with Philip. and wondered beholding the miracles and signes which were done Acts 8. 9 to 14. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy Ghost Acts 8. 18 19. Now let us lay all these together He beleeved and was baptized and continued with his teacher and was so desirous of the gift of the holy Ghost that he would have bought it with his money a commodity that few will part with upon such terms and what can any man desire more Yet Peter said unto him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter For thy heart is not right in the sight of God Acts 8. 20 21. Truely according to the outward appearance this Simon the sorcerer performed as much as might be expected and yet we see that all was to no purpose because his heart was not right in the sight of God It is like that his evil heart propounded unto him this outward profession for the only means to compasse his carnal designes And this will the rather appear by Peters insuing exhortation Repent therefore saith he of this thy wickednesse and pray to God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity Acts 8. 22 23. Truely these examples may serve for seasonable admonitions to such as make use of religion onely as a fig-leafe to cover their shame or to countenance their covetousnesse cruelties or confederacies Keep thine heart with all diligence saith Salomon for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. Out of the heart are the issues of life or the wayes of life yea and of death too A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth for evil things saith the Son of God Mat. 12. 30. And as he knew all mens hearts so we finde that he distinguished between the Hypocrite and the true believer by the heart Ye Hypocrites saith he well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me Mat. 15. 7 8. To confirm and conclude this truth that the heart is the onely receptacle or place of residence for an effectual faith I pray observe That when the Eunuch made the motion to Philip of being baptized Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest Acts 8. 36 37. Haply he remembred the Sorcerers evil heart whom he had then but lately baptized and fearing least this Eunuch might be poysoned with the like Hypocrisie and so become lyable to the like reproof he telleth him that he may be baptized provided that he believeth with all his heart And truely this is not without great reason that the heart should be principally regarded in matter of faith For first God sendeth faith into the heart to purge and purifie it as Acts 15. 9. And faith bringeth Christ into the same heart along with it According to that prayer of Paul for the Ephesians Eph. 3. 17. which seemeth likewise to be most sweetly insinuated by the believing love-sick spouse I found him whom my Soul loveth saith she I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me Cant. 3. 4. And when the gracious Soul hath thus brought Christ to dwell in her heart by faith then she beginneth to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory according to that of St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 8. But whereupon must this faith be built For that is the third Question I answer that it must be built upon the Rock which is Christ 1 Cor. 10. 4. Not upon Thoughts or Opinions Not upon Traditions Not upon Humane Inventions Not upon Dreams or Fancies Not upon Prophesies Not upon Prognostications Not upon Wrested Expositions Not upon Works of Righteousnesse But upon The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. First a justifying faith must not be built upon Thoughts or Opinions For the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are but vain 1 Cor. 3. 20. I verily thought with my self or I was directly of opinion that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus saith St. Paul Acts 26. 9. But that opinion of his made him a persecuter and not a believer Secondly not upon Traditions Beware least any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the Traditions of men and not after Christ saith the same Apostle Col. 2. 8. And our Saviour told the Scribes Pharisees that they transgressed the commandment of God by their Traditions Mat. 15. 3. Thirdly not upon humane inventions They are whores deceitfull whores as the Prophet David insinuateth Psal 106. 39. For therefore was the wrath of God kindled against his people insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance verse 40. Cursed are they that father their own adulterous conceptions upon the Spirit of God or that dare forge a Gospel according to their own inventions If we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached let him be accursed saith that faithfull Apostle Gal. 1. 9. For we preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake saith the same Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 5. Fourthly this faith must not be built upon Dreams or Fancies For in the multitude of Dreams and many wâ—rds there are also divers vanities saith the Preacher Eccl. 5. 7. I have saith the Lord heard what the Prophets said that prophesie lies in my name saying I have dreamed I have dreamed Jer. 23. 25. Fifthly not upon prophesies The Prophets prophesie falsly saith the Lord Jer. 5. 31. we finde that for one Elijah there were four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal 1 Kings 18. 22. And for one Micaiah about four hundred lying Prophets 1 Kings 22. 23. Truely in comparison of the multitudes of lying Prophets there were but very few that were approved to be true faithfull even then under the shadows of the Law when prophesying was very necessary to declare the will of God and to confirm the mindes of men in the promised Messias But God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. And it may seem that Peter desired to have conference with those great Prophets Moses and Elias But behold a voice out of the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Mat. 17. 4
of his own Soul Not like a Christian but a Cretian Whilest he professeth that he knoweth God but in works he denieth him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate As Tit. 1. 16. And it is impossible that any Reprobate should inherit the Kingdom of God Flesh and bloud cannot do it 1 Cor. 15. 50. Much lesse shall any thing enter thereinto That defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a lye Rev. 21. 27. And therefore this first Pretender this obstinate Offender hath no interest at all in this glorious inheritance The second Pretender thereunto is the Ignorant Infidel The fool that saith in his heart there is no God as Psal 14. 1. Haply with his mouth he may acknowledge a kinde of an unknown God Yet in his heart he conceiveth no otherwise of him then a meer fancy But if you come to shew him how that God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost are but one God Yet neverthelesse that God the Father did make a Covenant with God the Son according to the Testimony of God the Holy Ghost That this covenant was concluded purposely to redeem the world before the world was created and that by virtue of the same covenant it is as agreeable with Gods Justice to pardon sin as to punish it With the like necessary principles Why you tell him wonders so far above his capacity that he is resolved not to trouble his brains about them Truely all his actions do too much expresse his ignorance Whilest he walketh in the vanity of his minde having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him because of the blindnesse of his heart who being past feeling hath given himself over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse According to that of the Apostle Eph. 4. 17. 18 19. But he will alledge that if ignorance be an offence yet God will easily forgive it in regard it is a thing so general among simple people that were never brought up to much learning I answer First he must know that ignorance is an offence and a great one too For we finde that the Lord protested against it in his own Children Hear O Heavens saith he and give eare O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah! sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity c. Isa 1. 2. c. Secondly it shall not be forgiven For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God saith St. Paul 2 Thes 1. 7 8. And thirdly the generality thereof shall rather hasten then hinder the Justice of God to punish it We shall not need to runne over the whole word of God for the many examples of whole Cities and Kingdoms to prove the truth of this particular If we shall consider how and wherefore God destroyed the whole world except 8. persons as 1 Pet. 3. 20. If he alledgeth that it was for all sorts of sins and not for ignorance that God did inflict those general and universal judgements I answer that it is not ignorance simply considered which I do principally point at but ignorance circumstantiated ignorance with its effects and accessaries Not such a kind of ignorance as is in those whom we call Ideots who have no competent understanding either in things spiritual or natural Nor such an ignorance in things spiritual as is in those that never heard of the true God Both which I conceive to be the punishment of the first original sin rather then sin it self Neither are these excusable in the day of Judgement without Gods incomprehensible mercy and goodnesse which I dare neither question nor confine For the Apostle speaketh generally when he saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. And so doth our Saviour himself when he saith He that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. But I intend such an ignorance in spiritual things as is in them that have the word of God amongst them or not far from them And yet either through contempt or wilfull neglect of the true light they will rather choose to walk in darknesse then either to seek after or to receive instruction And this kinde of ignorance is not onely such a great sin as shall be grievously punished But it is likewise the cause of all manner of sin whatsoever First it is such a great sin as shall be grievously punished Because I have called and ye refused saith the wisdom of God I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewinde when distresse and anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 24. to 30. And thus the Prophet Isaiah Because they have cast away the law of the Lord of Hosts and despised the word of the holy one of Israel therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people and he hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them and the Hills did tremble and their Carcases were torn in the midst of the streets c. Isaiah 5. 24 25. But he will alledge that it is no absolute signe of ignorance to reject the word of God he may be a wise man for all that I pray observe how the Lord answers him by his Prophet Jeremy How do ye say we are wise and the law of the Lord is with us Lo certainly in vain made he it the pen of the Scribes is in vain The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken Lo they have rejected the word of Lord and what wisdom is in them Jer. 8. 8 9. A man may seem to be a wise man in his own opinion and in the opinion of other men too But the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 2. 19. And oftentimes it proveth destructive to the owner thereof And therefore the Lord by his Prophet telleth the daughter of the Chaldeans That her wisdom and her knowledge hath perverted her Isa 47. 10. Verily to be carnally wise is to be spiritually foolish And as a wilfull or a carelesse ignorance is a great sinne and shall be grievously punished So in the next place ignorance in general is the cause of all manner of sin What should cause the covetous wretch to rake and scrape and heap up money upon money
Divinity And both of these are left upon Record by that sweet singer in his nineteen Psalm The first in the first six verses The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handiwork c. to the 7 verse This is the lesson of Philosophy That of Divinity is examplified from the sixt to the twelfth verse The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul c. The mighty volume of the works of God may be perused by the light of nature and it is so fairly and so plainly written that every soul even as they run may read it What is he that sees the heavens and earth and those innumerable creatures contained in them And shall consider their Originall together with their Order Vse and End by which in which for which and unto which they were made placed fitted and intended but must confesse the wisdom power and Godhead of that great arm by which they were created This is in brief the lecture of Philosophy whereby the Lord doth manifest himself to every creature that is indued with Reason The second means whereby we are inabled to see and know God is by the light of his word This is the safest and most christian way This is Gods lecture of Divinity where he presents himself unto the eye of every knowing soul But none can read it comfortably and effectually but such as are Partakers of the divine nature as 2 Pet. 1. 4. I know there are they that esteem themselves great politicians and are indeed very worldly-wise men who will be apt to say do not we understand the holy Scriptures and see God in them what should hinder us Truly I will not say but such as these may read and understand the word of God rationally and morally but not spiritually and savingly These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that Believing ye might have life through his name saith St. John John 20. 31. And thus to know Christ or God in Christ Is not from the flesh but from the Father which is in heaven Mat. 16 17. Again our onely Saviour telleth us That the words that he speaketh they are spirit Jo. 6. 36. And the Apostle Paul That the law is spirituall Rom. 7. 14. Now the naturall man receiveth or perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spirituall judgeth or discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 14 15. But peradventure it will be demanded How much may a judicious morall man see of God in his word by the light of naturall reason industry and experience Truely I conceive that he may see even as much as the spirituall man seeth one thing onely excepted But without that one thing he had as good or better see nothing He is able to see God as he is the creator of all things Gen. 1. 1. c. As he is the almighty God as Gen. 17. 1. As he is a consuming fire as Deut. 4. 24. A God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and a terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh rewards as Deut. 10. 17. The King eternall immortall invisible and the onely wise God as 1 Tim. 1. 17. Yea he may see him in a nearer relation so near as to say The Lord our God as Deut. 6. 4. Thou art our Father our Redeemer as Isa 63. 16. Our Saviour as Jude 25. But haply you will say that this is much for a naturall man to see and know by the light of Reason what would you have him know more Truely let me tell you all this is nothing worth unlesse he can see so far as to say with good David O Lord of hosts My King and My God Psal 84. 3. And with the penitent Prodigall I will arise and go unto my Father Luke 15. 18. And with righteous Job I know that My Redeemer liveth Job 19. 25. And with the blessed mother of our Lord My soul rejoyceth in God My Saviour Luke 1. 47. And with believing Paul I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved Me and gave himself for Me Gala. 2. 20. These are such proper and peculiar interests as are discovered by the light of God and none can see or know them savingly but such a one as is the childe of God And as this saving light directeth us unto the knowledge our Sovereign Lord So it instructeth us to know our selves in reference to God and by this means it teacheth us to entertain Humility This the third obedient courtier which still attends upon that King of kings And whom Christ seems to send before his face as to prepare usher in his way into the new illuminated soul Nor did there ever any soul injoy the saving presence of her loving Lord but by the conduct of this favorite For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble James 4. 6. And therefore Peter doth advise us saying Be ye clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. But forasmuch as he is much abused by some that do usurpe his name and office although in nature they are nothing like him I therefore shall endeavour to set forth four sorts that do and do pretend to march under his colours and assume his titles And of these the first is a treacherous Humility The second is a cowardly humility The third is a constrained-humility And the fourth is the true and the sound humility The first I say is a treacherous humility And under this fair-seeming Cloak doth lurk many a foul perfidious design The Prophet David in his description of a wicked person Psal 10. saith That he croucheth and humbleth himself that the poor may fall by his strong ones verse 10. 'T is strange to any honest heart to see how some will counterfeit humility and cast themselves beneath their prouder thoughts to gain the reputation of good men good lowly men but though they gull the world the blear-eyed world yet he that knows their hearts doth see for truth that they are nothing so And whosoever shall believe their forgeries shall finde at length that they are inside Wolves though outside Sheep Wolves in Sheeps cloathing Ye shall know them by their fruits saith our Saviour Mat. 7. 16. Proud Absolon conspiring to depose his tender father David from his Kingdom that he might wickedly usurp the same When any man came nigh to him to do him obeysance he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him And on this manner did Absalon to all Israel that came to the King for judgement so Absalon stole the hearts of the men of Israel 2 Sam. 15. 5 6. See here how this ambitious rebel humbleth himself even to the lowest and worst of the people thereby promoting his conspiracie that so he might advance himself above the greatest and the best of Kings And is it not a
instructeth disposeth removeth reneweth and receiveth First it instructs the new-inlightened soul in those hereditary imperfections which pride would never suffer her to look on so as to own them with a free consent as the onely off-spring of her cursed nature But being humbled she can plainly see sin and corruption in every corner defiling all her thoughts and words and deeds And thereupon she willingly confesseth That every imagination of the thoughts of her heart is onely evill continually as Gen. 6. 5. That her tongue is an unruly evill full of deadly poyson as James 3. 8. Insomuch that she hath wearied the Lord with her words as Mala. 2. 17. And that she loveth darknesse rather then light because her deeds are evil as John 3. 19. And looking back upon her sinfull courses she feelingly complaineth with St. Paul what fruit had I then in those things whereof I am now ashamed for the end of those things is death Rom. 6. 21. Again humility instructeth her in her own wants her spiritual poverty for whereas pride endeavours to perswade her That she is rich and increased in goods and hath need of nothing humility informs her That she is wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked as Revel 3. 17. So that in her there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. And having shown her that she is full of evil and void or empty of all grace and goodness humility proceedeth to instruct her in her own weakness which is so extream that she hath neither power to suppress her wickedness nor to supply her wants we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God saith Paul 2 Cor. 3. 5. Thus the poor soul learns to be sensible of her own wickedness and wants and weakness And from this feeling sense humility disPoseth her to seek relief whereby her sins may be supprest her wants supply'd and her much weakness pitied and supported O how she struggles in this three-fold snare how she endeavous to release her self But all in vain until a voice from heaven directeth her to take the little book out of the great and mighty angels hand Rev. 10. The Gospel in the hand of Jesus Christ wherein by his directon she findeth That he is that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world John 1. 19. That the bloud of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin 1 John 1. 7. And that He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Revel 1. 5. Here she sees how her sins are washt away and how she is so clearly cleansed from them that she is freed for ever from that bondage Again she reads That in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Colo. 2. 9. And that of his fulnesse we have all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Here she perceives her wants are all supplyed and that in him she 's fully furnished And to sustain her in her present weakness she hears him say to her as to St. Paul My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. 9. Until she comes experimentally to triumph with that mighty man of God I can do all things through Christ which strengheneth me Phil. 4. 13. And having tasted of these heavenly comforts she ruminates upon this little book from whence she sucketh such exceeding sweetness that now she singeth with the Prophet David How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal 119. 103. But yet before she fully can disgest this book she findes it bitter in her belly For looking back upon her sinfull wayes she sees how ill she hath requited these incomparable favours How she hath grieved the Spirit of her Lord and crucified the Son of God a fresh And looking upon him whom she hath pierced she mourneth for him as one mourneth for his onely son and as is bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first born According to that of the Prophet Zechar. 12. 10. Now sin appeareth in its proper colours foul filthy beastly and abominable So that the soul begins to hate her self for loving such a base deformed monster so spightfull treacherous and damnable that nothing can be more pernitious And being thus incensed against sin there 's nothing can content her but her Saviour She doth not cry with Rachel give me children but give ne Jesus Christ or else I die She is extreamly sick of her corruptions and none but Jesus must be her Physitian she seeks no other Physick but his favour no antidote but his affection no balsom but his blood and therefore she will entertain him upon any tearms though never so offensive to the flesh for she hath found that There is none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4. 12. And now by vertue of humility that most obedient child of Faith and Love the careful soul endeavours to remove all such impediments as may obstruct the sweet approach of her beloved Lord. And knowing sin to be the onely thing that causeth their unhappy separation as Isa 59. 2. She cries unto her strength and her Redeemer for help against that false infernal foe that seeks to keep her still in his displeasure And being ayded by her Saviour and armed with his well approved armour Ephes 6. 13 c. She setteth first upon those crying sins that are of greatest obloquie and scandal and having routed those prodigions rebels she ransacks every corner of her conscience and haling forth her more concealed crimes she sends them packing she condemns her self of sloath self-saving and hypocrisie she crucifies her own corrupted nature and mortifies her most beloved lusts she suffers not a peevish thought to pass without a serious examination and a severe impartial reproof For the weapons of her warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. But for as much as pride rebellious pride is evermore her mortal enemy The child of ignorance the Divels darling the soul of schism the strength of heresie the food of spight the fuell of contention the fools affiance and the wise mans fear the bane of godliness the death of grace hateful to Christ and hurtful to his members Therefore this humble soul constrains her self to cast out this destructive adversary and hold him in perpetual defiance And thus that she may gain her gracious Lord she labours mightily to take away the evil of her doings from his eyes To which she cannot yet conceive her self to be a pleasing Object For though she could cleanse her self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit according to Saint Pauls incouragement 2 Cor. 7. 1.
for the Inhabitants of the world All in one verse Joh. 1. 10. For mankind Joh. 1. 29. For the whole earth Math. 4. 8. For the riches or the wealth of the world Mat. 16. 26. For the pleasures lusts and delights of the worlds Gal. 6. 14. But here in this place it is restrained onely unto Man or Mankinde As being the onely Creature in the world that was capable of such a Covenant And unto whom it was altogether needfull and absolutely necessary So that it cannot otherwise be But that this Covenant of Grace was made with Man or Mankinde Yet not with the first man who did utterly devest and deprive himself of all possibility for such a glorious enterprise or undertaking by his disobedience to the Covenant of wâ—rks Neither was it made with any of his seed after the flesh I mean after a fleshly generation For if flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdom of God As in 1 Cor. 15. 50. much lesse could flesh and bloud recover their lost title to the Kingdom of God We must know that upon the first mans breach of Covenant God Man were parted Man flies from God in fear and God could not follow man but in fury Neither could any reconcile them but he that must be both God and Man Man that so he might suffer for the sin of Man And God that so he might satisfie the justice of God For Adams disobedience had made God and Man enemies Now it is not to be imagined that one enemy will make a league or Covenant with another but either out of fear And far be it from the Lord of Hosts to be subject to any such passion or upon satisfaction which to poor decayed man was a thing impossible And notwithstanding Gods love towards his lost creature and his pity towards the distressed helplesse hopelesse Soul might plead for mercie pardon and compassion Yet justice might not could not be abused without Gods infinite dishonour in whom it is essential Neverthelesse the mercie of God prevailed with his wisdom not against his justice but to finde out a means whereby to satisfie his justice that so his righteousnesse might be vindicated his wrath appeased and Man might be impartially restored And he saw that there was no Man and wondred or considered that there was no intercessour Therefore his arm brought salvation unto him Isa 59. 16. His arm That is His son Christ According to that of the same Evangelical Prophet Isa 53. 1. unto whom is the arm of the Lord revealed For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant And so he goes on with a Prophesie of Christ in that whole Chapter Or if you will understand the arm of God for the power of God according to the more usual construction Yet that also shall direct us to Christ For he is the power of God and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. We must know and consider that man by his fall was so broken and disjoynted that he became too weak for such a weighty burthen as that of eternal redemption Therefore the Lord laid help upon one that is mighty Psalm 89. 19. Mighty to save Isa 63. 1. Moreover God might not in honour yield to man his enemy But he could not in gentlenesse deny his only son The son of his bosom John 1. 18. In whom his Soul delighteth Isa 42. 1. who doth alwayes those things that please him Joh. 8. 29. Nay he could not in justice refuse a competent satisfaction from the hand of such an High-Priest as is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 24. And to that very purpose Christ came forth from God Joh. 16. 28. To overcome the evil of the world vers 33. And God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thus you see with whom this Covenant of Grace was made Not with the World universally propounded Nor with mankinde simply considered But with Jesus Christ both God and Man who being very God Yet he took upon him the very nature of Man that so he might suffer for mans disobedience on mans behalf Not to abolish or destroy the law or the Covenant of works which man transgressed to his own confusion For till heaven and earth passe one jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. But to fulfill the said law in his own person for and on the behalf of all believers And so Christ is said to be the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. For which cause he is likewise called the last Adam Because like as the first Adam as a publick person received the Covenant of works for himself and all his posterity and brake it to their utter ruine and universal undoing So Christ the second or last Adam as the publick head of his Church hath undertaken the perfect performance of the same Covenant of works in the name and place of all believers which he shall most exactly fulfill and keep for them even unto the end of the world And therefore I may confidently say to all true believers as Paul said to the Saints at Rome Ye are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. For Christ hath doth and will observe and accomplish the whole Law as it is the Covenant of works for us That so he may estate and settle us in this Covenant of Grace in and by himself onely for ever He being in truth the very essence the onely entire being thereof With whom For whom In whom And by whom the said Covenant of Grace was made granted confirmed and delivered With whom it was made For he is the Surety of the Covenant Hebr. 7. 22. For whom it was granted For he is the Mediatour of the Covenant Hebr. 8. 6. In whom it was confirmed For he is the Seed of the Covenant Gal. 3. 16 17. And by whom it is delivered For he is the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. We passe on now to the fourth particular wherein we are to consider when this Covenant of Grace was made I shall not stand to strive with those unwarrantable opinions that are or have been offered and received in reference to the Date of this Covenant But I shall prove by Scripture and such truths as will conclude from Scripture that it was framed from eternity For first we finde that Adam soon after his creation having sinned against God in the Covenant of works through the seducement of Satan Immediately thereupon the Lord in the presence of Adam cursed that old Serpent And denounced his destruction by the Seed of the woman which was Christ Gen. 3. 14 15. To Satans confusion and mans consolation And truely it is to be conceived that God would not so suddenly and so certainly have set forth his Son for the Saviour at that very instant had there not been some pre-contract
mistaking of these or any of these infirm kindes of faith instead of the true justifying and saving faith several errours have received their original especially that uncomfortable errour of the Saints falling from Grace received through the unsteadfastnesse of their faith But I dare be bold to affirm that such Apostates did never feel the force of an effectual faith of a justifying faith This is the gift of God Rom. 12. 3. And the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. I will not say but a man may fall grievously in it but he can never fall finally from it For the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. And truely I conceive this discovery to be very pertinent to our present purpose For faith being the onely condition to be performed by us in this Covenant of Grace It is very necessary that we be rightly instructed therein Least peradventure we either satisfie our selves with empty shadows instead of the true substance Or torment our selves with causelesse discomforts concerning the losse or uncertainty of that glorious inheritance which our gracious God by the purchase of Jesus Christ hath so long since estated upon a true and a lively faith according to this eternal Covenant We proceed now to consider why the Lord propoundeth faith for the Proviso or Condition of this Covenant of Grace First I conceive because he would have his gift received which would otherwise become fruitlesse and unprofitable He gave his onely begotten Son And were it not a world of pitie that such a precious gift should be neglected and not received applied and improved Well how are we to receive him Into our houses No but into our hearts By what instrument or means Verily by faith onely According to the Scriptures By faith Christ liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. And by faith Christ dwelleth in us in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. Questionlesse there is no relation between the Saviour and the souls of his Saints but what is contracted fixed and confirmed by his affection and their lively faith Secondly the Lord requireth faith That so this gift of his might be beneficial to the whole World in all places and at all times indifferently For were Christ to be received any other way then by faith All men could not have been capable of receiving him at all seasons Suppose he had come into the World in the day of the Creation and continued in the World till the day of dissolution Yet in regard of his passive Nature his humanity he could not have been received by any two persons in any two several places at one and the same time But wheresoever he abideth faith will instantly finde him out and lay hold upon him And therefore there is no cause now why any man should say in his heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring down Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ from the dead The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach saith St. Paul Rom. 10. 6 7 8. And this word of faith which we preach if truely believed and rightly applied will do both It will bring down Christ from above with the virtue of his Resurrection and Ascention And it will bring up Christ from beneath with the virtue of his death and passion It will do all things that may concern the Remission of our sins the justification of our persons and the salvation of our Souls by Jesus Christ our Lord. So then saith the same Apostle in the same Chapter faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God But I say have they not heard Yes verily their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 17 18. And to that very purpose the Lord Jesus Christ after his Resurrection gives his Apostles this universal Commission Go ye saith he into all the world and preach the Gospel unto evâ—ry Creature Well what is the tenour or substance of that Gospel He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved That is he that receiveth Christ by faith and manifesteth the same in his Profession shall be saved as Rom. 10. 10. he that believeth not shall be damned Marc. 16. 15 16. And as this Gospel this word of faith is universal so is it likewise everlasting And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting Cospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people saith St. John Rev. 14. 6. But why doth God require nothing else but faith We know there may be divers Provisoes in one and the same Conveyance or Covenant Truely faith by it self is enough provided that it be such a faith as apprehendeth Christ He that hath the Son hath life saith Saint John 1 John 5. 1. And it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell saith St. Paul Col. 1. 19. Whatsoever had been required besides faith according to our apprehension either it must have proceeded from or reflected upon our own persons or performances And then it is more then probable that our corrupt nature would have mislead us to neglect this all-satisfying gift to repose our selves either wholly or partly upon our own deserts or abilities But faith comes empty-handed and by that means it takes the surer hold When a man gives liberally we say he is open-handed And truely he that will receive freely and hold firmly it is necessary that he be empty-handed Faith is very fitly called the hand of the Soul For as we use to receive an earthly gift from man by the hand so we must receive this heavenly treasure from God by faith And therefore the Evangelist in reference to this most blessed gift intimateth unto us that receiving and believing do signifie the same thing As many as received him saith he to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to soem that believe on his name John 1. 12. A place very well worthy of our consideration for the proof of this particular Verily this onely begotten Son of God is beyond all thought of exception the most satisfying solid and substantial gift the most compleat and weighty gift that either heaven or earth can possibly afford us And therefore whatsoever we have or seem to have of our own whether it be work or worthinesse suffering or satisfaction ability or possibility our faith must cast it wholly to the ground or otherwise we shall never receive the Lord Jesus Christ so as to make him our own for ever A second Reason which I conceive to be most proper in this case is this Because whatsoever had been required with or besides faith It would have been destructive of the very nature of this Covenant of Grace For if by grace then it is no more of works
3. 13. And from the penalty thereupon depending For he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. And moreover of guilty sinners we are become justified Saints For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3. 23 24 25. In which words we finde the moving or procuring cause of our justification to be the free grace of God the meritorious cause to be Christ the Son the efficient cause to be God the Father the instrumental cause to be Faith in Christ and the final cause to be the glory of God The glory of his righteousnesse for the Remission of sins That he might be just in being the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus verse 26. For as it is just with God to punish the sins of a Reprobate that dieth in his iniquity So it is as just with him to pardon the sins of a believer for which Christ died And as the true believer is delivered from the guilt and punishment of sin by the merit of Christ So is he also preserved from the power of sin by the Spirit of Christ And this he doth By redeeming us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. By purging our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. By crucifying our old man the body of sin Rom. 6. 6. By freeing us from the Law the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15. 56 57. By delivering us through grace from the dominion of sin Rom. 6. 14. By strengthening us with might in the inner man Eph. 3. 16. And by making us partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Who will not then conclude with S. Paul In all these things we are more then conquerers through him that loved us Rom. 8. 37. And thus you see that our Lord Jesus Christ by justifying us through his merit hath freed us from the condemning guilt punishment of sin And by sanctifying us through his Spirit he hath delivered and fortified us from and against the prevailing power and insinuation of sin And 〈◊〉 this means he hath redeemed us from 〈◊〉 and destruction being the just reward and recompence of sin And all this meerly and absolutely upon the account of this eternal Covenant of grace For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life But have everlasting life THis is the blessed Inheritance conferred and confirmed by this Covenant according to this Copy Everlasting life or eternal salvation This is the glorious expectation and inheritance of the Children of God Blessed the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men 〈◊〉 â—iserable saith St. Paul 1. Cor. 15. 19. 〈◊〉 are troubled on every side saith he yet not â—â—stressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed Alwayes bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body 2 Cor. 4. 8 9 10. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory verse 16. 17 18. Truely it is this Assurance that supports and supplies the militant Members of the Lord Jesus Christ throughout their whole warfare It removeth all difficulties sweetneth all discomforts and relieveth all distresses Verily it elevateth the Soul beyond all expectation I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 10. Good Paul were these thy pleasant recreations Truely it is not to be denied but that they are very profitable exercises For when I am weak saith he then am I strong When I am weak in the flesh then am I strong in the faith For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are nâ—t worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. What will not a true believer do or suffer in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. But forasmuch as there must be a temporal life before there can be an eternal life Therefore as I have formerly set forth unto you the several sorts or degrees of death So I shall here endeavour â—o shew you the several sorts or degrees of life which I conceive to be likewise four That is to say The natural life The spiritual life The peacefull life and the eternal or everlasting life And secondly I shall apply my self to prove that every one of them as a Member or passage of or to this everlasting life is part or parcel of that eternal inheritance whereunto the Son of God hath intituled us by vertue of this Covenant The first I say is the natural life or the life of Nature That which we say we receive from our Parents And it consisteth in the union of the body and the Soul or of the flesh and spirit according to the vulgar sense But in the Scripture sense that is properly called the natural life wherein a man followeth Nature for his chief or onely guide And of such a one St. Paul sayes That the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Now this natural life in either of these senses may be said to be the issue of the first birth or of the fleshly generation For that which is born of the flesh is flesh saith our Lord Joh. 3. 6. And they that are after the flesh do minde the things of the flesh saith St. Paul Rom. 8. 5. Verily whosoever liveth meerly this natural life or this life of Nature onely it were better for him that he had never lived at all that he had never been born For we are all by nature the children of wrath According to that of St. Paul Eph. 2. 3. Neverthelesse though accidentally by reason of the corruption of Nature this natural life tendeth
and of death saith he Reve. 1. 18. Whereby it may appear that there is no passage that way but when and by whom he pleaseth to appoint it This I conceive to be the first degree in order to this free and gracious pardon The second is our Saviours Intercession He made intercession for the transgressours Isa 53. 12. And he ever liveth to make intercession for them Heb. 7. 25. The third and highest is his satisfaction He was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 5. His ownself bare our sins in his own body on the tree saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 24. Now if we shall in time of this reprive lay hold and rest upon his Intercession by an effectuall embracing faith then we are certain that we shall injoy the benefit of his full satisfaction And so we may be truly confident that this our pardon is both signed and sealed Due satisfaction is acknowledged Gods justice is compleatly vindicated his indignation throughly pacified And what can hinder us from being saved For it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 33 34. But if through all the time of our reprive we shall reject relinquish or neglect so great salvation as is offered in this intercession and satisfaction Then as the voice of God in his law hath passed upon us the sentence of condemnation So the voice of Christ in his Gospel shall passe upon us the sentence of execution For he that believeth not shall be damned This is part of that Gospel which the Lord Christ commanded his Apostles to preach unto every creature Mark 16. 16. The Scriptures mention other voices also As of Prophets that prophesie lies Jer. 23. 25. Of those that speak perverse things to draw Disciples after them Acts 20. 30. That by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. That speaks lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4. 1. That speaks evill of dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. That speake evill of the things they understand not 2 Peter 2. 12. That speak great swelling words of vanity 2 Pet. 2. 18. That speak great things and blasphemies Rev. 13. 5. These voices are remembered in the Scriptures but they are all condemned by the Scriptures And these with every other of like nature may be referred to the voice of Strangers John 10. 5. Which though they be extolled and applauded by giddy multitudes of brain-sick beasts of old ordained to this condemnation Jude 4. This constant Lamb of Christ will by no means incline to hear or listen after them Least they should drive her into mire and dirt As Isa 57. 20. Or draw her from her Shepheards tender bosom As Isa 40. 11. Such were the watchmen that did smite and wound the searching soul The keepers of the walls that rifled her and took away her vail Cant. 5. 7. And therefore she avoids them day and night their publick musters and their private meetings As swarms of hurtfull locusts that proceed out of the smoak of hells infernall furnace As to the sacred voice of God in his law she doth believe it as it is the voice of such an Authour Exod. 20. 1. She learned it as a Rule to guide her goings Phil. 3. 16. She loves it as an argument of Love John 14 15. But looks upon it as a cancelled scroul a dead caracter in relation to any Obligation or ingagement Col. 2. 14. And so she leaves it with much reverence And listens to her Lords voice in his Gospel Jo. 7. 37. And being thus instructed when and where she is to seek for her beloved Lord. In the third place she sets her self to learn How she may seek him so as that she may be sure to finde him And to that intent She goeth her way forth by the foot-steps of the flock and feedeth her Kids besides the shepherds tents According to her Lords direction Cant. 1. 8. She walketh in the pathes of Christs own sheep to feed and fill her ears with his pure doctrine delivered by his faithfull Ministers As for her mortall enemies the Divell the World and Flesh that labour to betray and intercept her in her heavenly search with these she holdeth a continuall combate As for example when the Divel meets her in her delightfull way unto the word And would divert her by his lewd suggestions as that she shall be rebuked and reproved for her sins and threatned with misery death and destruction for her transgressions against the law of God with such like terrours not to be indured She telleth him that she hath been already at mount Sinay that might not be touched and that burned with fire and with blackness and darknesse and tempests c. Heb. 12. 18. But now the law like a good Schole-master leading her from thence unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediatour of the new covenant c. Heb. 12. 22 c. And therefore with the Prophet David She will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Psal 85. 8. When by his black mouth'd execrable agents the shame and bane of Church and Common-Wealth the Devil doth revile the Ministers of Jesus Christ with base reproachfull titles of purpose to blow up the zealous blaze of his own smoaking firebrands and to darken or quench the pure light of the glorious Gospel That so she may not be able to see when the Sun of righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings As Mala. 4. 2. The good soul onely renders him that answer wherewith the angels of the Lord reproved him long since upon the very like occasion The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Zech. 3. 1 2. And when that subtile serpent now perceiving that all his hellish engines cannot hinder the soul from listening to the word of God endeavoureth by all means possible to steal it from her least it should prove fruitfull She tells him plainly that she will both hear the word of God and keep it for so she shall be certain of a blessing Luke 11. 28. Next when the world would win her from the word by his most specious invitations of pleasures profits or preferments She answers That to live in pleasures on the earth is to nourish her self as in a day of slaughter James 5. 5. But the word will direct her to the Lord her God In whose presence is fulnesse of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for
behold his blessed entertainment when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him And the like happinesse shall every soul receive for certain from her heavenly Father that hath a true sense and feeling of her transgressions that is really moved and troubled for them that resolveth seriously to forsake them that proceedeth in the right course to be delivered from them According to that life which her Beloved brings along with him But as the resolutions and actions of the aforesaid lepers and likewise of the prodigal were undertaken and carried on meerly by necessity and probably might have been as dangerous as they proved advantagious So in like case the soul that is thus newly revived and ingaged upon the like compulsive principles may be exceeding liable and subject to many perilous mistakes O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps saith the Prophet Jere. 10. 23. And therefore whensoever Jesus Christ appeareth savingly to such a soul he giveth light to rule and guide that life And thereupon the Apostle Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes 5. 14. And thus the Lord of himself I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life John 8. 12. This is not a new light But the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. Not an external but an internal light For God who commandeth the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 6. Not to inlighten the eyes of the body but to inlighten the eyes of the understanding That the eyes of your understanding being inlightened c. Saith the same Apostle Ephes 1. 18. The light of the body is the eye saith our Saviour Math. 6. 22. And as the light of the body is the eye so the light of the soul is the understanding For as the eye is that member of the body whereby the body receiveth light so the understanding is that faculty of the soul whereby the soul receiveth light also And this spiritual light albeit for substance it is alwayes the same Yet in regard of the several proceedings or degrees thereof it may be said to be threefold The first degree is in Christ or God in Christ essentially The second is in the Gospel exhibitively The third is in the godly derivatively First I say this light is in God essentially and originally God is light saith S. John 1 Joh. 1. 5. And so it is infinite perfect and perpetual First it is infinite It is said that in the Creation God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day Gen. 1. 16. And that greater light is the Sun Psalm 136. 8. But there is no lesse difference between this light of God or this light which is God and the light of the Sun then there is between light and darknesse The Sun cannot shine in all places at one and the same time for we see by experience that the night hideth us from the light thereof But thus the Prophet David unto the Lord If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike unto thee Psal 139. 11 12. And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Job Job 25. 3. Verily this infinite light may not be limited It shineth upon all persons in all places and at all times And if any man be not inlightened thereby it is for that he loveth darknesse rather then light because his deeds are evil as John 3. 19. Secondly this infinite light is perfect God is light and in him is no darknesse 1 Joh. 1. 5. Neither is he capable of any the least alteration The Sun may be stayed in his course as in the dayes of Joshua Josh 10. 13. Or turned back as in the dayes of Hezekiah Isa 38. 8. But in this Father of lights there is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning Ja. 1. 17. I am the Lord I change not saith he Mala. 3. 6. Thirdly this perfect light is perpetual or everlasting The Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into bloud before the great and the terrible day of the Lâ—rd come Joel 2. 31. But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light saith that Evangelical Prophet Isa 60. 19. He shall not onely inlighten thee all thy days in this his Kingdom of grace but he shall be also thine onely light in his Kingdom of glorie Rev. 21. 23. The second degree of this everlasting light is in the everlasting Gospel as S. John calleth it Rev. 14. 6. And here it is communicable conformable and comfortable First it is communicable As the Sun disperseth his light by his beams so the Lord communicateth his light by his Gospel That grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel saith St. Paul 2 Tim. 1. 9 10. And thereupon St. John The darknesse is past saith he and the true light now shineth 1 Joh. 2. 8. The darknesse of the Law which was vailed under types figures is done away and the true light now shineth in the Gospel And St. Peter thus We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty for he received from God the Father honour and glorie when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glorie This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts 2 Peter 1. 16 17 18 19. Briefly thus The Gospel of Jesus Christ saith he is no fable for we were eye-witnesses of his Majesty and ear-witnesses of his Fathers Testimony altogether agreeable to the Records of the Prophets which might serve to convince the Soul of ignorance and unbelief untill the Lord Jesus Christ is pleased to reveal himself more abundantly by the light of his Gospel But it may be demanded how God is said to communicate or discover his light by his Gospel seeing the Apostle telleth us That the Gospel is a mysterie which hath been hid from ages and from generations and is now made manifest unto the Saints onely Col. 1. 26. I answer
He bursteth out with the Prophet David in his 51. Psalm Sometimes by way of confession saying I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me verse 3. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me verse 5. Sometimes by way of petition for the remission of his sins Purge me with Hysope and I shall be clean Wash me and I shall be whiter then snow Make me to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities verses 7. 8 9. Sometimes by way of supplication for supplies of spiritual grace Create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit verse 10. 11 12. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise verse 15. And thus with David the poor humble Soul bemoans her self after a mournfull manner yet in the midst of all her passions she 's confident to say with the same Prophet A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise verse 17. For the Lord hath pronounced her blessed and promised her comfort saying Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Math. 5. 4. The second question is this By whom is this humility wrought To which I answer By the Lord our God God maketh my heart soft saith Job Job 23. 16. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these fourty years in the wildernesse to humble thee and to prove thee saith Moses to the Congregation of Israel Deut. 8. 2. It was the Lord of heaven that humbled the proud heart of Nebuchadnezzar King of all the earth and made him a companion unto beasts whereby he perceived that he was no better then a beast in comparison of the living God Insomuch That he blessed the most high and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever c. Dan. 4. 33. 34. And because his son and successour Belshazzar humbled not himself though he knew all this but lifted up himself against the Lord of heaven the same Lord did put him into a condition worse then of a beast As appeareth by his desperate agony and his unexpected end Dan. 5. 22 23. Now albeit this abasing or humbling did work upon these mighty heathens no otherwise then to manifest Gods more mighty power and Majesty Yet where it becometh effectual through faith it fitteth and prepareth the heart towards the attaining of everlasting salvation And the preparations of the heart are from the Lord saith Solomâ—n Prov. 16. 1. But how is this humility wrought Or by what means doth our God work it in us For this is the third question Verily it appeareth unto me that the ordinary means whereby the Lord begins to break and soften and humble our rebellious hard hearts is by affliction which being sanctified unto us by the sweet influence and operation of his holy Spirit it directeth us unto the Agent the Cause and the Cure of all our miseries both outward and inward temporal and eternal Insomuch that every one who is become poor in spirit will freely confesse with the Prophet David I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me Psalm 119. 75. For our better satisfaction in this particular we must consider that we are all by nature proud insolent disobedient and obstinate No man repenteth him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Every one turneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel saith the Prophet Jer. 8. 6. And that is fiercely furiously and dangerously untill the Lord in pity of our Souls claps his restraining bridles in our jaws And to abate us of our desperate speed layes burdens of afflictions on our backs on some more heavy and on some more light according to his wisdom and our temper For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust saith David Psalm 103. 14. And when the Lord with his afflicting hand hath fill'd her with occasions of complaint the Soul beginneth to cast down her pride her stout behaviour and her haughty looks and to devise from whence those woes proceed And being now in this perplexity 't is ten to one but some of her acquaintance some miserable carnal comforters are ready to perswade her that her distresses come by accident by chance by fortune or by evil tongues or by the disposition of the Stars or by the malice of her enemies or treachery of some deceitfull friends And hereupon they will prescribe her remedies suteable to these devilish suggestions To turn her eyes from looking towards God and so to drown her in a Sea of sorrows But having now begun his work of grace her God strikes in and sends her to his word where she findeth That affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground Job 5. 6. But the Lâ—rd killeth and maketh alive he bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich c. 1 Sam. 2. 6 7. And being thus instructed and confirmed in these and the like godly principles she crieth out with mournfull Naomie The Lord hath testified against me and the Almighty hath afflicted me Ruth 1. 21. And having found the Agent to be God she knows the action must be just and right For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Psal 145. 17. And going forward in her heavenly search She findes that God doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men Lam. 3. 33. And therefore there is some impulsive cause which doth constrain him to these sad proceedings Well what is the cause for which the Lord afflicteth why this his Church confesseth to be sin We roar all like Beares saith she and mourn sore like Doves we look for judgement but there is none for salvation but it is far from us For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us c. Isai 59. 11 12. c. And thus by the Prophet Jeremie We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Jerem. 3. 25. And this the Scriptures every where affirm And what is sin why sin is the transgression of the law 1 John 3. 4. Resolved thus the Soul draws forth her life and layes it to the level of the law and findes it so repugnant to the rule so crooked crosse deformed and destructive That now she feels not what she hath received but fears to think of what she hath deserved Her sorrow now is turned into anger Anger against her self her sinfull self she wonders how the Justice of the Almighty hath spared her so long and not inflicted
ye believed in Christ saith Paul ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glorie Eph. 1. 13 14. And thirdly he hath it in Christ by possession Christ hath taken possession of it and prepared it for all believers I go to prepare a place for you saith he And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Joh. 14. 2 3. And whither I go ye know saith he verse 4. For that Kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world upon promise of satisfaction I go to prepare for you after performance of satisfaction Where it shall be said unto you Come ye blessed of my father inherâ—t the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world as Math. 25. 34. What Soul can wish a more compleat assurance But haply you will say we do not doubt but every true believer is sure enough to have eternal life by Jesus Christ But what assurance have we of those good things that do concern this life Indeed the Prophet David telleth us There be many that say who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. But in this case also we have both promise example and experience for our assurance For matter of promise God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. But what is it poor Soul thou art afraid of Art thou afraid of poverty or want Why a little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked For the arms of the wicked shall be broken but the Lord upholdeth the righteous The Lord knoweth the dayes of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever They shall not be ashamed in the evil time in the dayes of famine they shall be satisfied Ps 37. 16 17. 18 19. Trust therefore in the living God who giveth us richly all things to injoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. Art thou afraid of discredit afraid to lose thy good name and reputation Why the Lord is able to make thee a name and a praise among all people of the earth as Zepha 3. 20. Admit that thy good name be reproched by the mouth of a scorner here upon the earth yet thou hast cause to rejoyce for that thy name is registred in heaven as Luke 10. 20. Art thou afraid of thine enemies Consider that of the Prophet David The Lord saith he is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell Psal 27. 1 2. And the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee fear not I will help thee as in Isa 41. 13. Art thou afraid of death Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him that hope in his mercie to deliver their Soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Psal 33. 18 19. But why should any man be such a coward as to fear an enemy that is already conquered Yea abolished or destroyed 2 Tim. 1. 10. Swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. Truely dear Christian thou hast cause to triumph over these enemies after this manner O death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victorie The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ as at 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. In a word whatsoever thou fearest or whatsoever thou feelest Thou shall finde God thy refuge and strength a very present help in trouble as well as David did Psalm 46. 1. Onely be carefull That thou suffer not as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an evil doer or as a busie-bodie in other mens matters And then assure thy self That the Lord is faithfull who shall stablish thee and keep thee from evil According unto St. Pauls confidence 2 Thes 3. 3. Again consider What doest thou desire Doest thou desire safety preservation deliverance victory wealth honour long-life or salvation after a moderate and godly manner Acquaint thy self with the substance of the 91 Psalm And with the 3 first verses of the 112 Psal In these words Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed wealth and riches shall be in his house and his righteousnesse endureth for ever And to confirm thee in thy confidence peruse the 6. 7. and 8. verses of the same Psalm Surely he shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established he shall not be afraid untill he see his desire upon his enemies Thus of the promises If thou desirest yet further to establish thine assurance In the next place see and observe the stories of Abraham Isaac Jacob of Joseph Moses Mordecay David and Hezekiah And consider how the Lord guided and governed preserved and prospered exalted and incouraged them together with all his Prophets and Apostles and all the godly every where and in all ages And verily thou shalt finde sufficient cause to say with that discerning Prophet David The Lord hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Psal 35. 27. And lastly recollect thine own experience and meditate how graciously the Lord thy God hath dealt by thee in his outwad blessings and inward consolations his tender mercies and fatherly loving-kindnesses his patience and long-sufferings supplying thy severall necessities with sutable comforts preservations and deliverances wherein he hath prevented not onely thy deserts but often times thy desires also And when thou shalt thus walk with thy God in wisdom and singlenesse of heart Thou shalt finde sufficient in him and from him to say with that holy Prophet Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116. 7. And furthermore to make thee confident That he shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee In famine he shall redeem thee from death and in war from the power of the sword c. Job 5. 19. to 27. Thus through ouâ— own discreet experience the saints exemplary prosperity And our dear Saviours never-failing promises as well spiritual as temporal we shall be sure to meet the full assurance of all or every kinde of happinesse Provided still that Christ be with or in us For where the true Christ is there is assurance And this assurance always brings in peace This is the fifth attendant that still waits upon the person of our royal Bridegroom And where
thirdly it is by this carnall joy that we rejoyce in spirituall things after a carnal manner or to the satisfying of the flesh by any present of future commodity or injoyment whatsoever As for example when we do delight to professe religion to hear Gods holy word or to partake in any other of his Ordinances either for custom curiosity lucre or pride preferment or vain-glory Doubtlesse it was in reference to these or some of these or the like indirect intents or purposes That Herod heard John gladly Mar. 6. 20. And soon after commanded him to be beheaded verse 27. And that the Jewes were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light John 5. 35. And yet walked in darknesse and ignorance and unbelief neverthelesse verse 37. 28. That Simon the sorcerer would have purchased the gift of the holy Ghost Acts 8. 13. And was therefore reproved for an hypocrite verse 21. And that such hearers as our Lord resembleth to the seed that fell upon the rock receive the word with joy and in time of temptation do fall away Luke 8. 13. Verily it were much to be desired that all such false time-servers and self-servers were separated now from Gods true saints that so we might discover love and honour the Lords true Members with a safer conscience Christians let us not deceive our selves whosoever delighteth in any such thoughts words or works as are meerly carnal or rejoyceth in common or indifferent good things sensually or carnally or in spiritual things in order unto these or any of these foresaid or any the like carnall ends or purposes I say his joy is carnal or hypocritical For these are the abortives the unseasonable and unsanctified conceptions of a carnal minde And therefore contrary to the Spirit of God For to be carnally minded is death Because the carnall minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be saith our Apostle Rom. 8. 6. 7. But the fift is a compleat joy And this is always in our Saviours presence In his presence is fulnesse of joy c. Psal 16. 11. And truly this most happy kinde of joy is not so much external or extream as it is both internal and eternal For albeit A merry heart maketh a cheerfull countenance as saith the wise man Pro. 15. 13. And the Prophet David exhorteth all lands To make a joyfull noise unto the Lord to serve him with gladnesse and to come before his presence with singing as Psal 100. 1. 2. Yet these joyful expressions are but the indices or evidences of a more joyful heart For this true christian joy is mainly spiritual and effectual very answerable unto the fountain from whence it proceedeth and the Object upon which it is placed and both these are the same God in Christ For whosoever can derive his joy from God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself he is likewise able to place his joy upon God in Christ and rateably upon all those Gospel mercies which as mediatour he hath procured and purchased for the sons of men And these Gospel mercies are of two sorts first such as are spiritual in nature and secondly such as are spirituallized by grace Those Gospel mercies which are spirituall in their own nature are such as are offered and evidenced and sealed unto us by the Spirit of God And which we do apprehend imbrace and apply and rely upon spiritually by Faith Those that are spirituallized by grace are such as are common to all mankinde upon the account of a generall dispensation or distribution But are received injoyed and imployed onely by the children of God after a spiritual manner And all these mercies whether they be spiritual or spirituallized are to be rejoyced in spiritually According to the exhortations examples and incouragements of our blessed Saviour and his dear saints by the Testimony of his most holy Spirit The first spiritual mercy which is also the first Object of a christians joy is our Election This our Lâ—rd Jesus Christ exhorteth us to rejoyce in Rejoyce not saith he that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven Luke 10. 20. The second is our Redemption Look up and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh saith our Redeemer himself Luke 21. 28. This is celebrated with a new song by all Gods elect both under the old and new Testaments as Reve. 5. 8 9. The third is our effectual calling and conversion manifested by our true Repentance For which If there be joy in heaven as Luke 15. 7. How much more ought we also to rejoyce on earth who do continually injoy the benefit thereof The fourth is our Justification Be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee saith our Saviour to the man sick of the palsie Mat. 9. 2. This was the matter of Saint Pauls triumph who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect saith he it is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again c. Rom. 8. 33 34. And in another place O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Who hath given us the victory by justifying us both against sin and the law The fifth Object of our joy is our sanctification Let thy saints rejoyce in goodnesse This was part of Solomons prayer And it was Pauls profession our rejoycing saith he is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1. 12. The sixth is our Salvation This was the matter of good Hannas joy And Hanna prayed and said my heart rejoyceth in the Lord mine horn is exalted in the Lord my mouth is inlarged over mine enemies because I rejoyce in thy salvation 1 Sam. 2. 1. And of Davids rejoycing I will rejoyce in thy salvation saith he Psal 9. 14. And thus do all the godly in all ages with joy draw water out of the wels of salvation Isa 12. 3. The seventh Gospel mercy that we are to rejoyce in is Gods Ordinances I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house ef the Lord saith holy David Psal 12 2. 1. And wherefore should David go into the house of the Lord but to partake of his Ordinances But principally we are to rejoyce in the word of God the voice of Christ in his Gospel These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full saith the Son of God John 15. 11. The eighth is the faithful ministery together with the lawful portions thereunto belonging For thus the Jews whom God had