but they have been stung with a thousand Bees For so God hath told us before hand though we have golden dreames of framing a Paradise of pleasures to our selves here yet we shal find the gates of Paradise shut on earth open onely in heaven Our Paradise is now become a Bochim a place of Lamentation for so he hath decreed Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life Thornes and h Gen. 3. 18 19. thistles shall it bring forth unto thee But will Christ feed us with vanities vexations With earth and ashes No no he will feede us with the dainties of heaven and will open unto us the treasures and Iewels that are found in the richest Cabinet of God himselfe Eph. 1. 3. He will give us Grace and glory and no good thing will he withold from us if we walke uprightly Psal 84. ult First He will give us the grace of justification Col. 2. 13. a pardon for all our sins and deliverance from hell and death Rom. 8. 1. Reve. 20. 6. He will say to us as to the Palsy man be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiven thee Matthew 9. verse 2. and as to weeping Mary Woman thy sinnes are forgiven thee Luke 7. And this alone is a greater blessing then all the riches in the world Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven Psal 32. 2. He will give us the grace of acceptation we shall be looked upon and accepted as righteous as Christ himselfe was for us for as he is so are wee in this world 1. Ioh. 4. 17. i 2 Cor. 5. ult 1 Cor. 1 ult 3. He will give us The grace of sanctification Not onely pulling off our chaines of darknesse the devils fetters k Col. 1. 13 but also decking us with the Jewels of holinesse the Angels glory by clothing our soules with divine inclinations to be made partakers of the divine nature â—Ezek 16. 12. Ioh. 1. 16 and our hearts to be made after Gods own heart 4. The grace of Adoption of vassals and children of the divell to be the spouse the members of Christ nay the sonnes of God m Ioh. 1. 12 which perhaps is that new name spoken of Reve. 2. 17. Now behold what love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God! n 1 Ioh 3. 1. thereby intimating that he beares to us the affection and protection of a father to his children 5. He will give us the grace of reconciliation whereby God is as good friends with us through Christ as if we had never offended him Col. 1. 21. 6. The grace of Cooperation for we are able to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Phil. 4. 13. John 15. 44. 7. The grace of corroboration for his grace shall be sufficient for us that no sin shall have dominion over us Rom. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 8. The grace of coagulation enabling us to grow in grace till we come to the measure of Grace that God hath appointed us to come unto Eph. 2. 21. 9. The grace of preservation to continue to the end 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are kept by his power through faith unto salvation our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. so as Nothing shall ever separate us from his love for who can pluck us out of the hand of God and of Christ Joh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. ult 10. The grace of consolation for he will send the holy Ghost not onely the sanctifyer but the comforter to cheare our hearts as he promised us Joh. 15. 26. which exceeds all other joy and comforts being unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet 1. 8. 11. Lastly he will give us the grace and gift of glorification if we know Christ is ours then we know heaven is ours and all the pleasures that are in it That that day we dye we shall be with Christ in Paradise for the same glory thou hast given me I have given them saith our Saviour Joh. 17. 24. and we shall sit together with him in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. Other knowledge may bring pleasure and content but no other knowledge can bring salvation but onely the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified can the sonne of Ishai give you orchards and Gardens c. said Saâ—l and can the knowledge of earthly things inrich you with these treasures 2. Secondly As Christ gives better things then the world hath so more satisfying These earthly things are cald empty pits because they are empty of content though there may be some good in them yet not the good we expect that is content Because nothing can give content but that that joynes God and the soule as friends together for which end it was created and without whom the soule can finde no content in all things else but flies up and down like a Bee from one flower to another from one comfort to another to get more sweetnesse but when once it enjoys God it saith I have enough as Jacob said I have enough my sonne Joseph is a live and then is as quiet as a Bee in her hive a bird in her neast a Beast in her den or the Dove in the Arke because God is alsufficient A Gen. 17. 1. Bee flyes from one flower to another because she wants hony enough in that flower but when she is put into a pot of hony then shee seekes no farther A thirsty man give him a glasse of water he is not satisfied for saith he this little water is not able to quench my great thirst but cary him to a river and then he saith he hath enougth Thirdly Christ gives more durable riches then the world hath Al other things have their time to leave us Hic acquiruntur hic amittuntur Here they are gotten and here they are lost The world is like the gardens in France or Italy where men may eat of the fruits of the garden what they please while they are in the Garden but can cary nothing out for then the Gardner searcheth and emptyeth their pockets even so when death comes she will empty our pockets that we can carry nothing with us out of the world Our time is a comming that we must bid a sad farewell to all things here farewell husband I shall never see thy face more farewell wife farewell children friends Riches have wings Honours are like a cristall glasse Quo magis splendescit citius frangitur And pleasures like bubbles of sope pleasant to see to but quickly blown out Luk 10. ult Rom. 8. ult riches honours and pleasures both sinfull and lawfull And perhaps if we be not the better provided we shall bid farwell God farwell Christ the joyes of heaven and eternall happinesse But Christ abideth ever If we know Christ ours we shall never bid farwell to Iesus Christ He is the good part that shall be never taken from us Then we may
she goes to drinke troubles the waters as not being able to abide her own deformity it is the gald horse that cannot endure to be touched and if thou canst not endure the tryall of the word and thine own conscience how wilt thou endure the tryall of God who is greater then thy conscience For if our hearts condemne us God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Iohn 3. 20. 2. Secondly Iudge thy selfe by the right rule the word of God and the promises therein contained let us build our confidence upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone Eph. 2. 20. Rest not upon Enthusiasmes dreams visions revelations thine own thoughts c. for these may deceive thee and will deceive thee if they be not according to the promises in the word I trust in Esa 8. 20. thy word saith David Psal 119. 42. so Heb. 11. 13. They saw the promises and embraced them Nay if God should send an Angel from heaven and tell us Christ is ours or should speak with an audible voice from heaven yet could we not be more sure then by the promises in the word for is it not all one to have a promise under his hand as from his mouth If thy knowledge of Christ be built upon a word from Gods mouth thou art sure it is built upon a rock that no winds or tempests can ever blow over God is faithfull he cannot deny himselfe and this made Abraham confident both that he should have a son and that though he should kill him yet he should receive him alive again because he knew God was faithfull and able that had promised Rom. 4. 21. In 2 Pet. 1. 19. Peter proves Christ to be the son of God by the voice that came from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased verse 17. but saith he in the 19 verse we have a surer proof then the voice that came from heaven to wit the word of the Prophets wherein Christ is revealed and promised we have a more sure word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firmissimum testim Prophecy c. What is the word a surer testimony then Gods voice from heaven I answer Beza reads it we have a most sure word intimating they had two sure testimonies the voice from heaven and the word of the Prophets Others read it as it is properly in the original Firmiorem a firmer word being a stronger foundation to rest upon then the voice from heaven Not that it was surer in it selfe for the same God that spake from heaven spake in his word as appears in verse 20. But in regard of the Iewes who might cavill at the voice from heaven as a delusion as they said before in the like case Iohn 12. 28 29. It thundred but they beleeved whatsoever the Prophets said to be true as at this day the Iewes beleeve not the new So Calvin Paraeus Aug. Ser. 27. de verb ap c. 4. Firmiorem propter in fide infirmiores Bull. Testament but stick to the law and therefore Peter sent them to the Prophets who all testify of Christ Joh. 5. 29. Acts 10. 43. The summe of all is that the word is a most sure foundation to build our faith upon and as sure as if we heard a voice from heaven because it came from heaven And perhaps in regard of us it may be more sure because we may be ready to feare whether such a revelation or vision were not a delusion And I am perswaded no◠they are very rare if any at all for heretofore he spake by visions but now by his son that is by his word Heb. 1. 1. Object You will say the word is a good light when we are in darkenesse but when the spirit of God the day-star appeares in our hearts then we may live above ordinances for so saith the Apostle you do well to take heed to the word of prophesie untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts I answer Calvin thinkes the place of darknesse is this life and the day-star and Aecumen Corn. Lap. day-dawn is the light we shall have in heaven Others thinke it is meant the preaching of the Gospel which is clearer then the Law and the word untill doth not intend that then we should regard the Prophets no more but that we should have a clearer light by the Gospell Therefore if thou wouldst be sure Christ is thine let thy faith be built upon some Eph. 2. 20 promise in the word For faith or assurance Christ is ours consists in two things 1. to see Christ offered to us in the promises Hebr. 11. 13. as to those that are weary hungry mourning c. 2. To rest upon Christ for salvation according to those promises Heb. 11. 13. They saw the promises and embraced them and then our faith is grounded upon a rock immoveable when it is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Jesus himselfe being the chief corner stone Eph. 2. 20. 3. Labour to get a right understanding of those promises which thy assurance is built upon take heed of taking common graces for saving weeds for flowers Samuel for the divell in his likenesse Thou sayest if I repent if I beleeve love the Saints have good desires then the word saith that Christ is mine but thou must know there is a kinde of faith which a man may have and yet have Acts 8. 13. John 2. 23. no part in Christ as Simon Magus beleeved and the stony ground beleeved Luke 8. 13. So likewise Judas repented Matth. 27. 3. Balaam had good desires Numb 23. 10. Herod loved John-Baptist Darius loved Daniel Pharaoh loved Ioseph c. There are transient motions that are not habituall dispositions there is difference between a mark with chalk and a fire mark one is quickly rubd out the other is durable So there are lighter operations of the spirit which may soon vanish Quest But how shall I know that I rightly understand the promises Answ I answer Be not willing to be deluded compare one Scripture with another inquire of the Ministers which are appointed of God thy teachers and pray earnestly to God to enlighten thee in the truth and he will lead thee into all truth necessary to salvation as it is written Ioh. 16. 13. When the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth 4. Having got a promise rightly understood hang and rest upon it and be not beaten off say God hath said if I mourn for my sinnes hunger after righteousnesse love the people of God c. then I have part in Christ But I mourne for my sinnes hunger after righteousnesse love the people of God c. Therefore I have part in Christ and I wil trust to his word if I perish I perish so did Abraham Rom. 4. 21. and Iacob Gen. 32. 9. 10. Thou hast said saith he
been too strong for thee I doubt Doubt 3 because I doubt I have so many temptations that I nothing but doubt though I know the word is true and I cannot object against it But God hath said being justified by faith we have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. I answer there is a twofold doubting either from want of faith which is not properly doubting but totall infidelity and distrust or secondly from weaknesse of faith when it assents to the promises yet is joyned with suspicions and feares Now these may stand with faith as the poor man that wept saying Lord I beleeve help my unbelief a Mark 9. 24. for the root of infidelity within us will oppose faith b 1 Thes 3. 10. Heb. 3. 12 1 Pet 5. 8. and neither is it our case alone though we are ready to say no body hath so many temptations as we have c. but of all Gods people Simon Satan c Luk. 22 31. hath desired to winâ—ow thee as wheat c. But I have prayed that thy faith shall not faile thee 2. Secondly I answer Paul saith indeed we have peace with God and so we have for God is at peace with us though we do not alwayes discerne it as the root remaines sometimes when the flower is gathered But he doth not say we have peace with the world with the divel with our lusts c. for the world will now hate us that loved us before and the divel will tempt and assault us bitterly that seemed quiet before and our own sinfull lusts will now wound vex and trouble us that we regarded not before and God will ost afflict us more then he did before Fourthly Doubt 4 I doubt because I cannot act faith my faith failes me I cannot rest my soule upon Christ I answer we must distinguish between the habit and the act of faith the habit or grace of faith that is the inward principle or quality of faith infused by the holy-Ghost this never failes but is an abiding quality now abideth faith hope charity c. 1 Cor. 13. But the act of faith may cease for a time and doth in the best sometimes especially in time of temptation as it was in Abraham when he said of his wife she is my sister in David who said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul and in Peter when he denied Christ and forswore him A man may have a hand yet somtimes through distemper not be able to put it forth yet God hath promised Though we believe not that is sometimes are not able to act faith yet God is faithfull be cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. Fifthly Doubt 5 I doubt because I want assurance comfort when some rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious they have tasted hidden Manna and have gotten the white 1 Pet. 1. 8. stone and the new name which no man knowes but they that have received them and are filled with peace that passeth all understanding 1. I answer first comfort is not the standing dish of a Christian in this life as we make not a meale of sweet meats but they are as a second course to close up the stomack your conduit pipes do not runne sweet water all the yeere but at a Kings Coronation or at some day of speciall solemnization we give Cordials onely when men are sick Our Lord Christ after his resurrection appeared indeed to his Disciples but hee was quickly gone it was but a sight and away as Latimer said of the spirit it is going and coming comfort is reserved for Heaven and we have but a taste on earth to teach us to walk by faith and not by sight and to teach us to expect our life of comfort in Heaven and not on earth 2. Comfort is not of the essence of faith but a degree of glory Christ himselfe wanted comfort when he cried out 2 Cor. 5. 7. Iohn 20. â—9 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but he wanted not faith but he still called him his Lord his God So David when he prayed to God to restore to him the joyes of his salvation had no joy nay instead of it he roared all day Psal 32. So Iob Heman and others and yet their faith failed not Now we are not to believe so long as comfort lasts but so long as the promises last which are better then comfort without them if we have not the shining of his countenance let us be glad of the shining of his graces if we have not the sun-light of his spirit let us be glad of the star-light of the fruits of his spirit if we have not the Holy-Ghost the comforter let us be glad of the Holy Ghost the humbler sanctifier c. He that makes joy and comfort the ground of his faith to rest upon rests upon an inconstant object and will be tossed up and down daily with continuall feares let us bring our feeling down to our faith and not our faith to our feeling he that will not beleeve God in his promises would hardly beleeve if he had comfort from him how shall we prove our comfort but by the promises 3. That is the strongest faith that can believe without comfort yea when God frownes upon us as Iob did though he kill me yet will I trust in him Every body can say the sunne shines when we see the light and feel the heat as Christ said to Thomas thou wilt not believe except thou seest but blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed as David did Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast down O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me still trust in God c. and Isa 50. 10. he that feareth the Lord though he walks in darkenesse and seeth no light yet let him stay himselfe in the Lord and trust in his God Sixthly Doubt 6 I doubt because I have strong lusts still remaining when as you know faith purifieth the heart a Hab. 3. 17. and if any be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away and all things are become new b 2 Cor. 5. 17. and they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof c Gal. 5. 17. But I am the old man I find the old inclination to old sinnes c. I answer Christ and sin cherished allowed d Psal 66. 18. 1 Iohn 3. 9. cannot stand together but Christ and â—in mourned under may dwell together as in Paul that cryed out O wretched e Rom. 7. 24. ult man that I am who shall deliver me c. and in my mind I serve the Law of God but in my flesh the Law of sin For grace is seen as well in opposing as overcomming corruption because corruption would never dislike corruption The Lord lookes not so much what we are but what we would be neither doth he measure us so much by our actions as by our affections Caution
his countenance upon us and not when he hides his face from us e Ps 4. 7. Let him kisse me saith the spouse with the kisses of his mouth f Cant. 1. 2. Ps 63. 3. that is let him shew me some love tokens As the Rabbins say Moses died ad osculum oris dei with a kisse from the mouth of God for his love is sweeter then wine and better then life good or evill affects not till apprehended Job lamented not at all his losses till a messenger related them to him Nor did Jacob rejoyce that Joseph was alive till he knew it Who joyes in an inheritance befallen him till he know it Nor can we joy in Christ a Saviour till vve knovv him to be our Savionr Indeed Paul knovves it already yet he would fain know it better for the strongest faith is subject to shakings as the brightest stars to twinkling as Noahs Ark to tossing with the waves or as a ship at anchor to shaking with the winds 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. Perplexed saith Paul but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Thus we see the faith of those that have drunk deepest of the cup of Gods love is subject to fainting and winnowing but it shal never fail Luk. 22. 2. Object 1. If any shall object a man may be saved by faith of adherence though hee hath not faith of evidence that is by resting upon Christ for salvation though he come not to know particularly that Christ is his as appeares by these texts * Iob. 13. 14. Ps 51. 11. 12. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknes and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord Esa 50. 10. and stay upon his God c. Answ I answer first iâ—s true there may be faith in Christ and by consequence salvation obtained by those that know not that Christ is theirs Or a man may be saved by faith of Adherence without some kind of evidence But there is a twofold evidence 1. Of salvation and that Christ is ours 2. Of promises upon which our adhaerence is grounded Ioh. 6. 40. Heb. 11. 13. Heb. 11. 13. Zach. 1â— 10. Voluntas estceca sine ratione Now a man can have no faith no not of adhaerence without an evidence of promises upon which his adhaerence is built for faith is an act of the understanding as well as of the will for the will acts by the understanding or else it were an irrationall act But Quisquis credit rationabiliter credit as Bishop Davenant whoever beleeves must at least have a reason of his faith for he must be ready to give a reason of his faith as Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 15. And though the promises may be but darkly seen or apprehended in a weak beleever yet so farre as faith acteth so farre he seeth a promise to ground his faith upon As all that were cured by the brazen Serpent saw the Serpent more or lesse though more dimly Perhaps sometime a weak beleever can see no promise yet he hath a promise and at that time he may not be able to act his faith though he hath faith If we beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull 2 Tim. 2 13. But secondly though a man may be saved by faith of adherence without evidence of the spirit or comfort as before is said yet no man can live or die comfortably till hee know Christ is his in particular As a condemned man that hath his pardon granted shall not die yet he hath little joy in his life till he know of it So such a man may goe to heaven but he will goe mourning to heaven As Christ went to heaven being taken up in a Câ—oud Or as the kine that carried the Arke went right but they lowed as they went Obj. 2 No man can know Christ to be his in particular for then he must know it either by the word or by the spirit inwardly perswading his heart of it Not by the word which speaks onely in generall ordinarily as Whosoever believeth c. As many as recieved him c. But mertions not in particular that we have received him that we beleeve or are beloved Dan. 9. 23. c. except to a few sparingly Luke 1. 28. as to Daniel O Daniel greatly beloved and Mary Haile Mary greatly beloved highly favoured c. Now our hearts make the application thus But I beleeve in him I have received him Ergo. But our hearts are deceitfull above all things and therefore are not to be trusted unto Yea there is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes whose hearts are not washt from their filthinesse s Prov. 30. Gal. 6. 3. Rev. 3. 17. and many think themselves something when they are nothing being deceived in their own imagination And if you say the Spirit of God perswades my conscience how do you know it is the Spirit of God and not a delusion I answ That we may know particularly Gal. 6. 4. Christ is ours is without all question else why are we commanded to prove ou selves whether we be in the faith to make our calling and election sure The Papists themselves say all Gods lawes are possible even legal much more Evangelicall and therefore it is possible to make our calling and election sure 2. Why hath God left signs to prove our faith t Matt. 5. 4. 5. 6. 1 Iohn 3. 14. which were in vain if it were impossible 3. How could we else call God father if we could not know him to be our Father 2. Rejoyce our names are written in heaven 3. Be thankfull that we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light u Col. 1. 12 4 Desire the comming of Christ 5. Or triumph over death w 1 Cor. 15 55. if we could not know Christ to be ours 4. This Paul John Thomas knew yea the whole Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 5. 1. 5. It is cleer by these Scriptures 1 Joh. 5. 13. 1 Joh. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Heb. 10. 34. Caution Not that any know it perfectly without some reluctancy of the flesh because we know but in part our assurance proceeds from knowledg x Gal. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 13. Col. 2. 2. and the most perfect faith is mixt with some diffidence y Heb. 3. 12. Yet the least measure of faith hath this Knowledge in some degree for the weakest faith must apprehend some promise it rests upon or else we believe presumptuously as we heard before And secondly though the word doth not witnesse in particular and a naturall conscience is blind and deceitfull a Icr. 17. 9. Tit. 1. 15. yet a conscience inlightned by the spirit cannot be deceived in any thing necessary to salvation because the spirit hath promised to lead us into all saving
with flowers and adding as it were vermilion to the colour And yet Plus horret orationis inâ—legantiam quà m vitae deformitatem he regards not sordescere vita moribus how foule his life and conversation is And in conclusion they are but so many painted words or wise words at the best good onely to tickle wanton eares and deceive the simple But solid reality good matter clothed with decent words takes more with the wise Hence Demosthenes feared Phocion vera ad rem pertinentia simpliciter dicentem that is speaking home and to the purpose more then all other Orators And he called him securim orationum suarum the hatcheâ— of his orations Hence many of the wiser heathens despised this art Socrates cals it Nec artem nec Scientiam sed sagacitatem servilem adulationem Neither an art nor Science but subtilty and flattery Plato esteemed them but as stage-players calumniators and sycophants Hinc innocens ut nocens damnatur contra making the guiltlesse guilty and the guilty guiltlesse Cato Refused that Rhetoricians should plead quia Orationis facundiâ facile possent aequa iniqua persuadere because by eloquence of words they could easily perswade to right or wrong Demosthenes boasted he could change the sentence of the judges at his pleasure and Cicero was cald Rex oratione sua omnia regens playing Rex with his oratory thereby ruling all things at his pleasure 3. The Logician he will tell you that he Irrationale hominuÌ„ genus si absque Disciplina nesciat ratiocinari studyes how to see clearly with the eye of reason and therwith oft times he puts out the eye of faith which though never against yet it is oft times above our reason But we must walke by faith and not by sence or reason 2 Cor. 5. 7. Heb. 11. 1. 3. It s true voluntas est caeca sine ratione the will is blind without reason but it is also as true Theologia est sepulchrum rationis Divinity is the grave that burieth reason where we must learn oft times to shut the Plato Cicero Socrates and the Athenians condemned this Art Aug. cals it Vinum erroris Hier. Cibum daemonum Democritus Non artem sed insaniaâ—â— eye of reason that we may see the better with the eye of faith 4. Fourthly The Poets how light and emply are they Like fits of musick which delight us for the present while the musick is in our eares but after leave us malancholy Of whom wee may say as Aug. said of Homer that they are Dulcissime vani but pleasantly vaine And what do they else but please the eares of foolish men with wanton Rhimes with measures and weights of words and syllables with fables and lyes Yea they are so given to lying saith one that they study nil sani dicere but stultis auribus cantillare And all their study is that they may not claudicare pedibus halt in their feet but yet they regard not claudicare moribus to halt in their manners 5. Fifthly The Historian he can tell you a long story of Nations cityes and countryes and of the lives and actions of other men but neglects to study the history of his own life he never studyes his own heart but is a stranger at home though busy abroad And how often do they take things upon trust by hearesay from others flattering some and detracting from others that as one saith Plerumque aliorum auditu nihil certi scribunt Non quod est sed quod cupiunt volunt That is very often they have things onely by relation and do not write the naked truth as things were but as they desired and would have them to be 6. Sixtly The Arithmetician he will tell you that he can number all things yea he can number the starres but never studyes to number his dayes that he might apply his heart unto wisedome 7. The Astrologian he will tel you that he was nuper è coelis delapsus lately dropt out of heaven And his thoughâ—s are celestiall as high as the starres but not supercelestiall above the starres And Quid futurum erit divinatur he can divine by the starres and tell you your fortune what shall happen to you hereafter And yet he knowes not Quid sibi ipsi quotidie imminet what hangs over his own head every houre or what shall happen to himself to morrow Jam. 4. 14. And let men phancy what they please certainly to conjecture of mens fortunes endâ— vertues vices c. * Picut Mirand Quae solius dei sunt astris tribuunt nos liberos natos siderum servos faciunt Some of the Heathens cald this art superstitiosorum hominum conjectura fallax 1. they know not certainly vires stellarum and therefore cannot give certain judgement of their effects 2. Propter innumeras cooperantes cum caelo alias causas 3. because influxus stellarum inclinant say they non cogunt 4. Si vita fortuna est abastris quid timemus 5 Saepe iis quibus maximè confidunt maximè infaelicissimi sunt as they were to Nebuchadnezzar Pharaoh Caesar Pompey Nero c. by the starres is I conceive very impious for as Picus Mirand saith they attribute those things to the starres which belong to God alone Esa 8. 20. 8. The musician he will tell you he studyes to tune his strings aright to make sweet harmony and will not endure a jarring string in his instruments of musick and yet forgets to tune the strings of Dulcisonum reficit tristia corda mâ—los his untun'd affections It is true it cannot be denyed but it is a great refresher of the spirits yet it is but vanity for the birds in the aire seeme to sing as sweet as any artificiall melody can be made The Egyptians denyed it to be learn'd by their youth because they thought it would make them effeminate Antigonus hearing Alexander making musick Citharam fregit inquiens aetati tuae regnare convenit non canere he brake his harpe and told him it beseem'd him rather to learn to reigne then learn to sing and make musick 9. The Philosopher he will tell you he studyes to know the nature of the whole fabrick of Gods creation as Birds and Beasts and creeping things foules of the aire fish in the sea c. And yet knowes nothing of God and Christ and his own corrupt nature he knoweth not that himselfe is wretched and miserable 10. The Physician he will tell you he studyes to know how to cure the diseases of other mens bodyes but regards not to cure the diseases of his own soule who lookes upon his own sins as he doth upon his Patients deseases as in a glasse wherein he sees other mens diseases rather then his own and is not pained with Dum dolet accipe ergo agit sepè ut dolcaâ— them And though I will not say saepè plus periculi est à medico quà m à morbo that is
same cause coming before him he that before pleaded for him did then condemn him So shall Christ which was your lawyer while you lived to plead for you become then your judge to condemne you Then shall he say to them on his left hand depart from me you cursed Matth. 25. 31. He even he that shed his bloud for you which you trod under your feet He that wept for you that begd reconciliation with you but you hardened your hearts against all tears expostulations and impetrations he shall say depart from me thou cursed He that once appeared like a lamb will then appear like a lyon when thou wilt tremble and fear to look him in the face when all nations shall waile Rev. 1. 7. Rev. 6. 15. 16 17. before him when Kings of the earth great men rich men mighty men shall say to the rocks and mountaines fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 3. Thirdly General knowledg without application is hurtfull because it will aggravate thy condemnation Wo to him saith Christ by whom the sonne of man is betrayed Nay rather wo be to him by whom the son of man is not beleeved in it had been good for that man he had never been born yea perhaps that Christ had never been born This is condemnation John 3. 19 that light is come c. in three respects First it is condemnation inevitable there is no possibility of salvation for that man Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth not shall be damned As Spira said God hath given me diverse gifts but denyed me the grace of faith and these are left but to increase my condemnation What hindred the Iewes from entring into Canaan but unbeleef And what hinders us from heaven but unbeleef Heb. 3. 19. God hath but two seats to sit upon his seat of Iustice and his seat of mercy If Iustice condemn a man yet mercy may plead for him but if mercy condemn him there is no help for him And God hath made but two Covenants one of the Law and the other of the Gospel If the Law condemn us we may flie to the Gospel but if the Gospel condemne us there remains no more sacrifice for sin but he must certainly perish He that beleeveth not saith our Saviour Iohn 3. 18. he is condemned already wanting nothing but execution first he is condemned by the sentence of the word he stands a condemned person Gal. 3. 10. 2. In the Court of mercy Mark. 16. 16. 3. In the Court of his owne conscience 1 Joh. 3. 20. 4. He shall be as certainly damned as if he were dam-Ned already 5. He is every houre in danger and feare of hell and damnation Nay farther John 3. ult The wrath of God abideth on him it sticks fast upon him so as there is no possibility of taking it off till he get into Christ but it shall abide upon him for ever Secondly It is condemnation inexcusable these judge themselves unworthy of eternall life As he that delpiseth his pardon tears it or treads it under foot is unworthy of mercy it is worse then the treason these despise their own mercy Jonah 2. 8. and love despised of all other injuries is hardliest borne of by God or man how can those expect God should have mercy on them that would have no mercy on themselvs surely they shal have judgement without mercy that would shew to themselves no mercy If the old world had bin drowned and they had had no ark or the Iews had bin stung to death in the wildernes if there had been no brazen serpent it had bin excusable But when God provided an ark to save them and yet they were drowned because they would not go into it And when he provided a brazen serpent and yet they were stung to death because they would not look upon it they were without excuse so likewise iâ— men had perished and there had been no Saviour sent to deliver them they might have pleaded some thing more for themselves but now their mouths are stopped and are without any shadow of excuse Thirdly this is condemnation Indeed Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 4. c. 4. saith Christ is a Savior to all men by giving common gifts restraining grace moderatur paenas debitas that is that all are actuaally saved from some degree of death by Christ as he thinks But sure we are this shall aggravate their torment be their great est misery that they rejected Christ intolerable and unutterable as if no sins brought damnation upon men in comparison of unbelief When God threatens severest judgement against sinners it is to give them their portion with unbeleevers Luk. 12. 46. And Paul tels us Heb. 10. 27. These shall have sorer punishment then those that despised Moses law and yet they died without mercy under two or three witnesses because they trode under foot the bloud of God accounting it as dung and dirt which is prâ—tium lavacrâ—m and alleviacrum animarum the price laver refresher of soules they throw his blood in his face and count it as common bloud as the bloud of a swine of a theif or murtherer Hence the Lord charged his disciples that if any to whom he was offered did reject him they should wipe off the dust of their feet against them Luke 10. 41. The Iews rebellion idolatry and other sins were sometimes plagued of God by Ammonites Philistines Edomites and others and they were carried captive 70 years but when once they rejected Christ wishing his bloud upon them and upon their children then they were rejected of God totally and so have continued sixteen hundred years together In Matth. 11. 24. God threatens it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgement then for those that refuse Christ you know Sodoms sin and judgement that fire came down from heaven and burnt them to ashes and now they suffer the vengeance of eternall fire But it seemes the rejecting Christ is a greater sin then Sodomy in Gods account and shall have greater torments Turks and Pagans that never heard of Christ shall sport in hell in comparison of these The Devils themselves are not guilty of this sinne of despising mercy offered and the blood of a Saviour and therefore in this respect mans sin may bee said to exceed the devils Object But you will say who rejects Christ or desires not to have his part in him I answer It is true none absolutely refuse Christ but upon the hard conditions as they conceive upon which he is offered the plucking out their right eyes parting with their dearest lusts As Adam preferred the forbidden fruit before Paradise as Esau preferred his pottage before his birth-right or as a dung hill cock prefers a barley-corn before a Iewel And thus they are truly said to despise and reject Christ as the yong man in the Gospel did that preferd the world before his
not let thee go untill thou blesse me or as the woman of Canaan that would not be put off at least with a crumme of mercy or as Mary when John and Peter went back when they found not Christ presently she stood and stayed at the sepulchre weeping till she found her Saviour Also use all other meanes seek Christ in the temple for there his mother found him and thou mayest find him wait upon all ordinances and let thy end be hoping to find Christ in them seek Christ also among his Saints forsake all bad company and joyn thy selfe with them as Paul did t Acts 9. 26. 25. and continue thus seeking and in his blessed time he will say unto thee be it to thee according to thy desire and thus mayest thou come to know Christ not only a Saviour but thy Saviour thy Lord and thy God CHAP. XVII Certain signes and marks are laid down whereby we may come to know Iesus Christ to be ours Vse 6 IN the next place to those that conceive they know Christ savingly let it be a use of examination and tryal whether we be not deceived and whether we know upon sure grounds that we have our part in Iesus Christ Prove your selves saith the Apostle whether you he in the faith a 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 4. As men try their gold by weight and touchstone 1. We know our hearts are deceitful and desparately wicked and we are ready to blesse our selves that Christ is ours when it is no such matter thus was Laodicea deceived who thought her selfe rich increased in goods and wanting nothing when she was most wretched and miserable b Rev. 3. 17 Gal. 6. 3. Rom. 7. 9. Deut. 29. 19. And the Pharisee who blessed God he was not as other men nor as that Publicane when indeed he was not so happy Nay Solomon tels us There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes whose hearts are not washed from their filthinesse Prov. 30. 12. 2. Consider the danger of this deceit As if one should sell all that he had and buy a rich Jewel he were undone if it proved a counterfeit so if thou art deceived to conceive Christ is thine when he is not thou art utterly undone for ever If a man be deceived in taking copper for gold it is but the losse of so much gold if in the title of his lands it is but the losse of his estate but if thou beest deceived in this particular to think Christ to be thine when he is not it is the losse of thy soule and the greatest judgement thou canst be given over to to be thus deceived c Iob 8. 13. 11. 20. Esa 6. 9. 1. 3. Satan wil try us when we lie sick and in time of distresse who then will lay sore at us with temptations to despair Luke 22. 13. He will minnow you as wheat and God wil try us at the day of judgement 1 Cor. 3. 13. 14. and then if our work ahide not we lose our reward 4. Again fourthly and lastly the benefit is great every way For if we be deceived and know it wee have time now to seek after Christ If a man hath a disease upon him and know it he may then send to the Physician for cure in time or a man that is out of his way if he know it in time he may returne into the right way again But what an intolerable vexation will it be to a man not to see his disease till it be past cure or not to know himselfe to be out of his way till he be at his journeyes end so for a man to think himselfe to have part in Christ When he hath not and that he is going to heaven when he is going to hell and yet not to know it till he comes in hell this is the greatest and most irrecoverable misery And on the contrary for a man to have part in Christ and not to know it which is possible in time of temptation to a child of God as it was to David Psal 22. 1. Psal 51. and to Iob Iob. 3. and cap. 4. and to Heman Psal 77. and to the Church of God Es 49. 14. 15. he hath little comfort of it nor in his life but he is continually full of fears and temptations as is a condemned man that hath his pardon but knoweth it not as Hagar wept that had a fountain of water by her but she knew it not or as a man that is right in his way but knowes it not how uncomfortably doth such a man travell on his journey what heart hath that man to work when he knoweth not but he may lose all his labour what heart to build or bestow cost upon that house which he knowes not whether it be his or no But if a man be in Christ and certainly knowes it he hath heaven in his heart when a man knowes he hath his pardon then he rejoyceth in it when he knoweth he is right in his way then he goes on chearfully when he knoweth the house is his own he bestowes great cost in building because he knowes he shall not lose his labour Yea this only will make us die with comfort nay with a holy triumphing over death as being assured of Christ and a better life death where is thy sting Naturall feare a man may have but this assurance will overcome it by fixing our eyes upon the joyes of heaven by the eye of faith as it did in Simeon Paul Stephen the thief on the crosse and others O what would a man give when he lies a dying for this assurance that Christ is his would he not give all the world for it if he had it and would he part with it again for a 1000. worlds surely no and yet alas if some men had no more assurance for their lands then for Christ they would have but little comfort Quest But you will say How should a man know this certainly so as not to be deceived Answ I answer first be willing to know the truth concerning thy condition whether it be right or wrong good or evill if Christ be thine that thou mayest know it or if he be not thine yet that thou mayest know it Therefore pray with David try me O Lord and let me know my own heart search me and let me know Psal 139. 21 22. my thoughts and let me see if there be any wicked way in me O let me not bee cozened to mistake hell for heaven to go to hell hood winke There be some men cannot endure the tryall nor a searching ministry but will leave it at an adventure although their hearts misgive them and truly this is tryall enough that those wayes are naught that love not the light that gold is too light that loves not the tryall of the scales and weights and naught that will not endure the touchstone Foule faces love not clear but flattering glasses as the Panther when
have got a Levite to be my Priest according as the Lord promised Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee And in Exod 23. 23. yee shall serve the Lord and he shall blesse your bread and water and especially David Psal 132. 13. 14. 15. The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantâ—y blesse her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread O then that we could sing the song of Zachary Luk. 1. 68. to the end blessed be the Lord God of Israel that hath given light to us that sate in darknesse as v. 79. But alas how many are weary of the Gospel of Christ and the revelation of him like sore eyes they love not the light of the Sun He that doeth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. ver 20. like those Ethiopians that live under the sunne and are scorched with the heat of it they curse the Sunne Mal. 1. 13. Amos 8. 5. and shoot arrows against it They hate despise the messengers or candlesticks that hold forth this light Never were they more vilified and reproached then among us at this day 2 Chron. 36. 16. Nay how weary are they of hearing of the Gospel Man Hu the bread from heaven is light bread men and women will scarce come out of doores to receive it The wise men in Matth. 2. went many weary hundreds of miles to find Christ at Jerusalem some think neere a thousand miles The Queen of the South went farre some say 964 miles to heare the wisedome of Solomon The holy Martyrs thought no weather too hot no winter too cold no journey too farre no torments too great to enjoy the preaching of the Gospel though darkly O how will they rise up injudgment against some of us that thinke any paines too much account any journey too farre any weather too hot or too cold and will scarce come out of their doors to the Temple to hear Christ revealed to them One week in their shops is sweeter then all the Sabbaths in the year as if they would tell the world they have got more there and found more sweetnesse there then ever they did in hunting and seeking after Christ And how just were it with Christ to say to those men verily I say unto you none of those that were bidden shall tast of my supper Luk. 24. 14. These shall be esteemed one day as despisers of Christ yea this is the condemnation that light is Luk. 10. 16. come among us but we love darknesse more then light saith our Saviour To be in darknesse is a great evill but this aggravates it to choose embrace and love darknesse the poor heathens whom we esteem accursed are infinitely happier then Matth. 11. these men Wo to thee Chorazin c. Nay may we not justly feare God will take away the Gospell for our contempt of it and leave us and our children in darknesse as our forefathers were and go to some other people that will more embrace it and more highly prise it Act. 13. 46. This judgement God threatned the â—ewes Amos 8. 9. 11. 12. that their Sunne should go down at noon day anâ— that he would send a famine not of â—read or water but hearing the word as v. 1â— O Jerusalem saith Christ Luk. â—9 42. that thou hadst known that is regarded in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes As Moses said Exod. 1. 6. there rose up a generation that knew not Joseph so perhaps there may spring up a generation that never knew of our plenty but may meet with as many yeers of famine as we have done of plenty and the wayes of Sâ—on may mourn among us as they have a long time rejoyced and all for our contempt of the Gospel and the preaching of Christ What is now become of the seven Churches of Asia are they not now dungeons of darknesse and cages of unclean birds that were once Lam. 1. 4. seven golden candlesticks nay in Ireland and Germany to what a low ebbe is the Gospel brought where the enemies have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land And then if the Gospel be gone Icabod our glory is departed from this our Israel wo to us if once God departs from us and he departs when his Gospel departs or when Christ can be preached no longer among â—sâ— which judgment the Lord divert from us Then wo to them that put out the lights when they go not out by being wasted in Christs work but some ill breath has blown them out which else might stil have been burning and shining lights but happy are they that shall snuffe the lights to make them burn the clearer and tread out such snuffes as rather stink then give light And let us pray that lights may be set up in all the dark corners of the land yea that in every congregation there may be a faithfull Pastor to preach Jesus Christ savingly to the people To God be glory for ever Amen FINIS