strength of love of ours it is his own free grace and love which is shed by the holy Ghost and springs only from his own goodnesse and loving nature and not from us at all this is Grace It must be distinguished from the fruits of it as the Apostle doth distinguish them Rom. 5. 15. Grace and the gifts of grace There is favour and the gifts of favour which is grace inherent in us Here especially is meant the fountaine and spring of all the favour of God with the manifestation of it with the increase of it with the continuance of it He wisheth these things the favour of God with the manifestation of it to their souls that as God would be gracious to them so that he would shew his Grace that he would discover it and shine upon them and to that end that he would give them his holy Spirit to shed his love into their hearts This shining of God into the heart this shedding of the love of God into the heart is the Grace here meant Gods favour with the manifestation of it to the soul and with the continuance of it and the increase of it still Grace unto you As if he should have said I wish you the favour of God and the report of it to your souls that as he loves you through his Christ so he would witnesse as much by his holy Spirit to your souls And I wish you likewise the continuance of it and the increase of it and the fruits of it likewise for that must not be excluded all particular graces which are likewise called Graces They have the name of favours because they come from favour and favour is the chief thing in them What is the chief thing in joy in faith in love they are graces they cannot be considered as qualifications as earthly things in us they proceed from the grace and love of God and have their especial value from thence So I wish you the manifestation the continuance and increase of favour with all the fruits of Gods favour especially such as concern a better life The word is easily understood after the common sence Grace is the loving and free respect of a superiour to an inferiour the respect of a Magistrate to such as are under him such a one is in grace with the Prince we say we mean not any inherent thing but free grace So in Religion it is not any inherent habitual thing Grace but it is free favour and whatsoever issues from free favour This must be the rather observed this phrase against the Papists we say we are Justified by Grace and so do they what do they mean by being justified by Grace that is by inherent Grace we say No we are justified by Grace that is by the free favour of God in Jesus Christ so is the acception of the word But to come to the point that which I will now note is this that A Christian though he be in the state of Grace and favour with God yet still he needs the continuance of it He stands in need of the continuance of God St. Paul here prayes for Grace and peace to those that were in the state of Grace already Why The reason of it is that we run into new breaches every day of our selves as long as there is a spring of corruption in us a cursed issue of corruption so long there will be some actions and speeches and thoughts that will issue that would of themselves break our peace with God or at least hinder the sweet sence of it therefore we have continual occasion to renew our desires of the sence and feeling of the favour of God and to renew our pardon every day to take out a pardon of course as we have now the liberty to do so oft as we confesse our sins he is mercifull to forgive us and to win his favour we have need every day still still of Grace I list not to joyn in conflict here with the Papists concerning their opinion I will but touch it by the way to shew the danger of it They will not have all of meer Grace but Christians are under Grace while they are in this World as St. Paul saith all is Grace Grace still nay at the day of judgement The Lord shew mercy to the house of One siphorus at that day at the day of judgement Grace and mercy must be our plea till we come to heaven They stand upon Grace to enable us to the work and then by the work we may merit our own salvation and so they will not have it of Grace of gift but as a stipend a thing of merite Directly contrary to St. Paul Rom. 6. ult Eternal life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word comes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of gift The gift of God a free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. So from the first Grace to Eternall life which is the complement of all all is Grace As for the New Testament it is the Covenant of Grace the whole carriage of our salvation is called the Covenant of Grace because God of Grace doth enter into Covenant with us He sent Christ of Grace who is the foundation of the Covenant The fulfilling of it on our part is of Grace he gives us faith Faith is the gift of God he puts his fear in our hearts that we should not depart from him And when he enters into Covenant with us it is of Grace and love It was of Grace that he sent Christ to be the foundation of the Covenant that in the satisfying of his justice he might be gracious to us without disparagement to his justice Of Grace he fulfils the condition on our part we are no more able to believe then we are to fulfil the law but he inables us by his word and spirit attending upon the meanes of Salvation to fulfil the Covenant And when we have done all he gives us of Grace Eternal life all is of Grace There is nothing in the Gospel but Grace therefore in the Ephes. 1. it is stood upon by the Apostle To the praise of the Glorie of his rich Grace From Election to Glorification all is to the Glorie of his Grace We ought to conceive of God as a Gracious Father withholding his anger which we deserve to be poured upon us by the intercession of Christ withholding that anger and the fruits of it And notwithstanding we are in Grace if we neglect to seek to God the Father if we neglect to seek to Christ who makes intercession for us then though we be in the first Grace still we are not east away yet we are filii sub ira sons under wrath we are under Anger though not under hatred Therefore every day we should labour to maintain the Grace of God with the assurance of it It is a great matter to carrie our selvs so as we may be under the sence and feeling of the Grace of God It
long then we see ere God deliver and why and at the last he will deliver one way or other and therefore let us waite quietly and this the Saints of God have practised in all ages Psal. 62. Yet my soul keep silence to the Lord. He had a shrewd conflict with himself when he saw how good causes were trampled on and he saw the insolence of wicked persons how they lift up their heads Yet my soul keep silence to the Lord. So he begins Psal. 73. Yet God is good to Israel for all this And God chargeth it upon his people that they should waite If I tarry wait thou Hab. 2. 2. And the blessing is promised to those that can wait and not murmur as in Psal. 147. 11. It is a duty that we are much urged to and very hardly brought to the practice of therefore we are to hear it pressed the more Psal. 147. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy in those that trust in his mercy The like you have in many places Isay 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious to you therefore he will be exalted that he may have mercy upon you he is a God of judgement Blessed are all that wait for him So in Lament 3. The Church still waits upon God How oft doth David charge himself Wait and trust in God O my soul Let us learn this upon these grounds that God is long ere he deliver but at last he will deliver and that is sufficient to force this to wait still upon God with patience and silence Well thus we see God doth deliver Who dilivered us c. What will he do for the time present he hath delivered and doth deliver and he will deliver From all joyntly together you see that Gods people in this World stand in need of deliverance alway They have alwayes troubles when one is past another is present deliverance supposeth dangers There have been dangers there are dangers and there will be dangers Our life is a warfare a temptation we are absent from God we are alway exposed to dangers We live in the middest of Divels and of Divellish-minded men we have corruptions in us that expose us to sin and sin drawes on judgments we are alway in danger one way or other while we live in this VVorld But our comfort is that as there have been dangers and are dangers and will be dangers so there hath been deliverance there is deliverance and there will be deliverance It is a trade that God useth it is his Art God knoweth how to deliver his as Saint Peter saith he hath alway exercised it he is excellent at it he hath delivered his Church he doth deliver his Church and he will deliver his Church and so every particular member he hath and doth and will diliver them VVonderfull is the entercourse that God useth with his people and their estate Even as in nature there is a change and entercourse of day and night of light and darknesse of morning and evening of summer and winter of hot and cold so in the life of a Christian there are changes dangers and deliverance There is a sowing in tears and a reaping in joy there is a night of affliction and a morning of joy and prosperity Heavinesse may be in the evening but joy commeth in the morning And thus we go on till we end our daies till we be taken to Heaven where there shall be no Change where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes If we had spirituall eyes eyes to see our danger to see how full the World is of Divells then to consider how many dangers this weak life is subject to how many casualties we cannot go out of doores we cannot take a journey but how many dangers are we subject to we are invironed with perpetual dangers the snares of death compasse us almost every where abroad and at home in our greatest security But our comfort is that God doth compasse us with mercy as it is Psal. 32. As dangers are round about us so God is a Wall of fire about us we have dangers about us Divells about us we have a guard about us we have God about us we have his Angels about us we have all his creatures about us All things are yours saith the Apostle c. It is God that hath delivered us that doth deliver us Who restraines the divels from having their wills of us they are enemies not only to our souls and to our salvation but to our bodies they are enemies to our health as we see in Job we live in the middest of Lyons oft-times in the middest of enemies who restraines their malice we are preserved from dangers day and night who shuts in the doores who watcheth over us but he that keeps Israel It is God that delivereth us Without his deliverance all deliverances were to little purpose all shutting in were to little purpose except he shut us in that shut Noah into the Ark he must watch over us It is God that delivereth us But doth he deliver us onely outwardly No he hath delivered and he doth deliver us spiritually He hath delivered us from the power of hell and damnation he doth deliver us from many sins that we should commit and when we have sinned he delivers us from despair he delivers us from presuming by touching our hearts with saving grief for sin if we belong to him one of the two wayes he delivers either from the sin or from the danger of the sin either from the committing of the sin or from despairing for the sin or presuming in a course of sin Who delivereth us from our inbred corruptions Should we not run every day into the sins that we see others commit Who cuts short our lusts and suppresseth them that we are not swearers that we are not licentious persons that we are not Godlesse persons are we not hewn out of the same rock Who keeps us from sin Is it any inbred goodnesse Are we not all a like tainted with originall fin Children of wrath Who puts a difference between us and others It is God that hath delivered us and that doth deliver us It is his mercy that we do not commit sin it is his preventing deliverance and when we have committed sin it is his mercy to pardon it there is his preserving deliverance from despair after the committing of sin All are beholding to God for deliverance those that have committed sin that he delivers them from the wrath to come from the damnation that they deserve and those that have the grace not to commit sin they are beholding to him that he delivers them from that which their corruptions else would carry them to if he should take his government from their hearts We have an inward guard as well as an outward an invisible guard We are kept by the Spirit of God through Faith to salvation
atheisme how can these men hope for favour from God when he hath sealed his Word with this that as he is true and truth it self his Word is true they shall never enter into heaven So again if this be true that God is true and his Word thereupon is not yea and nay it serves to comfort us many wayes When we are oppressed in the sense of sin If we confesse our sins he is merciful to forgive our sins he that is true hath said it whose Word is not yea and nay but yea trust to it If we doubt of perseverance for the time to come he that hath begun a good work will perfect it to the day of the Lord. He is yea and his Word is yea he is true and his Word is true Again hence for our judgment we learn this truth That the Word of God hath the same ground of truth as God himself therefore it is the Judge of all Controversies of all things questionable in Religion the Word of God is Judge because it is not yea and nay but yea and it is true as God is true And it is Judge of this controversie too whether it be the Word of God The question between the Papists and us is whether the Epistles and the Prophets be the Word of God or no whether is it or no I answer from Apostolical testimony S. Paul saith As God is true his Word is true the true Word of God and All Scripture is given by inspiration The Word of God therefore is the Judge of all Divine truths because it is most certain even as certain as God himself What are the properties of a chief Judge He must be true without errour authentical without appeal such as can from himself without a higher determine He must be infallible without perill of errour All these belong to Gods truth It is yea it is true without errour it is alway yea And then it is authenticall there is nothing higher but God himself whose Word it is and it hath the same authority that himself hath As God is true so it is true It is authenticall without all appeal we cannot go higher then God himself in his Word We cannot call God or Christ from heaven he hath left us his VVord and therefore it is to be credited of it self And it is infallibly true without danger of errour one depends upon another As God is true so our Word is true If God be true infallibly this issues by consequence that the Scripture is the Judge and infallibly true without danger of errour Hence we may know what to judge of that Romish assertion There are no other Judges in the world can be said to be yea alway Councels are not alway yea they are yea and nay what one Councell hath set down another hath reversed In the Councel of Basile the Pope was above the Councel In another Councel that is above the Pope So one Popes decrees thwart another The Popes are yea and nay and not yea for many hundred years they laboured to crosse and thwart one another So Councels and Popes are yea and nay and not alway yea Traditions of the Fathers are yea and nay and not alway yea they thwart themselves S. Austin the best of the Fathers to whom the Church is most chiefly beholding of all the rest he was yea and nay Doth he not retract He wrote a book of Retractations of his former opinions then he was yea and nay and yet a holy man That which is the Judge of controversies must be yea that is infallibly true authentically true that there be not a higher From all others from Fathers and Councels there may be appeal to Scripture but from Scripture to none because it is the Voice and Word of God All things else are yea and nay they are changeable and they may be so without prejudice to the being of them A Councell may be a good Councel and unconstant in many things Fathers may be holy Fathers and uncertain it is onely the prerogative of God to be infallible like himself unchangeable in his nature and his Word is like himself Hence likewise issues this That whatsoever agrees not with the Word of God which is not yea and nay is false and naught Therefore those opinions of the Church of Rome that say they cannot erre if they be not yea with this yea then they are not yea for onely the Word of God is not yea and nay but onely yea that is onely certain and true All other Religions that are not Divine are yea and nay Popery is not grounded upon the Word of God because it is yea and nay that is it is uncertain See how they crosse many wayes this Word of God that is alwayes yea and true as God himself is true Is it yea that they saw no Image of God and therefore they must make and worship no Image Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea they will make Images and worship them the Image of Mary and other Saints Yea saith the Scripture drink ye all of this Nay saith the Church of Rome they have a nay for this yea only the Priest must drink the wine Let the Word dwell plenteously in you is the yea of Scripture The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea it is dangerous for the people to read the Scripture and therefore they are forbidden it VVe must pray with the understanding as well as with a good affection 1 Cor. 14. that is we must know how we pray it is proved at large excellently Nay understand or not understand so the intention be good saith Rome pray in Latine or howsoever there is their nay to this yea Let every soul be subject to the higher Powers is the yea of Gods Book therefore the soules of the Clergy and whosoever The Church of Rome hath a nay for this yea therefore their doctrine is bad for only God is true and his VVord is only not yea and nay but alway yea infallible therefore that which is contrary to it must needs be false If onely yea be true then that which is contrary to it must needs be false And likewise again if Gods VVord be not yea and nay that is not unconstant then whatsoever is unconstant and thwarts it self in contradictions is not Gods VVord Popery is full of inconstancy full of contradictions to it self First besides inconstancy and uncertainty it is full of contradictions it is yea and nay for a body to be in many places at once and yet a true body to be in a hundred in a million of places at once as they would have Christs body to be in the Sacrament here is to be and not to be a body and no body for it hath not the properties and quantity of a body for a body can be but in one place at one time here is yea and nay For Christ to be a perfect
conscience of those that are awakened and Satan useth that as a means to despair in every crosse Therefore let us search and try our souls for our sins for our chief discomfort are from sin for alas what are all other comforts and what are all other discomforts If a mans conscience be quiet what are all discomforts and if conscience be on the rack what are all comforts the disquiet and vexation of sin is the greatest of all because then we have to deal with God when sin is presented before us and the judgements of God and God as an angry judge and conscience is awaked and on the rack what in the world can take up the quarrel and appease conscience when we and God are at difference when the soul speaks nothing but discomfort In this case remember that God doth so far prevent objections in this kind from the accusations of conscience that he reasons that he will comfort us from that that cöscience reasons against comfort he doth this in the hearts of his children to whom he means to shew mercy as we see in the poor Publi Lord be merciful to me a sinner saith he God taught him that reasoning Nature would have taught him to reason as Peter did Lord depart from me I am a sinful man and therefore I have nothing to do with God So our Saviour Christ Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden they think of all people they ought to run from God they are so laden with sin they have nothing to do with God Oh come unto me saith Christ. Therefore when thy conscience is awakened with the sense of sin remember what is said in the Gospel Be of good comfort be calleth thee be thou of good comfort thou art one that Christ calls Come unto me ye that are we ary and heavy laden and Blessed are those that mourn That which thou and the Divel with thy conscience would move thee to use as an argument to run away our Saviour Christ in the Gospel useth as an argument to draw thee forward he comes for such to seek and to save the lost sinners This is a faithful saying saith St. Paul that Christ came to save sinners therefore believe not Satan he presents God to the soul that is humbled and terrified in the sight of sin as cruel as a terrible judge c. He hides the mercy of God from such to men that are in a sinful course he shewes nothing but mercy I but now there is nothing but comfort to thee that art cast down and afflicted in the sence of thy sins for all the comforts in the Gospel of forgivenesse of sins and all the comforts from Christs Incarnation the end of his coming in the flesh the end of his death and of all is to save sinners Look thou therefore to the throne of mercy and grace when thy conscience shall be awakened with the sence of sin and Satan shall use that as an argument to draw thee from God consider the Scripture useth this as an argument to drive me to God to allure me to him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden And Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost Luther a man much exercised in Spiritual conflicts he confessed this was the Balme that did most refresh his soul God hath shut up all under sin that he might have mercy upon all He shut up all under sin as prisoners to see themselves under sin and under the curse that he might have mercy upon all upon all those that are convinced with the sence and sight of their sins he hath shut up all under sin that he might have mercy upon all those that belong to him This raised up that blessed man therefore let us not be much discomforted but be of good comfort Christ calls us For such as are sinners that are given to the sins of the tongue and of the life to rotten discourse to swearing and such like to such as mean to be so and think their case good oh God is the God of comfort To such as I said before I can speak no comfort nor the word of God speaks none they must have another Word and another Scripture for this word speaks no comfort to such that are sinful and wretched and will be so and justifie themselves to be so All the judgments in the Scripture are theirs hell and damnation and wrath that is their portion to drink We can speak no comfort to such nor the word of God that we unfold it hath not a drop of comfort for them God will not be merciful to such as go on in wicked rotten scandalous courses that because hell hath not yet taken them they may live long and so make a covenant with hell and death and blesse themselves Oh but thou hast made no covenant with God nor he hath made none with thee and hell and death have made no covenant with thee though thou hast made one with them but there are two words go to a covenant Death and Hell shall seize upon thee notwithstanding thy covenant Those that will live in sin in despight of the ministery in spight of afflictions there is no comfort to such I speak only to the broken heart which are fit vessels for comfort God is the God of comfort to such What shall we say then to such as after they have had some evidence of their good estate that they are Christians are fallen into sin is there any comfort for such Yes doth not St. Paul in 2 Cor. 5. desire such to be reconciled to God we are as Ambassadors of Christ desiring you to be reconciled if you have sinned so God hath comfort for those that have sinned Christ knew that we should every day run into sins unawares therefore he teaches us in the Lords prayer to say every day forgive us our debts our trespasses there is Balme in Gilead there is mercie in Israel for such daylie trespasses as we run into Therefore let none be discouraged but flie presently to the God of comfort and Father of mercies And think not that he is wearie of pardoning as man is for he is infinite in mercy And though he be the party offended yet he desires peace with us But yet notwithstanding that we shall not love to run into his Bookes he doth with giving the comfort of the pardon of sin when we fall into it add such sharpe crosses as we shall wish we had not given him occasion to correct us so sharpely we shall buy our comfort dear we had better not have given him occasion God forgave the sin of David after he had repented though he were a good man before but David bought the pleasure of his sin dear he wished a thousand times that he had never given occasion to God to raise good out of his evil to turn his sin to his comfort yet God will do this because God
that he possibly could fuffer and he laid in the other balance the things that he had in hope and promise and he resolves all that I can suffer that should shake me off from my course it is not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed saith he if you balance both you will conclude this There are many things that may shake us in our Christian course St. Paul thought of all Satans snares I am not ignorant of his enterprizes saith he And then for the world that might cast trumperie in his way saith he I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me And for any thing that might happen to him he knew that the issue of all things should work for the best to them that love God he includes himself Rom. 8. saith he We know it before-hand we believe before troubles or evills come come what will the issue of all things is in the regiment and power of God and as he pleaseth all shall work for the best to those that love God and therefore as I am so I will be What should hinder if all things help me nothing can hinder me And then Saint Paul took this course he looked forward still Philip 3. I presse forward to the price of the high calling he forgat that which was behind and he resolved to go forward he had a mind to grow better and better alway and this comforted him that he should hold out to the end For it is the reward of a growing Christian to have a sweet sense of his present state of Grace in Gods favour and to hold out to the end Such a man is like the Sun that growes up still till he come to high noon-day as Solomon saith Saint Paul took this course he strove for perfection he had a crown in his eye a crown of righteousnesse and glory and that will not suffer a man to be idle and cold that hath such a thing in his eye Saint Paul to whet his endeavour not onely looked forward but to glory for as Christ looked to the glorie and despised the shame so Saint Paul looked to the crown and despised all his sufferings Then besides Saint Paul was conscious of his own sincerity for grace carries its own witnesse with it self as he saith here I know my conversation This is the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and sincerity I have walked before you He knew that sincerity is accompanied with constancie and perseverance It is a rule that alway constancie and perseverance are companions with simplicity and sincerity I have begun in sincerity hitherto now I am sincere and have expressed to you the truth of my heart and of my courses and as I am so I meane to be therefore having begun in sincerity I know I shall end in perseverance and constancy Truth of grace is accompanied with constancy all other things are but grasse they are but shewes they will vanish but sincerity the truth of grace is a Divine thing The Word of the Lord that is grace wrought by the Word of the Lord that endures for ever Where there is truth of grace though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed there is perseverance to the end S. Paul knew this well and therefore he builds his trust on these things on these courses that he took We should all take the like course look to S. Paul's grounds and take his courses those be they that will hold out to the end Judicious consideration of all the difficulties to put into the balance what impediments we shall have from the world and what will be great to us when it is ballanced with the glory to come And withall to aime forward still as S. Paul did And take another course that he took likewise to depend upon grace continually he knew there was a Throne of grace open to him alway for the time to come as well as for the time past and present He knew that Christ in heaven was alway full of grace he knew he should not want in any exigent when he should go to him he knew that God would not destitute or forsake any of his Children them that he hath called to see the necessity of wisdome and of courage and comfort Let us do therefore as S. Paul was answered from heaven say His Grace is sufficient for us if not to keep us from all sin yet to keep us in comfortable courses to keep us in sincerity and simplicity the Grace of God is sufficient to bring us to heaven Let us perswade our selves that if we go on in Christian courses in that confidence God will give us grace to bring us to heaven This was S. Paul's confidence therefore he saith I trust you shall acknowledge to the end because I know that I shall continue in simplicity and sincerity to the end God will keep me I shall have grace to beg and he will give me grace for his gifts in this kind can never be repented of Let us take from S. Paul this course and this comfort This course to trust in God for the time to come to have constant resolutions for the time to come to cleave to God and to good courses Let us every day renew our Covenants in this kind and our resolutions to do nothing against conscience to go on in Christian courses let it be our constant course For as Gods Children know they shall continue to the end so it is wrought from resolution so to do and this resolution stirres them up to depend upon God by prayer that he would knit their hearts to him that they may fear his Name that he would give them Grace sufficient c. that he would establish their hearts as David prayes This resolution it drives them to prayer and to all good courses that God would stablish them in every good work in every good thought and desire and that he would knit their hearts nearer to him Resolve therefore every day in dependance upon God to take good courses that so whensoever any Judgment of God shall come or when the hour of death shall light on us it may not come as a snare that it may take us in good resolutions it is no matter how we dye in outward respects if we dye in good resolutions As we resolve so we are for our resolutions are full of will wishes and resolutions they carry the whole man with them and God esteems a man by his will For if there be impediments that are not impossible to man resolution will break through all God judgeth men by their resolutions Teach me O Lord thy Statutes and I will keep them even to the end I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments every day take we these promises to our selves and bind our selves with them to God In vowes be chary I do not speak of them now I speak of purposes and resolutions alway take in
God with them I trust in God depend upon God in good courses that God do not punish us and give us into desertion for our presumption and then we may know that our state is good Look to S. Paul and see the property of a good conscience it looks back it looks to the present and to the time to come Our rejoycing is this that we have had our conversation hitherto well Is that enough for a good conscience No you have acknowledged me to be as I have written to have a good conscience in my Ministerial course and in my conversation and you shall acknowledge me still This is the glory of a good life that whether a man look above him he hath God to witnesse for him or whether he look to the world to right judging persons he hath them to judge for him he dares appeal to their conscience or whether he look within him he hath a good witnesse from his own conscience which way soever he looks he hath comfort You have acknowledged me and you shall acknowledge I know God will not leave me for the time to come So that which makes up a compleat good conscience is the looking to the time to come as well as to the time past and present A good conscience that is purged by the blood of Christ from the guilt of former sins shall alway have grace to stablish the heart in good resolutions For where there is a cleansing from the guilt where there is pardon of sin there is alway given a power against sin for the time to come We usually say in Divinitie That the grace of God and a purpose to live in any sin cannot dwell in one heart and it is true if there be not a purpose to obey God in all things to leave every wicked way if there be an inclination to any iniquity the heart and conscience is not good A good conscience gives testimony of the time past present and to come And alwaies as I said remember to take God in all your resolutions or else you are liable to S. James his exception in a higher degree Go to nâ—…w ye that say We will do this to day and tomorrow and that in strength and confidence of your own not remembring the uncertainty of humane events how many things may fall out that God may crosse it If it be a presumptuous speech in matters of this life how much more in matters of grace for the time to come which God onely hath in his keeping and gives the will and the deed according to his good pleasure Therefore we should make an end of our salvation with fear and trembling Let us do as S. Paul did trust in God my trust and dependance on God is this that I shall do so because I have a constant resolution to be so to my lives end Therefore joyn them both together every day renew our dependance on God and his Promises The life of a Christian is a life dependant Salvation is wrought out of us by Christ procured by him and our carriage to salvation is wrought out of us by Grace coming from Christ. He keeps the Fountain and he lets out the streams more or lesse as we humbly depend on him so that both salvation is out of us and the carriage to salvation is of Grace all is out of us How should this make us carry ourselves humbly in a dependance on Christ for salvation and the carriage of it And therefore resolve not to offend God in any thing but to trust in God and to look to his Word to trust in God and his Word is all one Psal. 130. Thus we should take S. Paul's course to trust in God and renew our purposes every day And then take S. Paul's comfort to your selves perswade your selves that neither things present nor things to come as S. Paul saith Rom. 8. nothing shall intercept your crown For what he said here before-hand that he experimentally saith of himself 2 Tim. 4. a little before he dyed which was the last Epistle that ever he wrote he saith here they should acknowledge him to the end and there when his end was come what saith he of himself I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith I have run my race now henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse c. Before this time I depended upon God that he would carry me to my end as he hath done and now I am to close up my daies and my Sun is to set this all I have done God that was with me from the beginning is with me to the end I have done all this and what remaines now but a crown of righteousnesse Therefore I beseech you take in trust the time to come as well as any time past resolve well and trust with your resolution live by faith and obedience joyn them both together the one to be the evidence of the truth of the other then take in trust for the time to come all the good that you can promise your selves from God you cannot honour him more I trust you shall acknowledge to the end Saint Paul saith of himself That the grace of God should lead him to his end and that they should acknowledge it you shall not acknowledge me to the end to be rich or to be in favour c. but this you shall acknowledge that I shall be the like man It is uncertain for any thing in the world we cannot promise our selves nor others cannot promise for us but you shall acknowledge this that I will be as I have been to the end You have acknowledged and you shall acknowledge c. Seeing acknowledging is repeated twice as an evidence of a good Christian to approve of the Image of God in another and to acknowledge it Therefore often examine your hearts what you acknowledge do you acknowledge that the abstaining from evil courses from fraud and cunning in your callings that the abstaining from sensual living from carnal policy is good why then take that course resolve upon it Are the courses of Gods Children good why will you oppose them Saint Paul gives an excellent rule Rom. 14. 22. we should not condemn our selves in that which we allow Do you allow in your judgment and in your conscience the best courses as indeed you will do one day then do not condemn your selves in the present for them Happy is that man that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth saith the Apostle Examine oft-times seriously how your judgment stands in the waies of God how it is built whether upon humane fancy to please any man or upon Divine directions the Word of God If it be so take heed that you do not condemn your selves in those courses and those persons that you allow Do you in your soul justifie such persons why do you not joyn with them why do you not walk their waies are such courses good
not for the spiritual leading of Christ they do not acknowledge him Let not this man reign over us they shake off his bands they are sons of Belial without yoak and they shall be reckoned at the day of Judgment among them that know not Christ because to know him and not to acknowledge him is to no purpose As God knoweth us well enough but if he know us not and acknowledge us to be his what will become of us at the day of Judgment I know you not saith he that is he acknowledgeth them not to be his So if our knowledge be to know Christ generally so as not to give up our selves to be ruled by him to be directed by him this is not to acknowledge him and to know him and not to acknowledge him will be no comfort for us As it will be no comfort to us for him to know us and not to acknowledge us They that acknowledge Paul or any Minister they are brought to acknowledge Christ by him And then to give you a familiar taste of these things they do acknowledge the Minister that acknowledge the Word to be the Word of God to be from him What is that when they are cast into the form and mould of the Word and are willing to be framed to be such as the Word would have them to be pliable to it if it threaten to be terrified if it comfort to be raised up to be fashioned every way to the Word then they acknowledge the Word then they feel it to be Gods Word why For they feel it leavening the soul making all the powers holy and comfortable As leaven changeth the whole lump so the Word of God when we are cast into it and imbrace it it frames and fashions the whole man to be holy as the Word is holy This is to acknowledge the Word of God to hear it as the Word of God to hear it with reverence as we would hear something from a great Potentate from a Judge from a man that hath to do with us We know the Word of God and acknowledge him in the Minister when we tremble at it and hear it with obedience As Cornelius saith We are all here in the presence of God to hear whatsoever shall be commanded us of God whatsoever without distinction and turning over and declining the Word and shifting When there is a willing yielding to every thing that is told us and a meaning to obey it this is to acknowledge the Word of God or else we do not S Paul saith comfortably to the Thessalonians That they received the Word of God as the Word of God that is they acknowledged the Word of God because they heard it with such reverence and obedience and respect So you may know that you acknowledge the Minister if you acknowledge Christ if you acknowledge the Preacher and the VVord that he preacheth and you acknowledge him when you will be directed by him when he speaks in the Name of Christ to esteem highly of the Consolations of the Almighty in his mouth to suffer the strong holds of sin to be beaten down by his Ministery This is to acknowledge the Minister there is no good taken by Gods Ordinance where it is not onely known but acknowledged Christ comes to us in his Ministers as well as by the poor and it shall be known one day that we have rejected not poor men like our selves but Jesus Christ For we are joyned with Christ in acceptation or in neglect and contempt What we do in our Ministery faithfully we are joyned with Christ in our acceptance we accept Christ when we accept and esteem of the Minister or we reject Christ when we reject and refuse and set light by the Ministers of Christ. The hypocrisie of mans heart is not discerned almost so much in any thing as in this Let any command come from great men that have power of our bodies or estates to advance us or debase us Oh there is much astonishment and much heed taken wondrous heed of penal Lawes and Statutes that we run not into the dint of them Now God by his Ministers threatens hell and damnation hardnesse of heart and to throw us from one sin to another we hear these things as Judges forsooth as if they concerned us not It shall one day be known that they are Gods Ministers and that it is Gods Word If we have Grace to acknowledge them as speaking from God This is to acknowledge the Minister to be directed by him and to hear that that he speaks in the Name of God We are Ambassadours of God saith S. Paul and intreat you as if Christ himself were on earth would intreat you to be reconciled to God Therefore when you refuse our intreaty you refuse Christ that comes with us Those that will not hear him here shall hear that sentence hereafter they must not think to be regarded of him then but of that I shall speak hereafter As ye have acknowledged us in part You acknowledge us Ministers you acknowledge our doctrine you acknowledge Christ by us How do these Corinthians acknowledge S. Paul in part That we are your rejoycing even as ye are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus You have acknowledged us that we are your rejoycing What is the meaning of that You have acknowledged us that you have cause to rejoyce much to the day of Judgment and then you shall rejoyce to purpose that ever I was your Apostle that ever you had Grace to hearken to me that ever you had such a sincere down-right Apostle that would tell you the truth and gain you to Christ. That we are your rejoycing Whence we may observe That A faithful Minister is the rejoycing of the people Those people that are good and have any grace in them and not onely here but they will be so at the day of Judgment Why Because a faithful Minister brings to them him that is the cause of all joy him that is Isaac laughter Christ Jesus at whose very birth there was a message of joy from heaven For all joy and all glory is originally and fundamentally in God reconciled that is certain there is our joy in God reconciled For naturally before God be reconciled our hearts are full of confusion they are so far from joy and glory that they are full of horrour Now God is reconciled by Christs satisfaction and obedience his full satisfaction witnessed by his resurrection and thereupon comes our glorying to be in Christ who hath brought us to be at one with God with the God of glory Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ saith St. Peter that hath begotten us to a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ c. Now we have a lively hope we have a glorious hope we may glorie in it in the resurrection of Christ considering that his resurrection is an evidence that the debt is paid our surety
therefore he is not constant Or if times do not fall out so crosse he is not constant in his disposition and God looks on him as he is in his disposition and so he will judge him at that day now being led with the flesh his disposition alters and varies How shall I know whether I consult according to the flesh or no In a word examine two things The ground and the aime of our actions whence they rise and what they aym at Spring they from self-love aym they at our self-contentment and private interest then a man is led with the flesh To use a familiar instance In Marriage when a man looks more to wealth then to Religion he adviseth according to the flesh And so for a Minister to respect his living more then any thing that might weigh with his conscience otherwise if he were good he is led with respects according to the flesh Those that leave their former good acquaintance and choose such as they only hope to gain by and forsake those acquaintance that they cannot gain by though they be never so good otherwise they are led according to the flesh How shall we know that we do not things and consult not of things according to the flesh Some men may know it easily as when men are of pregnant parts when the strength of their wit leads them one way and Religion leads them another way yet in the awe of God they do not go that way that politick respects would carry them they could be as errant Politicians as the best but they dare not here now is a man that is led by the Spirit when it is not for want of parts but out of conscience he doth not so miscarry by his enemy Many times an honest man could be rich by ill means as well as another he knowes the way it is not for want of wit but because he dares not the awe of conscience and the awe of God lead him to better rules and aymes so it is easily discerned in eminency of parts And likewise in fitnesse of opportunities if there be not parts when a man hath all outward advantages to satisfie the flesh to yield to it to have his aimes and yet he will not If a man have power and yet doth not revenge himself he consults not with flesh and blood for he might be revenged if he would So I say when there is something that might sway us another way and yet notwithstanding out of meer conscience and better rules we will not it is a sign we purpose not we advise not things according to the flesh but according to the Spirit we are led with better rules then the world is In strong suggestions a Joseph can say How shall I do this and offend against God Doth not God see it saith Job so a Christian in the strength of Temptations and solicitations and opportunities to do ill he considers Doth not God see How shall I do this and offend against God Shall I break the peace of my conscience for the gaining of this and this why no then a man is not led with Carnal wisdome Again we may know this that we are not led by the flesh and advised by the flesh when we are humble in all our consultations It is a perpetual concomitant of carnal wisdome to be proud knowledge mingled with corruption puffeth up But how shall we labour to overcome this because we have the flesh ready by us in all our consultations we have this counsellour alway ready at hand as S. Paul complains Rom. 7. That when we would do well evil is present it is present at our elbow nay it is nearer the flesh is mingled in all the powers of our soules and with heavenly wisdome there is a mixture of carnal wisdome how shall we do that we may not be tainted with it I will give a direction or two First of all have a prejudice of it Cave time c. saith the holy man S. Austin Take heed of the evil man thy self take heed of carnal reason be jealous of it it is an enemy and the issues of the wayes it adviseth to are death There is a way that seems good to a man in his own eyes the issues whereof are death not temporal onely but eternal death It is a deadly enemy have a prejudice of it and conceit of it to be as it is have a jealousie of it and of our own selves especially in things that concern our selves What is the reason that a man is an incompetent Judge in his own cause This because there is natural self-love and flesh that drawes all to it self Consult not with it therefore consult with higher rules and principles what may make most for the chief end for the glory of God for the assurance of our comfort while we live here and a better estate hereafter that which may make most for the common good let us labour to live by right rules and principles God will value us by that Put the case a man by passion be led another way what is his rule what is his aym his aym is not carnal he may fall by passion c. God judgeth not by passion but by the tenour of our life God esteems us not by a single particular exorbitant act that by passion or incogitancy a man falls into but by the tenour of our life Therefore let us labour to have our rules and aimes good though we fail in particular yet that our way may be good though we step awry yet our way may be good that when Judgment shall come when death shall come it may not find us in an ill way in an ill course Therefore let us consult with God consult with his Word consult with those that are led by the Spirit of God labour to be under the government of Gods blessed Spirit to be guided by the Spirit of God and by the Word of God This should be our care to labour that God would guide us by his good Spirit in those wayes that may lead to our comfort that of all other enemies in the world he would not give us up to our own flesh to guide us but that he would take the guidance of us to himself that as he hath right to us by his Covenant so he would take us into his government And desire Christ that as he is our Priest to die for us so likewise he would be our Prophet to instruct us to subdue all in us And let Divine truth be our counsellour to bring our inner man into subjection as it is 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring all into captivity to subject all high devices and reasonings How shall I do this I shall misse of my ends I shall misse of my projects O but Religion when it comes and brings down all it makes not a man to cast away reason but brings reason under and brings
we must swear by him And indeed it is a service of God and to good purpose when Christians swear to stablish and determine truths that otherwise are doubtfull They were doubtfull of S. Paul's doctrine and his person saith he To put you out of doubt of the truth I speak to you I dare call God to witnesse it is true and sound The Apostle doth so once after in this Chapter therefore I reserve the further handling of an oath to verse 23. because the word there is more infallible I call God to record upon my soul c. The next thing I observe hence is this That The believing that Gods Word is Gods Word and is certain it is a matter of great consequence It is of great consequence for Gods people that look to be saved to be stablished in their opinion and judgment of Divine truth that it is certain and not flexible and mutable according to our wills and conceits and dispositions but is yea alway the same as God himself the Authour of it For laying this for a ground that I said before that S. Paul takes God to witnesse he would not enterpose an oath but in a matter of great consequence therefore it is a matter of great consequence to be setled in this that the Scripture is Divine truth unalterable and unchangeable An oath is never good as I said but when it is necessary It must not onely be in truth but there must be a necessity It must not only be taken in righteousnesse but in judgment a man must do it in discretion when the thing is not determinable any other way Therefore it is a matter of great consequence that men take the Word of truth not to be as the Oracles of Apollo and of the Devill true one way and false another The Devil would escape the imputation of a lie though he be a liar but Gods Oracles be Divine they be yea And it is good that we think them to be so to be constant undoubted certain and unmovable Therefore the Apostle seales it with an oath he would not seal a slight truth by an oath but saith he As God is true our word to you was not yea and nay c. And Saint Paul saw a disposition in them to suspect the truth of God as indeed we are proner to believe the lies of our own hearts and the suggestions of Satan and the counsell of Politicians of carnall friends then to believe God himself Therefore partly for the indisposition in us and partly for the great exigence and necessity of the thing to believe that Gods Word is his Word that it is truth he seales it with an oath God is true It is a point of great consequence The reason is God can have no service else and we can have no comfort If we do not believe the Word of God to be undoubtedly true in great temptations and assaults what armour of proof shall we have we can have no comfort nor grace For sometimes subtile and strong temptations to evill come if the Word of God be not more undoubted to me then the present profit or pleasure or whatsoever if the temptation be ready and I be not built on and settled on some grounded truth that I know to be true as God is true when the temptation is strong and our faith weak where are we a man presently yields to base lusts and temptations And so in matter of danger and despair when a man is tempted to despair if he cannot build on this God is true and his Word is as true as himself he will not the death of a sinner c. here a man is swallowed up It is no matter how strong the foundation be if the building on that foundation be weak If a strong man stand in a slippery place down he falls if a man stand slippery and have a weak standing on a strong place on a strong foundation if he have a weak building on a strong foundation he shall soon be cast off So the Word of God is true in it self but if we be not perswaded so that it is infallibly true that it is alway yea we shall be shaken with temptations When we are tempted to sin the temptation is present we are sure of the temptation if we be not more sure of somewhat against the temptation somewhat out of the Word to beat back the darts of Satan when we are tempted to sin and to despair for sin down we go and therefore it is a matter of infinite consequence to be perswaded of Divine truth What makes many as they are in courses that are corrupt in their callings nothing but this they stagger whether it be true or no that there shall be a Judgment they stagger whether it be true or no that the Scripture saith if they were perswaded that it were yea as true as God is in heaven as true as they have soules so their soules must be called to Judgment for that they speak and do would they do as they do Therefore S. Paul stablisheth them by an oath God is true and as God is true our Word to you was not yea and nay Therefore take in good part with thankfulnesse the means that God hath ordained to strengthen our faith and assurance of the Word of God and the Promises of God Therefore he hath appointed the Sacrament for that purpose I say there is nothing in the world so strengthened as the soul of a Christian if he give himself to Gods truth to be ruled by it For if we will believe God we have his promise That Whosoever believes in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life rich promises precious promises as the Scripture calls them We have not onely promises but they are sealed with an oath Now an oath is an unchangeable thing Heb. 9. 16. we have promises and oath that we might have strong consolation whatsoever might secure man we have Besides his oath we have his seal his Sacrament It was his love to condescend to make any Covenant with sinfull creatures that upon any terms he would give them life everlasting It was a higher degree of love to set Christ to be the foundation of this peace and of this Covenant that now God and we may be at peace with satisfaction to Divine Justice that he is the foundation of the peace between God and us Now God may be mercifull without wrong without impeachment to his Justice that is a higher degree of mercy to enter into Covenant and to give Christ to be the foundation of all And then it is a higher degree then that to secure us of the Covenant that Christ is ours to seal the Word with an oath and with the Sacrament which is the seal of the Covenant what could God do more What a horrible sin therefore is unbelief that we should tremble at to call Gods love and truth in question But yet we are prone to it
there is a God and God is unchangeably true there would be nothing true in the world for all truth is therefore true because it is answerable to that exemplar truth that is true in God answerable to Gods conceit and decree of things This I observe the rather because it is a fundamental thing it doth wondrously stablish our faith in Divine truths when we know it comes from God that is true If we would seek for evidences of our faith then we must go within us and see what love and what hope what combat between the flesh and spirit there is but if we look for any thing to stablish our faith go out of us consider the unchangeable truth of God whose truth it is God as God creating a reasonable creature he must give him some revealed truth he could not be worshipped else How must we know this revealed truth whereby he will be worshipped by the reasonable creature for no man will be served by his servant as he pleaseth how shll we know these certain truths because they come from his nature God is true and as God is true so our word to you was not you and way that is it was true There is the same ground of the certainty of Evangelicall truth as there is of God himself to be true To add a little further in the Point consider the truth of God every way the faithfulnesse of God as it signifies in the originall as God is faithful Consider what relations God hath put upon him in his divine truth how he will be thought on And then bring those relations to his nature for there we must pitch at last What is he to us and how hath he revealed himself to us Thus and thus What is he in his nature So and so and there we must rest For instance The Lord hath made many promises who is it that hath made them he that is true and unchangably true there the soul rests in the nature of God But what relations hath he put upon him he is a God and a Lord and a Judge and a Father c. Now as he is God he is true therefore he will do all things that a true God should doe he will uphold his creature while he will have his creature continue he will give it life and being and motion And as a Lord he will do with his own what he list and it is not for us to contend with him why he will do this or that why he makes one rich and another poore He is Lord of all and a true Lord therefore we must give authority to this true Lord. And then as he is a Judge he corrects men for sin and rewards them for the good they do As a Judge sometime he punisheth them inwardly in conscience sometimes outwardly All the good we have is from this that he is a faithful and true God therefore there we must rest He is a true Judge he rewards every man according to his works whether they be good or evill And so in the relation of a Father he is a true Father he corrects when time serves he rewards and encourageth when time serves he gives an inheritance to his Children and hath pity and compassion on his Children when time serves He is a true Father Other fathers do this and that out of passion not out of truth and goodnesse but he doth So when we consider God in his relations consider of the attribute of his truth All truth in his Word comes from this God is true This truth is sealed by this that our truth to you our word to you was not yea and nay uncertain Gods truth is not uncertain and variable There is no shadow of change in him and his Word is like himself We say usually in the word of an honest man and that is something In verbum Sâ—…rdotis in the word of a Priest it was accounted in former times a great matter it should be so indeed In the word of a King is a great matter But when God saith in the Word of a God The Word of the Lord hath spoken so It is not yea and nay it was not flexible and doubtful because it is the Word of him that hath the command of all that he saith it is his VVord that is Lord of Heaven and Earth Now when he that saith a thing is the Lord of Heaven and Earth he is Lord of his own Word therefore what he saith is not yea and nay uncertain for he can make good what he saith There is the same ground of Evangelicall truth as there is of God himself to be true I will speak no more in the unfolding of the Point it is plain that God is true Is this true that God is true that he is truth it self then many things issue from hence It is a ground of many other truths It was the ground of all the Uses that S. Paul makes of the Word of God it is profitable every way I will name some principall to avoid multiplicity in a plain Point God is true and his Word is true hereupon the threatenings of God must needs be true even as true as God himself If this be so then unlesse we will make another Scripture another Word this Word is yea That Word that threatens sin that Idolaters and covetous and wantons shall never enter into the Kingdome of heaven Be not deceived saith the Apostle that Word is yea it is true God is true this must follow therefore that whatsoever he saith is true therefore his threatenings are true It is a truth that hath influence into all other truths whatsoever that which is prefixed here by S. Paul not onely as an oath As Gad is true so his Word is not yea and nay but certain but I say it hath influence into all other truths whatsoever threatnings promises directions all are therefore true because God is true Therefore those that shuffle off the threatnings and think they shall do well and blesse themselves Gods wrath shall smoak against them for God must alter his nature and his Word must be altered or else his judgments must stick on them to death and damnation without repentance If God should not be avenged on ordinary swearers and blasphemers if adulterers should live in such sins and ever come to heaven they must have another God and another Word of God this hath said they shall not enter into heaven that live in these sins If it be true as God is true what horrible Atheisme is in the hearts of men to think that God will change his nature though they do not change their course and that the Word of God shall alter though they will not alter what hope can prophane blasphemous persons have that make but a trifle of swearing when God hath said they shall not go unpunished and those that live in a filthy course when God hath said Whor emongers and adulterers God will judge without horrible
Redeemer and yet notwithstanding to need the help of other Mediatours and Intercessours here is yea and nay it is a contradiction That the Church of Rome is the Catholike Church if it be Roman it is not Catholike The universal Catholick Roman Church it is as much as the universal particular Church it is a contradiction one thing overturnes another The sacrifice of the Masse an unbloody sacrifice a sacrifice is the killing of a thing that was alive a sacrifice is with blood the offering of Christ in the bread is an unbloody sacrifice a sacrifice and not a sacrifice here is yea and nay a contradiction So that besides their thwarting of Scripture they thwart and contradict themselves in their fundamentall points they are yea and nay And then they are full of uncertainties they are not undoubtedly yea There is no Papist in the world would end his dayes so if he be not drunk if he be advised if he be not surprized with passion if he do not forget himself Come to a Papist and ask him what are the main points of Popery that you believe alwayes yea Can you say when you confesse your sins that you confesse all No can you then say then you have a perfect absolution that depends upon your confession No it is an uncertain thing What an absutd thing is Popish Religion it wracks the conscience of people Can you say that the Priest intends consecration in these words This is my body No and if the Priests intention be not there then Christ is not there and then you are Idolaters Can you tell certainly that Transubstantiation depends upon his consecration No how full of uncertainties and contradictions is Popery you cannot say the Points of Popery are alwaies yea Perhaps they are yea in life but are they yea in death It is yea in life that they merit salvation by works but is it yea in death No Bellarmine disclaimes it It is safe not to trust in our own merits for danger of vain-glory c. but to trust onely in the mercy of God in Christ. So their doctrine it is yea in life to sin by to live riotously by but then it is nay in death they reverse it if they belong to God they disclaim their works and other things and cleave onely to Christ and there is hope of them that have grace truly to do so So their doctrine is not yea that in life and death they can stick to To go on a little further to lay open the grossenesse of their tenents and the danger of their Religion We are better bottomed then they are which make the Word of God our rule and ground that is not yea and nay but yea The Canonization of Saints The Pope he makes Garnet a Traytor and Thomas of Becket Saints how can he know that these were Saints that he Canonizeth he that makes a Saint must know the hearts of men and search the heart for the truth of grace is there now it is the priviledge of God to know the heart So that Popery is full of uncertainties and pitifull perplexities Indeed they maintain the doctrine of doubting that we must doubt as if our nature were not sufficiently prone to doubt but we must get arguments to make us doubt as if it were needful to have infirmities to stablish grace in us Alas we are too prone to doubt and the Devil is ready to make us stagger in the time of temptation Again the Invocation of Saints it is a Point wondrous full of uncertainties Can they know and say certainly that the Saints hear them They cannot know that one Saint having a finite power should hear a hundred Petitions at once A finite creature hath but a finite power to hear one thing at one time distinctly how can they be perswaded that a finite Saint in heaven at one time distinctly should hear many thousands that put up their Petitions at once Can a man that is but a capable creature though glorified as Peter or Mary c. distinctly consider a thousand Petitions that are made they cannot how then can they think that a certain truth the Invocation of Saints The main ground of all their Religion is yea and nay the Pillar of it what is that The infallible judgment of the Pope but how can they tell when he speaks ex Cathedra for 9. or 10. exceptions and tricks they have when he speaks to be built on and when not how can poor soules know when he speaks so that the people may infallibly build on his judgment Because many times he is an illiterate man that knowes nothing in Divine things wherein he is to judge So the very foundation of Popery is yea and nay that is a most uncertain thing And then the ground of that that he is the Successour of Peter there is no place of Scripture for it neither dare they bring any It is but a Tradition It is somewhat uncertain whether ever Peter were at Rome that he was Bishop there is more uncertain but that the Pope should be his Successour is most uncertain and impossible of all So indeed the Religion of Popery is a rack to conscience especially to conscience that is awaked and knowes what Religion means at all Why is it a rack to them There is no certainty in it in the main Tenents of it It is not onely contrary to Gods yea but it is yea and nay uncertain in it self Now here the Apostle he frees his preaching from this imputation Our Word to you was not yea and nay and he calls God to record God is true and as he is true my Word to you was not yea and nay but was certainly yea Thus you see what use we are to make of it for confutation and conviction of our own judgments It may be moved by some perhaps How doth it appear how shall we know by what arguments that it is yea and not yea and nay I answer The testimony of S. Paul here is that it is so and his appeal to God with an asseveration As God is true But our own experience doth tell us that the Word of God is certain and true if we belong to God for we stand convict in judgment by many arguments which I will not now repeat But how shall any man certainly know it is yea the Word is the undoubted Word of God unchangeable wheresoever it is In a word you may know it is so he thinks it is so if he yield obedience to it as to such a Word absolute obedience to Gods truth without questioning when once a thing is clear to be agreeable to Gods truth he yields obedience to it then it is yea If it be a duty he must do it if it be a threatning he must avoid it by repentance if it be a promise he must believe it this is absolute obedience Likewise reverence in hearing it as Cornelius did Act. 10. To hear it as the
kinds of the promises whether to the promises for this life or the promises of Grace If they be promises of this life take heed we abuse not our selves in them There have been grosse miscarriages even from the beginning of the world will be to the end of the world in the false application of outward promises We see the Jews cryed The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Loed as if God had tied himself to that by a perpetual promise Trust not to lying words saith the Prophet you think you are Gods people and that he will alwayes keep you out of captivity challenge not temporal promises without reservation and subjection to Gods will as he shall see goood Babylon saith I sit as a Queen and I shall for ever So mystical Babylon in the Revelation saith I sit as a Queen till her Judgment and destruction come in one day because she trusted to her present temporal estate Let no man promise himself that that God doth not promise in his Word immunity from the crosse for whatsoever Promise of protection and provision we have all is with the exception of the Crosse remember therefore to construc the Promises aright Then again another rule about the Promises is That it is usual with God to perform them in a wonderful manner that men know not how he doth perform them notwithstanding take that for a rule How is that As Luther was wont to say Gods carriage is by contrary meanes he performs them wonderfully He promised Abraham a child but his body was dead in a manner first and Sarah's womb He promised Joseph to raise him up so high but alas the iron entred into his soul first He promised that Christ should come but all was desperate first The Scepter was departed from Judah So he hath promised that we shall rise from the dead but we must rot in our graves first He hath promised forgivenesse of sins that he will be mercifull to us but he will waken our consciences to see our desperate estate that we are forlorn creatures first and unworthy of any respect from him He hath promised us happinesse we that are Christians are the happiest creatures in the world yet in the sense and eye of the world for the present we are the most forlorn creatures that are yet he performes his promise with comfort here and at last will fully manifest his love to us So at the last his Promises shall be wonderfully performed God doth not perform his Promises according to humane policy he will not do thus because we look he should do thus and thus he will crosse our expectation and yet perform his promise Saint Paul looked to come to Rome but he thought not of coming to Cesar by whipping and perill and ship wrack Moses knew he should come to see Canaan did he think to have such a conflict in the Wildernesse alas he thought not of it God doth wondrous strangely perform his Promises by contraries he crosseth our imaginations and conceits directly and yet he is true of his promise Another branch of this is That though Gods Promises be Yea and Amen in his time yet he usually defers his promises for a time and why Among many other reasons To mortifie self-confidence to fit us for his blessings for except he deferred them we should not be fit for them he defers them that we may be fitted for them long before they come That we might mortifie self-confidence to see that he immediately and graciously performs his promise And in the mean time to exercise faith and repentance and desire and prayer therefore he defers them but yet they are Amen at last though he defer Gods time is better then ours he knowes better then we the Physician knowes his time better then the Patient Hereupon comes a duty consequently upon this dispensation of God if he perform his promises wondrously and unexpectedly and perform them in delay let thy duty be answerable to his dealing wait wait upon God tie him not to such and such courses he can transcend and go beyond thy imagination and do more then thou art able to conceive as the Apostle saith therefore wait his good time Hâ—… that shall come will come Stay Gods leisure prevent him not run not before him And as he doth things by contraries so when thou art in contraries look for contraries when thou art in fin and feelest it on thy conscience believe that he is made righteousnesse to thee he hath promised it it is Yea and Amen in Christ. When thou shalt be turned to dust in the grave believe that he will raise thy body this promise is Yea and Amen and as a pledge of it Christ is gone to heaven when thou art miserable remember the Promise thou shalt be glorious with Christ as he is glorious All his Promises are Yea and Amen in contraries believe contraries because in contraries he performs contraries and say as Job doth Though he kill me yet will I trust in him I know thou canst not deny thy self and thy Promises are Yea and Amen In the worst estate that befalls us let us learn to wrastle with God in the Promises and implead his Promises Why Lord thou hast promised forgivenesse of sins to them that ask it thou hast promised grace and mercy and favour remember thy promise thou canst not deny thy self thou canst not deny thy gracious promise thy Word is as thy self thou art Amen and thy Word is Yea and Amen onely give me grace to wait thy good leisure yet I will not let thee depart without a blessing I will hold thee till I have received a gracious answer as Jacob wrastled with him till he had the blessing Let us labour to answer the promise with our faith and labour to bring our soules to be like his Promises they are Yea and Amen though they be not presently performed let us constantly believe a constant Promise let us cleave to God let us have a Amen for Gods Amen Are the Promises Amen Amen let the soul say Lord So be it so it shall be I will seal thy Amen in thy promise with my Amen in my faith so let us have an Amen for Christs Amen They are all and will be all Amen in Christ in fit time all the gracious Promises will be Yea and Amen let our soules echo and say Amen For our faith must answer the Promises faith and the Promises be correlatives for the promise is not except it be applyed Let faith answer the promise let us labour to be established in the Promises in Gods Word Shall we have certain Promises and shall we waver and stagger Therefore let us complain Lord thy Promises are sure and certain as thou hast said what is the reason I cannot build on them Oh my unfaithful heart Let us condemn our unbelieving our lying hearts that call the truth of God into question and make that which is
with reasons discovering an absolute necessity of geting into Christ and of having him to be our Husband except we will lye under the wrath of God and be damned and withal discovering the fulnesse and excellency that is in Christ. Again it is God onely that must stablish the soul all the parts of it both judgment and conscience For I beseech you what can any humane creature what can any thing under God work upon the soul I mean so firmly as to stablish it and therefore our controversie with the Papists is just and good We say The reason and ground of our believing the Word of God to be the Word of God must not be the testimony of the Church and the authority thereof for alas what can the judgment of man what can the judgment of the Church do It may incline and move the will by inducing arguments and so cause a humane consent but to establish the soul and conscience and to assure me that the Word of God which is the ground of my faith is the Word of God it must be God by his Spirit that must do it the testimony of the Church will never do it The same Spirit that inspired holy men to write the Word of God works in us a belief that the Word of God is the Word of God The stablishing argument must be by the power of Gods Spirit God joyning with the soul and spirit of a man whom he intends to convert besides that inbred light that is in the soul causeth him to see a Divine Majestie shining forth in the Scriptures so that there must be an infused establishing by the Spirit to settle the heart in this first principle and indeed in all other Divine principles that the Scriptures are the Word of God And to go on a little further this is a fundamental errour in our practice For what is the reason we have so many Apostates what is the reason so many are so fruitlesse in their lives what is the reason that men despair in death but even this because men are not built and stablished aright Gods Spirit never stablished their soules in Divine truths For first concerning Apostasie ask them what is the reason they are of this or that Religion They will say they have been taught so they have been brought up to it the company with whom they have conversed have been devout men and have been alwayes led with this opinion and they see no reason to thwart it Is that all Hath not the Spirit wrought these things in thy heart hath he not given thee a taste of them hath he not convinced thee in thy judgment that it is so hast thou not found the power of the Spirit working upon thy soul changing of thee raising of thee drawing of thee out of the world nearer to God hast thou not I say felt the power of the Spirit this way No but thus I was catechized and thus I have been bred and thus I have heard in the Ministery And no otherwise Alas it will never hold out there will be a falling away for when a man believes not that which he believes from the Spirit of God he will be ready when dangerous times come when there is an onset made by the adversaries to fall and to fall clean away as we see it was in the time of Popery for whatsoever is not spiritual whatsoever knowledge is not Divine and from the Spirit of God never holds out Therefore I beseech you what 's the reason that you have many illiterate men that set upon the truth and hold out to the end and on the contrary many great seeming Scholars that are skilful in school-learning and in other Authours do not The reason is the one hath the truth from the Spirit discovering all the objections that the heart of man can make against it and the strength that is in the truth to answer and silence all those objections The other man hath onely a discoursing knowledge an ability to gather one thing from another and to prove one thing by another by strength of parts But the Spirit of God never discover'd the sleights and the corruptions of his heart never fastned and settled his heart upon the truth he never had experience of the truth For indeed nothing doth stablish so much as the experience of the truth on which we are stablished Again what is the reason of that unfruitfulnesse that is amongst men but because truths were never settled in the soul by the Spirit of God That which men know out of the Word of God concerning Christ and the priviledges by him they were never perswaded of it in their hearts therefore they come not to a fruitful conversation It is impossible but that men should be abundantly fruitful that have spiritual apprehensions of Divine things of Evangelical truths Hence comes all our unthankfulnesse and undervaluing of the Gospel The Gospel of it self is an unprized thing however we esteem of it God values it highly we value it not because our apprehensions of it are customary and formal gotten by breeding and education and discourse and not by the Spirit we feel not the spiritual and heavenly comforts of those truths we think we know How comes likewise Despair in time of temptation and in death but onely because men want this stablishing by the Spirit of God Men go on in evil courses trusting to a formal dead humane knowledge gotten by humane meanes and not settled in them by the Spirit of God that hath not sealed the truth in their hearts and hereupon when sharp tryals come they despair because they have no feeling of the truths of the Gospel and so when conscience is awakened and smarts it clamours and cryes out upon all their formall and humane knowledge For they having not a spiritual sense of the mercies of God in Christ and the perswasions of comfort are not so near to support the soul as the tentations and vexations and torments are how can they but despair Now who can still the conscience but the Spirit of God Why now if the knowledge that men had were spiritual and heavenly in all accusations of conscience it would set conscience down and still it I am a sinner indeed I am this and this but I have felt the sweet mercies of God in Christ God hath said to my soul I am thy salvation he hath intimated to my spirit by a sweet voyce Son thy sinnes are forgiven thee Where there is I say a knowledge and an apprehension of these Evangelical truths wrought by the Spirit it sets down Conscience and stills it though the heart rage at the same time There are thousands in the very bosome of the Church that miscarry because of this resting in a literall outward formall knowledge gotten onely by discourse and by reading and commerce with others and never labour to have their hearts stablished in Christ by Gods Spirit You see here then a
or whether I speak of my selfe Be true to known truths be not false in disobeying them To him that hath shall be given We have a little stablishing by an uniform obedience to the truth we shall have more God will increase it I say let us be faithful to the truths we have ' and not crosse them in any sinful course let us not keep the truth prisoner to any base affection as those in Rom. 1. that had but the light of nature yet because they imprisoned it and held it in unrighteousness and lived in sins contrary to that light rhat God had kindled in them though I say it were but the light of nature God gave them up to sins not to be named much more will he do to us if we withhold the light of the Gospel take heed therefore that we inthral not the truth to any base lust whatsoever and that is a means to be stablished in the truth And be oft in holy conference with others Conference if it be rightly used is a special means to stablish that is most certain which is certain after doubting and debate because that which is doubted of at the first we come to be resolved of at the last comparing reason with reason Remembring alwayes that of S. Ambrose That there must not be striving for victory but for truth And then when we have tryed all we must keep that which is good and not be alwayes as the Iron between two Loadstones haled this way and that way alwayes doubting and never resolved there must be a time of resolution This the Apostle observes to be an excellent way of stablishing oft to confer of things doubtful And labour to get experience of the truth in our selves nothing stablisheth more then experience Our Saviour Christ in Joh. 6. 68. when many left him out of dulnesse not understanding the spiritual things that he taught as many whose wits will serve for matters of the world and to make them great amongst men but when they come to heavenly things they have no understanding they cannot apprehend them he asks his Disciples Will you go away also Peter who had his heart opened by the Spirit of God saith he Lord whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life insinuating that the experience that he had of the power of that truth that Christ taught did so establish him in the present truth that with a holy kind of indignation at the question he replyes Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life I have found thy words to have a spirituall life in them So when we come once to have an experimental knowledge of the truths we learn then our hearts are stablished indeed then it is an ingraffed Word as S. James saith then the Word is true leaven when it altereth and changeth the soul in such a case there is no separating from fundamentall truth when it is one with our selves and digested into us And pray to God oft as David did Psal. 86. to knit our hearts to fear his Name Lord my heart is loose and ready to fall off of it self Oh knit my heart it is unsettled Oh settle my unsettled heart settle my judgment and affections this should be our meditation And because it is God that stablisheth alway maintain spiritual poverty in the soul that is a perpetual dependance upon God see the insufficiency that is in our selves that we cannot stand out What is the reason that God suffers great men to fall from the defence of the truth and from the profession of it in their lives as we see it in the case of Peter to shew that we stand not by our own strength therefore we should be alwayes in this temper of spiritual poverty to know that as Samsons strength was in his Hair so our strength is in God God is my strength of my self I have no strength And therefore upon every new defence of the truth when we are called to it we should lift up ejaculations and dart up strong desires to God that God would strengthen and stablish our souls that we may not be traytors to the truth but that we may stand to it for in his owne strength shall no man be established And grow every day more and more in detestation of a luke-warme temper Your Ancipites as Cyprian calls them your doubtful flatterers of the times that have their Religion depending upon the State and the times that are neither fish nor flesh Bats as we say that are neither Mice nor Birds but of a doubtful Religion that out of carnal policy are fit to entertain any thing Oh this is a devilish temper Howsoever we in our luke-warm disposition value the truth God values it highly it was purchased by Christs blood and sealed by the blood of Martyrs and shall not we transmit it to our posterity as safe and as firm and retain it come what will Let us grow into dislike of this temper atemper that we should as much hate as God hates it such a temper as is in Popery they are in an adiaphorisme temper in Religion a luke-warm cold temper a temper of Religion according to reasons of flesh and reasons of policy this will make us be spued out of Gods mouth at the last Do we think to lose Religion alone Oh no never think to part with Religion alone it came with peace and prosperity and if we keep not this Depositum this truth delivered to us God will take it away and that which we betray it for Peace and Plenty Let us labour therefore to be radicated in our Judgment in our Affections in our Love in our Faith in our whole inward man in the truth revealed To be stablished in the truth it is our best inheritance it is that will stand by us when all leaves us What consistence hath a man out of the truth are you rich or honourable death will drive you out of all your riches and honours in the world and strip you of all What stablishing hath any man but in Christ in the truth Take a man that is not bottomed that is not fastened on Christ he is the changeablest creature in the world he is vanity he is nothing Oh love this state that we may say Though I be variable here though I be not so rich as I was or have not that favour of great ones that I have had or it is not with me as it hath been but in all changes I have somewhat that is unchangeable my soul is settled upon Christ and upon the truth in him which is certain As it is a glorious being to be found in Christ so it is an eternal and an everlasting being once Christs and for ever his he will never lose a member Labour we therefore to be stablished in Christ in all the changes and alterations in the world and then we shall have something that is unchangeable to fix and stay our selves upon
sakes Now to speak of an oath a little An oath as we know is either in judgment before a Magistrate or in particular cases between private persons And it is either assertory of a thing past or promissory of a thing to come Now this oath of S. Paul's is an assertory oath of a thing that was past to secure them that he did not come to them upon this ground that he had a mind to spare them it was no promise of any thing to come but an assertion of a thing that was past An oath is either an assertion or a promise with a calling of God to be a witnesse and a Judge to be a witnesse of the truth or a Judge if he say false You have the description of an oath in this text I say it is either an assertion of a thing past or a promise of a thing to come a sealing of this by calling God to witnesse of the thing we say and to avenge the falshood if we say false As S. Paul here I call God to record that what I say is true and upon my soul if I say false Many Conclusions concerning an oath might be raised out of the text First of all concerning the person that makes an oath he should indeed be a gracious a holy and a good man As S. Paul saith Rom 1. 9. I call God to witnesse whom I serve in my spirit A man is scarce fit to swear which is a part of Gods worship that is not good otherwise Will he care for the Religion of an oath that hath no Religion in him He whose oath should be taken should be such a man as S. Paul in some degree whose oath should be taken The Turks are careful of this to the shame of Christians they will not take an oath of an ordinary swearer It must be a man that hath somewhat in him that shall have his oath regarded Again we see by whom an oath should be taken by the Name of God we ought not to swear by creatures but by God himself nor to swear by any Idol as the Masse and by Mary and such like It is a taking God to witnesse An oath is a part of Gods service a part of divine worship as it is Deut. 6. and other places now we ought to serve God only therefore we ought not to use the name of any creature in an oath He that we swear by must know the heart whether we speak true or no now who knowes the heart but God therefore we must sweare only by the Name of God These things are easie therefore I do but name them We see here again the two grand parts of an oath besides assertion or promise of the truth there must be a calling God to witnesse and imprecation Though these be not alwaies set down they are implied Sometimes the Scripture sets down the one part but alwaies the other is implied There is imprecation in every oath Sometimes imprecation implies both as God do so and so sometimes there is a calling God to witnesse without imprecation yet it is alwaies implied For whosoever swears calls God to witnesse of the truth and if it be not true that God would punish him These three go together in an oath God that can discover it he knowes my heart whether I say true or no. And he is Judge and thereupon a revenger In an oath God is considered not only as Index but as Judex and Vindex not only as a discoverer but as a Judge and revengeri f it be false Therefore it is a part of divine worship because it is with prayer and imprecation is alway implied if it be not expressed So we see in this text what an oath is and by whom it is to be taken and the parts of it Again we see here in the text that an oath ought to be taken in serious matters The rule of an oath is excellently set down by Jeremy Jerem. 4. I know no one place of Scripture more pregnant and therefore I name it Thou shalt swear How The Lord liveth in truth in judgment and in righteousnesse We must swear in truth that is that not onely the thing be true that we swear we must look to that but we must think it so too the thing must be true and we must apprehend it so We must swear in truth And then in Judgment that is with discretion we must understand throughly the matter whereof we swear and what an oath is Therefore persons under years ought not to take an oath because they cannot swear in Judgment to know what the weight and validity of an oath is and when it is a fit time to take it it must be taken in serious businesse As S. Paul here to clear himself to the soules of the Corinthians whom he laboured to edifie when he saw their ill conceit of him hindred their edification therefore he clears himself by an oath Thirdly it must be in Justice that is we must not bind our selves by an oath to any thing that is ill it is a rule a long time past Herod bound himself by an oath in that kind But an oath must never be a bond of injustice but it must be taken in righteousnesse Therefore here is condemned the equivocation and reservation of the Papists They will swear before a Magistrate but with equivocation this is not in righteousnesse For it is a rule that an oath must be taken in that sense as he to whom we swear takes it that is a constant rule among all Divines because it is to perswade him of the truth that we swear it is for his and others sakes and as he and others take it so it must be took Therefore equivocation with absurd reservations are wicked because they are absurd if they be exprest he will swear that he is not a Priest he means after the order of Melchizedeck it is a mocking and prophaning of an oath it is not to swear in Justice and righteousnesse But it is so foul and abominable a course that it is not fit to be spoken of almost and they are ashamed of it themselves S. Paul's oath was all this he sware in truth he was truly perswaded of the truth of his own affections toward them And then in Judgment it was done in discretion for being not able otherwise to clear himself having no witnesse in earth he goes to heaven for a purger he goes to God himself for a witnesse he fetcheth strength from heaven There was none on earth that knew S. Paul's affection but the Spirit of God and his own spirit and he thought his own spirit was not sufficient my own spirit tells me that I came not to spare you but if you would know my mind better 〈◊〉 all God to witnesse and to be a revenger if I speak false that I came not for this end that I might spare you to prevent the rigour and
to domineer over faith because it is onely a drawing from outward inforcement to the use of means Again it is not a ruling over faith nor a base slavery when men hear the Word of God opened directly and clearly when men shall perswade others according to their own judgment that this is so and when others shall yield There is some faith that may be called in some degree implicite faith and obedience that is not sinful but good and discreet As when men by their standing in the Church and by their experience and holinesse of life are thought to be men that speak agreeable to the ground of Scripture though they have not a direct rule and place of Scripture for it other mens conscience may follow what they say I have been directed by such men at such times that by reason of their calling have opportunity to advise But this frees it from base service that it must be with reservation till it appear otherwise by some place of Scripture or till better counsel may be yielded obedience to others with reservation and counselling with others this is no domineering because it is with reserving our selves to a further discovery and a further light That the Moralists use to call the opinion of an honest man where the Law speaks not it is much to be esteemed especially an honest discreet Christian when the Law of God speaks not directly then he that speaks out of conscience and some light he may perswade another man with this reservation till further light be discovered this is no domineering over faith I might take away many things that might breed a suspition as if we domineered over the faith of others when we do not But to come to shew you this positive truth what this tyranny over the faith of others is and where it is practised Those tyrannize over the faith of others that do equalize mens Traditions some Canons of their own with the Word of God and presse them with equal violence perhaps more because they are braâ—…s of their own brain Those that will devise a voluntary worship of God and so intangle people and tell them This you must do when there is no ground for it in the Word of God it is will-worship God loves willing worship when we worship him willingly but he loves not-will-worship when it is the device of our own brain how we will serve him As if a servant or a slave must devise how his Lord will be served what impudency is this if we consider what God is They tyrannize over peoples consciences that equalize their own dotages though they account them witty devices and their own inventions with the worship of God that jumble all together as if conscience were equally bound to any device of their own as to Gods Word Again those do tyrannize over the faith of others that think they can make Articles in Religion to bind conscience Those that think to free themselves from the danger of errour as if what they said were unfallible they tyrannize over others Those that for trifles excommunicate whole Churches because they hold not correspondency with them in their errours they tyrannize over the faith of others Those that withhold the means of knowledge that so in a dark time all their fooleries may be more admired As we see masks and such like overly things they must have the commendation of some light that is not so glorious as the Sun to win admiration of men so those that would win admiration of their fooleries they shut people as much as they may in darknesse that they may have their persons and all other things in admiration this is to tyrannize over faith and to hinder them from that that is the means to reform them better But who are guilty of all this We see what Church especially is guilty of this of domineering over the faith of others that is the Church of Rome The Councell of Trent equalizeth Traditions with the Word of God they divide the Word of God into the written and unwritten and under a curse they pronounce that all must be received with the same reverence And then they have devised a will-worship of their own and follow and force their will-worship with greater violence then the worship of God and they set Gods stamp upon all their fooleries to gain authority under the name of Christs Church and the Word of God they carry all Again you know they hold the Church to be infallible they hold the judgment of the Pope the man of sin to be infalible he cannot erre and hereupon whatsoever he saith it must bind conscience because he is in his Chair and cannot erre whatsoever he saith is the scope of Gods Word infallible And this is a fundamental errour as we call it a first lie a leading lie This is moving to errour this is the mover that moves all other errours under it For where upon is all the abominations of Popery justified They are iustified by this though they seem ridiculous grosse and blasphemous they came from the Church and the Church is virtually in the Pope An absurd Position that the whole Church should be virtually in one man yet that is the Jesuitical opinion and the Church cannot erre therefore it is good because these tenents come from him whose judgment is infallible That is the errour that leadeth to and establisheth all other errours under it it is the first lie And in lies there is a leading one goes under another they never go alone so this is the leading lie of all Popery that the Pope cannot erre by this means they domineer over the faith of others and make the people even beasts indeed But to see the indignity of this that the Pope cannot erre it is the greatest errour of all and the prevention of all amendment on their side do you think that they will ever amend their opinion when they hold this that is a block in the way of all reformation that the Pope can erre for deny that and you call all the fabrick of their Religion in question and grant that it stops all reformation on their side What reformation may we hope for on their side that hold this Position that they cannot erre Hence come all their treasons and rebellions they have some dispensation from the Pope and he cannot erre though he prescribe rebellion and treason Another opinion they have that the Church is the Judge of all Controversies in which the faith of men must be resolved at last but it is the Pope that the Jesuits mean Now this is indeed to domineer over the faith to make a man of sin to be a Judge over all points of faith and faith to be resolved at last into that into the judgment of the Church The Church hath an inducing power a leading power perswading to the belief of the Scriptures and to hear what God saith in his Word but
See Hope Opinion Confidence Certain account of and looking for death is a not able means to draw us from self confidence p. 136 Gods Children prone to self confidence p. 137 See Trust. Conformity A threefold conformity with Christ p. 118 Conscience Conscience what p. 219 220 c. Three things joyned with Conscience p. 221 God hath set up a Court in man wherein Conscience is 1. Register 2. Witnesse 3. Accuser 4. Judge 5. Executioner p. 222 Conscience Gods Hall wherein he keeps his Assizes ibid. Judgment of Conscience a forerunner of the great and general Judgment ibid. Conscience beareth witnesse p. 223 What manner of witnesse Conscience is viz. 1. Faithful 2. Inward ibid. How to have Conscience witnesse well p. 224 227 An ignorant man cannot have a good Conscience p. 225 Why men have bad Consciences ibid. Papists cannot have a good conscience why p. 226 The witnesse of a good Conscience the ground of joy why p. 227 235 A good Conscience breeds joy 1. In life p. 228 to 232 2. In death 3. At the day of Judgment A good Conscience comforts in all estates and conditions whatsoever p. 228 229 230 Why a good Conscience doth not alwayes witnesse comfort p. 231 232 Means how to joy and rejoyce in the witnesse of Conscience p. 233 Nothing worse then a bad Conscience p. 236 237 238 239 Labour for a good Concience ibid. Commenâ—…atior of a good Conscience ibid. How to have a good Conscience p. 240 Gods Children have place in the Conscience of others p. 320 Contraries God is able to raise comfort out of contraries p. 42 43 God carries on the work of our salvation by contraries why p. 146 Conversation Conversation what p. 266 Christianity may stand with conversing abroad in the world p. 267 Keligion makes a man converse abroad in the world untainted ibid. A Christians Conversation is best where he is best known p. 273 Corinth Corinth a very wicked City yet ever there God hath a Church p. 4 What is now become of the Church of Corinth p. 5 Corinth the Metropolis or Mother-City of Achaia p. 6 See Achaia D. Danger God suffers his Children sometimes to fall into extream perils and dangers why p. 125 126 c. Day Christ hath a Day p. 339 There be two special dayes of Christ ibid. The measure of a Christians joy is as it will be esteemed at the day of Judgment p. 340 We should often think of the day of the Lord Jesus p. 341 See Judgment Death Gods Children are sometimes very sensible and much afraid of death why p. 130 131 How and in what respect the Saints desire death p. 133 Christ was afraid of death and yet thirsted after it how p. 132 133 Gods Children are often deceived concerning the time â—…f their death why p. 134 Death uncertain how ibid. The time of death uncertain why p. 134 135 Certain account of and looking for death is a means to draw us from self-confidence and from the world and to make us trust in God p 136 Physicians fault in flattering the sick and feeding them with false hopes â—…f long life at the point of death taxed ibid. Affliction called Death p. 171 Deliver God doth not deliver his children at the first but suffers them to be brought to a low ebbe to a very sad condition and why p. 171 172 God delivers after he hath done his work p. 172 Gods time to deliver when p. 173 Gods children alway stand in need of deliverance p. 175 God delivers both outwardly and inwrdly p. 176 180 Christians have deliverance from trouble p. 177 A double deliverance of God p. 178 Experience of Gods deliverance in time past a ground of confidence to expect the like for time to come p. 172 178 182 Objection against the Doctrine of Gods delivering his people from trouble answered p. 179 Deliverance various or manifold p. 180 God will deliver his people out of all trouble p. 181 Dispense No dispensing with Gods Law p. 399 Dissembling Dissimulation Grounds of Dissimulation p. 244 A threefold Dissimulation 1. Before the project p. 224 2. In 3. After Objection for dissembling answered pag. 247 Man naturally prone to dissemble p. 244 250 Dissembling to be avoided and declined p. 371 372 A Christian is no Dissembler p. 317 See Simulation Dominion No man hath dominion over anothers faith p. 519 What is no domineering over the faith of others p. 520 What is domineering over the faith of others ibid. Who are guilty of domineering over other mens faith p. 521 The Church of Rome guilty of domineering over the faith of others how and wherein ibid. Grounds from whence this domineering over other mens faith ariseth p. 527 Double Doubling a great sin p. 247 Man by nature is prone to double and the grounds of it p. 250 Some persons and callings are more prone to doubling then others ibid. A Christian is no doubler p. 317 E. Earnest VVHat the Spirit is an Earnest of p. 486 The Spirit resembled to an Earnest in fiv e particulars p. 486 487 How to know whether we have the Earnest of the Spirit p. 493 494 495 How to get this Earnest of the Spirit pag. 501 502 503 Motives to labour for this Earnest pag. 504 505 End Holy men work for holy Ends p. 347 Equivocation Popish Equivocation odious and abominable p. 246 372 516 Errour How Prophets and Apostles were subject to errours and mistakes and how not p. 374 See Infallible Mistake Experience Former Experience a ground to expect like mercies for the future p. 182 to 188 Extremity God sometimes suffers his children to fall into great extremities and why p. 126 127 Gods people are sensible of their extremity p. 129 See Afflictions Sufferings Tribulations F. Faith Difference between Faith and Presumption p. 441 A double act of Faith 1. Direct pag. 488 2. Reflect Of standing by Faith See Standing To have dominion over the Faith of others See Dominion The foundation of Faith must be out of a mans self p. 544 True Faith is built upon the Word or the Scriptures not upon unwritten Traditions p. 544 545 546 Popish Faith not built upon the Scriptures but upon Traditions p. 545 546 Faith sure and certain p. 546 True Faith will persevere and hold out to the end ibid. It 's by Faith that we stand and withstand all opposition whatsoever ibid. Faith a Christians victory by it he conquers all adversary powers ibid. The Sacrament a means of strengthen Faith p. 550 Falshood Falshood to be declined p. 371 372 Father God as the Father of Christ to be praised p. 21 See Praise God the Father of Christ our Father and the Father of mercies how pag. 21 22 Why God is called the Father of mercies p. 23 Why not the Father of mercy but of mercies ibid. Uses to be made of this Title of God The Father of mercies p. 25 26 27 28 29 30 See Mercy Flesh. Flesh what 276 364 Carnal wisdome why called
Flesh ibid. To purpose and consult according to the Flesh a ground of lightnesse p. 366 How to know whether we consult according to the Flesh p. 367 Signs whereby to know that we are not led or advised by the Flesh ibid. How to avoid fleshly wisdome pag. 368 369 See Wisdome G. Generation PRerogatives of Christs Generation p 388 Gentle Gentle courses first to be used why pag. 510 When gentle means prevail not severe must be used ibid. Glory Glorying Whether a man may glory of any thing in himself how he may and how not p. 216 Cautions for glorying in grace pag. 241 Gods glory manifest in the Gospel viz. the glory of his 1. Justice 2. Mercy 3. Wisdome 4. Power 5. Truth p. 438 439 Gods glory is displayed by the Ministery p. 439 Grace and Glory differ but in degrees p. p. 490 Good Gods children do good in every condition p. 113 What good we get by others afflictiens p. 109 The sufferings of Saints do good to others how ibid. See Afflictions God in all outward things that are ill intends the good of the soul p. 151 A good man a publick good p. 272 A good man should take occasion to do good p. 354 The good things the wicked enjoy are not blessings but curses and snares to them p. 414 How to know they are so p. 414 415 How to know that the good things we enjoy we have them in love p. 415 Govern Guide All inferiour creatures areunder the guidance and government of some Superiour p. 289 Grace Grace sweetens all a Christians conversation p. 9 Grace what p. 10 Christians though in the state of Grace yet still need Grace p. 119 349 How to have continual assurance of grace p. 12 13 A man may know his own estate in grace p. 234 Objection against this answered p. 235 Why the Apostle names Grace not Wisdom p. 289 290 Grace two-fold p. 296 Grace wrought in us described p. 296 297 All our wisdome comes from grace pag. 297 Every thing necessary to bring as to heaven is a grace p. 298 351 352 All the good we have is of grace p. 298 God is ready to give us grace p. 299 Signs of being led and guided by grace p. 302 to 309 Helps or Meanes to be led and guided by grace p. 309 to 312 The Preaching of the Word is a special Grace p. 347 Every benefit and blessing is a grace p. 298 351 352 We ought to strengthen radical graces viz. 1. Humility 2. Faith 3. Knowledge p. 454 We may be assured from a little measure of Grace that we are truly in the state of grace p. 491 c. How to know whether the little grace we have be true grace p. 493 c. H. Health HEalth is a gift yea a great blessing of God p. 202 All other blessings are uncomfortable without health ibid. Holy Holy men are but men subject to mistake p. 374 Holinesse and Happinesse differ but in degrees p. 490 Those that look to be happy must first be holy p. 491 Hope A double effieacy in Hope p 120 123 We may stedfastly hope for performance of Divine truths p. 123 We should hope well of others p. 323 344 345 346 See Conceit Opinion Hypocrite Wherein a true Saint differs from an Hypocrite p. 8 c. A Christian no hypocrite p. 8 317 Prophane Professours are grosse Hypocrites p. 7 I. Jealousie Men are wondrous prone to Jealousie and suspition p. 356 506 Whence Jealousie or suspition ariseth p. p. 357 507 Jealousie what ibid. Mâ—…schief from Jealousie ibid. We should labour to avoid Jealousie why p 508 Inconstancy Publick persons should labour to avoid the just imputation of Inconstancy pag. 359 Grounds or causes of Inconstancy p. 360 361 362 We must not take that for Inconstancy which is not p 361 Remedies against Inconstancy p 3â—…3 Carnal men Inconstant p. 370 Indulgences Popish Indulgences what p. 107 Popish Indulgences confuted ibid. See Satisfactions Infallibility How the Prophets and Apostles were infallible and how no. p. 374 See Errour Mistake Ingratitude Ingratitude a horribe sin p. 204 A Carnal man Ingrateful why p. 19 Joy Rejoyce Christians have their joy or a Christians estate is a joyful and a rejoycing estate p. 217 528 c. A Christians joy is spiritual he rejoyces in spiritual things and what these are p. 217 218 Wicked men dare not reveal their joy but seek to hide the ground of it p. 218 A Christian is not ashamed of his joy why ibid. A faithful Minister is the joy of the people why pag. 333 528 530 531 32 533 The peoples proficiency in grace is the Mininisters joy p. 336 Salvation termed joy why p. 528 The end of the Ministery is to be helpers of the peoples joy p. 528 530 531 532 533 How Ministers are helpers of the peoples joy p. 531 c. Objections answered p. 533 c. Joy is that frame and state of soul that Christians are in or should labour to be in why p. 528 c. Reasons or Motives why Christians should be joyfull p. 529 c. Ministers onely helpers not authours of joy p. 535 c. Gods Spirit alone speaks joy and comfort to the soul why p. 536 Faith breeds joy how p. 538 Signs or Evidences whereby to know whether our joy be good p. 539 540 Journey It 's a commendable thing for Christians to bring one another on their journey p. 355 Our Journey to heaven certain pag. 375 How S. Paul could be deceived in his journey and not in his doctrine p. 373 374 Judgment Gods Word â—…r the holy Scriptures the Judge of all Controversies p. 382 383 Properties of a Judge p. 383 Judgment of Conscience a forerunner of the great and general Judgment p. 222 The measure of a Christians joy is as it will be esteemed at the day of Judgment p. 340 We should of ten think of the day of Judgement p. 341 See Day K. King CHristians are Kings how p. 469 470 Knowledge God is known in his 1. Nature pag. 158 2. Promises 3. Works If our knowledge be not spiritual we fall into 1. Sin 2. Despair 3. Apostasie p. 549 L. Legacy GOds Promises are Legacies p. 435 Difference between a Legacy and a Covenant ibid. Lightnesse Publick persons should avoid the just imputation of Lightnesse p. 359 Grounds of Lightnesse p. 360 361 362 Remedies against Lightnesse p. 363 c. To purpose according to the flesh is a ground of Lightnesse p. 366 Lie All sorts of lies are unlawful p. 247 A lie what p. 372 Equivocation is a lie ibid. See Equivocation Live We may not live as we list if we mean to dye well p. 271 272 M. Mercy MErcy what p. 24 God stiled the Father of Mercies why p. 21 22 23 Why not called the Father of Mercy but of Mercies p. 23 24 Use to be made of Gods Mercifulnesse or in that he it the Father of Mercies p. 25 to 38 Against presuming upon Gods mercy p.
abuse Promises of this life 2. Gods Promises wondrously performed 3. God deferreth his performance To wait Gods time Believe contraries in contraries To have Amen for Gods Amen Complaint of Unbelief Faith in the Promises honours God Why God honors faith so much To make the Promises familiar How to make use of former examples What use to make of the story of our own lives Comfort in the false dealing of men To deceive trust odious Comfort in all changes in the world How the Word of the Lord endures for ever To rely constantly on the constant Promises To observe how God daily fulfills his Promises 1. For temporals 2. For spirituals Turn Promises into Prayers Labour to know the Promises Work the Promises on our hearts Evidences of believing the Promises 1. They breed joy 2. They quicken to obedience 3. They purge 4. They quiet the soul. 5. A staying of tâ—…e soul when all iâ—… contrary 6. Faithfulnesse in our Promises to God Quest. Answ. God gives grace to perform the Covenant God promiseth the things be requires Promises Legacies Covenant a Testament Threatnings of God Amen as well as Promises 7. Opposition of flesh and fleshly men Carnal men despise those that trust in Gods Promises To go to God in Christ to perform the promises How to think of Christ. All in the world nothing without Christ. Observ. Gods glory manifested in the Gospel More then in the Creation Our estate in Christ better then Adam's Glory of Gods Justice His Mercy Wisdome Power Truth To see Gods Attributes in Christ. To honour God by believing the Gospel Glory of God by the Ministery Observ. A double Amen 1. In Gods Promises 2. In our Faith Necessity of application Difference between faith and presumption Observ. Stablishing grace necessary Reason 1. In regard of our indisposition 2. In regard of oppositions Difference between true Christians and others Degrees of faith Observ. Christ the foundation of our stability 1. Our Judgment stablished in Christ. 2. Our Will 3. Our affections A Christians stability more then Adam's or Angels None are firm but Christians Observ. God onely can stablish the soul. 1. By shewing our misery and Christs excellency The ground of believing Gods Word Reason of Apostasie The reason of unfruitfulnesse The reason of Despair Spiritual knowledge necessary Observ. God will stablish us 1. Because he is constant All of Grace from God Ground of a Christians not falling away God stablisheth bâ—… working stablishing graces Fear Wisdome Faith Peace To value all good Christians The Spirit works as we are in the body Bond of communion of Saints Use. To give God the glory of our stablishing Strengthen radical graces 1. Humility 2. Faith 3. Knowledge Knowledge must be spirituall 1. Be acquainted with Gods Word 2. Take no scandal at those that shrink 3. Retain the truth in love 4. Practise truths â—…nown 5. Be frequent in holy conference 7. Pray to God to stablish us 8. Be spiritually poor 9. Hate lukewarmnesse Use 2. Examination of our stablishing 1. When it is grounded on the Word 2. When weak men overcome strong temptations 2. By freedome from base fears cares c. Examine our knowledge Examine our course of life None but a Christ an truly couragious in death 2. Desire of Christs coming Why God useth so many several words to secâ—… us What the Spirit is an Earnest of The Spirit an Earnest 1. For security 2. It is part of the whole 3. An Earnest is little to the whole 4. It serves the party receiving it 5. It is never taken away Observ. A Christian man be assured of his estate in grace All in the work of Redemption is for that end Christians not alike assured at all times Double act of saith 1. Direct 2. Reflect The reflect act may be hindred Naughty hearte content with a state of doubling Observ. Gods Children may be assured they shall held out to the end Grace and glory differ but in degrees Observ. Those that look to be happy must first be holy Observ. We may be assured from a little measure of grace The Spirit appears not in all graces at once A Christian is a mixed creature Use 2. To examine the truth of grace We may know grace is true though little 1. The soul mournes that it is little 2. Wait 3. To wait with Patience 4. Constancy 5. To purge our selves 6. Desire of accomplishment Cautions 1. When conscience is wounded 2. Have been carelesse 7. Growth in grace 8. Quieting of the soul. 9. True gold will endure the tryal 10. It will persevere Christians get strength by their falls To labour for assurance Earnest given for our sakes To labour against unbelief Earnest the work of the Spirit 1. He proceeds from Father and Son 2. He only can quiet the soul. How to know we have the Spirit 1. By life and motion 2. By transforming us 3. By Conflict 4. By supernatural obedience 5. It dwells in us 6. It mortifies sin 7. It leads us 8 It is a Spirit of adoption 9. It teacheth to pray 10. And to wait Directions to have the Spirit 1. Attend Gods means 2. Not to grieve the Spirit 1. By cherishing Lusts. 2. Obey the Spirit 3. Pray for the Spirit The Spirit makes impregnable No thankfulnesse without the Spirit No joy without the Spirit No willâ—…ngnesse to dye without it Parts of the Verse Observ. Mans nature prone to suspition Grounds of suspition 1. The infirmity of men 2. Guiltinesse 3. From Probabilities Suspition more then fear lesse then judgment Suspition what Suspition makes the worst construction Why the Devil cherisheth suspition Mischief from suspition Observ. To labour to avoid suspition Suspition a Canker That that is suspected is made unprofitable God labours â—…o free himself from suspition Christ labours to be freed from suspition Sin must be censured and judged Doctr. Gentle courses first to be used Reason 1. It is suitable to â—…ns nature Reason 2. To Gods disposition Reason 3. To the carriage of our salvation Reason 4. Gods course Reason 5. It is most successeful Reason 6. It is tasting Use. To deal gently with others Doctr. When gentle means prevail not severe must be used Reason Men must not spare that God may Against selfrâ—…spects in reproos of sin Use. People to be willing to bear of their sins How to prevent severity in others Vexation in hell to those that were cherished in sin Three-fold correction 1. Private admonition 2. Before others Definition of an Oath None but good men should take an Oath To swear by none but God Invocation in an Oath Imprecation Oath to be taken onely in serious matters An Oath must be 1. In Truth 2. In Judgment 3. In Justice Against equivocation An oath only in matters in determinable Oath lawful Ordinary Swearing forbidden Object Answ. Swearing without good life nothing Object Answ. Custome no plea for swearing Object Answ. Company no excuse for swearing Swearing ordinarily argues a vile heart Original of common swearing 1. Atheisme 2. Cherishing passion 3. Affectation 4. Shame Men should abstain swearing in love to the Kingdome For love to theâ—…r own sam lies Conscience of lessâ—…r oathes Ordinary Swearers curse themselves A Christians life a kind of oath Doctr. No man hath dominion over anothers faith 1. What it is not to have dominion over the faith of others What â—…ranny over the faith of others is Quest. Answ. The Church of Rome domineers over the faith of others 1. By Traditions 2. Will-worship 3. That the Pope cannot erre A grand lie that hinders their Reformation 4. Church Judge of Controversies 5. In the intentioâ—… of the Minister in the Sacrament Confession Satans malice to sit in Gods throne Popery would subdue all Use. To be thankful for freedome from this tyranny How to think of Popery Grounds of spiritual Tyranny Salvation termed joy why Doctr. 1. The state of a Christian is joy Nature teacheth it God gives matter of joy 1. Freedom from ill 2. The good they are brought to Reason 1. That God may have glory Reason 2. It makes active in doing good Reason 3. And able to suffer ill Reason 4. To encourage others Doctr. 2. The Word unfolded helps this joy To comfort what The Ministers helpers of joy 1. By shewing people their ill 2. By shewing the remedy 3. By advice Light Liberty Victory 4. By forcing it as a duty 5. In death Object Answ. Ministers trouble the joy of carnal men Object Answ. Private means will not comfort when publick are neglected Object Answ. The sorrow caused by the Ministery tends to joy Simile Object Answ. Simile Comfort what Use. To esteem the Ministery To open the case of our soules to spiritual Physitians Doctr. 3 Ministers but helpers not the authours of joy Simile Gods Spirit only specks comfort 1. He only knowes our hearts 2. He only can set down the soul. Use To look for comfort from the Spirit by the means Not to idolize the Ordinances why S. Paul varies the phrase Observ. Faith breeds joy 1 Faith takes away all that may discourage 2. It shewes Gods love in Christ. Pedigree of joy Use. To try if our joy be good 1. If it spring from the Word 2. It springs from faith 3. It is above discouragements or allurements 4. It is with humility Standing what meant by it Quest. Answ. Why our stand ing is by faith Four degrees of assent 1. Opinion 2. Knowledge 3. Believing 4. Experience How we stand by faith Quest. Answ. What faith it self stands on God our Father The nature of God Observ. The foundation of faith out of us Faith withstands opposition Quest. Answ. How we stand by faith when conscience is awakened for sin The firmnesse of a Christians standing If our knowledg of Scripture be not spiritual 1. We fall into sin 2. To despair 3. To Apostasie The Sacrament strengthens faith Faith the radical grace