wayes they cannot sticke fast to God and walke perfectly with him But herein is their sinceritie they choose him they pitch vpon him Now the ground of it is they apprehend him to be All-sufficient though this apprehension be not alwayes kept strong it is not alway liuely and actiue in their minds their perswasion is not alway full and present and therefore they are readie to step out So the latter instabilitie befalles the Saints the former befalles hypocrites and both the one and the other instabilitie still proceede from hence that we apprehend not God to be All-sufficient Holy men haue that apprehension in the maine but not in a constant tenour at all times Hypocrites haue it not so much as in the maine Fourthly This truth will likewise appeare from the nature of faith that which makes a man righteous that which sanctifies a man throughout is faith That which is the cause of all vnrighteousnesse in vs is vnbeliefe for it causeth a man to depart from the Lord as Heb. 3. 12. Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe to depart from the living God In this sence faith is sayd to be accounted for righteousnesse Abraham beleeved God Gen. 15. God indeed made the same proposition that he doth here for substance he tells him what he would doe for him and sayth the Text Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Now It was accounted to him for righteousnesse chiefly in this sence as it is interpreted Rom. 4. that his very taking of the promise and his accepting of the Covenant in that he did receiue that which God gaue that put him within the Covenant and therefore the Lord reckoned him a righteous man even for that very acceptation and beleeving But that is not all but likewise he accounted faith to him for righteousnesse because faith doth sanctifie and make a man righteous and therefore Beloved by the way wonder not at this that we put so much vpon faith for let a man beleeue that God is All-sufficient which is the Covenant for iustifying faith is but a beleeving of that part of the Covenant and inabling a man to keepe the other part which is required and I say it makes a man righteous for when a man beleeues that God is All-sufficient it will cause a man to giue vp himself to the Lord. Againe when he beleeues the Lord to be all in all things to him it inableth him to be all in all things to the Lord againe that is to be holy to the Lord in all manner of conversation It knits his heart vnto the Lord. It sanctifieth a man throughout it makes him peculiar to the Lord iâ— makes him wholly to him This is the nature of faith Now marke it faith could not thus sanctifie if it did not beleeue Gods All-sufficiency Againe vnbeliefe could not cause out falling or departing from God if it were not hence that we fayle in beleeving some promise of his or some threatnings we thinke there is not an All-sufficiencie in God you know his promises containe all good things if we cleaue vnto him and his threatnings all evill things if we depart from him If this were fully beleeved our hearts would keepe neare to him as farre as it is not beleeved so farre we step out Now I say hence faith purifieth the heart It sanctifieth is the cause of all righteousâ—esse that is wrought by vs and vnbeliefe is the cause of all vnrighteousnesse that is wrought by vs. Hence we gather then that the perswasion of Gods All-sufficiency keepes a mans heart perfect with God and as farre as you come short of this perswasion so farre you are ready to depart from him And all the ground of it is because that which drawes vs from the Lord is either vaine feares or vaine hopes Those are the two eares as it were by which Sathan takes euery man whereby the drawes him away out of the wayes of the Lords Commandements Now if a man did beleeue that God were All-sufficient he would be subiect to none of these false feares if he did apprehend him to be a Buckler that could keepe him from all ill Againe on the other side if the did beleeue God to be an exceeding great reward that is so great a reward that there can be nothing wanting in him that there is a length and breadth and depth and height in that reward that his heart hath latitude enough to walke in he can dosire nothing out of it this would free a man from all vaine hopes so that the apprehension of it would keepe his heart perfect Contratiwise as farre as you faile in either so farre you are subiect to those two either false feares or vaine and sinfull hopes and that is the cause of our vneven and vnaequall walking with God that we are not vpright and perfect Hence you may see both the nature of sinne and the cause of all sinne for it is profitable for vs Beloved nothing more profitable than to finde out the cause of sinne It is a Rule that Physitians haue that a disease when it is throughly knowne that is when the cause of it is fully knowne it is halfe cured so it is in the disease of the soule to know the very roote and rise from whence it proceeds or commeth to know the principle from whonco it ariseth it is a great helpe to vs to prevent it to heale it But I say this will both shew the nature of sinne and the cause of sinne in vs. First it shewes the nature of sinne how evill a thing it is yea worse than for the most part we apprehend it to be for if there be no sinne committed but it comes from hence that you apprehend not God to be All-sufficient then there is Idoldtrie in a manner committed in every sinne that is you take from God and adde another God to him if you thinke him not to be All-sufficient whatsoever you seeke to and youne with him you make it God as well as he If it be credite if it be honour if it be pleasures if it be riches yea whatsoever it is I say there is a bitter roote of Idolatrie in the commission of every sinne that makes it out of measure sinfull This we may consider by the way but this I purpose not to stand on the thing that I would chiefly presse is to finde out the cause of sinne the cause of that hollownesse and that imperfectnesse and insinceritie that is in the hearts of men towards God which I say ariseth from hence that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient for this for the most part is the case of men if they did not apprehend some sufficiencie in him they would not seeke him at all againe if they did apprehend him to be All-sufficient they would serue him perfectly but this middle apprehension in men that they thinke there is a sufficiencie in the
easily beleeue a smaller sinne to be forgiven Therefore certainly men doubt of his power whether he be able to forgiue for if the difference of sinne doe cause in you vnbeliefe it could not be that you should pitch vpon the power of God and his readines to forgiâ—e Therefore it is certaine that it is his power that is called in question and therefore the thing we haue to do is to make this good to you that the Lord is able to forgiue But you will say to me It is true If it were a matter of power I make no question Beloved you shall finde it a matter of power take a man Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue to passe by an infirmitie If it be strength in a man to be meeke to forgiue and to passe by iniuries to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him Is it not also power in God to doe so Besides is it not a power to be rich Riches giue a man a potencie and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy That is As a man that is rich though he giue much yet he is not exhausted So when you haue made thus much vse of Gods mercy yet still there is more behinde still there is more and more mercy for you there is a spring of mercy there is no end of it Besides as there is a power in his wrath Who knowes the power of his wrath so likewise there is a power in his mercy as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23. it is a place worth the considering for this purpose What if God to shew his wrath and to make his power known will suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destructioÌ„ And the next verse is thus to be read otherwise you cannot make the sence perfect and what if he would also to shew the greatnesse of his power declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy that he hath prepared to glory Marke as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vpon evill men so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power and declares his glorious riches That is The riches of his mercy vpon the Saints Now as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one so it is to finde out the depth of the other to consider the height the length and bredth and depth of his mercy When a man considers his sinnes and lookes vpon them in the height of them in the bredth and depth of them when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together reaching vp to the heavens and downe againe to the bottom of hell now to beleeue that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they This is to comprehend the length and bredth depth of mercy in him Ephes. 3. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vs to doe but yet this the Lord is able to doe his mercy is able to swallow them vp and therefore you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. mercy reioyceth against Iudgement As if he should say There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit and the mercy of God though our sinnes oppose his mercy yet his mercy is greater and at length it overcomes them and reioyceth against them as a man reioyceth against an adversary that he hath subdued Therefore herein we must labour to see Gods All-sufficiencie that although our sins be exceeding great yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp But you will say to me we could beleeue this if we were qualified but all the difficultie is to beleeue it when we want those qualifications God requires softnesse of heart godly sorrow truth of repentance c. Beloved to this I answer briefly that whaâ—soever thou seest that discourageth thee that thou seest in thine owne heart when thou reflectest vpon it it is either sinne or emptinesse That is A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee If it be sinne the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp And if it be emptinesse know this that he is rich in mercy and All-sufficient able to bestow this riches even vpon nothing you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing There was nothing you know when he made the world when he made â—he Angels what was it he bestowâ—d his riches vpon And is he not able to bestow it on thee though there be an emptines in thine heart Therfore thinke with thy selfe what is the exceeding 〈◊〉 of his loue It was a great loue that moved him to give Christ to vs but after we are in Christ then you must consider this â—hat his loue hath increased to a full object his loue is fully bestowed on him and is derived from Christ to vs. 〈…〉 sinnes yea all the degrees of my sinnes to overcome them and â—ubdue them yet if the fulnesse of his loue that he loues Christ with be derived on me what neede I make question But you will say againe What needs this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving This is but to open a dore of liberty to make men more loose Beloved it is not so it is the most profitable thing yoâ— can doe for your owne soules to beleeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides therefore we see in Rom. 6. concerning the abounding of grace for so the objection stands where sinne hath aboâ—nded there grace hath abounded much more If mens sinnes be multiplied grace and mercy shall be multiplied much more and still out-goe and swallow them vp Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound or because grace hath abounded No sayth the Apostle for the abundance of grace kils sinne for so the consequence stands how shall we that are dead to sinne liâ—e any longer therein So that his answer stands thus Sayth he the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more for it kils sinne And therefore the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne the more sinne is killed in vs it is not enlarged by it life is not given to sinne by it but we are made more dead to sinne by it You will say how can that be Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes increaseth our loue and our Ioy. It increaseth our loue for when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods loue towards vs it makes our loue more perfect towards him It increaseth our joy also because when we haue a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost Now spirituall loue eates out of the heart all carnall delights all sinfull lusts and all inordinate loue vnto the creature And so likewise spirituall joy takes away
rebellion against it I say this keepes men off from the life of God But on the other side when a man lookes vpon the promises he begins to see the Couenant that his sinnes shall be put a way he beginnes to see the goodnesse and the mercy and the tender compassion of God towards him hee begins to see a possibility of fulfilling the Law in such a manner as GOD now requires then his heart melteth hee becomes not onely applyable to the Commandement but is ready to delight in it this a man gets by applying his heart to the Couenant of grace or by applying the Couenant of Grace to himselfe that very applying of the promises of forgiuenesse I say it begets a disposition in the heart which the Scriptures call a new life that euen as you see the Sunne when it applies its beames to a fitly disposed matter and stayes vpon it when it pitcheth its beames vpon it with any continuance it begins to beget life and motion in it and makes it a liuing creature so doth the Couenant of Grace when it is applyed to the heart of a man it begins to beget life in him and to make him a new creature it makes him another man there is that power in the Couenant of Grace in the promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins that it begets another life in a man it makes him a new creature it makes him a liuing creature to GOD which before he was not the ground of which you shall see 2 Cor. 3. 6. Hee hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter kills but the Spirit giues life Marke it the meaning of it is this when the Couenant of works is deliuered to you that is when you heare the Law the Commands the duty you cannot performe there is no more deliuered to you but the bare letter that is you know the duty and no more And what doth this duty doe what doe these Commandements and precepts doe when they are applyed to the heart of man Saith hee they kill Now that which kills fights before it kills and that which fights must needs be an enemy so then the Commandement is an Enemy that is euery man esteemes it as an enemie to himselfe and therefore hath an enemy-like affection to it againe that is he hates it he would be rid of it he wisheth there were no such Law or Commandement hee desires it should be dealt with as he would haue an enemy dealt with he would haue it vtterly taken away when they grow in enmity one with another as indeed they doe the naked Commandement and the heart are at enmity for the Commandement would haue one thing and the heart would haue another there are contrary wils and there is a striuing betweene them the one striuing this way the other that way the one resisting the other and in the end the Law and the Commandement gets the victory because the sting of the Law is sinne now the Law is the cause of sinne as a straight Rule is the cause of crookednesse for without the Law there should be no sin now it causeth sinne for if there were no Law you know there could bee no feare no transgression because there could bee nothing against which the transgression should come this sinne is the death of a man so now the letter kils But come now to the Couenant of Grace saith the Text it is the ministration of the Spirit and the Spirit giues life that is when a man lookes on the Couenant of Grace he lookes not on it now as an enemy as hee did before vpon the Commandement but he sees in it much loue and much friendship to wards him he sees God intends not any hurt any euill to him as he apprehended before he sees God exceeding kinde and mercifull and willing to put away all his sinnes and willing to accept the sincerity of his obedience though there be not a perfection of obedience now he begins to change his opinion both of God and of all his Lawes and precepts when he sees Gods kindnesse towards him and his compassion and readinesse to forgiue him then his heart begins to relent towards the Lord againe he begins to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to condemne himselfe he beleeues those promises and thence he growes vp in loue toward GOD I say hee growes vp in faith and loue and in this act of faith is the Spirit infused into his heart this Spirit being thus infused writes the Law in his inward paâ—ts that is it that breeds in him a holy disposition that inables him in some measure to keepe the Law it prints in him all those graces that giue him strength to obserue the Commandements that God hath given him so my beloued if a man will goe about this great worke to change his heart and to change his life let him not goe about it as a morall man that is let him not onely consider what Commandements there are what the rectitude is that the LORD requires and how to bring his heart to it but let him goe about it as a Christian that is let him beleeue the promises of pardon in the blood of Christ and the very beleeuing of those promises will be able to clense and purge the heart from dead works in that place we then named and we could doe no more but name it you shall finde it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The meaning of it is this when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification this effect will follow vpon it there will accompany it a certaine vigour a certaine vertue a certaine power and strength which will also purge his conscience from dead workes that is there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood that shall not onely forbid him and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things but it shall clense his conscience from those rootes of dead workes those corrupt lusts and sinfull affections that are in him that dispose him to that euill he shall find this power growing vpon him if hee doe but apply the blood that is if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth to you the Spirit and workes miracles amongst you doth he doe it through the workes of the Law or through the hearing of faith preached That is saith the Apostle if I should onely deliuer to you the Commandements and the Precepts and the Rules by which you ought to walke I might preach long enough to you but you should neuer haue ability to keep any of these saith he you may obserue those that preach the Law to you did
you receiue the Spirit then no but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse then you receiued the Spirit it was conueyed into your hearts Now I take it there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here in the time of the Apostles there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost that when they preached to them as Peter to Cornelius and Paul to others and laid their hands on them the Holy Ghost fell on them that is they were filled presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge they had some the gift of tongues some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit saith the Apostle when this was done was it done by the preaching of the Law was it not done by the preaching of Christ and by offering to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him Therefore you see how hee expresseth it Hee therefore that ministâ—eth the Spirit to you and workes miracles among you how doth hee worke these miracles hee doth them not by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached that is by our preaching of it and your hearing it So my beloued looke how the Sâ—iâ—it was then conueighed to men after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs so that beleeuing the promises is the way to get the heart healed when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wiâ—hall hee must not thinke that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resoluâ—ions to resist it is the way to beginne with no the way is to get assurance of pardon to get assâ—rance of Gods loue to himselfe in Christ to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe to labour to delight in God as he will when there once are â—ermes of reconciliation betweene them and when this is done his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement it will cloze with the Commandement Whereas before it resisted it and rebelled against it it will cleaue to it and loue it and delight in it and will receiue an impression from it this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. Hereby saith he we haue most gracious promises and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature that is by beleeuing the promises of pardon we are thereby made parâ—akers of the godly nature there is a renuing there is a change of the nature a man is made another nature euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission the promises of the New Couenant that offer Iesus Christ and the gift of righteousnesse through him euen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought That it is so you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made If there be a promise of pardon and of grace through Christ then belike we may liue as we list No saith the Apostle doe you but beleeue those promises of grace and the care is easie for the rest in 1 2 3. Verses What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Know you not that as maâ—y as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death The meaning is this if once you receiue Iesus Christ and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him you cannot be so baptized into him but you must be baptized into his death that is of necessity sinne must bee crucified in you you must be dead to sinne as hee was dead you cannot be baptized into him for iustification but you must be baptized likewise for mortiâ—ication of the flesh and for resurrection to newnesse of life Know you not that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ that is that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God of necessity they must also be baptized into his death Therefore saith he you are dead to sinne by being thus baptized with Christ it is impossible you should liue in in it So I say beloued hee that hath the strongest faith he that beleeues in the greatest degree the promiâ—es of pardon and remission I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life for that is the roote of it it ariseth from that roote sanctification ariseth from iustification the blood of Christ hath in it a power not onely to wash vs from the guilâ— of sinne but to cleanse and to purge vs likewise from the power and staine of sinne And therefore I say the best way to get a great degree of sanctification and of mortification of sinfull lusts the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation is to labour to grow in faith in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell for there is no other reason in the world why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life but because now there are more euident promises of pardon and forgiuenesse and reconciliation with GOD which by the Couenant of workes could not be And so much shall serue for this The fourth and maine Vse that wee are to make of this from this description of the Couenant is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation and the fulfilling of all the promises the ground of all is this Couenant My beloued it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you yea it is the maine point that the Ministers of the Gospell can deliuer at any time neither can they deliuer a point of greater moment nor can you heare any then the description of this Couenant of Grace this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts it hath beene the corner stone vpon which the Saints haue beene built from the beginning of the world vnto this day there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be saued there is no ground to beleeue that any promise of God shall be made good to you to beleeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ and those glorious Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him I say there is no other ground at all but vpon this Couenant all that wee teach you from day to day are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant they are all built vpon this therefore if euer you had cause to attend any thing you haue reason to attend to this I say this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely and distinctly this Couenant though a difficult thing it is to deliuer to you cleerely what it is and those that belong to it yet you must know it for it is the ground of all you hope for it is that that euery man is built vpon you haue no other ground but this GOD hath
would haue it by free grace and not of debt for saith hee If I should giue a Law and rules to men and promise them life vpon it when they had performed the worke they would challenge it of debt no saith the LORD it is an inheritance I doe not vse to deale with my children as men doe with their seruants that I should giue them worke to doe and when they haue done it I should giue them wages then they would come and challenge it a my hands by way of debt no saith the Lord this is an inheritance and you are my sonnes and you shall haue it giuen you freely and giuen you as it becomes a Father to giue it so you shall take it therefore that it might bee of free grace and not of debt therefore it is by faith and not by workes And that is added likewise if it had beene by workes men would haue beene ready to boast and haue said I haue done this I am able to keepe the Law therefore the promise of eternall life shall bee made good to mee I shall receiue it as wages men would boast in themselues No saith the LORD no creature shall boast in it selfe for that puts euery man further from the LORD the more a man reioyceth in himselfe the more he stands vpon his owne bottome the more he is diuorsed from GOD and separated from him but saith he he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the LORD for that fits a man for the LORD and therefore I will haue it by faith it shall not bee by workes So beloued you see now what is the Condition Surely looke how Abraham was made partaker of the Couenant so euery one of vs must bee Abraham was made partaker of it by saith so shall euery man be made partaker of it by faith and no otherwise Abraham beleeued God when hee had a promise and because he beleeued him not that particular act of faith but that grace of faith whereby he beleeued this and the other promises of the Messiah was counted to him for righteousnesse and so for this cause because wee beleeue the promises and the Couenant of Grace therefore the LORD accepts vs and accounts vs righteous and because this seemes strange to the sonnes of men therefore we see with how much adoe Paul labours to make it good what strong obiections were against it in all times I haue shewed the reason Now when you reade Rom. 3. 4. and Gal. 3. 4. you may know the better the meaning of those places Well so you see the Couenant secondly you see the Condition now you heare that there is such a Couenant as this The third thing is the confirmation of the Couenant when a man heares that GOD will vouchsafe so much fauour vnto mankinde a man is ready to say as Gedion did alas my family is poore in Manasses I am the least in all my Fathers house And who am I that I should be raised vp hitherto that such a promise as this should be made to mee that I should goe and saue Israel c. I say after the same manner a man might bee ready to obiect Alas what are wee the sonnes of men that the great GOD of Heauen and Earth should enter into such a Couenant with vs that he should make vs such promises as these that he should make vs heyres of the World that hee should blesse vs in that manner to make vs sonnes to make vs Kings and Priests Saith the LORD I confesse it is a Couenant that needes confirmation therefore the LORD hath confirmed it all these wayes the LORD hath confirmed it first by his promise saith he you haue my sure word for it if that bee not enough I will confirme it by an Oath and because he had no greater to sweare by he saith by my selfe haue I sworne that I will make it good this is not enough but he confirmes it by the blood of Christ himselfe the Mediator shall come and confirme this Testament and when the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator there is no more altering of that saith hee Gal. 3. A mans Testament no man changeth after once it is confirmed and when the Testator is dead Heb. 9. then the Testament is confirmed so it is confirmed by the blood by the death of the Testator This is not enough but hee hath added seales vnto it hee hath confirmed it likewise by them saith hee I will adde the seale of Circumcision and of the Passeouer For Circumcision saith the LORD Goe and circumcise your selues and when I see the Circumcision I will remember my Couenant and make it good to you that as hee said of the Bow he set the Bow in the Cloud saith hee I will make my Couenant that I will neuer destroy the Earth againe with raine this Bow shall be the witnesse of the Couenant and when I looke vpon it I will remember my Couenant after this manner are the signes and seales of the Couenant saith he Circumcise your selues and when I see that I will remember my Couenant and will spare you and I will make good to you all the promises of it So likewise the Passeouer saith hee See that â—ou keepe it take the Lambe and sprinkle the blood c. Saith he when I see it I will remember my Couenant Where beloued this is to be obserued that these signes or seales of the Couenant not onely confirme the promises on our part but they signifie that faith that condition which is required on our part for when the LORD comes and lookes into his Church and sees a great company in it sees his House full and he comes and askes What doe you in my House What doe a number of those that professe themselues to be within the compasse of the Couenant there Their answer is LORD we beleeue wee are among those that keepe the Condition If you beleeue where is your Circumcision It may be you haue that outward Circumcision in the flesh but where is the Circumcision of the heart for if you did beleeue indeede it would worke a change in the heart as faith I told you that is indeede a liuely faith workes a chaâ—ge it câ—ts off sinfull lusts it makes a man deny himselfe and cleaue to God and serue him with a perfect heart So againe after that manner doth the second signe of the Couenant which is the Passeouer when the LORD shall aske Doe you beleeue Yes heere is the sprinkling of the blood of the Lambe But where is the true sprinkling vpon the heart and conscience heere is the outward Passeouer the outward profession you come and take the signe and the seale but where is the inward sprinkling Therefore you see what was required in the Passeouer saith hee when you eate the Lambe c. haue you tasted of the sweet of the Lambe haue you euer tasted of the sweetnesse that is in Iesus Christ so that you can loue
but the King for 30. dayes he should be put to death yet he trusted in God he thought him to be All-sufficient able to keepe him and therefore he stepped not out of his way And so Paul when he saw that Festus thought to haue had money give him yet doubtles in those circumstances he thought it not lawfull to doe it therefore he trusted in God though no doubt he might haue made friends to haue gathered the money It is likely Festus thought there was a probailitie for it because he hoped for it but Paul would not doe it because he thought the Lord was able to deliver him But on the other side Ieroboam when he had a businesse to doe you know what course he tooke he joynes them together he addes to Religion he corrupts it that he might keepe his Kingdome And so Saul But I need not giue you Instances I say the cause of all indirect waies we take to bring our enterprises to passe it comes from hence that we trust not in God we thinke him not to be All-sufficient not able to doe it except we helpe him with wyles and tricks and devises of our owne What is the reason of that lying and dissembling that is vsed likwise for the same purpose Is it not from hence that men apprehend not God to be All-sufficient Peter when he denied Christ was it not from feare And from whence was that feare but because he reckoned not God to be a Buckler strong enough and sure enough And so Sarah when shee denied that shee laughed sayth the Text for shee was afraid and therefore shee sayd no I did not laugh when shee did and was charged for doing of it I might giue you many other Instances but I shall not need Goe through all varieties of sinnes and you shall see they arise hence that we reckon not God to be All-sufficient The satisfying of sinfull lusts doth it not arise from hence He that is given to any pleasure to any delight of what kinde soever if he did beleeue those two things that the Lord is able to fulfill him with joy and comfort sufficient that the Lord is able to mortifie those lusts and to heale theÌ„ in him he would keepe close to him would not goe out from him for he need not the Lord is All-sufficient That is He is able to satisfie him he is able to fill him with ioy and peace through beleeving which should be enough to satisfie his heart with contentment he is able likewise to mortifie that lust so that as he is forbidden the satisfying of it so likewise he should haue no such prevailing desire to it And therefore Beloved the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God for that is the thing for which I presse all this for which I bring all these instances it is to come to this to set downe this conclusion with our selues that he is All-suffi-cient No man is ever fit to serue him without this except a man be content to haue God alone for his portion if he will joyne any thing with him if he will joyne God and credit together God and riches together God and pleasures together he will never keepe close to him for one time or other there will fall out a separation between God and these things and whosoever doth not resolue thus with himselfe I will be content with God alone though he strip me of all things in the world I say he will never keepe close to the Lord but his wayes will be vneven towards him The young man in the Gospell would never haue gone away sad if he had thought God had beene All-sufficient but he thought when his riches were taken away that some what was taken from him that belonged to his happpines that he could not haue beene to well without it Againe Abraham on the other side would never haue beene willing to haue offred Isack if he had not thought that God was All-sufficient as we see Heb. 11. 19. It is sayd there that though I sack were the sonne of the promise yet he willingly offred him why sor he thought God was able to raise him from the dead againe from whence he also after a sort received him As he received him from Sarahs dead wombe so he thought he might be raysed againe from the dead ashes What was the reason that Paul served the Lord with a perfect heart You see in 1 Tim. 4. 10. that he trusted in God and therefore saith he we labour and suffer rebuke those are the two parts of new obedience to doe and to suffer and therefore saith he we doe it because we trust in the living God that is We trust in him for all things I beleeue him to be Almightie and All-sufficient every way both to defend me from all evill and also to provide all good things for me and therefore I serue him and labour in his service and suffer rebuke What was the reason on the other side that Demas turned from the Lord was it not because he thought there was not enough in him and therefore saith the Text he imbraced this present world and therefore Beloved the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God is to consider well the great power of God and the great goodnes of God for in these two his All-sufficiencie to wards vs consists consider his mightâ—â— power and say thus with thy selfe he is able to doe all things for me consider withall the greatnesse of his goodnesse and mercy and say he is my father he is willing to doe all things for me Indeed that conclusion we should set downe with our selues if any thing be not done if we want any thing if any crosse lie vpon vs at any time to be readie to say this is not because the Lord cannot doe it for he is Almightie Againe it is not because the Lord will not doe it for he is as infinite in loue to me as he is in power What is the reason of it then because it is not best for me So should every man say if there be any want if there be any crosse it is best for me It is better for thee it may be to be in a low estate than to be in a high it is better for thee to be pinched with povertie than to liue in abundance it is better for thee to lie vnder temptation though it be a great vexation to thee for the present then to be freed from it it is better for thee it may be to haue meane gifts than to haue high gifts it is better for thee to be in a low place than to be in eminent place it is better for thee to be crossed in thy name in thy estate it is better for thee to be sicke in bodie it is better for thee to be troubled sometime in minde than to be freed from it Beloved this we must come to and yet we must thinke the Lord to be All-sufficient
he hath enough he doth it not as if he needed any thing for he is All-sufficient And so like wise in Psal. 50. sayth the Lord there If I be hungry I will not tell thee That is To shew how little neede he hath of Sacrifices how little regard he had them when they were brought in and how little he was moved when they fayled in it For sayth he all are mine the sheepe vpon a thousand mountaines are mine If I be hungry I will not tell thee That is I may satisfie my selfe I doe but apply it by way of allusion if I would haue Sacrifice in abundance might I not haue it If I were hungry after them who could keepe them from me We may say the same of the obedience of his children If he were hungry That is If he were desirous of perfect and absolute obedience could he not haue it Hath he not spirit enough Hath he not grace enough to put into their hearts that he might reape the full fruits of righteousnesse And therefore I say in regard of Gods All-sufficiencie he needs it not and if he need it not he will be content with a more imperfect measure of it since he is no looser by it This is to perswade our hearts more fully of that truth which wee assent vnto with some difficultie for we are something discouraged with the imperfections of our obedience whose faith is not weakned by it who comes not more vnchearfully before God because of it Now if that feare were taken away we would draw neere more boldly We see what Iob sayth in this case Iob 35. 6. 7. If thou sinnest what dost thou against him yea when thy sinnes are many what dost thou to him If thou be righteous what givest thou to him or what receiues he at thy hands Marke you know sinne and righteousnesse are the two pathes that we walke in those are all that trouble vs the sinnes that we commit and the defects of our righteousnesse Sayth he if thou sinne what is that to him It doth him no hurt Againe if thou fayle in thy righteousnesse or in thy performances it is all one that way for it reacheth not to him because he is blessed for ever he hath all sufficiencie in himselfe and therefore he pleaseth so to administer the world and so to guide the hearts of his children and to dispense to them but such a measure of grace to leaue sinfull lusts in them in such a measure vnmortified because himselfe is neither a gainer nor a looser therefore let not your faith be weakned at this his administration of things let not carnall feares possesse your hearts to keepe you off from comming with boldnesse to him since he is All-sufficient since he needs not your righteousnesse he can be without it Moreover This we may draw further from it if God be thus All-sufficient that what we doe comes not neere him then all the Commandements that God giues to the sonnes of men are for their good and not for his profit Marke that that should breede in vs a great willingnesse to keepe his CoÌ„mandements and a great chearefulnesse to performe them when we vnderstand that it is for our owne good When a servant knowes that all is for his owne good that he doth he will goe about all the businesse his Maister imployeth him in with more chearefulnesse because he loues himselfe this is a principle God hath put into nature Now if God be All-sufficient then he commands nothing for his owne benefit in any thing no not in that in which he seemes most to doe it The Sabbath that he hath taken for himselfe and hath called it his day Some may aske is not that for his owne sake No God sayth the Sabbath is made for man As if he should say If it had beene made for mine owne sake I would haue taken more then one day from you But I haue given it for your sake I made it for man for man could not be without it he could not be religious without it his heart could not keepe neere to God without it it would soone be estranged from him it would be over-growne with weeds if it were not looked to ever and anon he would soone be defectiue in his knowledge he would soone forget the purposes that he takes to himselfe therefore the Sabbath is made for man That is Oâ—e day wherein the Lord commands him to set aside all other busines and to intend his service And that which is said of the Sabbath may be said of all other Commandements for he is All-sufficient He bids a man deny himselfe and take vp his crosse Is it for him No my Beloved it is for our selues and therefore when a man denies himselfe in his profit in his credit when he denies himselfe in the satisfying of his lusts all this is for his owne profit as you haue it clearely set downe in Esay 48. 17. I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit therefore hearken to my Commandements As if he should say It is for thy profit that I command thee and not for my owne therefore let that cause thee the more willingly to doe it And so that is often repeated in Deut. the Commandements that I haue given thee for thy wealth for thy good Beloved all the Commandements of Sathan are for our hurt we doe him service as bond-slaues serue their Maisters not for their owne profit but for their Maisters But all the service we doe to God is for our wealth for he is All-sufficient Last of all If God be All-sufficient then when you performe any thing doe not thinke that you giue any thing to the Lord and so looke for recompence there is that secret Popery in every mans heart that he thinkes when he hath done any speciall service to be rewarded for it Indeede if thou wouldst do God a good turne thou mights looke for somewhat againe at his hands but it is done to him that is sufficient and how can you doe him a good turne how can you giue to him Marke It is the ground which the Apostle layeth Rom. 11. 34. Who hath given to him and it shall be recompenced to him He that is capable of no gift there can be nothing done to him to premerit any thing For he is All-sufficient there can be no addition made to him and sayth he dost thou looke for any recompence What doest thou else but giue to him of his owne Shall a man merit in giving to the Lord the fruits of his owne Vineyard the Apples of his owne Orchard When as all the graces we haue are but as streames springing from that fountaine that he hath put into vs therefore when thou hast done thy best say within thy selfe vnto thine owne heart I am but an vnprofitable servant I can looke for nothing for all this for he is All-sufficient and needs it not I haue done him no good
the vigor of all carnall joy and sinfull delight So the more you see this All-sufficiencie of God towards you in loue the more you are able to beleeue it and the more it kils sinne in you the more it sanctifies you and the more it drawes you to God Therefore this is to be considered to helpe vs against this objection that there is a double feare the one is that which keepes vs from comming to God The other is a feare that keepes vs from going out from God Wee are very apt to exceede in the first feare And to come short in the second Now the feare that keepes vs from comming in to God is a feare that he is a feare that he is not readie to forgiue that he is not All-sufficient that he hath not power enough of mercy to forgiue our sinnes and to heale our infirmities this makes a man tumorous and fearefull as a man is fearefull to come neere a Iudge to come neere one that is terrible Now the more this feare is taken away the neerer we come the neerer we draw in assurance of faith to him On the other side there is a feare that keepes vs off from going out from Gâ—d and that is the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie the more we beleeue that happinesse is in him the more we beleeue the riches of his mercy and the abundance of his goodnesse the more we feare to steppe out from him to haue our hearts estranged from him to haue our hearts sit loose Now the more we can beleeue this All-sufficiencie the more it takes away the first feare and increaseth the second it takes away the feare that keepes vs from comming in to God and it increaseth the feare that keepes vs from going out from God So much shall serue for this first the All-sufficiencie of God in forgiuing sinne The second part of the Covenant is his All-sufficiency in healing our sinnes or in sanctisying vs as you haue it in Psal. 103. That forgiues all our sinnes and heales all our infirmities This belongeth also to his All-sufficiencie This my Beloved is a necessary poynt to beleeue It serues likewise to bring vs in to the Lord for a man is readie to make this objection when he lookes vpon Gods wayes the wayes of righteousnesse and then vpon the strength of his lusts he is ready to say with himselfe how shall I be able to leade a holy life as I ought to doe This is the answer to it God is All-sufficient He that is able to bid the light shine out of darknesse sayth the Apostle he is able to kindle a light in thy darke heart where there is not a jot of goodnesse though thy heart be never so averse he is able to change that heart of thine and therefore say not I shall never be able to doe it for he is able to take away all that reluctancy For hence comes the difficultie how shall the strength of my lusts this crooked and perverse heart of mine and the straight wayes of God stand together It is very true Is thy heart continue in that temper it is impossible but the Lord that is All-sufficient is able to take away that reluctancie for he doth in the worke of grace as he doth in the worke of nature he doth not as we doe when we would haue an Arrow goe to the marke when we throw a stone vpward we are not able to change the nature of it but we put it on by force God carries all things to their end by giving them a nature suitable to that end An Archer makes an impression vpon an Arrow but it is a violent impression God carries every thing to that end to which he hath appoynted it but with this difference he makes not a violent impression but a naturall impression therefore he doth it not by an onely immediate hand of his owne as we doe but he causeth the Creature to goe on of it selfe to this or to that purpose to this or that end And so he doth in the worke of grace he doth not carry a man on to the wayes of righteousnesse leaving him in the state of nature taking him as he is but he takes away that heart of his and imprints the habits of grace in it and he changeth a mans heart so that he is carried willingly to the wayes of God as the creature is carried by a naturall instinct to its owne place or to the thing it desires So that thou mayst thinke thus with thy selfe It is true if I haue my old heart my old lusts still there must needs be such a reluctancy as I shall not be able to overcome but if the Lord change this heart of mine and take away these lusts if the Lord put another imprâ—ssion vâ—on on me that is naturall to me which is like that instinct he putteth into the creature then it is easie for me to doe it And this the Lord out of his All-sufficiencie is able to doe But you will be readie to object if the Lord be thus All-sufficient if he be able thus to kindle light in the darke heart to change a mans crooked and perverse spirit to implant and ingraft such naturall habits and instincts into it to carry it on with such facilitie and connaturalnesse to the wayes of his Commandements why am I thus why am I no more able to overcome my sinnes why doe I fall backe so often to the same sinne why doe I come short of the performance of such purposes and desires why doe I finde so many things in my life contrary to the Rules of Sanctification and so contrary to this All-sufficient power of God To this I answer First It may be it is from hence that thou observest not those Rules by which God communicates this All-sufficiency and this power of his What though the Lord be willing to communicate it yet there are some Rules to be observed which himselfe hath given That is Thou must diligently attend vpon his ordinances thou must observe and keepe them thou must be carefull to abstaine from the occasions he bids thee abstaine from if thou sayle in either of these he hath made thee no promise to helpe thee with his All-sufficiencie Sampson as long as the Lord was with him you know had great strength you know the Lord tels him so long as he nourished his hayre so long he would be with him which was but a symboll of Gods presence but it was such a thing as he would haue him to keepe exactly and if he did not keepe that he would withdraw his presence and would not be with him So likewise the Nazarites were commanded to abstaine from drinking wine if they dranke wine the Lord would withdraw himselfe And so it is in this case the Lord hath appointed vs to keepe his ordinances and so long he will be with vs as he was with Sampson to be All-sufficient
perfect heart And you shall finde this very Storie that I haue now named brought in as an euidence that his heart was not sound that his faith had not a perfect worke so farre his faith went thus far he did by vertue of that faith that he had but a perfect worke his faith had not Another example is in Rehoboam 2 Chron. 11. When the Kingdome was diuided and giuen to Ieroboam and the tenne Tribes had made that defection from Rehoboam hee gathered together ninescore thousand fighting men to goe vp against Israel but saith the Text the Word of the Lord came to Shemaiah a man of God saying Speake to Rehoboam the sonne of salomon King of Iudah and to all Israel and Iudah and Beniamin saying Thus saith the Lord You shall not goe vp to fight against your brethren returne euery man to his house for this thing is done by mee They obeyed therefore the Word of the Lord and returned from going against Ieroboam You see heere a very great worke of faith that caused him to giue ouer to sit downe to be content to lose so great a part of his Kingdome and to looke no more after it that when hee had an Armie ready of valiant men yet hee was conteut to sit downe though he were a man that was not sound-hearted yet faith had thus farre a worke in him and not onely for this time but for three yeeres after hee cleaued to the Lord and serued him in all things and yet for all this it had not its perfect worke it carried him not through for afterwards he departed from the Lord. Beloued this is a signe of an vnsound heart when faith shall goe so farre when it shall inable a man to doe many things and yet for all this it hath not its perfect work Wee see the contrary in Abraham Rom. 4. 19. when he was put to it when God had made him a promise that he should be the Father of many Nations saith the Text he was not weake in the faith The meaning is he was not vnsound but was perfect in the faith What did he doe How did that appeare Saith hee hee went through when the Lord came with such a promise hee considered not his owne body that was dead for hee was a hundred yeeres old nor he considered not the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe but saith he he beleeâ—ned that he was able that had promised This is giuen as an euidence of the truth of his faith he made not a stand in such a difficult case for he was not vnsound but hee was perfect in the faith So likewise when he came to offer his sonne here in the perfection of his faith was seene And beloued by this you may know whether your hearts be right if you suffer euery grace to haue its perfect worke when your faith doth not picke and choose and take heere a promise and leaue there another here to beleeue a threatning another not to beleeue here to take hold on a Commandement to beleeue that this is the will of GOD in another case not to beleeue for so doing is a signe of an vnsound heart If you obiect But faith many times hath not a perfect worke in the Saints as Moses at the waters of strife saith the Text hee fayled through vnbeliâ—fe and againe Dauid when hee fled from Saul to Achis we see his faith there had not its perfect worke so likewise Peter when the waues beganne to arise to swell and hee beganne to sinke his faith had not a perfect worke To this I answer that faith may haue a perfect worke that is there may be an aptnesse in it that ordinarily it goes through the worke â—hough by some accident it may be hindred for marke the faith of those wee see Dauid though he fayled at this time yet at other times he did not no more did Moses nor Peter which is an argument that it rose not from vnsoundnesse from hollownesse of the grace or of their hearts but from some interueniall impediment some passion as it was a passion in Moses he was distempered and so it was a feare a mist that was cast before the eyes of Peter at that time Now you know a man may bee said to haue a perfect eye and yet for all that in a mist he may not be able to see as at other times and a man may be said to haue a perfect hand and yet a fit of a Palsie may make it shake and make it vâ—fit for any thing so a man may haue a perfect taste able to distinguish one thing from another yet when hee is in an Ague in such a fit he takes things amisse things that are wholsome seeme bitter to him so in the graces of the Spirit there may be sometimes much impâ—rfection admitted when a man is in the mist when he is in the fit when some distemper some passion or affection hath ouercast and ouerclouded the soule as it were and possessed he pallate these may be defects and yet the grace may be perfect But you shall know it by this ordinarily it is not so it is but by accident and therefore it comes to passe but now and then And as we say of the grace of faith so to giue you another instance truth or the knowledge of truth this great grace if the heart be sound will haue a perfect worke it will goe through it will not make a stand heere and there as it doth in those that are vnsound as you see Rom. 1. 18. it is giuen there as a signe of an vnrighteous man when they withold the truth in vnrighteousnes that is when the truth is not suffered to haue a perfect worke when there is truth and they suffer it perhaps to informe their vnderstandings but they suffer it to goe no further when they suffer it not to walke abroad into all the corners of the soule into all the inward roomes of it or if they doe that yet they suffer it not to come into the outward Courts of their conuersation it is a signe that this grace hath not a perfect worke but is restrained and such an expression you shall finde 2 Pet. 3. 5. This they willingly know not marke that the heaueâ—s were of old c. Hee speakes there of certaine Atheists that were mockers and despisers that were ready to say Where is the promise of his comming doe not all things continue alike since the time of the Fathers The Apostle answers them thus saith he they haue truth in them there is light enough GOD hath borne witnesse to himselfe in their owne consciences there are many things that they might obiect against these temptations of Atheisme but saith he they willingly will not know them that is they will not take them into consideration as if hee should say their will because they will not be troubled because they will liue loosely it suffers them not to vnderstand and to enquire
euery mans conscience and therefore when the people then desired a Mediator that might speake and that GOD might speake no more another thing was signified by it that no man is able to come to God by yeelding obedience to the Law but he must needs haue a Mediator to goe between GOD and him The other obiection is from the Ceremonies of the Law they were ready to say We haue a Priest we haue Sacrifices we haue diuers washings and Rites c wee were wont to bee saued by them why may we not so still The answer to it is That these were but the oldnesse of the letter for indeed all these did but cloathe the Couenant of Grace the Couenant of Grace was deliuered to the Iewes the Ceremonies did indeede but set it out they were but types and shaddowes by which it was expressed to the Iewes the Iewes by reason of their ignorance were not able to see the body for the clothes they were not able to see the signification of the Spirit for the letter they were not able to see the sword for the sheath the kernell for the shell that is they could not see Christ himselfe the inward promises but stucke in the outward barke and rinde of Ceremonies in the shell of them and so they became vnprofitable but indeed those Rites did nothing but cloathe the Couenant of Grace and set it forth to them So much shall serue for the dispatching of those fiue things Now hence you see how those difficulties may bee answered that I mentioned before For example it is said the promise is made to the seede yet the promise is made to vs and yet againe the Couenant is made with Abraham How can all these stand together The promises that are made to the seede that is to Christ himselfe those are these promises Thou shalt bee a Priest for euer and I will giue thee the Kingdome of Dauid thou shalt sit in that Throne thou shalt be a Prince of peace and the gouernment shall be vpon thy shoulder likewise thou shalt bee a Prophet to my people thou shalt open the prison to the Captiâ—e thou shalt be anoynted c. and then shalt goe and preach to them These are the promises that are made vnto the seede The promises that are made to vs though they bee of the same Couenant yet they differ in this the actiue part is committed to the Messiah to the seede it selfe but the passiue part those are the promises that belong to vs You shall bee taught you shall bee made Prophets likewise you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen you shall haue the effect of his Priesthood made good vnto you you shall be subiect to his gouernment by an inherent righteousnes that he shall worke in you for you shall bee made Kings So the promise is made to vs. How is the promise made to Abraham for it is said In thee all the Nations of the Earth shall bee blessed The meaning of this is they are deriuatiue promises the primitiue and Originall was made to Iesus Christ but why is it said then that in Abraham all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed the meaning of it is this there was none that was euer partaker of these promises but the children of Abraham and therefore they were deriued from Abraham to all the men in the world besides that euer haue beene since Now what is it to be a childe of Abraham not to be borne of Abraham according to the flesh but to be like Abraham you are the children of the Deuill Why You are like him So that all that haue faith are the children of Abraham but more is meant then that I say all that doe partake of this promised Messiah are deriued from Abraham either deriued from him or grafted into him one of these two all that were saued before the comming of Christ were either such as descended from him or were ingrafted into the same Nation But what doe you say of the Gentiles that are now come in How doe they receiue from Abraham How can it be said in Abraham shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed Beloued you know it is said Rom. 11. that the naturall branches were broken off and the wilde Oliue is ingrafted in that is the reason likewise why the Law comes from Sion the Lord will haue the Gentiles to bee ingrafted into the stocke as it were he will haue the Law to proceede from Ierusalem he will haue them put into that Famely as the proselytes and so were all Nations for they receiued it from Ierusalem for they had the Oracles of God committed to them all the Nations in the world receiued them from them they drew that sap of knowledge from them so that they were grafted in thus all the Nations in the world were blessed in Abraham and Abraham was blessed in the seede it selfe But yet one obiection is behinde that is how comes this to passe that to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to walke in the wayes of the LORD in the way of regeneration should be a part of the Couenant on our part you shall repent and beleeue and be renewed and then you shall be forgiuen c. you shall haue the Kingdome and yet for all this you see it is a paâ—t of the Couenant on Gods part saith the LORD I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. I will giue you c. there is an expression of the Couenant and yet it is a condition that is required on our part Beloued to this I answer briefly the condition that is required of vs as part of the Couenant is the doing of this the action the performance of these things it is to repent to serue the LORD in newnesse of life but the ability by which we are able to performe these is a part of the Couenant on the LORDS paâ—t to haue new heaâ—tâ— and new spirits whereby we are able to repeâ—t and to bring forth fruite worthy of amendment of life I say the inward abilâ—ty the change of the heart the renewing of vs in thâ— spirâ—t of our mindes the wrâ—ting of the Law in the inward paâ—ts that is a branch of Gods Couenant but the doing of this the bringing forth the fruite of these inward abilities of these inward habits and graces that are planted in vs by the power of Christ that thing is required in vs. As for example the very habit of faith the very grace and power of beleeuing that God hath promised to giue it belongs to him but to beleeue to take the promises to accept of Iesus Christ and to receiue him and the gift of righteousnesse by him this is required as a condition on our part And so much shall serue for the opening of this and for this point The next question wee had to propound to you was this How a man should know whether he be within
please the Lâ—â—d in all things for it is as a feast to them when Christ leads them into his Sellar as it were and makes a mans heart glad with Flaggons of Wine that is with the consolations of the Spirit I say it quickens him and makes him zealous and ready to euery good worke when he hath once tasted of this Wine his case is like Elihuds he cannot hold in but hee must breake forth into good workes into holinesse of life A man walkes in the strength of such a testimony of the Spirit for many dayes for so many yeeres so farre it is from making a man remisse in the wayes of God Fourthly that which accompanies it is peace and Ioy Rom. 15. 13. the Apostle prayes that they may be filled with peace and iâ—y through beleeâ—iâ—g as if he should say if you beleeue once indeed ioy will follow and therefore you know it is called the ioy of the Holy Ghost that is when once a man receiues this witnesse of the Spirit there followes a wondrous quiet and peaceablenesse and calmenesse in the heart Beloued it is with euery sonne of Adam as it was with Adam when he had lost the Image of GOD there followed troubâ—e and horrour in his conscience till that Image was recouered his heart was neuer fully at peace but as soone as that was recouered the heart recouers the former ioy that Adam had that former quiet and peace and comfort that Adam had in that innocency hee hath it in a measure So when the LORD returnes againe to a mans spirit that it is his returning and no delusion I say there ariseth a certaine peace in the soule and a ioy that no worldly man euer tasted of that they neuer vnderstood nor knew the meaning of a certaine peace and ioy that goes beyond all worldly ioy whatsoeuer that which Daâ—id called the sâ—ining of Gods countenance Psal. 4. and beloued one good looke of God is worth more then all the wealth in the world yea then the very corporall presence of Iâ—SVS CHRIST and therefore CHRIST tels his Disciples that they should be great gainers by losing of him for saith hee you shall get this by it I will send the Comforter the Holy Ghost and hee shall fill you with peace and ioy and this shall bee much better for you then if I should bee with you still it is better beloued that Christ should dwell in our hearts then in our houses it is better the LORD should be with vs with his spirituall comforts then with his corporall presence and this comfort I say euery man receiues as soone as hee receiues the Spirit hee receiues peace that passâ—th all vnderstanding But now in the fift place when a 〈◊〉 hath receiued this ioy and this peace wheâ— hâ— iâ— lift vp into the third heauen as it were What followes vpon this Will he be lift vp and puffed vp with all this Oh no it is impossible and therefore in the fift place this accompanies it there followes an exceeding great humility a man is neuer so humble as after hee hath receiued the spirit of promise beloued it is very exceeding certaine that no men in the world are so vile in their owne eyes as those to whom the Holy Ghost hath borne this witnesse there is a place for it that puts this out of all doubt Ezek. 36. 31. when the Lord saith he will powre out his Spirit on them and giue them a new heart and a new spirit then saith he then at that time when you haue receiued the spirit of Adoption and I haue made my Coâ—eâ—ant with you then you shall consider your owne deedes that were not good and you shall acknowledge your selues worthy to be destroyed for your iniqâ—ities and traâ—sgressions the new Translation is 〈◊〉 shall loath yâ—â—r selâ—es that is a man shall bee exceeding vile in his owne eyes Beloued presumption alwayes puffes vp a man it brings him into better conceipt with himselfe but this puts him quite out of conceipt with himselfe the neerer the LOâ—D drawes to any man the more rottennesse he findes in his bones as wee see when the Lord came neere vnto Ioâ— then he abhorred himselfe in dust and ashes because the Lord comes alwayes with a bright light as the Sunne doth that shewes to a man the corrâ—ptions that be in him that he neuer saw before that he wonders at himselfe that hee hath liued so long with himselfe and yet knowes himselfe no better this is the caâ—e of eâ—ery man when the LORD comes home to him it humblâ—th him exceedingly and therefore consider whether thou bee thus vile in thine owne eyes whether the spirit of humility haue gone together with it And last of all to end this point this will follow vpon it though it bee a negatiue those that haue the spirit of Adoption they neuer receiue the spirit of bondage againe Rom. 8. 16. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare as if he shâ—uld say this is the condition of all the Saints you haue tasâ—â—d of it that is the common condition and thaâ— you must looke for and saith hee this testimony you haue for it is the Apostles scope to giue them a testimony of their good estate that they were within the Coâ—â—nant that they were vnder grace saith he by this you shall know it you haue not receiued the spirit of bondage agâ—ine as if he should say should you euer receiue the spirit of bondage againe you were not vnder grace for it is impossible So likewise you see an excellent place for this Gal. 3. 25. Wherefore the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ that wee might bee made righteous by faith But after faith coâ—es we are no longer vnder a Schoolemaster There is no man comes to Christ but the spirit of bondage is first a Schoolemaster to bring him that is the Law must set him hard taskes that hee is not able to perforâ—e and then he sues to Christ as a weake Scholler doth to a Schoolemaster and desires him to performe it for him this brings him to Christ but saith hee when you are once come to Christ when faith comes wee are no more vnder a Schoolemaster a man neuer comes vnder the Law againe But you will obiect Was it not Iobs case did not the Lord write bitter things against him and he was a iust man and one that feared God Was it not Dauids case was not his bones broken as hee complaines after the committing of the sinne of adultery Doe not many finde by experience that GOD hath wounded them sometimes with the wounds of an enemie and hath seemed to cast them off euen after they haue receiued the spirit of Adoption Beloued to this I answer it is very true there are some awakings that a man may haue a man may be put into a great feare after he hath receiued the spirit of Adoption he may tremble exceedingly at the wrath of