civill actions his praying is sin and so all his religions exercises yea every Iâ—agination of his heart is evill continually thus is it wiâ—h the person or perâ—ons that want faith 2. Again for temporall Judgements though he may be for a time without them yet it is but for his further conviction and more fearefull torment in the life to come nor is he sure of a freedom from them in this life they are hanging over his head as it were by a haire he knows not how soon they shall overtake him for they come suddenly as travell on a woman with child as a whirlwind or as an inundation of waters as the Scripture expresses it he knowes not when the Angell will poure out the viall of Gods wrath upon him yea the Angel may have the sword already drawn though he like blind Balaam does not see it And then lastly for eternall judgments when this life shall have an end which may be in a moment there is nothing attending him but instantly utter darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth everlasting burnings the lake that burns with fire and brimstone everlasting fiâ—e prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25 41. Revel 21. this is the dolefull and dreadfull condition of the person that wants true faith which consideration alone might serve to awaken us out of our security and to stir us up without delay with all diligence to prove try whither we be in the faith or not But for your further stirring up II. In the second place consider how that notwithstanding the case of these that want this true saving faith be most lamentable yet neverthelesse there be but very few that either have or shall have this pretious jewell of faith unfained this to be true the Scriptures the ground of all truth make cleerly good Many are called and few chosen Strait and narrow is the way that leads to life few there be that enter therein Christ when he shall come shal scarcely find faith on the earth this seriously considered would make men looke more narrowly to themselves then they do III. To stirre you up yet further to this triall consider that notwithstanding the Scripture be cleere in this point that true faith belongs to very few yet every one thinks he hath it whereby alas it is most evident by comparing the truth of Scripture with the opinions of men that the most part are pitifully deceived in this matter of highest concernment and that the faith of most men is but a fantasie and surely there is nothing more incident to us then presumption that by reason of the blindnesse which is in our minds the deceitfulnesse of our hearts and that self-self-love which is in our affections as is to be seen in the Pharisee the Laodiceans yea in those who preached prophecied and wrought miracles in Christs name which is fearefull yea the very grossest sinners think they truly believe which is strange and shewes the great power of presumption Q. I grant you that all this should stir us up to be about this present duty of trying whether we be in the faith or not and that both diligently and duely least we be deceived with so many others and also without delay the point being of so great consequence and our life of so short and uncertain continuance and not to be at a point in a point of such importance which betokens wonderfull security madnes yea spirituall deadnes tell me therefore I pray you some of the cleerest and surest markes of faith that I may try my selfe thereby A. For your better remembering of them you may take them up in 3. sorts to wit they be either taken from these things which goes before faith or from these things that accompany faith or from these things that follow after it from the antecedents from the concomitants and from the effects or consequents Q. What be the marks that go before faith A. First of all in the generall where the Lord hath a purpose to worke true faith in the hearts of any before it he works in them that preparatorie and ground-work of humiliation in the soule and consequently a very sensible change a work indeed painfull not joyous for the present but most necessarie for those who are dead in sinnes and trespasses as all by nature be this he doth by sending his spirit according to his promise thereby to convince them of their sinfulnesse guiltinesse and wants Iohn 16.8 and it is usually called the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. v. 15. Now this work of humiliation I say is a very sensible work and makes a great and a sensible change in the soule for it puts a stirring in the soule an awakening in the conscience which before was dead in sins and trespasses so needed some strong allarme it is the very pains and pangs of the new birth which cannot choose but be both painfull and sensible it is the casting out of the strong man who although while he holds the house all things be at peace yet will not be cast out without sensible unquietnesse seeing then the change is great and sensible see and consider if ever thou hast found any such change in thy soule or not Qu. But what be the particular changes that be wrought upon a man by this work of humiliation A. They be many but these three chiefly as both Scripture and the experience of Gods own children do testifie I. The first great change that is wrought upon a man in the work of humiliation is by reason of the discovery of his guiltinesse and of his being convinced thereof for whereas before his mind heart was filled with false presumptions apprehensions of Gods mercy nothing but mercy before his eyes and no seeing of God in his Iustice now be they quite contrary in this worke of humiliation the case is changed nothing so much before his eyes as the Iustice of God and his anger against sin the sight of mercie almost being quite ecclipsed he being upholden onely with a glimering as it were thereof a possibilitie of pardon and hanging as it were by a very hair of hope Jona 2. v. 4. nothing sounds in his eares so much as justice and wrath hence these sayings Lord rebuke me not in thine anger enter not into judgement c. His former and forgotten sinnes are brought to rememberance as we see it fared with the sons of Jacob and they are set in order before him Psa 50.21 he trembles at Gods word Isa 66.2 the threatnings of the word like as the arrowes of the Almighty trouble him and write bitter things against him as it fared with Ioh. Now all this is done for very good ends to wit these two especially first for their by-past sinnes that they may be driven to Christ the horne of salvation Luke 1.69 that they may fly earnestly or at least in sincerity unto him for a refuge Heb. 6.18 to his merits righteousnesse intercession
and take deeper root in the same then any care of the things of the life to come So if they seek the kingdom of heaven at all yet it cannot be said that they keep the rule Seek first or chiefly the kingdom of heaven 2. They be not diligent but slothfull desires wishing to dye the death but not willing to be at the pains to live the life of the righteous either they do nothing at all for it or at least not all that they should do they may perhaps leave many sins as was to be seen in Herod not do all that is commanded as is to be seen in the young man in the Gospel notwithstanding he did seem to have a very forward and fervent desire of salvation still they stick and stand at something and howsoever they seek the kingdom of heaven yet adde they not this and the righteousnesse thereof 3. They be not stable nor constant desires but fits and starts unconstant motions like the morning dew so that if they work at all yet do they not work out their salvation So that you have no reason to be put by the comfort of this point because of any desires in the wicked and unregenerate this way your desires being 1. deep and serious such as could not be put off but with satisfaction in some measure in the point it self 2. You seeking first the kingdom of heaven your heart running more upon this point of your own salvation and it going neerer unto your heart then the things of this 〈◊〉 3. You seeking the kingdom of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof and that ye have a respect to all Gods Commandments declining no duty entertaining no sin and in thus doing ye shall not be ashamed Lastly thy desires being stable and constant although it may be not in a like degree thou working out the work of thy salvation Q. The time was sometimes indeed that I could have said so much of the desires of my salvation that they were serious that they were not slothfull that I wrought out my salvation with fear and trembling but now I finde such slacknesse remissenesse security that makes me greatly doubt that my desires have not been such as they should A. This is indeed an ill to be regrated prayed and striven against even this great and ordinary ill of security But for your comfort understand that one and the same degree of desire and diligence is not to be expected alwayes no not in the best of Gods children especially their desires being more sharp their care their fear their diligence more great in the beginning of their conversion that as ye heard before they may be well entred in the course of Christianitie and well buckled with all Christian duties but many times afterwards there will be a falling away from their first care and diligence even the wise Virgins will slumber Christs own Spouse sleeped when her heart waked But herein stands the difference betwixt the instabilitie and inconstancie of the wickeds desires and of the godlies That the godly although they remit sometimes somewhat of the degree of their desires and cares this way yet do they never altogether return to their former securitie which they had before their wakening and conversion they may fal from their first care and diligence but not from all care and diligence the wise Virgins did slumber but were not dead the Spouse slept but her heart waked there will be ever something wakening and stirring the hearts of Gods children whereas the wicked grow altogether as secure and sluggish yea more like water heated which grows colder then before This no doubt if you apply it to your self will give you some resolution and comfort And thus far for this point 2. Now for the second point it is also true that the wicked and unregenerate may have a sight of their own corruptions wickednesse and sinfulnesse but it is also far from the degree and kind of that sight of sin and corruption which the regenerate and Gods own children have who have gotten the eye-salve the speciall illumination of the Spirit and are inlightned by that true light who lighteneth every man that cometh into the world they see more then flesh and blood can reveal unto them The difference may be especially seen in these foure particulars 1. The wicked and unregenerate although by the light of nature or a generall illumination they see some outward grosse corruptions corruptions of their flesh as fornication murther c. yet see they not their inward secret corruptions no lesse reigning and raging in them and no lesse odious unto God their pride their hypocrisie their infidelity their impatience their spirituall idolatry and whoring after the creature they see not the filthinesse of the spirit 2 Cor. 7. 2. Although they see sin in the branches and fruit yet see they it not in the root and fountain they see not into that originall corruption of their nature the blindnesse errour and vanity of their minds the great aversnesse and rebellion of their wils the inordinatenesse and earthlinesse of their affections the deadnesse of their consciences the hardnesse whoring hypocrisie and desperate wickednesse of their hearts they see not that body of death Rom. 7.24 3. They see not all their spirituall wants but think themselves as is to be seen in the Church of Laodicea to be rich and to have need of nothing to beleeve in Christ as well as any to love God as well as any c. 4. And lastly they see not the manifold imperfections of their best services but with the Pharisee rest upon the bare outward performance not pondering their own hearts nor considering that the Lord ponders them the wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the heart whereas the children of God on the contrary acknowledge all their righteousnesse to be but a menstruous cloth In a word the naturall and unregenerate mans light and sight of sin is but like an ordinary light whether candle-light or day-light while entring into a roome will discover any great or grosse filthinesse whereas the light of the regenerate is like the light of the Sun-beams which entring into a place discovers the very small moats in it This is clearly to be seen in Paul Rom. 7. before his regeneration and the coming in of the light of Gods Spirit by the Law he had a good conceit of himself he saw not concupiscence to be sin but afterwards he gets afar other sight of sin and of himself For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I dyed Thou then who 1. seest thy inward corruptions thy secret and spirituall ones as well as the outward and grossest 2. Who seest the corruption of thy nature as wel as thy actuall transgressions 3. Who seest thy spirituall wants that thou art poore miserable and naked 4. And who seest a great imperfection in thy best services that they are
that the Lord requires and if ye pray unto God for them Look to the sixth Commandment and see whether or no thine heart doth not often rise in anger against thy neighbour without or for a very small cause and thy mouth doth not break out into miscalling of him yea perhaps in cursing him which is the very height of murther And remember what our Saviour saith He that is angry with his brother without a cause is in danger of the judgement Or whosoever shall say to his brother thou fool or any thing as ill as this is in danger of hell fire Consider also the seventh Command and remember how it also is to be extended to thy heart and to thy speeches and so meets with all thy unclean thoughts and unclean speeches And look how thou hast carried and doest carry thy self in the other points of sobriety in thy drinking in thy eating a point certainly that many fail in and few consider yea and in thy wearing Consider the eight Command and see if perhaps thou hast not wronged thy neighbour in his goods but how hast thou imployed thy own how wilt thou clear thy accounts to him who will take account of the talents he hath committed to thee hast thou not spent much superfluously and unnecessarily when the members of Jesus Christ have been like to starve for want Look to the ninth Command which forbids thee to speak to the disgrace of thy neighbours name whether it be true or false that thou speakest for love should cover imperfections and we are commanded to do as we would be done to And see the propension of thy heart to break this Commandment nothing so incident to us as in our discourses to fall upon our neighbours imperfections and to talk of them with delight a signe we want that love which is the summe of all As for the tenth Command those that see any thing cannot but see that body of death I have gone briefly through the Commandments touching onely these things that I think people are most guilty of so to lead you to the knowledge of sin without which there can be no humiliation no repentance no amendment I beseech you take heed to the particulars and apply them to your selves and pray the Lord more and more to give you the eye-salve and to open your eyes that ye may see the wonderfull things of the Law that ye may see what is displeasing to him and dangerous to your own souls II. Secondly having thus applyed the Law to your selves for the knowledge and discovery of sin Then in the second place apply the threatnings and curses of the Law to your self for your humiliation and to this end consider the severitie and greatnesse of them the universalitie and extent of them they are certainly exceeding great and fearfull they extend to the body to the minde to the temporal and spiritual care of a man to this life and to the life to come and they are very fearfull in all these respects Consider chiefly the universalitie of these threatnings in regard of their object every one great and small young and old he or she are lyable to the curses of the Law we should consider this for we are exceeding prone to make an exception and to blesse our selves in our hearts when God curses and to slip the choller But what saith the Scripture Cursed is every one that abideth not in all things c. And tribulation and anguish is on every soul that dâ—th evill c. We should also consider the truth of him that hath pronounced these threatnings even God that cannot lye Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jâ—t of his Word shall passe away Now all this is little enough to move us for we are wonderfully given to this to shift the threatnings of the Law off from our selves although we cannot deny that the Lord is true that hath pronounced them yet indirectly our unbeleeving shifting hearts do it like those of whom the Prophet Jeremy speaks Chap. 5.12 They have bolyed the Lord saith he and said this evill shall not come upon us What else do they that walk in their sins and yet think that the threatnings of the Law shall not over-take them but even give the Lord the lye And again although the threatnings and curses of the Law be so generall and univerfall as ye may see Deut. 29. the Lord fore-sets that there shall be some and alas would to God that the most part were not so who when they hear the curses of the Law shall neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts and shall say I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own heart how many are there of this kind that ban swear and drink and rail and break the Sabbath securely and yet neverthelesse blesse themselves in their own hearts think that no such thing shall overtake them all secure sinners are of this sort O but what saies the Lord to such a soul The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses of his book shall come upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name under heaven O that secure finners would consider this But what shall I say of the slownesse of men and women to beleeve the Lords threatnings the curses of the Law they are so senslesse and stupid that when they see them executed upon others yea when they feel them upon themselves diseases upon their bodies grief upon their minds c. yet they conceive not they consider not that it is by vertue of the Lords threatnings that this comes upon them so to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God This the Prophet Jeremy Chap. 5. sets down to have been the senslesse condition of the people of his time Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast confumed them but they have not received correction And he concludes Surely they are poore they are foolish they know not the wayes of the Lord nor the judgement of their God This is a lamentable case and yet a common case we should pray the Lord to save us from this senslesnesse They are happy that when adversitie comes upon them get grace from God to acknowledge it to be for their sins and so humble themselves and are not condemned with the wicked world for so they prevent the wrath which is to come But happie were we if we would beleeve Gods threatnings without feeling of them for then we should prevent afflictions also would we judge our selves we should not be judged c. Now there be two things especially that stand in the way and hinder the threatnings of Gods Law from having their due operation upon the hearts of men and women and makes men and women to be secure notwithstanding of the peremptory threatnings of the Law And I beseech you take heed unto them that ye be not also lulled
humiliation is wrought in thy soul and therefore thank God for this and go forward to perfection get faith and love which casteth out fear the Spirit of adoption instead of the spirit of bondage Goon then to beleeve for thou both mayst shouldst having the fear of God thus in thy heart and being in a constant course of obedience according to thy abilitie that faith was never boldnesse nor presumption that is joyned with fear and obedience and that keeps to the precepts as well as to the promises It is an ordinarie policie of Satan and we should not be ignorant of his wiles but observe his stratagems that those who have no interest in the Promises as being void both of fear and obedience these I say he puffes up with Presumption and makes them boldly to claim and lean to that wherein they have no right As long as a man makes no conscience of his wayes he lets him beleeve his fill such a belief as it is when indeed he should not lay hold nor claim to the Promises as is clear by that Psal 50.16 17. But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee When a man again hath forsaken his wicked wayes and thoughts makes conscience of his courses and begins to fear the Lord at which time he may should lay hold on the Promises as is clear by that remarkable and comfortable place Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Here is a clear warrant and a sweet invitation for a person in such a case to beleeve and lay hold and yet I say no sooner fares it thus with a man but Satan and his own corruption incontinently bear him back from beleeving Observe this then and resist the devill and the corruption of infidelity that is in thine own heart bear back no longer If bearing back and withdrawing were an allowable cause for thee in such a course thy heart would not be so much given unto it we are ever to suspect the way of our own heart and to judge it wrong that we are most given unto namely the point in hand infidelity being so sibbe to us and which hangs so fast on thee as thou wast given in the time of thy securitie through the way of thine own heart to presume and lay hold when thou shouldest not now this way of thy own heart was clearly wrong So now the way of thy own heart being to misdoubt and draw back why shouldst thou not suspect it and resist it Hold to thy comfortable warrant thou fearest the Lord at least thou desirest to fear his Name for even to such the Scripture allows comfort thou obeyest the voice of his servants or art willing to obey so far as thou art able then obey this also Trust in the Lord and go on in a constant course of fear and obedience and fear not to beleeve this is the Lords seal to depart from iniquity Make your calling and election sure by well doing If ye do these things an entrance shall be ministred unto yâ—u a undantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1.11 If thou fear yea desire to fear if thou obey yea be willing and obedient even willing to be obedient Finally for thy further comfort and for the comfort of all those who are troubled because they are not satisfied in this point about the sense of their own guiltinesse let this be considered and examined as towards the promiâ—es there is a true faith and beleeving of them without sense which gives rest to the soul and produces good effects So may there also be a tâ—â—â— faith of the threatnings producing a true fear and câ—re and consequently a true humiliation although it be not joyned with sense All this is spoken not that you ought to rest upon this degree of humiliation for as you ought to go on from faith to faith and from grace to grace so from humiliation to humiliation Moreover the work of humiliation namely in regard of the sight and sense of our own guiltinesse and deservings is the very ground-work of the work of our salvation and sanctification and therefore should be well layed greatly laboured for and we should strive to have it deeply seated and stamped in our hearts and memories For as any may feel by experience according to the lively sense of this point goes on the livelinesse of all other points of Religion this point being lively unto us to wit the sight and sense of our own deservings it makes us accordingly hearty to confesse our sins and humbly to walk with our God it chases us earnestly to lay hold on the means of our deliverie to lay hold on the mercie of God the promises the Covenant c. It makes us flie in to the very bosome of Christ for shelter as to our City of refuge our horn of salvation And lastly faith being on foot and lively withall it is a whetstone and serves to quicken and set an edge upon our love and consequently upon our godly sorrow our zeal our obedience c. for then do we love most when we are most sensible how much is forgiven us so great are the consequents of this point So then I say what I have spoken for your comfort in this point is not that I would have you rest altogether upon the degree of humiliation alreadie acknowledged by you Onely this I would not have it hid from your eyes what you have received but that you should see it and acknowledge it that the Lord may not want his thankfulnesse nor you your comfort And that Satan may not prevail against you by that great and admirable policie of his as he hath done with many to bear you back from faith and laying hold on the Promises without the which there can be no comfort in a Christian soul yea no cheerfull no acceptable service to the Lord Without faith it is impossible to please him yea the heart wants courage to do it either to pâ—eâ—se him to praise him or to honour him Now his policie is this which is the doubt and hold-back to many Obj. I am not sufficiently humbled and therefore should not beleeve nor lay hold on the Promises for humiliation going before faith and beleeving Ans To this I say thou art not indeed sufficiently humbled in regard of and in reference to the work of thy sanctification nor ever shalt be so long as thou art here but I say the case standing so with thee as we were speaking that is thou fearing and obeying c. thou art sufficiently humbled to lay hold upon the Promises and to be bold to believe them and claim thy interest in them thou fearest the Lord
for thy self suppose that thou wert sure of mercie and that thou hadst already obtained mercy yet thou hast need neverthelesse to humble thy self under the mightie hand of God therby to prevent the sharpnesse of the Lords chastisements and to be corrected in measure thou hast need to judge thy self that thou mayest not be judged for even where the Lord is mercifull he takes vengeance for transgression he may well correct in measure but he will not leave altogether unpunished Upon David's first confession it was said to David Thy sins are forgiven thee and yet ye see what he suffered both in regard of spirituall and temporall crosses as the 51. Psalm and the History can bear witnesse This should startle all sinners and make them to haste out of their sins suppose thou get mercie and repentance which is but a peradventure yet neverthelesse thou shalt find that is an evill and bitter thing to depart from the living God the Lord will have thee to find some dint of his threatnings both upon thy temporall and spirituall estate Look what ever pleasure thou tookest in sinning the Lord will have thee one way or other to taste as much bitternesse by his chastisements and therefore that these may be in measure we have need to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God and to walk humbly with our God all the daies of our life To conclude this point then which I have insisted on the longer because it is a main one Would ye then attain to the ground-work of humiliation and obey this present Exhortation Then take the threatnings of Gods Law and lay them before you and meditate oft and seriously upon them and crave earnestly the Spirit for that end apply them to your self and suffer not your heart to shift them and strive to fear the Lords threatnings and to tremble at his Word for our deceitfull hearts are very ready to shift them to make a covenant with hell and to put the evill day far from us they have no will to hear such harsh tydings our souls shun this work of humiliation mightily and the devill he is very busie to steal out the fear of the Lords threatnings out of our heart for he knows that if he obtain that he hath then made sure work He did so with our first parents and prevailed God threatned they should dye the devill said Ye shall not dye and he was better beleeved then God None of us but we will condemne our first parents in this but fares it not even so with every one of us The Lord hath added this threatning to every one of his Commands If thou do this thou shalt surely dye if thou swear thou shalt dye if thou whore thou shalt dye if thou lye thou shalt dye and yet we stand not to commit these things which thou durst not do didst thou not beleeve the devill and thy own heart whispering into thee that thou shalt not dye thou beleevest the devill and belyest God But I intreat you beloved still beleeve the threatnings of Gods Word that so ye may humble your selves under the mighty hand of God as did good Josiah when he heard the book of the Law and that ye may stand in aw for times to come and not sin II. The second main and chief mean to bring us to humiliation is to consider and meditate upon the Lords judgments set down in Scripture adding withall the consideration of Gods unchangeablenes and how as the Apostle saith he is not an accepter of persons this surely is a notable mean David saith My heart trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid because of thy judgements And did we consider that we are guilty of the like if not the same or greater sins how would our hearts tremble There is no sin almost but the Lord hath left a registrate punishment for it in his Word the more to humble us seeing that his bare Law and threatnings without execution would not affect us How are we bound to him that teaches us in this manner by others harms 1 Cor. 10. The Apostle brings in a number of instances of the Lords severe judgements against divers sorts of sinners against unbeleevers murmurers fornicators intemperate lusters c. and concludes saying Now all these things befell them for examples and they are written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are fallen The Scripture is full of other examples and surely now were not the hardnesse of our hearts so extreamly great I know not what could be more effectuall the Lord concurring by his Spirit to bring us to humiliation for our by-past sins and to cause us to stand in aw to sin for times to come then a deep and due consideration of the judgements against sinuers guiltie of the like transgressions and sins with our selves Adding withall the consideration of the unchangeablenesse of the Lord God who dealt thus with them and inflicted those judgements upon them for he being the same yesterday and to day and for ever there being no variablenesse nor shadow of turning with him he being no accepter of persons especially thy sins being greater Then certainly how can the Lord but have the like quarrell with thee as with them as the Apostle saith Thinkest thou O man that doest the same things that thou shalt escape the judgement of God how canst thou think it unlesse thou think that thou hast not to do with the same God or that he is changed from that he was and that he is not so offended at sin now as he was of old or that he is an accepter of persons all which or any of which to say is very blasphemous Was the Lord so offended of old with the infidelitie and with the impatiencie and murmuring and repining of his people and did he punish it so severely and shalt thou for thy manifold delinquencies notwithstanding thy by-past experiences and thy frequent repining against the Lords will escape unlesse thou repent it and humble thy self and amendi Did the Lord punish so sharply Nadah and Abihu for profaning his worship and offering up strange fire to him and not sanctifying the Lord when they came before him and neer him And doth not that same guiltinesse lye upon thee and hath not the Lord the same quarrel with thee who so often hast profaned his worship with hypocrisie and sloth drawing neer to him with the lips but thy heart being far from him but set upon thy vanities and doing his work negligently rushing in before him without sanctifying thy self when thou drewest neer him yea coming with thy sins upon thee and so offering strange fire to him many wayes shall not the Lord punish thee also Unlesse thou humble thy self and amend 3. Did the Lord so peremptorily punish the man who blasphemed his Name making him to be stoned to death and shalt thou who hast so often blasphemed the holy and dreadfull Name of the Lord thy God think that the Lord
and hide his sin his great sin yet the Lord gave him pardon intimating mercy to him The seed of the woman shall tread down the head of the serpent Lastly whatsoever thou dost want in this point the Lord hath promised it even to take away the stonie heart and to give the spirit of mourning Zach. 12.10 Obj. O but I continually slide back to the same sins daily A. It may be so through the power of sin leading thee captive and sinne that hangs fast on yet this is not thou but sin that dwelleth in thee 2. He hath said that he will heale our back-slidings Psal 65. Iniquity prevailes against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions Doest thou sin daily he gives thee liberty yea he commands thee daily to crave the remission of thy sins yea as oft as thou cravest daily bread but you will say how can this be what man would deale thus O but my waies are not like your waies noâ— my thoughts like your thoughts Isa 55. But to apply the point and to draw to an end A due dwelling upon the meditations of Gods mercy thus laid down in Scripture is a notable prop and mean of faith for a Christian soul may reason thus doth the Lord set down his rich mercy so richly and amply in his word and will he not be as good as his word will he faile when it comes to the point and proofe as men sometimes use to do who will speak fair and fail when it comes to the deed and performance will he not be as good as his word he gives himself out for Yes certainly hath he not set out his mercy in this kinde that our mistrusting doubting and withdrawing hearts may be made to rest upon the same according to that in Psal 26. O how excellent is thy mercie O Lord therefore under the shadow of thy wings shall the children of men put their trust A second notable Mean of Faith is to consider duly the mercifulnes and faithfulnesse of our high Priest our Mediator especially his readines to receive sinners as we have a mercifull and gracious partie so also a mercifull Advocate Hebr. 2. A mercifull high Priest and faithfull in things pertaining to God to make reconcilement for the sins of the people This the Scripture makes also a notable prop and mean of Faith and confidence as is clear from Hebr. 4. Seeing we have such an high Priest let us come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy Now for his readinesse to receive poore sinners certainly it is exceeding great It is well observed by one that he never refused any who came to him here on earth for the cure of their bodies although this was not his main errand yea he prevented some as the man at the Pool he encouraged others to come forward when others would have discouraged them as the blind man much lesse will he refuse any who come to him for the salvation and curing of their souls this being his main errand and principall office even to save his people from their sins 2 Behold how sweetly he invites Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden I counsell you to come unto me He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Ho every one that thirsts How often would I have gathered you Behold I stand at the doore and knock Rev 3. He beseeches us to be reconciled by his Embassadours 2 Cor. 5. Now may not a sensible soul reason He that invites us so kindly to come will he not welcome us as kindly when we come He that beseeches us to be reconciled unto him will he not when we intreat him be reconciled to us Stands he at the doore and knocks and will he not open unto such as not onely are willing to let him in but stand at his doore and knock He that so often would have gathered these who came not will he refuse to any chased soul a shelter under his wings flying for refuge and to the horns of salvation Q. O but I am not worthy to come there is gnoâ—race in me A. There is worth enough in him for you and him both 2. He invites thee to come and that freely and he will accept of thy small measure he quenches not the smoaking flax Obj. If I could come unto him but I cannot do that A. O he will help thee I will draw all men unto me Joh. 11. He is the author and finisher of our faith A third notable Mean of Faith is to meditate upon and confider of the manifold motives perswasions and inducements the Lord God uses to draw us to beleeve O it is not an easie matter to beleeve for the first Command is to beleeve 1 Joh. 5. this is his Commandment and he threatens us if we beleeve not and that most fearfully Joh. 1. and 3. Chapters to drive and scar us from infidelity Whosoever beleeves not he is condemned alreadie he hath made God a lyar 3. He doth request us to beleeve We as the Ambassadors of God beseech you to be reconciled bids us trust and trust perfectly to the grace that shall be revealed unto us 1 Pet. 1.4 He sometimes cheers us to beleeve and encourages us Come and câ—mâ— boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercye Hebr. 4.5 Sometimes the Scripture chids us to beleeve so that as he saith of the people of Israel so may I say of this point O Judah what shall I do unto thee O Ephraim how shall I intreat thee Now may not a Christian soul gather great grounds to beleeve from these inducements reasoning thus with himself Doth the Lord command me to beleeve and shal I doubt whether I ought to do it or not Carry I my self or would I do so in regard of his other Commandments question I whether I shall do this or no and shall I draw back from this his most acceptable Commandment 1 Joh. 5. Doth the Lord threaten me so to beleeve so to chase me and scare my heart from infidelitie and shall I think that it will displease him to beleeve No I can see nothing can be either more dangerous to me or more displeasing to him then not to beleeve as is to be seen Joh. 7. and 3. Chapters 3. Doth he beseech me to be reconciled yea many never do regard his entreatie and will he refuse them who beseech him have besought him and by his grace will beseech him to be reconciled Is he not found of those who seek him not and will he not be found of me who seek him though weakly 4. Doth he bid me come boldly to the throne of his grace and will he then count it over great boldnesse in me to do so 5. Bids he me trust and that perfectly and complains he of the slownesse of the smalnesse of my faith and shall I be of little faith slow to beleeve Further as these Motives and inducements be notable to work us to beleeve and to
benefit of the offer Now all this is for the advantage and good of those that would beleeve and accept of the offer and to drive them from infidelitie and to stir them up to beleeve and eschew the lets thereof and not as you make wrong use of it to suppresse your faith wil you therfore be so foolish that either because the proclamation and offer of mercie though conceived in generall termes yet because it hath not thy name expresly set down in it to think that therefore it belongs not to thee Or because there is an intimation made that many through their own default in regard of the forementioned impediments shall neglect the opportunitie and loose the benefit of the offer of grace For the further fore-warning of thee and those who would beleeve to eschew these impediments wilt thou therefore I say upon groundlesse suspicions say O what if I be one of these and so fly back and fall into one of the impediments or shouldst thou not rather shun al the impediments and this of keeping back among the rest for for this end and use is it that the Spirit of God in Scripture hath set down these sayings and fore-warnings Many are called and few chosen c. Not to hinder but to put thee on to beleeve and indeed in so doing ye make a wrong and quite contrary use to that of Scripture the promise the offer the proclamation is made unto all whom God doth call For the benefit of it all shall not enjoy through their own default and they be of two sorts to wit such as set either light by the offer and promise who perish in their presumption and securitie Or such as keep back and distrust the promise who perish through desperation and infidelity Now those that set lightly they be of two sorts some leaning to their own righteouinesse and will not quit it these justly perish in their presumption 2. Others that will not leave their sins and pleasures which is the condition of the offer Matth. 11. will not take on Christs yoke these perish in their securitie As for those that keep back they be such who through Satan and their own hearts are holden back from beleeving and these perish through despair Seeing then thou art not one that doth set light by the promise and offer for thou renouncest thy own righteousnesse and doest or wouldst renounce thy fins and pleasures regardest not iniquitie in thy heart desirest to fear his Name Neh. 1. Then see thou be not one that keeps back yeeld not to Satan and thy own bad heart of unbelief remember the saying of the Apostle Let us fear lest a promise being left unto us any of us come short of it through unbelief Mark the words there is a promise left unto us so doubt not but the promise belongs to thee onely beware thou come not short of it through unblief and indeed if it were but this it shews that the promise belongs to those who through their own default may come short of it The benefit of the promise it is true belongs onely to the elect and those who are inwardly called but the promise it self or the offer of the promise belongs to all that are outwardly called In a word thou fearest that the promise belongs not to thee but the Apostle bids thee fear least a promise being left unto thee or belonging to thee that thou come short of it through unbeleife Heb. 4.1 and therefore let this rather be thy fear I mean care to prevent it But to go more succinctly and cleerly to work with you you say you fear such gratious offers and promises do not belong to you and how shall you know that they do belong to you they be indefinit say you but not universall or generall 1. I propose to you that same place Acts. 2.29 answering in direct termes to your doubt you doubt whether it belongs to you Yes To you and to your seed and to as many as God shall call And the former place Heb. 4. does cleer it that the promise is to those who come short of it the Lord indeed offers that which in his fore-knowledge he sees will not be accepted nor made use of and to whom he purposes not to give that grace to make use of it for though he is not obliged yet the offers neverthelesse is reall and the refuser justly punished 2. Ought ye not to be content with that same measure of security wherewith all Gods children have bin content and have reposed and rested even from the begining and still unto the end of the world even the word of promise they had no other ground of faith nor security for their salvation then this same indefinite promise One saith well It would have made too large a Bible if all the names of the elect had been written therin Be content therefore and be ye followers of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises and do as they did they saluted or embraced the promises met them mid-way as it were and so tooke hold of them so should ye not withdraw from or keepe back from them but run and meet them as it were and get unto them and having gotten them hold them fast with both thy armes and not faintly lay hold on them 3. I say thou art commanded to apply the generall promise to thy self and therefore thou mayest be bold to do it and of necessity it belongs unto thee 1 Iohn 5. this is his Commandment that thou beleive in his Son not onely that thou beleive the promise in general but also that thou beleive in his Sonne which implyes application of the promise to thy self and so saving faith Now I reason thus the Commandment doth surely belong unto thee even all Gods Commandments thou wilt not I hope exempt thy self from any of them but so it is that the Commandments commands thee to beleive in his Son therefore the promise belongs to thee also further thou art threatned if thou beleevest not Iohn 1. and 3. Chap. 4. The Spirit of God in Scripture from whom we should learn to apply and whose example if we follow we cannot erre for he leads into all truth doth not onely apply the generall and indefinite promises but even speciall promises so to speake made to the people of Israel to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. and 7. Chap Yea even singular promises made to singular persons as Heb. the last the promise made to Josuah to all the Hebrews now if the Scripture thus teach us to apply speciall and singular promises made to a peculiar people to a singular person to ourselves All Scripture is written for our use and conselation that through faith and hope c. And lastly I say let it be so that the Promises are onely indefinite in regard of all sorts of persons and conditions yet I am sure there is one sort of persons to whom they are meerly universall to wit the seeking sensible
Now would such persons consider that these very conditions be promised to be wrought in them and that so the Lord hath undertaken to do them for us both his part and ours and hath undertaken and promised that we shall beleeve repent fear love seek by prayer so that we have no more to do but by faith and patience to cleave unto it and to wait for the inheriting of those precious promises when it shall please the Lord to accomplish them unto us and in us what can be more comfortable then this it gives rest to the soul and indeed were it not thus what should be the excellency and comfort of the doctrine and tenour of the Gospel for it is as hard and impossible as far without the compasse of our power as is the tenour of the Law it is as hard and impossible for us to beleeve and repent this being the condition and tenour of the Gospel as it is to fullfill the whole Law But herein stands the comfort of the Gospel above the Law of the new Covenant above the old that the Law promises upon condition but does not promise nor give strength to perform the condition Whereas the Gospel and new Covenant not onely promises upon condition but also promises and gives strength to perform the condition it self to wit faith repentance the grace and gift of prayer the fear the love of God and these be the absolute promises Hence it is that it is said Heb. 8. to be established upon better promises to wit because here in this new Covenant the Lord gives vnto us absolute promises not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self promises not onely to do his own part but our part also these be indeed better promises And hence is it that in the same place he saith they abode not in that Covenant to wit in the old Covenant and why Because they undertook fairly for themselves We will do all that the Lord commands us But what saith the Lord knowing their weaknesse and the rather of their undertaking O that there were such a heart within them but for this Covenant it shall not be so with them for I will do their part also they shall abide in it They shall not depart from me I will write my Law in their hearts And hence is it that Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant this so main a point should be more taught and more considered for it is the very upholding of a Christian soul a notable encouragement in the course of Sanctification for now thou hast no more to do but to look carefully what grace thou wantest and then to look for the promise of such a grace and having found the promise thou shouldest labour with all humility to beleive it and then with that measure of faith that God bestows thou shouldest present thy daily Petitions to God in the name of Jesus Christ for that grace to be given unto thee out of the fulnesse of Jesus by the operation of the holy Spirit patiently confidently fervently and constantly prosecuting thy Suite from day to day untill the Lord satisfie thee which he will not fail to do if thou thus continue onely thou shouldest be carefull to do these two things to wit to beleive and fervently to seeke for these two the Lord requires Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 18.10 to wit in an enlarged desire And 2. by faith to receive it as I conceive it Ezek. 36.37 I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them this is subjoyned to all these precious promises of the new Covenant in that Chapter So that it is not enough for us to have the Promises but we must use the Means of earnest Prayer and seeking Ye receive not because ye ask not at least not so fervently and uprightly as ye should The prayer of the faithfull availeth much if it be fervent If thou beleeve all things are possible Obj. O but I fail in these two I cannot beleeve nor pray as I should and therefore I fear to come short of these precious promises A. Indeed we fail all too much in the fervencie of our seeking and it is hard to beleeve miracles and wonders for so indeed is the performance of these Promises whether it be the subduing of our strong fast hanging on corruptions or the supplying of our wants especially to those who are sensible either of the one or of the other and have continued long under such a sense O when shall I get such a corruption subdued when such a grace wrought not considering that God is able to do execeding abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think Able to make all grace to abound towards us for his power And then for his willingnesse more willing to bestow then we are readie to seek gives liberally to all and upbraids none counsels thee to come to him and get fine gold c. These be the two notable props of thy Faith in this point But for the point in hand thou canst not come to beleeve nor to seek as thou shouldest and therefore thou fearest thou shalt come short of the Promises Even these two amongst the rest are promised to wit the grace of faith and the grace of prayer Prayer is clearly promised Zach. 12.10 Jer. 29.12 A sweet place also Psal 10.17 So Rom. 8.26 Faith is promised Joh. 12.32 I will draw all men unto me this drawing is causing them to beleeve for he is the Author and finisher of our faith No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him So Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the rock of my salvation So Jer. 3.19 Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not depart from me Repentance is promised the godly sorrow Zach. 12.43 turning with the whole heart Jer. 24.7 the fear of God Jer. 32.39 Further in this Covenant is promised what thy heart could wish for sanctification or for strengthening of thy Faith and making thy calling and election sure Thou findest and feelest an hard and unsound heart the sinfulnesse of thy nature and this holds thee back from beleeving here a new heart is promised Feelest thou strong corruptions I will cleanse you from all your filthinesse c. Thou feelest and fearest thy want of outward obedience it is promised also I will put my Spirit within you c. And so we see it to be an absolute and compleat Covenant the Lord in it undertaking both for his own part and ours and in it promising not onely upon condition but even the very condition it self which is very comfortable To conclude then this point of the Covenant Go to then O thou of little faith what hinders thee to beleeve the remission of thy sins seeing the Lord God hath not onely promised it to thee but even solemnly covenanted with thee and then hath made with thee for it
the hardest condition that can befall it for what are other crosses which are to be but for a moment what are other comforts so long as the main iâ— wanting that soule hath more then good reason cheerfully and carefully to serve the Lord who hath bestâ—wed so precious a pearl upon it but alas I misse all or the most part of these Marks and so my case is most dolefull p. 188 Indeed I may justly accuse my self that my praying hath not been so frequent nor so fervent so constant nor so earnest as it ought to be but I have often prayed and as earnestly as I could and find but little increase either of Faith it self or of these Marks of Faith p. 190. I dare not apply the Covenant the promises to my self I think they do not belong to me although very sweet in themselves and that because I fiâ—d not these Marks in me which are in Gods children now the promises belong onely to such p. 198. 205. 248. Wâ—ether our good works and sanctification of â—ife be a sâ—fficient ground and Mark of assurâ—â—â—e p. 200 I have spent all my daies in sinning so that justly I may fear that the day of grace is expired the doore of mercy is shut p. 213 I continually slide back to the same sins daily p. 215. Many are called but few are chosen why may not I be of the number of these p. 219. But you will say although the Lord will not be the first yet when we break with him as we do continually will not the Lord then as he may most justly break with us and so alter the Covenant p. 244. I hear that upon my repentance I shall have accesse to this precious Covenant though after 70. times 7. times sinning yea infinitely often for Gods wayes are not like mans wayes but are above them as far as the heaven is above the earth which is very comfortable and also that the Lord will take pains with me to bring me to repentance will visit me with the rod c. O but what if I continue in sin without repentance if I be not to be reclaimed no not by rods and so fall away altogether p. 228. But may it not be objected that this doctrine of the surenesse everlastingnes and steadfastnesse of the Covenant is ready to faster security and to prove an obstruction to Christian obedience p. 249. When I consider this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant surely I must think them happy that have propriety and interest in it but I fear that I have none p. 251 O but I am so unworthy guiltie sinfull gracelesse I cannot think that it belongs to me p. 252 O but this Covenant promises that I shall have a new heart be cleansed from my filthinesse c. those things I find not hence is it that justly I doubt that the promises of remission of sins belongs not to me seeing the other promises of sanctification be not accomplished p. 255. O but I fail in these two I cannot beleive nor pray as I should and therefore I fear to come short of these precious promises p. 261. O but I am so unworthy that I dare not beleive it belongs to me so gracelesse and so full of wants so full of by-past guiltinesse of present sinfulnesse p. 264. O but I want the condition that should be on my part I cannot beleeve I cannot repent how shall I then lay hold on the Covenant for remission of sins seeing it is at what time a sinner repents the Lord will do away his iniquities p. 264. THE TOUCH-STONE OF CONVERSION OR The Marks of true FAITH 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Q. WHat are we to consider to stir us up whereof our selves are so slack and so secure to discharge this so necessary a duty diligently and without delay A. I. You should seriously consider the dolefull and dreadfull case of those who want this true and saving faith which certainly if truly beleeved throughly seen and duly thought upon is a most fearfull and lamentable condition for it is full of sinfulnesse and guiltinesse They be the slaves of the devill Ephes 2.7 yea of sin which is worse then the devill Rom. 6.16 they be the children of wrath Ephes 2.13 Now who knows the power of his wrath even in this life Psal 90.11 besides that which is to come 1 Thes 5.10 They have the Lord who is infinitely good kinde mercifull and gracious the fountain of all goodnesse not onely to be a stranger unto them Ephes 2.12 which is lamentable as depriving them of the interest of all sort of good things and favours but which being duely considered is most dreadfull they have the infinitely holy just powerfull soveraigne God for their unreconciled Enemie Col. 1.21 which makes them lyable to all sort of judgements Or clearly to set down unto you the fearful estate of those that want this true faith they are without the right and interest of all blessings spirituall temporall or eternall and they be lyable to all sorts of judgements spirituall temporall and eternall if their eyes were opened to see it First I say they be without right or intrest to any blessing or favours for for spirituall favours they be altogether strangers from them they are strangers from the Covenant the promises without Christ or God in the world Ephe. 2.12 For temporall blessings they may well have the possession of them but 1. without right to them because they are without Christ 2. Without any assurance of them because they are without the promises 3. They but tend to their conviction their table is a snare to them and so all things else as all evils work for the best to Gods children so all good things work together for the worst to them and for eternall blessings and everlasting happinesse they shall be without being debarred from that celestiall Jerusalem Rev. 22.15 they shall come short of the glory of God Rom. 2.23 they shall be holden at the gate of Heaven when they shall come from the East and from the West sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of God then shall they be thrust out Luke 13.28 As they have not interest in any sort of Gods blessings and favours as being strangers from him so they be lyable to all sorts of judgments as being his enemies 1. To spirituall judgments blindnesse of mind hardnes of heart vilenes of affections benummednesse of conscience a man that wants this true saving faith all his thoughts words and actions are sinfull withâ—ut faith it is impossible to please God whatsoever he be thinking speaking doing he is sinning against God and treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath upon his own soule as the Scripture testifies his ploughing is sin and so all the actions of his calling all his
c. that being wearied and laden they may run to him to be eased Math. 11.28 which otherwaies they would not do No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him Secondly that for time to come they may stand in owe and sin not Psal 4.4 that the feare of God may be before their eies that they sinne not Exo. 20 20. that they may be the more plyable to all duties of obedience and that being thus meek and lowly they may take the Yoake that Christ prescribes them Math. 11.29 and try then if ever thou hast found such a change as this if ever thou hast trembled at Gods word if ever thou didst apprehend the Lord in his justice didst feare his anger against thy sinnes if ever thou wast pricked in thy heart by the threatnings of the word Acts 2.37 and if all these have wrought such a Impression in thy soul that still thou findest that twofold effect before spoken of to wit that for thy by-past sinnes thy heart flies for a refuge and seekes to Christ Heb. 6.16 that he is savoury unto thee and then that still thou findest the fear and aw of God in thy heart Jer. 32.40 that thou fearest alwaies and hast a respect to all Gods Commandements Psa 119.6 and judgest of thy self accordingly II. The Second great change that is wrought in a man by this work of humiliation is by reason of his being convinced and having discovered unto him his own sinfulnesse and corruptions as also his manifold wants great unrighteousnesse for whereas before this work of humiliation sometimes he had a great conceit of his freedome from sin at least in any great measure the waies of a man seemes good in his owne eyes untill his iniquity be found to be hatefull I thanke God I am not like this Publican O but when this work of humiliation comes that a mans sinfulnesse be discovered unto him he sees afar other sight thinks farre otherwaies feeles farre other things nothing but sin and corruption raging in him sinne revives and taking occasion by the Commandement works in him all manner of concupiscence Ro 7.8 9. he being now stirred up the dregs of his corruptions work abundantly so that instead of thinking that he is not like such a man he thinks that for sinfulnesse and strength and number of corruptions there is none like unto him and that he is the chief of sinners so likewise in regard of his wants and gracelesnesse and unrighteousnesse there is the very like change for wheras before he thought well of his owne righteousnesse both of the righteousnesse of his person that he had all sorts of inward graces faith repentance the love and fear of God and that he was rich and increased in all things and had need of nothing Rev. 3.17 as also well of the righteousnesse of his actions insomuch that although with the Pharisee perhaps he did not glory in them in his praying hearing fasting c. nor perhaps with the Papist did think to merit by them yet neverthelesse with the Hypocrite he did rest upon the outward worke and was satisfied therewith and regarded not the manner of his doings the waies of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart now he sees a quite contrary sight nothing but wants that he is poore miserable naked for inward graces Rev 3.17 and that for outward practices all his righteousnesse is as a menstruous clout Isa 30. now this work of humiliation or this part of the work is also for notable good ends to wit 1 to drive and chase a man out of himself to put him out of conceit with himself to make him deny himself that so he go not about which naturally all are prone unto to establish his own righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 And he who attains once to this work and part of humiliation may be assured that he shall never be Arminian Papist or Pelagian never stand for free-will or merit A second end of this part of the work of humiliation is that hereby the whole glory of mans salvation may be given unto the Lord that all boasting may be excluded and he that glories may glory in the Lord Rom. 3.27 Not unto us not unto us O Lord but to thy Name be the glory Psal 115.1 Not for your sakes be it known unto you O house of Israel for ye are a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people but for his Names sake 3. That Christ may be further cleaved and clinged unto and that nor onely for justification but also for sanctification for the sight of a mans own sinfulnesse makes him flie to the sufferings and intercession of Christ the sight of his own unrighteousnesse how all is but as a menstruous cloth makes him flie to and to prise the righteousnesse which is through faith Gal. 5. the sight of his corruptions and spirituall diseases chases him to the Physitian The whole needs not the Physitian but they that are sick Matth. 9.12 the sight of his wants makes him flie to the fulnesse of Christs grace to receive of that fountain and fulnesse Joh. 1.16 the sight and sense of his spirituall weaknesse makes him flie to Christ for grace Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 I am able to do all things through Christ that strengthens me Phil. 4.13 Fourthly and lastly that the Spirit of God the holy Ghost may be the more made use of and fled unto for it is by him that 1. our sinfull natures must be renewed Vnlesse a man be born again by the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Joh. 3.3 2. It is by him that we must mortifie our corruptions and the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 3. It is by him that all grace must be shed abroad in our hearts and souls Rom. â— 3 4. It is by him that we must be strengthened in the inward man for all duties of obedience yea that must lead us and guide us in all the wayes of God Ephe. 3 16. Psal 143.10 And lastly it is the holy Spirit that must go out with and powerfully accompany all the means of grace to make them effectuall for all these ends in our souls Prov. 1.23 So we see the great benefit of this change or of this part of the work of humiliation both in regard of a mans life and also in respect of all the Persons of the Trinity Appl. Here also see and try thy self 1. Concerning thy sinfulnesse and corruptions try if thou doest see and perceive them if thou be convinced of them and they be discovered unto thee and not onely those grosser ones which a naturall eye may perceive but try if thou seest thy inward spirituall subtile and most secret corruptions as thy hypocrisie infidelitie spirituall idolatrie a whoring of thy heart c. for then mayest thou comfort thy self that the Lord hath performed that his promise in some measure toward thee to wit that he hath sent his
but a menstruous cloth Thou I say who seest and doest acknowledge all these art not to deprive thy self of the comfort of this point for any sight of sin and corruption the wicked have for thus far thou shouldst not have seen unlesse thou hadst gotten the eye-salve unlesse thy eyes had been opened and consequently thy spirituall blindnes removed unlesse the Sun of righteousnesse had frined into thy soul unlesse thou hadst gotten the Spirit of illumination and hadst been translated from darknesse and made one of the children of light Thou art in a better case and hast made a further progresse then these of Lâ—odicea who yet neverthelesse are counselled and advised to come to Christ for all true spirituall graces he that counsels thee to come will not refuse thee when thou comest thou art poor in spirit and in the sight of thy spirituall povertie doest hunger and thirst for that which is wanting in thee Now blessed are such as our Lord himself testifies thou seest the diseases of thy soul and so art in some sort fit for the Physitian The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick Lastly for the third point the wicked and unregenerate may be also and that greatly touched with the sense and sight of their own guiltinesse they may be made with fear and trembling to feel the justice of God against their sins to have their woundings and wakenings horrours and terrours of conscience and yet not have a right work of humiliation But yet herein is a difference between the wicked and unregenerate and Gods own children and that in a three-fold respect 1. The first which is a very clear and sure one is this the wicked by their terrours and horrours are further driven away from God and do betake them to the wrong means of remedie sometimes to Satan and his instruments sometimes to other worldly delights and imployments thereby striving to benumnie and lull asleep their consciences striving rather to quench the work of humiliation then rightly to entertain it and cure it as is clearly to be seen in Saul and Cain the one betook himself to the witch in Endor the other to the building of cities Whereas Gods children by their horrours and terrours draw the nearer to God and are stirred up by Gods Spirit to betake themselves to the right means which God hath appointed as Prayer the Word Gods Ministers and such to whom he hath given the tongue of the learned c. as is to be seen in Paul betaking him to prayer going to Ananias the Jaylor and those that were converted and humbled Act. 2. they strive not to quench and to smother this work of humiliation but labour to entertain it and increase it so far as is necessary and then to cure it by the right remedies 2. Secondly the horrours and terrours of the wicked in regard of their end and issue drive them often to despair because they are not mingled with any measure of comfort or hope as is to be seen in Judas and Cain Whereas Gods children in their greatest terrours are still upholden with some secret hope of salvation and conceive at least some possibilitie of pardon as is to be seen in Jonah Chap. 2.4 I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again towards thy holy Temple In David Psal 31.22 I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes yet neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplication So fares it with all Gods children in their humiliations and terrors there is ever some secret thing upholding them and makes them not altogether to quit their hold 3. A third very clear difference is when the work of humiliation is over the naturall and wicked man if he escape despair and his horror weare out he is so far from being bettered by it that he grows sensibly worse he returns with the sow to the puddle the unclean spirit enters with seven worse then himself he may well fear for a time but he fears not alwayes Whereas the godly grows sensibly better and remains so after his horrours are over the impression and stamp which he had in his humiliation and sorrow is not like the morning dew but being made by the seal of Gods Spirit it abideth he feareth alwayes the Lord puts his fear in his heart in such a sort that he never departs from him before he was afflicted he went indeed astray but now he keeps the Lords statutes even afterwards and when his horrours are over he brings forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse The Application of these particulars are easie Hast thou ever any work of humiliation and did it 1. chase thee to God and the right means 2. Wast thou upholden under it by some secret hope from despair 3. Now after it art thou not worse then before but on the contrary undenyable better Blesse the Lord for it for thy humiliation hath been of the right sort and stamp especially take comfort from this last clear mark that thou searest alwayes for the Scripture pronounces such a one blessed that the Lord hath put his fear in such a sort in thy heart that thou shalt never depart from him seeing thou fearest him when thy horrour is over as well as when it was upon thee this is a token that thou art in Covenant with the Lord for this is an Article of his Covenant Jer. 31. Thy humiliation muâ—â— be a sanctified humiliation for it doth even afterwards bring forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse thou canst say with the Psalmist Before I was afflicted I went astray But as for such who have had any horrours and terrors this way and have not betaken themselves to the right means to cure them but have rather laboured to quench them then rightly to entertain them and remedie them rightly and since the having of them have returned to their former sinfulnesse and security such have no interest in this comfort Q. This may give some good satisfaction to any about the kinde of their humiliation but as for me to be plain with you I have such fears about the degree of my humiliation that it makes me greatly to doubt of the kind of it that it hath not been deep enough that it hath been but a flash and that I am far off from that measure thereof that many of Gods children have had A. Understand first for thy comfort and resolution that all Christians have not nor are to have 〈◊〉 of them alike degree of humiliation and â—hat for these reasons 1. All haâ—e not sinned alike but some by great sinâ— long lying in them have so benâ—â—â—me their own consciences that they require a more sharp awakening wheâ—eas others not being guiltie of so great sins nor continuing so long in the course of sin but receiving grace in their tender yeers will not find such a measure of humiliation 2. Some are to be put upon more eminent imployments and therefore must be more
throughly exercised and polished for the same 2 Secondly consider that what perhaps thou hast wanted in degree and greatnesse thou hast had in continuance the Lord wisely and graciously giving out to thee at divers times that which would have over-charged thee at one time so that where the degree and measure of humiliation hath been great there their continuance hath been the shorter as we see in Paul who was within three daies comforted the Jaylor also his horrour very great but ere long he rejoyced 3. But thirdly and lastly compare it never with others neither look to the degree of it but see if it be sufficient in it self that is to see if it hath brought ouâ— wrought in thee the right effects and ends for the which the Lord works this work of humiliation in the hearts of his own children for if a thing accomplish its end it is sufficient and who can complain or it See to these two effects especially which be the main effects and ends for the which the Lord works this work of humiliation in his own 1. For thy by-past sins look if it made thee and still makes thee humble and heartily to confesse them before the Lord and to flie unto his mercie and Christs merit for forgivenesse at least if it makes thee do it in sincerity and in earnest even to flie to thy horn of salvation Luke 1.69 to thy city of refuge Heb. 6.18 even the mercy of God in the merits of Christ See also if it make thee to prise these alwayes in thy judgement and sometimes at least with the concurrence of thy affections above all things else more then the gold and the fine gold so that they are savourie unto thee like ointment poured out sweeter then the honey and the honey combe and thou in some measure art thankfull for them if it be thus with thee thy humiliation is sufficient for the degree of it for this is one of the main ends of it why the Lord works it in the hearts of his children to wit that they may be drawn to Christ and chased to him that they may seek his mercie and the forgivenesse of sins in such a sort as they may obtain it that is in earnest and in sinceritie that they may prise relish and be thankfull for the rich mercie of God in the merits of his dear Son 2. See if for time to come thou standst in aw and sinnest not Psal 4.5 and hast by this work of humiliation the fear of God put in thy heart Jer. 31. so that thou fearest alwayes See if thou hast a tender conscience warning thee for the prevention of sin and checking thee again after thou hast committed any sin even the least sin in thought in word in omission in the manner of doing which is a warning to repent If I say it fare thus with thee then it is a good and a sure mark that the degree of thy humiliation is or hath bin sufficient for this is one of the main ends why the Lord works this work of humiliation in the hearts of his childreÌ„ to wit that they may for ever afterwards fear him and stand in aw to sin against him Knowing the terrour of the Lord as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 5.11 that as we use to say like the burnt childe they may dread the fire of sin and Gods displeasure against it according to that of Moses to the people of Israel Ex d. 20.20 when the Lord had spoken in such a fearfull manner unto them This sayes he hath the Lord done that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not Once awakened or a wounded conscience and ever a waking or a tender conscience and by the contrary a waking and a tender conscience is sometimes a wakened or a wounded conscience Behold what care what fear c. 2 Cor. 7.11 Hast thou then these two main effects and ends of humiliation trouble not thy self about the degree thereof for it is sufficient as having attained the ends thereof Further the Scripture not onely allows a comfort but even a strong consolation to those who flie for a refuge to the hope that is set before them Hebr. 6.18 There be also two other speciall ends and effects of a sufficient work of humiliation to wit to produce in us true patience in adversity and true thankfulnes for benefits and favours You may also try the sufficiencie of your humiliation by these A man not truly humbled will never be patient will never be thankfull But on the contrary one who hath been truly humbled with the sight of his own deservings in his greatest adversity he will acknowledge with Ezra that the Lord hath punished him lesse then he deserved And again with the Prophet I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And as for thankfulnesse he is an admirer of the Lords goodnesse for he does heartily and humbly acknowledge with Jacob that he is not worthy of the least of his mercies yea that it is unspeakable favour that he is free from deserved judgements It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 Q. What you have spoken about the degree of humiliation and the kinde of it I acknowledge it to be good and comfortable onely this instead of all I would say unto you this I finde to be my case I see its true my own sinfulnes and manifold great corruptions as also my gracelesnesse and manifold wants and am humbled therewith But as for to be humbled with the sense of my own guiltinesse though I see it to be very great I must confesse that I cannot come up to this so that setting aside the kinde or degree of my humiliation I fear that I have never been humbled at all A. This is a case that many of Gods Children have been excercised with but let us see what is to be said to it 1. Thou accknowledgest a sight and some sence a taking to heart thy own corruptions well then thou hast some interest in that The while need not the Physician but they that are sick thou confessest the like of wants so that thou hast interest in that Blessed are the poor in spirit thou art in some better case then those of Landâ—â—a well then that thou art not altogether behind with it blesse the Lord for what thou hast But to go on to the point in hand observe diligently that the manner and the meanes how the Lord works this first and ground worke in the hearts of his Children by the experience and observation of Gods Children who have bin acquainted with it is twofold For first the worke is directly upon the conscience touched with the sence of guiltinesse and troubled with that especially when a mans sinnes are set in order before him and Gods wrath and justice against them his conscience writing bitter things against him Second ly sometimes again the work is not so direct upon the conscience
nor so violent upon it but only reflects upon the conscience to wit when a man is troubled not so much with the sence of guiltinesse as with the sence of want which also comes back upon the conscience for finding the sence of his manifold wants and seeing himselfe thereby in misery and not sure of the remedy as he supposed he feares exceedingly and is put to that What shall I do to be saved so that the main thing indeed that troubles him is the same with the first to wit feare of guiltinesse and punishment though the thing most sensible to him is sence of want for his wants would not trouble him but for this nor would he take them to heart but for this to wit because finding by his wants that he is not in the estate of grace as he supposed he finds himself at least fears himself to be under the estate of guiltinesse and misery and this is it that troubles him To bring the point then neerer unto you this your case is a very ordinary dealing of the Lords with many of his own Children to wit to begin the work of them wakening and humiliation with the sence of want more then with the sence of guiltinesse I say more directly with the one then with the other for the one as the two is included in the other the reason of this his dealing seems to be this the Lord is wise and sees what is the main ground of mens security and sleeping in sin without humiliation and whence it ariâ—es even from this to wit their presumption they think they are in Christ and so leap oâ—er all that the Law can say to them or threaten them with which otherwaies should be the meane of their wakening and then the Lord wisely fits the remedy to this malady discovers their wants unto them and by them their presumption lets them see that they are not what they thought they were puts them out of this their starting hole and sends them back again to the Schoole of the Law even to the curses of the same and so works the work of humiliation in them Now observe that although the direct and immediate work be the sence of their wants yet this sence of want is not without the sence of guiltinesse for otherwaies why would the sence of thy wants trouble thee but onely because of this thou seest that by reason of thy sins thou art guilty and under the curse of the Law thou knowest that there is no remedy but by Christ thou didest sometimes think thou hadst interest in him but now by thy wants thou dost think thy selfe deceived and hence iâ— thy trouble and humiliation So if thou wilt marke well the ground of all thy trouble and humiliation and that whereupon it reflects is from the sight and feare of thy own guiltinesse so that the sence of thy want is not without the sence of guiltinesse for were it otherwayes that thou wert not troubled with the fear of thy guiltinesse the sight of thy wants would not trouble thee nor wouldst thou take them to heart as the case of the most part is who are deeply fleeping in security they are never affected with this sort of doctrine touching the Marks and Evidences of grace they regard not whether they finde or misse have or want this indeed is a token of deep securitie of utter want of humiliation and that there is no sense of guiltines at all But when thou not onely seest but doest take to heart thy wants art greatly affected with this sort of doctrine concerning the marks and evidences of grace nothing fears and grieves thee more then to misse nothing in the world rejoyces thee more then to finde Here is certainly some freedom from securitie some sight and sense of guiltinesse and in a word an happie wakening at least the case stands thus What shall I do to be saved So to thee Now to such who acknowledge their sight of corruption and wants and their being affected in some measure therewith which is called the sense of want but cannot finde in themselves the sense of guiltinesse and so cannot think that they are truly humbled I would say three things to them laying aside the comforts whereof I spake in the beginning to wit that in regard of the sight and taking to heart their corruptions they have interest in that The whole need not the Physitian but they that are sick In regard of their seeing their wants their interest in that Biessed are the poore in spirit they are in some better case and further advanced then these of Laâ—dicea for they acknowledge that they are pâ—ore miserable wretched But laying aside these which thou oughtest to prise and be thankfull for I say I have these three things to say unto thee for thy comfort in this point 1. Thou hast the sense of thy wants and under it of thy guiltinesse although thou cannot see it as I have been shewing unto thee so that as thy being aâ—â—cted with thy wants cieerly evidences then art wakened out of thy securitie thou art solicitous for thy salvation working it out with fear and trembling and art come to this What shall I do to be saved and consequently art in that same case of humiliation as was the Jaylor and those that were converted at Peters preaching Act. 2.2 Hast thou not that tender conscience before spoken of warning thee before sin checking thee after the commission of sin of the very least sin least omission or failing in the manner of doing Then a tender conscience is awakened and at some time and in some measure a wounded conscience thou hast one of the main ends wherefore the Lord works humiliation in his own and consequently hast had humiliation it self thou hast thy interest in that Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Behold what fear what care c. 3. Tell me what it is that makes thee that thou dare not commit the most secret and smallest sins nor omit the most secret duties what is it that puts thee on and holds thee in such a constant course of obedience if it be not at least the spirit of bondage and fear Now the spirit of bondage is the very spirit of humiliation when thou dare not entertain a sinfull thought dare not omit thy times or dyatts of devotion makest conscience of every known sin of every known dutie possibly more then many others who have gone far on in the course of Christianitie yea and perhaps then sometimes thy self afterwards will what is it that holds thee so waking but even thy wakened conscience the spirit of bondage at least the spirit of fear the fear of God put in thy heart a point and part of the Covenant which is the very work of humiliation wrought in thy soul If it be any other thing that stirs thee up as the love of God it is well thou art further advanced in grace but at least thou cannot deny that the work of
a word they may know grosser sins but not lesser as we may see by Christs interpretation of the Law compared with that of the Pharisees yea Paul sayes I knew not concupiscence to be sin but by the Law the naturall mans light or sight of sin is like an ordinarie light which discernes grosse palpable filthines but will not discover moats But the spirituall mans light is like the light of the Sun which discovers very moats which an ordinarie light will not discover 2. The Spirit gives to a man a sight of his gracelesnesse and wants they see their faith love repentance fear to be weak I beleeve Lord help my unbelief I love Lord help my love Lord increase our faith Thus they be poore in spirit The wicked and naturall men are not so but as it is to be seen in the Church of Laodicea they think they have need of nothing so look to the ordinarie course of men O why fear I not love I not God c. 3. The Spirit when he works he gives to a man a sight of his unrighteousnesse even of the imperfections of his best actions Our righteousnesse is like a menstruous cloth saies the Prophet When ye have done all that ye can do say that ye are unprofitable servants they know that the Lord pondereth the heart and they see so manifold imperfections defects corruptions in their best actions â—o that instead of meriting by them they think it a mercie not to be punished for them their heart rests not till they flie to the righteousnesse which is by faith to him who hath taken upon him the iniquitie of our holy things who perfumes the very prayers of his Saints with the incense of his merits and intercession The ungodly not so the hypocrite pleases himself with the work done the form of godlinesse cares not for the manner according to that The wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord ponders the heart As the Pharisee not onely pleased but puft up with good service I fast twice in the week c. The Papists think to merit no lesse then heaven by them and that to others Now the Application is easie 1. for comfort First of all hast thou gotten indeed a sight of thy sinfulnesse corruptions of the flesh and spirit corruptions of the several faculties of thy sinfull nature so that from the heart condiscending upon particulars thou can say that thou aâ—â— sinfull O then thou art in case for the Phisitian The whole needs not the Phisitian but these that are sick And â—ee their spirituall sicknesses thou art one whom Christ calleth I came not to call the righteous in their own eyes but sinners to repentance that is that see themselves to be sinners Be of good comfort behoâ—d he calleth thee 2. Hast thou gotten a sight of thy owne gracelesnesse and wants O then thou art poor in spirit and so blessed thou art in a better case then those of Laodicea 3. Seest thou the imperfection of thy best services thou art not like the naturall man or Hypocrite who contents himself with the work done who 1. Ponders not the heart and therefore his waies seeme good in his own eyes 2. A token thou resâ—s not upon the forme of godlinesse but dost labour after the power 3. Thou worshipest in spirit and truth Now for câ—nviction O but thou who 1. seest not thy sinfulnesse and corruptions mayest well for the fashion confesse thy selfe to be a sinner but canst not condiscend to particulars or if to any it is but to outward grosse ones which the naturall mind may see but seest not the whoreing of the heart unthankfulnesse impenitency c. 2. Thou who thinkest that thou beleevest lovest fearest sufficienly and didst never finde the weaknesse of these thou hast not so much as attained to the very first degree of blessednesse thou art not poore in spirit c. Thou hast not the very first work of the spirit thou hast not gotten the eye-salve And thirdly thou who findest no fault with thy services for the manner of them when thou hast done them no great difficulty to get them rightly performed when thou art about them 1. Thou I say ponderest not the heart and therfore thy waies seeme good in thy owne eyes 2. Thou hast but the forme of godlinesse but wantest the power thereof 3. Thou worshipest not in spirit and truth but in shew and in hypocrisie and drawest â—eer with the lipps c. II. The second Mark of true humiliation and of that preparatory work of the spirit going before faith is from the sence of sin and of ones own guiltinesse and the feare of Gods justice anger threatnings judgments against him for them feare goes before faith the spirit of bondage before the spirit of adoption The Lord he first puts his feare in the hearts of these in whom he works effectuaâ—ly by his Spirit even the fear of his justice for otherwaies they would never prise his mercy and the merits of his Son they would never be humbled for by-past sinnes to fly to the mercy of God and merits of Christ for forgivenesse and so could not be saved according to that Come unto me all that are wearie and heavie laden As also that No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him And also they would not stand in aw for time to come which is the other maine end why the Lord works this work of humiliation and feare in the hearts of men according to that I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me See then if ye have this feare which is a point of the Covenant and so a token that one is in the Covenant Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but take heed that it be the true and constant feare of God spoken of and promised in the Covenant for even a wicked man may have some feare of committing sin and yet not the right feare Now try it by the two marks in the words of the Covenant 1. If it be Gods fear I will put my fear 2. If it be the constant fear of God and they shall not depart from me the wicked man I say he may have some feare of committing sin but this his feare 1. Is not the feare of God but the fear of man and therefore he stands not to committ small sins that men count smal I mean as to ban swear be prophane in discourse miscall his neighbour and he stands not also to commit secret sins entertaines sin in his thoughts omit secret duties though both these be offensive to the Lord who sees not then that this his feare is a feare of men and not of God doest thou commiâ— little sins doest thou entertaine any secret siâ— though but in thy thoughts thou hast never had this feare which is aâ—mâ—ke going before faith Then shâ—ll I not be ashamed wheâ— I have respect to all thy Commandements Againe a wicked man
may fear God even for a time when a judgement is upon him for a fit or a start but this is not the true fear of God for when the judgement is over he goes to his wonted sins So did Pharaoh and Jereboam thus he fears not alwayes and so is not blessed he hath not gotten the Lords fear as never to depart from him and so is not in the Covenant But see thou if thy judgements and afflictions not onely whilest they were lying on but even afterwards they have brought forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse But that this Mark may be the more clear comforting and convincing we will lay it out in the particulars to wit their fear who have the true fear and withall let you see the quite contrary in the wicked and that both from Scripture 1. They who have this true fear they fear Gods justice and anger against sin as is clear Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant Rebuke me not in thy wrath Who knows the power of thy wrath 2. They fear the threatnings of the Word and tremble at it 3. They fear his judgements against sin recorded in Scripture or observed by experience Psal 119. The contrary of all this is true in the wicked For 1. in generall they fear not God at all according to a notable place Psal 36. who if they were not strangely besotted and blinded might see that they were wrong when even others see it The transgression of the wicked saith in my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes c. Look and consider the place 2. They fear not Gods justice and anger they never get a sensible and serious thought of his justice before their eyes but think he is all Mercie and that therefore if they should sin all their life time and yet but at the very last bid the Lord have mercie on them that that will serve their turn Whereas Gods children howsoever sometimes they have had the like apprehensions see the Lord in his justice and holines and that in such a sort as that hardly can they get a glimpse or glance of his Mercie 3. They fear not the Lords threatnings tremble not at his Word but on the contrary Deut. 29.29 They are readie when they bear the words of the curse to blesse themselves in their own hearts saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imaginations of my own-own-heart c. So that ye see there is a clear difference Now to the Application and that first for comfort 1. Hast thou the fear of God even that fear of God and not of man that right and constant fear rejoyce 1. Thou art in Covenant for this is a point of the Covenant as ye heard 2. Thou art blessed for thou fearest alwayes 3. Thou shalt not be ashamed or disappointed for thou hast respect to all his Commandments 4. Thy afflictions have been sanctified afflictions for even afterwards they bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse joyn faith with fear and let love cast out slavish fear be bold to beleeve the Promises thou that beleevest the threatnings Who is he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant let him trust in the Lord c. Thou hatest not to be reformed and so mayest take his Covenant in thy mouth 2. Didst thou doest thou fear his justice and wrath so that it makes thee to flie under the wings of Christ makes thee flie to the horn of salvation for a refuge to the hope set before thee Thou mayest be sure of a kindly welcome How often would I have gathered thee c. He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out There is allowed to thee A strong consolation even to them who fearing the Lords justice flie for a refuge to the hope set before them Heb. 6.3 Didst thou doest thou tremble at his Word at his threatnings the Lord looks upon and dwelleth with such a one 4. Art thou afraid of his judgements this will make thee judge thy self and so not to be judged of the Lord Flie to him in whom whosoever is there is no condemnation for him 2. For conviction But for thee who hast not this fear in generall but doest flatter thy self in thy own eyes making no conscience of sin Alas if thou saw sin as others see it and wert not miserably besotted thou wouldst see thou hadst no fear and so no faith no salvation 2. Wast thou never deeply apprehensive of the Lords wrath and justice against thee or never hadst any serious and sensible thoughts thereof Alas I see not how ever thou hast been driven to Christ No man can come unto me unlesse the Father draw him Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden Nor how thou canst prise his merit and the Lords mercie or stand in aw for time to come have a tender conscience c. 3. Doest thou not tremble at the threatnings of his Word then assuredly thou beleevest them not and therefore thy belief of the Promises is but a phantasse a false presumption 4. Doth not the Lords judgements recorded against the like sinners with thy self affect thee then surely thou knowest not how neer they be unto thee thou art in a deep securitie Had David need for the flesh to tremble and art thou lesse sinfull No yet more secure III. The third Mark of a true humiliation is this that from the sight of sinfulnesse and sense of guiltinesse or fear there arises an earnest care and sollicitude in a man after his own salvation Behold what care what fear c. What shall I de to be saved He works out his salvation with fear and trembling This is indeed a great and a clear change being compared with his former securitie But that it may be yet more clear we will set down the difference in this point betwixt the godly and the ungodly betwixt a man thus wakened and quickned by the Lords rich mercie and a man yet lying dead in sins and trespasses receive it then thus 1. The ungodly and not wakened or quickened they have many of them no cares or desires at all about heavenly or spirituall things or of their own salvation their cares and desires are about corn and oyl Psal 4. about many things Psal 10. give them their wishes and desires they would run this way as for grace and glory they think they have enough of the one and that they are sure enough of the other The godly and wakened are not so Lord give me the light of thy countenance they take care for the one thing necessary give them their wish and desire it would be grace and not goods 2. If they have any cares or desires this way they be 1. but sluggish desires and not diligent they may wish and would with Balaam their salvation but they do not work much lesse work out their own salvation They may well seek the kingdom of heaven but not and the righteousnesse thereof
this is well seen by their conversation they use not the means in private as reading meditation conference c. unlesse it be a formall posting pratling piece of prayer which a superstitious Pagan possibly durst not omit not unlike the Papists telling over their beads and for publick duties as little of them as possibly they can with their honesty and were it not for regard to men would be as little about them as they be about the private they are scorners of those who take the kingdom of heaven by violence no violence use they themselves whereas the quickned are not so they not onely wish but work seek not onely the kingdom of heaven but also the righteousnesse thereof they use means in publick and private take the kingdom of heaven by violence 3. Their desires and cares are not setled but unconstant desires if they work they work not out their goodnes is like the morning dew what they do is by fits and starts as in the time of a crosse or affliction as the Israelites were wont to do or by others example and instigation or education as Joash King of Israel did or some such outward motive the godly are rightly wakened are not so for their cares desires and endeavours being from an inward motive and principle some incorruptible seed are constant and settled I will put my fear in their hearts never to depart from me Herein am I exercised alwaies I have set the Lord alwaies before my face not by fits and starts their waies are established before the Lord they work and work out their salvation even when the affliction is over they return not to sin with Pharoah but afterwards bring forth the quiet fruits of righteousnesse not by others instruction but with Joshua If all should forsake the Lord yet I and my hâ—use will serve the Lord 4. Which is the cause that their cares and desires be sluggish and not settled they be not serious enough But you may say how shall I know this 1. Because if they were serious they would not be put off without satisfaction in the point for such are the desires of the godly whereas the desires and cares of the ungodly are not so but are choaked with the thornie cares or pleasures of this present life even like a child if it be but some little small desire that troubles it it is easily put off and stilled but if it be a serious desire a pinching necessity it will not be so soon quieted Hence saies the Apostle As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word the desires of the godly be like the desires of a child new born or in necessity not to be stilled without satisfaction in the point whereas the desires of the ungodly be like the desires of a child who not being under such pinching necessity is quieted with some one toy or other choaked with some worldly pleasure 2. If they be serious cares or desires they will make one to do any thing for attaining of salvation to abstain from all sort of sin to decline no sort of known duty Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved what shall I do saies the Jalor Lord what wilt thou have me to doe saies Paul what shall they do what will they not do to be saved no sin wil they entertain nor allow some sin may well give them their handfull may lead them captive to the Law of sin may hang on them Iniquity may prevaile against them Psal 65. but they allow no sin the evil they would not that they do they regard no iniquity So also they decline no known duty no certainly known duty this is a sure Mark Then shall I not he ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Whereas the ungodly may with Herod leave many sins but some there be they will not leave they may well pretend they will decline no duty with the young man and say What shall I do to inherit eternall life yet with him when it comes to the point they stick on something and in some dutie 3. If the desire and care of their salvation be serious it will be that which takes up the chief roome in the thoughts heart affections of a man or a woman that wherewith one is chiefly taken up with all the day long to wit with cares to please and fears for displeasing and that partly and indeed mainly should be in relation to God partly in a relation to themselves to make their calling and election sure by well doing this is the chief of their care all the day long this is the ground of their contentment or discontentment at night Herein am I exercised alwayes to keep faith and a good conscience I set the Lord alwayes before me So as they seek first the kingdom of heaven 2. and the righteousnes therof With the ungodly and naturall men it is not so their cares are otherwayes taken up all the day the Lord is not before them their contentment and discontentment arises from other grounds at night either they seek not the kingdom of heaven at all or not it with the righteousnes ther of or not it first with the righteousnesse therof there goes ever something nearer their heart it fares with them as with the young man in the Gospel though he seemed to have great care for and desire after it even after salvation The Application follows and first for comfort See first whereupon thy cares and desires and endeavours do run and with what they are taken up whether or no upon the salvation of thy own soul and the serving of God the two main ends for which we are come into the world or upon other inferiour transitory trifles whether upon the many things or the one thing that is necessary whether thou seekest the kingdom of heaven or other things whether or no thou hast embraced this present world or in effect uses it as though thou usedst it not as knowing that the fashion thereof perisheth usest thou this world as if thou usedst it not car'sts not greatly for it It is well it is like thou doest beleeve that there is another even a more dureable substance Hast thou chosen the better part and art still seeking fear not it shall not be taken from thee 2. Be thy cares and desires after this kingdom not sluggish but diligent desires so that thou not onely wishest but workest thy salvation thou not onely seekest the kingdom of heaven but also the righteousnesse thereof and doest take the kingdom of heaven by violence givest all diligence to make thy calling and election sure usest the means in secret and in publick c. Then be of good comfort thou keepest the precept and so shalt not misse the promise which is The vio ' ent take it by force thou usest the recommended mean and so shall not misse the end If ye do so Entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the kingdom of our Lord
thou harbourest some sin and wilt not submit thy neck to the yoke of some duty or other O then thy desire thy care thy wakening thy wound hath not been serious hath not been deep enough to bruise out all corruption thou shalt be ashamed and disappointed of the Religion thou hast because thou hast not respect unto all Gods Commandments He that offends in one is guilty of all thou regardest iniquitie in thy heart the Lord will not hear thy prayer thou art but counterfeit coyn for thou wantest the Lords stamp and seal to wit to depart from iniquitie even every iniquitie thou givest not all diligence to make thy calling and Election sure by well doing even every sort of well doing Adde to thy faith vertue c. which thou wouldst do were thy desire and care but serious Lastly be thy thoughts heart affections otherwayes taken up all the day long and run more upon other things then upon the plealing of God the making of thy own calling and Election sure the keeping of a good conscience And doth thy contentment or discontentment thy grief and joy peace or unquietnesse arise from other grounds at night Then be sure some other thing goes nearer thy heart then God or Christ or thy own soul thy care is not serious thou fulfillest not the rule thou seekest not first the kingdom of heaven thou art not herein exercised alwayes to keep a good conscience thou doest not set the Lord alwayes before thee and so canst not conclude that he is at thy right hand and so shalt not be moved MEANS OF HUMILIATION VVE have already spoken of the generall directions concerning the working of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his children how we ought to carry our selves upon the discovery of the want or weaknesse of any grace or work of Gods Spirit in our souls to wit not to give place to despair but first of all by earnest and frequent prayer to have our recourse to God who gives liberally to all and upbraids none and who hath promised not to deny his holy Spirit to them that ask it Now although this be a good and main way to obtain what we want yet we must not rest here but to prayer must joyn the use of the means or else we shall not speed pray we never so diligently The Lord will have us put to our hand and therefore commands us work out c. And to this we are commanded even to humble our selves although it be the work of Gods Spirit I tell you that a point very much to be taken heed to was that in using the means it is not enough to use the means in generall the Word and the Sacraments but we should consider the particular means the fittest and nearest means to beget or strengthen such a grace and for want of this we may take very great pains in generall and we shall hardly speed and therefore we should see how far the work is proceeded in c. And as what our wants be and where the stop lyes and then to pray and to use means most diligently and to use the particular and neerest means and therefore I thought it most needfull to lay out the nearest and most particular means of this work of humiliation that so we using them the Lord blessing and concurring by his Spirit those who have not found this humiliation at all as yet may have it wrought in them and such of us who have found it in some measure may get it increased and strengthened and so all of us may be taught how to give obedience unto this exhortation Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God I. The first and indeed a main mean to work humiliation in us is seriously to miditatâ— upon the law the threatnings thereof and to apply them to our selves in particular considering withall the truth of him that hath pronounced them This by the concurrence of Gods Spirit will be a notable meane both to bring us to a right sight of our sinnes and to humiliation for them for as the Apostle saies By the Law is the knowledge of sinne it is the glasse and mirrour that only can let us see the foule spots of our souls And again to consider the threatnings will bring us to humiliation While I was without the Law I lived but when the Commandement came sin revived and I dyed would you then take a course to get this worke of humiliation wrought First of all get the cleere knowledge of Gods Law and examine thy self by it lay the rule of the Law to thy own heart and so see how great a transgressour thou art for want of this the most part of men and women live in sin without knowing that they sin and so without either repentance or amendment which is both pitifull and dangerous pitifull in regard of the Lords holy will dangerous to your own souls all will say they are great sinners but I fear they see not wherein and so can neither repent nor amend O but if thou wouldest apply the law to thy self thou wouldest see that thou hast bin and still art an exceeding great transgressour Consider the first Command and see if thou dost not sin exceedingly against it if thy heart does not whore and commit spirituall adultery with the creature delighting and trusting more in it then in the Creator God blessed for ever and thou shalt find also that thou puttest thy self most frequently in Gods place making thy self the utmost end of all thy actions which how horrible sins they be I leave to thy self to judge Was not this last Herods fault whom the Lord destroyed Consider the second Command and thou shalt see there be many points of Gods worship that thou I fear dost altogether neglect as that of meditation and conference and that all of them are for the most part superficially and slightly discharged by thee and that thou comest within the compasse of that curse Wo be unto them that do the work of the Lord negligently Consider the third Command and not to speake of thy frequent prophaning of Gods name see what either thou hast done or spoken to the honour of Gods name notwithstanding it is the many things that thou wast made for Look to the 4th Command and see how thou hast sanctified the Sabbath in thy thoughts and discourses yea see if thou hast not done in this point against thy light and even refused to return and hast hated to be reformed chosen rather to displease the immortall God then mortall men chosen rather to follow thy own will then the will of God and that notwithstanding he hath recommended it as a special point of his will unto thee and hath bidden thee remember to keep it holy Consider the fifth Command ye that are superiors whether ye render to those that are under you that which is just and equall And ye that are inferiors if ye give your superiors that honour and respect in your hearts
asleep by them in such a sort that the trumpet of the Law and thundrings cannot awaken you 1. The first is that people do not consider duly of the patience and long suffering of the Lord and therefore they come to mistake and misdoubt his justice and the truth of his threatnings they see no such thing they have been living in their sins so long and never found that things went otherwise then well with them no dint of any such threatnings yea they see others so also none living more pleasantly nor more prosperously then those who take very great liberty to themselves to break the Law of God and this certainly hardens the heart of many a sinner as the Scripture bears witnesse Because sentence is not executed against the wicked speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to do evill because men are not presently punished and taken out of hand as we say but get leave to go away and escape with their sins for a time therefore both themselves and others take the greater liberty to sin and surely we have need to take heed to this for we have all a tang of it were sin but instantly punished we would stand more in aw to offend then we do But this the Apostle meets with exceeding well and peremptorily Rom. 2. at the beginning first he layes down a peremptorie conclusion against such persons Thinkest thou this O man that thou shalt escape the judgement of God No think thou what thou wilt saies he we are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth against them who commit such things O but saies the other I feel I fear no such thing I have lived long but have not found it so and others have lived out their life and dyed peaceably and have had no bands in their death To this he replyes two things the one is the reason that thou art not dealt with according to Gods justice and judgment and threatnings is not from thy deserving but from the riches and the goodnesse long suffering and patience of the Lord waiting upon thy repentance which if thou despise when the date of it is run out thou shalt find the truth of his threatnings and the debt of his justice so much the greater The other thing he replyes is this although thou shouldst escape the Lords justice and judgement all thy life time here what of that is there no other place for justice for judgement for the accomplishment of Gods threatnings then in this life is not the chief in the life to come Alas thou considerest not fare it with thee here as it will that yet thou art treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the just judgement of God O that you would consider this now that ye are not a haires breadth further off or at least the freer from the curses of the Law that they are not instantly powred out upon thee what of that yet surely as the Lord is true they do abide thee and when the Lord hath given a sufficient proofe of his patience towards thee they shall come upon thee when thou least expectest as pains on a woman in travell if not in this life yet in the life to come and therfore be not the securer for this that they are not yet come upon thee but if thou wilt prevent this humble thy self under the mighty hand of God The other main impediment hindering the Law with the threatnings of it to have the due operations of it upon the hearts of people as any may see is their presumption both in misapplying the Lords mercy and Christs merits to themselves when as indeed they have no interest in them and yet this is it that makes them secure against all the threatnings and also mistaking the manner of obtaining mercy First then I say they presume and misapply Gods mercy and Christs merits to themselves this is the thing that makes many a soule to perish and therefore I beseech you take heed unto it they acknowledge that they are sinners and that the curses of the Law does belong to them O but they believe in the mercy of God and in the merits of Christ in him who hath freed them from the curse of the Law and so they leap over the threatnings of the Law O but deceive not thy self this is the way that many perish in see that thy relying upon Christ and the mercy of God be upon good grounds sure warrants do all beleive that say or think they beleive come to any almost will they not say they beleeve as well as others but the Scripture saies that Many are called and but few are chosen it saies that many are deceived and why mayest not thou be deceived among the rest Indeed if thou hast ever been humbled for thy by-past sins and so hast fled unto Christ and striven to rest upon him If thou hast broken off the course of thy iniquity and turned thy back upon thy sins and art endeavouring to repent of what is past and to abstain for time to come if the Spirit of God hath made any work in thy soul then thou mayest be bold O but if none of these be no work of the Spirit in thee whereof I was speaking hast thou not broken off the course of thy iniquities but still walkest according to the imagination of thy own heart and yet doest blesse thy self notwithstanding the curses of the Law Be thou sure it shall be true which the Lord saies Deut. 29. all these curses shall come upon thee Walkest thou in darknesse that is to say after the dictates of thy own corrupt heart and the courses of the wicked world doest thou as thou seest others do and as thy own heart gives thee leave and takest no heed to order thy wayes according to the lantern of Gods Word for this is to walk in darknesse then beguil not thy self this shift will not serve the turn it will not free thee from the curse of the Law Christ it 's true is able to do it but thou hast nothing to do with him as yet What saies the Apostle He that saith he hath fellowship with him and walks in darknesse he is a lyar and the truth is not in him For these again who deceive themselves by mistaking the manner of obtaining mercie they think that when they have sinned all their life time that a God have mercie upon them shall serve their turn and then think that they may beleeve repent and get mercy when they will and for a word O but let me tell such these things are not so easily gotten and none so far from getting mercy as they that presume upon it yea did not many of Gods children find it hard enough all their whole life to get faith repentance and mercy and wilt thou come so easily by them and thinkst to get mercie for a word of thy mouth And finally to end this point
to pardon all former sins and rebellions wheras justly he might have punished them before Let the wicked man forsake his wayes c. and yet for all this they neglect so great salvation they despise the offer of mercie and sin against the Lords clemencie These be our own actuall sins that we ought to humble our selves for but there be other sins that we ought in no wise to passe by in our humiliation to wit 1. for our originall corruption that lothsome leprosie that ugly filthy corruption that falling sicknesse of our sins the fountain of all our naturall sins which defiles not onely our actions but our very persons in the sight of God and is so much to be deplored being a disease incurable in the inward or noble parts and is to be lamented above any out-breakings in the outward parts of the body we see how David how Paul bewails it 2. For that first sin of our first parents we ought greatly to humble our selves for this sin if well weighed we shall find to be an exceeding great sin and that it is our sin and that the guiltinesse belongs to us is clear out of Rom. 5.12.17 18. 3. For the sins of our predecessors for so we see did Daniel Nehemiah Ezra c. We have sinned and our fathers and the Lord saith I will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children 4. For the sins of the Land we live in so David Psal 119. Rivers of tears run down my eyes because they make void thy Law And Ezek. 9. they are marked who sigh and cry for the abhominations of the Land VI. The last and a notable mean of humiliation is well to consider the person against whom thou hast sinned and that both in his greatnesse and in his goodnesse towards thee This did David weigh and consider while he saith so emphatically Against thee even against thee have I sinned And indeed without weighing this point we can hardly either be humbled in our selves or can we comprehend or with our hearts acknowledge the justice of God But seeing and considering this point to wit against whom we have sinned our conscience will then exceedingly both condemne our selves and justifie the Lord in his justice There is nothing that doth aggravate an offence more then doth the qualitie of the person against whom it is committed that which being done by a man against an ordinary person one of his neighbours would be but an ordinarie offence yet if he should do it to his father it would turn to a hainous crime and if it were done to his Prince it would be high treason deserving and procuring the utmost degree of punishment that could be devised how great then must be the offence and what shall be the punishment of that offence which is committed against the great God and Soveraigne Lord of all the earth the King of kings who is able to cast both soul and body into hel fire But especially I would have thee to consider the goodnesse of God that so thou mayest see the foulnesse and ingratitude of thy sinning against him and so mayest justifie the Lord in his justice If a man should go wrong or offend his father that begat him and gave him his life or one that at any time had preserved his life or one that had bestowed some great favour upon him and had been beneficiall to him we would abhor such a man for the foulnes the unnaturalnesse the ingratitude of his offence But what is this to the offence of the Lord our God he is our Father indeed and the Father not onely of our bodies but as he is called of our spirits it is he that hath made us and not we our selves He hath preserved our life not once but many times yea alwayes In him we live we move we have our being And finally he hath bestowed upon us favours innumerable is so beneficiall that he loads us daily with his benefits what vile ingratitude then must it be to fin against him I pray thee how mightie and withall how just a challenge shall it be when the Lord shall accuse thee in these terms I did make thee who might have denyed thee a being and I made thee according to my own Image whereas I might have made thee a beast or a sencelesse creature and I made thee and brought thee into the world with all the perfections of thy body and mind and have continued them with thee this I have not done unto many others I have preserved thee from innumerable inconveniences which befell unto others by day and by night I loaded thee with benefits which I denyed to others thou never enjoyedst any thing usefull or profitable whereof I was not the bestower I made the rest of my creatures serve thee my Angels guard thee my own Son redeem thee for all this what did I require but that such things thou shouldst do and such and such things thou shouldst not do earnestly I besought thee to obey as a matter of eternall concernment to thy self and of high displeasure to me and yet thou tookest not the matter to heart thou wouldst not obey dost thou thus requite me O foolish person and unkind how can thy own conscience but concur with the Lord and say Thou art just when thou judgest MARKS THAT ACCOMPANY FAITH Q. VVHat be the Marks that accompany faith or are taken from the concomitants of Faith A. I. They be these three especially the first is this true Faith leans to the means and is grounded upon them even upon the Word of God and in speciall upon the promises of forgivenesse of sins the new and everlasting Covenant the passages of Gods mercifull nature Christs readinesse to receive sinners the oath that ground of strong consolation and such like grounds and means of confidence layed down in the Word it is begotten and bred by these at first it is fed cherished and strengthened by these And lastly it is defended by these against all assaults doubtings and tentations of the soul so that the Word and these things in the Word be the seed the food the fortresse or refuge of faith whereunto it retyres so that faith altogether stands by the Word Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10.27 So then wouldst thou know whether thy faith be of the right stamp or no 1. Was thy faith at first begotten by the Word and the foresaid means either heard read or meditated upon 2. Doest thou find thy faith to be strengthened cherished and cheered by using the same means so that upon your diligent using and feeding upon them you find your faith more lively and strong and again upon your neglect of the means you find it more dead weak and remisse this is very considerable And 3. when your faith is put to it and assaulted doth it and thy heart flie to the foresaid means and passages of Gods Word all this evidences thy faith to be of the
right stamp And especially if thou knowest the very particular passages and clauses of the Word which did first beget faith in thee which strengthen thee in thy weaknesse and whereunto thy faith retyres in time of assaults for this Gods children do but on the contrary 1. knowest thou not rememberst thou not how or by what means thy faith was begotten 2. Findest thou thy faith all alike when thou usest the means and when thou usest them not or never usest any at all And 3. if thou shouldst be put to it hast thou no other warrant for thy faith but thy own phantasie apprehension or imagination that sandie foundation but doest want a particular warrant from Gods Word then be sure thy faith is but counterfeit it cannot be well come that we cannot tell how it is come And it is strange for a man to conceit that he shall have such a thing for such a man and yet hath never had his word nor hand for it So is it with the point in hand Thus ye see the first Mark true Faith alwayes leans to and holds by the Means whereas Presumption neglects the Means Q. Let me have another of these Marks II. A. Another is this true Faith is accompanied with frequent doubtings whereas Presumption never doubts Q. How prove you this Mark and how is the truth of it evidenced and cleared A. Thus if faith be true then sure the devill envies so precious a pearl and is evermore casting his fiery darts at it so to rob us of it or at least to impede our comfort Whereas on the other side if it be but presumption he knows it will not do the turn he lets it alone When the strong man holds the house all things are at peace Secondly the Lord will have his own exercised will a man plant a vineyard and not eat the fruit thereof The application is easie Art thou or hast thou been subject to doubting this is a token thy faith is true and otherwise Satan would not trouble it but certainly hast thou never doubted thou hast never beleeved III. A third Mark is whereas Faith or beleeving is A receiving of Christ Joh. 1. To so many as received him c. even to those who beleeues in his Name True faith receives Christ rightly upon the terms that he offers himself that is as it casts over upon Christ the burthen of it's sins so it is content to take up the easie yoke of his obedience in doing or suffering to take up the crosse and follow him for these be the termes whereon Christ offers himself Matth. 11. Now presumption makes termes of it's own thinks to have Christ to take the burthen of their sins but never thinks upon the taking on the yoke of his obedience The application here also is very easie Hast thou with thy cleaving to Christ for the remission of thy sins resolved to take on also the yoke of his obedience in doing and suffering and doest thou it in fighting against thy most pleasant sins and cleaving to the hardest duties with denying thy self then be sure thou hast rightly received Christ and consequently rightly beleeved thou hast made him thy Lord and he shall be thy Saviour thou hast made him thy King and he shal be thy Priest thou makest conscience of the precepts of the Word and therefore thou hast interest and shall have thy comfort in the promises But on the contrary thou who ever thou be who thinkst that thou beleevest in Christ and in the mean time livest as thou pleasest following the broad and easie way of thy own heart and the customes of an evil world and not the strait way of Christs obedience thy faith is but presumption Go seek true faith seek it earnestly and thou shalt find it but it will not be easily gotten how thankfull should they be who have found the way unto it Q. Which be the Marks that follow faith A. Sundrie Though the Spirit of God insists upon two especially to wit the love of the brethren and obedience unto Gods Commandments 1. Then obedience unto Gods Commandments is set down most frequently in Scripture for a mark of faith and regeneration this is the Lords seal to depart from iniquitie saith Paul Shew me thy faith by thy works saith James And our Saviour He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them c. And in John's first Epistle it is often inculcated Chap. 1. If we walk in darknesse and say we have fellowship with him we lye and do not the truth But if we walk in the light as he is in the light then we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin Now what is it to walk in the light but to walk according to the rule of Gods Word which the Scripture cals a lantern to our paths and this is to obey Gods Commandments So Chap. 2. Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments Obj. But the naturall man the hypocrite will go far in the point of obedience and every one hath some measure of obedience A. This is true and therefore we must be carefull to see the soundnesse and rightnesse of our obedience by these Marks which are not to be found in the naturall mans obedience 1. He whose obedience is sound makes conscience of secret sins and secret duties betwixt God and him as well as of publick sins and of publick duties he is as loath to intertain a sinfull thought in his heart as to commit a sinfull deed before the eyes of the world is as well carefull to discharge those duties which are to be done secretly in his closet between his God and his own soul as of the publick which are to be done in the Church this is a token of the true fear of God and of true respect to him 2. He whose obedience is sound makes conscience of small sins I mean that are small in the eyes of the world as of great for he knows every sin highly offends God and deserves eternall damnation he knows he who said Thou shalt not kill he said also Thou shalt not swear whereas the unsound obeyer uses to weigh sin in the ballance of mans estimation and not in the ballance of the Sanctuary from whence it is that he makes small account of many sins as of a small ordinary oath to speak corrupt communication to let it slip in merriment to lye for recreation c. this is not to walk according to that rule Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently 3. A sound obeyer makes conscience of Gods Commands even those which most controuls his profit pleasure or credit But the unsound obeyer he will with Herod do many things but when the duty comes once to crosse controll or be in competition with any of these there he sticks namely if it come in competition with that of these that is his god his idoll which he most looks to How few
sanctifie the Sabbath as it ought or takes pains in private exercises of devotion why these controull their pleasure and lazinesse How few are charitable why this controuls their profit How few will suffer or sit down with a wrong without repaying though the Scripture be most expresse O this touches them in their great Idoll their Credit And for this same reason how many decline good duties not making their light shine before men He that is ashamed of me before men c. all this is against the rule Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments 4. He whose obedience is sound makes conscience not onely of the doing of a duty but also of the manner of the doing of it and is humbled for his failings in the manner as well as for the omission But the hypocrite so he do the duty he regards not the manner he cares not for it so he pray hear read he rests there but cares not to do all these with that reverence cheerfulnesse diligence humilitie sinceritie which the Lord requires in the discharge of his worship he remembers not the rule The wayes of a man seem good in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the heart But especially in the manner of our obedience we should look to the motive and end of our obedience to that which puts us on to do it and which we set before our eyes that it be not a wrong motive but the fear of God yea the love of God and the end to please God and not our selves or others But of this hereafter A second Mark of Faith is the love of Gods Children By this we know that we are translated from death to life if we love the brethren And if it be a reall love hereby we assure our selves before him David saith all his delight was this way this is a Mark which hath upholden many when they have been at a very lowe ebbe and when other Marks have not been sensible to them those who are truly renewed they have this wrought in their hearts by Gods Spirit a secret disposition to love goodnesse and those who are good an evident token they are in some measure so themselves for like loves like so they love those who are holy and the more holy they love them the better they love them yea they more account of a spark of holinesse then all other naturall accomplishments Whereas the wicked though they may carry a fair shew to the godly yet indeed they hate them they are thorns in their eyes Now this Mark should be rightly considered lest any that have not interest should deceive themselves and lay hold of it One may love some good men because they have been some way obliged to them but see if thou lovest all goodnesse and all good men yea those whom thou never knewest but by report 2. One may love good men because of their natural and moral endowments as kindnesse courtesie wisdom affabilitie c. but look if thou love them for their pietie and holinesse look if thou lovest holinesse where it wants there naturall and morall indowments and recommendations if thou lovest not onely a wise good man but even also a simple good man not only a good man of some place and reputation in the world but even also a mean good man and the like yea look if thou lovest holinesse goodnesse not onely when and where it is without the advantage of naturall accomplishments but even also where it hath great disadvantages in regard of these as when a man wants that measure of naturall wisdom that is requisite perhaps to have through the weaknesse of his mind and wants that measure of affability and amiablenesse that were requisite through the naturall temper of his body look I say if in such a case thou lovest his goodnesse pietie and holines and not take prejudice against it but art such a one who doest love and honour them that fear the Lord this Mark in the Psalm is set down somewhat differently we must try our selves by this It 's true great men must have the outward respect their place speaks honour to whom honour but for the inward respect of the heart we should see whether greatnesse or goodnesse carries it away Certainly those who have gotten their judgements rectified and renewed to discern things that differ or have their hearts set upon the pursuit of grace will esteeme more of it where it is then of all the greatnesse in the world A third Mark is this faith purifieth the heart which may carry with it a double meaning to wit either this that whereas the hipocrite looks onely to the outward man but not to the hidden man of the heart true faith it does far otherwaies for knowing that it has to do with the alseeing God the tryer of the heart and the searcher of the reines he strives to keep clean his heart and to take heed to the thoughts of his heart aswell as to his outward actions every one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe But secondly This is not all faith purifieth the heart that is makes a man not onely make conscience of the thoughts and disposition of his heart to purifie them but even also helps him to purifie it and purge it from the severall corruptions of it for through faith we get victory over al corruptions this is our victory even our faith by it we draw vertue from Christ to cure our corruptions so that faith by little and little purgeth the heart throughout Obj. O then I cannot have faith for I finde my heart swarming with wicked and impure thoughts many great and grosse corruptions and some of them very strong and indeed predominant A. 1. That thy heart as thou thinkst is so full of corruptions is not that thy heart is more impure then others but that thou hast a cleerer light and better sight of the corruption of thy own heart then others have thy heart was once more uncleane when thou sawest it not ' to be so now when thou seest these small moats it is a token the Sun of righteousnesse hath shined upon thee 2. That faith purifies the heart must be rightly understood for the meaning is not that faith does altogether purge and free the heart from sin who can say his heart is clean but this faith puts a clean purifying disposition into the heart so that it either resists it or rejects sin or works it out although there be much of the filthines of sin yet it still fights against it gainstanding it working it out even as clean liquor does every unclean thing honey for example or as oyle will be uppermost or as wine above the dregs when faith is in the heart the heart will not harbour sin thus it is said If I regard iniquity in my heart if there be never so much sinfulnesse in the heart yet if thou wouldest be quit of it dislike it loath it cry
to be neglected but greatly to be laboured for for being joyned with the former it fortifies it strengthens the anchor of the soul it fils a man with Christian courage comfort and cheerfulnesse and makes him fruitfull in good works as is evident 2 Pet. 1.8 and 10. Onely about these two assurances we are to beware of these two things 1. That we betake us not to this last assurance onely for thus we will deceive our selves for it cannot be upright unlesse we have the other first we may well have a shew or form of it for we may have some change of life without faith but no true change without it we should not then betake us to it onely for then we both mistake the nature of faith and as I was saying cannot but deceive our selves which is most dangerous 2. We should also beware that we betake us not to this second assurance in the first roome for then we mistake the order of things and shall but discourage our selves and bewilder our selves in the point of our first assurance and hold our selves back from beleeving for the first assurance being to beleeve and the second to know that we beleeve how shall we know that we beleeve untill it first be and yet this is the course that many take they will first know that they beleeve before they do labour to beleeve they will needs have the second assurance before they have the first though it is evident that they must first have the first for the second flows from the first yea and not at the first but from it being somewhat strengthened they will not have the first assurance unlesse they have first or at least with all the second whereas they shall never have the second untill first of all they have the first and that in some good measure But this point of mistaking the order of things will be clearer being spoken of in the termes we did propose You say that you misse many of the Marks of Faith feel not your heart purified from corruption find not the love of God repentance and so forth and therefore this troubles you discourages you and weakens you that ye cannot or dare not apply the Promises or Means of faith unto you I answer this comes from mistaking the order of things if these Marks ye misse were of things that either go before or accompany faith you had it may be some reason for this complaint but seeing they come from these things that follow faith and are the effects of faith why should the want of them discourage you to beleeve yea rather they should stir you up to beleeve that so you may come by them for they being the effects of faith how shall ye think to obtain them unlesse ye first beleeve that is take and apply the promises I pray you wherehence flows victory over corruption but from faith Is it not faith that purifies the heart And wherehence flows the love of God but even also from faith apprehending the love of God towards us according to that of the Apostle We love him because he loved us first And for repentance or godly sorrow it flows from that love and is according to the measure of that love as our love is according to the measure of our faith so outward acts of obedience faith works by love so then to suspend our faith and beleeving till we get these is the high way never to get faith Further whence are all these things to be gotten the want whereof discourages us to beleeve are they any other where to be gotten but from Christ or any other way to be gotten from him but by faith can we get the bloodie issue of our corruptions any otherwayes cured but by drawing vertue from Christ and the power of his death Can we get our spirituall wants otherwayes supplyed then out of Christ his fulnesse or our spirituall weaknesse otherwayes helped and strengthened I am able to de all things through Christ that strengthens me So then I say we must not delay our beleeving that is applying of the Promises to our selves till we find these things redressed but on the contrary we must beleeve that we may have these things helped thou wilt not beleeve and apply the Promises untill thou findest these things but thou shalt never find these things untill thou first beleeve and apply we would rather have some worthinesse in our selves then come by faith to Christ but we can have none Further observe that these things do not onely flow from faith but from faith somewhat strengthened A tree cannot bring forth fruit at the first untill the time it be well fastned and take some rooting Now these things ye speak of being the fruits of faith how think ye shall they be produced without faith somewhat rooted how shall ye expect them as long as ye hold the tree of your faith thus shaking and tossing through your own default suffer it not to take root So then to conclude I would advise all those who feel the want or weaknesse of Faith not to run presently to the Marks of Faith I mean those which are taken from the effects of Faith for this will but encumber their faith and weaken their applying this will also make them to stagger at the promise but I would advise them I say to flie to the Means and to apply the Promises what ever their corruptions or wants be even to do as Abraham the father of the faithfull did he looked not to any insufficiencie in himself but to the power and faithfulnesse of the promiser he considered not the deadnesse of his body c. and therefore staggered not at the promise but being strong in faith he gave glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Even so should we we should not at first look to these discouragements that present themselves unto us from the deadnesse and diseases of our own souls for then we shall never beleeve for these will never cease untill we first beleeve But let us look to the promise of a true and powerfull God that he is both faith full who hath promised and that he is able to perform what he hath promised This was the ground and prop of Abrahams and Sarahs faith the parents and patterns of the faithfull Rom. 4.21 Heb. 11.8 And these should be the props of our faith But we will have a way of beleeving of our own and such is our mischievous infidelitie that we cannot rest upon God alone his promise his power and his truth unlesse we find something in our selves It is both remarkable and comfortable Heb. 6. that the Spirit of God there allows us not onely confidence simply and consolation but even a strong consolation and that from no ground in our selves but onely from God his great truth in his oath and promise Further let this be added to the advise to wit that those who find their faith weak
not onely betake themselves to the means of faith before-named but do dwell upon them feed upon them meditate upon them untill their faith be well setled and strengthened and then the Marks will of their own accord follow for as seed doth not grow unlesse it be first harrowed and lye a while in the earth and as meat will not strengthen unlesse it be chewed and have time to digest even so unlesse we insist and dwell upon the Means of Faith the Promises Covenant c. by frequent and earnest meditation feeding upon them and hiding them in the midst of our hearts they cannot produce any setled faith in us and faith not being produced and setled it cannot produce these effects and marks as are requisite thereunto I have insisted the longer on this because I find it is one of the greatest depths of Satan thus to tosse in a wind as it were the children of God whereby many are held back from beleeving and we our selves are in every thing backward but especially in the point of beleeving O ye of little faith slow to beleeve The point of faith is a main point and going out of the way in it is no lesse then the hazarding of the soul especially we should take heed that the nature of Faith be not mistaken it is a fundamentall errour to erre in the point of Faith In a word then what shal one do when he is in such a case that he can find no Marks or evidences of faith pray for them that is true but for the point of means using there is no other course or help to strengthen his faith but this to strengthen his faith by the means that so faith may bring on these evidences As in the building so in the repairing of Faith Q. I would gladly hear of some of those speciall particular means to beget and strengthen Faith A. First of all a notable Mean is duely and diligently to consider of the mercifull nature of the Lord our God who is our partie with whom we have to deal as it is most sweetly and richly set down to us in Scripture and all to draw our unbeleeving hearts to rest upon the same This is a mean and prop of Faith that Gods children have had great recourse unto So we see Psal 25. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies for they have been of old Remember not the sins of my youth but according to thy mercy remember me c. So Psal 5. Have mercy upon me O Lord according to the multitude of thy tender mercies Sweetly saith Daniel of this Mercy and forgivenesse belongeth to thee although we have sinned against thee So sweetly Psal 65. Iniquitie hath prevailed against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions So Psal 130. If thou mark iniquitie narrowly who shall stand but there is mercy with thee or forgivenesse with thee And again With the Lord is mercie and plenteous redemption Thus hath Gods children against the greatnesse of their sins have comforted and upholden their faith by the consideration of Gods mercie The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous run unto it and are saved Now the name of his mercy is above all his names as is clear from Exod. 34. where the Lord proclaiming his Name to Moses takes so many stiles of mercy to him But to the point the Lord in his word hath been pleased having a regard to our slownesse to beleive to set down his mercy very richly largely pithily and pregnantly to us he is said to be plenteous in mercy Psal 103. to pardon aboundantly or to multiply pardons Isa 55. To delight in mercy Micah the last To delight in these that trust in his mercy Psal 148. To be rich in mercy Ephes 1. That his mercy endureth for ever Is he not infinite in his mercy The Lords mercies be most pithily and pregnantly set down in these places Exâ—d 34. Micah the last Isa 1.44.55 Deut. 4. Psa 103.116 So that doth the greatnesse of thy sins trouble thee he is infinite in mercy though thy sins were as scarlet c. He forgives iniquitie transgression and sin for his Name sake he pardons iniquities so that now the greater thy sins be the greater shall be the name of his mercy So David Psal 51. For thy name sake pardon my iniquity for it is great the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin though never so great and no wonder because it is the blood of Christ of God not with corruptible things but with the precious blood and that his own blood Acts 20. Doth the number of thy sins trouble thee he hath multitudes of tender mercies for the number of thy sins he doth multiply pardons if thou hast multiplied thy sins he is rich in mercy he hath a treasure of mercy if thou hast treasured up wrath notable is that Isa 43. Ye have wearied me with your transgressions yet come and I will pardon you I even I am he who for my own names sake c. He who bids even us to pardon seventie times seven times how oft then will he himself pardon Obj. O but I have spent all my daies in sinning so that justly I may fear that the day of grace is expired that the doore of mercy is shut up A. O but the Lords mercy enduereth for ever he is long suffering if thou hast been long in sinning and that the day of grace is not expiered is evident because the meanes is yet continued and the offer of mercy in them for the Lord he is yet beseeching thee by his Ambassadors to be reconciled so that it is yet the acceptable time the day of salvation 2 Cor. 5. towards the end and Cap. 6. at the beginning And he is yet standing at the doore and knocking ready if thou wilt open to him to come in and to sup with thee and thou with him So then While it is to day harden not your hearts neither dispaire the Lord and thou art yet upon parley under speaking termes and so the bargain is not quite broke off consider the similitude of a besieged City as long as there is any parley there is possibility of peace consider also how it is said At what time soever a sinner repents I will do away his iniquities Obj. O but I cannot finde this repentance A. The Lord will pardon and shew mercy upon a very small measure of repentance he will accept of the smoake instead of the fire of repentance It is not our repentance but Christs merits that the Lord looks at he will not quench the smoaking flax yea he will shew mercy upon the very first motions and beginnings of repentance I have sinned saies David and The Lord hath taken away thy sin saies Nathan The prodigall child was met a far off yea upon a purpose of repentance I said I will confesse my sins and thou forgavest c. yea such is his mercy that when Adam did extenuate and shift
drive us from infidelitie so do they clearly testifie the Lords great willingnesse to have poore sinners saved which is also a great encouragement to beleeve for not onely saith the Lord I will not the death of a sinner but here is our fault about this point of the Lords willingnesse to save us we will not rest upon the Lords revealed will as we ought to do but run to his secret will so weakning our confidence for which his revealed will affords us such plentiful grounds and so needlesly perplexing our selves for secret it is and secret it must be We should hold our selves then to the Lords revealed will and not pry into his secret this seems to be enjoyned by these two places especially to wit Deut. 29. v. last Secret things belong to the Lord but things revealed to us and to our children even all the words of his Law that we should do them As also Rom. 10. cited out of Deut. 30. Say not in thine heaâ—t Who shall go up to heaven c. But what saith it The word is nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart even the word of faith which we preach So that in the point of our beleeving or perswasion concerning our election and salvation or of the Lords willingnesse to save us we should not look to the secret will of God thus perplexing our selves but we should betake us to Gods revealed will and Word and that two wayes to wit 1. to the word of faith Rom. 10. or of promise cleaving unto it for it is the ground and warrant of our faith 2. To the word of the Law Deut. 29. thus making our calling and election sure by well doing and evidencing to our own conscience the truth of our faith it working by love 2 Pet. 2. For if ye do these things entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly c. Would you then be wise to salvation this is the way of it the way to be saved is to beleeve the word of promise Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not be ashamed the way to know if thou beleeve is by some effects of faith Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved Look if thou be such a one Both these two be set down in the former place Rom. 10. This is also clear that such a course as this is to be taken to leave the Lords secret will and to hold us to his revealed will 2 Tim. 2. where the Apostle saith The Lords foundation standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his Q. But you will say the Lord knoweth it is true who are his but how shall I know this also my self if I be one of his A. This is his seal Let him that loveth Christ depart from iniquity try thy self by this his seal so then perplex not thy self with the Lords secret will But 1. beleevest thou the word of faith which is neer unto thee then thy faith hath saved thee be of good comfort Wouldst thou again know whether thy faith be true see if thou callest upon the Name of the Lord. 2. If thou depart from iniquity for then thou art a sealed soul but if thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer Job 15. then thou art not right A fourth notable Mean and prop and seed of Faith to obtain it and to strengthen it are the plentifull promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sins set down unto us in the Word even as the Apostle cals them Exceeding great and precious promises these well considered should mightily strengthen our faith Have we but the promise of an honest man for any businesse will we not rest and repose upon it and will it not breed in us and beget a great measure of assurance about the thing promised and shall we not then be made sure of this point of the remission of our sins by so many promises so often renewed of the faithfull and true God who is truth it self and not onely will not but cannot lye as the Apostle speaks will we rest upon the Word of a faithfull man and will not we rest upon the written Word of the true God So that we have both his Word and his writ for it he is a God of truth so called by Moses Deut. 32.4 and 7. v. 9. saith emphatically Know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God who keeps Covenant and mercie he styles himself abundant in truth Exod. 34. Great is his faithfulnesse and love who keepeth truth for ever Psal 46. He is a God of truth Christ is called Truth it self The Way the Truth and the Life the faithfull Witnesse the holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth the Word of Truth And shall we doubt of the performance of these promises No let us with Sarah judge him faithfull who hath promised that so we may by faith also with her obtain the thing promised his truth shall be thy shield and buckler This might be sufficient for this Mean but for the further stirring up of our backward hearts of unbelief to beleeve let us consider these two things about the promises of forgivenesse 1. Their pregnancie and pithinesse 2. Their largenesse and extent 1. Then the promises of mercie and forgivenesse of sin be very pregnant and pithie the more to perswade and win upon our untoward hearts of unbelief for not onely doth the Lord simply promise to pardon our iniquities but he promises to blot them out Isa 43. and Col. 3. The same phrase is used to blot out the hand-writing of ordinances which was contrary unto us that he is not onely content to give us a discharge of the debt of our sins but because that may seem not sure for that may haply be lost therefore he will destroy the bond it self that it be not brought forth against us even blot it out Moreover lest blotting out should not seem sufficiently sure for some letters may remain and the whole purpose may be taken up by these few he hath promised to wash away our sins Ezek. 36. I will cleanse you from your filthinesse c. Isa 1. I will make you as the wooll Further lest even after washing some stain should remain in the third roome he is said to cover our transgressions Psal 32. as also 85. O but will ye say he hath a piercing eye and will see through any covering therefore the Scripture speaks of his casting our sins behinde his back that is out of his sight Obj. But you will say what cannot be seen may yet be remembred what cannot be seen by the eye of the body may be seen by the eye of the minde A. This he promises and it is a part of the Covenant that he will not remember our iniquities the words are very emphaticall lest we should think that faults once forgotten may be again called to memory therefore he saith expresly I will remember their sins No more Once forgot and ever forgot In that day the iniquitie of Jacob shall be sought for
Covenant of reconciliation even he shall intercede for him that he be not cast out of it again Jesus Christ our Saviour is the Mediator of the New Testament in such a sort not onely to enter us once in the Covenan with his Father but which is most comfortable when we fail he is ready to intercede for us He sits at the right hand of the Father making request for us And hence is it that this Covenant is so sure and so everlasting a Covenant This point is also notably and clearly set down and made good by that style that Daniel Nehemiah Ezra give unto God O Lord who keepest Covenant and mercie A sweet saying and style for both on his own part he keeps Covenant and then for us when we break and sin he hath mercie for us So in the Scripture we have it more then once that sweet combination of mercy and truth Psal 57. He will send out his mercie and his truth Psal 25. all his wayes are mercy and truth c. His truth is to perform his promise his mercie is to cover our sins and to pardon them that they be no impediments for him to perform his mercie towards us Had he onely truth our comfort would be but small for we make the first breach and fail in the condition so that the Lord may without any breach of his truth and justice break his promise with us but when he joyns mercy with truth and is a God that keeps Covenant and mercie in this stands our comfort and happinesse and this is it that makes it an everlasting Covenant As also in that notable Psal 89. My faithfulnesse and my mercie shall be with him And again notably v. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him His mercy endureth for ever How often repeated in Scripture a notable comfort against our renewed sins But of all most notably clearly and expresly is this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant set down in that same Psalm where the Lord professes which is indeed most wonderfull and sweet that although sin and the devill should have so far prevailed against us as to make us forsake Gods Law that though he may well visit our transgressions with the rod and our iniquitie with stripes so to bring us to repentance yet His loving kindnesse he will not utterly take from us nor suffer his faithfulnesse to fail so that he will not break his part of the Covenant for all this O the wonderfull goodnesse of God in his Son Christ who although we change every moment yet he changeth not whom he loves he loves to the end his gifts and his graces be without repentance Q. I hear that upon my repentance I shall have accesse to this precious Covenant though after seventy times seven times yea infinitely often for Gods wayes are not like mans wayes but are above them as far as the heaven is above the earth which is very comfortable and also that the Lord will take pains with me to bring me to repentance will visit me with the rod c. O but what if I continue in sin without repentance if I be not to be reclaimed no not by rods and so fall away altogether A. Thou shalt not get leave to do this for this is a part and a clause of this precious and sure Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear into their heart that they shall not depart from me to wit altogether or without returning this puts on the very top-stone of the surenesse of the Covenant That place is worth the noting for in it the Lord undertakes both his own part and ours This point is also notably and clearly set down Heb. 8. where the Apostle setting down the difference between the old Covenant and the new he saith of the old indeed they abode not in that Covenant but for this he saith I will write my Law in their hearts and put it in their inward parts So Ezek. I will put my Spirit within them and cause them to walk in my statutes to do them So ye may see that this is still a most sure and everlasting Covenant Q. But may it not be objected that this doctrine of the surenesse everlastingnes and steadfastnesse of the Covenant is ready to faster security and to prove an obstruction to Christian obedience A. It may well make one relent of that slavish or at the best selfish obedience flowing from fear and arising from self-love and self-respects But as for that acceptable obedience which flows from Faith and from the love of God The love of God constraineth me surely it doth greatly advance and fortifie it for why as ye see it fortifies faith exceedingly this point of the surenes of the Covenant and everlastingnesse on Gods part now faith produces this acceptable obedience faith which worketh by love the more faith the more working and that by love the more heartie and cheerfull obedience So whatsoever doctrine serves to increase faith in us to breed in us the full assurance of faith is so far from rendring us carnally secure and so sluggish as on the contrary it renders us spiritually secure it makes us the more working and diligent it addes spirit and life heart and courage to work Faith which worketh by love it both increases and rectifies our obedience whereas faith which is the tree being weak good works which are the fruit must be few as the assurance of Faith rouses up the soul to go on in a cheerfull and right course of obedience with an eye to God whereas otherwise all our obedience is at the best felfish if not slavish Do ye fast unto me saith the Lord and even for this restraint of fear to stand in aw and not to sin This Covenant for all the sweetnesse of it hath sufficient ground for as ye hear although the Lord for the main take not his loving kindnesse away yet neverthelesse he visits with the rod and with stripes even with sad and sore chastisements even where he is favourable he takes for all that vengeance for transgression even where he corrects in measure he suffers not altogether to passe unpunished Hence is that complaint Thou hast wounded me with the wound of an enemie and chastised me with the chastisement of a cruell one And again The Lord hath chastised me sore but hath not delivered me over to death There was never so much pleasure in thy sinning as thou who ever thou art shalt find bitternesse in thy chastisements for sin even although the main thing and the punishment be remitted so that thou hast need to stand in awe and not sin So that this Covenant though full of confidence yet hath some place also for fear and aw Obj. When I consider this surenesse and everlastingnesse of the Covenant surely I must think them happie that have propriety and interest in it but I fear that I have none that it belongs not
to me A. For this I give no other Answer but what I gave to that doubt concerning the Promises for what is the Covenant but a bundle of Promises As ye heard of the Promises they are to you and to your seed Even so the Covenant I am your God and the God of your seed Consider the other Answer Q. O but I am so unworthy guiltie sinfull gracelesse I cannot think that it belongs to me A. For this consider the second property the freenesse of this Covenant it is altogether free from the Lords free favour without any respect to any thing in thee it looks at nothing in thee no worth in thee can procure it no unworthinesse in thee can hinder it so that whatsoever thy condition be thou needst not fear to lay hold on it Now this freenesse of this new Covenant is clear and may be specified by these particulars 1. It is free because it doth not require any prevenient grace or worthinesse in us Isa 55. where this Covenant is set down Ho every one that thirsteth come and buy without money c. So Rev. last Drink of the water of life freely Rev. 3 the poore the miserable naked spiritually are invited and counselled to come Hâ—s 14. I will love them freely Rom. 3. All have sinned and come short c. being justified freely by his grace Nothing the Lord stands more upon then the freedom of his grace that all the glory and the thanks may be to him 2. It is free not onely because it doth not prerequire or presuppose any worthinesse in us but it doth also take off former guilt we should remember that it is made for the behoof of sinners I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance We are saved by beleeving in him who justifies the ungodly But I say this Covenant takes off even exceeding great by-past guiltinesse as is clear from Isa 55. where the Covenant is mentioned I will abundantly pardon Isa 1. although they were never so great though as red as scarlet Isa 43. although they were never so many Ye have wearied me with your transgressions c. Yet I am he c. This is a worthy saying and by all means to be received by thee that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chief of sinners and not onely Paul but him to be a pattern to others who afterwards should beleeve in him Now all these tends to the further manifestation of the riches of his grace and mercy Hence it is said Isa 43. For his Names sake be pardons iniquitie now the greater and the more thy sins have been the greater shall be the name of his mercy and the freenesse of his grace 3. This Covenant stands not onely with by-past guiltinesse but which shews the freenesse thereof with much present sinfulnesse and wretchednesse if felt and mourned for This is clear from Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7 8 9. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood c. Yet even then I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakednesse I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Then I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away the blood from thee c. So we see how that sinfulnesse of disposition doth not let the Lord to enter into this Covenant with us and should not discourage us to lay hold on the Covenant See Ezek. 36. where there is mention of the Covenant more then once Not for your sakes O house of Israel be it known unto you Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes but for my Names sake And he tels them that they were a stiffe-necked and a rebellious people rather worse then better then other people And surely there are not more rough pieces of work and greater sinners then many on whom the Lord bestows grace that so the glory of his mercie and power of his grace even divine power may be better known So then neither thy works nor thy by-past guiltinesse nor thy present sinfulnesse of disposition ought to hinder thee from laying hold on this Covenant seeing it is in all these respects a free Covenant but as ye shall hear it is the onely way to get all these redressed Obj. O but this Covenant promises that I shall have a new heart be cleansed from my filthinesse c. these things I find not hence is it that justly I doubt that the Promises of remission of sins belongs not to me seeing the other Promises of sanctification be not accomplished A. Thou wilt not beleeve that they may be accomplished think you that all the conditions of the Covenant shall be performed to you or can become yours untill by faith you lay hold on the Covenant untill by faith you subscribe the Covenant and set to thy seale that God is true thou hast not entred into the Covenant nor cannot be said to have done it untill thou subscribe it by beleeving and so no wonder thou hast not reaped the benefits of the Covenant go to then and enter thy self in the Covenant subscribe it seale it by beleeving and then shalt thou find the vertue and benefit of these promises of Sanctification and go not to suspend thy beleeving because thou findest not the accomplishment of the promises for ye heard it is faith that brings forth holinesse and Sanctification But the next and last property of this Covenant is able to give you satisfaction and it is the absolutenesse and compleatnesse of this Covenant I call it a compleat Covenant because the Lord hath undertaken in it to fullfill both his own part and our part what could be wished for more so that whatsoever it requireth of thee it promises to give the same unto thee as faith repentance the grace of prayer the fear of God victory over corruptions and finally strength to walke outwardly in the waies of the Lords obedience Hence I call it an absolute Covenant because it not onely hath conditionall on all promises promising eternall life remission of sins such and such things to those who beleeve repent love fear God c. But it hath in it absolute promises which properly be the new Covenant promising even these very conditions to wit faith repentance c. What can be more sweet and comfortable certainly there is not any point in Christian Religion more comfortable or more considerable by us then is this of the absolute promises and of the compleatnesse of the new Covenant and how that the Lord hath undertaken both for his own part and our part herein for want of considering of this many poore Christian soules are holden back mightily and are discouraged for they thinke with themselves many things and amongst the rest remission of sins to be promised to those that fear and love God that beleive and repent that seek by prayer c. But alas I want these conditions and so have no interest in the promises
and obeyest the voice of his servants and therefore not onely mayest but shouldst trust in the Lord Isa 50.10 Thou hatest not to be reformed and therfore mayest take his Covenant in thy mouth Psal 50.16 17. Thou keepst his Sabbaths and choosest the things that please him and therefore mayest take hold of his Covenant Isa 56.4 Thus far for thy comfort But thou who ever thou be that wantest these things whereof we were speaking be not deceived thou hast neither faith nor that humiliation that should go before it 1. Was never thy conscience wakened directly with the sense of sin was never thy minde troubled with the sense of spirituall wants wa st thou never solicitous for thy own salvation and took it to heart above all things else Alas it is too too evident thou art not right as yet 2. Wantest thou that tendernesse of conscience hast thou no care no fear of the snares of sin and Satan nor watchest thou to prevent sin art thou not with the Apostle herein exercised alwayes to keep a good conscience Again and haâ—t thou no checks nor accusations in thy conscience after the commission even of the smallest if known sins but canst ban and swear speak sinfull words think sinfull thoughts c. and never be troubâ—ed a whit for the matter but doest sin securely and lyest in sin securely without repentance and seeking after reconciliation and so art every way a sleighter of sin Then assuredly no work of humiliation hath ever been wrought in thy heart and consequently no work of grace for this is the first work 3. And lastly look how the matter is between you God how thy soul carries it self in regard of secret sins namely of entertaining sin in thy thoughts and in regard of secret duties If thou dare or doest regard iniquity in thy heart feed thy thoughts upon ambitious and covetous pleasures or vanities or sinfull lusts without controllment yea and with delight and dare omit or shuffle over thy secret duties hast thou not some constant inward principle and secret mover that lets thee not alone but puts thee on to a daily and constant discharge of Christian secret duties daily prayer nightly repentance daily and nightly meditation upon the Word of God but doest all these duties by starts and fits or superficially or not at all then certainly no right humiliation no true grace yet in thy soul be earnest to labour for and to pray for that which thou wantest for it concerns the damnation or salvation of thy soul Thus far for these Marks which be taken from the antecedents of faith or those things which go before faith at least in order of nature Concerning these three Marks of a right and true work of humiliation or of that preparatorie work of the Spirit which goes before faith the way I say to make these Marks clear comfortable and convincing is 1. To compare them with our own former case and condition and so to try them by experience which we have alreadie done 2. To try them by comparing them with the case of the ungodly and wicked and so to try them by the Word of God which now we are to do wherein although some things be coincident with things spoken before the labour will not be unprofitable I. The first Mark of right humiliation and of the work of the Spirit in that respect is this to wit namely the right sight of sin the Spirit of God when he comes first into the heart of a Christian working by the Law or Commandment gives unto a man another sight of sin then any natural man how qualified soever he be with humane literature and naturall wisdom can have This is cleerly understood by the doctrine and in the person of St. Paul Rom. 7. I was alive without the Law once that is in a good conceit of my self and of my own righteousnes but when the Commandment came that is the Spirit with the Commandment or Law for he had the Commandment or Law in the letter before sin revived and I dyed I saw another sight of my sinfulnes then before To speak more plainly and particularly of this note when the Spirit comes and works this sight of sinfulnes in him it works this threefold sight in him 1. A sight of his sin and particular corruptions 2. Of his gracelesnesse and wants 3. Of his unrighteousnesse and imperfection of his best actions Now all these be hid from the naturall man as is clear by example 1. Of the Nation of the Jews who went about to establish their own righteousnesse 2. Of the Papists who take upon them for want of this sight to fulfill the Law to merit to supererrogate 3. Of our own ignorance who till the point of death cannot be brought to this sight of their own sinfulnesse but ever are justifying themselves thanking God they never wronged any instead of confessing and humbling so that this is clearly the case of the naturall man But to the particulars 1. The Spirit gives to a man a sight of his sinfulnesse and corruptions When the Commandment comes sin revives that is there is a further sight of sin Hence is it that 1. they are out of conceit of themselves thinking themselves to be the chief of sinners 2. That they complain so heavily of their own corruptions Who shall deliver me from the body of death 3. They feel the flesh lusting against the spirit Gal. 5. Now the ungodly or naturall man is not so for 1. He hath not so evill a conceit of himself as to think himself to be the chief of sinners or a great sinner but quite contrary I thank God I am not like that Publican 2. He is not sensible of his sinfulnesse whether of the body of death or of his actuall sins flowing therefrom But on the contrary He flattereth himself in his own eyes untill his iniquitie be found to be hatefull as it is in the 3. Psal He feels no such battell between the flesh and the spirit for why The strong man holds the house so that all things are at peace Hence the one sort is prepared for Christ the other not The whole needs not the Physician but they that are sick I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Q. But you will say Hath the wicked or naturall man no sight of his sins A. Some sight of some grosser discernable sins by the light of nature but not such a sight of sin as the Spirit gives to the spirituall man They may see 1. outward corruptions of the flesh as theft fornication c. but not these more inward of the spirit pride spirituall idolatrie unthankfulnesse infidelitie impenitencie 2. They may see sin in the branches and streams that is actuall sins but not in the root and fountain the body of death the sinfulnesse of their nature blindnesse of minde backwardnesse of will unholinesse and unheavenlinesse of affections hardnesse whoring hypocrisie of their hearts 3. In