manifestations of the love goodness power of God c. So long as these remain they adhere to the promise but so soon as these are a little decayed or the sense of them withdrawn they are off the hinges and cannot adhere to the Promise any longer so that it is but now and then rarely when and whilst affections are up that these rest on the Promise they are five times more off than on they live ten days in unbelief for one of faith Some others will adhere it may bee though they finde none of these to the Promise for a little moment and then they look that the thing for which they cleave to this promise should instantly bee theirs but finding the contrary they faint and give over adhering both these are hereby distinguished from living by faith 2 Quietly i. e. It rests upon the Promises without murmuring or repining though the thing promised be delayed and every day it is looking for and desiring the coming thereof O when will it come yet it is quiet it doth not speak evil of God nor of the Promise though it thinks long every day to have the Promise fulfilled yet doth it not think it too long though the fulfilling thereof bee delayed for a good time but contents it self herewith I have a promise though when or how I shall have it fulfilled I know not when God will give this do this or how I know not only here I have a promise this I adhere to Yea sometimes the soul may say Whither God will give this to me I do not certainly know only here is a promise and I have no reason to think the contrary and therefore I will wait upon him let him do what seemeth him good Lament 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. This Habakkuks Vision teacheth us chap. 2.4 Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him hut the just shall live by his faith He whose heart is lifted up swolne with pride and impatience cannot bear Gods delay but the life of faith teacheth quietness under this Now this distinguisheth living by faith from that impatient waiting of many souls accompanied with murmuring and repining if the promise be delayed which was the fault of that wicked King 2 King 6 33. And he said behold this evil is of the Lord what should I wait for the Lord any longer Of Rachel though a godly woman Gen. 30.1 When Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no Children Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob Give me children or else I dye And of Israel for forty years together whilst they were in the Wilderness if they wanted any thing Bread Flesh Water presently they murmured which murmuring of theirs is described wherein it lay Psal 78. vers 17. to 23. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God they said can God furnish a table in the Wilderness vers 21. therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his Salvation And we are bid beware of it 1 Cor. 10. vers 1 2 c. 3. Orderly it rests and relies on Gods Promise in Gods way using means those means which he hath appointed it should wait in the use of as Hearing Reading Prayer Meditation Christian Society c. Isaac had a promise he should have seed and yet seeks God for his wife wait but wait orderly The Spouse in Canticles Chapters third and fifth when her Beloved twice had with-drawn himself and was gone she waits for him but in an orderly way she doth not lye still sleeping and slugging upon her bed and say Well my beloved is gone for the present but he will come again but up she gets her and about the streets she goes and enquires of every one she meets with Saw you him whom my soul loveth shee runs to the Watch-men O! saw you him whom my soul loveth from them to the Daughters of Jerusalem O! saw you him whom my soul loveth thus she waits yet is active using means Now this distinguisheth living by faith 1 From a careless waiting and resting upon the promise as to say Well God hath promised such a thing it matters not what I do God will fulfill his own promise and so neglects and throws away all means and Ordinances this is not living by faith but a carnal presumptuous and secure frame of spirit 2 From a disorderly waiting a waiting upon God for a mercy but a going out of Gods way to obtain it by following some way of my own or anothers invention which is not Gods Saul was twice in this and it cost him dear once when he offered a Burnt-offering 1 Sam. 13. and when he went to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28. As in living by faith I must rest on the promise so in Gods way or my resting is nothing 2 The second thing in living by faith is the ground of faith A man stands as hee hath his footing so faith I shall here shew in order to the other 1 VVhat is not the ground of faith 2 VVhat is Q. What is not the ground of faith A. 1. Not duties Some beleeve that God loves them because of such and such things done by them this is not the ground of faith in living by faith 2 Not affections Some others though they will not ground faith upon a bare duty done yet if they have had affections therein they will ground their faith upon those or these and the duty put together Many a poor soul thinks this duty is accepted this prayer shall be answered ask the reason they can give no other but their hearts have been warmed affections up therein they wept much c. and sure such a duty cannot but speed and hence poor souls when they finde as mostly it proves so their great expectations of this duty come to just nothing they are ready to cast off not only their hope but duty and every thing else the reason of all being this they go upon a false and mutable ground and therefore are so mutable in their opinions of themselves and what they do This is not the ground the soul which lives by faith goes upon nay a soul will never live by faith but beleeve one day and call in question the next till he is got off this ground 3 Not Graces Some do not make duties the ground of their faith and knowing the deceitfulness of affections are shie of them also who yet upon sight or discerning of the graces of the Spirit in themselves will beleeve If they finde in themselves a sweet heavenly frame of Spirit an humble frame of heart hearts full of love to the brethren c. they will then beleeve and make these things a ground of their faith but whilst they do thus sure enough they never live by faith for how ordinary a thing is it to see these
knowing well by good experience the worth of him did till she had found him shee runs about the streets seeking of him shee meets one and asks him Can you tell mee of my Beloved No away shee goes and runs to another Can you tell mee of my Beloved No So you should have men and women now do if they did but apprehend what a promise were worth you should have them go home and the man would not be at quiet to eat his dinner or go to bed at night but hee would run to such an honest man his neighbour and say O good neighbour I was told to day what unspeakable worth the promises are of and how that all these are to bee had in Christ Can you tell mee how I may come to have this Christ mine that so all these may bee mine and if hee could not answer him satisfactorily hee would run to the next honest man his neighbour and ask him after the same manner Ah were the worth of Promises known you should have many a poor man here that hath a godly wife or a godly childe that knows Christ though it may bee hee hath little cared for them now go home and the husband would say Ah wife I heard the worth of promises and that all these are in Christ couldest thou tell mee somewhat of Christ now And the father or mother would say Ah son ah daughter indeed I have not loved thee as I should but childe I heard the worth of Promises and that all these are in Christ couldest thou tell mee somewhat of Christ now And if poor sinners would do thus how many godly wives hearts would leap to hear this coming from their carnal husbands and godly children to hear this from their carnal parents Sinners O close with Christ then all the Promises shall bee yours Some of you are Marriners and going out to Sea and now suppose as such things have befallen others your ship should sink under you or bee cast away by stress of weather as soon as you are in the Ocean what would a promise then a pardon of sin of God being your God be worth Some of you are Souldiers and though you are here yet you do not know how soon you may bee called out to meet your enemies in the field and suppose there thou that now drinkest and art merry shouldest bee shot thorow or run thorow and lye wallowing in thy blood and gasping for breath what then would a promise of the forgiveness of thy sins of heaven everlasting life be worth O come to Christ Object 1. My sins are so great I dare not come Answ 1. Greatness of sin should not keep thee from Christ who came to save the greatest sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 2 Thy greatest sin is not to come to Christ Unbeleef is the greatest sin under the Gospel Mark 16. v. 14. Afterward hee appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat and upbraided them with their unbeleef and hardness of heart because they beleeved not them which had seen him after he was risen Luke 24. v. 25. Then hee said unto them O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken Rom. 11. v. 20. Well because of unbeleef they were broken off If it were under the Law then much more under the Gospel but so it was Psal 78. v. 18. to 23. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust yea they spake against God they said Can God furnish a table in the wilderness v. 20. Behold hee smote the rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed Can hee give bread also Can hee provide flesh for his people v. 21. Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth so a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel v. 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation Heb. 3.19 They could not enter in because of unbeleef The sentence of damnation in the Gospel is pronounced against sinners not as sinners but unbeleevers Mark 16. v. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved hee that beleeveth not shall bee damned Joh. 3.18 Hee that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved in the name of the onely begotten Son of God vers 19. This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light vers 36. Hee that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him 2 Thess 2.12 That they all might bee damned who beleeved not the truth 3 Saints of former ages have made this a ground of incouragement not of discouragement Psal 25.11 For thy names sake O Lord pardon mine iniquity for it is great 4 All manner of sin the greatest is pardonable Mark 3. v. 28. Verily I say unto you All sins shall bee forgiven unto the sons of men and blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness 5 Gods design in the last age is to declare the exceeding riches of Grace Eph. 2.7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ This is shewn in pardoning great sinners Object 2. But had I a broken heart I could come mine is as a flint I dare not Answ Either it is in thy power to get this or out of thy power the former none will grant if the latter then come to Christ for it The way to have thy heart broken is to come to Christ Goats blood dissolveth the Adamant which the hammer cannot break so the blood of Christ dissolveth the Adamantine heart Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son Ezek. 16. last That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God Object 3. But I shall presume in coming to Christ. Answ 1. Not so long as thou expectest all not for thy merit but his mercies sake 2 Not so long as thou hast no resolution to have Christ and hold any sin Object 4. But I have been an enemy to him an opposer scoffer at his wayes and people Answ It is sad to oppose but consider 1 That all that ever have been reconciled have had enmity in their natures to Christ and his wayes which hath not hindred their reconciliation Eph. 2. v. 1 2 3 4. Col. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath hee reconciled 2 That there are many soules now in heaven who have acted forth their enmity in as high a way
opinion I will love him if not let him bee as holy as hee will I will hate him and revile and speak evil of him No no Love all as Saints Let mee tell you Hee that loves another for parts loves him for something of the creature for parts are such hee that loves another for his opinion loves him for himself for hee loves himself and his opinion in the man But he that loves another because hee is a Saint and hath the Image of God upon him hee loves him purely for Gods sake Now to set this truth upon our hearts consider 1 If ever thou wouldest have God to own thy love love Saints as Saints God will own no other love though it go currant on earth it will not in Heaven Christ at the last day owns onely that love shewn to Saints at Saints to the least of Saints Matth. 25. Think you not that there were many at Christs left hand at this day who had loved great Saints c. and yet Christ owns not their love 2 If ever thou wouldest have the comfort of thy love love Saints as Saints The Devil will finde some flaw in thy love let it run in what channel it will if not in this he will say when thou wouldest take comfort from thy love that thou didst not love such a one because a Saint but because he was of thy opinion or rich or of great gifts and parts 3 If ever thou wouldest love as God loves love Saints as Saints God loves his people out of no other respect but as they are Saints as he sees his image upon them As a Father loves his childe out of no other respect so much as this as he is his childe not so much because of his shape or part little or great a Boy or Girle c. So saith a Father This is my childe and therefore I love him saith God This is my childe he hath my image upon him and therefore I love him If thou wouldest love as God loves look at nothing in the world so much in those whom thou lovest as whether they bee Saints or no. I had rather love a man and hold communion with him who differs in a hundred things from mee if I see in him the Image of God and the Spirit of a Saint than he that jumps with mee in every tittle if this bee wanting I had rather love a man that can speak but ten words and hath in him the power of what hee speakes and is humble withall than hee that can utter ten thousand curious notions and is proud and self-conceited therewith wanting the power of them all because so doing I should love as God loves and hold communion as God holds communion 4 If ever thou wouldest love here as thou shalt love in Heaven hereafter love Saints as Saints There are many souls who if ever God bring them to Heaven will love their brethren in another guise way than now they do then they shall not flye one on the back of another and one bee ready to kick another out of Heaven saying You are such a one and the other him and you are such a one No then they shall bee ashamed of such childish tricks as a grown man is ashamed to thinke of what trickes hee plaid when hee was a childe how hee scratched one brother and because hee was but a little crossed in his will laid another cross the pate No then Saints shall love Saints as Saints Then shall one say I love thee because I see the Image of my Father in thee and the Glory of my Father upon thee And then shall the other say and I love thee for this and nothing else Now from what hath been said of loving Saints as Saints that you and I may practice it let us endeavour to have our hearts brought up to love these four sorts of Saints and so we shall love Saints as Saints 1 Love little Saints See Christs care of little ones Matth. 28.18 how will hee take it at the hands of those who shall receive them Vers 5. How ill hee takes it from them who offend them Verse 6. How carefull he is that they may not be despised Vers 10. And how carefull his Father is of their salvation Vers 14. Yea Matth. 25. When Christ passeth sentence hee absolves or condemns men according as they behaved themselves towards the least of his Saints either in doing or not doing for them Vers 40.45 Christ doth not say In as much as you have done or not done thus and thus for Sir such a one and Master such a one my servant But in as much as you have done or not done thus or thus to one of the least of these Saints that goe in their Scarlet Coat in their Silkes and Velvet many will love but yet they love not Saints as Saints Wouldest thou love Saints as Saints labour to love Grace in the Grey Coat Leather Coat as much as in any other 2 Love Saints in their lowest condition If thou hast loved a Saint when the world and friends favoured him see thou lovest him as much when all these frown upon him 3 Love contrary minded Saints It is nothing to love a man that will speak as I speak and do as I do 4 Love offending Saints I am to forgive him and I can never heartily forgive him if I doe not love him Matth. 18.21 12. Peter thought seven times a great matter Christ bids him forgive his brother seventy times seven to teach us that many offences should not break the band of love amongst Saints I shall conclude all concerning this with that of the Apostle Col. 3.10 11. where he tells us that in the New creature there is neither Greek not Jew i.e. Men are not to be considered as of this Nation or that Circumcision or Uncircumeision of this opinion or that these were so great contrary opinions in those dayes or as enjoying outward priviledges or wanting them as Circumcision was accounted a great priviledge to those that had it Barbarian Scythian as they are rude illiterate or clownish persons as the Barbarians Scythians were a rude people Bond or Free that is a Master or servant in Authority or out But Christ is all and in all i.e. Christ is all we are to look at and it is Christ in all wee are to look at all are to be looked at as they are in Christ as Saints 2 Love though thou are not loved Thus Paul loved 2 Cor. 12.15 There was abundant love in Pauls heart to them though little in theirs to him Yea the lesse in theirs the more in his It is the practice of most they will love onely so far and so long as they see themselves beloved and therefore upon any suspicion of theirs that their Brothers love declines towards them theirs immediately cools towards him and that is an evill which both speaker and hearers have too much their shares in whereas the contrary is our duty who ever
I look upon as a Saint I should love him though he love not mee I should not only love him when hee loves mee honours mee speaks well of mee but when hee doth the contrary that so should his love quite dye towards mee yet mine might bee as hot and lively towards him as ever now to do this consider 1 That I shall give an account not of my Brothers love to mee but of my love to my Brother Christ will not ask mee did your Brother love you but did you love your Brother if hee love not mee let him look to that hee shall answer for that but if I love not him let mee look to that I shall answer for that if hee will walk so as to give his account with sadnesse shall I do so too It is said 1 John 4.17 That love gives us boldness in the day of Judgement how so which will absolve or condemn as I said before as men have behaved themselves towards his Saints in loving or not loving them and therefore such as have been more full of love shall more boldly appear at that day 2 That my spiritual comfort lies not in my Brothers love to mee but in my love to my Brother What comfort were it though all the men in the world should love a Saint if this were all it were poor comfort But now if I can love a Saint because it is my Fathers will I should when yet hee loves not mee what comfort is here when the heart can as'twere say I love thee Brother because thou art a Saint hate mee as much as thou wilt I care not for it for I am resolved to love thee because thou art a Saint whether thou wilt or no. 3 That the excellency of love lies in this in loving my brother when he loves not mee to love when I am loved is no excellent love this is only to do as Publicans do as wicked men may there is no singular thing in this Mat. 5.46 47. 4 My love comes nearest to Gods love when I love but am not loved God loved us when hee was not loved of us before we loved him 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us Now that we may do this take this rule for in truthes of this nature we must have precept upon precept and line upon line as the Prophet speaks ever make this the ground of thy love to thy brother that thou art beloved of God and because thou art beloved of God therefore thou wilt love thy brother say soul when thy Brother hates thee I am beloved of God my Brother hates me but I am beloved of God he speaks evil of me but I am beloved of God and because I am beloved of God and that God that loves mee commands me to love my brother therefore I will love him though he love not me This John lays down as the ground of our love to our brethren 1 Epist 4.11 If God so loved us we ought also to love one another 3 Account thy self least of Saints and judge every one better than thy self Thus did Paul Ephes 3. and this rule Paul lays down to maintaine love amongst the Philippians Let each one esteeme others better than themselves Phil. 2.3 My Brethren you know it for it is an evil that at one time or other we shall all of us finde in our own hearts that it I do but see a little more love expressed to another than my self I am presently ready to think that another hath all the love and that I am not loved at all and so am ready to hate both the party that loves and the party that is loved Now whence comes this but only hence I am of a proud and filthy Self-conceit think my self better than another and that therefore I deserve more love than he whereas did I account every one better than my self then when the case is thus I should reason thus What though such a one be loved better than I and such a Brother love him better yet is there no reason that I should be offended either with him that loves or him that is loved because he that is loved is better than I and so deserves more love than me I will not therefore be angry with my Brother because he loves him better than I nor envie him because he is so loved but I will ever honour love and prize both the one and the other Now that thou maist come to look upon thy self as the least of Saints consider 1 The opportunities and means thou hast had above others Say yonder is a poor Saint suppose I have more than he yet if I consider the opportunities and means I have had which hee hath wanted in this respect I have less I have had the Word plentifully in the power and purity of it taught been in Church fellowship so many years he poor soul hath wanted all this and yet how lively is he had he had my opportunities he would have been ten times better than I. 2 The time thou hast had say I have been ten twenty thirty forty years in Christs Schoole and yet what a Sot am I what a dead heart have I yonder is one but of yesterday a year two year old in grace and yet how farre is he got and fair on the way to get before mee already 3 The several ways God hath taken to make thee grow one while I have been afflicted in my body another while in my estate I have lost such a ship c. another while in my Children such a Childe lost c. yet after all I am as carnal as ever O had God taken so many ways with such and such there would have been other fruit of it in them 4 Rule Get a heart taken up with Spiritual things you shall seldome see a Saint whose heart is taken up with Spirituals to bee of a wrangling or quarrelsome spirit but ordinarily those that are lowest in Spirituals are highest in strife and contention A Spiritual heart hath so many admirable objects to employ its self and time about that hee findes no leasure to brawl with or to buffet his Brother as take a man that hath his head taken up with high things a noble spirited man let him pass the streets and one laughs at him another miscalls him hee takes no notice of it but now take a low spirited man and if they grin at him hee 'l grin at them miscall him hee 'l miscall them this comes from the lowness and baseness of his spirit so here-hence comes our divisions hence our strife Christians are of low and childish spirits and we know it is a very ordinary thing for Children to wrangle and fall together by the ears in their Fathers house but grown men wont do so Would you maintain love get your hearts exercised with spiritual things if thou art one who art of a wrangling and contentious spirit it is a sign thou hast an idle heart thou dost
Six Severall TREATISES 1 The Promises made and fulfilled in Christ 2 Absolute Promises made to sinners as sinners 3 The Life of Faith and in particular In Justification Sanctification and Expectation 4 The Saints Anchor rightly cast 5 Christs New Command 6 Of Offences By the late worthy and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ John Tillinghast Published by his own Notes LONDON Printed by R. I. for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head-Alley 1657. To the Reader IT is a matter of Lamentation to those who are left behinde that so many Sons of Sion are transplanted to eternity whose Counsels Praiers Experiences might have been very useful if the Lord had seen it good to continue them on earth towards the directing helping and comforting may weak doubting and despondent souls in their journey towards Heaven And amongst others in our day the death of that gracious and sweet-spirited man Mr. Tillinghast deserveth much to bee lamented But there it matter of rejoycing in the midst of our mourning for the Saints in that death bringeth them to the possession of those Promises which before they were but heirs under age unto As Christ said to his Disciples John 14.28 If yee loved mee yee would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater than I. So if wee rightly loved the Saints wee would rejoice when they go unto the Father for then they receive the End of their Faith and then they injoy the chiefest object of their hope even eternal life And it is our great mercy who still remain that although the Author of the ensuing Treatises was plucked away like a blossome in the prime yet hee hath left us so many useful Instructions about the Promises the life of Faith and hope c. that it may bee said of him by these hee being dead yet speaketh Wee forfeited all our mercies in the first Adam by sin and could never have attained unto grounded hopes of grace or glory if the Lord had not vouchsafed to enter into Covenant with us in and for the sake of Christ the second Adam But now there are given unto all that are in Christ 2 Pet. 1.4 exceeding great and precious promises that by these they might bee partakers of the Divine nature Promises are divine Engagements wherein as with reverence wee may speak it the Lord doth pawn his own faithfulnesse for a security to our saith and hope Oh what matter of admiration is here that the God of glory should condescend so far as to come under Engagements to poor sinful and unworthy creatures and still there is more matter of astonishment if it bee considered what glorious things are put under Promise to the Saints even God himself Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their minde and write them in their hearts and I will bee to them a God c. Christian what wouldest thou have more is not God thy all in all is there not enough in God to answer all thy desires to satisfy all thy longings to supply all thy wants behold thou hast him in the Promise hee hath made over himself to thee in the way of a Covenant hee hath engaged himself to bee thy God If the Lord had promised only earthly injoyments health wealth though it had been in great abundance and mountains of gold and heaps of Pearls c. yet it had been nothing in comparison of this to say I will bee thy God Thou art rich indeed who art in Christ all the Promises are thine and so God thine and therefore all thine Thou mayest in all straits exigencies and necessities go to God in the way of the Promise for the improvement of any of his Attributes that thou standest really in need of the use of for they are all engaged for thy advantage When Satan useth his policy against thee then thou mayest say Lord thou hast promised to bee my God and so thy Wisdome is engaged for mee O! let mee finde that improved for the defeating my subtil enemy in his enterprizes When thou art assaulted with strong temptations which thou art no way able to withstand or haste some great difficulty in the way to hinder thee in comming up to any duty or to obstruct thee in the exercise of any grace as faith patience humility c. Then thou mayest say Lord thou hast promised to bee my God and so thy Power is mine O now let it bee improved for my help and assistance against these difficulties which are too strong for mee to overcome and so for all other Attributes of God thou mayest in all times of need claim an interest in and by the Promise plead a laying of them out for thy good I am perswaded that many of the fears doubts disquiets c. of many Christians about their eternal conditions and their great distances from assurance take their rise hence because they do not clearly understand or are not throughly perswaded that the way of Gods making over himself unto souls is the way of a Promise that a Covenant is that whereby the Lord giveth us hold of himself in this life and whereby hee giveth us assurance of all the blessings which are to bee injoyed in another and a better life Were they heartily and explicitly convinced that the injoyments of God which they are to look for here must bee by Faith and so through the glasse of a Promise then they might finde that they have had many such injoyments of God which they have overlooked The great temptation of this age is to look more to a life of sense and feeling than to a life of Faith to look more to a Christ within than in the way of a Promise to a Christ without Many will own none as injoyments of God but inward feeling of supports quickenings enlargements consolations c. It is no longer than they injoy these that they think they injoy God whereas they ought to let out their hearts in the way of a Promise to God through Christ for such mercies when they are under the deepest sense of the want of them and there are as real injoyments of God in such out-goings of the heart to God as in those sensible incommings of joy and comfort c. For the life of Faith consisteth in such an out-going of the whole heart in the way of a Promise Christ-ward hence Faith is called a comming to Christ John 6.35 Hee that commeth to mee shall never hunger this is expressed by beleeving in the latter end of the verse hee that beleeveth on mee shall never thirst So that Faith is the motion of the whole heart Christ-ward Faith doth not consist so properly in beleeving that Christ is thine or that thy sin is pardoned as in the letting out thy heart to Christ in the way of the New Covenant for his righteousness and the remission of thy sin
is thine Look whatsoever it is which is the gift of promise it is thine for the promise it self is thine al the promises thine Christ being thine and therefore all it gives is thine The Cabinet being thine the Jewels are thine the Field being thine the Treasure is thine thou mayest feed upon all cloath thy self with all the rich and good things which the promise brings If a poor beggar-woman that hath not a penny or foot of land should marry a Nobleman that hath great coffers of gold and silver large possessions she may now go about from one coffer to another and say all this is mine all this silver is mine all this gold is mine and she may ride from one Mannor to another and say all this land is mine and all these trees are mine why they are all my Husbands and I have a propriety in him and so a propriety in them So a poor soul that is married to Christ hee may read over every promise and say this is mine hee may look heaven and earth over and say all is mine all that is good in either is mine for all is the estate and inheritance of my Husband Christ and I have a propriety in him and so in all There is never a poor Scullion nor a Drudge nor a Chimny-sweeper but if his or her soul be married to Christ hee may go about and look the world over and hee may read the Book of God and look heaven over and say all is mine for all these things are given by promise and the promise is mine Christ in whom all the promises are being mine Saints do too little think of this what they are as they are in Christ and married to him were our hearts ever full of such actual thoughts and considerations I am married to Christ I am united to him and therefore all the promises are mine all the good things promised here and hereafter are mine they would not go about as they do moping and mumping and dreaming all their dayes neither rejoycing in their inheritance nor acting for their heavenly Husband O Saints take a view of the blessedness of your condition look it over in the heighth and depth and length and breadth of it bee proud of it so as to vexe the Devil and shame and provoke the world Look upon your selves as you are and esteem your selves as you are Do not go about whining and whuling and say O I have nothing none is so poor as I you shame and disgrace your Husband hath Christ married you and hath hee such a great estate is hee so transcendently rich in promises and what hath hee given you nothing You would make Christ an ill husband Well may sinners bee shie and afraid to bee married to Christ when Saints by their carriage their whining and whuling and complaining speak so ill of him Yea whether you speak as you should do whether there bee any truth or reason in that you say let wise men judge If a man that hath many vast possessions of land and chests of mony and shops and warehouses full of rich commodities should say to his neighbour I have nothing I am afraid I shall starve or come to the Parish ere long would not they count him mad So when a Saint which hath a Magazine of promises multitudes of precious promises the meanest of which is of more worth and value than a kingdome shall whine and say I have nothing I know not what to do or how to live Obj. Aye but will some poor soul say Indeed were I sure that all these promises were mine I would not say so but al as that is my burden I fear there are none of them mine they indeed whos 's these promises are are rich and such may rejoyce and so could I were these mine but my affliction is I fear they are not mine Answ To thee poor soul I say Rowl thy self on Christ come to him and all are thine Coming to Christ as I said before is that which gives a man right and title to all the promises for by coming to Christ thou are married to Christ by marriage to Christ all the promises are thine Do not therefore stand querying Are they mine Are they mine and run to this grace and look to t'other qualification to make it out whether they are thine or no no but say to thy soul Coming is that which makes all mine Coming makes Christ mine and in him all the promises mine whether they are mine or no as yet I will not stand now upon that however I know suppose the worst that they are not mine what will make them so and that is coming I will therefore now venture upon Christ if I have never come to him yet I will now begin and then I know if Christ receive me a poor sinner as hee hath promised that hee will For him that cometh to me saith he I will in no wise cast out that all these shall streightway bee mine and I shall bee rich as rich as any being now by coming married to Christ made one with him and so inriched with the goods and substance of my husband Christ Use 4. Of Examination for the creature to look if it hath interest in Christ if thou hast then the promises are thine That soul that hath interest in Christ 1 Prizeth Christ as its head and looketh upon the absence of Christ as worst of all It hath enough if it hath seen the face of Christ all is nothing if his face bee hid O let it go through hell it self nothing goes so near to the soul as to loose the presence of Christ 2 It desireth to bee under the Government of Christ by the Spirit of Christ it desireth to follow the teachings of Christs Spirit 3 It longeth for the appearance of Christ Tit. 2.13 where as the world cannot indure it A poor creature may bee under temptation and not finde these things but at one time or other hee may finde these some longings when will Christ come Use 5. Of Exhortation to all that have Christ clear up your interest in Christ and the more comfort will you take in the promises Now for the clearing up the souls interest in Christ 1 Study the knowledge of the grace of God more The more inward feeling knowledge there is of the Grace of God the more thou shalt have thy interest in Christ cleared up 2 Labour for a beleeving frame Faith is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 After yee beleeved yee were sealed Eph. 1. v. 13. 3 Labour to distinguish between true and false evidences Quest How may a soul know that its evidence is true Answ 1. If thy evidence for life and salvation doth transform change and renew the soul The heart that before it had an evidence was exceedingly proud now is wonderfully humble now it findeth corruption dying The soul that before was dead to any duty now it acteth duty is pleasant a priviledge Now at that
hand fulfilled it and vers 20. And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake and I am risen up in the roome of David my Father and sit on the Throne of Israel as the Lord promised vers 24. vers 56. Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which hee promised by the hand of Moses his Servant four times over in this one speech of his he takes notice of this Although the Promise was made some hundreds of years before yet hee doth not forget it at the time of fulfilling So David did 2 Sam. 7.28 And now O Lord God thou art that God and thy words be true and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy Servant write a mark such a day in such a place God fulfilled his promise 4 When thou art in streights urge God with his promise Psalm 119.49 Remember the word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope So Jehoshaphat did 2 Chron. 20.9 So Jacob did Gen. 32. vers 9 10 11 12. And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac the Lord which saidst unto me return unto thy Country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee vers 11. Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother from the hand of Esau for I fear him vers 12. And thou saidst I will surely do thee good and make thy Seed as the sand of the Sea which cannot bee numbred for multitude 5 When thou art in the dark bless God that thou hast a Word or Promise to trust in and relye upon you may see this in David Psalm 56.4 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up vers 2. vers 4. In God I will praise his word in God I have put my trust I will not fear what flesh can do unto me vers 10. In God will I praise his Word in the Lord will I praise his Word David was in streights and had nothing to trust to and three times over hee praiseth God for his Word 6 Blesse God whensoever thou hast had a promise fulfilled 1 King 8.56 Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised which that thou mayest do pray for the fulfilling of Promises before they be fulfilled 2 Chron. 1.9 Now O Lord God let thy promise unto David my Father be established c. Compare this with 1 King 8. vers 15 16 And hee said Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel which spake with his mouth unto David my Father and hath with his hand fulfilled it saying Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Aegypt I chose no City out of all the Tribes of Israel to build an house that my Name might be therein but I chose David to be over my people Israel He that prays for the fulfilling of a Promise before it comes will bless God when it comes Absolute Promises made to Sinners as Sinners Isaiah 57. Vers 17 18 19. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners I create the fruit of the lips Peace peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near saith the Lord and I will heal him I Shall not spin out time about the coherence of these three Verses with the former or in explication of them onely give you a lesson from them in general which is this Doctr. That the promises of grace or the free promises of the Gospel are made to Sinners or to persons as Sinners under the notion of Sinners I shall first clear my meaning in this Proposition and then shew how it ariseth from these words taken together in the lump To explain my own sense and meaning take these two things 1 That I speak not of Promises in general but onely of the absolute promises or promises of grace Concerning conditional promises is another question that which I affirm is this That all absolute promises are made to sinners or to persons under that notion 2 That when I use the term as Sinners my meaning is no more than this To persons whilst they are yet without any precedaneous work or qualification the promise is made How this ariseth from the words will appear if we consider two things 1 The Promises laid down in the words which are four and all promises of Grace belonging to the Covenant of Grace 1 I will heal him vers 18. What healing Why onely a healing of the backsliding nature that is in us this is a promise of the Covenant of grace Jer. 32. v. 38. and 40. compared And they shall be my people and I will be their God vers 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to doe them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me 2 I will lead them What is that but the teaching and direction of the Spine promised in the Covenant of grace Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shal all know me from the least of them unto to the greatest of them saith the Lord. 3 I will restore comfort to him This spiritual comfort is laid down as the very substance of the Gospel the maine thing aimed at in the New Covenant Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned And therefore this too is a New Covenant promise 4 A promise or creating peace to them that are afar off and nigh vers 19. This is the very work of the Gospel as Eph. 2.17 and therefore this promise must needs relate to the New Covenant and so bee a promise of Grace 2 Consider the Qualifications of the persons to whom these promises are made even then when they are made qualified they are but how with sin enough and too much though not too much for Grace to mount over Sinners they were in grain and this is all their qualification 1 Their sin it was in it self exceeding great and hainous as is expressed in these words The iniquity of his covetousness Not onely covetousness of it self an iniquity but an iniquity as wee may say there was of this iniquity It is a phrase somewhat like that Rom. 7.17 Sinful sin It was enough for the Apostle to call Sin Sin but that he might speak of the evil of it in the highest and most transcendent way hee calls it Sinful sin so it was enough here for the Prophet
to have called Covetousness by its own name Covetousness but to shew the height and transcendency of this wickedness of theirs hee calls it Iniquity of covetousness But 2. Though then evill were great yet it may bee they were ready to bee reformed upon the least appearance of Gods displeasure against such wayes and practices No I was wroth smote them saith God and what followed hee went on frowardly was so far from being made better that like a froward stubborne childe grew the worse for Gods correcting of him Aye but 3 Though hee did thus a while yet it may bee in the end hee saw his evill and did turn to God No saith God I have seen his wayes as to say Poor creature hee sees not his misery hee takes no notice of his wayes but runs on frowardly and foolishly well saith God I have seen his wayes I see of what a crooked disposition he is how froward and stubborne hee will not so much as once bend or bow under all my corrections but bears himself up in wayes of opposition against mee well saith God I will notwithstanding all this heal him c. Object But it seems there was some qualification in him by vers 18 for God saith Hee will restore comfort to his mourners Answ No for here is nothing at all spoken of his mourning but of others mourning for him hee mourns not at all but goes on frowardly in the way of his heart but others seeing him and loving him better than hee doth himself and seeing whither his wayes and courses tend which hee takes no notice of mourn for him As when a gracious Father hath a childe that will swagger and swear and there is no reclaiming of him hee viz. the son goes merrily and jollity on in his way and will bee drunk and roar and what not hee sees not the evill or danger of the way hee is in neither doth hee mourn for it but his gracious Father loving him better than hee doth himself and knowing the evill of the way hee mourns and sheds many a tear and gives many a groan because of him Now when God comes to reclaim such a sinner he doth not only comfort him but such as have mourned for him In the carrying this on I shall shew First The truth of it that it is so Secondly Some reasons why it must needs be so Thirdly Answer an Objection or two Fourthly Apply it 1 Concerning the first that it is so take only a parallel place or two with this of the Text as Isaiah 43.12 23 24 25. compared together But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel vers 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense vers 24. Thou hast bought mee no sweet cane with mony neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities vers 25. I even I am hee that blotteth out thy tranâ—gressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Here God considers his people in as sinful a condition both for sins of omission and commission as a people could bee in and yet thus considered hee makes a free precious promise of grace of the richest grace viz. forgiveness of sins the great New Covenant promise unto them So Psal 25.8 Good and upright is the Lord therefore will hee teach Sinners in the way The promise of teaching another New Covenant promise is made to Sinners Object But in the next verse it is said Hee will teach the meek so that it seems meekness is the condition of this promise of teaching Answ There is a twofold teaching of the wayes of God a first or beginning teaching and a further teaching or a teaching as to conversion and a teaching as to building up Now the first is promised to sinners and persons under that notion and meekness is not the condition but the fruit of it a soul is first taught aright to know God and thereby made meek The latter meekness may bee the condition of in some sense for the more meek and humble any man is the more is hee taught of God but when I call it a condition it is not a condition to bee wrought by my self but such a condition as is freely given to the soul in its imbracing of the free promise for by laying hold of that word which promiseth teaching to men as sinners I am made meek and humble this qualification being now wrought in me God to the soul thus qualified now promiseth more and further teaching 2 Why it must needs be so Reason 1. Because the Covenant of Grace it self in the first making of it in the continual promulgation of it and in the application thereof hath all along respect to persons as sinners and therefore surely all the promises thereof must bee made to persons under that notion When Jesus Christ first struck hands with the Father and entred into Covenant for man man was then considered as a sinner one that had broken Covenant with God and was now liable to the censure of Justice or else what need had there been of a Sureties entring Bond in mans behalf Look upon the Promulgation of this Covenant all along and it is to man under the notion of being a sinner In the very first Promulgation thereof to Adam what was there in him Antecedent or preparatory save only his Sin Gen. 3. In the first clear preaching thereof by Christ and his Apostles to the Nation of the Jews was it not preached to them as Sinners Read Christs Commission to the Seventy Luk. 10.5 First say peace that this peace is Gospel peace is clear because they which reject it reject the Kingdome of God ver 11. the persons to whom this is to be preached they are the unworthy as well as the worthy for they were to preach this to all where they came ver 5. yea they are called Wolves which marks them out to be Sinners of the worst sort of all as vers 3. Behold I send you forth as Lambs among Wolves The order of the delivery of this is in the first place Out of all which I observe that the preaching or promulgation of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace is to persons as sinners for if so be the persons the Seventy were sent out amongst were sinners and if so bee the first thing they were to preach to them were Gospel peace then must it of necessity be to them as sinners without we should conceive that wheresoever the Gospel comes the Spirit of God goes before and works upon mens hearts making them of Sinners no sinners and that before ever a word is spoken to them which granted wee have no need of the Word you may throw away your Bibles the
that wee read of so little faith excepting some eminent ones and so much fear and doubting in Old Testament Saints Now when Saints conclude their condition in such a way though they live in Gospel times yet do they go back to the Old Testament and have an Old Testament faith Use 2. Then here is ground of encouragement to the vilest of sinners to come to the Promise Thou poor soul which hast been a Drunkard a Sot a Swine an Adulterer Blasphemer of the holy name of God ten twenty thirty forty years what sayest thou to this free Grace What hast thou to object why thou wilt not receive it why art thou not a sinner and is not all this to sinners Why why then wilt thou bee a Sot and go to hell at the last when heaven and salvation is to bee had if thou wilt but come to the promise O you great Sinners thinke I beseech you when you are at your cups with your Queans your oaths in your mouths O doth God make promises of Grace to mee doth he proclaim heaven life salvation to me and shall I bee such a wretch and such a villain as to go on in my sin bee drunk and swagger and swear and whore and what not No no out upon these courses and practises I will never more since the Father is so loving and Jesus Christ so willing to do me good walk as I have done I dare say the serious consideration hereof would make your hearts more to hate and abominate such wayes and practices and bring you sooner to leave them than all the terrors of hell will or can do When a poor soul shall reason the case with himself thus What have I been a rebel against the good God these ten twenty thirty forty years and is hee so gracious notwithstanding all to proclaim life and salvation to me what to mee O then shall I still bee a wretch and sin against this gracious God and trample under foot all his love No fie for shame Object O but you will say Indeed now whilst you are speaking my heart is inclinable to what you say and I have now a good minde to leave off my former courses and practices but alas I have not power to do it Ans Come to Christ in the promise and hee will give thee a power hee can and will overcome thy corruptions it thou waitest on him Thou poor soul lookest upon it now as a hard and difficult thing to forsake such and such courses as are according to the Proverb bred in the bone and thou all thy life time hast been accustomed too but Christ can make this thou lookest upon as hard and even impossible easie to thee Many a soul at his first conversion hath looked upon it as a hard and even impossible thing to forgoe such and such sinnes and lusts which in his natural condition were his Dalilahs and his heart was addicted unto and hath verily thought hee should never do it who yet afterwards hath found it easier by far than hee imagined yea so easie he hath stood in admiration thereat when God hath once turned his heart hee hath found as much yea more pleasure in the wayes and service of God than ever hee sound in his old courses For when God puts a new nature into the soul then all things go another way now there are new principles new apprehensions new motives and all the wheels of the soul run another way when there was nothing but an old nature then all things ran sin-ward and hell-ward but now God having put a new nature in there are new motions and all run holiness-ward and heaven-ward O therefore pray to God to change your hearts and you shall see how easie that will bee which now you suppose so hard and how pleasant and wondrously sweet those wayes of godliness will bee which now are so grievous Vse 3 Is it so that the promises of Grace are made to persons as Sinners then I am loath to speak it how exceedingly just and great will the condemnation of all those sinners be which reject these promises of Grace 1 How just will the condemnation of such persons bee you that hear all this and yet go on in your old wayes you are drunkards and will bee so still swearers adulterers Sabbath-breakers scoffers and will be so still how just will your condemnation bee I will appeal to your own hearts and consciences what think you of it It God makes promises to sinners promise Life Salvation freely to sinners though as vile sinners as any breathing in the World and notwithstanding all you will be drunk swear c. will it not be just you should be damned speak sinner speak out sinner what doth thy heart and Conscience judge of this Will it not bee just 〈◊〉 God send thee to Hell to morrow shouldest thou do thus If the Magistrate should send forth a general Pardon to Traytors in rebellion and they notwithstanding all should persist would it not be a most just thing that never a man of them so doing should be spared but every one should be hanged drawn and quartered what say you So in this case I have read of a godly man who being in the presence of a professed Atheist which beleeved neither God nor Devil Heaven nor Hell and opening before him the glad tidings of the Gospel and the riches of Gods Free Grace to poor Sinners the worst of Sinners in conclusion plainly asked him What think you O man will it not bee just you should bee damned if you reject all this grace and love if you will not beleeve this yes saith the poor Atheist I confess should I not beleeve and receive this I deserve to be damned without mercy Poor Sinners I have now opened to you the riches of Gods Grace in his free promises made to Sinners let me now put this question to every one of you What think you would it not bee just you should be damned if you hear all this and reject it all what thinkest thou soul what thinkest thou speak Sinner will it not bee just 2 As just so also how great will your Condemnation be if you hear and reject all this Hence saith Christ It shall bee more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrah Tire and Sidon in the Day of Judgment then for Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum they had heard of the glad tidings of the Gospel and yet went on in their sins but the other not Every Sin hath a proper weight of its own but to sin after the Declaration of Gods Free Grace to the Sinner this doubles trebles the weight of every sin for a man to be a Drunkard c. is a grievous thing this alone will damn him such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. vers 9 10. but to continue a Drunkard Swearer c. after hee hath heard the Gospel and the Proclamation of glad tidings to poor sinners this doubles trebles the weight of his Sin
fear of falling away because God is able to keep from falling and Rom. 14.4 assured that they shall stand because God is able to make them stand and Rom. 11.23 The Apostle speaking of the conversion of the Jews layes down this as a ground for us to beleeve they shall bee grafted in again because God is able to graft them in again 3 Because I finde distrust of the ability of God is in Scripture branded for unbeleef and that of the highest nature Psal 78. v. 19 20 21 22. They said Can God furnish a table in the wilderness Can hee give bread also Can hee provide flesh for his people Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth vers 22. Because they beleeved not in God and trusted not in his salvation 4 Because the promise alone without a consideration of the power of God to perform the same is not a sufficient ground for faith If a man should promise me a thousand pound I must consider his ability as well as his promise before I can upon good ground beleeve that ever I shall have so much of him for if he be not able hee cannot give it and so his promise is nothing So though I have a promise for such and such a mercy yet if I do not consider Gods ability to perform this promise as well as the promise there will not bee a ground sufficient to make mee beleeve For what if the heart object as once Israel did True here is a promise but can God perform what he promiseth if the soul say Yea he is able then the power of God presently comes into consideration and I have that as well as the promise for the ground of my faith if the soul cannot beleeve this That God is able then the promise alone will not perswade it neither indeed can it and so it is not ground sufficient to cause it to beleeve for the mercy So that both these viz. the promise of God and Gods power to perform the same must go together to make up the ground of faith When I would act faith I must first go to the promise and there behold and consider what God hath freely promised to such a poor miserable creature as I am and work this upon my heart that this word of God is a truth when I have done so I am to endeavour to bring up my heart to beleeve the power of God viz. That God is able and All-sufficient to fulfill this promise whatsoever seems to bee in the way or to hinder the same Now although we are ready to think that this is a very casie thing to beleeve the power of God and that wee have no doubt at all thereabouts yet assuredly it is a most hard and difficult thing and I am perswaded that the greatest part of our unbeleef springs from hence a distrust or questioning of the power of God I have known one as confident as another that hee did beleeve the power of God and could not think otherwise who yet when hee came to follow up his doubts to the first head found it far otherwise that the greater part of them did arise hence I have many times thought the question hath been onely thus Will God do this for mee change this heart kill this corruption c and could I bee satisfied in this I have thought all my doubts would bee over but when I have endeavoured to search to the bottome I have found the state of the question to bee much altered and heard a secret whispering there Can God do such a thing Can this cursed heart of mine be changed Is it possible that such and such corruptions that I have been so long contending with and used all means against and are yet as strong and lively as ever should ever bee subdued Hence comes our unbeleef for a great part of it therefore would we live by faith as wee must keep to the true ground which is the promise of God and his power to perform it so likewise to the full ground i.e. we must act faith in both viz. the promise and power of God And me thinks when I ponder upon this that the power of God as well as the promise is the ground of our faith I do not at all wonder why there is so much unbeleef and so little of the life of faith in most of us because there is an opinion in all our hearts that it is a very easie thing to beleeve the power of God as if we had such abundance of faith that that which ever hath been and was from Abrahams time to Pauls the highest and most noble act of faith as if wee read Scripture wee shall finde this of beleeving the power of God ever was and hath been were easiest to us as if that which declared Abraham strong in faith were now a thing common and from taking it for granted wee do the thing wee take no pains with our hearts hereabouts And therefore it is no wonder wee lye in unbeleef so much as wee doe whilst wee sleightly pass over and carelesly neglect one of the principall grounds of faith 3 The third thing in our description of living by faith is the extent of this living by faith it extends it self to all good expected or hoped for to all evils present or feared whether relating to the life present or that which is to come The natural way for the obtaining of mercies preventing of judgements it s to run to our own righteousness our amending and doing but now the Christians way is the exercise of this life of faith I obtain all good by faith I prevent or remove all evill by faith Rom. 9.31 32. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not attained to the Law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law The Jews found a want of righteousness the Law that the Lord gave them by Moses convinced them of much sin and unrighteousness they see themselves sinners the Law terrifies them conscience gripes them what now do they do Why see v. 32. presently they run to the Law that bids them amend their wayes do thus and thus this they do and yet as far from obtaining what they want or removing their fears as ever because they sought not in a way of faith The Gentiles likewise they have the same wants and ground of fear the Jews had What do they Why this they do They hear a message a glorious message of one Jesus Christ which was crucified at Jerusalem through whose death poor sinners beleeving in him should obtain righteousness and salvation hereupon they presently disclaiming any worthiness in themselves or any thing they could do flye to Jesus Christ by faith and so obtain righteousness vers 30. The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith They get their great want supplied their conscience truly pacified
shall live by faith The great scope of the eleven first Chapters is to prove Justification by faith in Christ against those that did hold Justification by works of the Law he layeth down his position in this cause and bringeth in this The just shall live by faith And hee doth oppose Justification by Faith to Justification by the Law Gal. 3.11 But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident For the just shall live by faith 2. As it relates to a Christians Sanctification Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved mee and gave himself for mee Though the main argument here is Justification yet this living by faith is in respect of Sanctification chiefly at least which I think the scope of the place yeelds for Paul having vers 19. laid down this as an argument why a beleever cannot be justified by the Law because hee is dead to it that hee might give a reason of this likewise why a beleever is dead to the Law or must needs be so he glides off from the main argument of Justification into this of Sanctification as by the by that I might live to God What is that Why perform obedience now to God or bring forth fruit to God as Rom. 7. v. 4 5 6. Wherefore my Brethren yee also are become dead to the Law by the body of Christ that yee should bee married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that wee should bring forth fruit unto God Which argument being now digressed into hee prosecutes in the next verse wherein as is clear hee goes on to speak of Sanctification for hee speaks of Christs living in him which is not our Justification that is by Christ without us and so his living by faith is to bee understood in respect of that viz. Sanctification which in the former verse and beginning of this hee was speaking of 3 As it relates to a Christians Expectation or waiting So Habak 2.4 For the Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Behold his soule which is lifted up is not upright in him But the just shall live by his faith Speaking of the Vision delayed hee saith The just shall live by faith i.e. expect the coming thereof and wait for it in a way of beleeving 4 As it relates to a Christians perseverance So Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Which words if you compare them with the foregoing verse seem to bee of the same sense with them in Habakkuk to bee spoken of a life of expectation vers 37. For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by Faith But compared with the following words in this and the next verse they concern perseverance because in this verse drawing back is set in opposition to living by faith and again vers 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition but of them that beleeve to the saving of the soul Beleeving is set in opposition to drawing back In these places we have a four-fold life 1 Of Justification 2 Of Sanctification 3 Expectation 4 Perseverance In every of which we are to live by faith or we are to live by faith for these four things in an especial manner viz. Justification Sanctification Expectation and Perseverance Quest 2. How doth faith act or what is it that faith doth in those persons which live by faith as touching either of these things Answ In order to which I shall premise this word That I shall not go about to prescribe any one way or order that the Spirit of God while it enables a soul to live by faith in either of these walks in or works in so as to tye up all Saints to that way or manner of working which experience teacheth to be dangerous and to administer matter of stumbling to poore souls for as the Wisdome of God in his VVord is manifold so the workings of the Spirit of God in the hearts of the faithful through which they are enabled to live by faith are manifold and various though in the substance all agreeing As in our Justification so in all the rest one is enabled to live by faith herein from such a principle another from such a principle yea the same person looking upon himself at sundry times shall finde that one while his faith springs from one principle or consideration another while from another As for example perhaps to day I beleeve my Justification and go on beleeving it for a week or a moneth together from such a consideration as this viz. God hath made a Covenant with me in his Son and this is unchangeable as not made upon condition of my obedience so noâ— broken by my disobedience and hence I beleeve I am justified Another while perhaps this principle is not so lively and vigorous as to keep up my faith but then another doth it as this God justifies the ungodly now saith the soul though I cannot say I am a Saint yet this I can say I am an ungodly one well God justifies the ungodly this is a precious truth I own it I cleave to it I am an ungodly one a Sinner I beleeve God justifies me VVhen this hath kept up faith a while then it may be the life and vigour of this goes off the heart too and then come another as this The righteousness of Jesus Christ by which poor sinners are justified is a perfect compleat righteousness this righteousness is given to those that beleeve to such he becomes the Lord their righteousness I am a poore Sinner of my own I have no righteousness this I do I cleave to his righteousness which is persect and able fully to justifie my poor soul and I do in some measure beleeve that I have a share in this righteousness it is mine and that I am thereby justified in the sight of God These Principles with many others though diverse in themselves yet do they sweetly agree in the maine all leading the soul to something without for justification And truly this premisal is very necessary and material for how ordinary is it with poor souls if so be their faith hath been carried out from such a principle and they hear another in relating his experience hath been carried out from another to question the truth of their own at least to have some jealousies about it yea some poor souls are sometimes ready to stagger when they look upon themselves and consider the last moneth or the last year I had much strength and ability to beleeve from such a
justification 2 The constant holding our Justification in our sight maketh the soul take all the dealings of God in good part put a good construction upon all Gods dealings whereas another who is dark in justification he can take no dealing in good part at the hand of God A soul that beholdeth his justification can as long as that is clear behold the love of God in Christ towards it it can put a good construction upon all Let God give a mercy he will say that it is out of love let God take away a mercy he will say that is out of love Let God smile he seeth his love let God frown through his frown he beleeveth his love Let God put him into a prosperous condition he seeth love let him put him into an afflicted adverse condition he can beleeve God is his God But take a poor soul that is dark in that let him give a mercy he saith O I am affraid it is in Judgement let him take away a mercy this is in judgement I have abused it Let God smile he is affraid to own it lest hee be deceived let God put him into prosperity he thinks that will ruine him into affliction he thinketh that is to destroy him 3 The constant beholding our Justification doth carry out a soul with a sweet Son-like frame of Spirit in all its actings towards God Take a soul that is dark in its justification there will not bee childe-like actings but slavish actings a spirit of bondage servile actings But take a soul that hath his justification in his eye and there will bee sweet Son-like actings when hee goeth to duty hee goeth with the spirit of a Son I see Hell is gone Heaven is given and doth not perform duty to avoid the one or procure the other but doth all as to a Father because God hath taken Hell away and given Heaven and is my Father therefore I go about the work of God When it mourneth for sin it doth not mourn for fear it should bee Damned but because it hath sinned against a Father I do not say it is so with a Saint at all times but when a soul beholdeth its justification so it is 4 This constant beholding our justification doth dis-inamour and wean the heart from worldly things our hearts are never so weaned from the Creature as when wee see through justification our interest in the Creator When the poor soul cometh to see the great God of Heaven and Earth is my Father and I have a glorious inheritance provided above in Heaven for me then it saith Why should I dote upon Creatures As a Princes Son is estranged from the company of other Children why I am the Princes Son they are companions below me this maketh him leave other Boys and not play with them so a Princes Son wil not go and hoard up Counters why I am a Princes Son so a poor soul when it beholdeth its justification is estranged from the world upon this consideration I am a Son of God a Childe of God have an interest in Heaven a glorious inheritance there and this weaneth the heart from the world The beholding our actual justification begets such actuall considerations as these 5 It armeth us against all Satans temptations it puts the soul into such a condition as it can grapple with Satan when he cometh to assault it with his fiery darts let the Devil shoot never so many fiery darts yet so he hath his justification in his eye it will keep off all and therefore it is called a Shield They used a Shield to repel Arrows from the party Faith is our shield to repel the darts of Satan and beat them back again so this is another advantage 3 That soul that liveth by faith in justification is delivered from the great evil other souls run into of adding to or detracting from his justification it is a great evil incident to the Saints they look upon themselves as more or less justified accordingly as they are more or less holy and their works more or less spiritual I do not say but that we should endeavour after holiness and spirituality to the utmost but not to make our justification less or more as these things are lesse or more 1 Because it puts our justification as a stock into our own hands that by our care and diligence wee might augment or by carelesness and negligence might diminish it whereas our justification is a stock the Saints have but it is in the hands of their Suerty which though they are and ought to use all Christian care and diligence yet by all their care and diligence there is not one dram added to their justification Though they are to take heed of all carelesness and remisness and avoyd them yet though they should fail there is not one whit not one dram taken away from their justification by all Justification is as the Childes Portion in the Executors hands the Childe hath some spending-money but his Portion is in the hands of the Executor So is our justification that is a stock in the hands of our Executor the Saints have something in themselves and they spend much of that but they would spend their justification too if the stock were in their own hand but it is in the hands of their Suerty Executor and they cannot spend that he will not let them have that so that that cannot be spent Now when we look upon our justification as that which may be added to or detracted from we do not look upon it as in the hands of our Suerty but in our own hands and that is a great evil 2 It is a great evil because it maketh our Justification like our Sanctification in part for that which is perfect can have nothing added to it or taken from it if any thing could be added to it then it was not perfect before perfection doth neither admit of addition or diminution Now our Justification is perfect by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 them the Father hath set apart he hath perfected for ever Now if I should be more justified at one time than at another then Justification were not perfect 3 It maketh justifying grace to depend upon Creature actings for if I am more justified when I do more and less when I do less then my actings have influence into my justification and so justification depends upon Creature actings and so if of works then it is no more of grace 4 It is a great evil because it doth much dishonour Christ it speaketh the righteousness of Christ insufficient for our justification if the righteousness of Christ be sufficient to justification then all I can do cannot help it forward If it need any thing of ours then it is not sufficient of it self I speak this to shew the great evil of adding to or detracting from justification which how usual it is to look upon our selves more justified at one time
little as Boys whilst they are in the School at their Books they 'l agree but turn them out to play though but half an hour they 'l be together by the ears so here 5 Walk wisely A great part or the greatest part of those differences which are amongst Saint arise from indiscretion Indiscretion it is the mother of strife and division Had but we Spiritual wisdome how to walk and behave our selves towards each other though there are many corruptions in our hearts which otherwise would divide us yet this would prevent it had wee wisdome there would bee oneness of heart and affection though there bee difference in judgement and opinion And therefore it is not in vaine that Paul speaks so much of wisdome and presseth beleevers on so much to walk wisely Wisdome would make up many a breach which folly opens I have known Christians whose principles in many things have differed one from another and in some smaller matters their practices too who yet have walked through wisdome given to them with so much love and tenderness and sweetness each to other as none could think by their carriage each to other that there were the least difference amongst them so much love tenderness meekness c. as if there were no difference at all now would we have and maintaine love then walk wisely Walk wisely in admonitions and reproofs if thou art one who mayest reprove with more authority than another may doe not always stand upon it and bring thy authority along with thee when thou art to reprove Sometimes and in some cases a man may bring his authority along with him as Paul bids Titus chap. 2.15 Rebuke with all authority that is in case his authority is despised and in this sense I take it Paul speaks so much of his own authority to the Churches of Galatia and rebukes them sharply for their back-sliding because they through the secret and subtil insinuations of the false Apostles were brought in a great measure to despise Pauls authority but always a man is not to do so see in what a milde and winning way Paul speaks to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 10.1 he is loath to use his authority and therefore in a milde way beseecheth them that hee might overcome them that way and not bee put upon it to use his authority So again Chap. 13.10 hee gives this as a rule to the Galatians Chap. 6.1 so 2 Tim. 2.24 25. Again if thou art the case requiring it to rebuke with sharpness as Paul tells the Corinthians if he came and found them in such ways they were in he must use sharpness then endeavour so to carry thy self that it may plainly appear that thy sharpness it is not the wrath of man but a true zeal of God This wee may see in Paul 2 Corinthians 13.1 2. verses compared with 7 8 9. Again let it appear unto them that thou hast a heart as well sensible of their evil and to mourn over the same as a tongue to reprove them for it how sensible Pauls spirit did use to be when hee was to reprove you may see 2 Cor. 12.20.21 Again let it appear that thy design is not their trouble or the destruction of their peace but their good and Christian edification 1 Cor. 12.19 chap. 13.10 though it is a hard thing to make a man sensible in reproving that his good and nothing else is aimed at yet if once that bee attained then is the reproof likely to prove effectual Again do not make reproof a common customary thing to reprove a man for every thing and every trifle this will hinder the fruit of it upon the heart of him whom thou reprovest Again reprove private offences privately publike publikely do not reprove every private offence in publike that man which would thank thee for a reproof in private may speak evil of thee for thy reproof in publike yet if an offence be publike it must be reproved publikely 1 Tim. 5.20 Gal. 2.14 Again for the time forbear thy reproof whilst a man by some present distemper of passion c. is uncapable to receive good thereby Walk wisely in respect of thy knowledge and practice in lesser matters if thou hast more light in some things than thy brother hath and thou canst not practise thine own knowledge without offence to thy brother forbear thy practise Rom. 14.20 21 22. 1 Cor. 8.9 to the end and Chap. 10.28 29. yet here take this caution if it be not weakness which is the cause why thy brother stumbles but wilfulness and obstinacy then it is thy duty to practise Gal. 2. 6 Rule Look not so much upon what is evil as upon what is good in thy brother Wee are ready every one of us to look upon our Brothers worst side and that breeds dis-affection in one to another but we should ever look upon his best side that would beget love and affection in one to the other when I see pride or passion or any corruption stirring in my brother then I should say this is my brothers worst side let me look upon him on the other side and there I shall see a hatred of these things there I shall see him groaning under these as his burden I say do not look so much upon the evil as the good that is in him True I see such and such failings and weaknesses in my brother O but though these things lye at the top yet there is grace at the bottome there is pride at the top but a heart that desires to be humble at the bottome unbelief discontent c. at the top but faith and submission to the will of God at the bottome 7 Put not an ill construction upon that which way have a good put upon it it is the nature of the Spider to suck poyson from that which the Bee gathers honey now we should all imitate the Bee suck honey where it is to bee had If I see an action of my brothers that may have a double construction put upon it a good and a bad Charity it bids me to chuse the best and not to take the worst Charity saith the Apostle beleeveth all things hopeth all things it beleeveth hopeth the best of all things Thus should I do ever put the best construction I can upon the thing which may be doubtfully taken for whilst I put a good construction upon such a thing I do well because I follow the rule of charity whilst I do otherwise I do very evil because I break that rule 8 Get forbearing spirits This the Apostle stirres up to Ephes 4.2 With all lowliness and meekness with long suffering forbearing one another in love The more Christian forbearance there is amongst Saints the more love there will be what causeth division more than this if the division arise from different principles it is because I cannot forbear my brother speaks contrary to me and I cannot forbear him neither he me it from practise hence likewise it grows
my brother injures me speaks evil of me I cannot forbear him I do so to him and he cannot forbear mee were there but that forbearance should bee in any one it would heal the difference of either side O Saints would you love forbear one another forbear one another Obj. But such a one hath injured me and I have given him no cause Ans Why then forbear him thou wilt have the more comfort and peace in so doing Again now thou art like a Christian in forbearing him a man may from natural light forbear another who hath injured him if he himself gave the other cause to do so but now if thou canst forbear another who hath injured thee when thou hast not given cause this is to act like a Christian Thus did Christ he gave no cause to any to revile him or Crucifie him yet when they did it he forbare them when he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2.23 Isa 53.7 innocent as a Lambe yet led to the slaughter and opened not his mouth Obj. But if it were once I could bear it but it is often Ans The oftner it is the more noble spirit shalt thou be of to forbear him a Childe can forbear a thing a while but a man can longer Again hath not God forborne thee often when he might have poured his wrath upon thee and when thou hast dealt as injuriously with him as thy brother hath with thee and wilt not thou forbear thy brother often Say with thy self O how long has God forborne me Obj. But wert it a small injury I could forbear but it is a very great one Ans Let me ask thee one question Is it greater than ever thou didst commit against God if so then indeed it were much to forbear him but if otherwise wilt not thou forbear him as God thee Again the greater injury the more grace exercised in forbearing and the more comfort in it Obj. But I were not a man if I should bear every thing and put up all tread on a worm and he 'l turn again Ans Thus flesh and bloud will reason and thus Centiles reason but it must not bee so amongst us Hear the Exhortation of Paul Rom. 12.19 20 21. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good 9 Consider all are but men Thou seest something in thy Brother which possibly might provoke thee to with draw thy love from him he sees something in thee which might provoke him to the same now let each consider of my brother why my brother is but a man and therefore he hath his failings as other men have indeed were he an Angel I might expect other actions and other carriage but he is but a man and I must look upon him as a man subject to failings as I my self am Yonder I see weaknesses but they are the weaknesses of man a poor man 10 Acquaint your selves with one anothers spirits more Strangers have not that affection the one to the other that intimate friends have so whilst Saints are strangers one to another there will not be that love and communion amongst them that there should be and were they more acquainted with one anothers spirits would Whilst the Disciples were unacquainted with Pauls spirit they were affraid to own him into their company though he assayed to joyn with them but when by Barnabas his relation they understood something of his spirit and the work of God thereupon Paul and they sweetly closed so afterwards a long time the Apostles at Jerusalem were affraid to own Paul as an Apostle through some suspicion or doubt they had of him but afterwards when through Conference and communion one with another they perceived the grace that was given Paul they then owned him and gave him the right hand of Fellowship acknowledging him an Apostle as well as themselves so that we see what comes by acquainting our selves with one anothers spirits Christians which before stand aloof off the one from the other and will not speak to each other may come when they know one anothers spirits sweetly to close and embrace one another yea many a Saint upon this instead of falling foul upon his brother as before hee did now falls foul upon himself What a filthy wretch was I my cursed heart would not close with my brother but I was ever full of suspicions jealousies surmisings thinking and speaking the worst and now I see blessed bee God I see it at last that my brother is a true Childe of God and there is more grace in him for ought I know than in my self O Saints let us get acquaintance with one anothers spirits I may know Master such a one and Mistris such a one well for outward acquaintance yet a stranger to his or her spirit and assure your selves of this that there is nothing in the world will more beget and maintaine love amongst you than this as I shall by being acquainted with my brothers spirit see the grace of God in him which will much draw my heart ten times more than any gifts or parts which I behold outwardly can do so likewise by near familiarity with him and acquaintance with his spirit there will bee twenty things which through my mis-interpretation of outward actings or some such thing did hinder love and beget dis-affection in me to my brother prevented as for instance Suppose I see my brother occasionally walking and dis-coursing now and then with a prophane man presently whilst I look barely upon the outward action my heart is ready to boyl with strange jealousies Now that we may get acquaintance with one anothers spirits 1 Bee much in communicating experiences and the dealings of God with you one to another 2 Be much in finding out and knowing the reasons of thy brothers outward actings this will bring to much acquaintance with thy brothers spirit and how and in what manner it usually works 11 Improve one anothers gifts and graces more as get acquaintance with one anothers spirit so improve them Hath God given thy brother a spirit of prayer improve it get him much to pray for thee hath God given thy brother more faith then thou hast improve it desire him in thy wants and streights to beleeve for thee now in so doing love will be abundantly increased thy brothers love will work more towards thee whilst he is improving of his grace for thee and thine to thy brother whilst thou seest that such and such mercies thou hast through thy brothers faith and prayer This is a certaine rule the more I do good to any in a spiritual way the more I shall love him the more any receive good will hee love mee And I take it this
beauty but now offences of the Saints are as scars upon the face of Gods workings ways c. by which the beauty of these is obscured to the eyes of the world The Jews were offended at Christ and the beauty and glory of all his works his preaching walking working Miracles c. was hidden to them 2 By these mis-apprehensions of the ways truths people of God yea contrary to those common convictions that sometimes they have had of these are begotten in them The Scribes and Pharisees could not be without convictions sometimes and strong too that Christ was that Son of God that his works were wrought by the power of God or otherwise they could not have been guilty of that sin against the Spirit which Christ chargeth them with but having drunk in an offence what strange thoughts have they of Christ contrary to former thoughts and convictions they judge him who was faithfulness it self to bee a deluder a deceiver who was holiness of self to be a friend to and Patronizer of Publicans and Sinners who was God himself to be Beelzebub the Prince of Devils his Works which were wrought by the Finger of God to be Diabolical so wonderfully did an offence drunk in upon every occasion work upon them In like manner wicked men cannot but sometimes see a beauty in Gods ways and their consciences in spite of their hearts tells them and will make them sometimes confess that they are good ways and the best ways but now when an offence lies before them some palpable offence by which an occasion of stumbling is offered how are their thoughts and apprehensions of Gods ways and people altered they look upon them as the worst ways in the world the most deceitful people in the world c. now what greater judgement can befall a man than to be blinded in the things of God it was the punishment of the Jews for that horrid Sin of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of Life Romans 11.25 3 By these they bear and fence off from themselves the blow of the Word and of their own Considences if at any time the Word come close to a poor Sinner and Conscience chargeth him home with his prophane and scandalous living if he can but say this to himself Why are there not such and such of great Professions that doe as I doe live as I live are as bad as I am a man will so shrowd and shelter himself under this that though the Word come ever so close to him and Conscience charge ever so home yee neither shall reach him hee lies in this opinion as in a Bulwark and from it repells whatever assaults are made upon him Now what a fearful judgement is it for a man to bee Word-proof Sermon-proof Conscience-proof that neither the Word nor his Conscience can reach him yet as woful and common experience teacheth thus it befalls poor Sinners in the world through offences offences falling upon their hearts makes their hearts so brawny and hard that nothing will pierce them 4 By these they are emboldned to a neglect of and an opposition unto those very things whereupon their eternal Salvation depends A neglect of Christ and an opposing heart to the things of Christ is the general Disease of the World yet you shall observe it where the Word is powerfully preached and men sit under it there men guilty of such neglects do oft under the same meet with gripes and throbs c. and though they have an opposing heart in them yet from the convincement they have of the goodness of the ways of God which they see and hear discovered and the badness of their own they durst not for their ears break forth into open opposition but now when offences arise then they are emboldned to a neglect of the most concerning things for now think they surely there is not that necessity of these and these things as wee have thought and are made to beleeve for were there certainly such as follow after them would never doe thus and thus or if the worst come we shall speed as well as they and from such a conceit drunk in now they are bold who before durst not to scoff at and oppose the things of Christ and their own salvation now what a sad and heavie judgement is this for a man or woman to bee made bold in neglecting Christ and salvation bold in opposing the means of Grace that now hee can do it without fear or remorse this comes in upon the world by Offences 5 By these they are confirmed and hardned in their own wayes of sin Nothing doth more confirm and settle a man in his own way and opinion whatsoever the same bee than this to set a man of a contrary way or opinion to come up to his Now when the sinners of the world see the Saints of God coming up to their waies now they begin to think well of their own wayes which perhaps before they were suspicious of and to applaud them as the only wayes for say they Do you not see that such and such who would seem to walk in contrary wayes yet come up to us what need wee doubt of our wayes or call them in question when as they themselves that speak against them and would seem to walk in contrary wayes yet come and walk in them were not our wayes good wayes they would not The prophane Drunkard when a man of profession will come into the Alehouse and there sit and bowse and tipple it with him certainly saith hee My way is a good way Now what a fearful judgement is this upon a man when a man is in the high way to hell and riding gallop thither and yet is confirmed in his way that it is a good way that all the world cannot perswade him out of it 6 And lastly By these the world are brought to blaspheme the good and right wayes of God as they are hereby confirmed in their own wayes so also they come to blaspheme Gods wyes for laying the fault of those that walk in it upon the way they call Gods wayes a deceitful way a hypocritical way a way that makes those that walk in it hypocrites and dissemblers Thus the dust and dirt that some mens corruptions who walk in Gods way raise the world in a blasphemous way retort the same upon the way of God Therefore after Davids fall Nathan comes to him and tells him That by this hee had given occasion to the Enemies of God to blaspheme Now what a sore judgement is this upon a man when he is arrived to that height of impiety as to throw the dirt and mire of mens corruptions in the face of God himself and upon his spotless wayes yet this poor sinners are brought to by Offences Lay all together and see what a heavy wofull judgement OFFENCES are upon the world well might Christ say Wo to the world It is said Rev. 12.12 Wo to the Inhabitants of the earth for the Devil is
come down unto you having great wrath So I may say when Offences arise Wo Wo to the men of the world for the Devil is come down among them the Devil hands abroad Offences hee makes wonderfull improvement of them they are his weapons and poysoned arrows c. 4 But why do Offences fall as a reall and heavy judgement upon the world Reason 1. Because God would powre out his wrath upon the obstinate sinners of the world all manner of wayes He makes the word a viall of wrath to them their mercies a vial of wrath to them their afflictions a vial of wrath to them their own sins a vial of wrath to them and that the wrath of God might come upon them to the uttermost and bee powred upon them all manner of wayes even the sins of his people a vial of wrath to them Reason 2. Because by these they might fill up the measure of their iniquity God hath a measure of wrath filled up running over to bee powred upon the ungodly of the world one day and they have a measure of iniquity which they go on filling up here and by how much this measure of iniquity is filled up by so much doth the measure of wrath grow greater Now because sinners delight to be filling up this measure therefore they shall not want occasion but even God himself that so the measure of his wrath may bee filled to the brim will lay occasion before them by leaving his people and permitting them to fall that so the sinners of the world thereby may be blinded hardned made more notoriously vile and so have the measure of their iniquity filled up And therefore it is observable Psalm 11.6 that God rains snares first upon the wicked then fire and brimstone and a horrible tempest God hath fire Aye but first God will rain snares the Drunkard Adulterer Swearer shall have such a thing laid as a snare before him to harden him make him more vile notorious incorrigible in his sin O sinners sinners take heed that now whilst God is raining snares you bee not taken in them lest Gods fire and brimstone and horrible tempest fall upon your heads Reason 3. Because it is a matter of wonderful justice and equity that when Offences do arise they should fall as a real and heavy judgement upon the world Why why because the world without any respect to the dishonour that God suffers by them or the reproach of his Name and Cause Watch for Offences wish for them desire them rejoyce in them publish and spread them and therefore it is a most just thing with God that when they come they should fall as a judgement upon them rather than any This is that they would have and therefore let them take them and the Wo of them Drunkard Swearer formal Professor thou wouldest have Offences arise they are meat and drink to thee Lo saith God here they are take them and the Wo of them for it is thine thou hast longed to see them here they are thou shalt have thy belly full of them in the end Reason 4. Because God as in all other things so also in the very rise and issue of Offences would put a manifest difference betwixt his own children and the men of the world Offences come to both but not to both alike Offences to the godly they are as the rod of a Father for correction to the world as the rod of an Enemy for destruction To the godly they bring honey in the tayl of them to the world a poysonous deadly sting a manifest difference To the one they are seeming judgements but real mercies to the other they are seeming approbations of their wayes and courses but real judgements upon their persons soul and body for ever if God prevent not 5 But if such a Woe come upon the world by Offences How may I come to know that so it may bee prevented when the world is justly offended and so offended as thereby in danger of this dreadful Wo Answ 1. The world is justly offended when Professors by principles which they hold or maintain do put out the light of Nature for the light of Nature is a light that the Heathens have Rom. 2. and possibly a meer natural man that hath no work of grace upon his heart nor savour of spiritual things as spiritual may see those things that this light directs too as clearly as Christians For though wicked men are blinde in spiritual things and it may be do not do what natural light teacheth yet are they not so blinde but they can see this they should do Now when Professors maintain principles contrary to this light the world who have the light and see by it and so far as they see you must give them leave to know are justly offended and can tell them to their teeth their principles are a lye and themselves a company of liars and deceivers As to instance Suppose a Professor hath such a principle that there is no God but onely that God that is within him A wicked man by the light of Nature will tell such a loose Professor such an Atheist I should say that his principle is a lye and hee is a liar for when hee beholds the creatures and things that are made the light of Nature dictates to him that hee could never make it and that therefore there must bee an Almighty power by which these things were made are ordered and governed c. Again If a Professor maintain such a principle that there is no need of prayer c. worshipping God in such a way the light of Nature will tell him that it is a lye for the light of Nature teacheth this That God is to bee worshipped served called upon Again if a man a professing man one that seems to hold such a principle that I need make no conscience of any sin or action whatsoever I may bee drunk or murther my neighbour lye with his wife the light of Nature will teach such a one that this principle is a damnable lye and he is a liar for the light of Nature discovers these horrid works of darkness and abominates these Now when men by their principles extinguish and blot out the light of Nature then is the world justly offended Secondly When Professors in their practices swerve from the rules of morality The moral Law was written in the heart of Adam before his fall and therefore it is written in the nature of every man So that by this men of the world are able to pass a judgement upon moral acts whether they be good or bad though wicked men cannot judge of the faith of the godly nor of his works as they are the fruit of his faith yet they can judge of his morality and of his acts as they are moral acts Now when men of the world see Professors break the pales and bonds of morality and transgress these rules they are justly offended and know that they do evill
through that offence that I received from such an one O my heart was hardned against the Word and all means of grace whilst I lived and I am now in Hell and I dye I dye for ever through that offence which my heart took up through the walking of such a one Q. But you will say what shall I doe how shall I walk that I may not fall and offend the world Ans 1. Be oft in blessing God that hath kept thee from such falls unto this day 2 Censure and judge thy self when thou seest another fall say Lord I might have fallen I have as justly deserved to bee left of thee to my self as ever any such a one is fallen but Lord why not I why was not I the man why was not I the woman how comes it that I stand what hath kept me all this while 3 Deal gently and tenderly with thy Brothers wound doe not cruelly and mercilesly rake in it lest God make a wound in thy sides in thy conversation for others to rake in Gal. 6.1 4 Hearken to the voyce of offended conscience an enlightned man ever first offends himself If thy right hand offend thee cut it off Conscience is first offended and if men did but hearken to the voyce of conscience when that is offended and labour to nip the offending monster in the head it would never grow to that height as to be seen of others and to offend them 5 Walk with fear and trembling be not high minded but fear is a needful word in this case he that creeps on the ground gets no falls but he that will soar in the air let him look to himself You know what the Wise man saith A haughty minde goes before a fall when Peter had ceast fear and had most pride and carnal confidence then was his fall 6 Act faith much in the promises of perseverance as I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jerem 32.40 and renew the actings of faith in such promises so oft as thou seest others fall 7 Nourish no Dalilah in thy bosome Sampson played with his Dalilah in private a while but at last his Dalilah brought him upon the open stage So 8 Do not while thou bearest thy self upon the grace of God allow thy self in the practise of any known evil God will bear with much in his Children rather than he will shame them before the world but hee will never bear with that that I should make his Grace the Patron of my Sin because he is free and will pardon me and never damn me therefore I should bee more ventrous to wound Christ grieve his Spirit dishonour his Name shame his ways and people than otherwise I durst be 9 And lastly Play not upon the borders of any sin The fly that plaies about the Candle is at last burnt in it the Childe that wil be ever playing upon the pit side at last drops into it It is a dangerous thing and that man or woman is not far from some shameful fall whose heart is come to that that they will goe as near to sin as they can The wise man knows the further he keeps out of the Lions reach the safer he is and none but children and fools will play with his paws Obj. But put case I have fallen and offended the world what shall I doe Is there now no hopes for me no remedy for such a disease Ans Yes all things are possible to him that beleeveth though this sin be a mountain faith will remove it But wouldest thou know what to doe First Humble thy self before God for this thy sin labour to clear thy self before him that so though wicked men in Hell should accuse thee hereafter yet God may have cleared thee before they accuse thee Secondly Labour to make the fence strongest where the gap has been broken if pride has cast thee down begge above all things humility if earthly-mindedness above all things heavenli-mindedness if extravagancy in words above all things keep a watch Thirdly Pray to God that others may bee kept Thou hast been lavish of Gods honour and it is now too late to remedy that labour now to fetch God in honour by endeavouring to prevent others from the like Fourthly Take all well and thankfully whatever shame or loss God casts upon thee for it Fifthly Let thy words as well as thy deeds be a warning to others Sixthly Labour now by all ways to doe all the good thou canst to poor sinners thou hast done them a mischief it is too late to help that only thou art to mourn for it and leave the issue with God labour to make it up by doing others good Matth. 11.6 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me THe words naturally hold forth these two things to us 1 That there is an aptness and proneness even in good men to be offended 2 That it is a blessed thing for a man or woman to get over this evil Either of these will afford us many necessary Questions but I shall not strictly tye up my self to either but I have fixed upon this Scripture to speak somewhat to the subject of Offences more in general as it is a case of Conscience OFFENCE is two-fold either offence given or offence taken Offence given is when by somewhat trans-acted done or spoken an occasion of stumbling and being offended is laid before others An offence taken is when at the occasion of the offence the other is offended Of either of these there is an offence good and bad 1 There is a GOOD offence given and a BAD offence given 1 A GOOD offence given is that offence which hath no evil in it in respect of the Giver though yet it proves an offence to some and this is 1 When by instructing of the weak in things necessary to be known I doe offend the superstitious Thus Christ offended the Pharisees Matth. 15.10 11 12. Hear and understand not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man but that which cometh out of the mouth this defileth a man Then came his Disciples and said unto him knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying 2 When by maintaining of my Christian liberty against those who would infringe it I doe offend the obstinate Thus Paul Gal. 2. the beginning 3 When by the light of Christian Doctrine and conversation I doe offend the world by discovering and destroying their deeds of darkness thus the Apostles when they went forth with the Gospel did in all places offend 4 VVhen by following of God in somewhat which I am really convinced is my duty yet dark to another I do offend that other Thus Peter by going unto Cornelius's house 2 A BAD offence given is when an offence hath evil in it in respect of the Giver which is 1 VVhen by compliance with some that are Superstitious I do endanger the faith of such who are free from superstition