therefore in it there is no certain knowledge 2. There is a knowledge of a thing from the natural and immediate cause of it This is an assent firm and evident and is called Science 3. There is a Moral certitude when a man knoweth the certainty of his estate for the present but is uncertain whether it will continue as a man from sense may know a present heat in his body but is uncertain whether the same will endure some learned Divines in the Roman Church grant this moral certitude of salvation 4. There is a Certitude of Divine Faith whereby we assent to supernatural truths not from any evidence intrinsecal in the thing known but from evidence of Divine authority revealing the same in the Word The certitude of knowledge in a man renewed concerning his perseverance is not opinion for that is uncertain and lyable to error It is not Science because this is from natural reason But the knowledge of perseverance is taught by Scripture and divine revelation Neither is it moral certitude only for the present but it is a certitude of divine Faith grounded on divine Authority in holy Scriptures Obj. Obj. But how can a man know with certainty of Faith that he himself believeth because it is not particularly revealed in Scripture that such a man by name believethâ— Therefore the proposition of his believing in special not being founded on divine authority the conclusion concerning his perseverance and certainty of salvation cannot be certain by a divine Faith Answ I answer 1. A conclusion may be de fide Answ 1 and should be assented to by a divine Faith if it be deduced from one proposition set down in holy Scripture and another made evident by the light of nature or sense As for example this conclusion the Father and the Son in the holy Trinity are two distinct persons is and should be assented to with a divine Faith and yet is deduced from one proposition known by the light of nature To wit that which begets is distinct from that which is begotten and from another proposition known by the light of the Word To wit but the Father begets and the Son is begotten in like manner this couclusion Jesus born of the Virgin Mary is the Messiah is to be assented to with divine Faith and yet our Lord inferreth the same from one proposition known by the light of Scripture To wit Isaiah 35. he that doth the works of the Messiah is he true Messiah But I do these works saith our Lord Math. 11.3 Now this assumption was known by sense and by seeing him do those works So I say this conclusion I shall persevere in grace unto eternal life is assented unto by divine Faith and is deduced from one proposition known by the light of Scripture To wit He that believeth shall not perish but persevere unto eternal life Ioh. 3.16 And from another known by the light of spiritual sense in the renewed man To wit But I believe 2. This spiritual sease of a Believer is not a fantasie or imagination but is soundly founded on the qualifications and marks of true saving Faith as they are holden forth in holy Scripture as 1. That true faith from sense of Gods love doth humble the heart and afflict the spirit with sorrow for sin Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they pierced and they shall mourn This look is by believing and it brings home with it a sense of love which woundeth the heart with sorrow for sin 2. True Faith purgeth and purifieth the heart Act. 15.9 Christ received by Faith to dwell in our hearts doth by the sweet smell of his oyntments and graces purge out of our hearts the sent and delight of sinful and vile lusts 3. This true saving Faith is not dead and idle but holy and operative It worketh by love Gal. 5.6 as the fire worketh by heat on the objects see before it so Faith by love to God bringeth forth works of holyness toward God and of righteousness toward our neighbour 4. Lastly it is a prevailing and overcoming Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith and Faith resisting and overcoming temptations is a sound Faith Though a renewed man and sound Believer may be overcome by temptation at a time in his affections Yet his will is not wholly subdued and overcome for the ill he doth he willeth it not Rom. 7.19 To Iesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith with the Father and holy Ghost be all praise Amen Victory over DEATH through CHRIST 1 COR. 15.56 57. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God who giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ AS our perseverance in the state of grace A peaceable death flows from the fulness of Christ is a fruit of the Merit of Christ so a peaceable death in the savour of God and in the hope of glory is a refreshing stream flowing from the fulness of Jesus Christ The comfortable tast of the fruits of the Cross of Christ doth sweeten the bitterness of death as that tree did sweeten the waters of Marah Exod. 15.25 In the words two points offer themselves to our consideration 1. A twofold misery from which we are delivered In the words two points to wit the sting of death and the strength of sin 2. The procurer of our deliverance Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ As for the one part of our misery In what sense the Law is the strength of sin the curse and rigor of the Law and how we are delivered from it we spoke already in a Sermon on Act. 13.39 Only I would speak one word or to clear how the Law which forbiddeth sin and threatneth punishment to the sinner is said to be the strength of sin It is not to be understood so as if the Law did strengthen a man to or in sinning for it prohibites sin and reveals wrath from heaven against all unrighteousness and disobedience but the Law is called the strength of sin because a man unrenewed before the time the Lord by grace rectifies his will and affections doth from his own inbred corruption take occasion at hearing of the Law to enlarge his vast desires toward all the sins forbidden therein It is not so much the forbidding of sin as sin forbidden and heard of that provoketh the sinful appecite Rom. 7.7 8. Is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law but sin taking occasion by the commandment wrought in me all manner of concup scence for without the Law sin was dead Our inordinate concupiscence when it is once awaked by hearing of sins forbidden like a sleeping Dog awaked becomes more fierce to commit sin like those whose appetite is depraved by that disease called Malacia or Pica they long most after meats forbidden for this reason Aquinas renders
that estate he desires to be freed from Answ 1. Answ It is against nature that any man should have contentment in affliction barely considered as affliction for nature cannot be content with any thing hurtfull to it but a renewed man is content in it as an act of his Fathers will and as a means of his spiritual good even as a sick Patient hath no contentment in the bitter potion of medicine as it is simply a bitter potion but yet he is content with it as an order from his skilful Physitian and as a means of his better health 2. He may both desire and also use the lawful means to be freed Ezechias both praied and also applied the Fig to the boyl 2 King 20. But our desires must be ever with a submission to Gods will As our Lord contented with his Fathers will praied If it be possible let this cup passe from me neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Impatient and masterful desires of deliverance in a time of trouble cannot consist with true contentment but humble and submitting desires consist very well with it To God the sole Authour of true contentment Father Son and holy Ghost be all praise Amen The second act of the composure of his Spirit in all conditions of life is manifested in his solid and equal carriage I know both how to be abased and how to abound The sound beleever is not carried here and there like a willow with the contrary windes of prosperity and adversity Doct. The sound beleever in all estates is unmoveable but he remains unmoved as an Oak he is not up and down He is not like churlish Nabal in his prosperity and jollity despising his betters and in his adversity dejected with pusillanimity and dead like a stone 1 Sam. 25. But he is of a prudent solid and equal temper of spirit 1 Cor. 7.30 They that weep as though they weep not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyce not The Children of God will not in a dissembling way counterfeit with their tongues and eyes with sorrow for publick calamities as cruell Ishmael the Sonne of Nethaniah did and yet have malice and revenge boyling in their hearts Jer. 41.6 Neither will they as the Pharisees disfigure their faces when there is no sorrow in their hearts Matth. 6. But they carry the variety of their condition in such a mystery of moderation that beholders cannot reade their condition in their countenance or outward behaviour This is that Christian moderation which the Apostle requires Phil. 4.5 Let your moderation be known to all men when we so moderate our affections in all occurrences that they exceed not Our joy in prosperity we moderate by the grace of humility Our sorrow in adversity by Christian Fortitude and Faith in God Psa 27.19 I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the Land of the living In the midst of all their worldly troubles their heart rejoyceth in God and in the midst of outward wants they enjoy the allsufficient God This inward joy moderates their outward griefs 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowfull yet alwaies rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessing all things for a beleever enjoys God who is all in all to him The Reasons of this Doctrine Reasons of a Christians equal carriage in all conditions That a sound beleever is of a solid and equal carriage in all conditions are 1. Because God puts his fear in the hearts of his own children Jer. 32.40 and fear to offend God by abuse of prosperity keeps the heart humble and stable he considers that a plentifull condition hath been a snare to many and therefore he rejoyceth in trembling he walks softly and circumspectly like a man in the midst of snares so also in adversity the fear of God moderates his grief that it exceeds not to impatience and unbelief he feareth the displeasure of God according to that Heb. 10.38 If any man draw back to wit by unbelief my soul shall have no pleasure in him 2. Faith keeps the heart in a solid and equal temper in a time of worldly prosperity faith looks to things eternal reserved in heaven for us this makes us have humble thought of those flying shadowes of worldly pleasures in comparison of that substance of glory that endures for ever faith also in adversity quiets and settles our spirits when we beleeve that our light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 fear and faith are to the soul as ballast and sails to the ship the one keeps it from being overcarried in the top of the wave and the other from being swallowed up in the gulph between the waves so the fear of God keeps the heart of a beleever from being overturned by strong temptations in the top of his prosperity and assurance of faith like a main sayl carries the heart through the deeps of afflictions and keeps it from being overwhelmed This Doctrine serveth for reprehension of two sorts of people Vse 1 Reproof to such as know not how 1. To abound 1. Of such as know not how to abound How many are there that cannot carry the cup of prosperity even their pride is intollerable they trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches Psal 49.6 Some abuse their prosperity to riot and excesse feeding themselves without fear of God that covereth their table Jude v. 12. Jam. 5.5 weep ye rich men ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton this is the worst sort of ingratitude to render to our God evil for his goodnesse like Jeshurun that waxed fat and kicked against his feeder Deut. 32.15 Some make not a right use of their plenty for a supply to the indigent Jam. 5.2 3. How lye rich men your gold and silver is kankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you Some saucily despise those that are in adversity like Nabal in a festivall day 1 Sam. 25.10 Who is David there be many servants that now adayes break away from their masters c. they will give evil words but do no good works And others are insolent oppressors of the poor Prov. 22.7 The rich ruleth over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender he abuseth that to make it a burden which should be an ease and relief The mercies of the wicked are cruel Prov. 12.10 2. Of such as know not how to be abased 2. To be abased but miscarry in á day of adversity some are stupid and senselesse of the Lords visitation Isa 42.25 He hath poured upon Israel the fury of his anger and the strength of battell and it hath set him on fire round about and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Some are in the other extream they faint in the day of adversity if riches decrease they droop like thin feathered
fowls in a rainy day if at any time they be blasted in their reputation they become pale and heartlesse as if they could not live but in the popular air Some turn impatient murmur and blaspheme God in the course of his providence so did the people of Israel in the wildernesse Exod. 16.2 3. They murmured and said Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh-pots and when we did eat bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into this wildernesse to kill this whole assembly with hunger Others become desperate and blaspheme God in his truth and mercy as wicked Jehoram 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord said he what should I wait for the Lord any longer And such as are desperate of Gods help use unlawfull means for relief as Ahaziah 2 King 1. Therefore I would offer some considerations as so many bases to balance unstable souls Considerations to ballast unstable souls that they be not too much lifted up with prosperity nor too farre dejected with adversity First Against temptations in prosperity thou who art ingrateful to God and dost not by humble thankfullnesse acknowledge God thy benefactor consider this provokes jod to send a change in thy estate Hos 2.8 9. She did not know what I gave her corn wine and oyl and multiplied her silveâ— and gold and therefore will I return and take away my cornâ—â— the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof Secondly Thou who art proud and boastest in thy riches consider that pride and vain boasting is the moth of prosperity it is a swelling in the high wall whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant Isa 30.13 Pride in prosperity is an evident prognostick of a fall and change Dan. 4.31 While the word of pride and boasting in his prosperity was in the mouth of Nebuchadnezzar there fell a voice from Heaven saying O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken the Kingdom is departed from thee here was a sudden and great change he that was lifted up above the ordinary condition of men in plenty and honour is brought down so low that he runs mad and wilde amongst the beasts of the Field and eateth grasse as oxen 3. Thou who abusest thy plenty to riot and excesse consider thy surfet and repletion will turn to a consumption and bring a change Prov. 23.20 Be not amongst wine-bibbers among riotous eaters of flesh for the drunkard and the glutton will will come to poverty and drousinesse shall clothe a man with ragges 4. Thou that art unmercifull to the poor in the day of thy prosperity consider this provokes God to bring a change on thy estate Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that withholdeth more then is meet but it tendeth to poverty The rich Glutton gave not a crum and in hell he got not a drop of water to cool his tongue 5. Thou that in thy prosperity mis-knowest thy self and despisest the poor in his adversity thou sinnest against God who only of rich and free bounty hath made the difference between thy condition and his Prov. 14.31 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth but he that hath mercy on the poor happy is he 6. Thou that in thy prosperity abusest thy power to the oppression of the poor and addest affliction to the afflicted thou reproachedst God his maker who entitles himself the defender and judge of the poor and indigent Psa 72.4 Thou provokest God to deliver up thy estate into the hands of the spoiler Isa 33.1 Wo to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled Next I would offer these considerations both to direct and uphold a weak spirit in the day of adversity 1. Thou that art senselesse of Gods visitation consider that of Prov. 3.11 Heb. 12.5 Job 5.17 Despise not the chastening of the Lord sleight it not but take notice of it This froward senselesnesse provokes God to encrease thy troubles Lev. 26.18 As the Physician doth cure a Lethargy by casting the Patient into a Fever and by this means doth quicken his senses so the Lord doth cure this spiritual Lethargy many times by some sharper and more corrosive affliction that toucheth them to the quick 2. Thou that faintest in a time of adversity consider that of Pro. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small This fainting is an evidence of a pusillanimous and weak spirit Against this soul-fainting the only cordiall is faith in God and his gracious promises Psa 27.14 I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the Land of the Living Psa 43.5 O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him By faith as the saving Organ the sweet smell of Gods mercies is carried into the heart and revives it Psa 138.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me 3. Thou that art impatient and secretly in thy heart murmurest against the good Providence of God consider in time thy fretting impatience doth more disquiet thy soul then the crosse it self can by patience thou possessest thy soul Luke 21.19 but by impatience thou dispossessest thy self of that dominion thou shouldest have over thy thoughts speeches and actions it so distracts thee that thou knowest not what thou thinkest speakest or doest By thy impatience thou provokest God to encrease and continue thy crosse Thou art as the Fowl in the Net the more thy impatient spirit doth flutter thou art the more intangled Num. 11. when the people complained It displeased the Lord and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them Num. 14.34 Because the people murmured at the difficulties in their journey to the promised rest the Lord lengthened their troubles forty years whereas if they had been patient and obedient they had got an expected end in fourty daies Impatience puts men to much pains which might be saved if in patience they would submit to Gods providence in a time of great difficulties Consider it is a fearfull thing in the time of thy impatience to get thy desire of ease and delivery satisfied at such a time it is far better to want it then to have it It is a feeding for the slaughter Num. 11.33 The people were impatient for want of flesh God gave it to them But while the flesh was in their mouth the wrath of the Lord was kindled It is far better to live in want then to be consumed in thy abundance 4. Thou who in a desperate unbelief casts away all hope of deliverance in a time of great trouble Consider thou blasphemest God in his power as if our God were not able to deliver thee Thou saist as Israel did in their unbeleef Can the Lord prepare
him a little before the time of publick execution of the sentence whereas a man reconciled and absolved is well content with any morsell So a wicked impenitent person at his death hath no contentment with all his worldly advantages But if thou be reconciled to God thy contentment in thy prosperity is multiplied for then thou lookest upon the good things of this world as pledges of better things and this super-addition to them of a new relation multiplies thy contentment and at death thy contentment is encreased as that of a Pilgrim at the border of his own Countrey and Seafaring man at the entrance of the harbour 2. Receive Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith and then nothing can come amisse that comes with Christ we make strangers welcome to our house who come along with a dear Friend No affliction is so strange but it will be made welcome with Christ Not only are beleevers content with it but glory in it As couragious Souldiers to be employed in hard service So did the Apostles when they were ignominiously beaten Act. 6.41 Paul and Silas did sing in the dungeon Act. 16.14 it was Pauls gloriation Gal. 6.17 that he bare in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus he esteemed them marks of favour and honour put upon him by his Lord he gloried in them as a valiant Souldier in the cicatrice of his wounds Our Lord brings with him peace to the soul where he dwels Peace with God Rom. 5.1 and peace to the conscience which is the Eccho and resound of our peace made in heaven with God This peace is the health of the soul and as a man in bodily health can well comport with course diet for a time whereas a sickly man frets and cankers at better entertainment So a man that hath peace with God and with his own conscience can comport with the bread of adversity and water of affliction But the man that hath not this peace hath a fretting of spirit in the midst of his plenty while there is laughter in his mouth there is much sorrow in his heart 3. Labour to be holy in all manner of conversation for holinesse hath the promises of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 The precious promises of God are the common places out of which faith draweth several arguments of contentment for all our several wants bodily or spiritual Out of the bounty of providence the godly man gets supply for his outward condition and out of the Fulnesse of Christ he receives for his inward man grace for grace Lastly Moderate thy desires after things worldly Impatient desires to have breed much discontentment for disappointment and immoderate desires still to enjoy what we once have breeds us much discontentment at our losses Rachels impotent desires of posterity bred her so much discontent with the want of children Therefore the Apostle exhorts Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as ye have Covetousnesse is like Hagar there is no peace in the house to Sarah till she be cast out so there is no quietnesse nor contentment to our spirits until covetousnesse be mortified Moderate therefore your desires after the things of this world and the greater shall be your contentment both in your abundance and in your wants Covet the best things even the Kingdom of God and his righteousnesse and things worldly shall be added to you Ye cannot exceed here in your desires after things heavenly but your enjoyment in heaven will exceed all your desires for it cannot enter into the heart to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him To this God Father Sonne and holy Ghost be all praise honour and glory now and for ever Amen Now followeth the fourth and last particular to be considered in the words to wit The fourth particular the sole and only author of all his ability and strength for doing and suffering the good will of God I can do all things saith he through Christ which strengtheneth me Before I raise the Doctrine the words would be cleared 1. What is meant by this strength 2. Next Wherefore it is called the strength of Christ And 3. How it is said he can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth him First By strength is not meant that infinite power 1. What is meant by strength wherein Christ is equal with the Father that mighty power by which in a soveraign and authoritative way he wrought miracles Luk. 9.73 They were all amazed at the mighty power of God by which he subdued all things and will raise the dead Phi. 3.21 Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things This strength is essential to the Sonne of God and incommunicable to the creatures the mighty one of Israel puts forth this strength toward the defence and protection of his own children in time of danger but puts it not in them as a strong man will use his strength for the defence of them that are weak but puts not his strength within them But by strength is here meant an ability created and infused into the heart of a beleever whereby he is enabled in such perfection as is accepted of God in Christ for doing and suffering the will of God It is a strength from Christ in them as the Original imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is a strength in the innerman but from his Spirit Eph. 3.16 strengthened with might by his Spirit Secondly 2. Why it is called the strength of Christ It is called the strength of Christ 1. Because Christ hath procured this strength to us by his merit and intercession Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever Our Lords departing out of the world by the death of the Crosse was the cause procuring to us the comfort and strength of of the Spirit Joh. 16.17 If I go not away the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you 2. Because Christ is the efficient cause and worker of this strength in us 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me it is the same word which is used here 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus or by Christ Jesus as the Preposition is frequently used as Mat. 5.34 it is rendred by the Heaven Matth. 23.20 21 22. where it is five times so used Rom. 12.21 Overcome evil by good so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Christ who by the efficiency of his Spirit applieth to us the strength of grace procured by the merit of his death Thirdly 3. How a man by the strength of Christ is able to do all things As to the third thing to
dying man with an incurable wound unto eternal death As the sting of of the Scorpion inflameth and tormenteth the whole man that is stung so known sins unrepented of put soul and body in a flame of unquenchable fire thus it was with that miserable rich man Luke 16.24 Delay not thy repentance and the seeking of thy remission till thou art on thy death bed would ye not think that malefactor a careless fool and unnatural to himself who should delay to seek his remission unto the very day he were taken out of prison to the place of execution though God hath promised mercy to him that repenteth yet hath he not promised repentance to him that delayeth The sluggard foldeth his hands and saith yet a little sleep a little slumber and his poverty cometh as an armed man he cannot resist it Prov. 24.34 so it is with a careless Professor who sleepeth over his days and hath not a thought of death till it be at door then doth it surprize him as an enemy armed with the dart and sting of sin unrepented of and such a man not guarded by the shield of faith into the righteousness of Jesus Christ is confounded and overcome as a naked souldier with fear at the very sight of death Such debtors who delay to think on their debts and in time to speak for favour with their creditors when the term of reckoning and payment comes they are confounded with shame and fear therefore delay not but in time confess thy debts unto God seek thy discharge and acquittance in the blood of Christ who is the surety of the new Covenant Labour by faith in the charter and Covenant of grace for a sight of that great salvation purchased by the death of Jesus that at thy death with old Simeon thou mayst say and sing that Swan-like song Mine eyes have seen thy salvation now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2.29 2. As thou wouldst be well prepared for death Labour to keep a good conscience in thy life-time This is the chest wherein thy remission and peace is kept a man of good conscience in all things willing to live honestly as the Apostle describes Heb. 13.18 he liveth aad dieth in peace It was Hezekiah his great comfort in his sickness and apprehension of death 2 Kings 20 3. I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart It was Pauls comfort 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness A good conscience is a continual feast it hath the sweetest relish at death when a man at that time is become like old Barzillai through age and debility 2 Sam. 19.35 his senses of seeing tasting and hearing fail him yet even at that time the relish of a good conscience will most refresh him 3. Be thou prepared as the wise virgins were to meet the bridegroom not only with light in their lamps as the foolish virgins were also but with oyl in their vessels Not only must thou have the light of a fair profession before the world but also thou must have in thy heart the oyl of charity toward God and man If thou have love toward God and his holy commandments and love unfained toward thy neighbour but specially toward those in whom thou seest most of the image of God then art thou prepared for death and life eternal is prepared for thee 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him And 1 Joh. 3.14 By this we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren but thou who hatest thy neighbour art filled with bitterness and desire of revenge and wilt not commit thy cause to him who judgeth righteously thou art not yet prepared for death so long as thou art in the gall of bitterness for he that loveth not his brother abideth in death 1 Joh. 3.15 That rigid and merciless servant who had no pity on his fellow servant was cast into prison So saith our Lord our heavenly father will do unto us if we from our hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses Mat. 18.33.4 We should be prepared as good and faithful servants waiting for the return of their absent Lord. Luke 12.36 Having their loyns girded and watching In those Eastern countreys the servants for their better expediting business at home or their Journeys abroad did gird up their long cloaths that they should not entangle their feet and retard them in their course The Apostle Eph. 6. speaketh of the girdle of truth and sincerity when our affections are taken off from things earthly trussed up united together and set on God when our heart is in heaven where our treasure is Then and not till then is a man prepared for death When his minde is heavenly and his affections are not trailing on the things of the earth like long garments licking up the dust for a worldly minded man is not yet prepared for death A man that spendeth all his time and care upon repairing the house where he dwelleth for the present but speaketh not for another house nor sendeth away any of his furniture to it will ye say such a man hath any mind to remove so a worldly-minded man that spendeth his time and strength of spirit upon this present world who speaketh not to God in time by prayer for that eternal house in heaven that sendeth not his heart before him as a part of his heavenly furniture such a man is not prepared for removal out of this world Therefore let us obey our Lords warning Luke 21.34 Let not your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting or drunkenness and with the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares A heart fixed on the world is taken away unwillingly at death the worldly man who had his full heaven in a full barn his soul was taken from him Luke 12.20 The worldly-minded man unless he repent and become heavenly-minded doth in some respect die a violent death he doth not as our Lord did commit his spirit into the hands of his Father but his soul is taken from him against his will he is drawn forth as a Malefactor from the prison of his earthly house to the place of execution But the spiritual man that hath his heart drawn off the world and set on God he hath his soul ready in his hand to put it over into Gods hand he knoweth whom he hath believed and that his faithful creator will keep the good thing committed to him against that day As thou must gird up thy loyns so thou must watch for thou knowest not how soon thy Lord may send his messenger for thee Watch over thy heart that it depart not from the living God by unbelief nor be drawn away by thy inordinate concupiscence and unruly affections watch over thy
better for me to die then to live His fit groweth worse vers 9. I do well to be angry even unto death Yet his merciful Father takes not Jonah away in this fit but spared him and gave him grace to out-live this fit by repentance The children of God recover themselves by repentance and in an holy indignation revenge themselves upon themselves for their former distemper So David recovered from his fit of impatiency rebukes himself Psa 73.22 I was as a beast before thee 4. Cast not away thy confidence but walk by faith In a time of trouble the Just shall live by faith Hab. 2.4 The children of God in times of great and long troubles are subject to fits of unbelief Judg. 6.13 Gideon said O my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us And David Psa 116.11 I said in my haste All men are lyars Psa 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes Notwithstanding special promises of God to the contrary yet he had his own fit of distrustfull fear to be cut off by the hand of Saul Against such fits guard thy heart with submission to his divine wisedom in the training up of his own children He scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Heb. 12.6 Consider his gracious wisedom ordering thy afflictions for thy souls good Heb. 12.13 He chastiseth us for our profit that we may be partakers of his holinesse But when thou hast such a fit of unbelief and canst not beleeve that the Lord in love chastiseth thee but punisheth thee in anger Remember the daies of old when the Lord heard thy praiers and thou hadst a sweet return of peace to thy soul In the experience of this say thou to thy heart as Sampsons Mother said to her Husband Manoah Judg. 13.23 If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands Look into thy own heart and if thou in a time of great trouble fear to offend him and desire to obey thou maist and shouldst rest on him as thy God Isa 5.10 Who is amongst you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him rest in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Though thou see not any appearance of deliverance yet rest on the power of God submit to his will and use no unlawful means for thy own delivery So did the three children Dan. 3.17 Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand but if not Be it known unto thee O King we will not serve thy Gods The third particular to be considered is the way how the Apostle attained this contentation of minde in all estates of life I have learned saith he and I am instructed in the original it is I am instructed in a mystery or secret The mystery and secret of contentment in whatsoever estate Doct. The mystery of contentment is taught only in the School of Christ It is not taught from principles of nature is taught only in the School of Jesus Christ The truth of this Doctrine will appear if we consider 1. how it is not taught 2. how it is taught It is not taught from any principles of corrupt nature because this being alike in all the children of Adam must be uniform in its operations and so all men should be taught this contentment but the contrary is seen in many male-contents and murmurers under their present condition in the world Corrupt nature frets at every thing displeasing to flesh and bloud until it be healed by the grace of regeneration But where this secret fretting is there can be no true contentment Neither can it be taught by the moral precept of Natural men It is true heathen men Nor by morall precepts of natural men specially the Stoick Philosophers have spoken somewhat to this purpose yet they did not teach men to be content in whatsoever estate They did commend that horrid sinne of self-murther in the case of dis-contentment They compared mans life to a banquet that he might willingly leave when once he were full and to a stage-play that he might leave when once he were wearied And Seneca cals such a death a gate to liberty This is not to teach contentment in every estate As they failed fouly in their precepts so in their practise of contentment It is true some heathens appeared content in their sober and course diet of living Fabricius that Noble Romane Senator was content to feed upon his dish of Roots and he answered to these Legats who would have corrupted him with vast Sums of gold to betray his own Countrey that a man who was content to feed on Roots needed not their gold yet they were not content in every estate they could not endure disgrace in the world for their honour was their Idol Lucretia and Cato of Vtica could not bear their disgrace with any contentment but made away themselves in their violent fits of discontentment Augustine And August lib. 1. de Civit. Dei cap. 20. saith well That it is but a weak spirit that cannot comport with the want of health in the body or with the want of the applause of the people Next the truth of this Doctrine appeareth It is taught 1. By the Word if we consider positively how this mystery of contentment is taught It is taught in the School of Christ 1. By the Word of God 2. By the example of Christ 3. By the Spirit of Christ 1. Is is taught by the Word of God It is called the word of Patience because it commands us to be patient Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience saith the Angel of the Covenant to the Church of Philadelphia I will also keep thee from the hour of Temptation c. It is taught by the word of precept which commandeth us to be godly and where godlinesse is it hath with it contentment 1 Tim. 6.6 Godlinesse with contentment is great gain That is godlinesse which hath alwaies with it contentment is great gain 1 Tim. 6.8 Having food and raiment let us be therewith content Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as ye have It is taught by the word of threatning 1 Cor. 10. Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer he threatens them from the fearfull destruction that fell upon murmurers against the Lords dispensation Jude ep 15 16 17. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him These are murmurers complainers It is taught fully by
in hand of a great bargain covenanted by a faithful party makes men content with a small portion for a time in the sure expectation of perfecting the full bargain So the assurance the children of God have by the Spirit of Christ of their full redemption and deliverance from all their troubles maketh them in all their troubles to rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.3 3. 3. By comforting The Spirit worketh this contentment in the children of God by comforting them and giving them some first-fruits of eternal life Rom. 8.23 Such are the sense of Gods love shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit Rom. 5.5 Peace in the conscience and the joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.6 Having received the Word in much affliction with joy in the holy Ghost These are like the sweet refreshing Grapes in the Land of Canaan whereof Joshua and Caleb brought some clusters to make the people content with present troubles in the wildernesse and to encourage them to go to the place of their rest where every thing grew in great plenty for their full refreshment and satisfaction The sense of Gods love makes the childe of God content in his lowest estate Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan was unjustly slandered by Zibah and rashly divested of all his goods by David yet was he so affected with joy for the Kings safe return to dwell in his own house that he could in calmnesse of spirit dispense with his own private losses 2 Sam. 19.30 Mephibosheth said unto the King Yea let Zibah take all forasmuch as my Lord the King is come again in peace into his own house So a Beleever is content to suffer contumelies and injuries at all hands when the Lord dwels in his soul and gives him peace the sweetnesse of his love expels the bitternesse and gall of our afflictions It is as wine to the heavy heart Pro. 31.7 He forgets his poverty and remembers his misery no more David was so affected with the sense of Gods goodnesse in giving him peace and rest from his enemies that he was content to forgive private injuries 2 Sam. 19.22 Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel for do not I know that I am King this day of Israel So the sense of peace with God in Jesus Christ the peace-maker makes the children of God content and obedient to the will of God Eph. 4 32. Forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you 4. 4. By strengthening The Spirit worketh our hearts to contentment by strengthning us to bear the burthen of affliction It is the Apostles prayer to God for the Ephesians Eph. 3.16 That God would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man and here it is said I am able through Christ strengthning me to do all things whereof in the strength of his grace we shall speak hereafter This Doctrine serveth for Admonition Vse 1 In the day of thy prosperity Seek not contentment in earthly things neither seek nor place thy contentment in things worldly Contentment is not learned in the school of the creature the most pleasant roses have their own pricks Riches are accompanied with thorny cares Royal Crowns are tinned with fears and jealousies Pleasures are deceitfull and have an hook under the bait when thy conscience awakes with terrour for unjust purchase of them or though the purchases be lawfull yet if thine heart smite thee for ingratitude to God in the possession of them for abusing of them to pride riot and excesse and for not using of them to the relief of the poor thou shalt have no contentment in them but the possession of them in unrighteousness or ingratitude and the misimploying or not imploying of them to a good use will augment thy discontentment and in a sad experience thou wilt be forced to say they are comforters of no value When Belshazzars conscience was awaked with the sight of the hand writing on the wall all his plenty of wine and other cordials of that kind all his magnificence and the smooth speeches of his Queen and Princes could neither quiet his spirit nor fasten his joynts In thy adversity and troubled estate seek not contentment or ease to thy spirit from worldly divertisements these are but as Davids playing on the Harp to Saul at the time of his great distemper 1 Sam. 16.33 But the evil spirit returned again Such poor means may for a time divert thy thoughts but cure not the disease and distemper of thy unquiet spirit they are as a cup of cold water to an hydropick man which refresheth him for a moment but encreaseth his thirst and pain 2. Vse 2 It serveth for a ground of Exhortation to stir us up to go to the school of Jesus Chaist Go to the School of Christ to learn contentment that in all our troubles we may learn this necessary and profitable lesson of solid contentment Some enclining to a Consumption are easily induced to the study of Medicine to prevent the symptomes of that distemper discontentment is a frettig consumption of the spirit and it is hereditary to us from our first parents in whose aggregate sinne to speak so discontentment with their present condition was an ingredient 1. This inward contentment makes us pleasing to God who is highly displeased with male-contents at his Providence Nehemiah was sore afraid when the King perceived him sad Because he knew Kings are jealous of discontented persons Neh. 2.2 much more is the King of Kings displeased with them who fret at his dispensations who in the right of his supream dominion may do what he pleaseth and as a righteous Judge is ever holy and righteous in all his procedings towards the children of men 2. It will make thee social and pleasing to all men with whom thou hast thy conversation in the world thou canst condole with them in their adversity and rejoyce with them in their prosperity but the discontented spirit is sullen and surly either when evil befals himself or good to his neighbour 3. This inward contentment is to thee an earnest of that absolute contentment in heaven and on the contrary fretting discontentment unlesse it be broken off by repentance is no other but the beginning of the worm that dieth not As ye have shewn us how that profitable lesson of contentment is taught Helps to the practise of Contentment shew us also some helps for furthering us in the practise of it 1. Break off thy sins by repentance and be reconciled to God An out-law pursued from place to place eats his bread with much quaking and fear So a soul pursued by God in wrath cannot have any content in the things he enjoys in the time of his life and hath lesse contentment in things worldly at the hour of death As a condemned person hath no contentment in the best entertainment given to
shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life if Grace received could be lost and dried up wholly like the winter brook in drought of Summer then should it not spring up unto everlasting life But as it is observed in aquaeducts the water will ascend so high as the place is from whence at first it did descend even so this water of life saving Grace as it descends from heaven it carries the soul a long to heaven for it springeth up saith our Lord unto everlasting life This truth is also evident from Ioh. 6.37 Him that cometh unto me I will in no waies cast out by coming to Christ is meaned our believing in him as is evident by comparing verses 64 65. Therefore a true Believer in Christ is never cast out from him but doth persevere unto the end Obj. Obj. It is true say some Christ casteth him not out but he may steal away his own heart by Apostacie from Christ and so cast out himself To this I answer first Answ 1 if the Shepheard of Israel and great Bishop of our souls did sleep or slumber his sheep might steal away wander and perish in their errors but he is vigilant over all his flock he is not like that Keeper 1 King 20.39 While he was busie here and there he lost tho man committed unto his keeping The Shepheard of Israel slumbers not his eyes are alwayes upon every one of his flock The crector of the ends of the earth fainteth not neither is weary Isa 40.28 he leads them in great compassion and wisdom Isa 40.11 He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carrie them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young he pittyeth us in our infirmities and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Though the great Shepheard of our souls in his wisdom suffer his little flock to wander in an hour of darkness to humble them with a sight of their own sillyness and weakness who hath neither wit nor strength to keep themselves yet he hath a watchful eye over them in their wanderings he looked upon Peter with an eye of Pitty and Power to bring him again by repentance after he had departed by a foul denyal he suffers not his own sheep to wander out of the sight of his mercy he sendeth out after them the Spirit of conviction and contrition he makes their barking conscience like the Shepheards Dog to pursue and turn them from their wanderings 2. Moreover if any of the slock of Christ could so stealaway that they should perish in their sins and errors Then Christ himself should cast them out which is contrary to his gracious and faithful Promise for such a disserting of them to go on and perish in their errors were a casting of them out of his care and Protection but our gracious Lord saith Him that cometh to me I will in no wayes cast out neither directly nor indirectly by suffering them to run on in the way of perdition Reasons from Scriptural Truths Reasons do also confirm the truth of this Doctrine 1. From the certainty and stability of election 1. The stability of Election Math. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of the Lord standeth sure It is not possible for those he hath elected in his unchangeable purpose to fall away totally and finally but so it is that a sound Believer is elected of God Iohn 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me all whom the Father elected to Glory and giveth to the Mediator that by the Merit of his death they may be brought unto the possession of that decreed glory all such sometime are made believers in Christ so likewise all who come to Christ and believe in him are given of the Father and elected There is a reciprocation betwixt election and believing as betwixt the cause and necessary effect Act. 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed To expound this place of a natural disposition and inclination for eternal life is Pelagianism and a violating of the text of such misinterpreters I say as Augustin contra Adimant S. Augustin if they do it out of ignorance there is nothing more blind and if they do it out of knowledge there is nothing more wicked 2. 2. Gods Power Reason is taken from the power of God Those who are kept by the power of God cannot be lost for there cannot be a greater power to pull them out of the hand of infinite and Almighty power but so it is that Believers are kept by the power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 They are kept by the Father Ioh. 10.29 By the Son Ioh. 10.28 And by the holy Ghost dwelling in them and keeping the house where he is lodged Rom. 8.11 all the three blessed persons have one common care to preserve Believers 3. 3. The Mystical Union with Christ Reason is taken from the mystical Vnion of a Believer with Christ Those who are once in Christ cannot perish but do persevere in Grace to the end Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus but believers are in Christ and Christ is in them he dwelleth in their hearts by Faith Eph. 3.17 he is the Saviour of his Mystical body Eph. 5.24 A strong man will not suffer any of his members to be taken from him and our Lord is the stronger one Luc. 11.22 Obj. Obj. But if a member of the natural body through its own corruption doth rott a man willingly suffereth it to be cut off from the body so a man though once a member of Christs Mystical body may through his own prevalent corruption be cut off from Christ and perish for ever Answ There is no question Answ but even the renewed mans inbred and indwelling corruption if not restrained and overpowered by the Grace of God might carrie him far away from Christ but if any man could hinder that corruption to grow and prevail in his body or if he could restore a corrupt and defective member would he be so unnatural to the members of his own body as to suffer them to perish but so it is that our head the Lord Iesus Christ is able not only with mercie and strength of Grace to prevent the decayings of his Mystical members but also by the Grace of Repentance to restore them when their falls do disjoynt and dislocate them not from the body but from a lively and vigorous motion in the way of common duties with other believers that stand firm thus he restored David and Peter after their failings the corruption of such Members is not desperare and incurable The Union of a Believer with Christ is compared to
he saw Vzza smitten this made him change his note we can look cheerful in a day of prosperity rejoycing in our Lords presence but in our adversity we question the Lords presence and say with Gideon Iudg. 6.13 If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us we can at a time when God reveals himself to us in some special testimony of his love with Peter in the Mount exult at a glance of his glory but at the time of our Lords suffering in his Mystical body our hearts become drousie and careless as Peters was in the Garden 3. In respect of the degree and measure of Faith at one time the renewed children of God will be like a Ship with all her sailes full they will have a plerophorie of Faith at another time like a Ship in a great storm with a peice of cross sail their Faith is but little and weak under some great tryal ye see it in David Psal 27.10 When my Father and my Mother did forsake me then the Lord did take me up and Psal 46.2 We will not fear though the earth be removed there was great Faith but ye see a slacking of his Faith Psal 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes and 1 Sam. 27.1 David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul notwithstanding he had from God a special Promise to be King of Israel 4. In respect of their continuance in duties at one time the children of God will continue in some bensal of Spirit with delight in their secret devotion at another time they have not well begun but they become weary their untimous and impertinent thoughts puls them away to some other business It is thus also in their hearing reading and meditation on the good word of God at one time they will continue in hearing with much reverence and attention though the Minister be a man of weak gifts at another time though the Minister were like Paul they fall drousie like Eutychus and if God did not prevent with mercy they would fall from this drousiness into a deadness of Spirit but our God rich in mercy and long suffering waits upon his children and recovers them from these fits and faintings unto their former soule health As to the second What 〈◊〉 is that causeth the abatements in Grace consider what maketh this change in the children of God and procureth the abatement and decay of the degrees and strength of Grace in them 1. A careless neglect of the means of salvation or an overly and superficial performance of holy duties if such be thy care no wonder thy strength of Grace decay as children who altogether abstain from meat or make but a fashion of eating do decay in the vigour and strength of their body The Apostle will have us as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 in which words he insinuates this also that want of desire to the Word is a main impediment to our growth in Sanctification and a cause of the decay and consumption of the inner man 2. Spiritual pride and vain confidence in our own strength for the imploying and improving of any Grace or Gift received of God brings with it a decay of the vigor of Grace as the swelling bigness of the Spleen makes the other noble parts of the body to decay so the swelling pride of our Spirit makes the Graces of the innerman to abate of their strength Pride goeth before a fall It is ever followed in the children of God with a fall either into some cross or into some sin to humble them Ezekias was lifted up in the pride of his heart and therefore was wrath threatned against him and all Judah 2 Chron 32.25 Peter in the pride and presumption of his own strength boasted though all the world should be offended yet should not he be offended in Christ whereupon followed a great abatement of the strength of Grace when he denyed the Lord of Life 3. Sloathfulness in not improving the stock of Grace or Gifts God hath bestowed upon thee brings on a decay Strong bodies through laziness and want of exercise become weak and feeble It is no wonder the Merchant becomes poor who improves not his little stock to some advantage and it is no wonder a Christian decay in the measure of grace if he improve not his talent to the glory of his Lord to the good example of his neighbor and to his own comfort in laying up a sure foundation against the time to come that he may lay hold on eternal life 4. When our eye and heart is too much fixed on visible and sensible objects of sorrow or fear then our graces begin to abate somewhat of their former vigour great and long troubles oft-times weaken our Faith when Peter looked too much to the wind that was against him and not to the Lord who called him to come on the waters his Faith began to fail and his body that before was elevated by a believing soul did now begin to sink weak Faith made a heavy body As to the third how to prevent this decay of Grace it is evident by knowing and shunning the evils that procure it Means to prevent decay in grace Therefore 1. make conscience to use the means whereby grace is begun preserved and encreased in the soul as faith comes by hearing the word of God so is it thereby encreased The more thou knowest and seest of God in his Word thou wilt be the more conformed to him in holyness by knowing him in the Gospel we are transformed into his image 2 Cor. 3.18 by frequent hearing reading meditation and prayer we become heavenly and spiritual as Moses coming down from the Mount did shine in his countenance so this communion with God in his Ordinances will make our hearts to burn with love to God and our faces to shine in all manner of holy conversation before the world The conscionable and careful using the means of our spiritual food and life will prevent the decay of the inner man 2. Walk humbly in the remembrance of thy former sins in the sense of thy present infirmities in a jealousie of thy best endeavours and in a solicitous fear of manifold temptations men recovered out of a dangerous disease shun every morsel that may distemper them or may procure a recidivation so the humble man shuns every thing that may bring a change on his inward condition Remembrance of former sins and of mercy in pardoning of them doth much strengthen his graces It increaseth his zeal against sin and augments his love to God and his holy commandments 3. Improve thy grace and gift to thy Lords advantage To him that hath shall be given he that improved his five talents and the other that improved his two received much more from their Lord then they got at first Math. 25. God encreased knowledge
he was slow to anger but ready to forgive The remembrance of Gods former kindness upheld David in his comfortless condition Psal 77.5 11. I have considered the dayes of old This comforted Jonah 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again toward thy holy temple He remembred the comfortable testimonies of the Lords love and presence in his holy temple 4. Wait thou upon God by an humble confidence and dependance Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God This is the counsel of the Prophet when the Caldeans oppressed the people of God and prospered at such a time God hid himself did neither deliver his people nor reveal the time of their delivery and of their enemies destruction yet he will have them to wait on and depend on God by Faith when there was no sense of comfort Habak 2.3 4. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lyâ— though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry his soul which is lifted up in him is not upright but the just shall live by Faith the soul that is lifted up in a time of great trouble the Apostle Heb. 10.30 Expounds it the soul that draweth back to wit by unbelief Heb. 3.12 When men say as wicked Jehoram in a time wherein they see no appearance of deliverance 2 King 6.33 Behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Therefore in hope and patience wait thou upon the Lord so the Church of God resolved to do Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him So did David Psal 42.11.43.5 Why art thou cast down within me O my soul hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him It is an evidence of a true and loving servant to wait and attend on his Master though for a time he get neither a kind word nor a benign countenance his patient attendance and constancy in doing duty is the way to obtain it A soul believing and waiting patiently on God shall not be disappointed of the desired and expected end Psal 9.18 The needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever One time or other thy God will put a new song of praise in thy heart and mouth as he did to David who waited patiently and in the end was delivered out of the horrible pit Psal 40.1 2. It is good even under great calamities quietly to hope Lament 3.26 Hope is our Anchor that establisheth our hearts in the stormy day from being carried about with every strong wind of the present time Let us therefore do as those men Act. 27. When they saw neither Sun nor Stars for many dayes they cast out their Anchors and waited and wished for the day So in our cloudy times of desertion wherein we have no light or comfort more or less let us cast our Anchor of hope within the vail and wait for that glorious day wherein our Lord will wipe away all tears from our eyes and give us glorions rest for ever Before I close this purpose of our perseverance in the estate of grace through the strength of Christ Two questions resolved I would answer two questions 1. If a renewed man may have any certain knowledge of his perseverance 2. What kind of knowledge it is whether at the best only Moral as some Popish Divines grant or fiducial by a certitude of Faith Answ To the 1. I answer affirmatively A believer may have certain knowledge of his perseverance 1. Examples as is evident from examples in holy Scriptures of the dear children of God who were assured of their perseverance Job 19.26 In my flesh shall I see God he was assured to see God in his Country above and therefore was assured to persevere in his journey toward it even in an estate of Grace Psal 23.6 Kindness shall follow me all the dayes of my life Psal 48.14 He will be our guide even unto death Where he speaketh not of himself only as by a special revelation but he speaketh in the plural number in the name of all Believers Asaph also was confident of his perseverance in grace unto glory Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Rom. 8.39 Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus and 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren in which places the Apostles speak of the certain knowledge of perseverance and of salvation in the name of all believing and Justified persons It is also evident from reason 2. Reasons and necessary consequence from Scriptural Truths 1. Because a renewed man may know that thing certainly wherein he rejoyceth for joy is not in things uncertain but we rejoyce in the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2 therefore a renewed man may know that he shall persevere in grace unto glory 2. A renewed man may know that in certainty for which he blesseth God seeing we bless not for things uncertain But renewed men bless God for the grace of perseverance 1 Pet. 1.5 blessed be God we are kept by his power through Faith unto the inheritance c. 3. If a man renewed may know that he hath justifying Faith then may be know certainly that he shall be saved and persevere in grace unto eternal life because there is an inseparable conjunction betwixt this Faith and eternal life Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 5.24 Ioh. 6.47 but a renewed man may know that he hath Justifying Faith because it were in vain to require a man to examine himself if he be in the Faith if so be he could not know it after examination for a man cannot examine himself in that which is impossible to be known but we are commanded to examine our selves if we be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 which cannot be understood only of that Catholick and Dogmatick Faith as Adversaries alledge because Paul speaketh to them who had received the Christian Doctrine already and there was no doubt concerning the soundness of it as also he speaks there of Christ his dwelling in us by Faith when we are assured Christ is ours as a man is assured of the society and company of one who dwelleth in the same house with him and the Faith whereby Christ dwels in a man is that special Faith which purifieth the heart where he dwels A renewed man may know his perseverance by a certainty of Faith To the second I answer there is a knowledge of a thing to come from probabilities or conjectures and this is opinion only which is liable to error and
the glory of it is incorruptible 3. Our happiness is called a Crown Jam. 1.12 A Crown He that endureth trials shall receive the Crown of life The four and twenty Elders had on their heads Crowns of Gold Rev. 4.4 The Romane Senate of old after some great victory did send to their Generals and great Captains a triumphal Crown and they did also send to the Souldiers chains bracelets and garlands Our Lord and great Captain of our salvatâ—on Iesus Christ after he had overcome all our enemies was Crowned with glory Heb. 2.9 He became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow Phil. 2.8 9 10. This glory of the subjection of all things is peculiar to the Son of God exalted to the right hand of the Father in our Nature in which he was promoted to glory and Crowned as the Kings Purple Robe is advanced with him when he ascends into the Throne so the humane nature wherewith our Lord was invested was glorified with him in his Ascension and exalted to the right hand of God in glory like as the Captain of our salvation after his victory obtained his Crown super-eminent a name above every name so every one that fighteth the good fight under his command and in his strength shall receive their Crown of glory also which he by the merit of his valour in spoyling principalities and powers on the Cross hath purchased for them and to them 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousness Then our righteousness begun here will be crowned with perfection and glory God will crown not our merits but his own gifts it is a crown that fadeth not away 1. Pet. 5.4 a crown incorruptible 1 Cor. 9.25 then both head and Crown will be immortal the person and the glory will endure for ever 4. An inheritance It is called an inheritance incorruptible that cannot be defiled that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.5 It is an inheritance infinitely large which will satisfie all the children and heirs without any occasion of envy or contention it is not like that land that could not contain both Abraham and Lot with their substance which was the occasion of quarrelling to the heards-men 5. It is called an house not made with hands An house not made with hands c. eternal in the heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 here we are as men remaining for a time in Tabernacles our life is subject to changes and decays our bodies must be dayly repaired our spark of life would soon languish and dye without entertainment our bodies like a house of clay do daily fall down in one place or other with every new shower of a defluxion or distillation from our heads that are the roof of this house but in heaven our condition will be fixed and permanent as in a large house there is much ease and room for the Inhabitants so Ioh. 14. In my fathers house saith our Lord are many Mansions there is abundance of happiness and glory for every child of God it is a house full of light Rev. 21.23 there is no need of Sun nor Moon the Lamb will be the light thereof it is a house full of all provision for eternity in our fathers house saith the Prodigal is bread enough bread of life and water of life yea God himself will be all in all to us we shall live in him and with him and shall be continually refreshed and entertained by the seeing and enjoying of God 6. A plentiful common Table Our happiness in heaven is set forth by a plentiful common Table where all the glorified Saints will be entertained with a communion of one essential glory in the perpetual beholding of the face of God Luke 22.29 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdom saith our Lord that ye may eat and drink at my Table Our Lord in such expressions condescends to our weak and childish capacity thereby to signifie that satiety of pleasure and joy that shall redound unto the affections and sensitive part of our souls from the blessed Vision of God and also to set forth that Communion of glory with Angels and glorified Saints all the heavenly guests will be refreshed with the cleer vision of an infinite glorious God the entertainment will be great eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 there will be good and solacious company Angels and just men there will be sweet and pleasant melody no jarrings there but perfect harmony singing that Trisagium Rev. 4.8 holy holy holy Lord God almighty which was and is and is to come This heavenly feast will not have an end as Ahasuerosh his feast had though it lasted many dayes But Psal 16. At thy right hand are pleasures for ever As to the manner how we participate this happiness and vision of God The manner how we participate of the vision of God there is something of it in the general revealed in holy Scripture but the particular and distinct knowledge of it is reserved to our experience and feeling in heaven that which is revealed to us is 1. 1. Intellectual That this vision of God in heaven is intellectual and mental for whereas it is said 1 Ioh. 3.2 We shall see him as he is and 1 Cor. 13.12 We shall see him face to face it is expounded by the Apostle in the same place of knowledge then shall I know even as also I am known It is true we shall see our Lord Iesus Christ in his glorified humane nature but God being a Spirit cannot be seen with the eye of the body for nothing can be seen but that which hath colour And God is of a most simple essence without all composition whatsoever 2. 2. Immediate This vision and fountain of God will be immediate 1 Cor. 13.12 H re we see as through a Glass we receive some representations of God in the two glasses of his word and works as in a glass we see here only the representation and some reflex of the face of God but in heaven we shall see him face to face without the interposition of any midds here we see him through the Lattess Cant. 2.9 But in heaven we shall see him within that eternal house of glory here we know God by his word but in heaven Prophecying and Teaching shall cease 1 Cor. 13. As when the building is perfected the scaffolding and other means necessary in the time of building are removed Though in heaven there will be no midds intervening betwixt the soul God in that blessed vision yet mans finite understanding will be corroborated and supported by the mean and midds of a glorious created strength that it may
then will he return and double his temptations as he did to that man Math. 12. he returned with seven worse but watch thou and pray that thou be not led into temptation though now thou be molested with one temptation after another yet resist them being stefast in the Faith and be comforted in the hope of thy eternal rest and immunity from all temptations in thy Country that is above in it there will be no tempter Then shall Sathan be fastened to damnation by the indissoluble chains of darkness in heaven there will not be remaining in us any inordinate concupiscence to be tempted Then our will and affections will adhere so close unto to God the supreme Good that it will be impossible to draw the heart from God No ayr of temptation can intervene The Angels who stood not in the truth though they had neither a tempter from without nor inordinate concupiscence from within they being created pure and holy yet were they created of a condition mutable but the Saints in heaven will be confirmed and established as pillars in a condition immutable Revel 3.12 Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God Adam in the estate of innocency had posse non peccare a power not to sin but in heaven there will be a non posse peccare an impossibility to sin 3. Here is comfort for them who groan under the burthen of indwelling corruption rejoyce in this the day of refreshment is coming Let thy indwelling corruption be the matter of thy daily grief and humiliation before God Let it be to thee as Hagar and her brood was to Sarah and as the daughters of Heth to Rebekah Let it be the occasion of thy daily wrastling and subjecting the flesh by works of mortification Let it be as pricks and goads in thy sides to push thee toward the throne of Grace with Paul 2 Cor. 12. that the strength of Gods Grace may be perfected in thy weakness In such a wrastling condition rejoyce in hope and be of good comfort though now the flesh lusteth against the Spirit yet at death thy warfare will be accomplished And after thy resurrection there will be nothing in the whole person but Spirit and grace here in an hour of temptation thou prayest for strength in heaven thou shalt praise God for thy victory over sin Sathan and the world 4. Here is matter of comfort against all thy calamities publike or private in the midst of all thy troubles rejoyce in the hope of that glory Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us That Kingdom in heaven cannot be shaken that treasure of unsearchable and durable riches cannot be robbed nor wasted There all tears will be wiped from thine eyes all enemies will be subjected to Christ and also unto all the members of his Mystical body they will be made his footstool and the footstool in below all the parts of the body in that day of perpetual separation of the wicked from the godly it will be seen as it is said of Pharaoh and his hoast that persecuted the Israelites Exod. 14.13 The Egyptians which ye have seen to day ye shall see thē again no more for ever To God who giveth us victory over all our enemies and crowneth us with everlasting mercy the father son and holy Ghost be all praise honour and glory for now and ever c. Amen I having spoken of the time when our compleat happiness will begin 3. Point the perfect disposition of glorified Saints and of the matter and manner of our happiness at our awaking in the day of resurrection from the sleep of the death we shall behold the face of God Now we proceed to speak of the the perfect disposition of the glorified Saints and of the measure of their happiness The third point considerable in the words is the perfect disposition of Saints glorified in soul and body I shall behold saith he in righteousness at my awaking and rising out of the grave I shall be perfectly righteous in my soul and body and being wholly pure shall behold thy face and so be satisfied in this life the personal righteousness of the Saints is not perfect in many things we fail all Righteousness is a conformity to the will of God the only and supream rule of right and wrong in the estate of innocency man had a righteousness pure without mixture of imperfection but not exempted from mutability in the estate of renovation the renewed man hath personal inherent righteousness firm and sure with an immunity from a total and finall decay 1 Ioh. 3.9 but it is not perfect and pure though our renovation be perfect in parts both in soul and body yet not in degrees In heaven our personal righteousness will be pure perfect in degrees and unchangable then will the Saints follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth there will be no declining from him and his commandments The Saints in heaven will be perfectly and wholly righteous in their souls and bodies then will there be a perfect conformity in all things Doct. The Saints in heaven will be perfectly righteous in souls and bodies and for ever to the acceptable will of God Eph. 5.25 26 27. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word and that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle in the course of our regeneration he clean 〈◊〉 but the perfection of holiness and beauty will be in that day when the marriage between the Lamb and his Spouse shall be consummate here the Church of Christ is like an house in building but there the topstone and crown of Glory will be put on here it is as a young child growing in his dimensions but in heaven we will be at our term of consistence even our perfect measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 here there is much imperfection in the righteousness of the children of God there be many infirmities and faults that others may and themselves should censure and condemn but in heaven we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faultless Iude Ep. 24. To him that is able to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Saviour be glory and Majesty The Church triumphant will be then as a beautiful bride adorned and prepared for her Husband Rev. 21.2 here on earth is the time of her purification but at the day of resurrection she will be presented perfectly pure in that Temple not made with hands and praise him for ever for his mercy and grace bestowed on her
ways that thou maist be found in thy Lords ways walking in his holy commandments blessed is the man whom his Master when he cometh sindeth so doing as thou watchest over thy own heart and ways so watch and long after the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and this longing for death out of a love to be with him is a sure evidence of a soul well prepared for death 2 Tim. 4.8 The Lord will give a Crown of righteousness not to me only but to them also who love his appearing To him with the Father and holy Ghost be all praise Amen Having spoken of the sting of death we proceed to speak the cure and of our deliverance from it Of the cure of death The Author of our deliverance and victory is the Lord Iesus Christ the Captain of our salvation The Apostle compareth death to a conquering and prevailing enemy which by its sting and weapon woundeth many with a mortal and incurable wound because such men as live to sin and die in their guiltiness go down by the first death to the second into that bottomless pit out of which there is no redemption Jesus Christ our Lord by the merit of his death alone hath overcome death Doct. Christ only hath overcome death for all that believe in him and of a bitter enemy hath made death a comfortable friend to all who believe in him for by him alone we get victory over death That we may understand this point the better we should consider in what respect Christ hath delivered us from death he hath not delivered us from our obligation and subjection to the necessity of dying for we see believers dye as well as unbelievers Neither hath he delivered us from being subject to sicknesses and alterations going before death David complains the pains of hell got hold upon him Psal 116.3 that is extream pains in his body and anxiety in his spirit Neither hath our Lord delivered from pain at the hour of death nor from the separation of soul and body by death But our Lord hath overcome death in these respects 1. In respect of 1. The sting of death In respect of the sting of death he hath taken away our sins and as an enemy is overcome when his deadly weapon is taken out of his hand so our Lord overcame death by taking away sin on his cross for sin is the sting of death Hos 13.14 O Death I will be thy plagues This the Apostle cites 1 Cor. 15.54 The Captain of our salvation upon the cross as in an open and pitched battel did spoyl principalities and powers Col. 2.15 One of these powers armed against us was death he took away our sins on the cross and so spoyled death of his weapon as a valiant Conquerour takes away the weapons from a subdued enemy 2. 2. The fear of death Jesus Christ our Lord hath freed us from the fear of death Heb. 2.15 he was partaker of flesh and blood he took upon him our nature that he might deliver them who through the fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Our Lord by taking away our sins the sting and weapon of death doth deliver us from the fear of death for that which maketh an enemy fearful is his deadly weapon It is true sometimes men may fear even a naked enemy but they have no cause seeing he cannot harm them so some of Gods dear children at a time may exceed in the fear of death but they have no such cause of fear neither would they be so afraid 3. The curse of death if they were strong in the faith of Jesus Christ who hath disarmed death 3. Our Lord hath delivered us from the curse of death that to us the first death is not a dreadful passage to the second Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life Rev. 14.13 Blessed are they that die in the Lord that henceforth they may rest from their labours As for weakness sickness pain and alterations in the body though our Lord hath not delivered us from them yet by the merit of his death and the grace of his Spirit he sanctifieth them to us and in a gracious providence turneth them to a good and spiritual use Our Lords death is like to that salt that purged and sweetned the naughty waters of Jericho 2 Kings 2.21 and like the meal cast into the pot wherein was the bitter herb 2 Kings 4.41 The death of our Lord hath taken wrath and the curse from out of all our afflictions and maketh them useful and profitable unto us Our Lord in a gracious dispensation turneth the bodily sickness of his own children into a spiritual medicine for purging an humorous and distempered soul for bringing down the tympany and swelling pride of the heart such as glory and boast in the beauty or strength of the body do see in time of sickness the weakness and vileness of the body and so being humbled learn to glory onely in the Lord and in the beauty of his grace in the inward man A sanctified sickness purgeth out of the heart covetousness the hearts Dropsie thirsting for more of this present world when the sick man seeth the emptiness of things worldly which cannot give him any ease in the time of his greatest need A sanctified sickness purgeth out unruly lusts which are as a burning feaver to the soul sickness takes down the body and grace sanctifying it turns it into a temple to the holy Ghost The wise Master-builder useth sickness as a sharp edged tool for polishing the body for the inhabitation of the Spirit that it may be a temple prepared In like manner our wise and merciful Lord though he deliver not his own children from death yet he maketh their death to be of singular good use to them It is a putting off of corruption that they may be clothed upon with incorruption The death of wicked men dying in their guiltiness is like unto a thiefs putting off his cloaths to the end he may be scourged but the death of the godly is like unto a childs putting off the old garment that he may put on the new that is incorruptible and will not fade but ever have a beautiful lustre It is for this their soul doth groan and long 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven 4. The dominon of death As for deaths dominion and power over our bodies in the grave our Lord did take it also away by the merit of his death and declared his victory over and our deliverance from it by raising his own body and by loosing the bonds of death when our Lord awoke from death and stretched out the strength of his Godhead like Sampson he broke asunder those bonds as cords of flax Our deliverance from the grave will