rules to clear up our Assurance I Answer to this that herein I have even prevented my self and therefore shall at present only add that these Particulars following may be of use 1. A watchful care of a holy heart 2. To observe the inward workings and issues of it 3. To be careful in cleansing and washing of the first risings of sin in the Laver of Sanctification 4. To labour a holy attendance upon and a spiritual delight in the addresses incomes comforts and sealings of the Spirit that we may discern and rejoyce in them 5. An earnest invoking the Father to send the comforter in his assuring work upon a sanctifying progress John 14.24 for then he proves a comforting Spirit after he hath been a sanctifying Spirit He first comes to us as the Holy Ghost and then as the Comforter tho the foundation of both be laid at once yet the appearances are successive But I hope to add more in answer to the Questions by and by only I would first set down a passage about assurance out of that grave Writer Hooker in his Polity in his Life before it P. 17. Mr. Hooker which I hope may be of use to some of his perswasion as well as others and 't is to this purpose There 's a certainty of Evidence and of Assurance grant that the weak in Faith enjoy not certainty of Assurance because they feel it not but are they not grieved for it wish and strive it may be otherwise Whence comes this but from a secret love and liking that they have to those things which they believe to have Because no man loves those things which in his own opinion are not c. Therefore love and desire to believe is Faith. For no man thinketh that things believed are that is have a being without Faith. Which Arguments sayes he all the subtleties of infernal powers will never be able to dissolve Thus far he to which let me joyn that since Faith of evidence as being the foundation work is therein more excellent than the Faith of Assurance as being the superstructure tho I had rather call it in Scripture terms the Assurance of Faith since Assurance properly as I have often said is a distinct thing from Faith tho common speech hath prevailed to make such a distinction as if they were proper Members or Branches of true Faith. But let that pass I say if Christians would arise to high Assurance they must lay their foundation strong and deep in the rock of evidence upon Christ himself Evidence flows from a direct act Assurance from a reflect the one is like the view of the Suns body in the heaven the other like his reflection in the water or on a Looking glass Now all reflect rayes are weaker than the direct and the reverse than the incident But I speak not here of the Spirits work and its most illustrious evidence but of our workings upon the actings of our Faith. As to which the stronger our applications are to Christ the stronger and more comfortable will be the reflections upon them For both rayes the nearer the reverse and incident are in union as in the depth of Summer the heat and influence is the more strong and fervent and so 't is here But now it is high time to hearken to some Questions which troubled Souls may bring in Quest 1. The first Question may be How may I be assured of the pardon of my sins and consequently of Salvation Ans In answer to this I shall lay down some Rules to clear it which was the third thing premised in the beginning of this Chapter 1. Forsaking of sin with a holy endeavour to mortifie and subdue it Prov. 28.13 Mic. 7 19. Rom 8.13 is a special sign of mercy 2. When after darkness and conflicts a begun renovation of life with a sincere care to continue it is attended with some springings of peace in conscience with God this will prove an excellent token For the blood of sprinkling upon the conscience speaks better than Abel's blood Heb. 12.24 That cried out for condemnation this for reconciliation with God. 3. When we find some sweetness in our admissions to the Throne of Grace When our eye up to the Throne affects our heart at the threshold of Gods Sanctuary When a bended knee and a melting heart work together Then we may ask of God what ever we will if according to his will the
suffer great pains travel dust smoke and swelter in their fiery furnaces and though they attain not the great Arcana yeâ— often meet with curious rarities which sufficiently reward their diligence 2 pet 1.5 10. Assurance usually comes in upon our diligent use of prayer meditation and holy walking in some time after several plunges fears and sorrows Though indeed somtimes the wayes of God prove unsearchable and sometimes he is pleased to bestow this favour on a sudden to such as are gracious from their childhood tractable and ingenuous at the calls of God as young Samuel when he understood it by the instruction of an elder Saint and when such have not been defiled by any great staines and blotches in their youth nor caused the ways of God to be evil spoken of by any scandalous sin Quest If now you ask how to preserve it when you have received it in an answer to your earnest prayer Psal 25.7 A. I answer Conservatur qua quaeritur T is preserved by the very same methods 6. Call to mind what former experiences you have enjoyed Having once seen the Kings face it will for ever enlighten yours former mountain-visions makes a Saints heart to shine as bright as Moses's face Psal 34.5 and reflects upon the heart gloriously in the vally of desert once haviâ—g câ—eared up the love of God to you then may you return to that experiment As a fountain shewn by the Angel of the Covenant at Beersheba the well of the sacred â—ath of God Gen 21.14 Rom. 11.29 Heb. 3.14 10.35 Phil. 1.6 It will never dry up it fears no scorching summers For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Caâ—r not away then the beginnings of your confidence For he will perfect what he hath begun till the day of Christ 7. Cherish the sacred motions of the Spirit of God for he takes of the things of Christ not from us our merits faith or holiness for they are of no value but of his blood to comfort us John 16.15 therefore hearken to his affectionate breathings If thou at any time fall thru ' infirmity this holy Spirit helps thee to mourn under the sight of displeased love If thy faith seem to muddle and grope in the dark he will shine upon thy paâ—h again If grace like the sensible plant shrink up by the touch of some rough hand of tentation it will open and expand its branches again by this Suns warm and sweet influences If then the joy of Assurance spring again if the glories of heaven be described as in a lively Landskarp before thine eyes written as it were with bright illuminated letters E capite mortuo sanguinis vel urinae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Song 4. Jerom. bless the Spirit of grace and cry out with the Spouse in the book of Songs Be gone O chill and blasting north and come O fruitful cherisâ—ing distilling south upon the garden of my Soul that the spices thereof may flow forth that my beloved may come and eat his pleasant fruits 8. Be careful in the constant use of Ordinances and pure worship and especiaâ—ly the Lords Supper and considering the times of trouble as frequent as thou canst but woe to them that are obstructers and remember when God opens the doors of his Sanctuary that thou behave with all holy reverence endeavouring to enjoy it in its purity and power There the King sits at his Table Song 1 1â— and the Spiknard fends forth its fragrâ—ant smell At this banquet Faith helps to assure us that we shall as certainly sit with Christ in glory as we now partake of the seals in grace Here Christ is received by the hand of a true believer here we eat drink Christ into our souls As we take the bread and wine into our bodies so by Faith we take his most precious body and blood which being digested with an holy heart is turned into the nerves and spirits of Assurance That thou mayst now sing the holy hymn of praise with a loud voice This is my Lord and my God he will come and save us Let not go this your holy confidence but hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 Lastly look dilgently to the holiness of your ways and with it be careful of a humble resigning interpretation of the ways of God towards you that you be never too much elevated or high-crested in prosperity nor in time of adversity despise his corrections Heb. 12.5 Souls conflict p. 321. Rom. 8.28 or faint under them It is a never-sailing rule said holy Sibbs to discern a mans state in grace when he finds every condition draw him nearer to God and when all things work together for his good As the flesh of vipers I may add and other poysons compounded and corrected into Antidotes and mixt well together prevail against contagious diseases so do corrections sanctified sweat out the poyson of fin that it shall never fatally touch the heart and vitals of such as truly love God and are called according to his purpose I shall now conclude this long but sweet Chapter with Mr. Scudders Testimony of the work of Grace Walk p. 555 Lond 8. 1674. The Question being put about Assurance he there asserts that whoso can answer affirmatively to these following queries which I may contract may be assured of Gods peace and love and of his own salvation what ever fears or feelings may seem to happen to the contrary Quest 1 How stand you affected to sin are you afraid to offend God and dare not sin wittingly is it your grief and burden that you cannot abstain it nor get out of it as soon as you would Quest 2. How are you affected to holiness and the power of godliness To know Gods will and do it to fear and please him is it your grief when you fail and your joy when you do well Quest 3. How to the Church of God are you glad when it goes well and grieved when it goes ill and sit trembling with Ely to hear how it goes with the Ark of God however it be with your own particular Quest 4. How towards men do you dislike wicked men and love those that fear the Lord because they are good Quest 5. Can you endure your soul to be ript up and your beloved sin to be smitten by a searching Minister and like him the rather and can yield an obedient ear to such a wise reproof Quest 6. Tho you have not Evidence alwayes or can scarce tell whether you ever had it yet resolve or desire and will as you are able to cleave to God in Christ for salvation by Faith and to trust in no other person nor by no other means to be saved If you can answer Yea to all or Any of these assure your self you are in God 's favour and state of grace and that you sin
Dreadful Bar where all the great Dons of the World shall tremble to appear and none but Sainâ—s shall lift up their heads in that great morning of their Redemption 3. Since this treatise concerns a happy preparation for our state in the world to come it strongly incites to an impartial examination Whether we be in the Faith or no to enquire what graces or what degrees are yet deficient 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Thess 3.10 and especially to work at the main or fundamental grace of all to search what 's lacking there 2 Pet. 1.10 For when the defects are supplied it will give you an abundant entrance into the heavenly Kingdom and certifie you that you have a blessed right and title to that incorruptible inheritance ver 5. Your holy Faith will work sweetly by the help of love and unfeigned Faith is ever coâ—comitant with unfeigned Repentance to purge and cleanse continually both heart and life and then comes thankfulness riding into the heart in the Chariot of love and helps to conduct us into higher measures of service and sweeter degrees of joy Song 3.10 as a prodromus and fore-runner of the eternal happiness 4. This Treatise may serve as a powerful motive to fervent and uncessant love to the Lord Jesus who has done all for us yea more than we can think It cannot enter into our hearts to conceive what he hath purchased and prepared for those that love him Isai 64.4 Oh what delight should we take in him Oh what thankfulness can we express or render to him He has planted his graces in and upon us as so many pearls and jewels to adorn us Prov. 4.9 1.9 Song 7.12 Joh. 14.2 His love is advanced as a Banner and Shield to protect us He is ascended far above all heavens to fit a place for us and then will come again and take us thither Let us give forth all our love to him till we come to the full enjoyment of his Here I would beg a little leave to pour out a complaint and weep over our want of love to Christ for we see and find that we are all too apt by the sad inclination of the old Adam within us to love and embrace any temporary comfort above and beyond him and then to few the old fig-leaf excuses to hide our nakedness from his all-searching eye sometimes we make Idols of Relations if sweet tempered and pleasant like Jonathan and David and so incite God to take them away in displeasure and to plant sower dirty and crabbed tempers in their room and yet 't is in a mixture of mercy to wean us more to himself for very few have the wit and grace to set God on the Throne in the midst of their hearts Rev. 3.20 and let all others wait and tend while he sups with us Let 's pray our heavenly Father and beg it earnestly that if he will please to purge away our former miscarriages and indulge such mercies to us in our pilgrimage that he would please also to teach help and incite our hearts to love him best and above all and love none but as foot-stools to advance our hearts the more to him and to improve all in order to him Then are we more likely to keep and enjoy our mercies and tast more of God in them all till the blessed time of our ascention to his bosom There be multitudes of a far more inferiour orb stamp and form that instead of persons which sometimes have an excellency when holy meek and chearful fit to converse with man Prov. 5.19 1.10 and ordained of God to be his solace but their price is far above Rubies I lament over those that value not persons gracious and rare-tempered which are the very ornaments of the Creation but being of a low and sordid frame fall down and worship fine houses green Gardens fleet Ships bags of Guynnies and such like trash with many other dumb Idols that will not profit in the day of wrath and yet continue dancing in the plains of Dura Dan. 3.1 at the sound of the Organ Flute and Sackbut and in a moment slip down into the Grave I have read of a good Woman that after her conversion having flung away her foolish trifles once upon the opening her Chest and seeing them ly there cries out Oh sayes she these were once my Idols but now she had left her idolatry and minded nobler Objects There be some yet worse that if you attempt them tho by gentle reproofs are not content with ordinary leaves to cover it as being decent comely fashionable but are in mad rave and cry like Micah will ye take away my gods Judg. 18.24 and ask what ailes me They dote upon a painted trifle or a silly lace or a dress with silver hawksbells as one in the West or a well-set Border of false hair Isai 3.24 Tho as Martial reflects Scit te Proserpina canam the Goddess of Hell knows thee to be but a bald Coot But yet they will in their Moon-like tires worship the Queen of heaven When will the world be wise nay when will Christians be modest and sober remembring they are but dust that Paradise had no garments and Heaven will have none and serious christianity and a mortified heart to the vanities of this life if risen with Christ seeks things that are above Col. 3.1 and is not only content but pleased with great moderation in all those things Phil. 4.5 1 Pet. 3.3 like the holy Women that were of old and called their Husbands Lords not afraid of any amazement or scorn from a vain world knowing that all must shortly perish in the dust and clothe red worms with all your Scarlet Vicus Parmensis Imag. Augustorum P. 142.400 Livia the Empress being askt by the Roman Matrons what art she used to render Augustus so kind and gracious as to obtain any thing at his hand Answered I do it by my modesty since I do all things according to his will and mind This would rid the world of Serpents when the Law of kindness sits down in the chair of duty Let not such as would be thought other persons and such as would be highly favoured of God let not such by an Herodias-attire betray their unacquaintance with him the slightness and lowness of their spirits and the deformity of their souls and how little of the image of Christ is formed in them that can delight in things that please him not in midst of their many outward pleasures forget the afflictions of Joseph alluding to the ten Tribes in the rocks and mountains of Media and lay but little to heart the sorrows of the Church of Christ either abroad or at home Amos 6.6 If you truly love the Lord Jesus remember your vanity and foolishness is alwayes before him Psal 69.5 beg his pardon and study these things and walk in the Garden of Gethsemany among his sorrows and drops of blood which may inflame your affections to him and
River Kishon that ancient River or River of Antiquities or great battels of old but now swelling to a great overflow swept away the Host of the Canaanites How did the Lord tame the pride of Egypt by locusts hail fire and frogs and darkness that might be felt thick fogs as black as pitch and many other ways How did God subdue the proud Pope Hadrian by a fly c. There 's no age but ecchoes and cries aloud to all people to prove and make all to acknowledg the Soveraign Dominion of the Lord of Hosts in the Heavens Earth and Seas and over all Creatures nay under the earth in Mineral Caverns if Paracelsus and the Learned Agricola write true stories of multitudes of Spirits and living creatures in the bowels of the earth All testimonies trumpeting aloud how God at times arms what of his Hosts he pleases for the protection of his Church and the ruine of his enemies Famous is that memorial of the cloud which presented its dark side to the Egyptians but gave light to Israel when the Red-sea stood up in heaps and the depths were congealed or frozen in the heart or midst of that sea Exod. 15.8.14.22 so that the waters became as a wall to his people which the Egyptians essaying to pass thorough were drowned Nay the wonderful motion of the tides which is so great a mystery Heb. 11.29 Exod. 15.10 Psal 147.18 is managed by Gods Wisdom and the inconsiderable sands are a boundary to the Ocean determining how far his waves shall toss themselves and go no further Jer. 5.12 They have their stated and fixed limits by the laws of Creation which has settled their channels into which they shall subside at his command Some there be to mention it a little that would inferr the sea to be higher than the earth from such a Text. But 't is a mistake and misapply of Scripture Jonah 1. Exod. 20.4 Psal 24.2 Psal 107.23 which expresly sets the waters under the earth and that it is establisht upon the floods and mentions mens going down to the sea in ships If the sea were not lower comparatively to the ordinary surface and globe of the earth besides the mountains how can all the Rivers râ—n down into the sea if the earth out of which they spring Psal 42.10 Eccles 1.7 Jer. 51.42 were not higher wherefore the Prophet alluding to the natural situation foretells that the sea should come up upon Babylon and more to that purpose But this belongs not properly to our present work only so far as to shew that God rules the raging seas and the stormy winds fullfil his pleasure Let 's step to Land and end our voyage with one note more Psal 1â—8 8 to observe how that God injoyned Israel to plow and sow for six years but must trust him for the seventh and part of the eighth till the harvest came living for the while on the blessed providence of God sending them the greater plenty in the foregoing years 4. Fourthly and Lastly le ts touch a little upon the mysterious government of the Church by his most Holy Spirit swaying his golden scepter in the hearts of Converts and ruling them by his rod out of Zion But this refers to that great point of communion with the Spirit of God Psal 110 2. which this treatise only considers in the doctrine of assurance Chapter 8th and in one further consequence following which is the seventh 7. We may learn from the preceding tract that the knowledg of our Faith and the attainment of assurance flow principally from the influences of the Spirit of God. He is the profound teacher of all mysteries and the worker of Faith and therefore gives the clearest evidence without the necessity of arguing when he is pleased to speak to the heart Joh 16.13 He shall teach you all things our Lord promises and guide into all truth He glorifies the Son receives of his shews it to us and manifests things to come Where he teaches any doctrine he works the knowledg and sense of it into the heart and causes us to believe He is the former of faith he commands and inclines us to trust and imprints the image of Christ upon us Epist Gassendi de motu impresso c as the vis impressa sends out a power from the hand or instrument upon the ball arrow or bullet which together with the air that 's gathered by the force into an impulsive vortex behind the body as in the ignis lambens carries on the motion to the end of its vigor 'T is more abundantly here when the spirit becomes the arm of God to break the stone in the heart he moves works in the most intimate recesses of the soul he shapes and forms the new Adam within us and inspires it with fire from the throne between the wheels of the cherubims Ezek. 10.7 He is the skilful architect of the Temple of the Church cementing the living stones together which were cut out of the mountain of the divine Decrees to make a glorious Habitation for God by the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Let 's then never forget to be earnest in prayer for the gift of the spirit since the influx of all grace and the beautiful enamel of our hearts with heavenly gifts flows from this holy spirit of Vrim and Thummim And the truths in Scripture can only be settled and confirmed upon our hearts by him He is like the master of Assemblies that fastens the nail in a sure place Eccles 12.11 like the great shepherd that knock's in the paxilli in caula the stakes about the hurdles of the sheep-cotes to keep the harmless creatures from the Wolves close and warm together in a dark and stormy night 8. Another deduction from the former treatise may be that the number of true believers is very small for the generality of the world knows not God in Christ The Turks indeed own him for a great Prophet but disdain his banner The Jews confess there was such a person at Jerusalem but contradict his message blaspheme his Deity and stumble at his sufferings Among the various nations bearing the name of Christian what wild confusions and absurdities are practised in Muscovy by the testimony of the ingenious Olearius Marriage and what rude mixtures and barbarities are found among the Abyssins south of Egypt as we are taught by that learned Writer Ludolphus or what ignorances blind Customs and perverse worshippings are notified among the Armenians Ludolph Edit 1684. Fol. Maronites or Thoma-Indians as are related by Breerwood Paget and in the collections of travels in Purchas and several others What shall we say to the corruptions among the Pontificians nay in the Reformed Churches of God in the world and how are the lives of most grown degenerate and prophane insomuch that one has adventured to pronounce that 't is hazardable whether above one in a million may be saved I remember also to have read somewhere Dr. Mouliâ— that Chrysostome should say to