certainty bless him and will bless his blessing to him and in multiplying he would multiply his seed as the stars of Heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea shore Now the Angel of the Lord viz. the Lord Jesus as his own words shew Verse 12 15 16. calls unto Abraham out of Heaven not once but twice and now he shews his admirable love in countermanding of Abraham and in providing a Ram even to a miracle for a burnt-offering And thus you see that believing times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to reveal his love and make known his favor to his people and to look from Heaven upon them and to speak again and again in love and sweetness to them Fifthly Hearing and receiving Reas 5 times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to cause his face to shine upon his people when they are a hearing the Word of Life and a Psal 63. 3 4. breaking the Bread of Life then God comes in upon them and declares to them that love that is better then life Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word As Peter was Also by the Holy Ghost is meant the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit Vers 45 46. Acts 11. 15. Therefore says the Apostle do not leave the substance for a shadow the Sun for a Candle and speaking the Holy Ghost that is the graces of the Holy Ghost viz. the joy the comfort the love the peace c. of the Holy Ghost fell upon them So in that Gal. 3. 2. This onely would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith By the Spirit here Calvin and Bullinger and other Expositors do understand the joy the peace the assurance that is wrought in the heart solid Meat for Milk which none would do except they were bewitched Gal. 3. 1. by the hearing of Faith that is by the Doctrine of the Gospel for in these words of the Apostle hearing is put for the thing heard and Faith for the Doctrine of the Gospel because the Gospel is the ordinary means of working Faith Faith comes by hearing saith the Apostle So in that 1 Thes 1. 5 6. By the Holy Ghost in this Text cannot be meant the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit and that first because they were no evidences of Election secondly because many vessels of wrath have been partakers of them thirdly many of Gods choice and chosen ones have been destitute of those extraordinary gifts For our Gospel came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost In these words you have a Divine Power attending Pauls Ministry a power convincing enlightning humbling raising delighting reforming renouncing and transforming of them that heard him Also you have the sweet and blessed testimony of the Spirit attending his Ministry and assuring those of their Effectual Calling and Election upon whom the Word came in power and raising up their spirits to joy in the midst of sorrow Ah you precious Sons and Daughters of Sion that have sate waiting and trembling at Wisdoms door tell me tell me Hath not God rained down Manna upon your souls whilest you have been hearing the Word Yes Hath not God come in with power upon you and by his Spirit sealed up to you your Election the Remission of your sins the Justification of your persons and the Salvation of your souls Yes Without controversie many Saints have found Christs lips in this Ordinance to drop honey and sweetness marrow and fatness And as Christ in hearing times when his people are a hearing the Word of Life does lift up the light of his countenance upon them so when they are a receiving the Bread of Life he makes known his love to them and their interest in him in this feast of fat This Ordinance is a Cabineâ— of Jewels in it are abundance of Spiritual Springs and rich Mines heavenly Treasures things the Master of the Feast the Lord Jesus comes in the midst of his guests saying Peace be here Here the beams of his glory do so shine as that they cause the hearts of his Children to burn within them and as scatters all that thick darkness and clouds that are gathered about them When Saints are in this Wine Celler Christs Banner over them is Love When they are in this Canaan then he feeds them with Milk and Honey When they are in this Paradise then they shall taste of Angels Food When they are at this Gate of Heaven then they shall see Christ at the right hand of the Father When they are before this Mercy Seat then they shall see the Bowels of Mercy rowling towards them In this Ordinance they see that and taste that and feel that of Christ that they are not able to declare and manifest to others In this Ordinance Saints shall see the truth of their graces and feel the increase of their graces and rejoyce in the clearness of their evidences In this Ordinance Christ will seal up the Promises and seal up the Covenant and seal up his Love and seal up their pardon sensibly to their souls Many precious souls there be that have found Christ in this Ordinance when they could not finde him in other Ordinances though they have sought him sorrowingly Many a cold soul hath been warmed in this Ordinance and many a hungry soul hath been fed with Every gracious soul may say not onely credo vitam aeternam edo vitam aeternam I believe life eternal but I receive I eat life eternal Manna in this Ordinance and many a thirsty soul hath been refreshed with Wine upon the Lees in this Ordinance and many a dull soul hath been quickned in this Ordinance * Every wicked soul that takes the cup may say Calix vitae calix mortis the Cup of Life is made my death 1 Cor. 11. 27. I do not say That ever a dead soul hath been in livened in this Ordinance this being an Ordinance appointed by Christ not to beget Spiritual Life where there was none but to increase it where the Spirit hath formerly begun it In this Ordinance weak hands and feeble knees have been strengthned and fainting hearts have been comforted and questioning souls have been resolved and staggering souls have been setled and falling souls have been supported Ah Christians if you will but stand up and speak out you must say That in this Ordinance there hath been between Christ and you such mutual smiles such mutual kisses such mutual embraces such mutual opening and shutting of hands such mutual opening and closing of hearts as hath made such a Heaven in your hearts
with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins And as they are pardoned freely so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The gracious gift of God Charisma signifies a gift flowing from the free-grace and favor of God John 10. 28. they shall be saved freely Rom. 6. ult For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus you see O despairing souls that all is of free-grace from the lowest to the highest round in Jacobs Ladder all is of Grace Christ is a Donative the Covenant of grace is a Donative Pardon of sin is a Donative Heaven and Salvation is a Donative Why then O despairing souls should you sit down sighing under such black sad and dismal apprehensions of God and your own state and condition Verily seeing all happiness and blessedness comes in a way of free-grace and not in a way of doing not in a way of works you should arise Revel 21. 6. 22. 18. O despairing souls and cast off all despairing thoughts and drink of the waters of life freely What though thy heart be dead and hard and sad what though thy sins be many and thy fears great yet behold here is glorious grace rich grace wonderous grace matchless and incomparable riches of free-grace spread before thee O let this fire warm thee let these waters refresh thee let these Cordials strengthen thee that it may be day and no longer night with thee that thy mourning may be turned into rejoycing and that thy beautiful garments Isa 52. 1. may be put on that so the rest of thy days may be days of gladness and sweetness and free-grace may be an everlasting shade shelter and rest unto thee Again tell me O despairing souls do you understand and most seriously and frequently ponder upon those particular Scriptures that do most clearly sweetly and fully discover the mercies of God the bowels of God the grace and favor of God to poor sinners as that Psal 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee Gods mercies are above all his works and above all ours too his mercy is without measures and rules All the acts and attributes of God sit at the feet of mercy the weapons of Gods artillery are turned The Rainbow is signum gratiae foederis into the Rainbow a Bow indeed but without an Arrow bent but without a string The Rainbow is an emblem of mercy it is a sign of grace and favor and an assurance that God will remember his Covenant it is fresh and green to note to us that Gods mercy and grace to poot sinners is always fresh and green Again tell me O despairing souls have you seriously pondered upon Nehe. 9. 16 17. But they and our Fathers dealt proudly and hardned their necks and hearkned not to thy Commandments And refused to obey neither were mindful of the wonders that thou didst among them but hardned their necks and in their rebellion appointed a Captain to return to their bondage but thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and forsookest them not Thou art a God says he ready to pardon or rather as it is in the Original and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou a God of pardons There is a very great emphasis in this Hebraism a God of pardons it shews us that mercy is essential unto God and that he is incomparable in forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Here Nehemiah sets Micah 7. 18. him forth as one made up all of pardoning grace and mercy as a circle begins every where but ends no where so do the mercies of God When Alexander did sit down before a City he did use to set up a light to give those within notice that if they came forth to him whilest that light lasted they might have quarter if otherwise no mercy was to be expected O but Luke 13. 7. Jere. 3 1. to 15. such is the mercy and patience of God to sinners that he sets up light after light and waits year after year upon them When they have done their worst against him yet then he comes with his heart full of love and his hands full of pardons and makes a proclamation of Grace that if now at last they will accept of mercy they shall have it Why then O despairing soul dost thou make thy life a hell by having such low and mean thoughts of Gods mercy and by measuring of the mercies and bowels of God by the narrow scantling of thy weak and dark understanding Again tell me O despairing souls have you seriously pondered upon those words in Isai 55. 7 8 9. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Veish Aven The man of iniquity i. e. One that makes a trade of sin man or rather as it is in the Original the man of iniquity his thoughts And let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon or as it is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will multiply to pardon or he will increase his pardons as the sinner increases his sins He will multiply to pardon For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord. For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are my ways higher then your ways and my thoughts then your thoughts Turn O despairing souls to these Scriptures Numb 14. 19 20. Exod. 34. 6 7. Micah 7. 18 19. Isai 30. 18 19. Psalm 78. 34 to 40. 103. 8. to 13. Jere. 3. 1. to 12. Luke 15. 20. to 24. 1 Tim. 1. 13. to 17. and tell me whether you have seriously and frequently pondered upon them O how can you look so much grace and mercy so much love and favor and such tender bowels of compassion in the face as appears in these Scriptures and yet rack and tear your precious souls with despairing thoughts O there is so much grace and goodness so much love and favor so much mercy and glory sparkling and shining thorow these Scriptures as may allay the strongest fears and scatter the thickest darkness and chear up the saddest spirits c. Again tell me O despairing souls do you not do infinite wrong to the 1 Pet. 1. 19. precious blood of the Lord Jesus Three things are called precious in the Scripture the blood of Christ is called precious blood and faith is called precious 2 Pet. 1. 1 4. faith and the promises are called precious promises Now what a reproach is it to this precious blood that speaks better things then the blood of Abel Heb. 12. 24. for you to faint and sink under the power of delpair what doth this speak out O doth it not proclaim to all
when he comes to die that his hope will be like the morning dew like the Spiders web like the crackling of thorns under a pot and like the giving up of the ghost Job 8. 13 14. 11. 20. 27. 8. Prov. 14. 32. 11. 7. And this is now the upright mans joy that who ever leaves him yet his hope will not leave him till he hath put on his Crown and is set down in Paradise And thus you see what Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation before I close up this Chapter take these two Cautions with you they make for your comfort and settlement The first Caution is this That all Caution 1. The Scripture tells you of Saints of several sizes some are babes some are children some are yongmen some are old men now all these do noâ— attain to the same degree but hâ—ppy is he that hath the least degree Saints have not these things that accompany Salvation in the same degree if thou hast but the least measure or degree of that Knowledge that accompanies Salvation or of that Faith that accompanies Salvation or of that Repentance or of that Obedience or of that Love c. that accompanies Salvation thou mayest be as assuredly confident of thy Salvation as if thou wast already in Heaven The least degree O Christian of those things that accompany Salvation will certainly yeeld thee a Heaven hereafter and why then should it not yeeld thee a Heaven here It will undoubtedly yeeld thee a Crown at last and why should it not yeeld thee Comfort and Assurance now I judge it may if thou art not an enemy to thine own Soul and to thy own Peace and Comfort The second Caution is this Though Caution 2. No Saints are at all times ensâ—ble that all those precious things that accompany Salvatâ—â—n aâ—e iâ— them It is not always day with the Saints thou doest not finde every one of those things in thee that do accompany Salvation yet if thou doest finde some of those things I though but a few of those things yea though but one of those things that accompanies Salvation that comprehends Salvation that borders upon Salvation thy estate is safe and happiness will be thy portion at last Thy sense and feeling of one of those precious things that accompanies Salvation should be of more power to work thee to conclude that thy estate is good then any other thing should work thee to conclude that all is naught and that thou shalt miscarry at last Do not alwayes side with sin and Satan against thine own precious Soul Having thus discovered to you the Way and Means of attaining to a wel-grounded Assurance I shall now hasten to a close CHAP. VI. Shewing the difference between a true and a counterfeit Assurance between sound Assurance and Presumption FIrst A sound and wel-grounded Assurance is attended with a deep admiration of Gods transcendent love and favor to the Soul in the Lord Jesus The assured Soul is often a breathing it out thus Ah Lord who am I what am I that thou shouldst give into my bosome the white stone of Absolution Revel 2. 17. The white stone given among the Romans was a sign of Absolution and the black stone was a sign of condemnation when the world hath given into their bosoms onely the black stone of Condemnation Lord what mercy is this that thou shouldst give me Assurance give me water out of the Rock and feed me with Manna from Heaven when many of thy dearest ones spend their days in sighing mourning and complaining for want of Assurance Lord what manner of love is this that thou shouldst set me upon thy knee embrace me in thy arms lodge me in thy bosome and kiss me with the sweet kisses of thy blessed mouth with those kisses that are better then Cant. 1. 2. Psal 63. 3. wine yea better then life when many are even weary of their lives because they want what I enjoy Ah Lord by what name shall I call this Mercy Assurance is a wonderful Alchimy it changeth Iron to Gold Ignominies to Crowns and all sufferings to delights this Assurance that thou hast given me It being a mercy that fits me to do duties to bear crosses and to improve mercies that fits me to speak sweetly to judge righteously to give liberally to act seriously to suffer cheerfully and to walk humbly I cannot sayes the assured Soul but sing it out with Moses Who is like unto thee O Exod. 15. 11. Lord amongst the gods Who is like thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders And with the Apostle O the height the depth the length and Eph. 3. 18 19. Assurance of Christs love made Jerome admiringly to say O my Saviour didst thou die for love of me alone more dolorous then death but to me a death more lovely then love it self I cannot live love thee and be longer from thee breadth of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge If the Queen of Sheâ—a sayes the assured Soul was so swallowed up in a deep admâ—ration of Solomons wisdom greatness goodness excellency and glory that she could not but admiringly breathe it thus out Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom O then how should that blessed Assurance that I have of the love of God of my interest in God of my union and communion with God of my blessedness here and my happiness hereafter work me to a deep and serious to a real and perpetual admiration of God! Secondly A wel-grounded Assurance doth alwayes beget in the Soul an earnest and an impatient longing after a further a clearer and fuller enjoyment of God and Christ Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God here is David though in a wilderness seeks not for bread or water or protection but for more of God Phil. 1. 23. Assurance well what follows Early will I seek thee My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is The assured Soul cryes out I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And Make haste Cant. 8. 14. my beloved And Come Lord Jesus come Revel 22. 17. quickly O Lord Jesus sayes the assured The assured Souls Motto is O my God when shall I be with thee when shall I be with thee Soul thou art my light thou art my life thou art my love thou art my joy thou art my crown thou art my heaven thou art my all I cannot but long to see that beautiful face that was spit upon for my sins and that glorious head that was crowned with thorns for my transgressions I long to take some turns with thee in Paradise to see the glory of thy Jerusalem above to drink of those Rivers of pleasures that be at thy right hand to taste of all the delicates of thy Kingdom and to be acquainted with those
upon thee Divine Wisdom sparkles much in this in giving milk to Babes that are more carnal then spiritual and meat i. e. Assurance to strong men that have more skill and will that have a greater ability and choicer faculty to prize and improve this Jewel Assurance then babes have The Hebrew word Chabodh signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both weight and glory and verily glory is such a weight that if the body were not upheld by that glorious power that raised Jesus Christ from the grave if it were not bore up by everlasting Arms it were impossible it Deut. 33. 27. should bear it Now assurance is the top of glory it is the glory of glory Psal 45. 13. then certainly they had need be very glorious within that shall be crowned with such a weight of glory as assurance is Well remember this It is mercy to want mercy till we are fit for mercy till we are able to bear the weight of mercy and make a divine improvement of mercy Thirdly You must distinguish between Answ 3 Every audience increaseth love thanks and trust Psa 116. 1 2 3. And those mercies are best improved which we receive after we have been long upon our knees delays and denials God may delay us when he does not deny us he may defer the giving in of a mercy and yet at last give the very mercy begged Barren Hannah prayes yeer after yeer for a mercy God delayes her long but at last gives her her desire and the Text sayes expresly that her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. After many prayers and tears the Lord comes in and assures her that she should have the desire of her soul and now she mourns no more but sits down satisfied comforted and cheered After much praying waiting and weeping God usually comes with his hands and his heart full of mercy to his people He loves not to come Vacuis manibus empty handed to those that have sate long with wet eyes at Mercies door Christ tries the faith patience and constancy of the Canaanite woman he deferred Matth. 15. 21 to 29. and delayed her he reproached and repulsed her and yet at last is overcome by her as not being able any longer to withstand her importunate requests O woman great is thy faith Be Exclamat tanquam victus Brugensis He cryes out as conquered it unto thee even as thou wilt Christ puts her off at first but closes with her at last at first a good word a good look is too good for her but at last good words and good looks are too little for her Be it unto thee even as thou wilt At first Christ carries himself to her as a churlish stranger but at last as an amorous lover though at first he had not an ear to hear her yet at last he had a heart to grant her not onely her desires but even what else she would desire over and above what she had desired God heard Daniel at Dan. 9. 15. to 25. the beginning of his supplications and his bowels of loâ—â— was working strongly towards him but the Angel Gabriel doth not inform Daniel of this till afterwards Praying souls you say that you have prayed long for assurance and yet you have not obtained it Well pray still O pray and wait wait and pray the Vision is for Hab. 2. 3. an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry God hath never God will never fail the praying soul at the long run thou shalt be sure to obtain that assurance that will richly recompence thee for all thy praying waiting and weeping therefore hold up and hold on praying though God doth delay thee and my soul for thine thou shalt reap in due season such a harvest of Gal. 6. 9. joy and comfort as will sufficiently pay thee for all thy pains Shall the Husband-man wait patiently for the precious fruits of the Earth and wilt Jam. 5. 7. not thou wait patiently for assurance which is a Jewel more worth then Heaven and Earth Praying souls remember this It is but weakness to think that men shall reap as soon as they sow that they shall reap in the Evening when they have but sowed in the Morning Titus Vespasian never Suelonius dismist any Petitioner with a tear in his eye or with a heavy heart and shall we think that the God of compassions will always dismiss the Petitioners of Heaven with tears in their eyes Surely no. Ninthly Sometimes before the This truth many choice Christians have found by experience soul is deeply engaged in fore conflicts with Satan the Lord is graciously pleased to visit his people with his loving kindness and to give them some sweet assurance That though they are tempted yet they shall not be worsted though they are tried yet they shall be crowned though Satan doth roar as a Lyon upon the soul yet he shall not make a prey of the soul for the Lyon Revel 5. 5. John 10. 28. of the Tribe of Judah will hold it fast and none shall pluck it out of his hand God first fed Israel with Manna from Heaven and gave them water to Exâ—d 17. 8 c. drink out of the Rock before their fore fight with Amalek Before Paul 2 Cor. 12. 1. to 8. was buffetted by Satan he was caught up into the third Heaven where he had very glorious visions and revelations of the Lord even such as he was not able to utter Before Jesus Christ Matth. 3 ult was led into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan to question and doubt of his Son-ship he heard a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am wel-pleased The Spirit of the Lord did first descend upon him as a Dove before Satan fell upon him as a Lyon God walks with his people some turns in paradise and gives them some tastes of his right-hand pleasures before Psal 16. ult Satan by his tempting shall do them a displeasure But I must hasten to a close of this Chapter and therefore Tenthly and lastly After some sharp conflicts with Satan God is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people and to warm and cheer their hearts with the beams of his love Matth. 4. 11. Then the Non tanquam misericordes indigenti sed tanquam subjecti om ipotenti Aug. Hom. 8. Devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him When Christ had even spent himself in soiling and quelling in resisting and scattering Satans temptations then the Angels come and minister cordials and comforts unto him So after Paul had 2 Cor. 12. 7 â—â— 10. been buffetted by Satan he heard that sweet word from Heaven My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made
more in grace 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 11. Add to your Faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. to v. 11. for so an enterance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ By enterance into the everlasting Kingdome of Christ is not meant a locall enterance into Heaven for Heaven is no where called the Kingdom of Christ but the Fathers Kingdome the opposition ver 9. sheweth clearly that it is meant of Assurance Now the way to full Assurance is by adding grace to grace The Greek word that is here rendred adde hath a greater emphasis it signifies to link our graces together as Virgins in a Dance doe link their hands together O we must be still a joyning grace to grace we must still be adding one grace to another We must still be a leading up the dance of graces Great measures of grace carry with them great evidence If moral vertue saith Plato could be seen with mortal eyes it would soon draw all hearts to it self O how much the more should our hearts be drawn out after the highest measures of grace the least dram of grace being more worth then all morall vertue of truth little measures carry with them but little evidence great measures of grace carries with them the greatest evidence of the soules union and communion with Christ and the more evident your union and communion with Christ is the more cleare and full will your Assurance be Great measures of grace carries with them the greatest and the clearest evidences of the glorious indwellings of the Spirit in you and the more you are perswaded of the reall indwellings of the Spirit in you The higher will your Assurance rise Great measures of grace will bee a fire that will consume and burn up the drosse the stubble the fears and doubts that perplex the soule and that causes darknesse to surround the soule Now the more you are rid of your fears doubts and darknesse the more easily and the more effectually will your hearts be perswaded that the thoughts of God towards you are thoughts of love that you are precious in his Jere. 32. 41. eies and that he will rejoyce over you to do you good for ever c. The eighth Means to gaine a wel-grounded Means 8. Assurance of your everlasting happinesse and blessednesse is to take your hearts when they are in the best and most spiritual frame and temper God-wards Heaven-wards and Holinesse-wards Times of temptation and desertion c. are praying times hearing times mourning times and beleeving times but they are not trying times they are not seasonable times for doubting soules to set themselves about so great and so solemn a worke as that is of searching and examining how things stand and are like to stand between God and them for ever Be diligent and constant be studious 2 Cor. 13 5. and consciencious in observing the frame and temper of your owne Our hearts are ponderous multum trahit de terra de carnum multum therefore we had need take them when they are in the best temper c. hearts and when you find them most plain most melting most yeelding most tender most humble most sweetly raised and most divinely composed then O then is the time to single out the most convenient place where thou mayst with greatest freedom open thy bosome to God and plead with him as for thy life that hee would shew thee how things stand between him and thee and how it must fare with thy soule for ever And when thou hast thus set thy selfe before God and opened thy bosome to God then wisely observe what report God and thy owne renewed conscience do make concerning thy eternall condition I wil hear what God the Lord wil speak saith Psal 85. 8 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 David for he will speak peace unto his people and they shall not return to folly so the Hebrew may be read O so must thou stand still when thou hast sincerely unbowelled thy selfe before the Lord and listen and hearken what God will say unto thee Surely he will speak peace unto thee he will say Son be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee thy heart is upright with me my soul is set upon thee I have already blest thee and I will hereafter glorifie thee I have read of one who was kept A good conscience is mille testes a thousand witnesses therefore make much of its testimony from destroying of himself being much tempted by Satan thereunto by remembring that there was a time when he solemnly set himself in prayer and self-examination before the Lord and made a diligent enquiry into his spiritual condition and in the close of that work it was evidenced to him that his heart was upright with God and this kept him from laying of violent hands upon himself O a wise and serious observing what that testimony is that God Conscience and the Word gives in upon solemn Prayer and self-examination may beget strong consolation and support the soul under the greatest affliction and strengthen the soul against the most violent temptations and make the soul look and long for the day of desolution as Princes do for their day of Coronation Lastly The last Means to gain a Means 9. wel-grounded Assurance is To make a diligent enquiry whether thou hast those things that do accompany eternal salvation Heb. 6. 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation or as it is in the Greek that have salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were in the very bowels of them that comprehend salvation and that touch upon salvation O Beloved If you have those things that accompany salvation that comprehend salvation you may be abundantly assured of your salvation But you may say to me What are those things that accompany salvation To this Question I shall give this answer viz. That there are seven special things that accompany salvation and they are these First Knowledge Secondly Faith Thirdly Repentance Fourthly Obedience Fifthly Love Sixthly Prayer Seventhly Perseverance First Knowledge is one of those special things that accompanies salvation John 17. 3. And this is life eternal Vide Piscat on the words that they may know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Divine Knowledge is the begining of eternal life it is a spark of glory It is called Eternal life Quia radix erigo vitae In legend is libris non quaeramus scientiam sed saporum Bern. In reading Books let us not look so much for Science as a Savoriness of the tâ—uth upon our own hearts it works life in the soul it is a taste and pledge of eternal life 1 John 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true And we are in him that
will shew it self at the Spring and so will the habits of Faith break forth into acts when the Sun of Righteousness shall shine forth and make it a pleasant spring to thy soul And thus much for this second particular The third Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation is this It makes those things that are great and glorious in the worlds account to be very little and low in the eyes of a Believer Faith makes a Believer to Heb. 11. 9. live in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country it is nothing to live as a stranger in a strange Land but to live as a stranger in the Land of Promise this is the excellency and glory of Faith Faith will make a man set his feet where other men sets their hearts Faith looks with an eye of scorn and disdain upon the things of this world What sayes Faith are earthly treasures to the treasures of Matth 6. 19 20. Heaven what are stones to silver dross to gold darkness to light Hell to Heaven No more sayes Faith are all the treasures pleasures and delights of this world to the light of Psal 4. 6 7. thy countenance to the joy of thy spirit to the influences of thy grace I see nothing sayes David in this wide world onely thy Commandments are exceeding Heb. 11. 24 25 26. broad Faith makes David account his Crown nothing his treasures nothing his victories nothing his attendants nothing c. Faith will make a man write nothing upon the best of worldly things it will make a man trample upon the Pearls of this Phil. 3. 8. world as upon dross and dung Faith deadens a mans heart to the things of this world I am crucified to the world Gal. 6. and the world is crucified to me sayes Paul This world sayes Faith is not my house my habitation my home I 2 Cor 5. 1 2. look for a better Country for a better City for a better home He that is adopted Heir to a Crown a Kingdom looks with an eye of scorn and disdain upon every thing below a Kingdom below a Crown Faith tells the soul that it hath a Crown a Kingdom 2 Tim 4. 8. in reversion and this makes the soul to set light by the things of this world Faith raises and sets the soul high And hath raised us up together Ephes 2. 6. and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Faith makes a man live high our conversation Phil. 3. 20. is in Heaven and the higher any man lives the less the lower will the things of this world be in his eye The fancy of Lucian is very pleasant who placeth Charon on the top of an high Hill viewing all the affairs of men and looking on their greatest richest and most glorious Cities as little Birds Nests Faith sets the soul upon the Hill of God the Mountain of God that is A high Mountain and from thence Faith gives the soul a sight a prospect of all things here below And ah how like Birds Nests does all the riches braveries and glories of this world look and appear to them that Faith hath set upon Gods high Hill Faith having set Luther upon this high Hill he protests that God should not put him off with these poor low things Faith set Moses Heb. 11. high it set him among invisibles and that made him look upon all the treasures pleasures riches and glories of Egypt as little Birds-Nests as Mole-hills as dross and dung as things that were too little and too low for him to set his heart upon Verily when once Faith hath given a man a sight a prospect of Heaven all things on Earth will be looked upon as little and low And so much for this third Property of Faith The fourth Property of that Faith that accompanies Salvation is this It purifies the heart it is a heart-purifying Acts 15. 9. faith Purifying their hearts by faith Faith hath two hands one to lay hold on Christ and another to sweep the heart which is Christs house Faith knows that Christ is of a Dove-like nature he loves to lie clean and sweet Faith hath a neat Huswifes hand as well as an Eagles eye Faith is as good at purging out of sin as it is at discovering of sin There is a cleansing quality in Faith as well as a healing quality in Faith Sound faith will purge the soul from the love of sin from a delight in sin and from the Ezek. 16. reign and dominion of sin Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are Rom. 6. 14 21. not under the Law but under Grace Now Faith purges and cleanseth the heart from sin sometimes by pressing and putting God to make good the promises of Sanctification Faith takes that promise in Jere. 33. 8. And I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will purifie them is an allusion to the purifications prescribed in the Law for the cleansing of polluted persons till which purifications were performed they could not be admitted into the Camp or Congregation c. cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me and that promise in Micah 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea And that promise in Psal 65. 3. Iniquities prevail against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away And that promise in Isai 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy Tin And spreads them before the Lord and will never leave urging and pressing seeking and suing till God makes them good Faith makes the soul divinely impudent divinely shameless Lord sayes Faith are not these thine own words hast thou said it and shall it not come to pass art thou no◠a faithful God is not thine honor engaged to make good the promises that thou hast made Arise O God and let my sins be scattered turn thy hand upon me and let my sins be purged And thus Faith purifies the heart Again sometimes Faith purifies the heart from sin by engaging against sin in Christs strength as David engaged against Goliah not in 1 Sam. 17. 45. his own strength but in the strength and name of the Lord of Hosts Faith leads the soul directly to God and engages God against sin so as that the combate by the wisdom of Faith is changed and made now rather between God and sin then between sin and the soul and so sin comes to fall before the power and glorious presence of God that is a choice word Psal 61. 2. From the ends of the earth will I cry to thee When my heart is over-whelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher then I. Look as a childe that is set upon by one that is stronger then he cryes
secrets and Ephes 3. 5. Col. 1. 26. mysteries that have been hid from all ages and to be swallowed up in the full enjoyment of thy Blessed Self Thirdly A wel-grounded Assurance is usually strongly assaulted by Satan The Devil marcheth well armed and in good array saith Luther on all sides Satan is such a grand enemy to the Joy and Peace to the Salvation and Consolation of the Saints that he cannot but make use of all his devices and stratagems to amaze and amuse to disturb and disquiet the peace and rest of their Souls No sooner had Jesus Christ heard that lovely voice from Heaven This is my Matth. 3. ult 4. 1 2 c. beloved Son in whom I am wel-pleased but he is desperately assaulted by Satan in the Wilderness No sooner was Paul 2 Cor. 12. dropped out of Heaven after he had seen such visions of glory that was unutterable but he was presently assaulted and buffetted by Satan Stand up stand up assured Christians and tell me whether you have not found the Isa 25. 4. blast of the terrible one to be as a storm against the wall Since the Lord I verily think that they have very much cause to question the truth of their assurance who know not what it is to have their assurance assaulted strongly by Sâ—tan said unto you be of good chear your sins are forgiven you Have not you found Satan to play the part both of the Lyon and the Woolf of the Serpent and the Fox and all to weaken your Assurance and to work you to question the truth of your Assurance and to cast water upon your Assurance and to take off the freshness and sweetness the beauty and glory of your Assurance I know you have His malice envy and enmity is such against Satan is that old Serpent as John speaks Revel 12. 9. He is as old as the World and is grown very cunning by experience he being a spirit of above five thousand years standing Gods honor and glory and your comfort and felicity that he cannot but be very studious and industrious to make use of all traps snares methods and wayes whereby he may shake the pillars of your Faith and weaken and overthrow your Assurance Pirates you know do most fiercely assault those ships and vessels that are most richly laden so doth Satan those precious souls that have attained to the riches of full Assurance Assurance makes a Paradise in Believers Souls and this makes Satan to roar and rage Assurance fits a man to do God the greatest service and Satan the greatest dis-service and this makes him mad against the Soul Assurance makes a Saint to be too hard for Satan at all weapons yea to Rom. 8. 32. ult lead that Sun of the Morning captive to spoil him of all his hurting power to bind him in chains and to triumph over him and this makes his Hell a great deal hotter and therefore never Luther cryes out I am set upon by all the world without and within by the devil and all his Angels wonder at Satans assaulting your Assurance but expect it and look for it The Jaylor is quiet when his prisoner is in Bolts but if he be escaped then he pursues him with hugh and cry so long as the Soul is in bolts and bondage under Satan Satan is quiet and is not so apt to molest and vex it but when once a Soul is made free and John 8. 36. assured of his freedom by Christ then sayes Satan as once Pharaoh did I Exod. 15. 9. will arise I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them The experience of all assured Saints doth abundantly confirm this Israel going into Egypt had no enemies no opposition but travelling into Canaan they were never free Fourthly A wel-grounded Assurance makes a man as bold as a Lyon it makes him valiant and gallant for Prov. 28. 1. Tanto plâ—â— gloriae referemus quoniam eo plures superabimus The number of opposers makes the Christians conquest the more illustrious say Saints under the power of Assurance c. Christ and his cause in the face of all dangers and deaths After the Holy Ghost was faln upon the Apostles and had assured them of their internal and eternal Happiness O how bold how undanted how resolute were they in the face of all oppositions afflictions and persecutions as you may see from the second of the Acts of the Apostles to the end of the Acts. So Assurance had this operation upon Davids heart Psal 23. 4 6. compared Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life Well David but how doth this Assurance of yours operate Why saith he Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil So Moses having an Assurance of the recompence of reward he fears not the wrath of the King for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Was constant he endured as seeing him who is invisible Heb. 11. 26 27. So in Heb. 10. 34. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowing that you have in your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better being in Heaven and an abiding one ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance O that Knowledge that Assurance that they had in their own hearts of enjoying in Heaven a better and a more enduring substance made them bear cheerfully and gallantly the spoiling of their worldly goods Though the Archers the World the Flesh and the Devil do shoot sore at a Soul under Assurance yet his Bowe will still abide in strength Assurance will make a man to break a Bowe of Steel to trample down strength and to triumph over all oppositions and afflictions Colonus the Dutch Martyr called to the Judge that had sentenced him to death and desired him to lay his hand upon his heart and asked him whose heart did most beat his or the Judges Assurance will make a man do this and much more for Christ and his Cause Fifthly A wel-grounded Assurance of a mans own eternal Happiness and Blessedness will make him very studious and laborious to make others happy Psal 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul I will acquaint you with the soul-blessings with the soul-favors that God hath crowned me with I was darkness but he hath Eph. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 1. 30. made me light I was unrighteousness but he hath made me righteous I was Col. 2. 10. Isa 1. 6. Ephes 5. 26 27. Cant. 4. 7. deformed but he hath made me compleat I was full of sores and spots and blemishes but he hath washed me and made me all fair without spot or wrinkle I have found the want of Assurance I now
2. What Faith that is that accompanies Salvation 3. What Repentance that is that accompanies Salvation 4. What Obedience that is that accompanies Salvation 5. What Love that is that accompanies Salvation 6. What Prayer that is that accompanies Salvation 7. What Perseverance that is that accompanies 8. What Hope that is that accompanies Salvation 9. The difference between true Assurance and that which is counterfeit 10. The wide difference there is between the witness of the Spirit and the hissing of the old Serpent Gentlemen and Friends you have Say with that famous Painter Zeuxâ—s Aeternitati pingo I paint for eternity I provide for eternity Eternity is that unum perpetuum bodie that one perpetual day your lives in your hands there is but a short step between you and eternity I would fain have you all happy for ever to that purpose I humbly beseech you spare so much time from your many great and weighty occasions as to read this Treatise that in all humility I lay at your feet and follow this counsel that in all love and faithfulness I shall now give unto you For my design in all is your happiness here and your blessednesse hereafter First Get and keep Communion Communion with God will make a man as couragious and bold as a Lion yea as a young Lyon that is in his hot blood and fearless of any creature Prov. 28. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now the proverb is Tutiores Câ—rvi duce Leone quam Leones duce Cervo it is more likely that Harts will get victory with a â—yon to their leader then Lyons with a leading Hart Joshua Captain of the Lords battles must be of a Lyon like courage and what wil make them so but communion with God It was the saying of the old Earl of Essex That he was never afraid to fight but when he was conscious of some sin with which he had provoked God and left communion with God with God your strength to stand and your strength to withstand all assaults is from your Communion with God Communion with God is that that will make you stand fast and triumph over all enemies difficulties dangers and deaths While Sampson kept his Communion with God no enemy could stand before him he goes on conquering and to conquer he laies heapes upon heaps but when he was fallen in his Communion with God he fals presently easily and sadly before his enemies So long as David kept up his Communion with God no enemies could stand before him but when he was fallen in his Communion with God he flies before the son of his bowels Job keeps up his Communion with God conquers Satan upon the Dunghil Adam loses his Communion with God and fals before Satan in Paradise Communion is the result of Union Communion is a reciprocall exchange between Christ and a gracious Soule Communion is Jacobs Ladder where you have Christ sweetly descending down into the Soul and the soule by divine influences sweetly ascending up to Christ Communion with God is a Sheild upon Land and an Anchor at Sea it is a sword to defend you and a staff to support you it is balm to heale you and a cordiall to strengthen you high Communion with Christ wil yeeld you two heavens a heaven upon earth and a heaven after death He injoyes nothing that wants Communion with God he wants nothing that injoys communion with God therefore above all gettings get Communion with Christ and above all keepings keep Communion with Christ all other losses are not comparable to the losse of Communion with Christ he that hath lost his Communion hath lost his Comfort his strength his all and it will not be long before the Philistims take him and put out his eyes and bind him with fetters of brass and make him grind in a prison as they did Sampson Judg. 16. 20 21. Secondly Make a speedy and a thorow Bonus servatius facit bonum bonifacium improvement of all opportunities of grace and mercy sleep not in Harvest time trifle not away your Market hours your golden seasons you have much work to do in a short time you have Petrach telleth of one who being invited to dinner the next day answered Ego à multis aâ—nis crastinum non habui I have not had a morrow for this many years a God to honor a Christ to rest on a Race to run a Crown to win a Hell to escape a Heaven to obtaine you have weak Graces to strengthen and strong Corruptions to weaken you have many Temptations to withstand and Afflictions to bear you have many Mercies to improve and many Services to perform c. Therefore take hold on all opportunities and advantages whereby you may be strengthened and bettered in your noble Heb. 3-7 8 A man faith Luther lives forty years before he knows himself a fool and by that time he sees his folly his life is ended c. part Take heed of crying cras cras tomorrow tomorrow when God saith to day if you will hear my voyce harden not your hearts Manna must be gathered in the morning and the orient pearle is generated of the morning dew It is a very sad thing for a man to begin to die before he begins to live He that neglects a golden opportunity doth but create to himself a great deal of misery as Saul and many others have found by sad experience He that would to the purpose do a good action must not neglect his season The men of Issachar were 1 Chron. 12. 32 famous in Davids account for wisdom because they acted seasonably and opportunely God will repute and write that man a wise man who knows and observes his seasons of doing Such there have been who by giving a glasse of water opportunely have obtained a Kingdom as you may see in the story of Thaumastus and King Agrippa Bernard Time saith one were a good commodity It was the commendations of blessed Hooper that he was spare of diet sparer of words and sparest of time in hell and the traffick of it most gainful where for one day a man would give ten thousand worlds if he had them One passing thorow the streets of Rome and seeing many of the women playing and delighting themselves with Monkies and Baboons and such like things asked whether they had no children to play and delight themselves with So when men triffle away their precious time and golden opportunities playing and toying with this vanity and that we may ask whether these men have no God no Christ no Scripture no Promises no Blessed Experiences no hopes of Heavens glories to delight and entertain themselves with Certainly we should not reckon any time into the account of our lives but that which we carefully pass and well spend seeing the Heathen could say Diu fuit non diu vixit He was long Dâ—mascen he did not live long I have read of one Blessed Bradford the Martyr
not been soundly prest thereunto of the Reasons that have prevailed with me to publish this Treatise to the World and to dedicate it to your selves Let your hearts dwell on Truth as the Bee doth upon the Flower every Truth being a Flower of Paradise that is more worth then a World Now the God of all Grace fill your Hearts and Souls with all the Fruits of Righteousness and Holiness that you may attain unto a full Assurance of your Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness which that you may is the sincere earnest and constant desire of him who is Your Souls Servant Thomas Brooks THE PREFACE touching the nature of Assurance TO be in a state of true Grace is to be miserable no more it Psal 144. 15. Mal. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 16 17. is to be happy for ever A Soul in this state is a Soul near and dear to God it is a Soul much beloved and very highly valued of God it is a Soul housed in God it is a Soul safe in everlasting Arms Deut. 33. 26 27. 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. it is a Soul fully and eminently interested in all the highest and noblest Priviledges The being A man may be Gods and yet not know it his estate may be good and yet he not see it Ephes 1. 13. 1 John 5. 13. Gal 4. 6. in a state of Grace makes a mans condition happy safe and sure but the seeing the knowing of himself to be in such a state is that which renders his life sweet and comfortable The being in a state of Grace will yeeld a man a Heaven hereafter but the seeing of himself in this state will yeeld him both a Heaven here and a Heaven hereafter it will render him doubly blest blest in Heaven and blest in his own Conscience Now Assurance is a reflex act of a gracious Soul whereby he clearly and evidently sees himself in a gracious blessed and happy state it is a sensible feeling and an experimental discerning of a mans being in a state of Grace and of his having a right to a Crown of Glory and this rises from the seeing A man cannot see the Sun but by the light of the Sun in himself the special peculiar and distinguishing Graces of Christ in the light of the Spirit of Christ or from the testimony and report of the Spirit of God the Spirit bearing witness with his Spirit that Rom. 8. 16 17. he is a Son and an Heir apparent to Glory It is one thing for me to have It is one thing to be an Heir and another thing to know that one is an Heir the childe in the Womb or in the Arms may be an Heir to a Crown and yet understands it not Grace it is another thing for me to see my Grace it is one thing for me to believe and another thing for me to believe that I do believe it is one thing for me to have Faith and another thing for me to know that I have Faith Now Assurance flows from a clear certain evident knowledge that I have Grace and that I do believe c. Now this Assurance is the beauty and top of a Christians glory in this life it is usually attended with the strongest joy with the sweetest comforts and with the greatest peace It is a Pearl that most want a Crown that few wear His state is safe and happy whose Soul is adorned with Grace though he sees it not though he knows it not Assurance is not of the essence of a Christian it is required to the bene esse to the wel-being to the comfortable and joyful Being of a Christian but it is not required to the esse to the being of a Christian A man may be a true Believer and yet would give all the World were it in his power to know that he is a Believer to have Grace and to be sure that we have Grace is glory upon the Throne it is Heaven a this side Heaven But more of these things you will finde in the following Discourse to which I refer you THE CONTENTS THe Preface touching the Nature of Assurance CHAP. I. PRoving by Ten Arguments that Persons may in this life attain to a wel-grounded Assurance of their Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness Page 1 to 30 This truth improved against Papists and Arminians P. 30. to p. 35. CHAP. II. COntaining several weighty Propositions about Assurance P. 35. to p. 77 Further in this Chapter is shewed Ten special Seasons and Times wherein the Lord is pleased to give to his people a sweet Assurance of his favor and love p. 77. to p. 155 CHAP. III. COntaining Ten Hinderances and Impediments that keep poor Souls from Assurance with the means and helps to remove those Impediments and Hinderances p. 155. to p. 207 Further in this Chapter is laid down Six Motives to provoke Christians to put out all their strength and might against bosom sins against the iniquity of their heels against the sins that do so easily beset them p. 207. to p. 218 Also Five Means to help on the Mortification and Destruction of bosom sins p. 218. to p. 224 CHAP. IV. COntaining Ten Motives or Incentives to provoke all that want Assurance to be restless in their spirits till they have obtained it p. 225. to p. 251 Also in this Chapter you have Ten Advantages that will redound to such Souls that get a wel-grounded Assurance of their Everlasting Happiness and Blessedness p. 251. to p. 270 CHAP. V. SHewing Nine Ways and Means of gaining a wel-grounded Assurance c. In the handling of which several considerable Questions are also resolved p. 272 to p. 320 Also in this Chapter Eight special things are discovered As first What knowledge that is that doth accompany Salvation p. 320. to p. 362 Secondly What Faith that is that accompanies Salvation that borders upon Salvation p. 362 to p. 399 Also several Hints are given both concerning strong and weak Faith p. 399 to p. 405 Thirdly What Repentance that is that accompanies Salvation p. 405. to p. 424 Fourthly What Obedience that is that accompanies Salvation p. 424. to p. 445 Fifthly What Love that is that accompanies Salvation p. 445. to p. 460 Fourteen wayes whereby that love that accompanies Salvation doth display and manifest it self p. 460. to p. 487 Sixthly What Prayer that is that doth accompany Salvation p. 487 to p. 504 Eight Differences betwixt the Prayers of Souls in Christ and Souls out of Christ betwixt the Prayers of Believers and Unbelievers p. 504 to p. 516 Seventhly What Perseverance that is that doth accompany Salvation p. 516 to p. 522 Eighthly What Hope that is that doth accompany Salvation p. 522 to p. 544 Two Cautions upon the whole p. 544 545 CHAP. VI. SHewing Eight notable Differences between a true and a counterfeit Assurance c. p. 546 to p. 565 Also in this Chapter is set forth in Nine special things the difference between the Whisperings of the
is this but to torment the weary soule to dis-spirit the wounded spirit and to make them most sad whom God would have most glad Ah how sad is it for men to affirme that wounded souls may know That the Son of righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. hath healing in his wings but they cannot be assured that they shall bee healed The hungry soule may Luke 15. 17. know that there is bread enough in his Fathers house but cannot know that he shall taste of that bread The naked soule may know that Christ hath Rev. 3. 18. Robes of righteousnes to cover al the spots sores defects and deformities of it but may not presume to know that Christ will put those royal Robes upon it The impoverished soule may know that there bee unsearchable Eph. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to b◠traced out riches in Christ but cannot be assured that ever it shall partake of those riches all that these men allow poore foules is guesses and conjectures that it may be well with them they will not allow soules to say with Thomas My Lord and my God nor with Job to say My Redeemer lives nor with Joh. 20 28. Job 19. 25. Can. 7. 10. the Church I am my beloveds and his desire is towards mee And so they leave soules in a cloudy questioning doubting hovering condition hanging like Mahomets Tomb at Mecha between two Load stones or like Erasmus as the Papists paint him hanging betwixt heaven and hell They make the poor soul a magor missabib a terrour to it selfe What more uncomfortable Doctrine then this what more soule-disquieting and soul-unsetling doctrine then this Thou art this moment in a state of life thou mayest the next moment bee in a state of death thou art now gracious thou mayest the next houre be gracelesse Thou art now in the promised Land yet thou mayest dye in the wildernesse Thou art to day a habitation for God thou mayest The heathens used to absolve men by giving them white stones and condemn them by giving them black ones tomorrow be a Synagogue of Satan Thou hast to day received the White-stone of absolution thou mayest tomorrow receive the Black-stone of condemnation Thou art now in thy Saviours Arms thou mayest tomorrow bee in Satans Paws Thou art now Christs free man thou mayest tomorrow bee Satans bond-man Thou art now a vessel of honour thou mayest suddenly become a vessel of wrath Thou art now greatly beloved thou mayest soon be as greatly loathed This day thy name is fairly written in the Book of life tomorrow the Book may be crost and thy name blotted out for ever This is the Arminians doctrine and if this bee not to keep soules in a doubting and trembling and shivering condition what is it Well Christians Remember this is your happinesse and blessednesse That none can plucke you out of your Fathers hand That you are kept as in a Garrison or as with a Guard by the power of God through faith unto salvation That the Mountains shall depart Ioh. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept safe and fast as in a strong Garrison Isa 54. 10. Heb. 7. 25. and the hils be removed but the kindnesse of the Lord shall not depart from you neither shall the Covenant of peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on you That Christ ever lives to make intercession for you And that men and devils are as able and shall as soon make a world dethrone God pluck the Sun out of the Firmament and Christ out of the bosom of the Father as they shall pluck a beleever out of the everlasting Arms of Christ or rob him of one of his precious Jewels I shall close up this Chapter with an Deut. 33. 26 27 Mal 3. 17. excellent saying of Luther The whole Scripture saith he doth principally aime at this thing that we should not doubt but that we should hope that we should trust that we should beleeve that God is a merciful a bountiful a gracious and a patient God to his people CHAP. II. Containing several weighty Propositions concerning Assurance THE first Proposition that I shall lay downe concerning Assurance is this That God denies Assurance for a time to his dearest and choysest ones and that upon many considerable grounds As first for the exercise of their grace a gracious soule would alwayes be upon Mount Tabor looking into Canaan he would alwayes bee in his Fathers arms and under his Fathers smiles hee would alwayes bee in the Sun-shine of divine favour hee would alwayes have the heavens open that Tam pater nemo tum pius nemo Tertul. he might alwayes see his Christ and his Crowne he would with Peter bee alwayes upon the Mount hee is loath to walke through the valley of darknesse through the valley of Baca. As Gen. 14. 21. If Saints should alwayes have Assurance they would be too apt to say bonum est esse hic it is good for us to be here the King of Sodome said once to Abraham Give me the persons and take the goods to thy selfe So gracious soules are apt to say Give mee joy give me peace give me Assurance and doe you take trials afflictions and temptations to your selves But pray what use would there be of the Starres if the Sunne did alwayes shine why none why no more use would there bee of your graces if Assurance should be alwayes continued therefore the Lord for the exercise of his childrens faith hope patience c. is pleased at least for a time to deny them Assurance though they seek it by earnest prayer and with a flood of penitent tears Secondly The Lord denies Assurance to his dearest ones that he may keep them in the exercise of those Religious duties that are most costly and contrary to flesh and blood as to mourning repenting selfe-judging selfe-loathing selfe-abhorring and selfe-searching As that 1 Sam. 16. For these things I weep mine eye mine eye runneth downe with water because the comforter that should relieve my soule is far from me Chap. 3. verse 2 3. Hee hath led me and brought me into darknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not into light Surely against me hee is Bring back my soule or fetch again my soule i. e. Comfort refresh and rejoyce me as in former times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned he turneth his hand against mee all the day verse 17. And thou hast removed my soule far off from peace I forgat prosperity Now what this sad dealings of God puts the Church upon you may see in verse 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turne again to the Lord And if you look throughout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the book you shall finde the These two Hebrew words are joyned together to intimate to us that diligent narrow and accurate enquiry that they should make into their wayes to search as men do into the bowels of the
is so fully perswaded of its eternal happinesse and blessednesse that it s carried like 4 There is a divine perswasion that flows from divine principles and causes Noahs Arke above al waves doubts and fears and Noah-like fits still and quiet and can with the Apostle Paul triumph over sinne hell wrath death and devill This is sometimes called Col. 2. 2. Heb. 6 11. 18 19 cha 10. 22. full assurance of understanding sometimes it is called full assurance of hope and sometimes it is called full assurance of faith because these are the choice and pleasant springs from whence assurance flows Now though this full assurance is earnestly desired and highly This full Assurance is the maximum quod sic the highest pinacle of Assurance prized and the want of it much lamented the injoyment of it much endevoured after by al Saints yet t is only obtained by a few Assurance is a mercy too good for most mens hearts it is a Crowne too weighty for most mens heads Assurance is optimum maximum the best and greatest mercy and therefore God will onely give it to his best and dearest friends Augustus in his solemne feasts gave trifles to some but gold to others honours and riches c. are trifles that God gives to the worst of men Rev. 3. 18. But Assurance is that tryed gold that God onely gives to tried friends Among those few that have a share or Most Saints I beleeve can give aloud testimony to this truth I shall rejoyce when their experiences shall confute â—r portion in the special love and favour of God there are but a very few that have an assurance of his love It is one mercy for God to love the soule and another mercy for God to assure the soule of his love God writes many a mans name in the Book of life and yet will not let him know it till his houre of death as the experience of many precious soules doth cleerly evidence Assurance is a flower of Paradise that God sticks but Rom. 8. 16 17. in a few mens bosomes It is one thing to be an heire of heaven and another thing for a man to know or see himselfe an heire of heaven The childe in the arms may be heire to a Crown a Kingdome and yet not understand it so many a Saint may bee heire to a Crowne a Kingdome of glory and yet not know it As the babes that passes the pangs of the first birth do not presently cry Father Father so the new borne Babes in Christ that have 1 Pet. 2. 2. past the pangs of the second birth doe not presently cry Abba Father they doe not presently cry out Heaven Heaven is ours Glory Glory is ours The third Proposition is this That The third Proposition a man may have true grace that hath not Assurance of the love and favour The blinde man in the Gospel called his faith unbeleef of God or of the remission of his sins and salvation of his soule A man may be truly holy and yet not have assurance that he shall be eternally happy A man may be Gods and yet he not know it his estate may be good and yet he not see it he may Mat. 15. 22. 29. be in a safe condition when he is not in a comfortable condition All may be well with him in the Court of glory when hee would give a thousand worlds that all were but well in the court of conscience The Canaanite woman shewed much love wisdome zeale humility and faith yea such strength of faith as makes Christ admire her and yeeld to her grace her and gratifie her and yet shee had no assurance that wee read of So Paul speaking of the beleeving Eph 1. 13. They that honour God by sealing to his truth those God will honour by sealing them with his Spirit Ephesians saith In whom ye also trusted after that yee heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation in whom also after that yee beleeved yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise First They heard the word and then secondly they beleeved and then thirdly they were sealed that is fully assured of a heavenly inheritance of a Saints have eternal life 1 In praetio 2 In promisso 3 In primitiis purchased possession So 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternal life and that yee may beleeve on the name of the Son of God So in that Isa 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God So in that Mich. 7. 8. 9. verses Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will bear the indignation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and Zagnaph Signifies vehement anger with a sad and lowring countenance Dan. 1. 10. vide Merâ— execute judgement for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousnesse Asaph was a very holy man a man eminent in grace and yet without assurance as may bee seen at large in that 77. Ps Heman doubtlesse was a very precious soule and yet from his youth up hee was even distracted with terrours Psalm 88. There are thousand Christians that are in a state of grace and shall bee Isa 8. 17. Chap. 49. 14 15 16. Ch. 54 6 7 8 9 10 11. saved that want assurance and the proper effects of it as high joy pure comfort glorious peace and vehement longings after the coming of Christ Assurance is requisite to the well-being of a Christian but not to the being it is requisite to the consolation of a Christian but not to the salvation of a Christian it is requisite to the well-being of Grace but not to the meer being of Grace Though a man cannot be saved without faith yet he may bee saved without assurance God hath in many places of the Scripture declared that without faith God never said except you be assured I will pardon you I will never pardon you except you are assured I will save you I will never save you this is language God never spoke and why then should men speak it there is no salvation but God hath not in any one place of Scripture declared that without assurance there is no salvation A man must first bee saved before he can be assured of his salvation for he cannot be assured of that which is not and a man must have saving grace before he can bee saved for hee cannot be saved by that which hee hath not Againe a man must be ingrafted into Christ before
loathsom Dungeon the pavement whereof was sharp shells and his bed to lie on a bundle of thorns All which this blessed Martyr received without so much as a groan breathing out his spirit in these words Vincentius is my name and by the grace of God I will be still Vincentius inspight of all your torments Persecution brings death in one hand and life in the other for while it kills the body it crowns the soul The most cruel Martyrdom is but a crafty trick to escape death to pass from life to life from the prison to paradise from the cross to the crown Justin Martyr says that when the Romans did immortalize their Emperors as they called it they brought one to swear that he see him go to Heaven out of the fire But we may see by an eye of Faith the blessed Souls of suffering Saints flie to Heaven like Elias in his fiery Judg. 13. 20. chariot like the Angel that appeared to Manoah in the flames John Hus Martyr had such choice discoveries of God and such sweet in-comes of the Spirit as made his patience and constancy A patient man under reproaches is like a man with a Sword in one hand and a Salve in the other he could wound but he will heal invincible When he was brought forth to be burned they put on his head a Triple Crown of Paper painted over with ugly Devils but when he saw it he said My Lord Jesus Christ for my sake did were a Crown of Thorns why should not I then for his sake wear this light crown be it never so ignominious truly I will do it and that willingly And as they tied his neck with a chain to the stake smiling he said That he would willingly receive the The Motto of patient souls is plura pro Christo toleranda we must suffer more then so for Christ same chain for Jesus Christs sake who he knew was bound with a far worse chain for his sake Well remember this their names that by a patient suffering are written in Red Letters of blood in the Churches Calender are written in Golden Letters in Christs Register in the Book of Life A second Reason why the Lord Reas 2 lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in suffering times and that is for the confirmation of some for the conversion of others and for the greater conviction and confusion of their adversaries who wonder and are like men amazed when they see the comfort and the courage of the Saints in suffering times Pauls choice carriage in his bonds was the Phil. 1. 14. vide Estius confirmation of many And many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear And as the sufferings of the Saints do contribute to the confirmation of some so by the blessing of God they contribute to the conversion of others I beseech thee says Paul for Philem. v. 10. my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds It was a notable saying of Luther Ecclesia totum mundum convertâ—t sanguine oratione The Church converteth the whole world by blood and prayer Basil affirms That the They knew it could be but a days journey between the cross and paradise between that short storm and an eternal calm Primitive Saints shewed so much comfort and courage so much Heroick zeal and constancy that many of the Heathens turned Christians so that choice spirit that the Saints have shewed in their sufferings when Christ hath overshadowed them with his love and stayed them with flagons and comforted them with apples hath madded grieved vexed and extreamly It would be too tedious to give you an account of all particular persecutors in this case whom the courage faith and patience of the Saints have tyred out tormented and made weaty of their lives and also bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and readers tormented their tormentors Lactantius boasts of the braveness of the Martyrs in his time our children and women not to speak of men do in silence overcome their tormentors and the fire cannot so much as fetch a sigh from them Hegesippus reports an observation of Antoninus the Emperor viz. That the Christians were most couragious and confident always in Earth-quakes whilest his own Heathen Souldiers were at such accidents most fearful and dis-spirited Certainly no Earth-quakes can make any Heart-quakes among the suffering Saints so long as the countenance of God shines upon their face and his love lies warm upon their Hearts The suffering Saint may be assaulted but not vanquished he may be troubled but can never be conquered he may lose his head but he cannot lose his Crown which the 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. righteous Lord hath prepared and laid up for him The suffering Saint shall still be master of the day though they Mori posse vinci non posse kill him they cannot hurt him he may suffer death but never conquest And they overcame him by the blood of Rev. 12. 11. the Lamb and by the word of their testimony O Lord Jesus said one I love thee plusquam mea plusquam meos plusquam me more then all my goods more then all my friends yea more then my very life and they loved not their lives unto the death They love not their lives that love Christ and his truth more then their lives they that slight contemn and despise their lives when they stand in competition with Christ may be truly said not to love their lives In these words you see that the Saints by dying do overcome They may kill me said Socrates of his enemies but they cannot hurt me A Saint may say this and more The Herb Heliotropium doth turn about and open it self according to the motion of the Sun so do the Saints in their sufferings according to the internal motions of the Sun of Righteousness upon them A third Reason Why the Lord Reas 3 causes his goodness to pass before his people and his face to shine upon his people in suffering times and that is for the praise of his own Grace and for the glory of his own Name God would lose much of his own glory if he should not stand by his people and comfort them and strengthen them in the day of their sorrows Ah the dirt the scorn the contempt that Exod. 32. 12. Num. 14. 13. vain men would cast upon God Look as our greatest good comes thorow the sufferings of Christ so Gods greatest glory that he hath from his Saints comes thorow their sufferings If ye be reproached for the name of Christ. 1 Peâ— 4. 14. Vide Bezam happy are ye for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified It makes much for the glory of God that his people are cleared and comforted quickned and raised spiritualized and elevated in
prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God Praying Vide Calvin and Oecumeâ—ius on these words Cornelius you see is remembred by God and visited sensibly and evidently by an Angel and assured that his prayers and good deeds are not onely anodor a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing to God but also that they shall be gloriously rewarded by God So when Peter was Vers 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 of Acts 1. praying he fell into a trance and saw Heaven opened and had his minde elevated and all the faculties of his soul filled with a Divine Revelation so when Paul was a praying he sees a Acts 9 11 12 13 14 15 19. vision Ananias a coming and laying his hands on him that he might receive his sight Paul had not been long at prayer before it was revealed to him that he was a chosen Vessel before he was filled with the voice and comforts of the Holy Ghost so our Saviour Luke 17. was transfigured as he was praying Thus you see that praying times are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to lift up the light of his countenance upon his people and to cause his grace and favor his goodness and kindness to rest on them as the spirit of Elijah did rest on Elisha 2 Kings 2. 15. But some may object and say We have Object been at the door of mercy early and late for assurance and yet we have not obtained it we have prayed and waited and we have waited and prayed we have prayed and mourned and we have 〈…〉 ed and prayed and yet we cannot get a good word from God a smile from God he hath covered himself with a cloud and after all that we have done it is still night with our souls God seems not to â—e at home he seems not to value our prayers we call and cry and shout out for assurance and Lam. 3. 8. yet he shutteth out our prayer We are sure That we have not found praying times to be times of assurance to our souls c. Now to this Objection I shall give Answ I It is better to ask and not receive then to receive and noâ— ask Clâ—m these answers first that it may be you have been more earnest and vehement for assurance and the effects of it viz. Joy comfort and peâ—ce then you have been for grace and holiness for communion with God and conformity to God it may be your requests for assurance have been full of life and spirits when your request for grace and holiness for communion with God and conformity to God have been liveness and spiritless If so no wonder that assurance is denied you Assurance makes most for your comfort but holiness makes most for Gods honor mans holiness is now his greatest happiness and in Heaven mans greatest happiness will be his perfect holiness Assurance is the daughter of Holiness and he that shall more highly prize and more earnestly press after the enjoyment of the daughter then the mother it is not a wonder if God shuts the door upon him and crosses him in the thing he most desires The surest and the shortest way to assurance is to wrastle and contend with God for holiness as the Angel contended Judg. 2. 9. with the Devil about the body of Moses When the stream and cream of a mans spirit runs after holiness it will not be long night with that man the Sun of Righteousness will shine Mal. 4. 2. forth upon that man and turn his winter into summer and crown him with the Diadem of Assurance The more holy any person is the more excellent The Jews have a saying That those seventy souls that went down to Egypt were more worth then the seventy Nations of the world he is all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt any thing is the more it is abased as if Gold and Tin be mixed and the more pure it is as meer Gold the more glorious it is Now the more divinely excellent any man is the more fit he is to enjoy the choicest and the highest favors Assurance is a Jewel of that value that he will bestow Psal 16 3. Revel 3. 18. it upon none but his excellent ones Assurance is that tried gold that none can wear but those that win it in a way of grace and holiness It may be if thou hadst minded and endeavored more after communion with God and conformity to God thou mightest before this time have looked upward and seen God in Christ smiling upon thee and have looked inward into thy own soul and seen the Spirit of Grace witnessing to thy spirit Rom 8. 15 16 17. that thou wert a Son an Heir an Heir of God and a joynt heir with Christ But thou hast minded more thy own comfort then Christs honor thou hast minded the blossoms and the fruit Assurance and Peace more then Christ the Root thou hast minded the Springs of comfort more then Christ the Fountain of life thou hast minded the beams of the Sun more then the Sun of Righteousness and therefore it is but a righteous thing with God to leave thee to walk in a valley of darkness to hide his face from thee and to seem to be as an enemy to thee But secondly I answer It may be Answ 2 thou art not yet fit for so choice a mercy thou art not able to bear so great a favor many heads are not able to bear strong-waters why the very quintessence of all the strong consolations Job 15. 11. Divine comfort is a delicate thing and it is not given to him that admits of any other of God are wrung out into this golden cup of assurance and can you drink of this cup and not stammer nor stagger Believe it assurance is meat for strong men few babes if any are able to bear it and digest it The Apostle saith That strong meat belongeth Heb. 5. 12 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that are of full age or that are comparatively perfect or full grown even those who by reason of use Greek by reason of habit which is got by continual custom and long practice have their senses exercised to discorn both good and evil The Greek word properly signifies such an exercise as wrestlers or such as contend for victory do use which is with all their might and strength being trained up unto it by long exercise It may be O complaining 1 Cor. 3. 1 2 3. Christian that thou art but a scrub a babe in grace happily thou art not yet got beyond the brest or if thou art yet thou art not past the Spoon Ah Christian if it be thus Invalidum omne natura querulum Seneca Weak spirits are ever quarrelling and contending with thee cease complaining of the want of assurance and be up and growing be more aged in gracâ— and holiness and thou shalt finde assurance growing
Sword in his hand ready to execute the vengeance written I have read I judge as in this world so in Hell the most self flattering souls will be the most miserable souls of a mad-man at Athens that laid claim to every rich ship that came into the Harbor when as he was poor and had no part in any Ah this age is full of such mad souls that lay claim to God and Christ and the Promises and Gospel Priviledges and all the glory of another world when they are poor and blinde and miserable and wretched and naked when they are Christless and Graceless c. Ah Christians doth it not therefore stand you much upon to labor for a wel-grounded Assurance that so you may not miscarry to all eternitie but may at last be found worthy to receive a Crown Matâ—h 25. 21 23. of glory and to enter into your Masters joy which is a joy too great and too glorious to enter into you and therefore you must enter into it The second Motive to provoke Motive 2. Christians to get a wel-grounded Assurance is this Consider that there be a great many soul-flatterers soul-deceivers and soul-cheaters in the world the Devil hath put his angelical Leo the Emperor used to say Occulti immici pessimâ— A close enemy is far worse then an open robes upon many of his cheif factors that they may the more easily and the more effectually deceive and delude the souls of men This age affords many sad testimonies of this Ah what multitudes be there that to some bleer-eies appear as Angels of light and yet in their principles and practises are but servants to the Prince Matth. 23. 15. of darkness laboring with all their might to make Proselytes for Hell and to draw men to those wilde notions opinions and conceits that will leave them short of Heaven yea bring them down to the hottest darkest and lowest place in Hell if God do not by a miracle prevent it therefore you had need look about you and see that you get a wel-grounded Assurance and suffer not Satan to put a cheat upon your immortal souls Christ hath foretold us That in the last days there shall arise false Matth. 24. 23 24. Christs and false Prophets that shall say Lo here is Christ and lo there is Christ Luke 4. 21. And verily this Scripture is this day fulfilled in your ears Ah how many blasphemous wretches have there been in these daies that have asserted themselves to be the very Christ and it is to me no little miracle that the very Earth hath not opened her mouth and swallowed up such monsters such firebrands of Hell The Apostle tells Ephes 4. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Cogging with a Dy. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you of some that lie in wait to deceive by such slights as cheaters and false gamesters use at Dice he tells you of cunning craftie men that do diligently watch all advantages to work draw and win weak and unstable souls to those opinions principles and practises that tend to drown them in everlasting perdition Satans disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and agents are notable methodmongers they have a method of deceiving they are Doctors in all the Arts of cousenage and they will leave no means unattempted whereby they may draw men to build upon hay 1 Cor. 3. 15. and stubble upon this opinion and that notion c. that so men and their works may burn for ever together It is reported of King Canutus that he promised to make him the highest man in England who should kill King Edmund Ironside his corrival which when one had performed and expected his reward he commanded him to be hung on the highest Tower in London So Satan and his factors they promise poor souls that such and such opinions and notions c. will thus and thus advantage them and advance them but in the close poor Valerians word was Non acerba sed blanda Not bitter but flattering words do all the mischâ—if This many have found true by woful experience souls shall finde the promised Crown turned into a halter the promised comfort turned into torment the promised glory turned into ignominy the promised exaltation turned into desolation the promised Heaven turned into a Hell This age is full of soul-flatterers of soul-undoers who like evil Chyrurgions skin over the wound but kill the patient Flattery undid Ahab and Herod and Nero and Alexander Those flatterers that told Dionysius that his Epistle was as sweet as Anastasius his Motto was Mellitum venenum blanda oratio Smooth talk often proves sweet poyson Many in these days have found it so Honey undid him and those flatterers that told Caesar that his freckles in his face were like the Stars in the Firmament ruined him And ah how many yong and old in these days have been lost and undone by those soul-flatterers that lie in wait to ensnare and deceive the souls of men Oh that this very consideration might be set home by the hand of the Spirit with that life and power upon your souls as effectually to stir and provoke you to get a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness that so you may stand fast like the house built upon the Rock in the midst of all Matth 7. 24 25. tempests and storms that nothing may unsettle you nor disquiet you and that none may take away your Crown Revel 3. 11. The third Motive to stir you up to Motive 3. get a wel-grounded assurance is this Consider that a wel-grounded assurance of your happiness and blessedness will ease you and free you of a threefold burden It will free you first from a burden of cares secondly from a burden of fears thirdly from a burden of doubts Now the burden of cares Ah Christian causes thee to sit down sighing and groaning Matth. 13. 22. ah how doth the cares of getting this and that and the cares of keeping this and that worldly content disturb and distract vex and rack the souls of men that live under the power of carking cares Oh but now assurance of better things makes the soul sing care away as that Martyr said My John Careless in a Letter to Mr. Philpot. Acts Mon. fol. 1743. soul is turned to her rest I have taken a sweet nap in Christs lap and therefore I will now sing away care and will be careless according to my name Assurance of a Kingdom of a Crown is a fire that burns up all those cares that ordinarily fill the head and distract the heart There is no way to get off the burden of cares but by getting assurance Again Assurance will free you from the burden of fears as well as from the burden of cares Now your hearts are filled with fears of possessing the Creature with fears of wanting the Creature with fears of losing the Creature c. And these fears makes many
Morning is faln from the top of Glory to the bottom of misery and therefore he strives to make all as miserable and unhappy as himself Ah Christians have not you need It is a true Maxime He findes his enemy strong at a dear rate who contemns him as weak to seek Assurance with all your might who have to do with so mightie an adversary who cares not what torments he heaps upon himself so he may prove your tormentor by keeping your souls and assurance asunder O that this very consideration might make you restless till you have got this White Stone in your bosoms The fifth Motive to provoke you to Motive 5. get a wel-grounded assurance is this Consider that a wel-grounded assurance is a Jewel of that incomparable value it is such a Pearl of price as will abundantly recompence the soul for all the cost and charge it shall be at to enjoy it I the enjoyment of Hujusmodi lucri dulcis odor The smell of this gain is sweet to many then what is assurance it self c. assurance in that hour when the soul shall sit upon thy trembling lips ready to take her leave of thee and all the world will richly recompence thee for all those prayers tears sighs and groans that thou hast breathed out in one place or another in one service or another Surely the Gold in the Mine will recompence the Digger the Crown at the end will recompence the Runner the Fruit in the Vineyard will recompence the Dresser the Corn in the Barn will recompence the Reaper and the increase of the Flock will recompence the Shepherd so Assurance at last will abundantly recompence the soul for all its knocking weeping and waiting at Mercies door God will never suffer the Seed Isai 45. 19. of Jacob to seek his face in vain There is a reward not onely in keeping Psal 19. 11. but also for keeping of his commands Joseph for his thirteen years Matth. 25. 34 to 41. Revel 3. 11 12 imprisonment had the honor to reign fourscore years like a King David for his seven years banishment had a glorious reign of forty years continuance Daniel for his lying a few hours among the Lions is made cheif President over a hundred and twenty Princes The three Children for taking a few turns in the Fiery Furnace are advanced to great dignitie and glory Ah doubting souls pray hard pull hard work hard for Assurance the pay will answer the pains Christ will sooner or later say to thee as the King of Israel said to the King of Syria I am 1 Kings 20. 4. thine and all that I have I am thine O doubting soul sayes Christ and Assurance is thine and Joy is thine my Merit is thine my Spirit is thine and my Glory is thine all I am is thine and all I have is thine O this is Alvearium Divini Mellis an Hive full of Divine Comfort O this will recompence thee for all thy wrastling and sweating to obtain Assurance Augustine in his Confessions hath this notable expression How sweet was it to me of a sudden to be without those sweet vanities and those things which I was afraid to loose with joy I let go for thou who art the true and onely sweetness didst cast out those from me and instead of them didst enter in thy self who art more delightful then all pleasure and more clear then all light Ah Christians do but hold up and hold on and assurance and joy will come and thou shalt after all thy working and waiting sit down and sing it out with old Simeon Mine eyes have seen thy Salvation my heart hath found the sweetness of Assurance and now Lord let thy servant depart in peace The sixth Motive to provoke you Motive 6. to get Assurance is this Consider what labor and pains worldlings take Scripture and Histories abounds with instances of this kinde as all know that know any thing of the one or of the other to make sure the things of this life to them and theirs Ah what riding running plotting lying swearing stabbing and poysoning is used by men of this world to make sure the poor things of this world that are but shadows and dreams and meer nothings How do many with Samson lay heap upon heap to make their Crowns and Kingdoms sure to make the tottering glory of this world sure to themselves what bloody butchers do they prove they will have the Crown though they swim to it thorow blood Men will venture life and limb to make sure these things that hops from man to man as the Bird hops from twig to twig O how should this stir and provoke us to be up and doing to labor as for life to make sure spiritual and eternal things Is Earth better then Heaven is the Matth 6. 19 20. The laborious the active Christian is tempted but by one Devil but the idle slothful Christian is tempted by all saith one It is very sad when worldlings are a reaping that Saints as to spirituals should be slumbering and sleeping glory of this World greater then the glory of the World to come Are these riches more durable then those that corrupt not that are laid up in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves doâ—not break thorow nor steal No. O then be ashamed Christians that worldlings are more studious and industrious to make sure Pibbles then you are to make sure Pearls to make sure those things that at last will be their burden their bane their plague their hell then you are to make sure those things that would be your joy and crown in life in death and in the day of your account Pambus in the Ecclesiastical History wept when he saw a Harlot dressed with much care and cost partly to see one take so much pains to go to Hell and partly because he had not been so careful to please God as she had been to please a wanton lover Ah Christians what great reason have you to sit down and weep bitterly that worldlings take so much pains to make themselves miserable and that you have taken no more pains to get assurance to get a pardon in your bosoms to get more of Christ into your hearts The seventh Motive to provoke you Motive 7. to get Assurance is To consider that Assurance will inable you to bear a burden without a burden As in Heb. 10. 34. For ye had compassion of So Moses and all those Worthies in the eleventh chapter me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Here you see that assurance of Heavenly things makes these Worthies patiently and joyfully bear a burden without a burden So the Apostles knowing that they 2 Cor. 5. 1. 6. 8 9 10 11. had a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens went thorow honor and dishonor
this and live like this nothing will make a man humble and thankful contented and chearful like this nothing will make a man more serious in Prayer nor ingenuous in praises then this nothing will make â— man more chearful and joyful then this nothing will make a man fit to live and more willing to die then this Ah Christians if ever you would act as Angels in this world get an assurance of another world then you shall be dumb no more nor dull no more but be active and lively like those whose hopes and whose hearts are in Heaven Tenthly Assurance will sweeten Christ and all the precious things of Christ to thy soul Ah how sweet is Ipse Deus sufficit ad praemium Bern. It is Heaven enough to see your interest in Christ the Person of Christ the Natures of Christ the Names of Christ the Offices of Christ the Benefits of Christ the Blood of Christ the Word of Christ the Threatnings of Christ the Spirit of Christ the Ordinances of Christ the Smiles of Christ the Kisses of Christ to an assured soul Now thy Meditations on Christ will be no more a terror nor a horror to thee nay now thy heart will be always best when you are most in pondering upon the sweetness and goodness the kindness and loveliness of the Lord Jesus Now all the Institutions and Administrations of Christ will be precious to thee upon every thing where Christ hath set his Name there thou wilt set thy heart Now thou wilt call things as Christ calls them and count things as Christ counts them that shall not be little in thy eye that is great in the eye of Christ nor that shall not be great in thy eye that is but little in the eye of Christ Assurance will also exceedingly sweeten your carriage to all that bear the Image of Christ nothing Rom. 14. Assurance is like fire very operative Si non operatur non est if it do not work it is an argument it is not at all will make men bear with those weak Saints whose light is not so clear as yours whose parts are not so strong as yours whose enjoyments are not so high as yours whose judgements are not so well informed as yours whose consciences are not so well satisfied as yours and whose lives are not so amiable as yours Assurance We are united in the same Head and Hope Eodem sanguine Christi glutinati We are cemented with the same blood of Christ as Augustine said of his friend Alypius and himself makes men of a God-like disposition easie to pardon ready to forgive abundant in goodness admirable in patience It makes men to study the good of others and joy in all opportunities wherein they may strengthen the feeble and comfort the dejected and enrich the impoverished and recover the seduced and enlarge the straitned and build up the wasted Verily the reason why men are so bitter and sowre and censorious is Because God hath not given into their bosoms this sweet flower of delight Assurance Ah were their souls fully assured that God had loved them freely and received them graciously and justified them perfectly and pardoned them absolutely and would glorifie them everlastingly They could not but love where God loves and own where God owns and embrace where God embraces and be one with every one that is one with Jesus Were there Magnes amoris est amor Love is the attractive Loadstone of love more assurance among Christians there would be more of Davids and Jonathans spirit among Christians then there is this day were there more assurance among Christians there would be more life and more love more sweetness and more tenderness were there more assurance there would be less noise less contention less division less distraction less biting and less devouring among the Saints Assurance will make the Lion and the Calf the Wolf and Isai 11. 6 7 8. the Lamb the Leopard and the Kid the Bear and the Cow lie down together and feed together Men that want assurance love their Brethren as Flies love the Pot so long as there is any meat in the Pot the Flies love it so those men will love as long as there is an external motive to draw love but when that ceases their love ceases Dionysius loved his bottles when they were full but hurled them away when they were empty so many that want assurance love the Saints while their bags are full and their houses full of the good things of this life but when they are empty then they throw them away then they cast them off as Jobs friends did him Ah but assurance will make a man love as God loves and love as long as God loves The assured Christian will not cease to love so long as the least Buds and Blossoms of Grace appears Lazarus in his rags is as lovely to an assured Christian as Solomon in his robes Job is as delightful to him upon the dung-hil as David is upon his throne It is not the outward pomp and bravery but the inward beauty and glory of Saints that takes the assured Christian The last Motive to provoke you to Motive 11. get a wel-grounded assurance of your Everlasting Happiness is this Consider that as there is a great deal of counterfeit knowledge counterfeit faith counterfeit love counterfeit repentance c. in the world so there is a great deal of counterfeit assurance in the world Many there be that talk high and look big and bear it out bravely that they are thus and thus and that they have such and such glorious assurance whereas when their assurance comes to be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary it is found too light and when it comes to withstand temptations it is found too weak and when it should put the soul upon Divine action it is found to be but a lazy presumption Shall the counterfeit gold that is in the world make men active and diligent to get that which is currant and that will abide the Touchstone and the Fire and shall not that counterfeit assurance that is in the world provoke your hearts to be so much the more careful and active to get such a wel-grounded assurance that God accounts as currant and that will abide his Touchstone in the day of discovery and that will keep a man from shame and blushing when the Thrones shall be set and the Books shall be opened I have been the longer upon these Motives to provoke your souls to get a wel-grounded assurance because it is of an eternal concernment to you and a work to which mens he arts are too backward though assurance carries a reward in its own bosom yet few look out after it though the pains of getting it be nothing to the profit that accompanies it yet few will sweat to gain it If the inducements laid down will not awaken and provoke you to be restless till you have got the White stone and New
is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal life 2 Pet. 1. 3. According as his Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue What this Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation I shall shew you anon Secondly Faith is another of those special things that accompanies Salvation 1 Thes 2. 13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation thorow sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 1 Pet. 1. 5. You Vide Parcus Esteum Gerhardum on the Text. who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation Vers 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls Heb. 10. 30. But we are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the soul John 3 14 15 16. Mark 16. 16. Acts 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9. Isa 45. 22. Phil. 2. 8. Joh 11. 25 26. 1 John 5. 10. All â—hese and many more Scriptures speaks out the same truth This dâ—uble asseveration or protestation is used onely in matters of weâ—ght and unhappy are we â—hat we cannot believe without them And as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness even so must the Son of Man be lifted up that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life 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 Vers 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life Chap. 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you he that heareth my Word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Chap. 6. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth he Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Vers 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hath everlasting life Thirdly Repentance is another of those choice things that accompanies salvation 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sorrow The very word repâ—nt was very displeasing to Luther till his conversion but afterward he took delight in the work Paehitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet Luth to sorrow for his sin and then rejoyce in his sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jere. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Matth. 18. 3. And Jesus said verily I say unto you except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Fourthly Obedience is another of those precious things that accompanies salvation Heb. 5. 9. And being Vide B. Dewâ—h of Justification 17. c. 7. made perfect speaking of Christ he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Psal 50. 23. whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I declare the Salvation of God Fifthly Love is another of those singular things that accompanies salvation Deus nihil corenat nisi dona sui August When God câ—ownâ—th us he doth but crown hâ—s own gifts in us 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing James 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren haâ—h not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is written eie hath not seen nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that indureth temptation for when The word Crown notes to us the perpetuity of that life the Apostle speaks of for a Crown hath neither beginning nor ending 2. It notes plenty the Crown fetches a compasse on every side 3. It notes dignity it notes majesty Eternal life is a coronation day It notes all joys all delights in a word it notes all good it notes all glory he is tryed he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Matth. 19. 28 29. And Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that yee which have followed me in the regeneration When the Son of Man shall sit in the Throne of his glory yee shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel And every one that hath forsaken houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life The whole is as if Christ had said whosoever shall shew love to mee this way or that in one thing or another out of respect to my Name to my Honor mercy shall bee his portion here and glory shall bee his portion hereafter Sixthly Prayer is another of those sweet things that accompanies salvation Rom. 10. 10. 13. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Act. 2. 21. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved That is saith one hee shall be certainly sealed up to salvation Or as another saith he that hath this grace of Prayer it is an evident sign and assurance to him that he shall be saved Therefore to have grace to pray is a better and a greater mercy then to have gifts to prophesie Matth. 7. 22. Praying souls shall finde the gates of heaven open to them when prophecying souls shall find them shut against them Seventhly and lastly Perseverance is another of those prime things that accompanies salvation Matth. 10. 22. And yee shall be hated of all men for my name sake but he that indureth to the end the same shall be saved Chap. 24. 12 13. And because iniquity shal abound the love The same words you have in Mark 13. 13. of many shal wax cold but he that indureth unto the end the same shal be saved Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of
Christian will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preach forth the vertues of Christ in an imitable practise and till then a man under all other knowledge will remain an incarnate Devil When a beam of Divine Light shined from Heaven upon Paul Ah how did it Acts 9. 3 c. Divine light layes upon a man Felix necessitas a happy necessity of obeying God c. change and metomorphise him how did it alter and transform him it made his rebellious soul obedient Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do God bids him arise and go into the City and it should be told him what he should do and he obeyes the Heavenly vision Chap. 26. 19. Divine light makes this Lion a Lamb this Persecutor a Preacher this Destroyer of the Saints a Builder up of the Saints this Tormentor a Comforter this Monster an Angel this Notorious Blasphemer a very great admirer of God and the actings of his Free-grace as you may see by comparing the nineth and twenty sixt Chapters of the Acts together So when a spark of this Heavenly fire fell upon the heart of Mary Magdalen Luke 7. O what a change what a turn doth it make in her now she loves much and believes much and repents much and weeps much O what a change did Divine light make in Zacheus and in the Jailor Verily if thy light thy knowledge doth not better thee if it doth not change and transform thee if under all thy light and knowledge thou remainest as vile and base as ever thy light thy knowledge thy notions thy speculations will be like to fire not on the Hearth but in the Room that will burn the House and the Inhabitant too it will be like mettle in a blinde horse that serves for nothing but to break the neck of the rider That knowledge that is not a transforming knowledge will torment a man at last more then all the Devils in Hell it will be a Sword to cut him a Rod to lash him a Serpent to bite him a Scorpion to sting him and a Vulture a Worm eternally gnawing him When Tamberlain was in his wars one having found and digged up a great pot of Gold brought it to him Tamberlain asked whether it had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp and not his Fathers he would not own it So God at last will own no knowledge but that which leaves the stamp of Christ the print of Christ the image of Christ upon the heart But that which changes and transforms the soul that makes a man a new man another man then what he was before Divine light shined upon him Thirdly That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is experimental Knowledge it is knowledge that springs from a spiritual sense and taste of holy and heavenly things Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loves is better then wine The Spouse had experienced the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By loves his plural loves she means all the fruits of his love viz. Righteousness Holiness Joy Peace Assurance c. sweetness of Christs loves his loves sayes she is better then wine Though wine is an excellent creature a useful creature a comfortable and delightful creature a reviving and restorative creature and this draws out her heart and makes her insatiable in longing and very earnest in courting not a kiss but kisses not a little but much of Christ Her knowledge being experimental she is impatient and restless till she was drawn into the nearest and highest communion and fellowship with Christ So in Verse 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my wel-beloved Psal 45. 8. Prov. 7. 17. So Plin. l. 12. c. 15 16 c. unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my brests Myrrhe is marvellous sweet and savory so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse I have found Jesus Christ to be marvellous sweet and savory to my soul Myrrhe is bitter Every good man hath in him two men Rom 7. 15 ult Gal. 5. 17. to the taste though it be sweet to the smâ—ll so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse I have found him to be bitter and bloody to the old man to the ignoble and worser part of man And I have found him to be sweet and lovely to the New Man to the Regenerate Man to the noble part of man I have found him to be a bitter and a bloody enemy to my sins and at the same time to be a sweet and precious friend unto my soul Myrrhe is of a preserving nature it is hot and dry in the second degree as the Naturalists observe so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse O I have found the Lord Jesus Austin thanks God that his heart and the temptation did not meet together preserving my soul from closing with such and such temptations and from falling under the power of such and such corruptions and from fainting under such and such afflictions c. Considerable to the same purpose is that of Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgeme 〈…〉 The Greek word that is here rendr 〈…〉 â—udgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sense The soul hath her senses as well as the body and they must be exercised Heb 5. 14. properly signifies sense not a corporal but a spiritual sense and taste an inward experimental knowledge of holy and heavenly things The Apostle well knew that all notional and speculative knowledge would leave men on this side Heaven and therefore he earnestly prayes that their knowledge might be experimental that being the knowledge that accompanies What is the Schollers knowledge of the strength riches glories and sweetnesses of far Countries obrained by Maps and Books to their knowledge that daily see and enjoy those things salvation that will give a man at last a possession of salvation Verily that knowledge that is onely notional speculative and general that is gathered out of books discourses and other outward advantages is such a knowledge that will make men sit down on this side salvation as it did Judas Demas the Scribes and Pharisees c. Christ will at last shut the doore of hope of help of consolation and salvation upon all those that know much of him notionally but nothing feelingly as you may see in his shutting the door of happinesse against the foolish Virgins Matth. 25. and against Surgunt in docti rapiuâ—t coelum Nos cum doctrinis detrudimur in Geheunam Aus those forward Professors Preachers and workers of Miracles Mat. 7. who had much speculative knowledge but no experimental knowledge who had much outward general knowledge of Christ but no spiritual inward acquaintance with Christ A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation will from his experience tell you That sin is the Rom. 7. greatest evill in the world
of things not seen Faith makes absent glory present absent riches present absent pleasures present absent favors present Faith brings an invisible God and sets him before the soul Moses by Faith saw him that was invisible Faith brings down the recompence of reward and sets it really though spiritually before the soul Faith sets Divine favor before the soul it sets peace it sets pardon of sin it sets the Righteousness of Christ it sets the Joy of Heaven it sets Salvation before the soul it makes all these things very near and obvious to the soul Faith is the evidence of things not seen Faith makes invisible things visible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Index or clear conviction by disputation absent things present things that are afar off to be very near unto the soul By convincing Demonstrations by Arguments and Reasons drawn from the Word as the Greek word signifies 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To look with a diligent eye as men do at the mark whereat they shoot things which are seen but at the things which are not seen For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Faith trades in invisible things in eternal things its eye is always upwards like the Fish called by Galen Urano Scopos that hath but one eye and yet looks continually up to Heaven Faith Heb 6. 19. Rom. 8. 18. Heb. 10. 34. Acts 7. 55 56. An adopted Heir to a Crown cannot but have his heart at Court his minde and thoughts will be upon his future glorious condition He will be still a creating Idea's and Images of it enters within the vail and fixes her eye upon those glorious things of eternity that are so many that they exceed number so great that they exceed measure so precious that they are above all estimation Sayes Faith the spangled Firmament is but the Footstool of my Fathers house and if the Foot-stool the outside be so glorious O how glorious is his Throne Verily in Heaven there is that life that cannot be expressed that light that cannot be comprehended that joy that cannot be fadomed that sweetness that cannot be dissipated that feast that cannot be consumed and upon these Pearls of glory I look and live sayes Faith And thus I have shewed you the choice and precious objects about which that Faith is exercised that accompanies Salvation I shall now in the next place shew you the Properties of that Faith that accompanies Salvation and they are these that follow The first Property of that Faith Quid est igitur fides Opinior fideliter hominem Christi creder◠i. e. Fidelem esse boc est fideliter Dei mandata servare saith one that accompanies Salvation is this It puts forth it self into vital operations it makes a man full of life and activity for God it will make a man diligent and venturous in the work and wayes of God Faith is a most active quality in it self and so it makes a Christian most active it is a doing thing and it makes the person doing Faith will not suffer the soul to be idle Faith is like the vertuous Woman in the last of the Proverbs who put her hand to every work who would suffer none of her Hand-maids to be idle Faith puts the soul upon grieving for Zach. 12. 10. sin upon combating with sin upon weeping over sin upon trembling at the occasions of sin upon resisting temptations that leads to sin upon fighting it out to the death with sin Faith puts a man upon walking with The eleventh of the Hebrews is a full proof of these things Gal. 2. 20. God upon waiting on God upon working for God upon wrastling with God upon bearing for God and upon parting with any thing for God Faith makes Religious duties to be easie to the soul to be delightful to the soul to be profitable to the soul Faith makes the soul to be serious and conscientious in doing to be careful faithful in doing to be delightful chearful in doing to be diligent and faithful in doing Jam. 2. 17. to the end Faith looks to precepts as well as to promises Psal 119. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments That faith that is not a working faith is no faith that faith that is not a working faith is a dead faith that faith that is not a working faith is a deluding faith that faith that is not a working faith is a worthless faith that faith that is not a working faith will leave a man short of Heaven and happiness in the latter day Faith that accompanies Salvation is better at doing then at thinking at obeying then at disputing at walking then at talking Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works Faith will make a man endeavor to be good yea to be best at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to bend their wits and beat their brains to maintain good works every thing he undertakes It is not leaves but fruit not words but works that God expects and if we cross his expectation we frustrate our own Salvation we further our own condemnation Faith makes the soul Isa 65 24. Gen. 4 4. 1 Pet. 3. 11. Cant. 2. 14. Luther prefers the meanest work of a Country Christian or poor Maid above all the victories and triumphs of Alexander and of Julius Caesar Matth. 27. ult Isa 41. 10 11. Heb. 13 5 6. Ezek. 36. 26 27 c. much in doing abundant in working and that partly by perswading the soul that all its works all its duties and services shall be owned and accepted of God as in Isa 56. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyful in my House of prayer Their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine Altar for mine House shall be called an House of prayer for all people Faith assures the soul that every prayer every sigh every groan every tear is accepted And this makes the soul pray much and sign much and mourn much Again Faith spreads the promises of Divine assistance before the soul O sayes Faith here O soul is assistance suitable to the work required And this makes a man work as for life it makes a man work and sweat and sweat and work Again Faith sets the Recompence the Reward before the soul O Heb. 11. 25 26. One good work of a Christian is more precious then Heaven and Earth saith Luther sayes Faith Look here soul here is a great reward for a little work here is great wages for weak and imperfect services here is an infinite reward
was the great sin of Israel but after their return out of captivity they never set up Idols more but were wonderful zealous to keep their Temple from such defilements both in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and of the Romans and do accunt them as a menstruous cloth to this very day iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin When he maketh all the stones of the Altar as Chalk stones that are beaten in sunder the groves and images shall not stand up Here you see when God appears and acts graciously for and towards his people they put the hand of Repentance upon their Groves and Images these must down these must no longer stand The Groves and the Images shall not stand up they shall be utterly abandoned and destroyed demolished and abolished So in Isa 30. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver and the ornament of thy molten Images of Gold Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth thou shalt say unto it Get thee hence Here you see the hand of Repentance is against their Idols of Silver and Gold and not onely against their Idols but also against whatsoever had any relation to them Now they shew nothing but a detestation of their Idols and a holy indignation against them Get you The Jews were willing in the Romans time rather to die then to suffer the Eagle the Imperial Arms to be set up in the Temple hence The hand of Repentance makes a divorce between them and their Idols between their Souls and their especial Sins Now they are as much in hating abhorring abominating and contemning their Idols and Images as they were formerly in adoring worshipping and honoring of them So Mary Magdalen in the seventh of Luke walks quite cross and contrary to her former self her sinful self she crosses the flesh in those very things wherein formerly she did gratifie the flesh So the penitent Jailor in that sixteenth of the Acts washes those very wounds that his own bloody hands had made He acts in wayes of mercy quite contrary to his former cruelty At first there was none so fierce so furious so cruel so bloody so inhumane in his carriage to the Apostles at last none so gentle so soft so sweet so curteous so affectionate to them The same you may see in Zacheus in the nineteenth of Luke In Paul Acts the ninth and in Manasse in that of the second of Chronicles chap. 33. 6. Fifthly That Repentance that accompanies Salvation is very large and comprehensive it comprehends and takes in these following particulars besides those already named 1. It takes in a sight and sense of sin Men must first see their sins they must be sensible of their sins before they can repent of their sins Ephraim had first a sight of his sin and then he repents and turns from his sin After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh Jer. 31. 18 19. A man first sees himself It was so with Paul who thought himsâ—lf in as good a way for Heaven as any Acts 9. and 26. compared out of the way before he returns into the way till he sees that he is out of the way he walks still on but when he perceives that he is out of the way then he begins to make inquiry after the right way So when the sinner comes to see his way to be a way of death then he cryes out O lead me in the way of life lead me in the way everlasting Psal 139. 24. 2. For I shall but touch upon these things That Repentance that accompanies Salvation doth include not onely a sight and sense of sin but also confession and acknowledgment Act 19. 18. Confessio peccati est vomitus sordium animâ— Aug. of sin Psal 51. 32. 3 4 5. While I kept close my sin my bones consumed but I said I will confess my sin and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Job 33. 21 27. The promise of remission is made to confession 1 John 1. 9. If we Non dico ut confitearis conservo tuo peccata tuâ— diceto Deo qui curet ca. Chrys in Psa 50. confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins So Prov. 28. 13. He that hideth his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh it shall finde mercy If we confess our sins sincerely seriously humbly cordially pardon attend us Homo agnoscit Deus ignoscit Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin or all is lost God is lost Christ is lost Heaven lost and the Soul lost for ever The true Penitent can say with Vivaldus I hide not my sins but I shew them I wipe them not away but I sprinkle them I do not excuse them but I accuse them Peccata enim non nocent si non placent My sins hurt me not if I like them not The beginning of my Salvation is the knowledge of my transgression 3. That Repentance that accompanies Salvation doth include not onely confession of sin but also contrition Jer. 13. 17. Joel 2. 13. David cryes not perii but peecavi not I am undone but I have done foolishly Basil wept when he saw the Rose because it brought to his minde the first sin from whence it had the prickles which it had not while man continued in innocence as he thought You know how to apply it for sin Psal 51. 4. 1 Sam. 7. 2. Zach. 12. 10 11. Ezra 10. 1 2. 2 Cor. 7. 11 c. It breaks the heart with sighs sobs and groans for that a loving Father is offended a blessed Saviour crucified and the sweet Comforter grieved Penitent Mary Magdalen weeps much as well as loves much Luke 7. Tears instead of gems were the ornaments of Penitent Davids Bed and surely that sweet Singer never sung more melodiously then when his heart was broken most penitentially How shall God wipe away my tears in Heaven if I shed none in Earth And how shall I reap in joy if I sow not in tears I was born with tears and shall die with tears why should I then live without them in this valley of tears saith the true Penitent The sweetest joys are from the sourest tears Penitent tears are the breeders of spiritual joy When Hannah had wept she 1 Sam. 1. 18. went away and was no more sad The True Repentance is a sorrowing for sin as it is Offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo Bee gathers the best Honey of the bitterest Herbs Christ made the best Wine of Water the strongest the purest the truest the most permanent and the most excellent joy is Peters was for sin Judas his for punishment Peter grieves because Christ was grieved Judas grieved because he should be damned Psal 42. 5. made of the Waters of Repentance If God be God they that sow in tears shall reap in joy But that no mourner may drown
deliver me from my Bonds but O Rom. 7. 23. wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from my sins from this body of death David cryes not Perii but Peccavi Psal 51. Not I am undone but I have done foolishly But wicked men strive in Prayer more to get off their chains then to get off their sins more to be delivered from enemies without then lusts within more to get out of the Furnace then to be delivered from their Spiritual Bondage as the Scriptures Psal 78. 34. Zach. 7. 5 6 7. Isai 26. 16 17. in the Margent do evidence Thirdly The Stream and Cream of a gracious Mans spirit runs most out in Prayer after Spiritual and Heavenly Psal 4. 6 7. 27 4. things as is abundantly evident by those Prayers of the Saints that are upon record throughout the Scripture But the Stream and Cream of vain mens spirits in Prayer runs most out after poor low carnal things as you may see in comparing the following Scriptures together Hos 7. 14. Zach. 7. 5 6 7. Jam. 4. 3 c. Fourthly A gracious Soul looks and lives more upon God in Prayer then upon his Prayer He knows though Prayer be his Chariot yet Christ is his food Prayer may be a staff to support him but Christ is that Manna that must nourish him and upon him he looks and lives Psal 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee or Martial and set in order my Prayer as it is in the Hebrew and will look up or look out as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Pihil as a watchman looks out to dâ—scover the approaches of an enemy But vain men they live and look more upon their Prayers then they do upon God Nay usually they never look after their Prayers they never observe what returns they have from Heaven they are like those that shoot Arrows but do not minde where they fall Wicked men think it is Religion enough for them to pray and to look after their prayers to see how their prayers speed is no Article of their Faith But a gracious Soul is of a more noble spirit when he hath prayed he will stand upon his watch-tower and observe what God will speak Psal 85. 8. I will hear that God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints But let them not return to folly or as the Hebrew may be read And they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will lissen and lay my obedient ear to what the Lord shall speak not return to folly Veal iashubu le Chislah Wicked men would have God to be all ear to hear what they desire when themselves have never an ear to hear what he speaks But deaf ears shall always be attended with dumb answers Justice always makes mercy dumb when sin hath made the sinner deaf Fifthly No discouragements can take gracious Souls off from Prayer but the least discouragements will Aristotle though a Heathen could say That in some cases a man had better lose his life then be cowardly Ethic. 3. c. 1. take off carnal hearts from Prayer as you may see in the following Scriptures compared together Psal 40. 1 2. 44. 10-23 Matth. 15. 21-29 Mal. 3. 14. Isai 58. 1 2 3. Amos 8. 3 4 5 c. When one of the Ancient Martyrs was terrified with the threatnings of his persecutors he replied There is nothing saith he of things visible nothing of things invisible that I fear I will stand to my profession of the name of Christ and contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints come on it what will It is neither the hope of life nor the fear of death that can take a real Christian off from Prayer He is rather raised then dejected he is rather quickned then discouraged by delays or denials he will hold up and hold on in a way and course of Prayer though men should rage and Lyons roar and the Furnace be heat seven times hotter c. But it is not so with carnal hearts Job 27 9 10. Sixthly When a gracious man In his course his heart is in his Prayer he findes by experience that the heart is the Primum mobile the great wheel that moves all other wheels It is the chief Monarch in the Isle of Man prayes he hath his heart in his Prayer when he falls upon the work he makes heart-work on it So David in Psal 42. 4. When I remember these things I pour out my heart So Hannah in 1 Sam. 1. 15. I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit saith she and have poured out my soul before the Lord. So the Israelites in 1 Sam. 7. 6. Poured out their souls like water before the Lord. So the Church in Isa 26. 8 9. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Gracious Souls know The voice of God is Da Mihi cor that no Prayer is acknowledged accepted and rewarded by God but that wherein the heart is sincerely and wholly It is not a piece it is not a corner of the heart that will satisfie the Maker of the heart The true Mother would not have the childe divided As God loves a broken and a contrite heart so he loaths a divided heart God neither loves halting nor halving he will be served truly and totally The Royal Law is Thou shalt The heart as a Prince gives Laws to all other Members The Heart is Christs Bed of Spices it is his Presence Chamber it is his Royal Throne it is one of those four Keys that God keeps under his own girdle love and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Among the Heathens when the Beasts were cut up for Sacrifice the first thing the Priest looked upon was the heart and if the heart was naught the Sacrifice was rejected Verily God rejects all those Sacrifices wherein the Heart is not Now wicked men are heartless in all their Services in all their Prayers as you may see in comparing the following Scriptures together I shall not transcribe the words because I must cut short the work Isai 29. 13. Matth. 15. 7 8 9. Ezek. 33. 30 31 32. Zach. 7. 4 5 6. 2 Chro. 25. 1 2. As the body without the soul is dead so Prayer Prayer without the heart is but an empty ring a tinckling symbal without the heart be in it is but dead Prayer in the eye and account of God Prayer is onely lovely and weighty as the heatt is in it and no otherwise It is not the lifting up of the voice nor the wringing of the hands nor the beating of the brests but the stirrings of the heart that God looks at in Prayer God hears no more then the
c. is taken by a Metonimy for the things hoped for viz. All that glory and felicity that blessedness and happiness that is laid up for us in Heaven So in Heb. 6. 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Hope here is put for the object of Hope viz. Heaven and Happiness Hope layes such fast hold as the Greek word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies upon Heaven and Happiness that none shall ever be able to take those precious things out of Hopes hand So Hope is put for the glorious things hoped for Ephes 1. 18. And thus you see those precious and glorious objects about which that Hope that accompanies Salvation is exercised Thirdly That Hope that accompanies Salvation that comprehends Salvation that borders upon Salvation is grounded upon the firmest foundations to wit the Promises of God as hath Psal 40. 4. Prov. 10. 28. been fully shewed before and it is built upon the Free-grace of God 1 Pet. 1. 13. It is built upon the infinite and glorious power of God Rom. 4. 21. It is built upon the truth and faithfulness of God 2 Tim. 2. 13. These precious and glorious Foundations do bear up the hopes of the Saints as the three Pillars bore up the hangings in the Tabernacle A Believers hope is founded upon the Love of Christ the Blood of Christ the Righteousness of Christ the Satisfaction of Christ and the Intercession of Christ c. But the hopes of Hypocrites and wicked men are always built upon weak slender and sandy foundations sometimes they build their hopes upon their outward profession upon their Lamps though Matth. 25. 3. they are empty Lamps and sometimes upon their duties and services as Isai 58 1 2 3. Matth. 6. Every false principle in Religion is a Reed of Egypt that will certainly deceive souls at last therefore take heed of leaning upon any of those Reeds the Jews Scribes and Pharisees did and sometimes upon their outward priviledges crying out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and sometimes they build their hopes upon others good opinion of them and sometimes upon flashes of joy and sometimes upon enlargements in duties and sometimes upon the heat and vigor of their spirits in Religious services c. And all these are but sandy foundations and they that build their hope upon them will certainly fall and great will be their fall The hopes of the Saints are built upon the surest and the strongest foundations It was a good saying of one of the Ancients I Bernard Sâ—rm 3. de fragm Sept. Miser consider saith he three things in which all my hope consisteth to wit 1. Gods love in my Adoption 2. The truth of his Promise And 3. his power of performance Therefore let my foolish cogitation murmur as long as it list saying Who art thou or what is that glory or by what merits dost thou hope to attain it For I can answer with sure confidence I know 2 Tim. 1. 12. on whom I have believed And I am certain First That in his love he adopted me Secondly That he is true in his promise And thirdly That he is able to perform it This is the threefold cord which is not easily broken Fourthly That Hope that accompanies Salvation that borders upon Salvation that comprehends Salvation that brings Salvation may be known from all false hopes by the excellent properties of it and they are these that follow The first property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It Matth 6. 20 21. Phil 3. 20 Col 3. 1. Mark wicked mens hopes never raise them as high as Heaven under all their hopes they are as very enemies and as great strangers to God Christ and Heaven as ever elevates and raises the heart to live above where its treasure is This Hope is from above and it makes the heart to live above it is a spark of glory and it leads the heart to live in glory Divine hope carries a man to Heaven for life to quicken him and for wisdom to direct him and for power to uphold him and for righteousness to justifie him and for holiness to sanctifie him and for mercy to forgive him and for assurance to rejoyce him and for happiness to crown him Divine hope takes in the pleasures of Heaven before hand it lives in the joyful expectation of them it fancies to it self as I may say the pleasures and joyes of eternity and lives in a sweet anticipation of what it possesseth by Faith Hopes richest treasures and choicest friends and chiefest delights and sweetest contents are in the Country above and therefore Hope loves best to live there most A second property of that Hope that accompanies Salvation is this It will strengthen the Soul against all afflictions oppositions and temptations Dan. 3. 57. Psal 4. 6 7. Heb. 10 34. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. 1 Thes 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Look as the Helmet defends and secures the head so doth Hope defend and secure the heart Hope is a Helmet that keeps off all darts that Satan or the world casts at the Soul The hopes of heavenly riches made It was a wicked and hopeless Cardinal that said He would not leave his part in Paris for a part in Paradise those worthies in that eleventh of the Hebrews to despise the riches of this world The hopes they had of a heavenly Countrey made them willing to leave their own Countrey and to live in the very Land of Promise as in a strange Countrey The hopes they had of possessing at last a house not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens made them willingly and cheerfully to live in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the Earth The hopes they had of a glorious Resurrection made them couragiously to withstand the strongest temptations c. A Saints hope will out-live Rom. 5. 2 3 4 5. Some are verily perswaded that the want of this Divine hope hath been the reason that many among the Heathen have laid violent hands upon themselves See Plutarch in Caesar and Catoes lives Heb. 11. 10 14 16 25 32 compared all fears and cares all tryals and troubles all afflictions and temptations Saints have much in hope though little in hand they have much in reversion though but little in possession they have much in the promise though but little in the purse A Saint can truly say Spero meliora my hopes are better then my possessions Hope can see Heaven through the thickest clouds Hope can see light through darkness life through death smiles through frowns and glory through misery Hope holds life and soul together it holds Christ and the Soul together it holds the Soul and the Promises together it holds the Soul and Heaven together
presumption that works men to play with sin to be bold with sin to make light of sin to walk on in wayes of sin Such Assurance will never bring a man to Heaven it will never keep him from dropping into Hell yea it will double his damnation and make him the most miserable among all damned miserable forlorn spirits Ah Lord from This made Auselm say That he had rather be thrust into Hell without sin then go into Heaven with sin such an assurance deliver my Soul and give me more and more of that Divine Assurance that makes sin to be more hateful then Hell and that makes the Soul to be more careful to avoid the one then it is fearful of falling into the other Seventhly A wel-grounded Assurance is alwayes attended with three fair Handmaids or with three sweet Companions The first is Love O! the Assurance 1. Handmaid of Divine Favor doth mightily inflame a mans love to Christ Mary Magdalen Luke 7. loved much Christs love to her drew out her love very much to Christ Assurance makes the Soul sing it out with that sweet Singer of Israel I will dearly love thee O Lord my Psal 18. 1. strength Lovers know not how to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To love intimately and dearly as a tender mother loves the fruit of her womb keep silence lovers of Christ are full of gracious expressions Magnes amor is est amor Love is the attractive Loadstone of love It is impossible for a Soul not to love Christ that knows he is beloved of Christ Christs love constrains the Soul to love not by forcible but loving necessity Praxiteles exquisitly drew Love taking the pattern from that Passion which he felt in his own heart A Believer cannot finde the heart of Christ to be beating towards him but his heart will strongly beat towards Christ Divine love is like a rod of myrtle which as Pliny reports makes the Traveller that carries it in his hand that he shall never be faint or weary of walking or loving Love alone over-powereth all power Love is the Diadem none but the Queen must wear it Love is the Wedding Garment none but the Spouse can fit it Love is a Loadstone to draw as well as a fire to warm he that doth not love Christ was never assured of the love of Christ The second Handmaid or Companion 2. Handmaid that attends a wel-grounded Assurance is Humility David under Assurance Psal 22. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hebrew word Tolagnah that is here rendred Worm signifies a very little worm which a man can hardly see or perceive cryes out I am a worm and no man Abraham under Assurance cryes out that he is but dust and ashes Jacob under Assurance crves out that he was less then the least of all mercies Job under Assurance abhors himself in dust and ashes Moses had the honor and the happiness to speak with God face to face he was very much in Gods books in Gods favor and yet a more humble Soul the earth did never bear The great Apostle Paul under all the revelations and glorious manifestations of God to him counts himself less then the least of all Saints Ephe. 3. 8. That is Presumption that is a delusion of the Devil and no sound Assurance that puffs and swels the Souls of men that makes men prize themselves above the market above the value that God hath put upon them The third Handmaid or Companion 3. Handmaid that attends Assurance is holy Joy Ah this Assurance causes the strong waters of Consolation to overflow the Soule Assurance raises the strongest joyes in the Soul Luk. 1. 46 47. And Mary said My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour When a man comes to be assured that God is his Savior presently his Spirit rejoyces in God this truth is held forth by three Parables in that of Luk. 15. So in that of 1 Pet. 1. 8 9. Whom having not seen ye love in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dance and leap for joy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorified already they have heavens happinesse before hand whom though now ye see him not yet bebeleeving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls O the Joy the Joy the inexpressible Joy that attends a wel-grounded Assurance Assurance raises a Paradise of delight in the soul In quibus operamur in ill is gaudemus saith Tertull. In what things or persons we act in those things we rejoyce a Christian under the power of Assurance works all his works in Christ in him therefore and in him alone he rejoyceth Eightly and lastly A wel-grounded Assurance sometimes springs from the Testimony and Witnesse of the Spirit of God The Spirit sometimes witnesses to a Beleevers spirit that he is born of God that he is beloved of God that he hath union and communion with God that he shal reign for ever with God Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That same spirit The Spirits work is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to witnesse together with our Spirit that is to confirme and ratifie what ou◠spirits have asserted concerning our Adoption c. spirit that we are the children of God The Spirit it self witnesseth not onely the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self witnesseth together with our own spirit that we are the children of God Sometimes the Saints have two Witnesses joyning their testimonies together to confirm and establish them in these blessed and glorious Truths that they are the Sons of God and Heirs of Glory And this is their honor as well as their comfort that the blessed Spirit should bear witness at the bar of their Consciences that they are the Sons of God 1 Cor. God sometimes assures his people of heaven aforehand 2. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God That is that we may know our Election Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification A man may receive many things that are freely given of God and yet not know them till the Spirit comes and makes them known to the soul Quest But you may say to me how shall wee know the whispering of the holy Spirit from the hissing of the old Serpent how shall we know the report the witnesse and testimony of the Spirit of Christ from that report witnesle and testimony that the old Serpent deludes and deceives many by in these daies wherein he mostly appears in his Angelicall Robes I Answer you may know the whispering Answ of the Spirit from the hissing of the old Serpent c. by these following things which I desire that you