over their owne hearts and those heart-amazing workings of corruption which by after reflexions upon themselves they take notice of these may quickly deprive of these witnessings againe And indeed with many eminent Saints they are not long-lasting They are but the passings by of the Lord before their soules They have a soule-ravishing view of God and Christ by the light of the Spirit but they are soon out of sight againe They must not thinke of building Tabernacles when they are upon this high mountaine beholding the glory of Christ on it A large measure of grace is of great advantage towards the continuance and preservation of these but though they last but for a little moment yet it is an unspeakable favour that they are afforded CHAP. X. Foure Arguments to prove that weake beleivers are capable of attaining these witnessings of the Spirit ANd that weake beleevers are capable of attaining these witnessings of the Spirit I shall prove these wayes Argu. 1. From the Spirits being given to all beleevers as a witnesse 1 Joh. 5.10 It is not said he that is an eminent beleever but he that beleeveth not hereafter shall have but hath the witnes within himselfe This proposition were not universally true if the weakest beleever were at any time destitute of it Neither is it said he hath the Spirit but he hath the witnes i.e. the Spirit as a witnes or for this end to be a witnes to him And how harsh doth it sound that weake beleevers should be uncapable of attaining the end of its being present with them as a witnesse without which it should neither performe its office nor answer its name Object It may performe the office of a witnes or be a witnes-bearer to all beleevers objectively by graces operations though they see or know it not as a Landmarke or sheep-mark witnesse whose the land or sheep are though not efficiently as a Landmarke or Sheep-mark is not alwayes discerned Or the thing witnessed here is onely that Christ is the Son of God 1 Joh. 5. v. 5 6.10 Not that this or that particular soule is interested in Christ Answ That witnessing to particular soules their Adoption and that efficiently i.e. so as to give them a knowledge of it is intended as well as that Christ is the Son of God may appeare these wayes 1. In this whole Epistle the manifestation of mens interest in Christ is driven at as a great end in the Apostles eye 1 Joh. 1. v. 4. These things write we unto you that your joy may be full Chap. 2. v. 3.12.20 Chap. 3. v. 1.10.19.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by his Spirit Chap. 4.13 Chap. 5. v. 2.4 c. 2. Water and bloud doe witnes efficiently that Christ is the Son of God 1 Joh. 5. v. 5 6.8 9 10. Many in those dayes denyed Christ to be the Son of God and therein denyed that record which God gave of him viz. That he hath given unto us eternall life and this life is in his Son v. 11. In opposition to these Faith is described in this Chapter to be a beleeving that Christ is the Son of God Not as if assenting to that did expresse the whole nature of faith but as it includeth a cordiall receiving of Christ according to that record v. 11. And hence such are said to be borne of God v. 1. and to overcome the world by their faith ver 4 5. which argueth the whole of Justifying faith to be intended Now to establish these beleevers in these things 1. That Christ is the Son of God and therefore hath life to give v. 1.11 2. That they were borne of God v. 1. had overcome the world v. 5. and had eternall life in him v. 11 12 13. Which latter falleth with the denyal of the former no life to be had in Christ if he be not the Son of God To evidence and confirme the whole faith spoken of v. 1.5 he sendeth them to six witnes v 7 8. whereof water and bloud are two v. 6.8 As if he had said I appleale to your own experiences have you not felt vertue and efficacy in the bloud of Christ for the pacification of your accusing Consciences and hath not Christ been as water i.e. for the purification of your polluted soules These saith the Apostle are witnesses that you are borne of God and that Christ is the Son of God for none else hath power to do these things But neither water nor bloud can witnes so much as that Christ is the Son of God to any soules if themselves be inevident unseen undiscerned I must know I am Justified and sanctified in order before I can know Christ to be the Son of God thereby And the witnessing of this efficiently is intended by the Apostle For 1. It is his designe to strengthen the beleevers by these witnesses against that grand error of denying Christ to be descended from God which prevailed in those times and that cannot be accomplished by water and bloud without a discerning their testimonie 2. Water and bloud witnessed objectively before 3. It is such a witnessing as is proper to beleevers 1 Joh. 5.10 Whereas Christ is objectively witnessed to be the Son of God unto unbeleevere Joh. 3.11 Joh. 5.32 33.36 37 38. Joh. 19 v. 34 35. And if I know that I have the water i.e. Sanctification and the bloud i.e. Justification then my Adoption is witnessed efficiently to me also 3. It is expressely declared to be the end aimed at 1 Joh. 5.13 These things have I written to you that beleeve for what end That ye may know that ye have eternall life This was his scope or drift to manifest unto them their title to eternall life Ergo a witnessing to particular soules their Adoption efficiently is intended and that to all even weake beleevers 1 Joh. 5.10 Argu. 2. From the extensivenes of the promise Joh. 14.21 Christ engageth to afford manifestations of himselfe unto all that love him and the weakest beleever is a lover of Christ Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with those that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant Not eminent beleevers onely but weake ones shall see his Covenant for they feare him Arg. 3. Many that were weake in the faith yet are concluded under a capacity to attaine the witnessings of the Spirit if not under an actual injoyment of them 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you i.e. Can you be ignorant of it if it be a doubting speech whither they did know or not yet it cannot but speake a possibility of their knowing it Nay such Interrogations frequently have the force of vehement Affirmations i.e. ye doe know that the Spirit dwelleth in you And yet they were weak Christians for saith the Apostle ver 1 2. I could not speake unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal as unto babes in Christ There is then a possibility even for babes in Christ not
he is united to Christ Adopted Justified c Surely a certainty of faith cannot be obtained of this because it is unwritten Answ The soule may have a certainty about this as well as other acts of faith if it be in a fit capacitie to judge of any and duely considereth all requisites unto the specificating of an act of faith and all the ingredients or concurring acts of the Spirit in applying of such a promise And the better to evince this and answer the objection I shall lay downe three things which will much conduce to cleare this Coast 1. The act of faith may be a clearer evidence of its being of the right stampe then the object a man may have a right object for his faith yet not having a right act about that object his faith can witnes nothing thus Joh. 2.23 Many beleeved in Christs Name Here was the right object of faith as you may see Joh. 1.12 and yet their faith is vaine v. 24 25. and no evidence So Joh. 8.30 31. They beleeved on Christ and yet they had not God but the Devil for their Father v. 34 39.44 So Act. 8. v. 13. Yea Jam. 2.19 The Devils beleeve that there is one God and tremble and the Apostle declareth this purposely to prove the defectivenes of faith though it may have a Scriptural object A man may put forth but a natural act about a supernatural object may have but a humane faith about Divine things 1 Cor. 2.5 There is more required unto the specificating of true faith then this that there be a crediting or assenting to what is written Now if the Nature or Quality of the act of faith be considerable and must be discerned before Son-ship can be concluded from it then seing those differencing things about the act are to be found in that faith which is drawne out in the application of witnessing words hence a man is no more liable to be deceived in this then in other acts of faith 2. The Scriptures declare such as doe rightly beleeve to be adopted and justified and determineth what faith is Joh. 1.12 Rom. 5.1 Act. 13.39 By him all that beleeve are justified And the giving such a Characteristicall note must needs be a particularizing of them as well as if the Lord should call them by name and say thou John Thomas thou art justified or Adopted If Legacies be given though their names which they are given to be not expressely mentioned in the Will yet a distinguishing Character is equivalent to a naming of them so faith is made a character of Adopted ones and so it is written and by good Consequence it may be concluded from the Word who are adopted 3. The supervenient act of the Spirit in the effectual application of a word is enough to particularize it unto the soule and then the Word it selfe is witnessing it is no where written in Scripture in expresse termes that Luther or Calvin shall be raised up at the last day yet seing the generall words about the resurrection doe include all particulars under them hence it is not improper to say it is written that they shall rise againe but though the Scripture saith it yet it was the Spirits application of those generall words that caused them to beleeve their owne resurrection It is no where written that this or that person shall beleeve or that he shall have convictions or supportments c. by this or that Sermon or that this Scripture shall be usefull to these ends to one soule and another Scripture for the same ends to another c. but there are some special operations of the Spirit necessary and hereby a generall Call is made particular and so this soule beleeveth on Christ when many that heare the same Sermon and by the written word had a Call as well as he yet beleeve not And hence many Scriptures are pressed that have a direct tendency to worke a conviction upon a man and prevaile not but as last one word is singled out and worketh mightily that way At the same word Act. 17. some mocked v. 32. others beleeved v. 34. hence many words sutable to a soules condition may be viewed and yet are not succouring and at last one culled out from rest affordeth much releife to it All which doe abundantly evidence that the operation of the Spirit is sufficient to particularize a word to a soule and that the Spirit is ordinarily afforded for such ends No soule is converted but there is such an appropriating of Gospell invitations to it And the like Concurrences of the Spirit with some words will make them witnessing which make those convincing converting supporting c. and the testimonie will be as scriptural as any of those other works which are frequently wrought by the Spirit as all grant And seing in those testifying acts by a word the Spirit operateth as efficaciously and usually in a more eminent way then at other times hence they are as visible and acts of faith here as evident as about other words All which being laid together I cannot but reckon the assurance of salvation to be a certainty of faith The Conclusion being drawne from Scripture both directly and by Consequence Though the word alone doth not witnesse yet by the Spirits application of it to the soule it doth and that must be by faith Indeed the Spirit properly could not be said to witnesse that we are the Sons of God nor hardly were a witnes at all if the testimonie were not a certainty of faith and to be received upon the credit of the revealer so as if it came from another as Satan c. it were not to be owned And hence 1 Joh. 4.16 We have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us And it is a hainous sin not to give credit to it and that because the Spirit is the witnes 1 Joh. 5.9 And heaven or Eternal life is absolutely promised unto all beleevers Hebr. 9.15 That by the meanes of his death they which are called might receive the promise of eternall inheritance Jam. 2.5 Joh. 3.15 That faith and hope are to act upon these as well as other words is undenyable what use else doe they serve to and how else can those that are called receive them see Gal. 3. v. 18.22.29 1 Thes 5.8 Let us put on for an helmet the hope of salvation Titus 1. v. 2. In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie promised whither this faith and hope be raised by a present particular application of the promise or by a reflexion upon foregoing acts of faith either way they must be Divine because built and bottomed upon the promise of God who cannot lie And if the latter way that strongly proveth that the interveening of reflex acts cannot hinder assurance from being a certainty of Divine faith I might give other secondary evidences of this immediate testimonie as the soule is enabled to discerne many of its former experiences at such
in any priviledges that come in by it ought to be grounded and built upon a free promise Gal. 3. v. 18.22.29 Hebr. 9.15 2. From Cordiall acts of faith in the application of the blood of Christ Faith is necessary to make the promise become particular to a soule Rom. 3.25 Rom. 10. v. 8 9.10 With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse 1. There must be beleeving which is the acceptation of that blood from Christ in the free promise What beleeving is as it hath reference to Justification or a consenting to the free offer of it that it may be usefull to the soule in particular for such ends as it serveth to If thou haft heartily accepted of it then the promise and the blood or righteousnesse of Christ tendred therein are both undoubtedly thine The primitive act of faith doth not consist in a perswasion that Christ is mine or shed his blood for me this as Mr Burroughs saith is the creame of faith the riches of saith and a man must be interested in that bloud in order before that beliefe else it is a false faith But beleeving must consist in consenting or receiving to answer the offer And hence receiving Christ and beleeving on his name are made one Joh. 1.12 And in this respect Justification is so often ascribed to Faith in opposition to workes Rom. 3. v. 20.28 We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ By faith i. e. by a righteousnesse which is attained in a way of Receiving not in a way of Doing It lieth out of a mans selfe is not a mans owne but by free donation on Gods part and reception on his part And hence the Apostle maketh that the grand difference between the Law and the Gospell Rom. 10. v. 5. Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law that the man which doth those things shall live by them But in opposition to that he declareth the voyce of the Gospel to be beleeve with thine heart and thou shalt be saved v. 6.9 And Fidei attribuitur salus non tanquam causae sed tanquam instrumento Neque enim fides vis illa est ut possit servare sed tota vis est illâ—us qui per fidem appreheÌ„ditur nempe Christi Fayus why is it by beleeving v. 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse i. e. Faith carrieth a man out of himselfe and findeth a righteousnesse in another which availeth to justification and life And thus Faith doth justisie not as a Grace or as a worke or Quality but as a meanes or instrument Commissionated by the Lord for the reception of that blood of Christ which doth justifie And hence it is called the righteousnesse by and through faith Phil. 3.9 Rom. 10.6 It is not the act but the object of faith that Justifieth 2. There must be cordial acts of faith Rom. 10 v. 8 9 10. the heart is three times required in these three verses and an infallible Assurance of righteousnesse and salvation is given to all those that beleeve with it and without that the faith is vaine Joh. 2.23 Many beleeved and yet Christ did not owne their faith because their hearts were wanting v. 24 25. Act. 8.13 Simon Magus beleeved and yet was in the gall of bitternes still v. 23. and the defectivenes of his faith was in this his heart was not right v. 21. When it is with the heart many of the following particulars will discover 3. From its preferring that blood before all other things Phil. 3. v. 8 9. Paul reckoned Church priviledges losse birth-priviledges losse creature-injoyments losse i.e. with the neglect of the righteousness of God by faith and he placed all his gaine in gaining that and 1 Corin. 2. v. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you save Christ Jesus and him crucified i. e. I preferre the knowledge of him in his death before all other things Some men doe not rest upon any other righteousnesse nor this neither Rom. 9.30 The Gentiles followed not after righteousnesse Others may follow after righteousness yea and cry earnestly for the blood of Christ to but riches honours pleasures performances carnal company base lusts something below or besides Christ is more affected Joh 5.44 Revel 3.17 Rom. 9. v. 31 32 33. But do'st thou finde such an utter emptines in all things besides his blood and so thirst after this as nothing else can quench thy thirst wouldest thou be full of distresse under the fullest most desired injoyments without this blood can nothing else afford quiet contentment or satisfaction besides that Is that the great busines thy minde is taken up with and that thy thoughts are spent upon is the attaining interest in it that which thou makest thy scope drist and designe the end thou aimest at and point thou art centred upon in the ordinary motions of thy soule this speaketh a heartie receiving of it and so it is witnessing Object But what should raise a soules estimation of that blood so high Ans The excellent or admirable uses and ends it serveth to It is usefull 1. To Justification and salvation Rom. 5. v. 9.18 By this men are freed from condemnation delivered from the curse not onely in respect of paine but also in respect of losse It s usefulnesse towards the re-obtaining communion with God and the gracious presence of God from which they must have suffered perpetual banishment without that should make them prize this blood above all other things 2. To Reconciliation Coloss 1.20 Rom. 5.1 By this blood there is acceptation into favour with God againe whose favour is better then life and a blessed amity and concord is established between God and soules when else there would have been an eternall quarrell The Lord will become a friend againe will open his bosome reveale his secrets expresse his love to all those that obtaine interest in this blood 3. To the obtaining liberty for nigh approaches unto God Eph. 2.13 Made nigh by the blood of Christ Heb. 10.19 Having boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus By this it may have accesse to him and may have hopes of successe in all its addresses to him and there may be sweet entercourse between them And these are advantages that come in by this blood which may render it preferred before all other things 4. From the renuntiation of whatsoever standeth in competition with the blood of Christ in those uses and ends it serveth to A man may beare up himseife with Christs shedding of his blood for sinners c. and hereupon was confident of salvation but if there be a going about to establish a mans owne righteousnesse there cannot be a submitting to the righteousnesse of Christ at the same time Rom. 10.3 the heart cannot be engaged to irreconcilable oppofites at once
The great thing magnified by carnal Gospellers is their owne righteousnesse but Paul declared an utter unwillingnes to be found in that or in any thing but the righteousnesse of Christ Phil. 3.9 Yea he differenceth Saints from others by their having no confidence in the flesh v. 3. and calleth his great priviledges and blameles Conversation flesh v. 4 5 6. A beleever by want of illuminations or violent temptations may be hurryed into a resting upon some particular duties but the determinations of his will and the maine bent of his inward man are against it He would not for a world offer such dis-respect to Christ and declareth his utter disallowance of it afterward Many acknowledge that they could never have yeelded perfect obedience to the Law but must have been under the curse still if Christ had not taken away the rigorousnesse of it and now they build their confidences upon Christ in conjunction with their own actings in this way of mitigation as their praying reading hearing loving and serving God and offering no wrong to their neighbour c. but as Gal. 5.2 If you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing It is evident that they did expect to be profited by Christ but saith the Apostle if you seeke to be justified by any one worke and Christ together then you looke for justification according to the tenor of the Law and so will have no advantage by Christ but are debtours to the whole Law as v. 3 4. Such men own merits in practise when they pretend to deny them in their judgements Faith is a necessary and effectuall meanes of our participation of Christs righteousnesse which is indeed availeable to Justification And Gospell workes with faith are usefull for the manifestation thereof Jam. 2. v. 18.24 And thus they may raise expectations of salvation as speaking them interested in Christ and his obedience which undoubtedly hath salvation promised to it But neither faith nor workes can be the least particle of that righteousnesse which the Lord hath promised the salvation it selfe unto 1. Because the two wayes of faith and workes are incompatible one with the other and so can admit of no mixture Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith i. c. Let no man thinke to mixe them together for the Law presents to God a mans owne righteousnesse He that doth them Diedat shall live in them but faith receiveth Christs righteousnesse for a gift No man can attaine eternall life without the righteousnesse of the morall Law or Law of workes In the way of workes a man is to fulfill this righteousnesse himselfe In the way of faith it is fulfilled for him by his surety Christ and he is made a partaker of it by receiving Rom. 5 v 17 18 19.21 Hebr. 9.15 Gal. 3. v. 12 13. 2. Because then the reward should be of debt and so not of grace either of which are contrary to Rom. 4.4 To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of debt Perfect obedience due and owing to God as Creator and without a promise intervening could not have made God a debtor to his creature neither could that have been of value to deserve life But if man had yeelded perfect obedience then by vertue of that Covenant or promise of Do this and live it had become a debt Now if Evangelicall actings had such a promise made to them or if the promise were partly to Christ and partly to them then indeed there were more of grace in the condition but the promise were equally binding and so the reward were no lesse of debt after the performance of it Salvation is a debt to Christ but onely free grace and the satisfaction of Christ not our Evangelicall obedsence can make it a debt to us or can make any promise establish an obligation upon the Lord to give out life or salvation to us Act. 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other 1 Cor. 3.11 Isa 63.3 5. From its freenes in choofing and accepting of the blood of Christ for the uses and ends it serveth to A man may have recourse unto God as Creator and use earnestnes for mercy and yet not finde it He may plead a promise and that with importunitie and yet misse of salvation if he taketh it not as in Christ For the Lord hath made no promise but in Christ Eph. 3.6 2 Cor. 1.20 and is resolved to be mercifull unto none but in the way of the Mediatour and hence Christ is called the Mediatour of the Covenant Hebr. 8.6 9.15 12.24 Not one Covenant mercy but must passe through his hands unto soules So that if your hearts have not owned his Mediation his blood cannot be witnessing to you Many will not come to Christ that they might have life and peace Luk. 19.41 42. Joh. 5.40 Nature is averse to being beholden to another for all and so many doe not owne the way of salvation But there may be a crying out earnestly for the blood of Christ and if it be by constraint so as the bent and inclination of the soule be not that way then it is not with the heart Deut. 5. v. 24 25.27 Israel engaged that whatsoever the Lord should speake to them by Moses they would heare and doe it and doubtles they meant as they said for the Lords uttering his voyce out of the fire and striking them with the feare of death thereby this occasioned their making that promise and yet the Lord saith v. 29. O that there were such a heart in them which implyeth more then a possibility that their whole hearts were not in this engagement So the stingings and awakenings of Conscience the servile feare of a curse wrath hell damnation these may force into engagements to owning the blood of Christ but these being extorted from them the LORD doth not account their hearts in them It is with many as with one that hath the Gangren or some sore disease upon a member of his body and there is no way to save his life but by sawing off the member if the man submitteth to this yet it is with abundance of unwillingnes meerly for the preservation of life so many finde the voyce of God to be a killing voyce without a Mediatour and to avoyde eternall death which else is inevitable they will looke to the blood of Christ but it is not out of a free choyce but because they cannot shift it and escape wrath I grant men are to looke unto the blood of Christ for freedome from wrath whither else should they looke for this and this obtained is a great priviledge Rom. 5. v. 9. Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath Rom. 8.1 But a seing God as he is 1 Joh. 3. v. 2. and a fruition of his favour and unexpressible tokens of his love and the attaining everlasting communion with Christ c. these are included in Gospell Salvations and the other is but the least part of
Assurance 4. Be much in selfe-examination it is the proper end of this duty to helpe a soule into a right understanding about its condition 2 Cor. 13.5 And hence it is that Satan seeketh to beate off so much from this duty But exercise your selves much to it at seasonable times i. e. when the eyes of your soules are cleare in a day of desertion they are dimme and so you will be liable to mis-judge about your state and you are principally then to attend upon other duties as the enquiring into the causes of the Lords withdrawing and a coming up to his ends therein and a seeking for its returne c. but selfe-judging acts are of great use towards Assurance when the soule is not disabled for knowing its condition 5. Be much in the observation of Gods dealings with your owne soules Gods end towards the Israelites in all their temptations and miraculous preservations was that they might know that he was the Lord their God Deut. 29. v. 3 4 5 6. and it is charged upon them as a great evil that they soone forgat Gods workes Psal 106.13 Christians know not what they loose by burying their experiences they disable themselves for strengthening the weake hands and confirming the feeble knees of others and it is a great disadvantage to themselves The Apostle exhorteth to adde one grace to another as one meanes to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. v. 5 6.10 A heape of experience must needs conduce much to the clearing up the state Though you can keep but the shell the carkasse of your experiences yet have them upon record and afterward the Lord may cause dry bones to live 6. Be often renewing acts of faith especially take all opportunities that are offered for the most eminent actings of it when Abraham by an eminent act of faith had declared his willingnes to follow Gods call in the offering up of Isaac then he obtained a double testimonie of acceptation with God Gen. 22. v 11 12. An Angel called to him out of heaven This Angel is Christ for he speaketh as God v. 12.16 And his speaking to Abraham is for a double end 1. To stay his hand v. 12.2 To manifest the acceptation of the person v. 12. Now I know thou fearest God seing thou hast not with-held thy Son thine onely Son from me And the Lord is not content with this but v. 15 16. The Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time If Isaac had died one sight of Christ would abundantly have recompensed Abraham for his great losse but behold after this eminent act of grace he cometh againe the second time There were many things that doubtles did endeare Isaac to him he was his Son and onely Son v. 16. and a Son of promise too Heb. 11.17 and the slaying of him seemed to crosse both Gods Command that he should not kill and that promise In Isaac shall thy seed be called v. 18. and yet his faith gets above all and he hath a double appearance of Christ after it Object But the dispensations of God towards me seeme to run crosse to the promises that faith should act upon and so doe forbid my beleeving However I finde my heart so out of frame and my condition so sad that I durst not act faith on promises Answ 1. It is thy duty to beleeve on Christ whatever thy condition be if thou hast not committed the unpardonable sin thou can'st not tell but that thou mayest finde mercy If thou wantest interest in Christ it is high time for thee to seeke after it by beleeving Trouble and perplex not thy soule so much about that question whither thou hast beleeved or not but put it out of doubt by a fresh act of faith A repetition of acts of faith is very sutable to a Saint in his darkest Condition Isai 50.10 He that walketh in such darknes that be hath no light is injoyned then to trust in the Name of God If particular promises faile or be out of sight and sensible experiences faile that it be a midnight of darknesse with the soule yet there is the Name of God to run to and trust in still what his Name is see Exod. 34. v. 5 6. The Lord God mercifull gracious long-suffering abundant in goodnes and truth forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin c. When thou can'st not see that he is gracious to thee or that he hath forgiven thy sins yet put forth an act of faith upon him through Christ and in that way waite for his being gracious and for his forgiving thy sins I would not have a soule upon slighty grounds cast away all former experiences but if Egyptian darknes seemeth to cover it the best way to recover all againe is by a new act of faith Psal 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee When it is afraid of unsoundnes of heart then it ought to trust in God as well as under other feares 2. Oftentimes the Lord doth cast in matter of discouragement in a soules way to beleeving purposely to draw out acts of faith Rom. 4. v. 19 20. Abrahams body was dead and Sarahs womb dead before the Son of promise was given Math. 15.24 I came not but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here was a word to appearance against her So that a man may have seeming impossibilities in the way to his mercy yea a word may be cast in and that by Christ that may seeme to speake against him and yet it may be intended by Christ but for the tryall of faith not to hinder beleeving But usually in such Cases the Lord giveth clearnes about what is duty before he blocketh up the way to it yea and holdeth up the heart to it in the midst of such discouragements this woman was the more importunate the more repulses and seeming denyals she had from Christ What the word doth undoubtedly warrant to be thy duty in that condition thou art in though thou mayest seeme to have a word and never so much against ther yet thou oughtest the more eagerly to owne thy duty And beleeving is the great Command of Christ to all that heare the sound of the Gospell Mark 16. v. 15 16. Rom. 10.9 1 Joh. 3.23 Yea it is a duty at all time â—or in all conditions Psal 62.8 and know that Christ doth never contradict his owne Commands to forbid any soules beleeving and therefore nothing should beate thee off from this It is thy duty to live a life of-faith when thou wantest feeling Christ was without feeling when he cryed out Why hast thou forsaken me and yet not without a faith of Assurance for he saith my God my God So Psal 89. v. 34 35 36. The Lord engageth himselfe by Covenant and Oath that the throne of David should be astablished for ever and presently he was rushed under such dispensations as did threaten the non-accomplishment of what was promised v. 38
bid me be of good cheere Another night I had many hard places of Scripture very spiritually declared unto me In the day againe I was troubled and had a kinde of weaknes and dread on my Spirit But one time I did willingly take a little contentment in the creature and there came a terrour that I went about to resist the Spirit and astonishment came and I resolved that I would take heed of yeelding to any such thing any more and that I would attend unto what should be given in In the Concluding of all The witnessing of Adoption by the Spirit it was brought in to me thus What thou hast seen and beheld it was the Lord and God justifying of thee thou hast seen his infinite and invincible power thy heart hath been kept up and it is made sure to thee that it was the Lord thou knowest it was he and none else it was irresistible Now it is done I have sealed thee up to the day of redemption and caused thee to set to thy seale that I am true thou knowest it was God and hast sealed to it Now goe forth into thy Calling and attend upon it keep thy minde intent upon it and see thou dest not dishonour me And I did so and found some stirrings of corruption temptation assaulting which I did not before onely feare and dread Now the hardship came that day I had as hard a day of it as ever in my life then Satan set on me with violent temptations and I was darke this ministration withdrawne I had it no more that day and my heart was sad Tempta 1. I was tempted that now my earthen vessell should be broken and I should be distracted c. and I had brought it upon my selfe and thus brought it because I had sought of God that he would reveale the Covenant of grace to me and teach me c. and in the former ministration it was given in this is that thy soule desired Some busines was to be done and I did forget and it came upon me do'st thou not see thou hast lost the use of reason had'st not better have been in a low condition But you would be taught of God And 1. I was much affrighted that day and full of feares 2. My heart was so darke that I could not reason the case with Satan for then I might have told him he was a liar for I desired understanding in the mystery of the Covenant that my heart might goe in a right way to Christ But I could not reflect but wholly attend to Satan And Satan gave me Impulsions to goe read and try to pray suggesting to me thou hast nothing to pray thou hast seen God and needest not faith c. 3. Yet I kept this all alongst that God was my Father and though I was distressed yet not in the least teares of perishing Satan could never shoote one arrow to make me thinke it was not of God And in the ministration it was given in that sin was Commanded out that it might not be mingled with his worke and no battery ever should be made against it I knew I was safe for eternity 4. Yet I considered with my selfe had it not been for me to have dyed and was ready to say with Peter Depart from me Luke 5.8 for I am a sinfull creature it was a sorrow to my soule that I had so much because I knew not how to behave my selfe under it I entreated the Lord to shew me Jesus that was fittest for a mortall creature to looke upon and presently I fell into a mighty trembling but immediately recovered my selfe thus the will of the Lord be done and was quieted againe as to that 5. The Lords day approaching some of the family wished me to goe out to heare and I desired every Ordinance but by the tediousnesse of the weather I was then prevented and being at home in this darke condition all alone I resolved to set upon duty yet had no matter but to spread my misery before the Lord. I did excuse my selfe thus Lord thou hast been a wonder-working God in my soule I entreate thee teach me and shew me Jesus in whom I have beleeved Thou hast troden the wine-presse alone and that for me thou hast freely layd downe thy life and that for me thou hast promised that those which keep the word of thy patience thou wilt keep them in the houre of temptation Lord thou knowest this is the houre of my temptation I have neither faith nor feeling As thou hast made me passive in injoying so now make me passive in beleeving And I rehersed these words three times The Lord rebuke thee the Lord rebuke thee the Lord rebuke thee 6. Christ succouring in temptation I found immediately an invincible power bearing up my heart to cast helpe upon one that is mighty Jesus Christ and so evidently and certainly that one should sooner perswade me that a man which I see and have conference with is not a man then that I did not see Christ by faith I did see my selfe taken as out of the Lyons den and my heart triumphing in Christ that from this houre I could read and pray without trouble and feed upon Christ I had another ministration in the night discovering the difference between legal sorrow and Gospel sorrow and I was put into a condition fit to beare it and my heart was melted into that Gospel sorrow but I am not able to declare particularly how it was with me here for a world Tempta 2. After this Satan did assault me very strongly with this temptation that I did Idolize the Scriptures From the first of these discoveries was taken with the Scriptures because all was conveyed by them to me I received it that the Scriptures were the word of God from what I had seen before but now I knew it from the certainty of the Spirit and its making my heart one with the Scriptures and now it was suggested that I made an Idoll of them and upon that I fell into a mighty trembling and feare for it came very suddenly In a little space I had sweet refreshments and distillations of the Spirit Helpe against temptation that came in thus Not the letter but the Spirit that wrote the Scriptures And my heart was quieted againe Tempta 3. Another came that I did Idolize the Son of God for I was afraid of God and was taken up in beleeving on Jesus I was trembling and in a sweat and a great hurry upon this And O had it not been better that I had died and I feared I should never be rid of them Answ After a little space it was given in that the Father Son and Spirit is one pure Essence and Christ being in the forme of God Phil. 2.6 thought it not robbery to be equall with God And the Word was made flesh and was with God and was God And the Son of God assuming our nature became a